Owen

Alembic FX1 and Demeter hbp -1 go for around the £300 mark 2nd hand. Both are very fine. The Alembic is not super versatile, but it does what it does extremely well. The Demeter has more EQ options. I had a long affair with a Demeter and catalogued it here. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/26029-demeter-hbp-1-pre-amp/page__p__1146966__hl__demeter__fromsearch__1#entry1146966 . By now I am running a Monique and an old TC 1114. They are very different but both really nice. The TC (when they come up) seems to go for absolute peanuts. The sad bit is that my ears are now knackered and I cannot play without earplugs so all the detail is totally lost on me. Don't let that be you kids.

The Thunderfunk was not for me. The AI/ACME combo for DB really floats my boat.

Woops, there it is. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/223796-ebs-classic-bass-preamp/page__hl__ebs__fromsearch__1

There is an EBS up on the amps for sale forum somewhere. I have no experience of them (possibly the only variant of 1U I have not got around to trying oddly enough), but they are very highly thought of.

Find a supplier and get this guy to spray it https://www.facebook.com/Retro169?fref=ts

Yep, magnetic pickup. Prob a P to begin with. This is probably a prototype for a 6 stringer with bottom F sharp if it all works nicely. I reserve the right to change my mind.

Chris Larkin is up for it on the fretting front. The Stagg is an option but not all of them have solid fingerboards. Harley Benton ones do have solid fingerboards. Newtone strings will do me a set of 50" long roundwounds so all I need to do now is flog some stuff and get on it. Expect progress by 2015!

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1384647686' post='2279222'] I guess it could take some ideas from a Sitar? Good luck with it !! [/quote] Thanks, good thinking! [quote name='geoffbassist' timestamp='1384651013' post='2279237'] It's an interesting concept. I know Steve Berry had a fretted EUB, which I think has had them taken out.....He said it sounded like a P Bass on steroids! [/quote] A P bass on steroids with a bottom F sharp. What's not to love? I did a series of gigs through some HEFTY PA systems some time ago and played my NS5 almost exclusively. The heft that the extra scale length gave was beefy and addictive. I love using the bottom B, I would LOVE to have a functioning bottom F sharp. I like the whole curved fingerboard feel. I like how I play on a curved fingerboard. I find it very comfortable. I am not looking for a DB with frets, I am thinking about a super long scale bass guitar with a curved fingerboard. The EUB has that form factor. [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1384677488' post='2279284'] I didn't know they made them. Seems pointless to me [/quote] That's ok, I will not be lending it out [quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1384711859' post='2279811'] Check out Chris Larkin's Superblen fretted 6 string EUB. [/quote] I have been in discussion with Chris but he is not making them anymore. It is an unknown quantity for me so I don't really want to be dropping serious coin on one without actually trying something similar, but if I found the concept was a go-er I would be happy to flog 2 or 3 basses and commission something.

I fancy a fretted EUB. I am fully aware of all the things it will not do. I have a DB and an EUB for those things. I like the way my hands fall on a curved fingerboard. I like the facility I have on a curved fingerboard. It is comfy for me and my right hand moves in a different way from the way it does on a plank. That is all I care about. I fancy the idea of a full scale 6 string with a bottom F sharp, just because the scale length would probably work for the low stuff. I would buy a 2nd hand Stagg and get someone to fret it just to see how the concept worked. It might suck very badly - but the NS fretted bass seems to be ok - as it it should be for that kind of coin. I can already forsee problems in that intonation adjustment could be a real issue. I guess I could get individual bridge units and put wooden saddles in them. These would have to be seated on a curved thing (technical term) which would then drive the pickup. A straight across bridge seems to work for the NS fretted bass http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/123601.html?1329369220 but I just cannot imagine how. Strings would be tricky, because I am thinking roundwounds but I'm sure Newtone could knock me something up. The whole idea might just be awful, but this has been bubbling away for at least 2 years (http://basschat.co.uk/topic/156576-fretted-eub/) and does not seem to want to go away. Can you point out other problems to me?

They are total tone monsters. Super powerful.

dincz, I would be more than happy to order it from Slovakia. Sadly, my language skills do not extend beyond Welsh and English. I have emailed him in English (guessing that his Welsh might not be great!) and hope that he will be cool with that. Thanks for the tip

How did the BB2 compare to the Acme for low frequency extension. Obviously the BB2 would have significantly more ultimate heft, but did it have Acme-esque LF "openess" (for the want of a better word)?

Bernard Edwards played many basses, but there was a Stingray in the mix with flats and he kind of used his index finger like a plectrum. Or am I wrong? it would not be for the first time today.

Thanks for the suggestion, sadly Aaron cannot do one

Anyone have any ideas?

One bass to rule them all? Entirely possible. I have been playing the same DB for the last 20 years. Yes, others are nice but I do not have any DB GAS. Mr CT, if you fancy a Bravewood or a 2nd hand CS then just do it. The new Bravewood will hold at the very least 75% of it's value and the 2nd hand CS will hold 95% of it's value. If you get one and then 2 years later want a change, so what?

"Hi BC, I fancy a new bass" "Nonononononono you don't NEED one" Have I wandered into a parallel universe or something?

I read this review on my phone while I was waiting to take my seat at the Millennium Stadium yesterday. At least I enjoyed one thing that happened there.