MoonBassAlpha

I'm having a clear out of things I'm not using. 

This is a difficult one to price, on the one hand they aren't at all common,  on the other it is full of bumps and dinks.

The speaker has been replaced with the nearest current Celestion equivalent,  as it had had a drop which detached the original magnet.

It has a lovely sounding reverb,  and a very useful sweepable notch filter for fixing troublesome frequencies on acoustic instruments. 

It can be mounted on a mic stand for use as a personal monitor. I used it in the house with electric bass with the bass control turned down. Very usable at wife-friendly volumes! Also comes with a soft carry bag. Just over 7x7x7 inches. Collection only at the moment please, Oxfordshire 

15 hours ago, Obrienp said:

The guitarist, in one of the bands I play in, also plays bass in another band. He bought one of the Squier VMs last year and has been very unhappy with the pickup set, which he describes as completely gutless. Admittedly, he is comparing it with his other bass, one of the more expensive Yamaha BBs. He said he has been unable to find a replacement set that will fit. Which gets me round to my question: is the Squier VM pickup set not the standard Mustang size?

I wonder if adding a Neodymium magnet on the back of the pickups would give them more oomph?

On 26/12/2023 at 19:52, bogleshake said:

If it helps at all, my Mexican PJ Mustang neck is much thinner than my JMJ. Dunno if it’s just luck, but I feel a decent difference in them side by side. 
 

The PJ feels the closest in neck width to my American Jaguar bass, which has a jazz neck as well I think. 

just measured my PJ which comes out at 38.6mm nut width. It's the ebony board FSR one, if that's relevant.

I like the baby blue one, was that a limited edition colour?

Looks like you need a black one!

Bought almost nothing the entire year... until late in December when I got a Rickenbacker 4003 off a drummer pal who got it in a trade. 

I  cleaned it up and fixed the wiring issues (pickups and bridge had been upgraded) but I'm just not getting along with the ergonomics. I'll be moving it on in the new year, and hopefully replacing it with something short scale and fretless.

5 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

 

The @Jabba_the_gut builds are things of utter beauty. I'll PM you.

Thanks!

@Frank Blank Ooh, that's a very kind offer,  where in the country are you?

Jabba's designs are amongst my favourite original designs out there,  and the craftsmanship looks immaculate!

Reminds me of my stripped and defretted Vox standard...

Less is more!

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

Certainly one thing that I've found out, is that they are very sensitive about strings. If the bass is sounding dull or "not quite right", then try some different strings, be it a different brand or a different material (NPS/SS/etc.).

 

IMO, D'Addario Pro Steels work really well on a 4003, but others find other brands work for them.

Good point,  this has a rather old and  mis-matched set, I really should get a fresh set on!

Anyone have strong thoughts on the Seymour Duncan replacement pickups?

I've just acquired one with these fitted, but no point of reference.

They're both humbuckers,  so  at least it is quiet. The neck one seems to have quite strong string pull.

Interesting photo,  I've always felt the Gibson would look larger than a P, but it's quite the opposite!

You really need a black Rickenbacker to go with them now...

Good to know Frank. I  don't own a capo but will rig something up. 

That's actually a really nice shape!

Looking forward to seeing this when you get going. I  absolutely love your designs!

I'm sure it will rock when you're gigging!

It's a lined fretless,  also 2 pickups,  so moving the bridge wouldn't work without a lot of faff.

I'll probably try the capo thing to try it out, but don't see it as a long term solution. 

Not so much a build (yet, if at all) but a canvassing of opinions. 

I have a U.S. Masters fretless that I really enjoy playing,  but I'm looking to go  from 34 to 30 or 30.5 inch scale. 

I can see 3 options available:

1: get someone to make a neck to fit

2: get someone to remove the head and reattach (scarfe joint?) reshape neck etc and do something about the truss rod 

3: find a suitable ish sized neck and make it fit (I don't have much in the way of tools or skills)

I  do have spare fretted and fretless necks for  these but both are 34 scale. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Recently traded Rick 4003 from 04. Duncans and Hipshot 

I had a Grabber copy branded Melody as my first bass. Mine looked a lot more like pine than that though. It was a cheap thing, but actually sounded OK. This body looks better quality wood than mine. 

My 74 SG is faded to exactly the same degree,  I kinda wish it was still the original colour,  but it has rarely lived in it's case. This would make a lovely pair,  but  I too am looking to thin the herd, and go short scale...

Thanks Douglas,  I  always used to be able to make the posts look like that but recently they don't,  and I'm not sure why. I think I'm copying the link the same way I've always done,  but who knows?

Also,  I  couldn't for the life of me get the image not to present rotated. I  hope folks still get it

https://on.soundcloud.com/C4E1c

BassChat December cover challenge 2023
I've chosen the Kula Shaker tune Start All Over from their "K" album, as it's got a Beatles - like vibe, and I thought my friend Rob would enjoy singing it (massive Beatles fan)
With invaluable input from Phil Beavis (organ) and Paul Ibbott (Horn section), the guitar, bass, backing vocals and drums are me. Tried to keep this fairly close to the original this time, subject to my own limitations!

I've got one in the works, but I  went down with a rotten throat infection before I could finish the backing vocals,  and my singer has had the same. Also waiting for someone to add the finishing touches with some horns. 

Going for an accurate ish version this year,  not an alternative arrangement like usual.

It will be Start All Over  by Kula  Shaker 

Now, if I could just find the thread that mentions a  component change that stops the Treble boost when you turn up the gain. It was years ago though...

Update,  I  sent a request for schematics last Sunday,  got a reply Monday morning 9.45 from Dave Green enclosing schematics and layout,  and a few words more  or less confirming my diagnosis,  and advising on a preventative upgrade.

The  preamp has a split +/- 5V supply,  the negative was shorted to ground,  turns out to be the filter capacitor failed short. I  was advised to upgrade all the 1000ųF 16V caps on the preamp supplies to 25V as these had failed before "and not just on this product "

Duly bought and replaced (and the little regulators) and the amp is running perfectly again. The humming sound I'd always assumed was inherent in the design is also  massively reduced,  so I  think this cap was on the way out since I  acquired the amp (second hand).

Kudos again to the  Ashdown customer support,  they have been excellent,  as many others here have noted.