Soledad

I might not be alone on this. I reckon finding the rights strings for a particular bass and the sound you want is a costly and sometimes frustrating mission.On my fretless I'm now on set no4 after about 2 months and for the first time I'm happy. Just put a set of the 750T 'white' nylon flats on my fretless. At last, a set of strings that really suit the bass and get me where I want to be sound-wise. The bass came to me with some rounds on and the sound is quite good but a bit hard, plus rounds do wear the board over time. I fitted a set of D'Addario half-rounds (45 - 100 I think) and didn't really see the point of those - might just as well go straight to decent flats I would say. Then tried a set of Fender flats - as per the reputation, too heavy and high tension so quite hard work on a fretless I felt. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to play a 3 different electro-acoustic basses owned by fellow BC members (big thanks to Paul S and Frank Blank), all of which had black nylon flats on, of unknown origin. I'd read somewhere here that the La Bella white nylons were a little brighter so I decided to try them. The problem with strings is describing them in a universally consistent way, so we all know what we are getting - it's very subjective, but I'll have a go: - feel quite chunky after lightish rounds on the fretted (at 50 - 105) but are low tension so very bendy and slidy. - lots of mid-range - which I think is the really important band for fretless - a touch of crisp top, not super-high, just a slight crunch on the top if you want it. - a clear bottom, with a rather woody sound. Rounded but well-pitched and nicely clear (compared to the Fender flats with a rather pitchless thump). - decent output - can't A/B compare with previous strings but settings suggest output levels around the same They call them 'white' but they aren't, they are a cloudy clear-ish nylon that look like dull nickels from a few feet away. Not weird looking at all. I expect they will last ages - which is good as I have invested a fair bit on strings getting to this point. I would never use these on a fretted, but I feel like my fretless is now where I want it to be so I can move on. Next, flats for my Precision. Sibob's P and Lakland both sounded the way I want with La Bellas on. The DR thread has confused me a bit. I'll probably start with La Bellas and hope I don't have to blow a hundred plus finding the right strings... again !

and another thing. Just how many slap vids do we need? Scott makes a good point on one of his vids. Just say to the guy 'this one's in C'...

I too want to know who the bald American is. Walter White? Notice the guy in vid is playing a 6er and has 3 guitars on the wall, and a left-hand technique to match. So I'm thinking this bass mullarky is not his main thing in life.

In their defence I had same day responses when I asked them several things about my bass. Was impressed. I also think they make really good basses. But I do like mine full size.

Yes. Maybe doesn't always get the recognition he deserves. There's a rich musicality in his playing, which is somewhat uncommon... IMHO re over-playing, Guy Pratt is allowed to add a few notes within, because he makes them worthwhile. It's the 'loads of notes' within the chord, note-count sh*t that I have an issue with. GP is way above that. He payed quite full lines on 'Like a Prayer' but it was balanced and right for the arrangements / production... IMHO(2)

Indeed @TheGreek - if you trace the line back a little it's part of the same genus as the maples. I've found Uk sycamore quite hard to come by and of varying quality. Timberline have some instrument grade stuff but it's expensive. I do have a board of well flamed sycamore in store, wide enough to face a bass but only about 25mm thick. I'll get pics if any maker interested. It would bookmatch beautifully. @Jabba_the_gut - I'm guessing this baord is too wide for most planer/thicknessers, and for most band saws? If I was flatting / facing that I would happily resort to a scrub plane followed by finer hand planes. Years ago I made a scrub from an old beech block plane and it rips high spots off very fast. Follow by a jack and down to a fine smoother. Far quicker than it sounds! Re ripping to thickness I'd be off in search of a mill/yard that would do it for me - someone with an old massive Wadkin sitting around. It can be done with a big rip frame saw - but you'd probably have to make the saw first I'll try and get some pics of my flamed board - almost forgot I had it. Picked it out at Mac Timbers years ago and has air dried down to around 10 percent, would drop to 6 or less easily now I reckon.

I've heard very good things about the SWR Workingmans 10. There's a 12 as well but the 10 seems more highly rated. Don't come up often - I think I saw a 12 on here a little while ago.

Stripped the satin black celly off. Steve at Manchester GT told me there was a clear sealer under on the Hi1s - makes life a lot easier I think. I got down to almost clear with various abrasives, then used clean cellulose thinner to wash the last of it off, taking care not to disturb the base coat. It then got flattened (was flat anyway) and finish-keyed with Abranet 400 (actually an old well-used bit so way finer than 400 anyway). I've put a very thin grey prime coat on - I used it as practice to dry-spray, taking the advice of the more experienced regarding the application of the metallic later. Couldn't resist a dust along one side with the lake p-lacid blue, just to see the colour tone and metallic effect. Problem is there is very little contrast between the grey primer and the dusting of LPB. I may cut it all back smooth and put a white primer down. I fashioned a 'neck' to hold the body at various angles. Later I intend to do some soft-edge masking in the neck cavity to get the overspray as per - need to p[rotect the date stamp etc. The pup and control cavites were fully sprayed black so they will become LPB. Happy so far, the LPB metallic dust coat seemed to work and the metallic is nice and even (I think). It may be that you really see how good your metallic is when you put the laquer on top. AND, being patient - plenty of time to harden between stages. I may be in with a shot, but must not tempt fate. more later

This says Hi-Beams for me then (on my Jazz) - IIRC Guy Pratt played on Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' (was it that one)? Loved his bass work there. Cracking player, and importantly doesn't overplay. Great sound in the mix.

Stunning. Very well shot too. Bit concerned about the fence shots !

For Sale - 2010 Highway One U.S. Jazz complete with Badass II bridge... hence £14.60 o.n.o (call it 20 bucks then). @ezbass - I should recognise yours but I don't, sorry - tell us more. It has a very refined tort plate so it's something special.

Don't want to cause bother but the Precisions thread is up to Page 64, the Jazz thread is on 24. Just sayin'. I have one of each, both U.S. Fender, so I 'm qualified to referee. @marleaux62 - had a good life, that one. Nice !

me too. respect for his tech knowledge and dexterity but dare I mark him down for application? The space between notes is really very important, and one grand idea beats 19 OK ones all at the same time... I'll be in bother for this

agree, return. My 212 is fine rock solid etc (so far). A right hassle though - I dumped the box for mine as it's massive so getting one back to dealer would be a pain. Maybe speak to retailer, send pics etc and ask them to do a drop/pick-up - new to you, old back to to them. May require pressure but none of this is your fault. Also consider speaking with TC direct - they should apply pressure to retailer as well. Just my thoughts, it's probably the way I would try to go.

@Lesfunk - is that a Badass on there? Nice P ! Recently got a Highway 1 Jazz which has the BadAss II on it as standard - it's a good lump (but I needed a 0.05" allen key to adjust the saddles and they're a bit less than standard!)

Fine, I appreciate the string's ability to flex is important, but tension is a really simple bit of info and it is useful to many. If I could know gauge and tension it will tell me a lot more than I'm usually allowed to know. I'd say the way the string is fitted is something of a fixed for any given bass - through body, angle onto nut, nut material... we can get down to a load of variables but I think tension is such a basic and easy to provide by the makers.

Interesting, frustrating that very few makers publish string tensions. D'Addario do, DR don't seem to, don't think LaBella do, Rotosound don't but I was told the other day they soon will do (on their web). I reckon tension is absolutely as important and useful as gauge, in fact gauge alone doesn't tell you much as it's the core that gives the tension. Come on string makers, give us the basic info we need. It's quite easy to blow 200 quid on 5 sets of bass strings, just looking for the perfect set.

Thanks for the advice re the metallics. Steve at MGT made it sound fairly easy... !! I get the idea of the dry coats, and recall Rubis saying about warm body, warm paint for good flow. Maybe that applies more to the laquer - if I get that far. If the blue fails, I mean if I fail it, there are a couple of fall-backs: Dakota red or another straight gloss.... there's always black

Possibly, was on FB for some time, Flavio selling it was away most of that time and really slow at responding to messages. Finally went to see it and bought. He'd hardly used it so dead straight not messed with. He was more interested in showing me his MIJ Marcus Miller Jazz... not my thing at all. I too think the Highway Ones are a good shot - not so much info in the UK but over on TB there is quite a fan base. I suspect the pups are pretty basic and that is the one thing I may change. Don't think these basses are worth spending loads on as you very soon get into premium US used prices so I won't be going top-end Aguilar say. Back soon with more action on the decorating front

Started when I picked up a 2010 Hi-1 Jazz through FB recently. I'd done a bit of research and was interested by the graphite neck in particular (more of why later), the BadAss II bridge, the dot markers because I prefer them to the blocks, and the supposedly thin nitro finish. The one I got was satin black so there's an immediate problem. My '97 Precision is black and it needs to stay that way. So I messaged @rubis about the paint process on his year of birth P. He gave me some useful tips and referred me to Manchester Guitar Tech so I spoke to Steve there just to check what I was in for. I've ordered the stuff I need to do a Lake Placid Blue, with a tiny hint of aging (just 9 years worth, hardly anything but not 'straight out of the paint shop' look). I've taken the bass apart with care. I even used new screwdrivers although I suspect the screws are actually Phillips head. Anyway, all that went fine. Noticed the final couple of winds on front pup were hanging a bit loose - worrying as they are like human hair thickness so considerable care required now and later. I do like seeing all the stamps and other marks in the neck cavity and on the heel - I'll get pics done but the neck and head are both dated late-ish 2010. I know this is the first time the bass has been touched, it still had the clear plastic film on the scratchplate when I got it (and some rounds of a fair vintage !). I plan to get down to the wood on the body (not hard at all as the paint is really thin, as advertised). Once I get to see the wood* I am considering an investment in new pups - maybe Fender vintage Custom Shop, ADVICE and opinions welcome please. I want pure JB sound but gooder Was fairly knocked out with this Hi-1 by the way. The neck is excellent and I'm sure the graphite makes a difference - that common resonance around Bflat - D on the G is gone. It plays and sounds great so probably a keeper. Back soon with progress

and btw, that looks rediculous to me. Someone's spent years hardly using the low E or A until the 15th fret and up, which is where they have spent most of the guitar's life. Really??

That's interesting @spencer.b. It totally fits with my hunch that the outer layer seems to lose its pigment and appears somewhat translucent over time. I suspect the early ones weren't bright white from new but plastics back then were a bit untamed, unpredictable over time. I wonder how all these pseudo-aged plates will age?? There's no substitute for years and regular playing - as someone said above, lots of relic attention goes into bodies, but the neck, fingerboard and head are often a dead giveaway.

sorted, my mate Alexa: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imperial-Inches-Including-Wrenches-Engineer/dp/B002F9MNKE Handy as it has the 1/16th which I believe is correct for the std Fender saddles.

Thanks for that - i should have done a search! Good grief - imperial's bad enough with all the 1/32nds, 1/64ths etc, but now we've gone imperiometric with 0.05 inches So 1mm is no good (40 thou-ish, I need 50). I'll go on the hunt.... again.