MoonBassAlpha

I'm wondering if it's a worthwhile thing to have. I have a really decent fretless neck kicking around and am toying with the idea of getting a body made, possibly chambered, with magnetic Pups AND a piezo bridge for more acoustic tone. I have one on an electric guitar (Godin) and it works nicely for that. Does anyone have any experience/ comments they'd like to share on this? Cheers Jules

I was surprised to fit a case accross the boot of a primera, it didn't fit a Rover 45 hatch!

South Bank Show was from the Album Variations by Lloyd-Webber, people like John Hiseman, Gary Moore, Barbara Thompson Julian Lloyd Webber (cello)etc. Can't remember who played bass, possibly Dill Katz??? Weekend World was a track by the band Mountain, dunno what it was called though. Cheers MBA

Back to the OP - the bass looks like it has a touch of Wishbass about it. Can't remember which model though.

[quote name='alembic1989' post='299131' date='Oct 4 2008, 09:14 AM']I think what I'l probably do when the frets are pulled out is not to laquer as I don't like the feel of [size=3][b]shiny laquer [/b][/size]under my fingers...I will do my best to wear out the neck...(.by practising more)..and then get an ebony board put on it at a (much) later stage..when I will hopefully be able to afford it....unless of course I have totally fallen in love with the feel of maple under my fingers....just a thought.[/quote] By the way, lacquer doesn't have to be shiny! you can knock the shine back to a lovely satin feel using fine scotchbrite or ultrafine wet and dry paper. Worth considering for the best of both worlds...

[quote name='alembic1989' post='299131' date='Oct 4 2008, 09:14 AM']I think what I'l probably do when the frets are pulled out is not to laquer as I don't like the feel of [size=3]shiny laquer [/size]under my fingers...I will do my best to wear out the neck...(.by practising more)..and then get an ebony board put on it at a (much) later stage..when I will hopefully be able to afford it....unless of course I have totally fallen in love with the feel of maple under my fingers....just a thought.[/quote] By the way, lacquer doesn't have to be shiny! you can knock the shine back to a lovely satin feel using fine scotchbrite or ultrafine wet and dry paper. Worth considering for the best of both worlds...

surely a pickup rewind/wax potting would be the answer - almost certain to make it sound better than it currently does. Rainbow rewinds etc?

I've always used rounds, have elites on a headless defretted with rosewood board for about 5 years as my main bass, and there isn't enough wear to affect the sound/playing in ANY WAY. Sure, you can see little lines but it really doesn't sound. I've now got a fretless neck on one of my U.S. Masters basses with Pao Ferro board. It has marked up straight away, but I don't think audible wear will be an issue for years to be honest, but don't do vibrato as you would on a fretted, as this WILL wear more quickly, and there is just no need to do it like that!

Cheers for the messages folks! Come and say hello after, it will be good to meet someone who likes to talk about basses! I like the idea of a bit of a meet-up too! I'm south of Oxford but would come to "the big city" for that! Cheers Jules

The New Moon, "Acoustic" duo, guitar and fretless kicking off Klub Kakofanney at 8.30 Roundheels, Mary Bendy Toy, and Mary's Garden "noise it up" later!!! Cheers Jules

I played at an acoustic night using my fretless through a "Smokie" fag box amp, with a failing battery. Someone had promised to bring an acoustic bass but it never materialized. It sounded like an angry wasp in a coke tin and got quieter as the set wore on. The most embarrasing thing I've done (musically!) And it was a 90 mile round trip for no money. Still, could have been worse - only eight people in the audience instead of nine...

[quote name='7string' post='296029' date='Sep 30 2008, 11:17 PM']Whenever basses don't have the pickups in the right places I prefer to have a ramp. This one was made for me by Jon Shuker and I'm really pleased with it (which reminds me I need another one!). [/quote] That's a really nice looking bass, but what is the rationale for the strange jack mounting bit?

I think they're ok. My U.S. masters has them, ebony on a birdseye board, and looks really nice. The fretless has no front dots, as I do think it looks better without, but has black fret markers on a pao ferro board, which I think looks kinda classy too. I just realised my Godin guitar has offset dots too. I'm sure someone has put some thought into it, just not sure what the reasons are!

Is the truss rod a bit loose? If you damp the strings and rap lightly with your knuckle on the back of the neck you might hear a rattle. I've come across this on a bass and an acoustic. They just sounded a bit "wrong" though it was kinda hard to define how... If you only recently got the bass the previous owner may have faffed about with the rod.

ok, just picked up on this thread a bit late. There is a type of grease you can get called Kilopoise. It comes in various grades of "stiffness" or viscosity, if you like. In its thinner form it is used to make rotating parts feel really smooth (think of SLR camera lenses) and take up play in parts where the tolerances are quite slack. A small amount applied to your shaft will make it considerably stiffer. It doesn't dry out either. It is made by Rocol. Hope this helps. Cheers, MBA

Hi There, and welcome from another noob! That's a great score for the Vox! I had one and defretted it, sounded really nice as a fretless, what with the pickup near the bridge. They do weigh a bit though! Don't be tempted to take the finish off it though, you won't find anything nice underneath (lesson learned the hard way!) Cheers MBA

Exactly what I thought when i saw it too!

www.shergold.co.uk is a possible resource for Hayman stuff. There's all kinds of links there. Cheers MBA

LEDs - the way to go, DEFFO!!

Hohner Jack basses are fine, and really quite solid. The neck is not super slim, a fairly round profile. No worries about the upper horn either - i use it as a lever to bend notes down (pushing on the neck HARD) and it's never felt like its going to bust. The battery compartment covers often break (though mine haven't) and they sound just fine passive anyway. I'd really recommend them, for the money. They normally go for the £140 mark. I doubt there's much better around in that range. Cheers MBA PS I have one I may sell. PM me and I can Fill you in about it as it is really good nick except for 1 thing.

I always chuck in a few "wrong" notes so the audience won't think I'm miming. Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

I'm a leftie, play the bass and guitar righty, just feels right(y) to me. Maybe because I started on the violin... when it comes to playing the drums, I have it set up right, but play open handed ie bass on right foot, left hand on the hihat. My feet are equally inept on the bass drum, so i figured it less trouble to set up "right". I Think Simon Phillips does (or was it Phil Collins) and didn't seem to hold him back (sorry, bit off bass topic for a mo there - won't happen again!)

Sorry, [url="http://www.usmasters.com/basscat.htm"]http://www.usmasters.com/basscat.htm[/url] is a better link to get past all that g****r stuff!