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Bigguy2017

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Posts posted by Bigguy2017

    Pickup cutting out

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    Yes, sounds like a bad solder joint - either in the pickup (at the thin coil wire connections) or in the control cavity.

    If you are really careful then unscrew the pickup, lift off the cover and have a good look at the solder joints - look for bad joints or a loose coil wire - the fix could be as easy as reflowing the solder.

    If it's the coil wire it's a bit of a fiddle - scrape of about 3mm of insulation and re-solder (this needs three hands!).

    If it's at the pot end it's a lot easier to re-solder.

    If you don't feel confident then take it to a good (?!) repair place - if available.

    • Like 1

    I just discovered Joni Mitchell. With Jaco.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 03/08/2022 at 01:29, bubinga5 said:

    I recently watched a documentary called Laurel Canyon. This womans music popped up.. Fabulous.

     

    One of my favourite live recordings - Joni is really cooking' - the whole band is so together - great energy.

    Just wish Jaco would turn down a bit - is it just me or (heresy!) does Jaco turn everything into the Jaco P show?

    • Like 3

    Old amps have their uses

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 hour ago, thodrik said:

    When I was really hard up, my Trace Elliot 1x15 functioned as both my gigging cabinet and as my principal living room coffee table. 

    Pah, that's nothing!

    I lived in an Ampeg 8 x 10 cab for two years before I could afford an 18" bass bin.

    • Thanks 1
    • Haha 10

    Scratch removal - advice sought

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    Those aren't scratches - it looks like severe finish checking - cracks in the finish.

    The wood has shrunk a little and the finish has split.

     

    Options?

    Do you want it to look like a brand new instrument? If so then strip and refinish.

     

    On a vintage 1977 instrument like this I'd embrace the natural relic job... 

    If the finish is lifting and detaching I'd drop fill with CA glue then sand back to flat and polish. Finish checking is cool on a 45 year old bass.

    • Like 2

    Wiring at whits end

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Bigguy2017

    Prepare a cable with a 1/4" mono jack on one end and two croc clips on the other.... connect to amp.

     

    Unsolder pickup inputs at pots.

    Unsolder input to tone pot.

    Clip onto each pickup and check for signal  / volume.

    Reconnect pickups to pots.

    Clip onto out lug of each volume pot and check for signal / volume.

    Reinstall tone pot, clip onto out lug and check it works.

    Finally clip across output jack and test....

    Check earth continuity from output  jack to pots and bridge.

    If AOK close it all up and test agin.

    • Like 1

    Pedal power cable

    in Effects

    Identify 70s Fender Jazz Neck??

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    The walnut plug says early 70s or modern - later 70s were bullet style.

    The Jazz Bass font is sans serif which was later 70s.

    Neck colour looks too new and the Fender decal also looks too new.

    Tuners look legit.

    Serial number is USA 77 - 78 or Japan 94 - 95 / 2006 - 2008

    Bass could be later MIJ and mistakenly dated to 70s due to serial number ambiguity?

    Could also be a newer, replacement neck.

    Is there a neck date stamp? Pot date codes?

    • Like 1

    Virus alerts on bass sites

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    24 minutes ago, lownote said:

    Anyone else getting a disproportionate number of anti-virus or malware alerts from popular bass websites?  The worst is BassDirect, which my app insists has a Trojan embedded in the site and won't let me on.  I've contacted the owner twice but he says it must be my AV, and anyway he's think of updating the site. So I paddled off to Strings Direct to do my business there only to receive a lesser alert about some issue there too. 

    Yes, using Win11 + Edge browser I get this...

    2022-07-12.png.530ff5d5f031ecbd21dae3d1fca0e3f2.png

     

    Works AOK using Firefox.

     

    Looks like some kind of Certificate / SSL negotiation problem

    • Like 1

    Speakon socket problem

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted · Edited by Bigguy2017

    22 minutes ago, police squad said:

    I had similar problems with my ampeg PF500 and Mark bass cabs, so I just reverted to using jack to jack. Maybe I'll look at my speakon cables to see what they are.

    What exactly is the advantage of speakon?

    More rugged

    Locking

    Proper cable clamping

    Handles higher power

    Can carry 2 signals (if 4 pole)

    Plugs are protected from short circuit, unlike jacks

    Takes thicker cables (some jacks do too)

    Solderless

     

    • Like 3

    Choosing First Bass

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    I'd look at a Fender Player Precision (£699) and a Squier Classic Vibe '702 Precision (£349).

    Try and get some hands on playing time so pick a less busy period at a store with good stocks.

     

    A Precision will get all the sounds you want - don't think a single pickup makes them 'less versatile' it's not so. Try a few, one will be the best one 😉

     

     

    • Like 1

    Cotswold Bass Guitars

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 07/10/2013 at 22:39, JapanAxe said:

    Anyone had dealings with [url="http://www.cotswoldbassguitars.co.uk/index.htm"]cotswoldbassguitars.co.uk[/url]? Is David M. a member on here?

    They always seem to have lots of interesting stock at any given time.

    That links me to a dodgy spam site...  either there is no Cotswold Bass Guitars or their website has been hijacked 

    Bag Heaven

    in Accessories and Misc

    Posted · Edited by Bigguy2017

    20 hours ago, stewblack said:

    I'm in love with this. Arrived from Thomann yesterday and it's a dream.

     

    IMG_20220625_123040.jpg

    Also great for someone who reads a lot on holiday...  ;-

     

    Glastonbury 2022

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    18 minutes ago, MoonBassAlpha said:

    Just tuned in.

    Sam Fender. Crowd love a good singalong. Quite dull musically.

    Anyone spotted anything good yet?

    First Aid Kit were good - and she had a nice collection of Mustang basses  😉

    • Like 2

    Musicman Stingray Classic problem

    in Repairs and Technical

    Posted

    Sounds like the output jack's ring contact might be not be making good contact.

    Give the jack a good clean and have a close look at the contacts with a jack inserted. Replace if suspect.

     

    PP3 battery clips are notoriously crap, made of chinesium, and it's hard to source a good one. (The RS Pro ones are OK  RS PRO Press Stud 9V PP3 Battery Contact | RS Components (rs-online.com)

    It is possible to solder (quickly) the DC cables onto the battery terminals as a test. Also a piece of foam jammed in the battery compartment, pushing on the connector can help.

     

    Do as rmorris says...

    Bass Snobbery

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Bigguy2017

    I think we all like and appreciate the really good stuff, so I'm not 100% immune to some snobbishness, but with experience comes understanding...

    We have all known Squiers nicer than Fenders and Epiphones better than Gibsons - great setup is what makes the difference.

     

    Ultimately it's how good a player you are - what's cooler, a great player on a £200 bass or a mediocre player on a £3000 super bass?

    Are you a collector of instruments or a player of music?

    Instruments need to make music and it's the quality of the music that counts.

     

    (Please ignore the list of not-at-all-snobbish instruments in my sig...  😉 )

    • Like 2
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