BoomBass

Hm... I had these two that each (almost) meet your needs. Only, none of them are Fenders... This is a passive J-bass with a chunky P-neck (and reverse headstock) And this one is a P/J with a P-neck, but it's active...

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='804647' date='Apr 13 2010, 10:38 AM']Legend has it that CBS simply got their jig in the wrong place in the 70's and both the pickup and the bridge took a backward step - hence the need for a longer length bridge screw for the G string.[/quote] OK. Sounds likely. I have heard that CBS made the change deliberately as the slight change made the machines a few per cent more efficient. Either way, it sounds pretty CBSish... However, that being said, I LOVE my 70's Jazz! Coincidence or financial calculation, I don't really care - it sounds darn good to my ears :-)

[quote name='Musicman20' post='804446' date='Apr 12 2010, 11:04 PM']I think they must have researched into it, and I can picture what Bass Doc is saying right now....good way of testing the 'sweet' spot. The Jazz and Precision sounds are iconic.[/quote] Yeah, I can't imagine that Fender did no research neither. However, they did change it slightly in the 70's (or CBS did) in order to be able to produce more efficiently - the 70's spacing did not have anything to do with a tonal development or improvement even though some do prefer the sound of the 70's spacing...

I once heard that Mike Pope, who has designed the infamous Fodera preamp, set out to experiment with different positions of the two single coil pickups on a J-type bass. Allegedly, he had found that the perfect position was in fact the classic Fender Jazz position, and he concluded that Fender must have beed darn lucky back then. However, I don't know if this story is accurate, but letøs just assume it is for now... So, do you think that the Fender posistion (let's not get into whether it's 60's or 70's) sounds best to our ears today, because A: Fender was darn lucky and just hit the best possible position at first attempt (and more or less by coincidence) B: Fender did in fact research massively in order to find the perfect position C: we have been listening to the sound of that position forever, and therefore, this sound is what we feel is 'right' - or even 'perfect'?

I've got the F500, which I prefer greatly over the F1. Flat, they sound identical, but I just really need those semi-parametric mids to tame my double bass... I never use the mute - still unplugs by habit. But overall, amazing sounds - I just can't beleive that it's only 2 kg!

Hm.. seems like I had a day of bad luck last year. So, does anyone have an opinion about the 'Masterpiece' models that have received the vibration treatment? I just tried two PM (a 4 and a 5 . both hardcore relic). The PM4 was a 'Masterpiece', the PM5 was not. The PM4 seemed like the best, but maybe I was just infuenced by the much higher price tag...

I have tried a Markbass 4x10 with a TC RH450 in a music store, and it sounded pretty nice. I have never tried that setup on a gig, though. I have also owned a GS112, which is a great souding cab. Mostly, I used it for Double bass, but also with electric on smaller gigs. It is hard to compare a 1x12 or two 1x12 cabs wit a 4x10 and especially a 4x12. I also had the Aggie GS412 for a few years. GREAT sound, but a little 'hard to handle'... :-)

I just need an extra string - and all the 5-string Fenders i have tried did not pass the test... Also, a nice preamp makes a difference. That being said, the best bass I own (by far) is my old 72 Jazz - the only flaw is the lack of a B-string...

[quote name='tombboy' post='802059' date='Apr 10 2010, 06:39 PM']They did move factory last year.... but saying that, the two I've owned (Dear Old Blighty custom in my avatar I still have) have been made pre-move and were/are majestic in every way.[/quote] Right, I could have just been unlucky with the ones I tried last year... However, the new factory also makes kinda sense to me due to the dramatic change in quality that I have experienced.

Hm.. here's a few thoughts on the 4/5 issue. I love B-strings, but they have to be tight and punchy. SO, if you decide to try out a 5-string, be careful... Overall, I would recommend a 35" scale for 5-stringers. However, there are a few exeptions as the Stingray 5's that I have owned have had great sounding B-strings. Also, Sadowskys are OK. Fender has never really made a good 5-string bass, IMO. You mentioned Lakland, and I think most of their 5's are 35", and they make great basses. I currently have a 55-02 that sounds and feels really good. Also, as to why you would need a B-string? Obviously it's nice having the really low notes (particularly C and D (I never Drop-D on a 4-stringer)). But that is not the main reason for me. I have found that I use the B-string a LOT even though I am playing notes that could be played on the E-string. Say, a groove in G, you would normally do that in the 3rd position on the E-string, right? Well, often I find myself playing in the 8th position on the B-string simply because it sounds a lot more deep and punchy. It's no different from wanting to do a groove in C on the E-string in the 8th position rather than in the 3rd on the A-string, which sounds very differently. It's a matter of physics, I guess. Thicker strings just sounds more beefy! They lack some clarity on that account as well, of course, but then you just have to prioritize what's more important in the given situation... At least the B-string gives you the option to choose. HOWEVER, as much as I love having a B-string, I do play my 4-string Fenders a lot, too. Simply, because no one makes as great sounding basses as Fender did back in the 70's (and 60's, but they are way too expensive for me)... They had it all - exepct B-strings, of course... :-(

[quote name='tombboy' post='801574' date='Apr 10 2010, 09:52 AM']Was it a different shop? If so, there's your answer. [/quote] Hm... yeah, diffeent stores, BUT the second store, which I know well (it's a local store), is not exactly known for its great attention towards setting up their instruments properly - on the contrary actually... You would be extremely lucky if you find a well setup bass there, and if that should happen, you can be absolutely certain that it is because it was set up well at the factory :-) So, since the Sandbergs I tried there were great, the build quality and set up has nothing to do with the store. The first store I visited actually has a better reputation towards instrument care, and still, the Sandbergs there were crap... That got me puzzled...

Hi everyone, I checked out a handful of Sandberg California models last year in a musicstore, and in general, I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed... They didn't feel that great and the sound was also pretty average to my ears. Then, I gave them another shot a few weeks ago, and for some reason, it was a TOTALLY different experience! I tried 4 different models and they were all pretty great souding and feeling, but in particular the PM5 heavy relic model was amazing. It was not a 'Masterpiece' model, so it had not received the 'vibration treatment'. There was a PM4 Masterpiece as well and that killed, too! Great bass! So, does anyone here have extensive experience with Sandberg basses? Has there been a major development in build quality and consitence in production during the last year or so? Or was I just unlucky the first time??? In other words, is it safe to check ut some second hand Sandbergs that is a few years old??? And wha do you think about the 'Vibration treatment'? Does it really improve the sound?

[quote name='Flanker' post='794986' date='Apr 3 2010, 11:36 AM']My bass ownership high point! [/quote] I think that sharp looking J-Update 5 is hanging on my my wall these days... :-) (did you sell it to Ari?). I own/have owned 6 different Celinder basses, and this one is probably the best of them. I had an older J-Update 5 (late 90's model) as my main weapon of choice for almost 10 years, but eventually I decided to get a newer Update - one with a Greengrove pre. I also tried out a 5-string Custom Celinder that just wasn't my cup of tea... I guess, I am a J-type geek. And then I have (have had) a few 4 bangers that are great basses, but unfortunately, they are one string short from being perfect, IMHO (one of them is for sale here on BC right now). BTW, I have drooled over the blue fretless many times... (I didn' steal it, though ;-)