kwmlondon

29 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

I think having multiple sounds is of more about being able to please a larger number of potential users rather than supplying lots of different sounds to a single player. Certainly when I have owned guitars and basses that were capable of producing lots of different sounds from the on-board controls, I would only use more than one, if the alternatives were only a single  switch push away. Even then I'd probably stick with the one overall sound that worked best with the band and use a programmable multi-effects to alter it as required.

I've got a Dingwall combustion 5 and it's got 4 different settings for its 3 pickups and I use each one of them - they all fulfil a role so for me it's far more helpful but I do admire people who can carefully dial in something from a versatile bass with loads of different controls.

On 06/05/2022 at 22:00, drTStingray said:

Yep agreed - that’s really nice and especially the neck. I think I know who owns (or used to own that). There’s quite a following for Big Als so I would imagine it would sell quite quickly. As for the one at Bass Direct, I’m surprised it was so cheap - was it an SSS though (seems to be the most sought after version) - or maybe Bass Direct weren’t aware of the volume of people looking for them (in the US often though). 
 

One thing which never ceases to amaze me is the number of people who are willing to take the trouble to log in on forums and post totally negative views on a thread (fugly etc etc). To the extent we get more fugly comments than anything else - I’m not sure how helpful those comments are - seems a bit like pi**ing in the wind to me as the people who like the instrument will just think they’re rather silly!! 
 

I often feel people’s love for certain 50s/60s designed and rather average instruments is odd (I’m thinking, from memory any electrical device from 1960 came with built in hum and other negatives but no-one would dream of using them instead of properly engineered modern stuff using a range of elements invented in the last 50+ years nowadays, certainly on a day to day basis) but mediocre instruments containing the same - well some musicians seem to absolutely love em  - such instruments are also fugly in some cases (IMHO) - however I’m really not inclined to log in and tell everyone - like most people, I just walk past what I’m not interested in!!  

Well, being fair, I did post an opinion so it's fair game for people to disagree. I like a vintage Precision as much as the next person but I do like basses that stand out from the crowd and I love it when a manufacturer has a go at something new. It honestly never occurred to me that people would think it was horrible but it's been quite funny finding out how divisive this thing is. 

1 minute ago, Joe Nation said:

Both homemade and the only examples I could find after a 10 second Google. The were apparently plans afoot for a Pino Palladino signature model, seems it never happened. I might have a new direction for my 5 string project build.

Good lord!

32 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

I like the shape, but reckon they look better as guitars. There's something about this that doesn't quite sit right.......maybe it's the pups? Would it be better looking with a pair of humbuckers? 

 

I wish they made a St Vincent bass, that's probably my favourite MM shape

I have NO idea. I'm so intreagued I think I'm going to have to go down there and give one a whirl... I've got a couple of basses that need a good setup anyway so they'll get some of my monies...

23 minutes ago, FDC484950 said:

The one Bass Direct had was nicer looking (imho) and £550 cheaper to boot…

really? Well, I'm not in the market for a new bass so it's not important but damn I'd love try one

May have to start a poll...

Oh come on, look at the neck!

This is something else:

https://thebassgallery.com/collections/bass/products/music-man-big-al-5-special-edition

... I may make a pilgrimage there to try the thing out. Looks AMAZING!!!!

On 20/04/2022 at 16:35, lowregisterhead said:

I had a second-hand 2-pickup Combustion over a decade ago, and although I loved how it played, I could never get it to sound the way I liked, despite pickup upgrades etc. I bought this 5/3 new a couple of months ago, and it's a very different animal. I upgraded the FD-3N pickups to a set of Super Fatty II's, which gave a subtle lift in the mids and overall warmth of tone, and my other basses (Lakland, Bogart, Status) don't seem to get a look-in now.

 

After going to hear Sheldon Dingwall speak at guitarguitar in Epsom a couple of weeks ago I'm considering a Canadian build, but they're well beyond my budget for now. There's a very nice AB1 on eBay at the moment though...

 

I was there too! I’ve just bought some new Dingwall soft plastic knobs…. A Canadian build is a bit of a dream atm

Perfect transaction from https://www.basschat.co.uk/profile/36604-nicko/ - can't thank him enough for being so helpful packing up the cab for the courier. Great communication, real pleasure to do business - cheers!

I just got a pair of these. They are amazing - really full range but with a small footprint. If you're fancying going down the monitoring route I can really recommend these little blighters

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/tannoy-reveal-402-compact-active-monitor-single/93488

Hi. This still available? Cheers

On 24/03/2022 at 20:47, kevin_lindsay said:

My Dingwall Combustion 5

I had a clear pickguard made, to show off the quilted maple facing.

I also changed the control knobs for Sadowsky style ones - much easier to identify the settings.

It's a shame I'm sellng it - such a cool bass.

Very nice indeed! I'm thinking of getting a tortoiseshell one for mine - where did you get yours from?

For the last couple of months I've stopped practising with my bass rig and gone to using a DI and studio monitors. My previous set of Mackie CR4s died so I replaced them with these Tannoy 402s and I'm blown away by how great they sound. In a small room not only do they do a great job of not pissing off the neighbours but they actually sound better than a proper rig that has to sit on the floor firing at my feet. These things cost £150 for the pair which is unbelievable really - the footprint is minuscule and the reproduction quality is at (cheap) studio standard. 

I've never really understood the joy of enclosure simulation before but it's a amazing! 

Seeing as I've only actually played in conjunction with another human being a handful of times over the last three years this has proven to be one of my best investments for a long time!

20 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Perhaps more importantly, why on earth would you do this?

"The speakers are 8Ohm. Currently wired in series so it's a 16 Ohm cab.  (Can be re-wired to parallel very easily to give net 4 Ohm  if you wanted)"

That was my thought. Maybe the seller wanted to use in conjunction with another cab and that'd take the load below 4ohm? 

On 16/02/2022 at 01:14, wal4string said:

Brilliant!!!! I love the basslines on Kate Bush's stuff, especially the early albums. Wasn't it Del Palmer on quite a few? Anyway, this is awesome. Thanks!

4 hours ago, LeftyJ said:

I can safely say I get along with many types of basses too. However, there have been a few oddities in my collection that weren't for me:

- Narrow string spacing at the bridge is fine on a 5-string, but somehow I hated it on 4-strings (Hohner B2A, Aria SB-1000);

- Flat radius. I like a curved fingerboard or a compound radius;

- Narrow bodies. I like something to rest my wrist or lower arm on (again, Hohner B2A was NOT for me);

- Short (or absent) upper horns that place the upper strap button too close, and thereby move the nut too far away;

- 35" scale length. I owned two Yamaha TRB5II's, and they were fantastic. But despite having large hands, I didn't like the stretch in the first few positions.

 

Otherwise I guess most is fine with my. Gloss necks, satin necks, oiled necks, narrow nuts, wide nuts, longscale, shortscale, I really don't mind. 

 

Edit: Forgot to add I generally don't get along well with basses with only one pickup when it's moved too far from the neck! I'm not a big fan of the MM sound but it has its use, but closer to the bridge is a nono for me if there's no neck pickup to beefen it up. 

Personally, I get on really well with a 'Ray. Maybe just mine (an '88 with 2EQ) but I've always found it records really nicely and never had any complaints from people doing the sound... though it does ALWAYS sound like a Stingray, just one that plays nice with the mix. I've found precision players really like it, maybe the feel? Putting LaBella flats on it has given it a proper Bernard Edwards slant though.

16 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Yeah, me too. I suppose it comes with lots of experience. Far more than I have. I'm the same when people start talking about low and high mids and frequency ranges etc. No idea. Half the time I can't even hear the difference. 

I don't know, I think it's really individual. Some people play in a certain way and they know that some aspects of an instrument aid that and some hinder so they can be focused on what works for them, but I quite enjoy the challenge of adapting. It's like cars - I've driven so many that I get into a car or van and I just drive it. Some are nicer than others, some are fun to drive fast, others relaxing but I can be easily charmed by something interesting!

2 minutes ago, iconic said:

I think the problem with basses maybe their size......or lack of. 

 

If I was into old double decker buses... 

 

Motorcycles are a problem for me too.....V twins, I4s, single cylinder, 2T or 4T, triples....then there's the usage, track, road, fastroad, touring, off road in it's many forms, old or new. You can fit a fair number of bikes in a garage...😉

I'm allowed a one-in, one-out on things like bicycles, guitars, basses. This is a GOOD THING and prevents me getting carried away.

6 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Absolutely nowt wrong with that either. 😉

Oh, totally. I'm just amazed when someone knows exactly what fretboard radius they want, string spacing, wood, nut material etc. I am just in awe!

7 minutes ago, SumOne said:

 

Nice! I Like their lairy NG designs too:

 

 

I like lairy designs and don't really care what others think about the look - until it comes to whether it negatively affects me getting into a band. I think something looking like that NG could be a negative factor to getting into certain bands that care about their specific image so it has the knock-on effect of me being more conservative in the looks of Basses I get. I can't see many bands saying 'we would have you in the band, but that white Jazz Bass just doesn't work with our image' (well, perhaps some particularaly image concious death metal bands would).

Yeah, I really love those things! The only reason I didn't get one is this came up at a good price, and the preamp is a bit more... conventional - I recon you could, maybe, get away with it in more situations aesthetically. The Ibanez on the left is not mine... it is, however, one of the most gorgeous playing and sounding basses I've ever played. 

1 hour ago, RhysP said:

I'm pretty easy when it comes to stuff like that.

I do have a list of total no-no's though, such as sunburst finishes & oil/wax finishes.

I know what you mean, I have a real thing against a paint job that goes up the neck, you know, like on a Ricky, but I'd be fine if it was a lacquered neck, as long as I can see the wood through it. Why? Who knows. It's just a "thing"

1 hour ago, SumOne said:

I'm monogomous with my Basses but the marriges don't last long!

 

My Bass selection is mostly down to ergonomics as technique, setup, strings, pedals, amps & cabs can do a lot for tone but can't do anything to solve a Bass that's difficult or uncomfortable to play.

 

I'm not fussed about looks but I know others are - so that makes me fussed! e.g. I like the idea of the Ibanez fanned fret headless Basses (given that one of their selling points is their ergonomics) and the looks are fine with me but one thing that's putting me off is if I do something like audition for a classic 60s/70s  Reggae/Ska band (which is the sort of stuff I'm into) it could negatively affect my chances if they feel the Bass doesn't fit the look.

How bonkers is this then! 

https://dingwallguitars.com/our-basses/custom-shop/super-p

18 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I'm also unsure exactly what I like. I just have to try it and see what I like. There's no obvious connection between the basses I like. 

I had a Fender Jazz and hated it but I've played very similar basses and loved them. 

Maybe it's just a spiritual connection with the trees the instrument is made from but I don't believe I any of that old toss.

It's not often I've tried instruments back-to-back in a store, but some do jump out and for the life of me I could not explain why. I do know that there I've tried mates' basses and I've been blown away - my parents' neighbour has a beat-up old Ibanez Roadstar that is possibly the nicest bass I've ever played. Looks like it's been used as a weapon in a riot. What I do know is I can't quantify it, as in so-and-so string spacing, construction, pickups etc. One thing I do believe is that the more played an instrument is, the more worn it is the better it probably is. Not through "mojo" but simply if someone has spent all that time playing the thing it must be good! If I ever see a vintage instrument in as-new condition I think "can't be that nice to play then."

6 minutes ago, Paul S said:

 

That's a good way to regard it, I think.  My desert island bass would be a Precision.  Doesn't stop me enjoying (and hankering after) a whole lot more, though.

My Dingwall Combustion. Never played an instrument like it. Mind-blowing. I get so excited when I play other basses but the Dingwall is teaching me a lot at the moment.