matski

I have 2x 2eq 4-stringers and a 3eq 5 string, and I am also in the 'prefer the 2eq sound and set the mid to centre and leave it alone on the 3eq' camp.

[quote name='Brave Sir Robin' post='737085' date='Feb 6 2010, 01:28 PM']As far as tone, here's a good promo video, you get to hear it in other styles. [/quote] Wow! Who'd have guessed Wolverine was Irish and could play bass...?

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='737611' date='Feb 6 2010, 09:57 PM']83 just doesn't seem to be a good year for basses.[/quote] *ahem* My '83 Cutlass I and '83 Aria SB are both luvverly... And I'm sure you wouldn't say no to an '83 Wal if one fell in your lap either...

[quote name='Stacker' post='610775' date='Sep 28 2009, 01:05 PM']Nice to see the mutes making a comeback[/quote] Just as a matter of interest, has any 'old skool' StingRay owner ever actually used the mutes? I've never used 'em on mine, cos even when I bought it back in the day those ridiculously hard to grasp screws which adjust them were stuck fast (and I didn't fancy slashing my fingers open trying to loosen 'em... those mounts are deadly!). Same story on me Cutlass. Isn't it just easier to use your hand? Or am I a philistine?

If you have a lot of cash to splurge and fancy a 53 year old P bass and a trip to Belgium, just click on this link: [url="http://link.marktplaats.nl/307364867"]http://link.marktplaats.nl/307364867[/url] For those of you who can't read Dutch/Belgian/Flemish, the text translates as: [i]FENDER PRECISION BASS 1958 S/N 33363 A super end of the year gift (for yourself...:-)...?!) Second owner of the bass, from my collection, imported from the States. Fantastic player and INVESTMENT! condition: EXCELLENT colour: sunburst. pot dates: 137 825 neck date: 12/58 more photos on request Fixed price: 8800 euro FYI: identical P-bass for sale at "Oldenburger Music Station Germany" for 12.500 euro and not in such good condition! Georges Bracke Nokerstraat 6 B902 Desteldonk (Gent) Belgie mobiel: 003245221278 telefoon en fax: 00329355880 email: [email protected][/i]

I'm another one namechecking Bruce Foxton from The Jam - old Brucey seems to have been very influential! I was 12 years old so it would have been around 1980ish. Me and a couple of mates decided we were 'gonna start a band': the other 2 decided they were going to play drums and guitar so I ended up as bassplayer. "Dad will you buy me a bass guitar?" My first bass was a Hondo Rickenfaker Funnily enough I'm the only one who stuck with it and actually got to play in bands in the end

I'm adding another vote for Schaller strap locks and a Comfort Strapp. I like 'em!

Sorry about the massive delay in replying... What can I say? I'm rubbish The serial number of my '83 Cutlass I is: B022461 The neck does have a small amount of relief up towards the nut end, and currently the action is set to around 3mm from the G string to the top of the 22nd fret on the neck. Is that low enough for ya?

How about a Takamine TB10 - it looks like it could fit your needs... www.takamine.com/?fa=detail&mid=1818&sid=172

How about another option - keep the StingRay and the Precision but invest in a better amp. I use an Ampeg SVT3 Pro head which cunning features like two little buttons marked 'ultra hi' and 'ultra lo', and a switchable on/off 10-band graphic equaliser. I play both a StingRay and a Precision through this. I use the main rotary pots on the amp to get the sound I want from the StingRay - then I plug in the P, switch on the graphic eq and fiddle about with the sliders until I get the sound I like from the P. Hey presto!

Thanks for the info, gents!

Dear fellow BCers, Has anyone by any chance been tweaking the gap between pup and strings on a SR4 and found the optimum distance? I've spent ages searching around the interweb and can't find any info anywhere. Any handy hints would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[quote name='leschirons' post='571096' date='Aug 16 2009, 09:47 PM']In about two years time after you've got hooked on the gear and bought a couple of Ampeg 8x10's and a couple of heads, you'll wish you'd stayed with the drums. Welcome.[/quote] Hmmm... That reminds me of the days when I used to have an Ampeg 8x10 and live in a first floor flat with no lift - I used to have to lug the bleeder up a metal staircase... For each step upwards I had to adopt the posture, technique and facial expression of one of those weightlifter geezers you see on TV.

Ahh, it's nice to see a bit of comradeship from the Kent bassmen... Guess what? Me too! I was born in Pembury, grew up and went to school, college and down the pub in Tonbridge, then lived in Tunbridge Wells until '96 when I legged it for Amsterdam. *gets all nostalgic*

Hi Johan, I'm just across the Baltic Sea from ya! Welcome aboard - it's always nice to hear from another lover of black basses!

[quote name='Beedster' post='578981' date='Aug 24 2009, 12:49 PM']Originality is king in the vintage market - we're talking guys who get upset 'cos one of the pickguard screws isn't original[/quote] Oh no, this is really bad news. My MM Cutlass I had a brass nut fitted when I bought it back in the late 80s - therefore it is not 100% original. I guess that means it's worthless now...

[quote name='Stingray5' post='666404' date='Nov 26 2009, 05:22 PM']Yes, see that you do, sir! Actually, I do like that SR5. Might have to do a spot of Teal hunting myself!! [/quote] I used to have a fretless Westone Thunder IIa just like yours, years and years ago... Probably around 1982 - at the height of the fretless mania created by the likes of Mick Karn and Pino Palladino et al. It was my first 'new' bass and I had to wait ages for it 'cos having a fretless neck was a custom order jobbie. In the end I traded it in for my Aria SB. This was in a shop in Croydon somewhere. I see you're from London, it would be funny if yours was my old one...

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='667365' date='Nov 27 2009, 03:00 PM']sweet I'd say leave them, adds a touch of mojo.[/quote] I know what you mean - but it's someone else's grotty residue! I wouldn't mind if it were my own...

[quote name='mikhay77' post='666943' date='Nov 27 2009, 01:14 AM']I have an sb700,swapped the std p'up with a 5 string emg hz,fits in great,just got an active circuit and moved the jack to the underside,and now seeing yours I think Im gonna install a bridge pick up then it should sound the dogs,dont know wot pup to go for.Maybe a bart then?[/quote] If I'm totally honest, choosing the Bartolini goodies wasn't really a conscious effort on my part - I just wanted a MM style humbucker fitted - the bloke in the shop was the one who told me that the Bart pup and circuitry were the way to go. They were probably all that was available 'back in the day'. However hound's testicles were certainly the result.

Here's something sure to upset all you Fender JV purists Below are piccies of my 1957 model Precision - one of those ones with the big Fender logo and the little Squier Series logo. Before you all start banging on about "but it's not totally original, parts have been replaced, and it's been refinished!!!", let me tell you a story... I bought this bass back in '84, a bloke down the pub sidled up to me and shiftily said "you play bass, dont'cha? Wanna buy a Fender for 50 quid?" Well, who was I to refuse...? When I first got hold of it the colour was vintage sunburst with anodized gold pickguard and the original Fender vintage stylee bridge and tuners. However it was missing something crucial - pickups, so I put DiMarzios in. All was well and good until a few years later when I left it with a friend. As I had already had an Aria SB and had acquired 2 MusicMan basses by then, and thought "well it's only a Squier" I wasn't too bothered about it. Then I left the UK and forgot all about it... Well to cut a long story short, about 6 months ago I came across some information on the internet about the JV series, and how highly regarded they are. I saw a pic of the selfsame big Fender/little Squier headstock and remembered all about my old chestnut. I quickly called up the guy who I had left my Precision with and asked if he still had it. The answer was yes, so I hastily made arrangements to get it back again. I was all excited until the thing actually landed back in my grubby mitts - it had been badly resprayed with black car paint, had a white pickguard with a big sticker on it, the DiMarzios were rusted to buggery, the tone tone pot had ceased to function, the knobs were corroded and the original hardware was gone and had been replaced with Schaller tuners and a Gotoh bridge. Even the chrome neck plate with the all-important JV serial number had gone. Rats! Since then it has been stripped and refinished in a rather fetching transparent black which lets the grain of the wood peek through (I'm a sucker for black and maple basses) , a brand new black Fender pickguard and new Fender knobs have been fitted, the tone pot has been replaced, and I fitted a set of early Japanese Fender pickups. All in all, I'm rather pleased with the result. Enjoy! Or start wailing and gnashing your teeth PS: anyone know the best way to remove those unsightly stains on the edge of the neck (where the varnish has worn away and nasty sweaty grubbiness has taken hold...)

[quote name='KERMITNT' post='666955' date='Nov 27 2009, 01:32 AM']'83 Cutlass I too yes plz[/quote] As promised, piccies of my '83 Cutlass I - purchased 2nd hand from the Bass Centre in Wapping back in '88. All original - apart from the tuners which were replaced 5 years ago with pukka MusicMan replacements (the originals tarnished something rotten, but I still have them laying around somewhere). Enjoy!

[quote name='cocco' post='666147' date='Nov 26 2009, 01:31 PM']Ooooh that is pretty sexy. I have recently acquired a white n gold SB Elite II which i am currently loving. I'm taking it this used to be a single pick-up?[/quote] Yep.

Being an aficionado of MusicMan basses for 25 years now, I thought it only right to add my '79 black & maple StingRay 4 and my '91 teal & maple StingRay 5. Once I've recharged the batteries on my camera, I'll upload pics of my black '83 Cutlass I too...

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='655141' date='Nov 15 2009, 02:11 PM']Welcome - nice collection of basses! Would like to see pics of that Aria if poss.[/quote] Sorry about the delay - but the sun came out today so I managed to get off my arse and take some shots of the Aria. Mosey over to the Gear Porn section and have a look - it's listed as Aria Black & Gold I (obv.) Cheers! Mat

One for all you Aria buffs out there - here are some piccies of my trusty old Aria BnG I. I bought this bass brand new back in '83 from a store in Croydon whose name eludes me now. This was my first gigging bass, so consequently has a few surface dings and a smattering of buckle rash. Originally the spec was single Aria pup, volume pot and tone pot, and coil tap switch. However once I bought myself a pre-EB StingRay, every time I came back to the Aria I felt the tone was lacking a little 'something' and had the Bass Centre in Wapping add the Bartolini pup and matching active circuitry. This was back in '88 or '89. The result: MONSTROUS SOUND! Seriously, when the bass is in active mode it is LOUD! It has a great sound spectrum: the Bart gives it a very 'zingy' sound with plenty of growl - but not exactly StingRayish - the stock pup has a much more rounded tone. Basically, this bass will cut through any mix, shake the house down and have loud guitarists run screaming for their mothers... The controls are fairly basic: one push/pull volume knob for active on/off, and one double-stacked knob for bass and treble adjustment. The two switches are for coil tap (works for both pups) and 3-position pickup selector. All the other hardware is original. Enjoy!