Bassassin

[quote name='maxrossell' post='681193' date='Dec 11 2009, 12:03 PM']Them's some crazy-looking pickups. What are they?[/quote] They call them "Alumitones" and are meant to be an alternative to conventional pup design - this is what the Lace website says: [quote]These Alumitones® are a “current driven” design, rather the traditional voltage based pickups, allowing the musician a higher fidelity or “broad-band response” that helps to create a tighter top-end, more mid-range and a huge bottom end. This passive pickup outperforms many active systems, and the sonic output level generally exceeds that of similar preamp equipped basses. With today’s increased environmental concerns, Lace® also wanted to create a lightweight, advanced pickup that doesn’t contribute to pollutants caused by discarded batteries. “By using the Alumitone, ® the need for conventional pickups with a preamp and battery are eliminated, and you lose almost two pounds of weight, without compromising output or performance,” states Jeff Lace.[/quote] Remains to be seen if they live up to these claims - and if [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=21194"]BigRedX's review of his fretless 5[/url] is anything to go on, it's debatable. I'm also struggling a little with the idea of these "eco-friendly" pickups being installed in a bass made largely from a protected species of tropical hardwood - but whatever. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='680971' date='Dec 11 2009, 08:44 AM']Strangest looking RickenFaker I've seen in a while ...[/quote] Ironically one of the cheapest too! This will look nice with my Ibanez EDA, Tokai Talbo & Yamaha SBV. [quote name='BigRedX' post='681001' date='Dec 11 2009, 09:24 AM']Jon, congratulations on your purchase - that's a pretty good price too. Can you report back on the output of the pickups? I have the 5-string version of this which is pretty good except the output is really weedy compared with all my other passive basses, so I'd be interested to hear a second opinion.[/quote] I was gobsmacked at the price (and usually I struggle to make myself pay more than £50 for anything) but I've lusted after one of these since they were launched. RRP is something ridiculous like £899, and as far as I can tell, they don't exist north of Watford! The 5-string version got a [url="http://hinesitedistribution.enticom.co.uk/UserFiles/File/Helix%205%20Review.pdf"]very positive review in BGM[/url] (which described the pups as "vibrant & powerful") so I'll be interested to see how it stacks up, and will report back. Just hope the seller packs it well! J.

Couldn't stop myself: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160385763735"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160385763735[/url] Another 4-string fretted bass. Oh yes. I need another 4-string fretted bass. Still - f*cking hell!!! Jon.

There are some phenomenally good plectrum players who do considerably more than chug away at root notes. Other than the ones already mentioned, listen to Dennis Dunaway, Chris Squire, Tony Butler, Dave Pegg, Russell Webb, Peter Hook, Steven Severin, Peter Steele, Jason Newsted - and these are just some of my personal favourite players - there are many, many more in various genres. In the 30 - odd years I've been playing, I pretty much exclusively used a pick until 5 or 6 years ago when I simply decided it was time to polish up my barely-used fingerstyle. These days I seldom use a pick but really that's bloody-mindedness on my part - I'm forcing myself to play outside of my comfort zone even when using a pick would be more appropriate. And having developed pretty decent speed, accuracy & facility with my fingerstyle I can honestly say that for the most part they're interchangeable, certainly within the context of my music (fairly busy prog rock) - in fact there's more stuff that works better with a pick. And the original question - what impresses me more - well, neither. They're just techniques and it's good to be well-versed in both, IMO. I would grudgingly admit that flashy slap stuff does impress me a bit - I'm rubbish at it, despite being well into it for a few years in the mid-80s - and I do like to see it done well. But let's face it, it's a bit cheesy & vulgar, no? Jon.

I know exactly what it is. It's the one on Edinburgh Glumtree that the geezer wants £150 for. Not a bad price, if you can knock him down to £120 or so, that's bordering on a steal. Here's a blurb avec some specs: [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/8.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/8.jpg[/url] Jon.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='676305' date='Dec 6 2009, 11:26 PM'][/quote] I'm sure a couple of years back, someone on here had a bright yellow SBV, "Wayned" with black & white chequerboard stripes. I've got a blue one (formerly part of Paul C's legendary collection) and it's great. It'll be even better when I finally get around to making it a pink pearloid scratchplate. Edit - Blue one just like mine on Fleabay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-Yamaha-SBV-500-Bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ230408698047"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-Yamaha-SBV-500-...emZ230408698047[/url] Jon.

Christmas is bollocks, but in the spirit of the thread: Jon.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='675920' date='Dec 6 2009, 05:37 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290378392174&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123"]Classic Westone Thuner 1[/url] Won't post, I already asked, cheap price.[/quote] £60? That's bloody ludicrous. Someone in Luton buy this, ffs! You could Ebay it straight away for a clear £100 profit if you don't want it. J.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='675158' date='Dec 5 2009, 06:22 PM']oh and this i swapped with rasta for a POD, unmarked headstock aria pro 2. It's japanese so Ill stick it up here, someone may be able to tell me something about it.[/quote] Pretty sure it's an RSB Special II - I have an RSB Deluxe II which I bought new in 1985 - the Special was contemporary to it, with a different finish & pickup layout. This would have originally had 2x soapbars with P-layout pole pieces - I think they're MBIVs. Dunno what sort of rewiring's been done in there but that should have stack knobs, I think. My Deluxe does, & the control layout's otherwise identical. J.

I bought one when they first came out - great little DI box for recording & can beef things up a lot just used as a stomp box into your amp. Never gigged with it, but if I did, they're cheap enough to have a spare as backup. Jon.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='671649' date='Dec 1 2009, 10:20 PM']I guess this would be the place to ask... (captain japcrap mainly) I said I would fix a bass for a friend, expecting an encore or stagg he came over nad dropped off a "Hohner bass" It's a pretty good P bass copy, Made in japan, ply body with 3 colour sunburst, maple neck and separate maple fretboard (fairly chunky with trussrod access at body end), BWB scratchplate, 7 screw bridge.... and bizarrely fender headstock shape, I would guess that make it quite old?[/quote] Yep - 70s, early 80s. MIJ Hohners were made by Moridaira until about 82 - 83 when they moved production to Korea. There may have been other Jap factories making Hohners but most of the ones I've seen are definitely Moridaira. If the P has a serial number sticker that looks like this: [attachment=37519:serialsticker.jpg] Then that confirms it's a Mori. Got any pics, Luke? J.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='671247' date='Dec 1 2009, 04:24 PM']Jon, which bass are we talking about here? You seem to be missing a link to the auction in your post? Are these set neck or bolt-on? I know most are bolt-on but every so often there are examples which are made to same way as the instruments they are trying to copy.[/quote] Coinsider the plot thoroughly lost! What a twunt. This one - I assume it's a bolt-on because the 2 other Eros EB copies I've seen were: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270492800585"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270492800585[/url] J.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='655149' date='Nov 15 2009, 01:25 PM']The nice MIJ EB copies do come up, Kasuga & Matsumoku definitely are worth a look as well as Fujigen. I'll flag 'em if I spot 'em. J.[/quote] And another one, seriously worth a look if you're in the Midlands, because he won't post - I've asked. I'm pretty sure it's a Matsumoku, branded as Eros (Rosetti's 70s JapCrap brand) and closely related to the 1931 & 1910 basses on this page: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/solid/sg/19xx.html"]http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/solid/sg/19xx.html[/url] It's a stealth listing (ie rubbish) & won't attract Ebay JapCrap hunters, most of whom don't habitually search under "bass". As such it will likely be cheap & I'd seriously recommend someone picks it up, if only to profiteer. Or sell it to me. But not both. J.