meterman

Bit of an obvious one given my user name, but The Meters.

Not just their solo records which were superb, but the ones where they acted as a backing band, like Lee Dorsey, Allen Toussaint, Robert Palmer, Betty Harris etc. They just seemed to breathe as one unit musically. All the push and pulls, the hairpin bend changes of direction, they seemed to move as one.

Booker T & The MG's are another good example. Their own records are tight and super soulful, but their playing on Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Sam & Dave etc elevates them to the greats for me. Same for Willie Mitchell's house band at Royal Studios in Memphis for the Al Green records, and Ann Peebles and Mitchell's solo records etc.

And as @Mykesbass said earlier, The Police. The records are great but live footage of them proves just how in sync they were with each other, despite their personal differences. They just worked.

There'll be many others that spring to mind but they're the first I thought of.

Usually I wouldn’t dream of bumping a FS ad but I thought I’d better mention that if anyone is seriously interested in my beautiful 1984 Japanese Squier Bullet bass I’ve only got a few days available for collection and the only day I can courier it will be this Wednesday (16th Dec).

I’m only back in the UK for a few days to pack up my stuff for a move to France and the 16th is my last day before I’m off. Of course I could still courier it afterwards from France before the end of the year but then it gets a bit pricier to send.

Give me a shout ASAP if you fancy a bit of MIJ Squier Bullet bass action in your life before Christmas! Or if you want to trade for a hollow body Hofner violin bass, hit me up!
All the best -

Lee

8 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

This - basically any headless bass rather than something that looks like a 1950s radiogram... 🙂

 

I flipping love 1950's radiograms! Mono 45's, sexy teak lids, jumpers for goalpoasts, isn't it, hmm etc...

Right now it's early 70's Cal Tjader. Vibes for dayssss and when the drums switch to double time it kicks off like a funky mule:

Just now, syntap said:

This model (in sunburst) was my first bass, thankfully I never sold it! 

Oh, the sunburst models are stunning! The bassist with Parquet Courts recorded and toured (still does?) with a sunburst Bullet bass. Lovely looking instruments 👍

22 minutes ago, Storky said:

There are plenty of lightweight options beyond Hofner (nothing wrong with it though). I’d definitely go short scale AND make sure the balance is good (Some short scales aren’t). Although I think they sound great, I would not advise the Jack Cassidy - it’s long scale, the nut is a stretch and it neck dives! As ever choice depends on budget, but with SS options from loads like Musicman, Sandberg, Fender, Ibanez, Gretch there is loads out there!

Thank you! Yes, there's absolutely loads of short scale options out there now. I've played (and owned) Mustangs, Broncos, Arias, Gretsch, Eko, Vox, etc and the lightest bass of all of them is the little hollowbody Hofner Ignition. It wouldn't be might first choice in the looks department, but I know I should be able to play one of them without experiencing trapped nerve neck pain and shoulder blade pain. 

I've become such a softlad as I've got older 😂

Holy Water.wav

Hopefully the file has attached properly and you can hear a track featuring the 1984 MIJ Squier Bullet bass in all it's glory!

Yes the tune is psychedelic funk, yes there's electric sitars and chanting on it and 60s style drum breaks but if the label wants to release it I'm not gonna argue, haha 😂

4 minutes ago, Paddy515 said:

Hi, does this come with both black AND white pickup covers? Can you tell me what the width of the neck is at the nut please. 41mm?  Standard - feeling P neck? Assume this would have been an SQ rather than a JV?

Regards.

Hi -

Thanks for asking. The pickup covers are the original white ones, I did a quick felt tip job on them as I couldn't find black replacements in the same size anywhere. The felt tip should come off with a soak in white vinegar. Someone else suggested acetone but I've no experience with using that. 

Neck width at nut is more like 44mm, it feels more like a '51 / Tele bass neck. Such an unusual combination of features on these basses. Mustang pickups, Tele bass neck and headstock, slightly reshaped Precision body and pickguard... very individual instruments.

I'm actually in France now, and not back in the UK until Saturday, so I can't check what the serial number is. It's on the neck plate but I don't have a photo of it with me and can't for the life of me remember what it says. It may well be SQ. I've been told that these were what Fender Japan / Squier produced straight after the JV series. I know it's 1984 though. I'll confirm for sure on Saturday night.

2 hours ago, Paul S said:

Me too.

Two questions.  How much does it weigh, please?

And how does the tone vary from a Precision bass?

Muchas gracias.

I actually have never weighed it as I don't have a set of scales. It's not heavy though, definitely on the lighter side of Precision-style basses. I'm back in the UK on Saturday for a few days so I'll ask a neighbour if I can borrow their scales and I'll post the weight up on here.

Tone wise, it's a bit of a Swiss Army knife bass. It can sound like a ballsier, long scale Fender Mustang. But it can also do the Precision thing. Roll back the treble and it's great for dub. Whack the treble up and dig in with a pick and you can get close to Chris Squire or JJ Burnel tones (depending on your amp). I regularly had a piece of foam at the bridge and this, combined with a bit of palm muting, will get 60's soul and R&B vibes. My default playing style is to pluck with the side of my thumb by the end of the neck and I could easily get Duck Dunn-style thump from it. 

I'll see if I can upload some recorded soundfiles of it...

1 hour ago, Jono Bolton said:

I love it. I remember wondering what this would look like with a black pickguard when it was up for sale previously; 'absolutely smashing' is the answer.

Ha, thanks! There can't be another out there like this one. I wish I could keep it but I have to be realistic. 'Absolutely smashing' is right 👍

2 hours ago, gareth said:

Cracking basses

I like the changes you’ve made

GLWS

Gareth, thank you man 👍 You did such a great job of getting this bass to me, and were an absolute gent to deal with. If you had a hollow body Hofner Violin Bass for sale I'd already be transferring the funds now...

6 hours ago, Bluewine said:

Our 2020 New Years Eve gig has been confirmed.

Nice one Blue! Hope you and the band play a blinder and everything goes smoothly and safely. 👍

So I'm gonna commit to getting a lighter smaller bass, most likely the Hofner Ignition violin bass. The other bass I was reminded of was the old 70's Shaftesbury semi-acoustic R 330 copies but those rarely turn up in decent condition and are inexplicably expensive when they do. So it looks like a hollow body Hofner is on the horizon for me and my knacked shoulder and trapped neck nerves.

If anyone is interested in my beloved '84 MIJ  Squier Bullet, it's here. God I'm gonna be sorry to see it go 

59 minutes ago, powerplant said:

Strandberg basses are super light bit expensive 

 

 

Yes definitely lovely instruments but a bit above my paygrade!

I can't seem to edit the price here but it's now £400 collected from Brighton or £425 including shipping. 

WEIGHT UPDATE: on a set of digital scales it came out at 3.8kg (or 8.25lbs) which is reasonably light I'd guess?

It absolutely grieves me to be selling this bass, as it's one the nicest playing basses I've ever played, plus it took me a while to find it as they are not exactly an everyday item here in the UK.

As per the title, I'm selling my 1984 Japanese Squier Bullet Bass. I bought it from Gareth of this very forum just six months ago for £425 and it's been my pride and joy. So why am I selling it you might ask? Well, long term shoulder and neck problems are forcing me to scale down what I play. The weight of this bass on a strap is really painful on my left shoulder, and if I play it sitting down I get sharp nerve pain in the side of my neck when I play an F on the E string for instance. 

It's not a heavy bass and there's no neck dive issues. But the state of my left shoulder and left side of my neck is terrible so I'm having to go to something much lighter and smaller and shorter scale. My 34" scale days might be over for the forseeable future. If I wasn't in such a state physically I'd keep this. But I need a smaller lighter bass I can still record sessions with, and gig with when we're eventually allowed out onstage again.

When I bought the bass from Gareth it was in nice condition for a bass of its age. Few discreet dings around the edge of the body and to the underside of the headstock, and one circular ding in the back but nothing to worry about. There was a bit of tape on the pickup wiring in the control cavity, not sure what purpose it served but it's still there now. Also the neck plate had had a #number engraved in it, which wasn't in the original sale pics but it didn't bother me and it doesn't affect the sound or how it plays either. Just mentioning it for transparency so you know what to expect.

I swapped out the original 3-ply white/black/white pickguard for a custom made 3-ply b/w/b 'guard from Brian Pillans up in Glasgow. For me this was £30 well spent as it improved the aesthetics of the instrument 100%. I also swapped out the faded plastic volume and tone knobs for a pair of steel flat top barrel knobs like you'd find on a Precision or a Telecaster. Both these upgrades are reversible and of course I'll be supplying the original (faded to cream) pickguard and knobs with the bass. Black / black / maple is a unique combo for one of these basses, it wasn't offered stock in this configuration but it can go back to black / white / maple again in about 10 mins, no soldering required.

When I got the bass it had a fresh set of Rotosound Swing roundwounds on it. I swapped these out for a set of Fender Flatwounds (45-100 I think?) but the (unplayed by me) Rotosound rounds will be included. Other thing to mention is when I bought the bass there had been a finger rest / tug bar installed on the bass side above the E string. I didn't refit this when I changed the pickguard but it's included if you want to reinstall it. The pickups are grey underneath and look similar to the late period Fender Mustang pickups, they have 82 stamped on them.

Obviously 1984 is a cracking year for Japanese Squiers and the build quality, finish, feel, playability and tone are superb. Every bit as good as the USA Fender Bullet bass I owned previously and it records even better than my old USA Fender Bullet too. I've managed to get this on a forthcoming 7" single by a band I play in and an album track for another band which will be out on vinyl in February, so it's been documented in the six months I've owned it.

Anyhow, pics! The outdoor pics are the original ones Gareth took outside his house in natural daylight and the indoor ones are ones I took at home.

I'm bringing the price down to £425 including shipping (or £400 if you collect from my place) so I'm making a loss on this, especially once you factor in the £55 I spent on the new pickguard and knobs and new strings) I just want to see it go to a good home and to someone who will be able to really get the most out of it. 

Collection can be from my place in central Brighton at £400, or I can courier it for £425 on either Tuesday the 15th or Wednesday the 16th of December. I'm emigrating for proper on the 17th so if you're interested PM me ASAP and we can sort it out! 

Cheers - 

Lee

6 hours ago, NickD said:

Or you could take it just one little step further..... 

 

Now THAT is IT!!!

Thank you sir, I’m going to get my stage costumier (er, my wife) onto this first thing in the morning 👍😆

7 hours ago, Paul S said:

Well, she flatly refused to get her hands on my Dano - one reason I'm selling it.

I think she might be one of them Veillette Citron types... 🤔

I had a brainwave tonight, I was just thinking about minimising weight strain on my shoulder and neck and I think I’ve got the answer:

1) Buy a lightweight Hofner Ignition hollow body violin bass..

2) Superglue the bass onto the front of my jumper..

3) Wear my bass / jumper combo for gigs and sessions etc..

Can’t believe I didn’t think of this earlier. Am genuinely chuffed to have found a solution that doesn’t involve having Juliette Binoche crouching down in front of me, holding my bass up and taking its weight for me. She’s more expensive than my budget allows, and also she’s not really a violin bass kind of lady. 

On 06/12/2020 at 10:43, chris_b said:

Put the strap over your right shoulder,  like some guitarists, Albert Collins etc, do,

I think Link Wray might have done that too. Gotta be worth a try 👍

1 minute ago, casapete said:

If you’re currently struggling with the lower frets on your current bass, then I wouldn’t consider a Steinberger style bass to be honest. Usually full 34” scale length, they are notorious for having an awkward design/balance which makes the neck seem further away than more conventional designs. I loved my Hohner version but had to sell it because of this. The only remedy is obtaining a bracket which extends the neck strap button making the body of the bass hang better when standing, but they are hard to source I believe. Also whilst having a compact body they do vary in weight, mine being around 7lbs IIRC - not a boat anchor by any means, but not as light as you may have thought. Certainly try one out (on a strap!) before buying.

Yeah, lower fret access is definitely giving my neck and shoulder gyp and has done for a while. I’m going to try the short scale hollow body thing and see how it works for me. I was playing my wife’s classical guitar today and that was fine, no pain at all (except hearing my rusty playing out loud). I was sitting down to play which helped as well. Maybe a downsize might be the way to go for now.

2 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

The Sinsonido is a very nice practice tool, especially if you're travelling or have young children at home, but I would never consider it as a 'serious' instrument in the way that a Violin bass or a Precision is serious.

Although you could gig a Sinsonido at a pinch, that's really not what it's all about. The tone is as much of a one-trick pony as the P-bass, but without the P-bass's warmth and character. It's best described as sterile, and it's hard to imagine any genre of music which would sound better with the bassist playing a Sinsonido!

I repeat, as a practice tool / travel bass (which is what it was really designed for) it's an excellent piece of kit. I used to take mine on holiday with me.

 

Exactly! It was one of those basses you try in a shop mainly out of curiosity, but I loved the way it played. Wasn’t sure if I would ever use it on a gig or in the studio so my money stayed in my pocket. Brilliant design though. 

35 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

Steinberger Spirity, 5.51 lbs, 2.5kg.

Or any regular bass with a waist mounted strap system, such as a slinger strap.

I’ll admit I do have a secret soft spot for Steinbergers

After reading the responses here and having had a natter with a couple of mates who own Hofners I’m going to get a Hofner Ignition violin bass for myself and see how I get on with it.

Going to be adding it to my eBay saved searches, but if anyone on here knows of one for sale let me know.

On a different tack today my wife reminded of the Aria Sinsonido (correct spelling?) I almost bought about 15 years ago. Now that was light weight! But I’m gonna see how I get on with a Hofner.

I really appreciate all the advice that everyone has offered. It’s a great place, this 👍

24 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Well seeing as everyone else has actually answered the question you asked, I will now answer the question you didn't ask. 

Although it's not a rotor cuff injury for me, I have also struggled with playing bass and back pain for years ... 15 of them, in fact. I ended up owning a variety of VERY light basses (including far more Hofners than was good for me) and that all helped a lot.

BUT

By far the biggest result came from years of steady, constant Pilates exercises. It's not a quick fix and it ain't spectacular, but By God! is it effective if given time.

There are plenty of valid alternatives. Yoga and Alexander Technique spring to mind. In your case, given that your problem is injury-related, a decent program of physio would probably be the best option - though I suspect you've already been down that route?

The important thing is to deal not just with the symptoms (by selecting lightweight gear) but also the causes, as far as that is possible. Ultimately, dealing with the causes will do you far more good.

 

Thank you, top advice! Yes I've had physio in the past which has mostly been really helpful. But only so far, I'm always aware of my left shoulder and shoulder blade area. Yoga is something I enjoy, my wife's been a professional yoga teacher for 30 years so I'm in good hands. But there's a fair amount of positions I have to leave out of my routine due to it aggravating my left shoulder and neck area. We've just moved house so I'll try and find a new physio once lockdown is all out of the way. Thank you so much for the advice, really appreciated. Pint for you if you're playing round our way anytime 🍺

24 minutes ago, randythoades said:

To remove yourself slightly from the McCartney connection you could try the Hofner Club bass too. I haven't tried one but looks to be still much lighter than a solid body.

Actually the McCartney thing doesn't bother me really. If I was a young nipper in a trendy happening band I'd probably think twice about it, from an image point of view. But I'm old and er, 'road worn' now so I don't have to care about who played what or what basses look like on me. I'd play anything. (if I could lift it up off the stand without my neck and shoulder giving me grief, that is)

Some fantastic advice here, thank you, I'm very grateful!

Re: thin neck and narrow string spacing - I'm fine with that, my main bass for years was a Shaftesbury Tele bass copy which had a neck like a flipping mandolin, it was skinny like some of the 60's Vox necks and I got away with it live and on record. The bass I have now, my beloved MIJ Squier Bullet, has a wide P-like neck which I love but atm the scale length and weight is just a stretch too far. I think I've got some sort of trapped nerve in my shoulder or something which I need to get seen to. Even turning my head I can feel it

One of my favourite bass tones on record is "La Femme D'Argent" by Air, and I read an interview with Nicolas Godin where he said he played it on a borrowed Hofner Violin bass. I realise Air are a proper Marmite band but the bass on that track sounds great to my ears. 

Am seriously considering a 2nd hand Hofner Ignition if I can find one. The Family Man / Robbie Shakespeare connection seems to be pointing me in that direction. Do like the look of some of the short scale Ibanez Artcore basses though, and of course the Danelectro short scales. You've all given me a lot to think about. Massive thanks, everybody 🙏