LeftyJ

[quote name='Beedster' post='586836' date='Sep 1 2009, 09:12 PM']Many thanks to Colin Beswick at Soundmeout for his patience and helpfulness during the whole process, and for getting it to me so quickly.[/quote] Yes, he's a great guy to deal with. He's had some bad luck this year though, but luckily it didn't get the best of him. He suffered a series of strokes last april and has been out for a while. I had bought two sets of strings and a Rickenbacker trussrod adjustment tool of him just at that time, and it took a month to get them to me and I couldn't reach Colin. Turned out he was in the hospital recovering. But even after that he replied very kindly and politely and got the items to me in no time.

My collection is very diverse, but I mainly tend to lean towards Fender-type instruments (especially the Jazz). I also love my Ibanez ATK's (MM-style), my Italia (big hollowbody with a Sidewinder and a humbucker) and my Rickenbacker though, and play all of them frequently. If I were to choose one specific style of bass though, it would be a Jazz.

My lefty Ibanez MC924 was originally advertised for 100 Euros a few months ago. Bidding immediately went over, and because I wanted it really badly I emailed the seller right away I was willing to offer him 400. He immediately agreed and I picked it up. So not quite the bargain it originally seemed, but still a very good price. It was in perfect condition, with the original case (like new), and the seller was the original owner who even included the original receipt. The bass had been laying around in its case in the attic for over 10 years. Brilliant bass, and very rare to come by lefthanded. Less than 350 were made, most of which are of the latter model with the split-coil and J-style pickups in large casings. Mine is an '81 with the big bakelite singlecoils with large polepieces. I'm a happy man!

Interesting, they claim on their website they can get the Sterling and Stingray dual pickup-models lefthanded, but I don't think Ernie Ball make those in lefty versions. There is only one Sterling HS around (a Dargie Delight, owned by a lefthanded friend of Sterling Ball who's on the leftybassist.com forum). They don't have a mirrorred version of the required preamp and so far have refused to have one manufactured, except for that one-time-only bass.

[quote name='Gust0o' post='591902' date='Sep 7 2009, 09:43 AM']I was wondering if they'd broken some unwritten rule, as if Fender had redesigned the Jazz or somesuch![/quote] They once attempted to

What kind of amp are you using? Any solid state bass amp I've played would have clipped beyond belief with the gain full and a powerful bass like that SRX plugged in. Or did you mean it's the volume on the bass itself you're keeping way low?

Hei baswâht!

Have you emailed Chris himself? Might well be worth a try

[quote name='walbassist' post='588664' date='Sep 3 2009, 03:31 PM']Ah, that bass was made for me. Should never have sold it - how many times have I said that to myself about different basses over the years! - but at least I replaced it with another Wal.... [/quote] That's insane! I love the detail too - the wood pickup casings, the wood bindings around the pickup cavities, the laminates beneath the top. Just gorgeous. I like the beech top better, but the spalted maple is very pretty too. What gorgeous basses!

[quote name='rasher80' post='588595' date='Sep 3 2009, 02:33 PM']is that £820 delivered or before customs charges and tax?[/quote] Probably before duties and tax, as Jeff sells straight from Japan. GuitarEmporium.co.uk currently charges £999 as a final selling price including duties and tax. £820 + 19% Dutch VAT is £975, still excluding 4% import tax. I'm not really tempted yet...

So...where are the lefties? How much for a lefty JB75-US?

I used to own a Hartke VXL Bass Attack that I really liked, especially for its added simulated tube grit, even though it sounded a bit cold. I replaced it with an EBS MicroBass II and love it, although I tend to think of it more as an integrated preamp and DI to plug straight into a mixer or PA than a preamp pedal to put in front of an amp. It works really well though.

They are great amps indeed. I bought a HD350 and Proline 410 last saturday and it is an amazing amp. If I were to get an endorsement deal and I could make a pick, it would be Lakland and EBS

I keep enjoying looking at my very own MIJ Fender JB75-US. I love the classic (and classy) look of that bass.

I have a cover on my MIJ '75 Jazz Bass reissue and it doesn't really get in my way. I use it as a thumbrest when playing near the neck pickup, and can use it to rest my wrist when I play with a pick near the neck or when I slap. It didn't require much adapting from my regular playing position and style, I'm comfortable with it. With slapping though, it required some getting used to because I couldn't mute the strings with the palm of my hand as easily as before when required. But that's been a great practice routine for muting with my fretting hand

A lightweight all-tube head that doesn't require huge transformers but uses those small transformers used in class D amplifiers and still produces that big tube growl, unlike that new Markbass all-tube head that just sounds really clean no matter what you throw at it...

I'd like to be able to have the distorted bass sound of Hugo Prinsen-Geerlings (the former bassplayer of Dutch band The Gathering) on the songs Rollercoaster and Probably Built In The Fifties. A very heavy and agressive tone, especially on that latter track. I wouldn't have much ocassions where I could actually use that tone but I'd love to be able to. My Fulltone Bassdrive gets pretty close with my ATK's (I think Hugo played Stingrays), but it's not quite there yet.

[quote name='Clarky' post='580213' date='Aug 25 2009, 02:57 PM']The Hipshot Rick-replacement bridge is MASSIVELY better than the original. Properly adjustable for individual strings/saddles etc. But of course its not 'real Rick' so traditionalists hate them. I have had both and the Hipshot is much better as a 'player's' bridge.[/quote] I agree the Hipshot is a 'better' bridge in terms of adjustability, userfriendliness and playing comfort, but it it's not just the looks traditionalists don't like about them. They have a dramatic impact on the tone of your Ric. The Hipshot both brightens and fattens up your tone.

[quote name='51m0n' post='580088' date='Aug 25 2009, 01:27 PM']I loathe ampeg for the overpriced, poor build quality, intolerably awful sounding rubbish that IMO it is.[/quote] +1! I've played through several Ampegs and liked none of them save for an old V4b through two SVT-410's that made my Ric and my Jazz sound HUGE. I've tried the SVT-4PRO, SVT-3PRO, SVT350 and some of their combo's (B2 4x8", BA115, BA112) and none of them suited me, especially the SVT PRO's sounded incredibly dull with no top end sparkle at all, too much mids and too few lows. The Bright-switch just made it sound tinny and harsh instead of adding sparkle and punch, and I won't even go into the Ultra High switch. Definitely not my tone

Very, very pretty! But I couldn't help noticing it has one regular strap button and one Dunlop straplock

Fender MIJ JB75-US/LH, before: After: The previous owner had already added the black 3-ply pickguard and has had both the pickup cover and the bridge cover on it, but took them off before he sold the bass and sold them separately on eBay. I added the BadAss II, pickup cover and a set of Hipshot HB-2 tuners and a BT-2 D-tuner. It's an amazing workhorse and I play this bass a lot. I love it! I don't think I could ever sell it again.