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It obviously depends on the sound you are after but if it was me and I was dropping to lower tuning I would probably want to go for a longer scale to tighten things up a little and give me a little more definition. I play a 36" scale overwater which is phenominal. It took about 10 mins to get used to it over my old 34". You can get them secondhand for reasonable money or go direct and see what they can make you from scratch. They are unbelievable and sound fantastic and also the customer service is superb. I would also suggest checking out dingwal basses. I played a 5 string J at Bass Direct and it was great, again takes a little getting used to the fanned frets but its looks great, and its a bit different and something people will remeber you by. Great basses and under hand you barely feel the difference.

Following my quick play on a Enfield at Music Live at the weekend, I suddenly thought I have not seen one on here yet. I was just wondering if anyone had bought one or was considdering it? I thought the bass was fantatsic and the flexibility of those pickups is phenominal (if not a little scary at first). It played beautifully and the build quality was superb. It was very Wal in appearance (maybe why I liked it so much) and I would like one although may wait for a few to trun up secondhand as 3k is a bit much for me. So anyone else played/own one? has anyone had opportunity to play one in real life gigging situations?

Already had my christmas present from me which was my Overwater, but if money was no object: 1. A complete Epifani rig. The new 600w Piccolo Head, a 1x10 cab for taking to practice and 2x12 for gigs. 2. A fodera almost exactly the same as Janeks but the lower horn the same as Richard Bonas Fodera and with a birdseye maple board. 3. A Wood and Tronics Zoid because they look so weird and wonderful. So cheap Christmas this year.

Hi, yeah it has its own PA and lighting and I think they take it quite seriously there as well, so you should be in good hands. I am playing in battle of the bands type thing they hold there every year, and when we went to the introduction night for the event they went through the PA etc. It seems like a good venue and the guys that run the place seem quite on the ball and have quite a proffesional but relaxed attitude so I think you will be ok.

Hiscox cases, not too expensive, very durable and great quality, Shuker and GB guitars use them so they must be ok. Try APC overnight, they are superb couriers and I have sent numerous guitars with them over the years with much success. There is courier rating thread hear somewhere. If you dont havea hard case to ship the bass in, I always ask fro the neck to be taken off if it is a bolt on, smaller package and less chance of snapping.

You have a lot of choice with a £700 budget and as folks have said there is no substitute for getting out there and playing as many different basses as possible. Musicman basses are great and I loved my Stingray but I found it was restricting even with the 3 band eq, it did that sound and that sound only. I have not tried the new double pickup stingrays though, they seem to offer a lot more flexibility than the single pickup version. Laklands are good and very versatile and I just recommended my best friend buy one. The 5502 (i think) with the musicman and jazz combination is great, does most sounds, has active bypass, good EQ and you can coil tap the humbucker giving you a very good Jazz, MM, and P-ish sound. Personally I dont like the feel of the neck but thats personal preference rather than any problem with the bass. A double pickup warwick will give you a good range of tones and they are very well built and there are usually a few around on the forum for sale. In my experience you really have to try a few. I have played some with massive necks and some with slim quick necks, all down to preference really but superb basses, especially the streamers, they are very pretty. There are a huge amount of basses available and the secondhand market really opens up a lot of basses that you would think you could afford. As an example I picked up a Overwater Progress for £800 secondhand and it completely blows any other bass I have ever played out of the water with the exeption of a Goodfellow which was on a parr with the OW. Some of the bolt on Overwaters come up secondhand and I would suggest checking them out if you get the chance, very versatile and they sound really big. Anyway, dont know if it helps at all and good luck with the hunt, let us know what you go for in the end. Nathan

Congratulations, what an awesome gift, you must be chuffed both with the bass and most importantly the engagement. I will have to show the missus this one, I have been hinting at engagement bass (when the time comes) so maybe I should leave this page open on her laptop as a hint

Went today, what a complete waste of time energy and money. The only very small saving grace was getting to chat with Martin Simms and play a Endfield 5 which was a very tasty bass, and also accidentally coming across Janek Gwidala at the TC electronics stand. He was amazing and his Fodera is the most stunning bass I have ever seen. That was quite cool but not worth £18, the whole thing was a shambles, hardly any gear by any major brands, I will never go near that show or LIMS come to mention it, ever again.

[quote name='Floyd Pepper' post='647870' date='Nov 7 2009, 09:17 AM']Sorry to possibly disappoint but personally, I thought it was a sad state of affairs. I hadn't been for a couple of years and it was very visible to see how this show is dying. The hall could not be filled, empty stands from late pull outs, no appreance from advertised companies ( Bass Merchant and Bass Direct - I'm not blaming these guys as they probably had the foresight to see what was coming and held on to their hard earned cash). I spoke with a couple of the people on the stands who also pointed out the increased width of the aisles to spread the stands out but also stopped passing trade. Apart from a couple of good drum clinics, we walked away from it feeling quite jaded about the whole thing. I assume the London Excel show is better? FP[/quote] Thats quide sad news, I have never been before and a friend and I are going for a boys day out tomorrow to go and have a wonder round. Are Bass Merchant going this year does anyone know? Anyway this sound much like London International Music Show at Excel. I used to go to the London guitar show which used to be fabulous. It was the first place I saw Goodfellow basses in real life, Overwater and I seem to remeber playing a Celinder there as well but had no idea what it was at the time. Its a shame but I think it has really gone down hill since it has become LIMS. My friend and I used to go every year and last year was pathetic. The music tech side was ok with some good stand and people like Apogee etc but bass wise it was shocking with none of the smaller brands/companies there like Overwater, real shame but I heard from a friend who had a stall previous years that the prices for stands was massively increased. I will not make an effort to go there again unless I am after some bargain studio equipment.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='647255' date='Nov 6 2009, 02:05 PM']It's rubbish, I don't like it Seriously... that's rather nice. Tell us a bit about it! That pickup arrangement is a bit unusual is it not??[/quote] thanks, yeah it is a bit odd, never seen another like it. Apparently the pickup config was a very special order, its single coil neck with humbucker at the bridge which also has a coil tap. It's a really good combination, I always wanted a J+MM like a Lakland and this is not far off, although not quite the snarling growly beast a MM is. The body is American Walnut and the top is burr Maple with matching burr maple headstock. It is also 36" which makes the B string sound amazing. I love this bass so much, I can understand why so many people sing their praises now.

I have very recently become an Overwater owner and seeing as this was one of my favourite threads anyway, I thought I should post. So here is my new Overwater (well new for me). Words cannot express how much I love this bass and how completely stunning the build quality is, I don't know how they do it. Anyway I love it, hope you like it too. [attachment=35851:OW4.jpg] [attachment=35852:OW3.jpg] [attachment=35853:OW2.jpg] [attachment=35854:OW6.jpg] [attachment=35855:OW7.jpg] [attachment=35856:OW5.jpg] Cheers, Nathan

I love flicking through this thread, so I thought I would add my first contribution. This is my current setup and I am so happy with it. I have always used Ashdown/Trace gear and I have to be honest, to my ears this is a huge step up in quality of sound. It doesn't cover up anything, when I play a wrong note I hear it but it really cuts through a mix and the rest of the band. Anyway here it is, Eden WTX260 brilliant bit of kit, so felxible and very gig friendly and my awesome EBS Proline 2x12 and Overwater: [attachment=35847:Rig3.jpg] Second Pic with my Squier Deluxe Active Jazz V. [attachment=35848:Rig2.jpg] Cheers,

Recently asked sdgrsr400 (Francis) if he would be willing to do a deal with a friend of mine (I was looking for a bass for him on here). It was an unusual request and he had plenty of reason to say no, but he was kind enough to meet my friend and the deal went through and my best friend Owen is over the moon with the Lakland and very grateful for an easy transaction (He's a guitarist they don't have nice places like Basschat). Highly recommended to you all. Many thanks for all your help, I cant wait to go visit him and try this bass out. Nathan

[quote name='Rich' post='644832' date='Nov 3 2009, 11:04 PM']To be honest, I'd far rather read i/views with lesser known players than yet another bloody article on [i]*insert name of v.famous bassist here*[/i]. Dave Swift is a case in point -- most people have probably never heard of him, but his interview in BGM is one of the best they've ever had. Just my 2p.[/quote] I have always bought BGM even through the bad months because I like supporting a British magazine and I wouldn't want to lose it. I think the content is getting so much better and the interviews more interesting, I just really like where the magazine is going at the moment. I do agree with the above comment about some slightly lesser known players though. It would be nice to read a few more articles like the Dave Swift feature but with say Lawrence Cottle, or Phil Mulford (have they been interviewed before?) who are more "behind the scenes" players. I would even like to read a good interview with Dave Marks, I have been watching his youtube channel and really like his attitude and approach. I have to admit though, I would love to see an interview with Pino unless I managed to miss that issue, and he is a real big name I guess

I am sure there are a few peeps out there who ship basses more than me but I have sent a few in the past and all have got there safe so i must be doing something right. I don't know anyone that will pack it for you but it's not too tricky to do it yourself. Firstly are you sending it in a hard case? if so this makes things a lot easier. If your not then I would suggest asking the buyer if he wants you to get one at a small extra cost for making sure it gets there in one piece (its a Wal I would) or what I have done in the past is first of all remove the neck but check with the buyer that he is happy for this. I always think sending neck of is easier, safer and it costs less usually. if you have a hard case then get some bubble wrap. Slacken the string on teh bass to relieve some tension and just wrap the bass in bubble wrap, body and neck, and if your being ultra fussy put bubble wrap between teh neck and strings so they dont rub on teh neck to much. Once wrapped up make sure the bass cant move side to side in the case with some polystyrene blocks or more bubble wrap. Close the case give it a small gentle shake and see if you can hear it moving in the case. Then i usually go to my local guitar shop and beg for old guitar boxes. you might hit the jackpot and get a fender bass box, or a bass hard case box so yours will probably fit straight in. Brown tape it up and then call a courier. I have used APC overnight who have a pretty good track record on here I think, and they are really good and not too expensive. Don't use parcel-force, they will send it to the wrong place or give it to a dodgy neighbour you dont know or break it in half, or all of the above. Anyway hope that helps

For me it would have to be an Overwater Progress. I just picked one up and its is unbelievable in every way, so I would love one like my new one below, but I would love a a buckeye burl top with a really stunning birdseye maple fretboard onmy next one. [attachment=35192:IMG_2483_1.JPG]

If this guy has the nerve to say he wont pay anymore for a proper repair or replacement than frankly he is no friend of yours! If any of my friends did anything to my basses the first thing they would do would be pay for it to be proffesionally repaired if it could be, and if not they would pay for a new one. They are all musicians so they completely understand. I say take what he has given you as SCC could be a lot of effort and time, chalk it down to experience and never speak to the pr*ck again. If he truly is your friend he will do what he needs to (buy you a new bass, or pay fro proper repair) to get back into your good books and mend the damage. If he doesn't well he's a tw*t and it's one less idiot you have in your life. Sorry got a bit wound up for you then, not usually that agressive but broken gear and irresponsible people make my blood boil.

I agree 300%. Michael has been a true Gent to deal with and I have a dream bass, all thanks to Basschat. Cheers all, Nathan

I thought I would just leave some feedback for The Shrek aka Michael after recently buying his Overwater. I could rabbit on for ages but simply put Michael is a true gentleman. It has been great chatting to him about basses etc throughout the whole process, he answered all my questions quickly and best of all he gave me a fantastic deal on an even more fantastic bass. Delivery was unbelievably fast and the bass was exactly as described. Simply a top man, a top instrument, and credit to basschat. This is why I love doing business here. Many thanks, Nathan

Now thats what you call a lovely pair of P's. Gotta say though, that some hardcore flightcase filth righ there, need to get me one of those. Congrats.