Cosmo Valdemar

I'm a big fan of the BBOT bridge. It does everything it needs to do without any shortcomings that I have ever noticed. If your 50s P has the original bridge it should have the old-style grooved saddles so you can alter the string spacing to some extent if you need to. I too have been down the badass route and ended up disappointed so I went back to the 'inferior' BBOT. The Badass didn't offer any noticably improved tone and I couldn't set the action low enough. As for replacement pickups, if you do want to upgrade I like DiMarzios - not sure of the model name but it has the adjustable hex shaped pole pieces.

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1349177146' post='1822730'] When I got my Jack Casady the bridge was up at an alarming height, but I found I could get it down quite a lot. I'm no engineer, but I would guess those huge studs driven right into the wood would more than compensate for lack of other contact. [/quote] I'm sure it's a sound design, it just looks a bit worrying and illogical. I still want a JC though.

There's an old DeArmond Starfire bass on Ebay at the moment, BIN £400. I used to have one and bitterly regret selling it, it was a very special bass.

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1349196206' post='1823144'] I'd always point someone in the direction of a fender, can't go far wrong with them, you'd prob pick a MIM up for not far off £220.. [/quote] I agree. Or look at the Squier Classic Vibe or Vintage Modified range. I started out when I was 14 (1995!) and back then Squier were little more than entry-level instruments, very good for the money but something you would soon hanker to upgrade from. The CV and VM Squiers are truly superb instruments, not just at the price point either.

I would definitely suggest you go for the Overwater because you already have the Yamaha.

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1349123116' post='1822219'] On a more basic level I hate the music of the Foo Fighters. It has the safey safe production values of Christian rock, the dynamic range of paint drying and the actual emotion and meaning that only minted 40+ guys dressing 20 years too young for their age can attest to. It doesn't help that the only people I know who listen to the Foo Fighters couldn't pick out good music if it was hitting them on the head with a hammer. Want a vaguely punkish AOR playing in the background? Go with the Foos. [/quote] Now be fair, the first couple of albums were great...

Excellent news.

[quote name='[email protected]' timestamp='1348900238' post='1819547'] I play covers of the likes of Priest, Maiden, Saxon, Sabbth, Ozzy etcetera etc. what us the go to effect I must have ? [/quote] To be honest, I don't think you need any effects. Is your sound lacking at all when you play?

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1349023445' post='1820785'] Lovely looking bass mate! But wait... G&L Tribute [i]too complicated[/i]!? Well ok it does have more than 3 controls [/quote] If a passive vol and tone does the job, then three knobs and three switches is overkill for me - especially as I struggled to figure out what most of them did.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1349001190' post='1820452'] Bootiful Agree with Lozz about the scratch plate, I have a Fender Custom Shop Pearl that should have fitted straight on my AV '57, but not all the holes lined up perfect, it wouldn't lay flat. Uncle Horrid does make lovely plates, he's your best bet for a quality replacement. Cheerz, John [/quote] Who is this Uncle Horrid?

Well here's some pics. Phone pics I'm afraid but it's the best I can do at the moment. I've tried to capture the maple figuring on the headstock, without much success - you can just see the stripes along the top edge, but it' far more noticeable in person. Ditto the stripes on the back of the neck.

+1 on the house on stilts comparison. I played a lovely Jack Casady bass today, but the bridge design alarms me, It's about an inch away from the body. Didn't seem to have any negative effect on the tone, but it just seems daft to me to isolate the bridge from the body in such a way. Mind you, this is coming from someone who is perfectly happy with the traditional 'BBOT'.

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the Fender 50s Precision bass. I've been lusting after one for quite a while now, and after selling some bits and bobs on here (and more importantly, getting blessing of the Mrs), I decided to treat myself! My heart was set on the sunburst model but they seemed few and far between - however a call to Guitar Guitar in Epsom bore fruit as they had one. I drove over there this morning to find two out on display, one in black and the other 'honey blonde'. Or babysick as it's sometimes lovingly called. The sunburst had only just arrived so a helpful chap called Sean went off to find it in the stockroom, offering me a go on any of the others while I waited. So I idly got the 'blonde' down and plugged into the Aguilar rig set up. Well, I knew straight away this was the one. Sounded amazing, and that fantastic neck! The maple has an amazing stripe/flame, running all the way up the neck and headstock. It's quite tricky to capture in pictures and reacts differently in light, but it's so beautiful. I had a go on the sunburst but it just didn't feel quite as right. And while there's nothing wrong at all with the usual maple necks, the one on the blonde is just so special. I'm a bit in love, and still amazed I came away with this finish, it looks very odd and a bit drab on the websites but it's very attractive in the flesh (wood?). And the neck profile feels perfect for me - nice and chunky, and wide at the nut, but very cofortable. I think I'm going to change the metal scratchplate though, it feels horrible, like a blackboard. I wince every time I catch my fingernail on it. Maybe black, or a nice dark red tort. I will try to get some pictures up tomorrow. I am very happy. Also, I was extremely impressed with Guitar Guitar. I was expecting a Guitar Centre-style operation, but the place had an extremely relaxed and friendly vibe. I was left to try out anything I wanted, without hassle or dirty looks. Lots of lovely basses in stock, cool staff, it's well worth a visit. I also tried an Epiphone Jack Casady (want one), an Epiphone EB3 (junk), a G&L Tribute (too complicated), and an Ibanez SR505 (felt like a toy, very weak B string, only had a go because I like Dave Pegg). I quite liked the Aguilar too.

Sold my Cataldo JAEbird to Karl. Initially up as a trade but this evolved into a straight sale, no complications along the way at all. Karl is a trustworthy BC'er, I would happily do business with him in the future. CHeers Karl!

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1348661654' post='1816563'] My fave bass tone? This one since the first night I heard it in '78 ............. FF to 2:16 A John Birch custom EB3, with two of the loudest output pickups made at that time thru' an on-board overdrive built by JayDee. Having a 5000+ watt PA style backline, just for his bass probably nudged it along a bit though. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T13cc1DpF7g[/media] Loved it so much I got John to build me one too [/quote] I can't see the clip at work, but I know what it is.

A venue I used to play on the Holloway Road (now a Costa Coffee) had a Mesa Boogie Bass cab. IIRC, it had a 15", a 10", a 6" and a horn. The cab could be used with two heads - one to the 15", the other to the rest - or as one complete cab, which is how I used it. The sound with my Ashdown ABM and a P bass was breathtaking. Sadly Mesa Boogie don't make them anymore.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1348597590' post='1815808'] I love the overdriven crunch of Geddy Lee's tone. [i]Hemispheres[/i] is great for that. [/quote] Hemispheres is actually very clean, for Geddy. It's really just the natural sound of a Rick being played very hard.

[quote name='hatori' timestamp='1348602095' post='1815909'] Felix Papalardi on 'Long Red' live. [/quote] Yes!

Not a track from Red, but a bit of live Crimson that really shows off Wetton's amazing tone - and what an incredible band they were. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lGZQULq07I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lGZQULq07I[/url] Bass prominent at around 3:15.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1347652870' post='1803735'] McVie and Entwhisle aren't fancy players but played Alembic..but yeah, roots on a fancy top is a bit naff. The basses are a bit 'look at me' so you should have a bit of a trick or two...IMO. [/quote] I would never put McVie and Entwistle in the same bass boat, very different players. If you listen to any live Who recordings you'll hear Entwistle playing his balls off throughout. His style was perfectly suited to Alembic, and in my opionion they probably gave him the best vehicle for his tone.

Red by King Crimson. I cannot overstate what an awesome bass album this is. John Wetton's tone is monstrous.

I've long wanted to build a slab replica. I doubt it would be as accurate as yours! I have that Barry Matthews book, I was a little sad that it didn't really shed much light on the supposed 'unique' tone these things were suposed to have. It mentioned it several times but didn't really delve into the cause. Still, never mind eh.