Bassfinger

Did Fender ever state in the literature what the purpose of the composite layer was?

On 19/12/2021 at 18:43, Lozz196 said:

When we played in Europe...

Tell me, is that Joey Tempest's real hair?

1 hour ago, spike said:

In the early 2000s our band played a Sergeants Mess in one of the camps on Salisbury Plain. It was in early November but it was a Christmas do because they were going to to be in Iraq for Christmas. After our set we started leisurely packing away until a group of MPs turned up and told us to pack up and leave as quickly as we could because it was all going to kick off at any moment and they even guarded our van while we loaded it.   

The irony is you'd have been a lot safer without a couple of redcap lancejacks drawing attention to you!

I hear that this bass comes with a special tuner that has Anita Dobson singing the Eastenders theme tune when you switch it on.

Not come across this yet, but our manager (AKA lead guitarist) claims to be set up and ready for it.

They can only be "the same" superficially.  Even supposedly identical four strings can have quite a different tone and character to one another. Ditto fives.

I'm amazed. I didn't know they did creosote in that colour.

The Brian May signature toupee was never a big seller.

2 hours ago, Rich said:

My brother in law spent time with the Gurkhas when he was posted in Brunei back in the day. He reckons that they are a.) the most charming, friendly and loyal people you could wish to meet, and b.) triple-hard little sods who you do not want to annoy in any way, shape or form whatsoever. The Argentinians on the Falklands were absolutely terrified of them and their kukris for very good reason.  

Someone had started a rumour that Gurkhas were cannibals - Argentine conscripts couldn't surrender quickly enough!

Derinitely don't pith off a Gurkha. We fronted a trio of them at Gib and were expecting fists to fly. We were bitterly disappointed when they just smiled and nodded and shuffled away.

The next morning we awoke to find red felt tip pen marks across our throats.  The adjutant went chuffing nuts and had some most uncomplimentary things to say about Gurkhas, but the rest of us were rather in awe to say the least.

The Brian May signature bass is actually a regular guitar, only difference being that while you're  doing the gardening it sneaks up and stabs youmin the buttocks.

I was forewarned by some chap on Youtube about the variability of MIM instruments, and that's the reason I spent the time and shoe leather. Glad I did,  as an MIA one cost a little over twice as much and I'm totally confident that the individual MIM one I settled on is as good as any of the MIAs I had also tried (but was reluctant to spend the extra coin upon). I'm lucky though, I'm retired so have time to go traipsing off to different parts of the country to do nothing but look at an instrument and I realise that not everyone has that luxury.

One nice thing about the CV's is that the fit and finish seem much more consistent.  There is the odd horror story about, but by and large the Indonesian factory has a pretty good grip on QC. As a consequence it's much less risky buying one online.

I never made it as high as Sergeant so the answer is no, but I can Imagine.

I wonder as well if it might vary with the military branch and regiment, perhaps? In the Green Jackets we'd fight anyone we could, and if no one else was available we'd  happily fight each other.  The Matelots aren't much better either, but I think the Crabs are a little more restrained.

2 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

Sure, and the Squier '50s CV Precision basses are very nice...I wish they'd come out with a FSR model, though. Right color and I'd pay $100 more than they're selling for now.

Other than that, people spend more money on Fender MIMs, and I wouldn't buy one at a 50% off sale.

I went a little bit crazy the past year or so buying basses...stimulating the economy.

I paid a lot for my CV Jazz, but I also bought an untouched $2,000 G&L Custom L2000 for $1,400, so.. 

MIMs can be brilliant. The issue is the typical variable Fender build quality, which for reason can be particularly inconsistent in Mexico. The very best MIMs are as good as anything else Fender have put their name to, but because of the variable fit and finish 2/3 or 3/4 aren't quite as sharp as they could be.

Case in point was my Geddy Lee.  I looked at 3 before finding one that was flawless of finish and rounded of tone, and id happily put it against an MIA.  The other two though would have been easily embarrased by an Indonesian CV jazz...

So don't dismiss MIM out of hand, just be sure to buy in person and not online to be sure of getting a nice tight one.

2 hours ago, Thunderbird said:

Gonna get shot down in flames for this but I think my most underrated gear is a plectrum as I wouldn't be able to play without one as my hands are buggered 😩

Same here. I cant feel two fingers on my right hand so I'm in the same boat.  I can play fingerstyle,  not terribly well, but all the practice in the world wont make my fingers reliably do what I want them to so I simply embrace the Tortex.

Lots came in.

Precious little went out 🤔

I've vomited up nicer looking things.

Wilkinson tuners.

Sure, they're not in Gotoh or Schaller territory, but theyre decent bits of kit in their own right, a good upgrade for the price of a pub lunch. They've replace the tuners on many a budget bass Ive owned and they've  never failed to make me happy.

Warman pickups.

He'll wind them pretty much however you want them, and still undercuts the likes of Entwistle or Wilkinson. 

Marvel locking strap nuts and cheap chinese copies.

A little less compact than the likes of Dunlop or Schaller, but very positive in operation and long lived.  Best of all, the cheap chinese knock offs appear identical (and may even be from the same factory for all I know) and work equally effectively.

Adagio Pro nickel flats.

Oft overlooked. Incredibly cheap, but punch well above their weight in tone and durability.  Slap them in upmarket packaging and people wouldn't blink at paying 50 nicker for them, but they sell for a mere 15 sovs.

All these things seem underrated, yet they all serve me very faithfully while undercutting their more expensive mainstream rivals. Happy shopper.

9 minutes ago, Rich said:

Anything with Yamaha on the headstock.

Damn straight.

Most CV basses are still available to buy new now, albeit some colour combos and certain exact specs etc may have been dropped. That being the case it would be difficult to understand why someone wouldn't  just buy a new one.

When I bought a CV earlier in the year I was shopping around and found a used one that had been relic'd (or more accurately near destroyed) on sale for 1200. I thought about it for about a nanosecond before simply buying a new one, and spending the change on a hooker, some crack cocaine, and still had 20 quid left over to give a tip to the nurse at the STD clinic.

Squier 50's Classic Vibe. £330. Classic '54 transition shape, build quality and finish sufficient to give Fender USA execs PTSD, sounds authentic, looks authentic, just beautiful. It makes most £1000 basses look insulting to be asking so much more cash for so little more, if any, extra. A Lindy Fralin pickup and tort pickguard still brings the whole package in comfortably  under 500 sheets.

Harley Benton MB4 in black. £96 last year when an exchange rate blip brought it under the ton. Plays as well as anything costing 500 sheets, light weight, sounds really growly (new word, (c) Bassfinger industries 2021), looks mean, and is an ideal platform for cost effective modding. Fantastic. It makes the stuff from Glarry look like a hideous insult. Ideal gigging tool, and I wouldnt be so upsetmat that getting damaged as I would my Geddy Lee.  Indeed, I carry the Geddy Lee to gigs in its hard case to act as a backup for the HB!

When I were a wee bairn (cue sepia forum theme and Hovis advert music) there was some truly godawful about at the £100 mark, but while their is still plenty of tat there is also a raft of brilliant stuff around for under 500 quid.  We never had it so good.

Thick as a Brick. Full version.

4 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

4 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

 

I never realised Gary Glitter was in the Shangri-Las!!!!!!!!!!

 

I blame the typo on stress caused by a ruined childhood.

Leader of the Pack.

Thanks to Gary Glitter I never will get to play it now.

I'm  not worried about their morals. So long as I'm not a drug taking alcoholic adulterer who stole just brest friends wife then I'm quite able to criticise him with some moral authority.

If I become some or all of those things then I shall remain silent, but until that time I'm happy to tell folk what I think.

None of that detracts from his talent, which is a different matter altogether.