EssentialTension

I've got a couple of the Hercules minis and they've worked fine for me but I don't risk them on a crowded stage.

Here's another Zemaitis previously owned by Ronnie Lane and now with Bob Daisley:

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1323003007' post='1458091'] Same song - Who Did You Think I Was - from the Pino POV [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLCmw2zMP6Y[/media] Dig the Grolsch bottle-washer straplocks. [/quote] Fantastic.

This thread reminded me of a story I read about John McVie. It may or may not be true. McVie asked Lakland for a Precision bass (the old Bob Glaub signature). They didn't have a US model ready so sent him a Skyline version saying that they'd get the US model to him as quickly as possible. A few days after McVie received the Skyline he phoned Lakland to say not to bother with the US model because the Skyline was fine.

Good service here from Thomann too and they have a 30-day refund policy.

[quote name='Slipperydick' timestamp='1323034166' post='1458576'] Well put. Dunno why really, but watching McFly when they used to be on Saturday morning TV ( seemed like every week) always reminded me of the Monkees. A nit off thread really I spose', but didnt the Monkees stuff have some great Bass Lines ? I wonder if they were all played by Carol Kaye, or did Nesmith play any of them at all. Either way, he made a good few bob. [/quote] Joe Osborne, I think, but if not then probably Carol Kaye.

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1323006523' post='1458154'] Not if you define a bassist as someone who sits around their bedroom all day going widdlydiddlydo at 1 000 000 bpm on their fingers. However, he's made more money than most people on this forum by playing a bass. IMO I think that pretty well qualifies him to put "bassist" under "occupation" on his census form... [/quote] I've never watched celebrity jungle dancing or heard of whatever his name is but this is spot on.

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' timestamp='1322995282' post='1457947'] [color=#333333][font=HelveticaNormal, sans-serif][size=3]Thanks Johnston, I'll look into that.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#333333][font=HelveticaNormal, sans-serif][size=3]Someone on the Fender Forum was kind enough to direct me to this:-[/size][/font][/color] [color=#333333][font=HelveticaNormal, sans-serif][size=3][b]You can preset the basic intonation of your bass by taking a tape measure and measuring from the inside of the nut to the center of the 12th fret [i]([/i]the fret wire itself; not the fingerboard[i])[/i]. Double that measurement to find the scale length of your bass.[/b][/size][/font][/color] [color=#333333][font=HelveticaNormal, sans-serif][size=3][b]Adjust the first-string bridge saddle to this scale length, measuring [/b][b]from the inside of the nut to the center of the bridge saddle. Now adjust the distance of the second saddle back from the first saddle, using the gauge of the second string as a measurement. For example, if the second string is .060" (1.5 mm), you would move the second-string saddle back .060" (1.5 mm) from the first saddle. Move the third saddle back from the second saddle, using the gauge of the third string as a measurement. Adjust the fourth saddle in the same manner (and fifth if you have a five-string bass).[/b][/size][/font][/color] [color=#333333][font=HelveticaNormal, sans-serif][size=3][b][i]Note: If you're using a taper-wound fourth string (and fifth if it's a five-string bass), use the actual gauge of the string for your measurement rather than the dimension of the tapered portion of the string.[/i][/b][/size][/font][/color] [/quote] I would totally ignore that and set the action and the intonation in the normal way.

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1323008468' post='1458194'] Really ? I always thought flats came [i]after[/i] rounds ? Well, a they say. [i]You learn something new every day[/i]. [/quote] The standard story is that the first roundwound bass strings were produced by James How (RotoSound) around 1963 for John Entwistle. Whether those were really the first roundwound bass strings I don't know but rounds were certainly very uncommon and for most people remained uncommon for some time after 1963. Until at least 1976, and perhaps later, a new Fender came with flatwound strings as it always had done.

[quote name='thebigyin' timestamp='1322987194' post='1457875'] .... the jazz neck is thinner [which i new] ..... Bit confused as i don't want to cause any harm to neck of bass..... [/quote] On this point, the unfounded fear is usually that flats will be too high tension for the neck but flats aren't necessarily higher tension - just like rounds, there are higher tension and lower tension flats - and anyway, that's what the truss rod is for.

When I had a CV Jazz I tried several types of flats on it, like I always do. There have been lots of Jazz/flats players over the years - Joe Osborn, for example - and as obbm says, when the Jazz was introduced there was no such thing as rounds. Your shop man might be stating a personal preference but he's not stating a universal fact. Get some flats now!

Is the neck and fingerboard slightly DB like the Takamine or is it more guitarish?

Only musical I've played was Grease about twenty years ago and I really enjoyed it. It was harder work than I expected although I realise Grease is probably somewhat easier than say West Side Story (and most others).

I jammed with some guys and drummer (or cajonist) had one. Saw one with a flamenco band a couple of weeks ago too. I've told our drummer to get one but I don't think he was listening.

[quote name='Legion' timestamp='1322937088' post='1457561'] I really like them Dave. I don't think they are any [b]more[/b] sensitive to hand positioning than the Chi Sonics (which already are IMO). The Chi Sonics certainly have a more modern tone to them, due to more mids I think. The Darkstars do seem to sort of "saturate" the more you dig in which gives a really nice fat rounded sort of drive to the notes especially at the neck pickup. The adjustable pole pieces are brilliant as well, so you can get a very even tone across the strings. Overall I think the Chi's are a great pickup but the Darkstars were worth the wait for me. [/quote] I had Dark Stars in a semi-hollow Dearmond Starfire and the neck pickup definitely did that fat round almost or slightly overdriven sound (that you can hear on late sixties Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead) especially with some digging in. I'd agree the Chisonics are very similar and similarly sensitive but, as you say, a more modern sounding version. I think I may need some Dark Stars again sometime.

Jas, how are you liking the Dark Stars compared to the Chisonics? I've had both (but not in the same style bass) and I'd agree there are some definite similarities.

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' timestamp='1322916220' post='1457244'] Gareth; you know what I'm getting at though: if the way they lined up didn't matter a jot to anyone, they wouldn't send new basses out with the saddles all lined up to perfection as they do! [/quote] I can't say that I've seen new basses 'with the saddles all lined up to perfection as they do'. However, if that is the case it's probably because the bass has not been set up properly.

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' timestamp='1322914486' post='1457210'] Yes, action uniform and as low as I can achieve without rattles! It would be nice to start with the saddles all lined-up nicely again, though, as they all seem to be on new basses. Is it just guess-workthen, and you simply put them in a diagonal, sloping line that's pleasing to the eye, rather than any set formula? [/quote] Well, the formula is get the action and intonation correct, not make the bridge saddles aesthetically pleasing. On my Precision the E saddle is furthest back, A and D are about the same, and G furthest forward. On my Decade, the E and A are much the same, and D and G much the same but further forward.

Being a Brummie who was a teenager in the sixties, I saw Slade countless times (as well as the predecessor bands Ambrose Slade and The 'N Betweens) well before any hits. I recall seeing them at Shenley Green Youth Centre when they had gone 'skinhead' and some of the real skinheads, from the Northfield Mob, were waiting outside for them. They always were a great live band and Lea is a great bassist (just like Jack Casady and Phil Lesh who were mentioned as an alternative above).

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' timestamp='1322913835' post='1457199'] Hi everyone, I want to restring my Precision. I've sorted the intonation by moving my bridge saddles on my current strings and I understand that process, but currently, the saddles are not in that staggered alignment that you see from the factory when you buy a new bass: to get the intonation correct (and to get each note playing in tune) I moved them so that at the moment, the e and a string saddles are give or take equal and the same for the d & g, although the latter are closer to the neck. Is there some sort of formula to get the saddle placements back in that diagonal line as per the factory as a starting point when I re-string? Does it really matter, save that it looks nice? Thanks guys. [/quote] It doesn't matter as long as the action and intonation are as you want them. E-A about the same and D-G about the same is not so unusual. Is your action at the 12th fret about the same for all strings? If not that might have a little effect on the bridge saddles for intonation. When you restring, even if it's same make/model of string, you might still need to check the intonation.

Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C-D-Eb definitely looks better.

[quote name='daz' timestamp='1322909376' post='1457143'] Just been writing out the major triads, when i noticed this. Why is the major 3rd in the D# triad an F## and not a G ? [/quote] I think because in any scale there will be C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C with each sharpened/flattened accordingly. Hence D#-E#-F##-G#-A#-B#-C##-D#.

[quote name='Tankdave' timestamp='1322899213' post='1457057'] So, does it make the bass sound different? [/quote] Some people hear a difference some don't.