Doctor J

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.

They'll never reissue them as long as 2nd hand ones go for just over $250

Nice! Good variety there, too. Keep up the good work

That is really nice. I'm definitely in the market for a T-40 in the near future.

How do you store them? Are they easily accessible? Once I made the Bassdrobe I found myself spending time on all of my basses, depending on my whim of the day. When I kept them in cases and gig bags I would usually find myself playing whatever was easiest to get at. Not any more, each is as easy to get at as the next. Now I'm seeing gaps in the collection again which ought to be filled because I'm playing them all and could fit more into roatation, I reckon All I needs now is monies

His music made me want to turn his music off and turn on good music from the 70's instead. If this is what he intended, he is indeed a genius.

In my case I tried a load of Fenders and ended up buying a Bacchus. I'd definitely be among those advocating trying a load of Precisions, but not necessarily Fenders

I've got a few but if I really had to settle on just one it would be my old ESP Jazz bass. If you can't do everything you need on a good Jazz bass, the bass ain't the problem.

Yet there he is playing his simple root note on stages in front of thousands regularly and you're at home with a more complicated bassline watching a dvd. Perhaps it's not a boring bassline, just the right bassline?

The EMG stuff is for active only, the pots are not really rated to make passive pickups sound good. In fact, they say it's for EMG pickups only. Bartolini make some fine preamps, I've got a couple of basses with them in and they're rather nice indeed, I'd have no second thoughts about recommending them. Send them a mail, they should probably be able to recommend something which will really suit your pickups well.

I wouldn't really call that coming back, it seems further and further away from the originals as is possible.

If you google "really bad ideas which will end in disaster" there is a link to this thread on the first page. Please don't cut up your bass, mister.

Try Christoph Dolf at bassculture.de. He's not the cheapest but he is very good at what he does. I had him make a pair of rosewood covered humbuckers for a 6 string bass with a non-standard size. They were bang on, based on the sound I told him I wanted. Alternatively, I just got a set of J pickups from Jess Loureiro in Spain - see recent threads in this forum. I'm not sure if he does custom sizes yet but his prices are good and there's no harm in asking him.

I'll second the Bartolini concern. I used to have a SR3006 which had American Barts in it, not the MkI's and the output of those was also pretty feeble - the Ibanez spec Barts seem to be very low output pickups by design. Swapping them out made a world of difference. Consider raising the pickups closer to the strings to give yourself a bit more oomph and if your amp has a passive/active option, use the passive input. I can't see batteries making it any louder in any big way, other than swapping old for new. A 9v is going to put out 9v. Have a look at your preamp and see if there are trim pots on it, there could be a volume control in there. The specs of your pre should be easy enough to find on the Ibanez website.

Slivadiv by Back Door featuring the wonderful Colin Hodgkinson. I can't find it on youtube so here's Human Bed in it's place [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf5BPZTdtV4[/media]

Superb collection. You've a thing for Streamers then?

Nice!

Delighted for you, good work, fella!

No. Got a set of webstrings on King Billy and they're horrible. Can't wait to get a set of Elixirs on there and hear what the new pickups are capable of becuase cheap strings suck balls.

Just roll the ship out of there and be done with it. Who's going to win in a fight, your ship or some Belgian red-taper waving a piece of paper at you? This is serious business, go get your bass.