EssentialTension

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1421495912' post='2661949'] ... it must be a bit like an upright bass player plucking over the end of the fingerboard. [/quote] I often pluck over the end of the fingerboard on an electric too

In one band, I commonly play fretless. That band also has a guitarist who plays slide guitar and sometimes lapsteel - both of which are (in effect at least) fretless. Sometimes the intonation between us is spicy, but that's folk and blues for you. There's one song where I slide up an octave from Bb on the A string. When I did play a fretted bass with that band on that song I missed the octave by a whole semitone. With fretless I'm always much closer than that.

[quote name='Platypus' timestamp='1421511157' post='2662133'] Not sure why this thread is in 'off topic' [/quote] The same could be said for many threads.

Personally, I wouldn't pay £4000 for a bass and I also wouldn't take it to the pub. YMMV.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1421504580' post='2662056'] Hmmmm, ok so my next guess is La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass 760FM (49, 69, 89, 109) gauge [/quote] I think 760FM are a darker blue.

Are they long scale or shorter scale?

By the way, I would always leave the strings at proper tension and pitch for transportation, not tuned down.

If temperature change was the cause then it seems odd to me that the only cracking of the lacquer would be at the neck joint - and indeed one side of the neck joint only, which suggests stress in one direction. To me, neck joint suggests a bump of some kind. What is the purchaser asking for? I might give them what they wanted if it could be better than the trouble of telling the purchaser to return the item in my original packing and then give a refund so that I could sort the problem myself, which would probably be my preferred option.

[quote name='bassmayhem' timestamp='1421452027' post='2661610'] Personally, I always string thru body if possible. I feel the difference in my hands more than I hear it, though. Then there is said to be an issue with stringing flats thru body, that the "sharp bend" at the bridge will harm the windings of the strings. I have never encountered that, and considering the original electric bass, the old P-bass, had string thru body bridge and the only strings around were flats, well, there cannot be as much a problem as we may think. I use mostly Lakland basses, and all of them are strung thru body, even those with flats. [/quote] The break angle caused by through body stringing on the original Precision bass was somewhat smaller than it is on some modern basses. I would agree however that flats through body is not necessarily a problem and many flatwounds cope without issue. Mind you, I never string through body as I can't detect any difference.

Ordered on 11th January, arrived 15th January.

[quote name='Michael J' timestamp='1421270278' post='2659284'] I can slide a pencil in between my E string and the fingerboard at the 12th fret. I guess that means I have quite a high action... [/quote] ... or a very small pencil.

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1420975078' post='2655597'] ... I never measure height ... [/quote] I only measured it because someone asked.

[quote name='merello' timestamp='1421266391' post='2659225'] Tony or Larry? [/quote] ... just when it looked as though no one knew what I was talking about ... http://youtu.be/NJ0VSmkebwk

Isn't the warranty out of date?

I try to use my ears to control my knobs.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1421180434' post='2658200'] ...but so right! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ZPzgPTmho[/media] [/quote] Very good.

I like oysters but some people prefer snails.

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1421050120' post='2656463'] There's no need for drama. I didn't say you were 'stifling' anything. I was just pointing out that all of us are fed up with hearing *something*, but that it's just one of them things up with which one has to put. [/quote] But one doesn't have to put up with it silently, as one is free to speak as one finds - subject to the libel laws etc.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1421071579' post='2656778'] I sort of meant that to suggest somebody uses something other than a Fender Bass is tantamount to heresy, as some seem to think that only "proper" bass players use Fender instruments. But I wasn't being serious anyway so it doesn't matter. [/quote] Strange, because I would have thought that the heresy was the other way around. Anyway, I really don't care what people play. Buy what you ([i]not you personally[/i]) want, play what you want. In my case, that will be Fender [i]and[/i] others.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1420998478' post='2656004'] Them's dangerous words round these parts.... [/quote] Why?

Buy what you like and play what you like.

I don't like what is in my view too low an action; in my experience it limits the string's ability to vibrate - so Fender Precision is 4mm at 12th fret for E string. With acoustic bodied instruments even better to be higher, IME - so fretless Takamine B10 is close to 6mm at octave position for E string.

I too don't really get what is meant by a 'balanced' set of strings. It sounds to me like a sales gimmick.

Valves now in Liverpool and also valves in amp and apparently ... 'fixed amp, sounds great'. Excellent. Thanks for all the advice.