Shaggy

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.

Fisherman's club, Glanamman, darkest Carmarthenshire A youth benefit gig, and only second gig this year due to a singer-less hiatus since Xmas* (see below) Also, after (*coughs*) years of bass-playing, my first experience of DI-ing, thru band's new 1.2kW PA. Seemed fine duirng soundcheck., but during gig; Bass sound at audience level - absolutely awesome (allegedly) Bass sound at my level - nothing. Nada. Couldn't hear a goddam thing, even with monitors. Not a real problem for playing, but the whole "live vibe" totally missing. Worse - playing "Hard to handle" (funked-up version) and finally settling into a groove for the first time in the evening, I suddenly found to my horror I was DOING THE CHICKEN-NECK (rythmic "head-pecking" motion with optional side-to-side oscillation, much favoured by '70's MOR bassists). OMG - lost my sound AND my mojo in one evening!!!!!!! Only one solution - call for the Doctor................... .............Dr. GAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Oh yeah. uh-huh. (*Usual tragic story - after years of grind, band finally makes it big on the local sene, largely due to sensational female singer. Guitarist's wife then accuses guitarist (probably with good grounds) of sh@gging sensational female singer, and delivers ultimatum to effect that singer leaves band or guitarist leaves house. Exit singer. Now got 2 sisters singing, not as technically good but more entertaining, just hope no-one suggests "ABBA tribute"!.........)