Shaggy

[quote name='foal30' post='134840' date='Feb 6 2008, 09:08 AM']I got a live take of the cut "Floorboards" whose proper name of course escapes me as I type
I always thought it was a fretless.[/quote]
“Song from under the floorboards” – a killer single from the third album (“Correct use of soap”), although my personal favourite is the second one (“Secondhand Daylight” – standout tracks “Back to Nature” and “Permafrost”). As SJA says - and photos confrm - it’s not a fretless and the very fretless sound is down to note-bending with a bit of flanging & delay.
When I saw them live in 1980 his bass was pushed so far to the front of the mix it was almost disco – probably the most energetic pogo-ing I’ve ever seen going on in the audience but unfortunately still some punk-era gobbing going on.
I think Howard Devoto assembled Magazine from the classified ads after leaving the Buzzcocks – makes you believe in fate!

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='133899' date='Feb 4 2008, 09:28 PM']I love the way Thunderbirds look with a Spector neck/headstock.

On my PC I also have a great shot of a very old Jazz with a pair of Musicman pickups and what I believe is a BadAss II bridge. I guess that with a bound rosewood board w/block inlays would be kinda peachy.

P[/quote]
Rather like a Gibson RD and an MM Sabre in fact.........
(shamelessly plugging my own basses!)

Get this Joe, and you're one up on me! Nearly bought a Shaftesbury Ric-a-like ages ago and wish I had. This one's very Lemmy, I like it

I missed that R2 programme, meant to hear it as I saw both Magazine and McGeogh-era Banshees live and adored them. McGeogh, Adamson, and Formula were an absolutely unique musical unit – nothing like them before or since - and although Howard Devoto’s whiny vocals can irritate he sure could write songs.
Barry Adamson was probably the main influence on my bass playing. Although no virtuoso – he has quite a spare style of playing – his timing and soulful, funky basslines are just so spot on and fuse so wonderfully with McGeogh’s jagged guitar sound and Formula’s swirling keyboards. Also the only reason I ever bought a bass deliberately because of a player to get a similar sound – my Ovation Magnum, although I went for a fretless.

These threads always make me wonder what guitarists / drummers / keyboard players / singers say about US on their forums! (do singers have their own forums? What could they possibly discuss?)
Maybe it's best not to know.

[quote name='paul, the' post='128736' date='Jan 27 2008, 03:36 PM']Thought I'd add some yang to this thread:

[/quote]
What's the bridge/tailpiece on that EB?

[quote name='nick' post='129252' date='Jan 28 2008, 01:25 PM']With smaller gigs I just go straight into an old WEM Dominator, with the treble & bass controls set flat. Tones simply coming from whatever bass I'm using,technique, etc...[/quote]
WEM Dominator – blimey that takes me back. The Pink Floyd album cover with all the gear outside a truck (“Ummagumma?”) includes a couple of WEM’s

PM sent

Recently had a Mighty Mite Jazz 5-string neck off Chop-the-bass on the forum, so I’d bet he knows where to get them. Lovely neck, although he reckons on most “after-market” necks the lacquer is too thin and the frets may need a bit of re-dressing – he did that with mine (top coat in clear acrylic) and it looks & feels really nice. They're endorsed by Fender too.

Jim Lea in full "rock" mode
Anyone see "Slade in Flame" on BBC4 last night? I'd forgotten what a good, melodic rock bassist he was, very much in the Jack Bruce mould. But what's the vaguely Ripper-ish bass he plays?
Some top pics on this thread!

Understand this bass probabaly sold, attaching pics which I can't suss how to put in the PM!

[quote name='ARGH' post='119457' date='Jan 13 2008, 11:53 AM']Bruce?

Dont get me started,I could talk all night...[/quote]

Olivers Army - what a song

I used interparcel [ [url="http://www.interparcel.com/"]http://www.interparcel.com/[/url] ] last year to post an uncased 7-string to N Ireland - no problem, cheap, sort it all on-line, and you choose the level of insurance and delivery speed you want.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='118241' date='Jan 10 2008, 11:12 PM']However the majority of the classic Japan Fretless sound is from a Travis Bean TB2000[/quote]
Aaaaaah! I've been wondering for years what bass that was! He's playing it in most of the "Best of Japan" DVD

[quote name='steve' post='116339' date='Jan 8 2008, 04:57 PM']+1, now I have gas again, but for a fretted one [/quote]
They do crop up on the bay fairly regularly, that German shop always seems to have a couple of overpriced ones. Usually still cheap compared to other US basses of that era, and a fantastic bass for the money, best to avoid the active graphic-EQ models (II & IV) – they’re noisy and gobble batteries. They’ve got a unique, slightly acoustic sound, and quite a few decent players have used them; Jah Wobble, Barry Adamson (Magazine / Nick Cave), Ross Vallory (Journey – you can hear the Magnum cutting right through the mix on “Don’t stop believing”), Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), and Paul Haig (Tool).

[quote name='joegarcia' post='116369' date='Jan 8 2008, 05:39 PM']Fantastic collection. You have immaculate taste.

You have two basses I have and love (Magnum and Sabre) and one I am seriosuly gas'ing for (RD Artist).[/quote]
Cheers Joe, hope you’re enjoying your Sabre, that’s a really nice original one. I’m probably going to re-fin mine in black now that I’ve got the RD to fill in.

Beautiful! If you were Elvis you'd have a P-shaped swimming pool....

[quote name='BassBod' post='115486' date='Jan 7 2008, 03:08 PM']Hey Shaggy,

Glad to see someone's enjoying the fretless P bass (I traded it last year with Walbassist, after many years good service...). I'm sure you can guess why the ebony board is thinner than usual!

Have fun

BB[/quote]
Hi BB - I think Gareth had it skimmed too - fastest neck I've played bar none. Getting planty of use, and she loves a valve amp!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='115674' date='Jan 7 2008, 06:45 PM']That Ovation as absolutely gorgeous! (was it originally fretless or is this a conversion?)

Should be any remote chance you ever decide to sell it please let me know...[/quote]
Originally fretless, Magnums are pretty rare birds these days anyway, but this was the only fretless I've ever seen. Unlined, with fret line marlers on the side of the board.

[quote name='TimmyC' post='115678' date='Jan 7 2008, 06:52 PM']It's all about the tort with white[/quote]
+1

OK, here are four of my six basses . All from the US of A, all rugged enough to withstand a direct nuclear assault, oldest from 1973 and youngest from 1981.
It was never meant to be a “collection” from that country and/or that era, they just ended up as keepers as others came and went – mind you, 2 are recent acquisitions. I suppose that’s mainly because (a) as a big simple bloke I like big, simple, nicely playable basses, and ( when I started on bass in my mid teens these were the basses of the time that I lusted after. That being the case there’s a notable omission – my bass heroes at that time were Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, and Bruce Foxton (plus I fancied the pants off Gaye Advert!), and I wanted a Rickenbacker 4001 so badly it hurt. If I were a pick player rather than a “fingers” player I’d have had one many years ago, but as I’m not I can’t get on with them well enough to want to gig with one, which unfortunately rules them out. I’m sure I could be persuaded by a purdy one though…..
I also like unusual “oddball / ugly duckling” basses, which many would label the Magnum and RD Artist as, but they’re beautiful to me.
It only occurred to me after I took the group shot that the only painted finish bass I’ve ever owned was my very first (a late ‘60’s Kalamazoo KB-1 short-scale, in black) – must like wood! (oo-er missus!).
To give a quick lowdown on each, I guess in order of amount of playing time;

1. 1980 Music Man Sabre. The “evil twin” of the Stingray, and certainly overlooked as a classic bass until recently. This was my one and only bass for the best part of ten years; and still my main squeeze in the covers band I play in – gives a massive sound that’s just right for a 3-piece. Not subtle – it’s an old-school funk / rock bar-room brawler of a bass, on the heavy side, and the batteries will die at critical moments (no passive option switch), but ergonomically and for sheer playability this and the P fit me like a glove. It’s just such an accomplished all-rounder - the MM Jazz bass I suppose. Mine’s all original with 2-band EQ, but originally painted alder body stripped to natural by previous owner, with oil & wax finish, and I recently fitted a US-made black perloid scratch-plate (still got the original black one).

2. 1973 Fender Precision fretless. I bought this through BC in the summer off Walbassist, and haven’t put it down since (probably why Mrs. Shaggy makes me sleep in the spare room). I use nothing but this in another band (‘60’s rock / R&B / instrumental) I’m in, mainly because it looks the part, although it can do so much more. All parts except p/u’s and fingerboard original, but heavily modded by a pro luthier which ruins it as a “vintage” bass but were the only reasons I wanted it. Neck slimmed to J-bass profile, original rosewood fingerboard replaced with an ultra-thin ebony fretless one, P p/u replaced with SD vintage series, and an additional SD antiquity II series J pickup fitted in bridge position. The playability and richness of tone are just astonishing. Considering this is the oldest and simplest bass of the four it surprisingly has the subtlest, most refined and articulate voicing of all of them. Easily the lightest too. The added J pickup gives a lovely woody bite to the mix, so it’s a versatile bass, but I have to admit I tend to keep it locked on the P p/u – I’m just addicted to that plummy, punchy tone.

3. 1979 Ovation Magnum 1 fretless. This was my main fretless until I acquired the P, and I still dig it out occasionally when I’m after a “Mick Karn / Wal-type” sound which it does very well, and on solo neck p/u it sounds amazingly like an acoustic upright (I bought it off a Jazzer trying to scrape enough moolah together to move to the US). Completely indestructible and way ahead of its time – the neck is strengthened with carbon fibre. Mine is all original and standard, but missing the sliding string mute fitted to the bridge/tailpiece. The body-shape was taken from the Breadwinner/Deacon solid guitars, and I wish they’d kept it as radical as the guitars instead of watering it down. Very ergonomic though, fast playing neck, and always a source of interest at gigs and jams.

4. 1981 Gibson RD Artist. This was Gibson’s flagship bass in 1977, but no-one understood the complex Moog electronics and it was too damn heavy – mine must have been one of the last made. A shame, as it’s a handsome beast, well made, very playable, and with a sound as massive as but different to the Sabre. Incredible ringing sustain, as it’s 34.5” scale, through-body stringing, set-neck, and all solid rock maple. Only just bought this – yes, though BC (Woolleydick) - and to be honest haven’t really got a role for it yet, unless I join a Nirvana tribute band! But overdriving my Trace valve amp the sound is pure heavy rock magic, and it’s got a slap tone almost as good as the Sabre, which up to now I regarded as the mother and father of all slap tones. Mostly stock and original, except the original series V black humbuckers replaced with chrome “EB-3” type ones, and the Moog active pre-amp / compressor / expander replaced with a standard 2-band Bartolini one (switchable to passive). In a way it’s full circle for me, as my very first bass 30 years ago (the Kalamazoo) was also fitted with Gibson EB-3 pickups without actually being an EB-3. From young punk to old punk!

Anyone else got these / memories of these basses (OK – quite a few P’s around!), or other Yanks of a similar age – Guilds, Ricks, Kramers etc? Let’s see them!

(NB; My other two basses are custom-build “boutique modern” interpretations of a fretless Stingray and a fretted Jazz 5, which I’ll feature separately when I’ve finished the latter – if I ever do!!).

PS; Sorry - none of these pictures came out where I wanted them!

My PC won't let me download that pic - is the EB-0 the solid SG-tpye one, or the semi 335 type one? Sorry to be thick!

Interesting stuff Happy Jack, I always liked Hofners, very individual. I once saw a mid-‘60’s “Strat” type one with the body covered in snakeskin (Not sure if mock or real!). Apart from the “McCartney” bass, Hofner and Framus basses never seemed to do as well as the guitars. Always thought they went a bit overboard on the sheet perloid though - put the stuff everywhere - seems to be making a comeback now with Italia.
If the musical instrument market had been more lucrative I’m sure the Allies would have nicked the German products after WWII as they did with the car and motorcycle industry – I used to have an old BSA Bantam which was the pre-war DKW. The East Germans turned the other half of DKW into MZ, which was a far better product than the British one!

[quote name='mxm' post='111862' date='Jan 1 2008, 05:05 PM']...just had to say the dj where i played last night got confused and instead of 'auld lang syne' we got 'happy birthday' !!!! 10/10[/quote]
Whoa, what’s that bass in your avatar? George Clinton rules!!!!

Never been sure about semi's, but that's cooler than the Fonz at the Noth Pole wearing only Ray Bans

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='110856' date='Dec 30 2007, 10:24 AM']Thats a heck of a lot of Super P basses we have collectively come up with - in addition to Fenders own offerings of custom shop and jap re-issues.[/quote]
True, I was surprised how many there were. The starter question of the thread could have been equally said of the MM Stingray, and the answer being the same as for the P - they're both simple, stripped-down, iconic designs with less scope for "souping up" than twin p/u models. No co-incidence that many P players also use/used 'Rays (eg; John Deacon) and many 'Ray players also use/used P's (eg; Pino)