LeftyJ

The bass player in my very first band made me play bass, about 10 years ago. He was never there and his playing sucked, so when he wouldn't show up we needed someone to back up for him. Our lead singer and guitarist wouldn't kick him out because they were close friends. I picked up the bass and only the vocalist would play guitar. I started out on a basic plywood Condor Jazzbass dressed in proper '70's fashion (maple board with blocks and bindings) but soon replaced that with a Yamaha TRB5II. Because I invested so much in my bass and amp at that time the bass player started seeing me as a serious threat and later quit the band altogether. I haven't been in that band long, but I learned some valuable lessons and have had a good share of fun and laughter there.

[quote name='geilerbass' post='578358' date='Aug 23 2009, 06:47 PM']This is true. The non-Prestige models don't come with proper Bartolinis, but with Bartolini-branded pickups that are made in Korea along with the actual instruments. You'll notice that the pickups are called Bartolini 'MK1' - apparently the 'MK' means 'made in Korea'. Or so I've heard. The Prestige range of SR and BTB basses do come with US-Made Bartolinis and for me, there is a considerable difference in the sound.[/quote] It's true, they're made by Cort and were originally fitted on the Cort Artisan A- and B-series and the Josh Paul signature model (that Elrick-copy). They're made in the same facility where Cort also makes the EMG Select pickups that are fitted to those Spirit by Steinberger instruments. Later on Ibanez started using them too, when production of the high end Prestige series moved to Korea. Ibanez catalogs from that year will tell you those Bartolini's were especially developped for the Prestige Soundgear and BTB series models, but don't let that fool you. Cort had 'em first . I am a fan of Ibanez, but mostly of their older MIJ models. I have three ATK's (two ATK300's and an ATK305, all MIJ), an '81 Musician (MC924) and an '81 Blazer (BL800) and I love them! I also used to have an '87 SR800LE but absolutely hated the sound and the electronics (very scooped and dry), and I used to have two of their RG guitars of which I loved one and couldn't stand the other. It's hit or miss I guess. I do think Ibanez is truly a brand for everyone, they have an incredibly wide range of completely different instruments. For nearly any tone you have in your head there's an Ibanez on the market that will deliver.

Hey, I almost forgot about rasher80. Have you made up your mind yet and actually bought anything? Last thing I remember was you looking at Maruszczyk as an alternative to buying a JB75-US/LH. I'm very interested to hear what you're up to

I highly recommend www.guitarshogun.com . Ken is a friendly guy, he trades directly from Japan and he's incredibly fast. Trading directly from Japan does however mean the price you pay is strictly for the bass and shipping. You will still be charged separately with VAT and importing duties when the bass arrives in the UK, unlike with Guitar Emporium for example, where the price you pay is the actual full price without any unpleasant surprises upon arrival of the instrument.

[quote name='Rayman' post='575104' date='Aug 20 2009, 10:05 AM']I'd just repeat what I've said before, you can play [i]any[/i] kind of music on [i]any[/i] model of bass. I've played slap funk on a Thunderbird, and heavy metal on a Marcus Miller jazz, it's all gravy.[/quote] The MM Jazz is an awesome Swiss Army Knife. I know a lot of bass players who use one, in a great variety of musical directions from funk to death metal. Great basses.

[quote name='Doc B' post='567801' date='Aug 13 2009, 12:38 PM']No basses with odd sized pickups (like the Ibanez ATK) - I like to swap pickups and electronics[/quote] Are you sure the measurements of the ATK triplecoil are [i]that[/i] odd? A friend of mine replaced the triplecoil in his ATK300 fourstring with a Nordstrand MM4.4 MM-style humbucker without any trouble at all. I would say you shouldn't have much trouble with the 5-strings either. I can take measurements of the pickup in my ATK305 if you'd like. Then again you're saying you prefer a smaller body. That pretty much leaves out the ATK too

But FFS, ditch the red tort! Should be either black, white or a dark brown tort but not something that red

I once accidentally stepped off a 3 ft high darkened stage where I was rehearsing with a band, with my precious French-made Lag Louisiane around my neck. I fell forward towards a tower of PA-speakers and the body of the guitar hit the speakers fairly hard, resulting in very bad lacquer damage and a chunk of the flamed maple veneer top of the body broke off. I contacted the manufacturer and got to speak to Michel Chavarria, the directer of Lag himself, so gave me a price quote of 250 euros for a complete restoration of the body which is an amazing price, as local luthiers quoted approximately 450-500 euros for exactly the same procedure: fitting a new (matching) piece of veneer where the bit of flamed maple broke off and refinish the body in such a way that nobody would be able to tell. Lag did a wonderful job too. First two pics are before, last two pics are after the repairs.

Basses: Lefty Lakland JO5 with maple board and blocks and bindings option; Lefty Lakland DJ; Lefty Lakland 55-94; Lefty G&L L2500; Lefty Rickenbacker 4003 (already in possession); Lefty hollowbody (already in possession, an Italia Torino I like a LOT). And of course I'd keep my Ibanez Musician and my Ibanez ATK's, and the MIJ '75 Jazz. Amps: EBS TD650; EBS Proline 410; EBS Proline 212; Aguilar DB751; Aguilar 412; Ampeg B15N Portaflex fliptop combo.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='571230' date='Aug 17 2009, 12:43 AM']I'm happy with mine, although on my parts bass it went on wonky and clashes with the other tuner. Need to lube your nut and flick it back and forth a bunch to get the tuning right first, then you are good to go. I did hear is disagrees with skinny necks as the tension change upsets the other strings, but not an issue on my club necks.[/quote] +1 Have one on my MIJ '75 Jazz reissue and my G&L SB-2, and used to have one on my custom Precision, and they work like a charm on all of them. I use it with a .045-.105 set on the Jazz, and with a .045-.100 set on the SB-2, and have no issues at all on the Jazz but the G&L requires some slight tuning adjustments once in a while after use of the D-tuner. It needs a setup anyway though because I came from .045-.105 on that bass without adjusting the neck accordingly.

I think lots of basses are very well-suited for metal. For a modern, agressive deathmetal tone I like basses with two big humbuckers like the Ibanez SRX and similar instruments. They sound big and fat but with a bright and agressive edge to their tone which really makes them cut through and gets you heard in any setting. This also combines beautifully with some dirt from an OD-pedal. But as mentioned above, a Precision can do very well too. Last sunday in rehearsal I used my G&L SB-2 (which is much like your Hot Rodded P, with a PJ-setup) in my female-fronted melodic metalband with some drive from my Ashdown ABM-rig and both pickups full on and it cut through very nicely and sounded big and fat. I had to cut the lows a little on my amp though. And last thursday I tried my MIJ '75 Jazz reissue with a BadAss II (so it is now basically a Marcus Miller sig without the preamp, like Martin Mendez from Opeth uses) and I loved that too. I usually go for my Ibanez ATK305 though. Tight, articulate, very ballsy and with a bright edge. Works like a charm every single time. But this goes to show that many different basses may well fit the bill

Wow, amazing deal. Congrats! If you ever decide to part with it...

[quote name='Starless' post='563592' date='Aug 8 2009, 06:39 PM'][/quote] Pretty! What exactly is it? I was drawn to Fender Japan because they simply offer a much wider range of instruments, finish options and the choice of a maple or rosewood fingerboard for lefty instruments whereas Fender USA only offers the New American Standard P and J in black with a white pickguard or sunburst with a tortoise pickguard, with a rosewood board only. I have played a few MIJ P's and J's and they're at least on par with their US-made counterparts. When buying a new one they are indeed very close in pricing, for the price of a new MIJ '75 Jazz reissue you get an American Standard Jazz. But then you don't get blocks and bindings, US-made '70's reissue pickups and a high gloss neck, you'd have to buy the American Vintage '75 Jazz which is well above the MIJ in pricing.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='548546' date='Jul 23 2009, 07:50 AM']but it a very subjective thing.[/quote] Absolutely. I also know a lot of people who'll tell me 'Did this really cost as much as 1500 pounds?' in utter disappointment after playing my Rickenbacker . But I love that bass! It's just one of those instruments you either love or hate. And I must admit I haven't played the Elwood J through my own Ashdown rig but only through that Maruszczyk amp you can see in the picture. I wonder how I would have liked the tone through my own amp. Still though, I wasn't quite as impressed with that bass as I am with my MIJ '75 Jazz reissue.

[quote name='lee650' post='548454' date='Jul 23 2009, 01:08 AM']fiesta red[/quote] That's candy apple red On Japanese Fenders it's usually even called 'Old Candy apple Red (OCR)'.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='547881' date='Jul 22 2009, 06:38 PM']I'm surprised that you had the impression that the overall feel of the bass was rather 'cheap'. What does that mean exactly I wonder? Could the painted blocks have 'coloured' your impression? Mine is well put together and well finished and uses top quality hardware. The wood is worked cleanly and there's no rough edges or areas of finishing that disappoint. The fretwork and neck are pretty perfect to my eye and feel. I'd be surprised if the guy brought a dodgy one to a bass gathering.[/quote] It was the overall feel of the bass and especially the neck that gave me that impression. The finish of the neck mostly. I generally like high gloss finished necks and have quite a couple, but this Maruszczyk really felt like plastic to my hands, I didn't like the feel one bit. The fretwork was impeccable, the woodwork was nice and the finish had been applied very tightly and neat, but it was the feel of the neck that disappointed me. The look of the black blocks has in no way influenced my opinion for that matter.

I've played one of his lefty Elwood J's Adrian Maruszczyk had brought with him to a Dutch bass players meeting where some luthiers and Dutch amp builders were also invited to show off their goods. It was this one: It is the very bass pictured on Arni's website in his giveaway to celebrate 10 years of leftybass.com: And to be honest, I didn't like it. It looks great, but the black blocks on the fingerboard were painted on and will wear over time, and the overall feel of the bass was rather... wel, cheap, actually. It was set up very low and played very easily, but it sounded overly bright to my ears and required me to turn the tone knob way back. Don't know the specs, but it looked like an ash body with a maple neck and fingerboard, I prefer my JB75-US over it, it looks and feels much more authentic and sounds bigger and fatter.