LeftyJ

I've never tried an LB-100 (or any other Tribute than the L2000, as it's been the only lefty Tribute bass until the Fallout came along) but I did own a USA-made SB-2. As others have pointed out, it's a hell of a lot louder and hotter than a traditional P bass. The MFD splitcoil is incredibly hot, and the bridge pickup soloed feels underwhelming in output compared to the splitcoil. But it offers some really cool and unique tonal options. With the neck volume at 75% it's about as hot as a traditional P bass, and there's a little treble roll-off. The bridge pickup can serve as its tone control: Blending in the bridge pickup adds some bite, some slight mid scoop and a wide variety of blend options. I liked mine a lot, and really shouldn't have sold it. It's one of the many basses and guitars that I've owned that I would appreciate a lot more now than I did when I owned it, because I always just turned all the controls on my amp as close to neutral as I could and all the controls on the bass fully up and didn't like tinkering with onboard controls. That's changed, and it has opened up tonal options I never really explored before. 

Ibanez EHB shortscale and short multiscale versions! 

The EHB1000S is the headless shortscale, and there's the EHB1005SMS 5-string headless short multiscale. 

https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/model/ehb/ 

Pfff, I can sell you one of these for half the price of one of these stupid bedmats and you're sorted!

Nice! I like the look of these, except for the short headstock in relation to everything else. They seem well-built, and the first reviews have been great! I like the concept of outsourcing the manufacturing of all the individual parts to China, and  doing the assembly and QC in the US to keep the prices low. 

They offer lefties too. Looks tempting...

14 hours ago, Russ said:

I'm Team Aussie this year - one of my favourite bands are representing Australia - Voyager. 

They do a kind of synthpoppy take on prog-metal, I've been listening to them for quite a few years now, and they're bloody great. Their bass player Alex is also a monster player.  This was their third try ad being nominated for Eurovision, and they got the nod! 

 

Here's the tune - it's a banger.  

 

 

 

And Alex's bass playthrough: 

 

Voyager are awesome! I saw them open for Leprous once here in the Netherlands, and have been listening to them regularly since. I wasn't aware they were competing in Eurovision this year, but that's awesome! 

That looks stunning, and I love the shape! It looks very ergonomical and well-thought out, and it's absolutely beautiful. It's also not as tiny as many headless designs thanks to that 37" scale B! I look like a giant with my 34" headless Status basses 

On 19/04/2023 at 15:53, fretmeister said:

Has anyone tried the Mono Sleeve guitar version for a shortie?

I have, my Atelier Z Baby Z-4J (Mustang-shaped and -sized) doesn't fit. It does (barely) fit my M80. 

I carry my headless Status S2 Classic in a Mono M80 guitar flightbag (this one) and it's perfect. It's rigid, incredibly well padded, fits nicely and the padding in the bottom feels like it will withstand the dual lower strap buttons of my Status basses. 

I also have a Mono Guitar Sleeve and have tried fitting my Status 4-string in there too, but the way the Guitar Sleeve opens (from the top) doesn't accommodate lefty basses very well because the longer of the two horns goes in first. It might work for a righty - but the flat design of the Guitar Sleeve without sidewalls means there's some stress on the control knobs when moving in and out and I'm not too keen on that. 

2 hours ago, Kev said:

Yup, a Rockbass (though I don't think German ones have tailpieces?) but a lot of bass for the money.  Nice one! 

They do 

Rather than bridge pins, it uses a normal Warwick tailpiece.

5 hours ago, 40hz said:

Interesting that you picked up on them sounding acoustically dull. Every Warwick I've owned (3 Streamer LX's, a Stage One, Corvette) and played (Buzzard, Thumb, Stryker) have *all* exhibited this, too. To the point that when I mentally think of a Warwick it's the first thing that comes to mind.

It always seems funny to me how Warwick's slogan is "The sound of wood", when I wouldn't describe their tone as woody at all. All Warwicks I've tried were bright, clanky, a bit scooped and very tight. 

Acoustically, my two Streamer LX's aren't nearly as loud and lively as my other basses with more "traditional" tonewoods or even my two Status S2 Classics. I don't really play my LX5 (or my other 5-strings) anymore, my Status 5-string has taken its place a few years ago and is here to stay.

Cool! Looks like the Rockbass version? I think the Warwick one has the same tailpiece as their solid body basses? 

I was going to post something, but just cleared my message because

A: my only fretless basses either have rosewood boards or are just a maple 2x4 with strings, and;

B: my only basses with ebonol fingerboards are my Status Graphite basses with carbon graphite monocoque necks, and their response is incomparable to any of my wooden necks. 

As you were. Nothing to see here 

I love listening to Igorrr, and many of their lyrics are in the fictional language developed by the band ÖXXÖ XÖÖX (who sure love their Umlauts!).

Even with the translation, it's hard to comprehend: https://www.letssingit.com/igorrr-lyrics-downgrade-desert-mbwmn3x 

On 23/12/2022 at 19:43, SH73 said:

Like 99% of Rage Against the Machines lyrics. 🤣

Oh god, they were the last band I expected to go woke. I liked them better before they went so political and were still raging against vending machines and leaf blowers  

Jealous! I've always wanted a Fragile. 

I don't live in the UK, but for my most recent shipping of a bass (a neck-through Ibanez MC924 with original case) I used UPS and they were great - mostly... Everything was easily arranged on the UPS website once I knew the final dimensions of the package. I had arranged pickup at my work address, but they didn't show up. But they also have many drop-off points in my area so I went with that. Many of these are small, independent shops who wouldn't be happy if you dropped off a huge box so I had to choose carefully.

Just don't do what I did and don't use laminated wood or fibreboard panels to strengthen the package. I laminated the hardcase (of thin, fragile wood) between two boards of MDF, and US Customs weren't too thrilled because apparently there's formaldehyde in wood glue and the MDF had to meet certain US standards... I had to trace and contact the manufacturer for the specifications of the boards and the type of glue used, and meanwhile the package had to stay in a UPS warehouse until it passed Customs. And apparently a UPS warehouse is some sort of luxury parcel hotel, because for each night (over 3) spent at their fine etablissement they charged a considerable amount. No fun was had! 

7 hours ago, bertbass said:

I bought one new lefthanded in 1970, from Bell's catalogue and if I remember correctly, it wasn't bad.  Apparently, they are going to make a lefthanded Saffire. If they do, I'll have one.

They do a lefty of the guitar version too (the Rapier 33, with three humbuckers). Looks really cool, and has some interesting sounds on tap. If there's going to be a lefty bass version, I may need to check it out 

Sire U5 shortscale on Gumtree

On 18/04/2023 at 19:35, Dan Dare said:

Interestingly, Stradivari is reckoned to have used ordinary lumber he bought from local timber merchants to build instruments. If it was good enough for him... 

I saw a clinic by Paul Reed Smith once, who told the audience he'd had the privilege once to hold TWO Stradivari violins at the same time. Interestingly, from the grain pattern and flame he was able to tell they were both made from the same tree 

I voted no. Not because I'm opposed to the idea of a of buying a replacement neck for a bass or for a new build, but I would never buy one separately. I wouldn't buy one as an upgrade of an existing instrument - only if my old neck was damaged or broken beyond repair and if the original manufacturer wouldn't supply me a new one, be it under warranty or at a charge. And I'm also no home luthier, building bitsa's in my attic - nor would I be looking for such an expensive neck if I was, because 90% of the fun in building bitsa's is to make something nice and decent out of affordable or even cheap parts. I'd either buy from a supplier that can get me the whole package (including a body) or use parts of an existing bass to start from. To me, the neck would be the defining feature both in determining the basis to start from and the end result.

There was a thread about straplocks recently and I looked this up, because I was wondering about compatibility. Schaller says this on their website:

That Squier Paranormal Rascal Bass with two chunky Wide Range humbuckers 

33 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I am surprised they don't do them any more, but I guess they know the sales figures!

Yep. They were discontinued twice now. Production of the Japanese and Korean models ran from 1994-1999. They came back by popular demand in 2007 after a certain mr. Paul Gray of Slipknot fame could be seen regularly gigging a left-handed amber ATK300. He was the one reason the ATK series was brought back, and he was subsequently honoured with his own signature model, the Ibanez PGB-1. These Indonesian models ran from 2007-2018. During this time, Ibanez also made some smaller-bodied versions (like the ATK200) to bring the weight down. These look very similar, but the body is slightly narrower. These also had a slightly different bridge which fits humbuckers with regular MM dimensions, which made them easier to modify. 

I've had a few lefty ATK's, all made in Japan. They were originally made in Korea (from 1994-1995), but when they became succesful production moved to Japan for just a few short years (1996-1998) before moving back to Korea - with the exception of a Prestige model that was short-lived, the ATK1300/1305. And the weirdest oddity of all, the USA-made USATK models - made for Ibanez by Bunker Guitars, with their unique, patented Tension-free Neck, which is basically just a wooden shell around an adjustable steel rod, and a separate headstock bolted to the end. 

The later ATK series were Indonesian, and are easily recognizable for their lack of a truss rod cover on the headstock, but rather a spokewheel truss rod adjuster at the neck heel. 

I've owned two ATK300's and one very rare ATK305 (only a scant few lefties ever made). I loved them, but I'm not really into the MM type tone anymore and sold all my basses with MM-style pickups. I kinda wish I had kept the fourstring in this picture, it was a beast and somehow sounded warmer and punchier than the other two ATK's I owned.

I like the looks, but not those MM-style pickups in such a classically styled bass. I'd like it a lot better with some pickups that are either more traditional or more quirky (or both). 

I like her Reverend Wattplower better!