Shaggy

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='174350' date='Apr 11 2008, 09:24 AM']Hmmm. I, like many here, own examples of both active and passive basses. I think the appeal of a passive bass lies in its inherrent simplicity, coupled to the fact that the fewer components between pick-ups and loudspeakers gives a more "direct" sound - The opposite to the aforementioned "over-engineered" sound. The advantage of actives is that you can tweak your tone as you go. I think that the reason the on-board EQs produce different results to EQs in pre-amps/FX/heads is that they have fewer bands (2 or 3!) with a much broader f and often a much greater Q +/-20dB isn't unheard of. Not many off-board EQs will go to those extremes. Theoretically the effects of an on-board EQ should be repeatable with an off-board EQ, but it's frequently not the case. Still, both active and passive have their place. I just grab whatever I feel like playing!!![/quote] +1 Again having a mix of both, I’m generally inclined to the simplicity and more natural “woody” sound of a passive bass, especially having had a couple of batteries die on me gigging with the MM, and no passive switch option. Having said that, playing the MM in a covers band gives me huge tonal options direct from the bass when going from, for instance a ‘60’s soul ballad straight into some ‘80’s funk and then some ‘70’s metal! I find the main difference between active and passive is at the bass / amp interface; for some reason my passive basses sound so much nicer through my all-valve Trace head, and the active basses just sound better through my digital solid-state Yamaha head - the difference is night and day. One issue is compression, which I find I need far more with the actives, but it’s a tone thing too.

One of those dodgy pocket screwdrivers, with a picture of a bikini-clad babe on the handle. You turn it upright and the bikini slides .......yes, I expect you've had one too (or a pen). Looks about '60's vintage, but it's been in a succession of my bass cases since the early '80's, mostly for use on battery compartment covers. Also I strap I bought in Hesseys, Liverpool, when I was 18 - on it's last legs now, but an old friend

[quote name='rayfw' post='164825' date='Mar 27 2008, 09:27 PM']This was recently discovered in a tomb in Luxor alongside a dusty Ampeg B15 [attachment=6967:loop.jpg][/quote] Note even 2000 years ago the particularly groovy/funk stance of the bassist compared to the very static lead and rhythm harpists (although they do have nice legs) Re the Bobby Charlton bass with the rear jack; I had a '04 Listerud with a similar design - Strat-type recessed angled jack set into the rear plate. Neat idea.

A "Pub prop" which is a bass neck-support small enough to fit in the "odds & sods" bit of your case, that clamps to any handy table, thereby converting it into a makeshift stand. Too fiddly to be worth the hassle, especially when pissed

Thunderbirds only to be played by women with large thighs? All Stingrays to be conned off bassists called Raymond? Yes, it's Friday

Guard ON; pearl white, plain black, or mirror. Only my opinion, but every time I see a G&L I think - that'd look so much funkier with an oval pickguard........

Wasn't there a thread on this recently? +1 on Pino; great playing on "No Parlez" album (Paul Young) & "Music for chameleons" (Gary Numan, as immortalised by Alan Partidge on air bass, but still v cool) also; Bad Company ("Feel like makin' love" a great repetitive groove to improvise over) "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel (Tony Levin) "Black Velvet" - Alannah Myles early '80's era Simple Minds Some of the less esoteric Japan stuff, eg; "Quiet Life" & "Gentlemen take polaroids" albums (Mick Karn of course) Many funk / disco grooves work even better on fretless; eg any Chic/Sister Sledge, "Ain't no stopping us now" (McFadden & Whitehead), "Boogie Oogie Oogie" (Taste of Honey), "Boogie Nights" (Heatwave - nice intro) "Boogie on Reggae Woman" (Stevie Wonder) etc etc

Definately true - seems to be high demand for P's - especially vintage - a glut of cheap nice 'Rays ( ) - and where are all the Rickenbackers? Hiding under beds?

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='158801' date='Mar 17 2008, 09:56 AM']It is also worth noting that I used to be in a blues band that had the major hump with me because this bass looked "too modern". They were more concerned with that than the music. Glad I'm out of it! [/quote] Had exactly the same experience playing in a '60's R&B band using my 1980 MM Sabre - not exactly "modern"! 2 guitarists both had red strats, Vox AC30's etc, and kept nagging in a light-hearted way about the Sabre - it more amused than annoyed me. As I was fancying an old Fender anyway I sold off my 7-string (Listerud Totem) and bought a 3TS '73 P off the forum, which I love to bits and result; one happy retro band (still in, as a sideline to the main covers band). Guitarists, eh? Corts look pretty cool and good value.

[quote name='Beedster' post='156358' date='Mar 12 2008, 10:08 PM']Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo Sorry mate, I've three fretless Precisions, 2 '70s - a '73 P/J with rosewood board and a '79 with maple - and one P/J that's more recent. By far my favourite is the '79 maple board, it's strung with TI Jazz Flats and is the most sulky, sexy, jazzy sounding bass I've played. It is just soooooooooooooo smooth, it almost plays itself. Even my guitarist loves playing it. Certainly it isn't Pino's sound - which seems to be what so many players strive for with a fretless instrument - but that was active electronics & roundwounds on rosewood, so it wouldn't be. If I get to the bash I'll bring it along, I think a few people will be surprised how good a maple fretless is. Chris[/quote] Could be I had a dud -you know better than anyone how variable '70's Fenders were/are! After seeing Sting's I had to have one the same (natural / black p/g) and just never got on with it - mind you I'm far, far more aware of what a big factor strings are now than I was then. I admit - I do admire Pino's sound, although the P gets a thicker, darker fretless sound you can't get on a 'Ray. If you get that Mark head the '79 should sound real sweet - post some clips!

Newport? Ble mae "Gogs" yn mynd?

ebony board with added bridge J-p/u conversion is the way to go - nothing else I've tried comes close. The maple board ones look ace, but sound dead and wear rapidly.

I put a model 1 into a Kalamazoo KB many years ago, and I'd have to agree with all the above - much better clarity and definition than the original mudbucker, and string spacing identical. They come (or used to) with 4-pole wiring and a micro-switch to allow series/parallel switching. Well-made too, sealed in an epoxy block, and black metal top. I later put the same pick-up into the bridge position of a P-bass copy to make a "poor man's 'Ray", and even though the strings were way off the poles it worked suprisingly well. If you find a UK suppler please let me know - my Gibson RD Artist has had its original pick-ups replaced with Epi EB3 units, I've got an original '60's Gibbo bridge humbucker, but a DMz model 1 would be great at the neck, or even both.