LewisK1975

As others have said or hinted at - What you describe as competency is really all most bands require from a capability point of view.  I've come to realise that what's also really important is being an easy person to get along with and simply turning up.

Also agree with the posts mentioning local Jam nights, go along to a few and observe if you don't feel immediately confident enough to ask for a go.  In my experience, they can be very well run or 'not'.  Either way you'll meet plenty of other musos and who knows what might happen.....

Stunning - As the OP said, one of the finest Precision shaped objects money can buy.

Love that - Personally I'd pop either a BWB or Gold anodized pickguard on it, but that's just my own personal preference for a Black / Maple P Bass, enjoy!

Rhythm Stick for me too.  YMMV but I think it's pretty close to being the ultimate combination of Right / Left hand synchronicity combined with great groove.

Lovely!

6 minutes ago, gary mac said:

Love the dark, rich looking fretboard timber Michael, lovely.

+1

7 hours ago, tauzero said:

Another thing. I mentioned 4+1 headstocks before (as, sadly, we're stuck with headstocks until the dawn of enlightenment). Well, any headstock that has a difference of more than 1 between the number of tuners/machine heads/bits of metal that adjust the string tension is right out, the correct numbers are 2+2 for a 4-string, 3+2/2+3 for a 5-string, 3+3 for a 6-string (although I can't recall ever seeing a bass with six or more strings having a stupid imbalance of tuners/machine heads/bits of metal that adjust the string tension).

You'll love this Atelier then......

2 hours ago, Rodders said:

 

FSO = Fender Shaped Object.

Ah, of course....

The only thing that usually puts me off straight away is a matching colour headstock if it's a maple fingerboard.

Just looks weird to me! YMMV!

Oh and by the way what is FSO? seen it a few times through this thread and never heard that before??

Lovely Bass with Cool upgrades, and Matt is a gent to deal with so whoever gets this will be very happy indeed I’m sure.. GLWTS! 

22 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

You’re never too old! 
 

I picked up a bass for the very first time in Nov/Dec 2021 at the age of 56. Practiced at home every day, got bad GAS, bought amps and basses, then thought I should venture out. My first outing was to a local monthly jam in October 2022, and I didn’t take a bass, too scared, I lurked in the background and sussed it out. It’s a jam where there’s a setlist/book on a table to choose tunes from, and copies on stage for everyone to look at. There’s a lot of tunes in it. I took a pic of the front page list and vowed to return the following month with at least three I could play. The next time I went, I took my bass and did play on two tunes with the other musicians. Over the next few months, and keeping attending the jam, I found myself in a band with the house drummer and some other musicians from the jam, and we play gigs every month or so, sometimes two gigs, for actual money! We get along very well, and I would now call them friends. This all gave me loads of confidence, and allowed me to stretch out musically and become a better player. A few months ago I answered an ad on JMB for a bass player for a nine piece band with horn section. I auditioned and landed the job. That band is the most challenging musical experience I have ever had, really complicated stuff, but I would say that I’m swimming not drowning. 
 

A journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step.

 

Rob

And there it is.

I dabbled in 5s a few years ago (Fender mex V, Sandberg PM5, USA Musicman Sub5), and enjoyed them greatly, necessary for the band I was in at the time.  The USA MM Sub had the best B string of the 3 I went through.

When I got one first, I only thought about the B string in terms of below the 5th fret, but the more I played, I started using the B string all the way up the neck, was a bit of an eye opener.

Still though whenever I picked up a 4 string, it just felt like home and I ended up shifting all the 5s and using an octaver for low notes.

Not quite the same, but in a live situation I find it's enough for me! YMMV!

These are all the Jazz Bass anyone could ever need, GLWTS.

Bit late - But I saw Steve Harris's band British Lion, then Iron Maiden in Manchester on 29th/30th June.

British Lion were at a small club called Rebellion on the Thursday, no more than 500 capacity I'd say, and nothing like that amount in there.  Excellent gig, they really are a great live band.

2nd time I've seen them and still amazed to be that close to Mr Harris in full flight.  Support band Stray were also excellent and featured Basschat member King Tut on bass, what a treat!

Iron Maiden then in the Arena on Friday night.  Anyone who knows me knows I love Maiden, and they were brilliant. Somewhere in Time is probably my favourite Maiden album so to hear the Title track, Stranger in a Strange Land and Alexander the Great was a real treat.  The walk on Eddies were awesome too.  Excellent set list overall and delivered with the professionalism which is synonymous with the band.  No mistakes that I heard anyway, and there have been a few on this tour.

Top couple of days overall and Manchester impressed me as a city as well.  Rained on the Friday, but you can't have everything! 

1 hour ago, Supernaut said:

Bass Bros and Bass Direct are within 30 minutes of each other. 

It's more like 5-10 minutes, by car anyway.  I was genuinely surprised how close they are to each other.

Yeah bit of an illusion I think and also the Red one is on a higher stand.

Got a set of the D'addarios on the way from BAX shop.

More expensive than I'm usually willing to pay for strings at £35 a set, but the ones that came on the bass have lasted 3 years, and only the A string actually broke, so I shouldn't grumble really! 

Thanks for all the inputs chaps!

I used Dunlop Super Bright Nickels 45-105 on my Fenders for years for this very reason, nice low tension.

Strangely though, I had to drop a gauge to 40-100 for my Wal mk1.

Anyway, I'm looking around now too as Dunlop Super Brights have gone up in price from just over £20 on ebay up to nearly £30 from the same seller. sigh..

Got some Picato 40-100 Nickel as I remember those feeling quite enjoyable to play when I happened to buy a set some years ago (all my local shop had at the time)

Next on my hit list are going to be the 'Legacy' brand that Strings Direct sell, which apparently are actually Rotosounds.

We'll see!

As a side note - I noticed today that Super brights have jumped up in price, used to be able to get them for just over £20 on ebay, now pushing £30!

On topic - I fold the end before cutting, never had an issue with them unravelling and I've been using them for about 7-8 years..

Probably a Squier PJ - As I only need it for one gig I'd be thinking about what's easier to sell on....

1 hour ago, casapete said:

I have the same Ibanez bass and love it! However, I believe that the only strings that work well

on this model are the D’Addario ones you mention , that were originally designed for the Taylor

GS mini bass. Think it’s something to do with string construction / tension for the very short scale

length? (bronze wound over a multi filament core. )

It looks like the original set ( EXPPBB190G) are either in short supply or have been superseded by

the XTB3790GS set, which are currently in stock at Bax Music for £35. Think Amazon sell them

too along with other retailers.

More excellent info - Thanks casapete!

Just now, Matt P said:

are you looking for Acoustic-style Phosphor bronze strings? If so then i'd get in contact with Newtone for some custom ones, they're not as expensive as you would think and they will be able to make strings tailored for the scale and tension that you want. I've been using their acoustic strings for 15 years and they last really well and the tone is unparalleled.

 

looking at the gauges of the D'addario ones (37,50,62,90) and putting that into the custom string configurator gives a price of 27.50 for phosphor bronze on hex core, it's a bit more (a few quid) for the platinum spec strings which have a smoother feel. they will take a couple of weeks to arrive but will be made to your spec. as the D'addario ones are over 40 a set this is a real bargain.

 

I'm currently waiting for a huge order myself and have a 5 string stainless set being made for my Swift short scale 5.

 

Matt

Excellent info Matt, thanks!

I've got one of the Ibanez PNB14E parlour size (scale 24") Acoustic Basses.

The A string has broken so I'm looking to re-string it totally.

It has the Daddario Taylor GS size strings on it from the factory, but they're expensive and in short supply.

Was thinking to just put long scale strings on it (cut, obviously), or maybe short scale ones (again probably have to cut them, so no difference to getting long scale ones really), anyone got any better suggestions? 

Double post!

I had one of these when I was using 5 strings for a band I was in a few years ago, also found locally on marketplace IIRC, may have been gumtree, got it for £250! - definitely the best sounding B String of the fivers I went through inc mex Fender & Sandberg Basses.

Slab body got on my nerves a bit though.

Sold on at a profit after a couple of years ownership!  Winner!