skankdelvar

Ah well...if they're a pack of bastids, then perhaps not so reasonable a deal...

"Semi-set neck". Priceless

[quote name='Merton' post='359426' date='Dec 20 2008, 10:35 AM']...Going to change the stock valve AFTER the gig so I can get a better idea of the "tweakability" too...[/quote] Ah, the old Valve Tweaking.... A Slippery Slope. ...before you know it, you'll be selling a kidney for an NOS Mullard.

[quote name='4000' post='359675' date='Dec 20 2008, 04:12 PM']...What will eternally baffle me is why anyone thinks "their" genre is better....[/quote] "My" genre is better. Jazz and metal pale by comparison and you know why? It's better because [b]I[/b] like it. I defy anyone not to succumb to the movement known as North Asian Throat Funk and the sublime 9.5-string counterpoint lines of the god-like Nanki-Poo Ming. If you don't get it, you're sub-everything and next up for the firing-squad in my head.

Just to reinject some controversy: Lots of ([i]insert genre here[/i]) bass players use ([i]insert mfr here[/i]) in order to get ([i]insert quality here[/i]) but they're wrong because ([i]insert mfr here[/i]) are known for having much more ([i]insert quality here[/i]). Anyone ever notice that ([i]insert genre here[/i]) players are all [i](insert derogatory comment here).[/i] And [i](insert obscentity here)[/i]

[quote name='aceuggy' post='359595' date='Dec 20 2008, 02:13 PM']+1 to that. Who would you be trying to kid, other than yourself![/quote] Errr... sniffy gear-head musos at auditions, audiences, gear-snob promoters, prospective agents, e-bay bidders, thieves, gullible youths with wads of cash .

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='359275' date='Dec 19 2008, 11:23 PM']the formal language of music[/quote] Gtr: "It's in A" Bass: "It's in G" Gtr: "No it isn't" Keys: "It's in G on the album" Gtr: "Not on the live album" Singer: "I haven't got the live album" Bass: "Well it starts with a G" Gtr: " Yes, but then it modulates to A" Keys: "That's not a G, it's an F#m" Bass: "So it's not a modulation, it's the relative minor" Gtr: "The relative minor of G is Em" Bass: "But you said it was in A" Gtr: "It is" Keys: "Where does it go after the A?" Bass: "If you want it in A, I could put a Capo on" Gtr: "Capo on a bass? You can't do that" Keys: "McCartney did" Bass: "Well, [i]you[/i] could put a capo at the 3rd fret and play it as an E" Gtr: "F*** off, people will think I'm a total amateur if I put a capo on" Rehearsal room manager: "5 minutes lads" All: "Oh b******s. Let's do Johnny B Goode" Gtr: "In C?" Bass: "No, it's in Bb" Ad inf.

[quote name='MartyBRebelMC' post='359240' date='Dec 19 2008, 10:34 PM']correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but most fenders post CBS were appallingly made (hence then neck pocket).[/quote] You're right - (up to a point .) A number (and opinion might have it - many) of Fenders made during the CBS period were less than satisfactory, [i]compared to the best of the 50's production runs[/i]. In their own right and judged against contemporary standards some were worse than mediocre. Some were OK. And some were very good. But we're talking about a very large number of instruments here, compared to the numbers produced in the 50's. As documented by Fender insiders, CBS boosted output by a significant factor, and this led to some 'issues', both in terms of QC and product development. So - bigger numbers and some shift in standards might equal a larger total number of 'dogs'. Clearly there's a bit of Voodoo about pre-CBS, but OTOH - where there's smoke... Nevertheless, the general view seems to be that what we might loosely term 'range wide production standards' have improved since CBS sold Fender in the 80's. The weakness in Fender's range would now seem to be the Mexican Fenders, which, IMO, compare unfavourably, VFM-wise to the Squier 'equivalents'. In reality, 50's Fender, CBS Fender and the Fender of today are three completely different companies manufacturing variations on several relatively unchanged designs. It's not unreasonable to seek (and probably find) some variations in outcome.

Indeed it does. Shipping not unreasonable either. Bit weird, this being 'positive' thing. Got far too used to threads about faked up POS 'Vintage 1939 Custom RARE Fender Percussion Biss - You try world class, no rip you off, drives superb".

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='358929' date='Dec 19 2008, 04:20 PM']However, I've also come across people who, when you say to them 'what scale are you using there?' or 'are you playing a diminished on the F?' or, 'I think you are going to the IV too early', or even 'here's a chord chart for this song' have not got the slightest idea what I am talking about.[/quote] That would be me then...well, I might recognise a chord chart. As long as it's in the key of A.

Sorry, no, me neither. Are they any good?

That's rare. Only ever seen one before, at that place down in Farnham. It used to belong to the guy out of "The Guess Who" and was used on 'American Woman". With provenance, it was about £1600, but that's 5 years ago. Another one that slipped through the net

Lovely bit of work...that's got me thinking...and with that F Mustang logo....... GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

No helpful suggestion, sorry - I just use whatever's in the room. If it ain't loud enough and it's farting out, I just ask the others to turn down. Not too worried about tone, etc in rhsal rooms: * Because the acoustics are usually crap, and the louder you get, the plankier it usually sounds * It's only a rehearsal This approach allows you to focus your hard-earned cash on your gigging rig

Alex - thanks for posting that - an interesting take. But I think yer man Ed is flying way above the rest of us. As a long-term user of both types, I'd characterise them as follows: P = Dum J = Doo

About 1982 I got asked by a 'mate' to take a 3 bolt Jazz into Macari's (I think) and flog it while he waited in the car. Got a couple of hundred for it and gave him the cash, which 10 mins later went straight up his nose. Turned out later, it wasn't his to sell, and he'd conned me into being the 'face' in the deal. Apropos of nothing, the left-overs of the snotty, two-handed tapping 'assistants' of 20 yrs ago are now greying, obnoxious old managers. Think of that with pleasure, next time you're being patronised up Denmark St...

So let me get this straight - you booked it as a party and (barring a misunderstanding) he's wrapped a pay to play night round you. My condolences. Some might call him a weasel-featured spawn of satan and I might agree. But full marks for initiative.

...and that's without even getting into the 'feel / tone' issues of: * Break angles over the nut and the bridge * Distance from nut to tuner, saddle to end fixing point * Low string height for 'playability' vs higher for 'brightness' * Other abstruse issues understood only by the likes of Dan Erlewine In any case, this whole titanium things sounds like the work of the devil. It's been downhill all the way since they stopped making strings from soup and donkey-gut.

Suggest you also have a look at the Wiki on this - there are imminent issues regarding Ofcom selling off certain radio frequencies in the next few years, which will include some of those used by wireless systems. You may soon find your chosen system obsolete !

Two things here: * It's perfectly normal (whatever skill level you're at) for your 'abilities' to vary a bit from week to week, or even day to day. Even world-class players have off days and on-days. Nothing unusual. * As with any long-term learning process, you'll go through 4 stages: 1 Unconscious incompetence - you're not doing as well you could, but you don't even realise 2 Conscious incompetence - you realise you could be doing better than you are 3 Unconscious competence - you're doing better but you don't know why 4 Conscious competence - you're happy with your playing and you know what you have to do to keep improving You're probably on the cusp of stages 2 > 3. It's just a matter of time. (FWIW, I'm just about at the same stage as you - after 33 yrs) And if it makes you feel any better (or worse) - the more years you're playing, the more there is to learn...

Leopardskin

Tell him to poke it. Has money changed hands yet?

Enjoy your bass and have a Happy Christmas

Hi and welcome. Good luck with the new band.

That's craftsman's work that is - lovely bit of Artex-ing.