Doctor J

Mine doesn't have the headstock serial or Made In Japan anywhere. Just the ESP logo and the serial on the neck plate.

When there is some 400 Series loving going on, I will be there First things first, here's my one Legend has it that some early 400s were assembled in New York from Japanese made parts, I think I saw a thread on talkbass a few years back where a fella had a similar neck plate. I asked ESP about my one many years ago, they said that a lot of records from that era were destroyed in a fire, the closest they could date mine was somewhere between 87 and 89. I've had it since early 93. There's an ESP uk forum and one of the mods there seems to have the ear of ESP Japan. I've long lost the url but it should be out there on google. I'd say give them a shot, they'd be your best bet.

Can anyone please explain to me what the attraction of a small sub-forum would be to a guitarist in a forum full of bassists? Please. Please

New strings.

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1325779524' post='1487560'] Waiting for further input from other moderators, but it looks like the most effective thing to do would be to open a subforum and if it gets really popular we can always migrate it to a dedicated site. [/quote] A creepy amount of common sense there. Get yourself a cup of tea and sit down for a while

The 2024x is top of my GAS list. I've played the 1024x and it was really nice. The tone with both pickups on almost made me weep with joy. Still want to get the 2024x though

I don't think any [i]real[/i] guitarist would stick around long enough to wave his whammy bar at you

What is it about a small guitar (or instruments which aren't bass) sub-forum hidden deep in a forum full of bass players which you think will be so attractive to guitarists that we'll end up [i]swamped[/i] with them?

Topics would just disappear among everything else. It's not general discussion, it's several topics related to a specific instrument, rather than the random subject matter of the open forums.

I'd support this. I played guitar in my last band for about 5 years. The only reason I decided to play guitar was because I didn't want to be in a band with a guitarist. Sending someone off to a guitar forum is like sending an innocent man to prison. If there were a small sub forum here for discussion of the instrument in a rational and sensible manner, as seems beyond the grasp of your average guitariste, I think it would be a good thing. It could be incognito, so as not to attract unwanted attention and anyone who doesn't want to visit it shouldn't be forced. Guitars aren't the problem, it's guitarists.

You played the two Ps with heavier attack downstrokes than the J and Warwick where you played upstrokes, that's going to sound different for a start. Perhaps this is part of the meatier sound?

Eubassix posted my two Godlykes over without a hardcase. Necks removed, everything meticulously bubble wrapped and labelled and all fitting into a box easily managable for even the laziest delivery guy. In truth, probably the safest any instrument has ever been getting posted overseas to here.

[quote name='lee4' timestamp='1325015252' post='1479171'] [b]When was the last time any of us had an audience member make [i]any[/i][/b][b]comment about our tone?[/b] [/quote]Quite frequently, actually, over the past few years when I've been gigging on guitar but had a few comments on my bass tone, too - most memorably when a fella told me he was on a different floor and couldn't hear the band, but he could [i]feel[/i] my bass

I only keep basses I like the tone of straight into a DI. I usually bypass the amp EQ anyway so if I can't get the sound I want out of my hands and the bass I tend to move it on or else start changing out the electronics to see if I can get to where I think it should be. I don't have one fixed tone for everything and I don't expect one bass to do it all. My ESP jazz sounds like I want a jazz to sound. My P sounds like a P should, etc and I use the appropriate bass for what I think the appropriate sound should be. I don't crave mega-versatility in one instrument anymore, I'm happy that it can do it's own thing superbly, rather than passable imitations of everything. So, it sounds good on its own or it finds a new home.

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1324912929' post='1478425'] whats the question/s? [/quote] My answer, I think, is Bacchus Woodline P Classic, about four years old now. Tried loads of Fenders, couldn't find one that excited me. Strung with Elixirs, can get stupidly fat by manipulation of the tone control, can get bright and grolwy by leaving it be. Love it.

Beautiful bass, wow. I had a couple of Dolf pickups before, the man is great at what he does.

Bam ba lam! Get yourself a beer, you've earned it.

Really nice, hope you have many great years playing it!

All of them. If you were to make a selection though, The Inner Mounting Flame and Birds Of Fire are essential. Bear in mind, you can get a five album compilation pretty cheap on CD these days.

I wouldn't do a solo, personally, not my thing... however, if I [i]had[/i] to sit through one, I'd rather the player did something musical, in keeping with the song (it's not a solo taking the place of a song, is it? ) and avoided just dazzling me with super-fast clacking and popping because I just don't care for w*** or, worse again, some poxy tapping. It should sound good to the ear and should be mercifully brief. Well, you did ask.

I've done a fair bit of work on the SR recently. Since I got it last year I've swapped the AFR pickups for EMGs, replaced the Vari-Mid preamp with an EMG BTS (vol, blend, bass and treble cut and boost). I feel it's a much better sounding bass now, the mids are much clearer. Also did a fret level, crown and polish, plus I rolled the fretboard edges and set it up to perfection. Plus, I sanded 16 years of crud out of it, then sanded some more, then shellac, then sand, then Danish oil, then wax and the grain really pops now, it looks like this. It's a really nice bass. and a "before" pic to show what it was like

This time last year I could have joined you miserable heartbroken wretches for a sup of bitter mead, for I, too, yearned for a foolishly sold guitar. However, this very year universe did align to my satisfaction, my lost love rose from the mist into my gaze once more and, luckily, I had the funds available to bring it home where it belongs after a series of events which played into my favour (actually, the guy put it up for sale at much less than it was worth, got offers matching his valuation and, upon realising this, jipped them and relisted it at a higher price, which I was able to negotiate down from to a sum considerably less than I sold it for). It's the feelgood story of the year. It has two too many strings but I don't care. Huzzah!

The Good - Godlyke Disciple - I picked this up in a trade here and I just really, really like it. Great neck, great tone, just seems to suit my hands to a tee. Sold my Stingray shortly afterwards because it was never going to be played again. Great bass. The Bad - 1977 Fender Jazz - never liked it, moved it on. The stereotypical 70's Fender before they became desirable, expensive and, all of a sudden, good (in that order ) The Ugly - I'm sorry this isn't more a imaginative selection but I still think this is the ugliest bass in production. Not mine, can't see the day I'd ever spend cash on one either. I mean, come on. Just... no.

I know some lads who've been playing the repaired instruments for over twenty years, so if done right, the repair should last. Any headstock attached using a spline joint has a layer of glue between the two pieces of wood so it's not something which means the instrument is a tonal lobster. It's really down to the quality of the repair, I reckon.

All it would take is for them to add a volute behind the nut but they insist on not doing it. It's not just Thunderbirds, I don't know how many repaired Les Pauls and SGs I've seen over the years.