dyerseve

I would start a new band with Danny Carey(drums), Mike Patton(vocals), Devin Townsend(guitar and vocals), Les Claypool(lead bass and general nuttiness), Mike Vennart(guitar and vocals) and Gambler(keys). Not sure what I could add but it would be bloody awesome to behold such incredible talents in one room!!!!

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1487023272' post='3236396'] Sorry to sound a moaner but there's no such thing as a 'proper' set up. Manufacturers give a standard set of measurements as a basis to start with. After that EVERY guitar is different. EVERY player is different. You like a low action at 4/64ths with a hint of buzz, nice. Some people can't stand that and as they may play harder will like a higher action possibly 7/64ths. As for pickups, the nearer to the strings will be more aggressive and further away more mellow. THAT is what's known as 'feel', adjusting every parameter until it's just perfect for you. James Jamerson had an action you could put a pencil under, Scott Devine has low/ buzzy action like yours. [/quote] Sorry but I disagree because there is much more to properly setting up a bass than just the action! 3 out of the 4 stages of setting up a bass have to be spot on with a setup regardless of how a person personally prefers to have their action set: trussrod relief, nut action height and intonation. Get those 3 stages done to spec then go nuts with the action to suit your preferences. Same also goes with pickup/s height and angle - something not mentioned in the series of John Carruthers vids i mentioned earlier

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1486994555' post='3236087'] Didnt watch it cos awards are pointless as far as I am concerned. I like Adele, she has a great voice and writes most of her own material unlike most of the c**p in the charts now. She seemed to me to have worked hard to get where she is and I for one can see her singing Jazz and Blues in small clubs in 20 years time, cos she clearly loves singing. [/quote] And she can also play bass, even whilst singing!

[quote name='Shawman' timestamp='1486939382' post='3235797'] FWIW I've just watched those videos and I now have some tools in my Amazon basket totalling £15 or so. Going to dig out my old Jim Deacon and give it a go for the first time. Keep an eye out for the "disaster" thread [/quote] The only thing you can do that will be a disaster(ie. undoable) is the nut action. make sure you do it after setting the trussrod relief and allowing time for the neck to settle if you have had to make a large adjustment. make small adjustments to the nut slot before restringing(and tuning) and measuring again. also crucial to make sure that the string is properly seated in the slot when you make the measurement - if you are using the wrong file the string may not sit at the bottom of the slot and when you make your next small adjustment you may end up getting a large drop in height. hope that make sense...

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1486921237' post='3235539'] Thanks, I've watched all those videos many times, there are a lot of good videos for setting up Fenders. As I said I generally set up my own basses as long as there's nothing drastically wrong with them, but I've just always done it by feel rather than by measurements. [/quote] Sorry but I don't understand how you can set an instrument up by feel? If you have watched those videos then you should know that the rights tools are essential to achieving a proper setup. None of these tools are expensive. Most people will already have Allen keys and screwdrivers but a capo, feeler gauge set, nut files and steel ruler can be had for less than £20. A very worthwhile investment considering the price of a "pro" setup.

I dont think its about turning music into a competition, the competition would be a necessary evil to bring bass playing more in to the public eye, to encourage others to pickup the instrument, either for the first time or again. It should also encourage existing players to have something to aspire to or encourage them to learn new techniques. It would hopefully also get the public to listen to and appreciate bass playing in a new light....

If you want to properly understand how to setup your bass correctly, I thoroughly recommend the 4 part video by John Carruthers on YouTube. Covers all aspects such as trussrod, bridge action, but action and intonation. It covers how to carry out these steps but also explains what you are doing and why they are done in a set sequence.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1486588469' post='3233121'] Hi there, I've just picked up a Fender Frontman 60B. The pots could benefit from a squirt of some cleaner, but I can't seo how I can break into this thing. I've removed the 4x black screws with the countersink washers, but the head doesn't seem to want to budge. So does anyone know what else I need to do to get in there? Cheers [/quote] Normally for that type of setup there will be a screw or two on either side of the cab that you will need to undo. Check to see if the grill covering the speaker comes of as it may reveal some fixings from the front. Or it may be the front panel is fixed and you need to undo all the pots and jacks from their housings to release the rest of the amp section...

no-name brand at £150 new means it's probably only worth £50 used now if it was in good condition. with a broken neck, it's skip fodder at best!

I dont want to be rude but what about sweat - that's about 99.95% water and fingerboards, lacquered or not are covered in the stuff by the end of a proper gig and if they can survive years of that treatment then a little bit of water in a crack whilst you clean the fretboard isnt going to do anything at all.

"frets have been removed - does not affect the performance of the item" mmmmmwwwwwwhhhhhhhaaaaaaatttttttttt???????????

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1486724141' post='3234078'] Being relatively rubbish at anything technical I don`t know if my fretboard is laquered or not. Aaaarrrrgggg! [/quote] Does it look like mine in the photos above or does it look like the rest of the neck on your bass which I presume is also maple. if the latter then it's lacquered, if the former, it is not lacquered

a damp microfibre cloth should work fine with no risk of damage. perhaps a drop of fairy liquid could be added if no joy at first. might require a bit of rubbing but will get there in the end...

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1486712133' post='3233968'] If you put oil on any lacquered surface, it doesn't soak in it simply lays on the surface until you wipe it off. You could argue that it's no different to using water on the surface in as much as it acts to help lift the dirt and helps the cloth to collect it. So you may as well use water and detergent, which is cheaper. Furthermore the lemon oil won't mix with detergent, so you can't use it with the oil as a cleaning agent. I'm not saying it will do any harm. If you're happy to use it the same as wiping it over with a damp cloth, then that's your choice. It's more expensive than water, but some will say it smells nicer. [/quote] I believe Lozz was referring to Bolo's comment above about using lemon oil on unlacquered maple fretboards. I am not sure why you wouldnt be able to use it on unlacquered maple fretboards TBH but then I have never tried it...

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1486589543' post='3233133'] Except for the lemon oil. Danish oil sure, gunstock oil better, Dr Duck's. Axwax is cool. No lemon oil on unlaquered maple please, it can leave unsightly stains. [/quote] yeah sorry guys, i only had one maple fretboard and I refinished it using Danish Oil. Ive now ammended my post above. So used to using Lemon Oil... This mis what my fretboard looked like after I stripped the lacquer and applied Danish Oil: [url="https://postimg.org/image/cfdwls28f/"][/url] [url="https://postimg.org/image/d621dtf7z/"][/url]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1486567775' post='3232860'] http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-Birdsong-Embrace-4String-Fretless-Bass-Mesquite-wTurquoise-4-of-8-38845-/322416506732 Lovely piece of carved wood? Check. Beautifully-sculpted oval hollow to receive pickup? Check? Rectangular lump of black plastic badly screwed in at a slight angle? Oh yes. [/quote] You forgot hideous headstock? Check!

reported to ebay. even if it's not fraudulent it will be pulled due to his email add in the listing

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1486509161' post='3232443'] Why is the centre section of the body un-coloured and stripy, when it's a bolt-on neck (that isn't stripy)? [/quote] Window dressing. Not an uncommon thing for Matsumoku basses from this period. also happened with the set necks. I think it looks good.