WHUFC BASS

Mk1 Sadowsky Outboard Pre-amp

Peavey TKO75 Bass Combo - 80s model

DR Hi-Beam Strings

[quote name='Brother Jones' post='361645' date='Dec 23 2008, 03:18 AM']I bought a mint red-stain SB-Elite II from a BC'er when BC was called...something else...about two years ago. I love it to bits. It's quite Alembic like in that the neck doesn't have a lot of taper and the electronics are pretty unusual. It's passive, but for a good three months I didn't realise because it's so versatile. It has (I think) two volumes, two switches which are possibly coil taps or something to do with series/parallel and a weird passive tone control that sounds unlike any other passive tone control I've ever used.

It's going to need some work soon though, as the output sounds very low compared to my Fenders (let alone Sadowskys) and there's quite a lot of RF noise. But the sheer through-neck build quality, sustain, versatility and (dammit) good looks of the thing mean that it's one of the only basses I'm just not interested in selling.[/quote]

That would be the one you bought off me

That was a really nice bass as it goes and I thought it was active for a long time until I opened up the control cavity. Just in case anyone was wondering what it looked like:

[url="http://www.putfile.com/pic/3030169"][/url]

[url="http://www.putfile.com/pic/3030166"][/url]

If I'm not mistaken its got an ash body with maple/walnut/maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and mother of pearl inlays.

Franco Rocco Prestia managed to lay down 16th Note basslines with his fingers effortlesly. I think its just practice.

You think so? I love that bass sound. Reminds me of Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath

Enjoy....

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qDU_EHP0yl8"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qDU_EHP0yl8[/url]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='374485' date='Jan 8 2009, 09:43 PM']That's a painful watch - seemes to take ages - but it's really interesting. I've got some GAS for a f***ing case now [/quote]

Mate, honestly, I've got absolutely no affiliation with them but all my guitar cases that I travel with when we do gigs abroad are Hiscox and they've never had any mishaps. Believe me, Ryanair have done their best to smash the granny out of my axes but Hiscox cases really are the most affordable, durable, resilient cases on the market.

I know they cost slightly more but I don't think Hiscox cases can be beaten for durability and toughness. They're a good British company that make quality products which in my opinion make other cases redundant.

Check this out:

[url="http://www.hiscoxcases.com/products_hiscox.htm#construction"]http://www.hiscoxcases.com/products_hiscox.htm#construction[/url]

Give me Motorhead any day !!

[quote name='ARGH' post='373709' date='Jan 7 2009, 11:59 PM']Sometimes you have to do a gig and you dont have a choice what amp you have...some rooms are just boomy and crap,others are bright and harsh,in some genres the guitar (read Metal) sucks everything out,and you have to fight back with mid,plus Mids give the patented ARGH Distortomatic thud..Its why Im better than you,I dont need a ryth guitard in any band..and I rule the world. I dont want to be playing a gig where I cant hear what the f*** Im playing as I walk round the room wireless attached.

You need mid to play Metal,you need mid to play Bass,end of.[/quote]

You're a guitarist and I claim my £5

[quote name='big cat' post='373304' date='Jan 7 2009, 05:55 PM']I think they are discontinued.

I own an Epi Elite Thunderbird. Quite good.

The quality is similar to Gibson, and the neck dive......[/quote]

The company that made them before Epiphone was called Orville which was basically Gibson Japan. The quality control was much higher and personally speaking I think these Japanese models were much better build wise than the Gibson USA models.

[quote name='yorick' post='372856' date='Jan 7 2009, 11:03 AM']Sweet. Can you do a lefty Sid clone?[/quote]

My mate has got an original '78 Precision identical to sids. He bought in the late 70s specially to look like o' Sidney Vish and even now he still looks a bit like him.

I love the sound of Gibson Thunderbirds. Had one a while back for years. Had to move the strap-pins to remove the neck dive. The necks are really nice, remind me a lot of Jazz bass necks but they are quite weak and there are numerous cases of the neck breaking at the nut. You need extra bright strings imo to get a really nice tone as the wood and p/up combination gives it a dark tone.
Reason I got rid of it was because I'm only a little fella and these basses make you look like a f***ng umpa-lumpa if you're vertically challenged like me. I kept getting job offers to work in a chocolate factory every time I strapped my thunderbird on

[quote name='KevB' post='373253' date='Jan 7 2009, 05:10 PM']Or you could start with this and build your own:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-2005-Black-SG-Standard-Bass-Body-Neck-EB-0-3_W0QQitemZ120356724514QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item120356724514&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50"]http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-2005-Black-SG-S...%3A1%7C294%3A50[/url][/quote]

I was on the verge of buying a stripped down Les Paul Menace from this seller as it does seem like a good idea. You don't have to replace the second rate Gibson pickups and you can install pretty much your own spec hardware.

I started playing bass with a pick many moons ago and my first tutor told me to use my fingers instead. It wasn't until about 2 years ago that I started using one again. To be honest, its really handy to be able to use both styles.

[quote name='Leowasright' post='371970' date='Jan 6 2009, 01:32 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.com/Greco-1989-SG-Bass-Wine-Red-w-OHSC-MIJ_W0QQitemZ190253407703QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item190253407703&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50"]http://cgi.ebay.com/Greco-1989-SG-Bass-Win...%3A1%7C294%3A50[/url]

Tell a lie, there is one on E-Bay.

But the bottom edge is right smashed in.[/quote]

They turn up quite frequently on Ebay believe it or not. Just keep searching and you'll see one almost every week. There are also a lot of Jap bolt on neck EBO type basses from the 1970s that show up too, although the quality is dubious.

The same traits seem to follow Gibson basses around, neck dive and they always seem to break at the nut.

Thanks for the advice chaps. I'm going to try out a Traben tomorrow. I'll let you know my findings

Any bass with more than 5 strings.

Signature Instruments

Anything made by Carlsboro

Ernie Ball Strings

Buying from Music Shops

Marshall Bass Amplification

and a Greco version....

Mate, if its a Jap EB you're after try and locate a Greco or Burny model from the 80s. They are just as good as the Epis. And just as good as some of the Gibsons if not better as far as construction goes.

Here's an example of a Burny....

[quote name='Merton' post='360697' date='Dec 22 2008, 09:06 AM']1. The combo is fairly well used and looks a bit tatty on the outside, but it does have a cover which my sister made, in order to keep any more marks appearing.[/quote]



That reminds me of Dad's Army when they were issued with a new piece of anti-aircraft artillery and Private Godfrey said "Ooh I can get my sister Dolly to knit a nice cover for it".

He also said before that "Ooh I do hope that gun doesn't make a loud bang. Loud bangs give me awful headaches"... priceless.


Sorry.. couldn't resist that one.

have a bump on me...

Its possible, that B string will add some extra tension to the neck.

[quote name='mrcrow' post='370192' date='Jan 4 2009, 06:33 PM']leo fender
first bass..precision
next..jazz
next...mm
next g+l

for me there is a sort of progression there...

having owned a jazz an precision special..P.J...i would say with all dimensional traits aside

the jazz wins out for versatility and breadth of tonality

and i suspect leo thought a bit of pickup combining gave us the MM and the subsequent g+l variation[/quote]

I agree. I've owned serveral of each (apart from a G&L) and have to say that from all of them I prefer the Jazz. More versitile imo as well as easier to play. The Precision and Musicman both have very distinct sounds which you can recognise instantly. The Jazz has a more generic tone which can be beefed up for rockier stuff.

Bit of a dilema here... I'm trying to decide which to buy - a Traban Chaos Core 5 or Ibanez SR505. I've tried the SR505, very nice, light quite comfortable. Not tried the Traban though. Price is very similar, but not sure which is better. Musical style would be heavy rock, metal, punk etc. using both pick and fingerstyle.

Can't find a dealer in the UK that carries the Traban to try out unfortunately.

Anyone got any recommendations?

Blimey, wish my missus got me something like that... mind you she calls my guitar playing "twanging"...

Nice one. No GAS for a Markbass rig then??