leftyhook

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1323105033' post='1459357'] Yep +1 for me. VMJ 77, I upgraded to Wizard pickups and a Gotoh bridge. Also added a preamp (took some fitting that) to keep the levels consistent with my other basses, although I mostly use it flat. Its a great bass and I will have another soon! [/quote] which Wizard pick-ups did you fit and was there much difference?

I just would not put up with a drummer who refused to keep it simple and know when and when not to be flamboyant. My current drummer (4th this year) is a solid as they come. I have no idea how flash he can be (no time to noodle when there's gear to set up, instruments, P'A, lights), but he plays the songs right every night and it didn't take long to lock in with him.For my band at least, we are the rhythm section and we play as a backbone for those in the band who crav e more attention...

[quote name='fender73' timestamp='1325066309' post='1479459'] Love or hate the guy, i think he's great, was nice when i was fortunate enough to meet him and agree with the comments about how much he has done for the instrument (plus the profits some bass manufacturers will have seen from him using one of their instruments). He's been a big influence on my playing, and not just the slapping part. Roll on October 28th at the RAH [/quote] Thanks to MK, even non-musicians have woke up to the guys on stage playing those 'guitars with 4 strings.'

you might want to post on other instrument forums, i.e. not the one position already covered by yourself (guitar, drums etc)

I may not be technically up as a lot of people on here, but the shape of a room, other peoples volume ( vocalists are obsessed with LOUD monitoring of their voice), the angle of your backline and furnishing ( curtains, carpets etc) can mean a big difference in sound projection. It can be a pain when you are standing 3 feet from your amp, happy with the volume, then you walk another 5 ft forward to sing and you backline gets lost. Then you take a few steps to the left to see what the drummer may be hearing. "Where did my bass go?" Ive had arguments with a drummer saying I was 'bleachingly loud'. I tried a smaller amp for a few gigs to shut him up. It turns out he was getting overspill through his headphones because the desk was set up wrong. Believe me I am not a loud bassist. Oh, and then there's the mixing on stage thing......let's not go there! Turn up. You have to hear and 'feel' what you are producing, otherwise you will hit your strings too hard, causing fatigue, causing a lack of fluency.If you can set up so you can angle you cabs away slightly from the rest of the band. I'm off to a gig tonight and I know I will have to set up in a different way that I did the last gig.If you can have your own monitor, or better still in-ear monitors then you will always be smiling.

begin by forgetting jazz and play something exciting. ho-ho ho, merry xmas!

Depends if you choose to use roundwounds, in which case read up on Jaco's Jazz bass! I used roundwounds on my Wal ebony fretless fingerboard and ripped it up. nasty buzz spots. I always use flats on a fretless. D'addario Chromes for me. Fab. BTW my Wal is sadly no longer fretless due to wearing the fingerboard too many times with rounds . Be warned!

I have to say that my Squire VM Jazz is ok, but I saw an American jazz in a store recently and it visually just blew mine out of the water. Beautiful grain. I recently bought a Squire P/J bass s/h. Oh dear. I may have problems with the neck. risen frets at the dusty end. Suddenly my Jazz feels like a more quality bass! You certainly can get lucky with a cheap bass. I didn't . So I won't ever buy a cheap bass without trying first. In fact, I will never buy a cheap bass again. I have been playing for over 30 years and know I deser e much better than what I have been allowing myself to put up with. I have a Wal. Sublime. As for a bit of variation, an American Fender precision, or maybe a Warwick . Oh, to make things more difficult for myself, before I was born I decided to be left-handed. tch!

shows dedication has been applied, but not associated with laying down a tight bang-on groove that inspires the singer with confidence and inspiration. everyone to their own!

It was mark King who influences me to bugger up the fingerboard on my fretless with roundwounds Outstanding talent though, and a very funny guy. I tried those stupidly light gauge (with the exposed core over the bridge) strings he used and found that my slapping fluency crept up several notches, but I also had to crank up my bottom end to compensate. Only ever had the one set.Felt like I was playing a banjo. Not sure if this has been covered,...."split thumb"?? He may very well have split it at one time, but it is my belief that he tapes his thumb to add more weight to help his attacking sound and speed. Back in '83 ishI tried it for a few gigs (Lessons in Love on my fretless, my arm was burning half way through without the tape!) and it was great. His style spurned a thousand clones and that has to be admired, but....Come on Mark, come clean! Ok, I am here to be shot at for my controversial thoughts. BTW fave album "Level 42" song, Heathrow. "Ba-b-b-b-b-ba-b-b-b-b....."

10 cm, might be a tight fit.... If you haven't got a measurements by Monday pm . I am gigging that night so will measure guitarist's case and get back to you ( I will get home around 3 am Tuesday)

[quote name='throwoff' timestamp='1324630772' post='1476358'] There are a lot of good basses in the 1500 price range especially second hand. I have seen more than a few fretless Warwick thumb NT's go for that kind of money over the past 12 months. [/quote]Absolutely. Chances of a Wal fretless turning are not impossible, but slim. You could wait........................................................................... .....................................................................................or.............................take on board what Throwoff said. Even my W. Rockbass has a lovely singing tone to it, so a Thumb will be awesome. I already said that I feel I have stripped my Wal of it's originality. And conversions don't always work. Wal and his team would have suggested specific woods to get an nice fretless sound. Mine hasn't really got the fretted sound I wanted as it is designed as a fretless ( I may be shot down for this!), although it has the Wal sound, it is a little darker than the sound I was hoping for with frets on. Whatever you choose mate, please use flats. You will end up with nasty buzz spots unless you are a really light player. I highly recommend d'addario Chromes. forget £40 from the high street. go to Stringsandbeyond. half the price from the USA .

Been listening to Percy Edwards? Mick Karn? He's the reason I went to the factory in' 83 to meet Wal and Pete, had a coffee while they put together a left handed fretless just for me to see what a Wal was like. They made me feel worthy of their craftsmanship. I ordered a Shedua faced Custom fretless. Sh is beautiful. but I did something very bad.... About 7 years ago I had my Wal 1984 custom fretted, having worn the fretless fingerboard down 3 times and there wasn't enough ebony left to take another layer off (roundwounds and agressive grip) Couldn't afford a new fingerboard so £70 got me some frets. I regret it. Sounds great, but I messed with a work of art. Don't do it! why not have a fretless neck made for it? then yo have the original should you get bored with fretless. I think it would take a long time for the guy now making Wal basses. he is snowed under and always will be. Anyone you know who could make a replica neck?

I work the clubs/corporate events etc. On a wage. Agent gets the bookings. Without agency it would be total bedlam cos the braincells that run those venues are useless. I did the pubs for years and it's getting more difficul,t for new bands especially. " What band did you used to be in?" if they've never heard of any of your bands, they are suddenly 'fully booked for a whole year'. I really feel for the new bands. Don't get me started on fees! They are the same as they were 18 years ago.

'Simply the Bes't for 4 fecking years as an encore. F-O-U-R F-E-C-K-I-N-G-Y-E-A-R-S I said............u-u-g-g-g-h-h-h-... of course now I don't play it, but.... the devil awaits my soul in return.....

Thing is, when it comes to impressing the crowd by getting a good sound, it can be out of our hands. What I mean is, you might have a great sound on stage with your TC Electronics rig, but if the guy on the desk out front is losing you in the mix... actually that sounds like an interesting thread waiting to be started... How many times have you been told " we can't hear your bass"? and has the sound man kept his cool when you mentioned it to him?

I am the least materialistic person when it comes to such things. . No Watch and an X reg Fiat Punto. Perhaps I should draw a Rolex watch on my wrist and wash my car 'til it blings to the max...

[quote name='jojoagogo234' timestamp='1324425856' post='1474239'] i live in central london, il defo come !!!!! i got to loads of music shops and see what they got all the time.... most of the time its a left handed westfield, or some sort of crappy p bass copy -_- being a leftys a bitch 7 years of me playing i dont have a lot when it comes to gear though the fact is im only 17 ( nearly 18 :3 thought i might add that xD ) during the whole 7 years of me playing iv only ever played one instrument a lot il bring it anyways its a cort action. iv never really had the money to get a really good bass so it would be really cool to come and try out some stuff [/quote] now listen young man, ensure you don't wear big belt buckles, denim jackets with metal buttons or cheap clothing that might rub off on expensive basses, and wash your hands after eating messy food.

this little Warwick rockbass fretless to the left.Cost £179 new. Feels and sounds great. Lacks a bit ( D I into desk) when gigging, but sitting in the house playing along to Paul Young's No Parlez album featuring.., no STARRING Pino,...a beautiful fretless.

Of course it will most likely have to be a weekend date for non-pro bassists. I gig every weekend. tch!

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1324414592' post='1474059'] Loving my Squier P/J! And only this weekend my 8-year-old daughter declared it the coolest of my basses :-) [/quote] If your daughter says so, then that's good enough for me!

Well, I've just paid fora left-handed s/h Squier Standard P Bass Special (jazz neck and additional jazz pu, well I didn't know!) having been convinced by all of your posts on this topic Will let you know what it's like and if I see anyone pointing and laughing from the back of the room......