PVTele

No experience of the 6-ers, but I have an IB604 (oiled natural swamp ash - see avatar) that I absolutely love. Very easy to play. very much its own tone, but will do a nice growl if called upon - excellent sustain. Nice looking bass - seems very well built, really well-executed details, fretwork, inlays and so on, and holds tune well. No complaints whatever. Don't much care for the name, but there you go

If I remember rightly, the first electric bass I ever tried, in a music shop along the Camden Road in Tunbridge Wells when I were nobbut a lad, was a brand new Bassmaster... must have had a powerful subliminal effect

Yum

Hey, anyone have any idea why my TU-2's emitting sparks and smoke?

Sad but true

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='376706' date='Jan 11 2009, 12:21 PM']There appear to be crossed wires here! Are we talking Warwick LX basses or the Spector Euro LX? ... To help the OP make a decision on a bass (Warwick or Spector) it would be beneficial to know what sort of price is his budget in...[/quote] Thanks for the attempt at clarification, warwickhunt! OK - hadn't really got around to sorting out a budget (this is more intentional daydreaming at the moment, if you know what I mean, rather than being about to make a purchase right now) but +/- £600 is probably realistic. I was definitely thinking of a Warwick (or Rockbass) bolt-on, not a Spector. A bolt-on, not an NT. I know how hard it can be to find early original Warwicks, which is why my thoughts had turned to Rockbass, especially seeing the ones in the 2009 range don't have that crass logo on the headstock. (Call me silly, but I just don't like it. I don't play rock, per se, anyhow, usually ) (I don't mind people knowing I'm playing a budget instrument - I happily play a Squier Telecaster in public - I just don't like that silly logo so darn big all over that iconic headstock shape.) I think I'm going to have to wait till the 2009 models percolate through to my local dealer, and go and play a good cross-section of the current range, including the ones I can't afford, to get an idea of a starting place. Then maybe go and investigate the older ones, such as I can find. Thanks for your help so far, guys...

Russ's post on the 2009 Warwick range has reminded me of my long-term itch for a Warwick, especially as the Rockbass models are now free of that horrible headstock blemish they used to come with... Question is, which one? I'm particularly drawn to the throaty growl the make is known for, without sacrificing the articulate quality they often seem to have too. From the playability point of view, I prefer slender rather than baseball-bat-ish necks - oh, and I only like 4-strings I like the look of most Warwicks, so appearance isn't an issue, given that I can't afford a Buzzard anyway Any ideas, you Warwick players?

[quote name='stevie' post='372104' date='Jan 6 2009, 03:36 PM']Very nice to meet another resident of God's beautiful county. I'm a newcomer myself, but I love it here.[/quote] God's beautiful county indeed! When did you move to Dorchester? Where from? I've been here near 15 years now - around half in Kimmeridge, half here in Wool...

[quote name='stevie' post='371655' date='Jan 6 2009, 09:43 AM']Fender marketing must think the average mental age of its bass customers is about 12. Not quite as bad as Seymout Duncan, who actually puts dirt in his Antiquity pickups and deliberately rusts the metal parts. Why haven't car makers latched onto this idea - I'm sure we'd all rush out to buy a rusty, muddy BMW with scratched and bashed bodywork at twice the price of a pristing one. Wouldn't we?[/quote] Right on, Stevie! Good sense from a neighbour (I'm in Wool!)

Another vote for the Standard Series - I have a Standard Tele that is simply one of the nicest Telecasters I've played, and it sounds just wonderful. I've had it over 6 years now, and it's never let me down - the only thing I've ever had to do is clean the selector switch once, and adjust the truss rod when I'd had it around 6 months. The VM and CV Squiers are usually more specialised instruments, often copying mainstream Fenders of particular eras, or popular mods thereof. Quality is excellent, but, apart from the Duncan Designed pickups some models have, probably not that much better than Standards. Lemmy's right, the Affinity models are noticeably less good: thinner bodies, sometimes inferior wood, cheaper electrics. Having said that, in the right hands I've heard them sound very good indeed.

D'Addario EXL 165 Nickel Round Wound 45-105 long scale. The only strings I'm ever really happy with (Have to confess I've never tried Elite Stadiums - I tried all kinds of others, Rotosound, Ernie Ball, Elixir, Fender (not nice, surprisingly)... but not those)

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='369554' date='Jan 3 2009, 08:25 PM']Streamers look cool Corvettes look weird :wacko: IMO!![/quote] And for me it's just the opposite - I'd have a natural swamp ash Corvette before any other Warwick! Good thing we don't all have the same taste, or there'd be just one bass on the market, only in standard, budget and all-exotic-woods-gold-hardware-n-LEDs versions

Just checked out the Wizard site - that Area 51 looks interesting - knockout name for a bass pickup, too

All the credible reports I've heard about these basses makes them sound very good indeed. I'm seriously considering one myself for blues gigs. Personally, I'd leave the installed Wilkinson be for a while, and see how it goes. If you find any real deficiencies on the road, you could always drop in a Quarterpounder later - they are superb pickups, no doubt of that. Let us know how it goes

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' post='367614' date='Jan 1 2009, 11:58 AM']What's a Dark star? Is it a pickup? would it make much difference to the sound? [/quote] It is indeed - [url="http://www.hammoneng.com/soundclips1.htm"]here be soundclips[/url]

Any Flying V worries me a bit - but a yellow uke? Eeek

A SpongeBob Squarepants Flying V ukulele? - now there [i]is[/i] a thought

That's a nice looking bass, Robert - and Paul's right, perfect criteria to choose a starter bass. You won't know for a while what tone you really want - if ever - but the feel is all-important. I've never played a Washburn bass, but their electric guitars are very nice indeed. Of the basses you mentioned, I'd maybe have gone for the Yamaha - I really like the RBX series - but the Washburn looks like a good instrument at a really decent price. There's a lot to be said for the P/J configuration (split-coil at the neck end, single-coil at the bridge - named after the Precision and Jazz basses Fender made famous) as it can do most tones without the expense and added complication (when you're learning) of an active EQ. I reckon you did right to skip the Epi - short-scale basses are very much an individual taste (one I don't share!) and the EB-0's a one trick pony. Quite a trick, it has to be admitted, but it's pretty limited compared with any decent P/J bass. Back in the day, I played both an EB-0 and an EB-3 (2 pickups, 34" scale). Fabulous build - these were the Gibson originals - but really not up to modern basses, IMHO, nor to their Fender contemporaries, unless you were after that Jack Bruce-with-Cream tone, which I was, in which case they're the bee's knees, especially the EB-3.

The 1100s don't seem to be made any more - here's the link to the [url="http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/el_basses/bb_s/?checked_object=&mode=product_lineup&page=1"]Yamaha BB Series[/url] available now. Bassically the active 614/615, and the passive 414/415. Must be one of the best PJs on the market, though - knockout sound. The one mod I'd be inclined towards would be replacing that rather flimsy bridge with a Badass II, but that's a matter of taste only, I think.

[quote name='Jase' post='366180' date='Dec 30 2008, 12:51 PM']Does anybody know anything about these Yamahas? [url="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://www.guitarcenter.ru/vintage/288/2321/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dyamaha%2BJB500R%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB%3a%6ffficial%26sa%3DN"]JB500R[/url][/quote] Looks like a competent JB copy - but the zvukosnimatelya probably aren't up to the Fender ones, nor Seymour Duncans either. Glad to see there's no Kant on the grife though - that can be a bit dodgy

A friend of mine, Mike Coulson, who plays in the Bournemouth Vineyard worship band, has a recent BB, either a 414 or a 614, I can't remember. It's an excellent bass. Sounds rather more P-Bass like than the RBX, but has a very similar neck - i.e. very nice, comfortable, comparable with a JB. Altogether a good bass, and they are fantastic value, especially the passive 414.

Another vote for a starting with a 4. I tried the old Fender Bass V with the high C when it was current (shows how old I am ) and I hated it, and I still hate modern 5s with a low B. Just feels wrong for me - no particular problems plucking or muting, just alien and uncomfortable. I actually find the limitations of 4 strings a stimulus when I'm improvising, or working out patterns for individual songs. It's not a problem with the number of strings per se either - I'm a decent enough guitarist! - so I hate to think what I might have done had I started with a 5. Given up bass as a bad job? Traded it for a 4? Hung myself with the 5th string? Doesn't bear thinking about

[quote name='Hamster' post='365093' date='Dec 28 2008, 07:46 PM']I have a Vintage P bass. Very very good indeed. The neck is 1/2 way between a P and a J, weight is nice, all hardwear good, a very nice overall package. I also have an SX P bass and it's considerably better than that. If you're not fussy about the compromise neck it's just about on par with a MIM P bass.[/quote] Good to know, Hamster... I've been wondering about getting an inexpensive P for blues gigs, and the Vintage V4 was one of the ones I'd thought of. The Wilkinson hardware & pickup are tempting in themselves

[quote name='bumnote' post='364549' date='Dec 28 2008, 01:06 AM']I think this stands up in its own right. Im not going to sand off the decal, and im quite happy to say im enjoying playing a squier.[/quote] Good man yerself, bumnote - you tell 'em! I've been flirting with the idea of a Squier P myself - I'd like a P for blues gigs, and I can't possibly justify an MIA for those occasions. I've not played a recent MIM that's actually quite as good as good examples of recent Squiers.

It's really quite amazing that after all this time, the Fender / Squier issue still gets folk so heated! Back in 2002, when after 30+ years playing bass and lead, and various (USA) Strats, an SG and all sorts over the years, I finally decided that what I wanted for my birthday was a Telecaster, I played all sorts, from cheap knock-offs to far too expensive Americans, and the one that really sounded, and played, right was a Squier. Six years on, and I've reverted back to bass as my main instrument. But when I play guitar, my first choice is still that Squier, despite a Strat sitting in its case that must be worth 10x the cost of replacing the Tele. Squiers, good ones, are simply good instruments, period. Personally, I've been in this game long enough not to worry about what's on the headstock. Actually, in a perverse way, it quite pleases me that I probably sound better on my Squier than many of those who'd be sniffy about its decal The newer Squier basses, even the Standards (whose pickups are not, certainly, as good as the Duncan Designed ones) are good basses - the VM and Vibe ones are very good basses indeed, by any measure.