MoonBassAlpha

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!

I would always sing along with my bass noodling a la George Benson at rehearsals. Absolute cast iron way to guarantee NEVER to get a bass solo slot! (though I thought it actually sounded quite good!) Good luck!

[quote name='Merton' post='271873' date='Aug 28 2008, 04:19 PM']Nice![/quote] Thanks! There's a lot of nice shiny stuff on their website: www.usmasters.com/ I must admit, I had never heard of them either. I went to a guys house to check out a Lightwave bass he was selling, wasn't too mad about that but saw this in his rack and was knocked out by it, made an offer and got it the next week. Got the blue one a few weeks later off the same bloke. These were the "low end" of his collection, including Pedullas, Zon, Skjolds etc!

Other -U.S. Masters EP42 fretted and fretless, see piccies in introductions section. Also 2 Hohner Jack Basses, fretted and defretted, natural finish.

Could be something giving up in the crossover circuit, if it has one. It's often just an inductor and a couple of caps, but they can get dry joints on them due to their mass and the bassy vibration. Reflow the solder joints and stick the big things down with hot glue to prevent it happening again.

The first bass I played was a Fender Musicmaster with tapewound strings. The thrill of playing ANYTHING amplified was pretty amazing at the time! Probably not the worst thing to ave a go on though. First bass owned was a Melody Ripper (or was it a Grabber??) copy, the one with the sliding pickup anyhow. In "natural" finish that looked like a cheap pine dining table from Ikea. Sounded and played ok too for £75 s/h in '78. Then a Guild B301F (fretless). What a dud! I wanted a Jaco sound and all it did was a retro thud! Moved the pickup to nearer the bridge which helped a bit, but the whole thing was one big dead spot Oops, rambling here! Vox Standard (ok) Shergold 6string fretless (medium scale) Kramer 450b All sold and not really missed

[attachment=12698:U.S_Masters_EP42_1.JPG][attachment=12699:U.S_Masters_EP42_2.JPG][attachment=12700: U.S_Mast...42_Blue1.JPG][attachment=12701:U.S_Mast...42_Blue2.JPG] As promised Merton! I've not done this before so I hope it comes out ok. I forgot to mention they're quite light too, the lacewood is 7.5 lbs the blue (maple) 8.5 lbs. What do you think? MBA