UglyDog

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1445858581' post='2894713'] More to come of this continuing story, but I'm starting to think I think I'm a convert already. [/quote] Job done as far as Elixir are concerned. I finally bought new strings at the end of last year (after nearly 18 months!), and guess what I fitted? Yup. Elixirs. I am a convert. These things are [i]astonishing[/i].

Dare I say 'Sire V7'?

Another Luminlay convert here I managed to get lost a couple of times on a dark stage with my maple neck Sire V7, so I jumped on the old net and ordered some side dot inlay (3mm, green with black outer ring). Ive just spent an hour or so drilling holes and tapping and supergluing and trimming -- obviously the final fine trim and sanding/filing is still to come, but suffice to say I am well pleased with the results so far. I was so chuffed I even put a new dot at fret 1, where there hadn't been a dot before I'd say to anyone toying with getting some, do it. I am seriously considering doing this to all my basses now. Before: [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/jazza42uk/Mobile%20Uploads/20160514_103404_zpsk39dwfst.jpg[/IMG] After (pending final finish): [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/jazza42uk/Mobile%20Uploads/20160514_211842_zpsk76nhcnv.jpg[/IMG] And with the lights out: [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/jazza42uk/Mobile%20Uploads/20160514_211045_zpswjjmhdeq.jpg[/IMG]

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1462218150' post='3041240'] When I had the neck made, I asked for hipshot USA as I had the money for those at the time, but the luthier convinced me to go with schallers and I really don't like them at all so I'm a bit gutted that I paid out for them. I would like to change them but can't afford it right now. I should have stuck to what I wanted [/quote] I can recommend the cheaper Hipshot Licensed Import tuners. I fitted a set of these to my Sire V7 5-string and they're superb. One of my other basses has USA Hipshots and the Licensed ones are just as good.

This bunch: What a fantastic night.

Bristol O2 Academy last Thursday -- The Wonder Stuff with support from The Wedding Present and Lottery Winners. I arrived to late to catch much of the Lottery Winners' set, but what I saw and heard was very good. Quality songs well played and sung. Bassist used a Fender Jazz fingerstyle through a Warwick head and cab, excellent sound and she was a bloody good player, several very tasty fills. The Wedding Present -- sorry to any fans here, but christ they bored the tits off me. The songs all just blurred into each other, some decent backing vocals would have helped but I barely heard a single word the bassist sang. She also had a Fender Jazz, pick-played through an Ampeg head and cab (not SVT), reasonable gritty sound but she looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. I knew how she felt. The Wonder Stuff couldn't have been more different. Miles bounded onto the stage like it was still 1986 and didn't stop grinning like a loon all night. He seemed genuinely delighted to be there. They played all the old favourites (didn't play Dizzy, thank god) and even took requests, and we all sang ourselves hoarse. They have a new BVing guitarist and he is superb. Bassist was using what appeared to be a Les Paul Triumph bass, although it didn't look like a Gibson logo on the headstock. CMI? He is obviously a dyed-in-the-wool pick player, as he had to sit down to play the two or three fingerstyle numbers. Ashdown head and 8x10 cab, fantastic sound. So overall the night was one third brilliant, one third very good, and one third completely meh.

We don't all wear our hearts on our sleeves, but for those of us that do there's usually one or more songs that get you feeling a bit tearful, for whatever reason. I have a couple. There's Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" -- this starts me off basically because it reminds me just how lucky I am that someone as wonderful as Mrs Dog should choose to love me. The other one is Elgar's "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations -- I have no idea why this chokes me up, but it just does. The crescendo at the end, gets me every time without fail.

[quote name='Russ' timestamp='1450134917' post='2930006'] Fantastic basses. Tried one out a few weeks back at The Gallery and it was more than a match for any of the other high-end Jazzes they had there in terms of tone and feel. [/quote]Agreed. The only J I've tried that was better was a Celinder that cost 10 times as much.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1455233835' post='2977442'] I don't want Marcus Miller all over the headstock of a bass. lovely bass though. [/quote][quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1455263018' post='2977512'] Whats wrong with just having the Sire logo on it? [/quote][quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1455275448' post='2977645'] And while we are at it... that bath chain logo. [/quote] This is your friend [Img]http://static.axminster.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/0/7/076014_xl.jpg" class="ipsImage" /> [quote name='dood' timestamp='1455268682' post='2977577'] An improvement would be to put decent looking tuning keys on it first. I mean cheap is fine at this price point but do they have to be so fugly? [/quote] Easily replaced, even with adding Hipshots you've still got a cheap bass but now the hardware is faultless. That's what I did and it's pretty much perfect now. If the cloverleaves are the problem, use Y keys instead.

Mrs Dog put on a James Blunt CD earlier. 'Moon Landing'. Blow me if it isn't actually good. Really, [i]really[/i] good. Liked it so much, I've ripped it onto the ol' dogPod.

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1453575092' post='2960746']Shame about the old screwholes but I can live with it. [/quote] Several carefully hammered and trimmed cocktail sticks later... I think it looks loads better. Just a bit of very careful final trimming to do and it'll be done. Yes they're still visible, but only if you look for them. Very pleased dog 🐶

There's nothing actually [I]wrong[/I] with the stock tuners, no. They hold tune perfectly ok but felt slightly 'grindy' in operation to me, a slight budget feel about them. The action of the Hipshots is a million times better, they are as smooth as a baby's derriere. The main advantage however is the weight saving; the new set is indeed a clear 1/2 pound lighter than the stock set. Yes the screw holes are kinda ugly and I'm going to have a go at filling them with something, although nothing too permanent as I'd want to re-fit the old set if I sold the bass. Probably some cocktail/match stick tapped in and trimmed off flush.

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1452254603' post='2948067'] Thinking of changing the tuners on my V7 for some nice Hipshot HB6Cs. Does anyone know off the top of their head whether I'll need the 3/8 or 1/2 versions? I'm guessing 1/2 but obvs I need to be sure. Yes, I could measure up when I get home... but I'm an impatient sod and would like to order today if poss [/quote] Done. Shame about the old screwholes but I can live with it. The difference in quality between these and the stock tuners is vast. So very glad I made this mod. It's the only one I'll be making to this bass Incidentally, that D string tuner might look pissed in the photo, but it's not in reality. I've just checked and it's as straight as an arrow. Who says the camera never lies?

Last gig I went to was Snarky Puppy -- outrageous. Coming up: Larry Carlton, Bellowhead, Wonder Stuff.