Annoying Twit

I'm working up to things, but it'll be a fair time before I'm levelling frets. When I played the bass after filing the nut, it felt a lot better. But now that I've left it a bit, it doesn't feel that good to play. Relief is probably the next thing to try. But I'm very tempted to buy a few cheap nuts, and do the filing a number of times over. Not sure if I'll shim the neck. I'd need to be happy with adjusting the truss rod in order to level or dress frets, as I'd need to straighten the neck to dress the frets, and then adjust relief again. Wouldn't I?

I wonder if this was the guy selling Westones on gumtree. I'm in Leicester, so I could bid and then cut costs through cash on collection. But I don't need a four string fretted bass right now. I'm a member of the Westone forum, though I haven't posted for a while. If this was unlined fretless, I'd be bidding right now. I'm considering a lowball bid, but that didn't get very far on the SGC Nanyo a week or two ago. And what would I do with it if I bought it? I was wondering about the concept of getting two westones, one bass one guitar, sawing them to bits, and then glueing them together to make a double neck. However, that kind of sacrilidge may have Westone people gasping in outrage. Does the guitar version of the spectrum have a reasonably flat body of similar shape to the bass so that they'll likely stick together. And in reality while I might have a pipedream of doing that, I wouldn't get around to it. HTF can there be 12 bids but it's only up to £13.50? What are these people thinking?

Yeah, the seller received several emails identifying the bass. (Likely to be people from here I would imagine). Isn't the price now a bit high for an SB600? I've seen a couple of SB600 fretless basses sell on ebay, and it appears that £250 is an achievable price. (Though they sometimes sell for a bit more than that). Or, are the fretted versions worth more. The bass that I'm fairly sure is an SB700 which I played in a shop was selling for £405 if I remember correctly.

Relisted for the same starting bid of £60. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THIS-IS-BEEN-MADE-FOR-GIGS-ONE-LEG-BASS-DRUM-GUITAR-/221285287834?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3385a1879a

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1379533134' post='2213915'] Just looked at his other listings and spotted my old 63 refin which I only sold on BassChat a few months ago [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1963-FENDER-PRECISION-BASS-OLYMPIC-WHITE-REFINISH-/181203110851?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2a308c0bc3"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2a308c0bc3[/url] [/quote] It does look quite nice to me. How much did you sell it for?

I'm back here after [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/217265-how-would-a-nut-like-this-work/"]this thread[/url] where I was looking into using an adjustable nut. Today I found that Aldi are selling a needle file kit, and bought it. After the first round of filing, I'd done the top three strings and they felt much better than the lower three. Tonight I hacked away at the slots for the lower three strings, and they all feel much improved. I really had to grind away at the slot for the B string. I even had to break out one of the larger half-round files to get the string to sit in the slot. The bass feels considerably improved. Now the strings feel natural. Before they felt 'cheap bass' (well, it is!) and clunky. It's not a great feeling bass. (yet?), but even my semi-random sawing at the nut has improved it considerably. In hindsight, I'm very surprised how much difference filing the nut made. Though, that may be a comment on how well it was filed by the manufacturer. The action isn't low, but it isn't too bad now. Next step will be to look more at the neck relief. I gave both truss rods a minor try, and both moved with what seems to me to be a reasonable firm feeling. It's rather scary to be looking at adjusting two truss rods, but if I fret a string at the 1st and 24th fret, there's a bit more than a credit card gap at the eighth fret.

I've purchased some needle files today. Now to do some filing of a non-adjustable nut.

[quote name='itsmedunc' timestamp='1379512870' post='2213540'] I messaged him and he said to scroll down the pictures and it says Fender on the headstock... [/quote] A lot of basses say Fender on the headstock. Including someone here's Custom Vibe Squier that was posted over in the basses forum.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1379513598' post='2213554'] It is. That's an SB-600 - the set neck is the giveaway. I know what you mean… I tried one last year & found the neck to be slightly chunkier than that of a through-neck. Felt odd. P. [/quote] Thanks for the info, I was a bit confused about how to identify the models. But now you've pointed it out, it's easy. The SB900 is the passive version of the SB1000 isn't it? (googles) Yes it is. The bass I played was described as an SB700. And if I remember correctly, it was a through neck. It was a fine bass IMHO, but not so fantastic that I had to throw aside all budgetary restraint and buy it. I do like checking out basses outside my budget just in case I do find something that's that fantastic. There's been quite a bit of Matsumoku goodness turning up on the market in Leicester. Someone on gumtree was selling a number of Westone basses. E.g. [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/westone-thunder-1-bass-guitar-japanese-manufacture/1031484133"]http://www.gumtree.c...ture/1031484133[/url], and this left handed Washburn. [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/left-handed-washburn-raven-iv-matsumoko-japan/1014205172"]http://www.gumtree.c...apan/1014205172[/url] Returning to the title of the thread, it quite frequently seems that ebay listings have 'uncertainty' in them, which always seems to flatter the item. Sort of like how when there's a misprice in the supermarket, it always seems to be in their favour. This 'uncertainty' seems to trigger my inner cynical nature.

Surely the SB900 is a two pickup model. http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/the-aria-pro-ii-bass-guitar-from-1980s-sb-range-rare-includes-plush-hard-case/1032374178#photo-content There seem to be a number of these around at the moment. I played one in a shop the other day. Nice, but not really better than what I have already.

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' timestamp='1379502771' post='2213366'] I ordered three of these (4 & 5 string bass and 6 string guitar) to test on some instruments i'm currently building and i can say that i don't like the way they set up at all. On paper they sound great but you have to file a groove in to match each string and once you do they no longer turn / adjust very easily. [/quote] That's the sort of thing I wanted to know. I'm forgetting the idea of an ABM adjustable nut. [quote] The warwick version looks far better [/quote] It probably is, but I believe that they are over a hundred quid. At least the brass ones are. I'm thinking what to do nut-wise for a bass that cost £60. A filed plastic nut appears to be a proportionate strategy. The plastic JANIII is about £23, but that's still more than the £2 or so that I can buy a non-adjustable nut for. [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_just_a_nut_iii_5string_45_mm.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...tring_45_mm.htm[/url]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1375874212' post='2166700'] It's supposedly the trans-black finish. Although there is definitely a very, very dark brown thing going on. Not unattractive at all. In fact, I think overall this bass may well become my number one. [/quote] I'm very interested to hear how your Yamaha compares to your Westones. Particularly in terms of feel and playability. I presume that the Yamaha is made in Indonesia. Is it? If not, where? How would they compare? We have another thread being very complimentary about Squier CV basses, which I think are made in Indonesia. Is Indonesia, or at least some factories there, caught up to pretty much the best in the world in what they can produce. (I mean the best stuff, not the stuff built to a limited budget).

I don't own a Rickenbacker. However, I own a bass which might politely be called a Japanese, ahem, 'tribute'. I've spent some time trying to find any difference, visual or sonic, between mine and a real Ric. I haven't yet been able to do so. I haven't had an opportunity to play a real Ric but I'm going from demos such as: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsRvPivoXww Whatever others think of my bass, e.g. blasphemy, I just love the sounds I get from this bass. Everything seems to sound good. Playing near or over the neck, or near the bridge, with fingers or a pick, strings played gently or really attacking the string. With effects or without (I got some really nice distorted sounds - though I did so through a non-bass Roland Microcube on headphones - last night). It just seems that whatever I do with this bass, it sounds good. (Must fix that earth problem sometime though). There seems to be tons of versatility. If this isn't a versatile bass, could someone please recommend a bass I should try out to see what real versatility is? I'm only guessing that the same will apply to a real Ric, as when I listen to real Rics they sound the same as what I have (minus modern push-pull cap).

The headstock looks odd. I don't know what age of Antoria that came from, but I searched on Antoria basses, and couldn't find anything with a headstock that looks like that. The ebay listing says it's an 'Ibanez', but is it really? (As an aside, the modern Antoria brand owner has an IMHO [url="http://antoriaguitars.com/"]quite nice website[/url] but the instruments look to be the same copies that a lot of brands sell).

I've seen a number of german Warwick necks on ebay. Just curious here, but would a Warwick neck fit on my Rockbass? This one wouldn't as it's a four string and my bass is a five string. But I've seen five stringer necks before. I don't think the neck on mine is too bad. But I'm curious about this every time I see a Warwick neck on ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warwick-German-Bass-Neck-Wenge-Ovangkol-JANIII-/331025488616?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4d12a81ae8

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1379416942' post='2212336'] Take a closer look at the pic. The grooves on the screws have different sizes [/quote] Thanks. They don't look VERY different sizes, but I see your point. You rotate the screws so that one of the grooves is orientated correctly to lay the string in. From looking at the picture, I thought that particularly the bass string grooves were much to small to put the strings in, and that they must lay on top. BTW: In theory it should be possible to get a clear witness point on the ABM nut if the screws don't lie horizontal, but are slightly angled so that the groove will be highest at the fretboard end. That doesn't mean that they will be.

Thanks. I'll look into that if I don't find that I can use a Webster adjustable brass nut. I'm very tempted by the concept of an adjustable nut. My Rockbass has a simpler adjustable nut, but has only two adjustment screws to angle the nut. However, adjustable nuts appear to be a controversial topic.

How would an ABM adjustible brass nut work? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/abm_6260_webster_nut_bass.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...er_nut_bass.htm[/url] I can see that there are screws/bolts to screw down, but the slots are all the same size. How would that work on a six string bass, given that the strings are all very different sizes?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1379357356' post='2211741'] Pulled. After receiving an email from a concerned member of the public. [/quote] I'm impressed that they actually did something. [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1379356091' post='2211708'] Thanks, very interesting... I thought the BBs all had P pickups (I have a BB350 PJ), you live and learn. That eBay one included a hard case too! [/quote] It's amazing how a quick bit of googling can make someone look as if they actually know what they're talking about. That BB with a case looks a freakin' bargain to me.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1379355413' post='2211687'] Gone. But I'm tempted by the Yamaha 5-er... anyone know what model it is? And are their JJs as tasty as their PJs? [url="http://www.cashgenerator.co.uk/bass/yamaha-bb-bass-guitar-rg3987"]http://www.cashgener...s-guitar-rg3987[/url] [/quote] Is that a BB405? Only three knobs, so not a BB605. Edit: That £160 seems a touch more than the going rate for a BB405. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-BB405-5-STRING-BASS-/151082021557?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item232d30b2b5

I've got an ebay saved search on these. £155 seems par for the course for these basses as per the last few that have sold. I haven't had a chance to play one, so aren't bidding as high as I might do if I had. Looks like it's the time to buy however. Personally I wonder if the 'el cheapo P/J bass' look counts against them, as they look like a Stagg P/J bass (presumably because the Stagg [b]BC[/b]300 copies the Bass Collection basses. Edit: Here's a SB330 going at a higher price. Watchlisted so that I see if it sells. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310745871662&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1379353864' post='2211656'] Now it's gone, and when I looked before it was still up as a 4003. So - pulled or sold? [/quote] Surely not sold.

Them replying is already much more than I expected.

I expect that they would just ignore anyone telling them that it's not a real Rickenbacker, and continue selling it 'as is'.