Kongo

[quote name='Musky' post='500952' date='May 29 2009, 02:28 PM']The Hoppus and Dirnt are both Mexican models aren't they? From what I've read on these forums (I've never played one myself) the MIMs are pretty variable, so If they're what you're looking at you really need to play the one you're going to buy. As for variable build quality, when it comes to Fenders it's not so much the name on the headstock as when and where it was built. Plenty of reports on the Mexican ones and the US ones have had their moments over the years (notably the late 70s/early 80s). Japanese models seem pretty consistent since they started though.[/quote] +1 I GAS over a USA Jazz Deluxe V but one I played had a raised fret and it put me off somewhat.

[quote name='NJE' post='500881' date='May 29 2009, 01:20 PM']Good stuff definately check one out. I am actually thinking about a scratch plate on mine but going without the bell plate. i am also going to get some vintage style jazz bass knobs to replace the chrome ones and maybe even put a pickup cover over the neck pickup. Hopefully getting the aguilar put in today but i am losing the switch in favour of making it an actice passive swith as I never really had a need for it. Its also going down to 2 band because I hate stacked knobs for starters and also I loved the 2 band on my old musicman so much. Its a great bass for modding and fiddling with. I am going for a kinda Alleva Coppolo look on a budget. Some of the chaps on talkbass have these and wipe the names off them as they are ashamed for some reason. I fly the flag high, Squier are producing fantastic instruments at the moment and many of them out perform the new fenders, certainly some of the new MIM. I know what you mean with the 4/1 headstock too, so much prettier than the 5 in a row fenders. Hoping to pick up some secondhand hipshots to go on mine though as it is a heavy bass. Good luck though and if you get one and add the guard and bell plate let us all know, i personally would love to see it.[/quote] I also fly the flag high! My first "proper" bass as it were was a Peavey Grind 6...not an expensive bass, quite cheap but better than normal cheap. I played it live with Abyass all the time and bassists would ask me what the hell it was...the sound was in the fingers... Even now, I can play most difficult songs and have been playing for a bout 7-8 years and currently I favour my Squier Jazz V over my Ibanez BTB's...And I'll fly the name high! Anyways, if you scrub the name off of a Squier Deluxe Jazz V you scrub off the paint...it's matching painted headstock...What fool would do that? I've also seen people buy the Squier VM Jazz and put a Fender transfer on it...worse be that they'd sell it as a Fender later!!! People are so much on names they forget what counts...That why my project basses are always nameless, then they concentrate on what counts and not on my headstock. But I'd keep the Squier on this even if it wasnt matching painted, there's something about the Squier name I like to fly. The 4/1 does look better...plus the headstock is normal and not elongated like the 5 in a line, giving it that classic look. I would also put some classic Fender knobs on, or something nice, I hate knurled crome. That active / Passive switch sounds like a G&L in the making. I think I'll leave mine though as I wanna find a use for that switch...or maybe turn it into something else. The only thing is, I NEVER use active EQ...never found a use for it so they'll stay flat but the cost isn't high so it's not a waste...might find a use one day though. And yes, Squier are pushing hard on Fender MIM at the moment BUT...have you noticed since Squier pushed with this Fender lost their entry level Jazz V? You have to buy the Deluxe now to get in @ £550+...So I feel maybe Squier ARE Fender MIM quality with a different badge.

[quote name='bumfrog' post='500927' date='May 29 2009, 02:04 PM']I had a friend who was sacked from a band for being too fat, because it didn't fit their image. Bearing in mind they were playing in pubs....!!!!!! Also seen people sacked for offering to play with other people, or one person got sacked because they had a go at the vocalist because he kept turning up late to stuff.[/quote] Yep! In my search to make a new band with my friend we found that, no offense to anyone here, musicians can be a right waste of time, backstabbing and inconsistant. In the end the band became of the same members minus one and plus another from the one that split and we've never been better! So maybe find a band with friends, people who understand and respect YOU and you do the same back. Because a human doesn't care about YOU and only themself you could get sacked easily. But a friend knows you and will understand if somethings up, and when the time comes to kick thier arse in gear, it's done understanably...if you catch me.

[quote name='SteveK' post='500913' date='May 29 2009, 01:53 PM']IME, there are [i]usually[/i] 2 reasons for being sacked: 1. You are a PITA to work with. 2. You're not musically up to the job. Neither can be remedied overnight, so, in that respect there is not much to discuss. Bands don't usually fire musicians for fun. My guess is that this has been building up for a while, you just weren't reading the signs. Text, Letter, Phone call, Face to face....sacked is sacked! Steve[/quote] Actually some do. My friend went to join and band and succeeded. Now he was more telented, musically minded and punctual than thier guitarist current who he was paired with...he then finds out they have "Split" and he was last to know...Fair enough...Then later he checks the myspace and finds they are still active...and they have replace him! In college it happened the same to another friend, college friend not personal. Both he and the 2nd vocalist were asked to leave the band because they wanted to try "different things" only for them to be replaced and the band did the same thing...in fact they even took the parts they wrote. So yeah, some musicians can be damn right mean and childish.

[quote name='Machines' post='500165' date='May 28 2009, 07:17 PM']I love the sound of old school Fenders on classic tracks, I've got a Jazz which gets close enough for me and i'm probably going to get some flats for this cheapie Hohner P Bass my Dad gave me. That said - they don't suit everything ! My Warwick is not going to lose first place in the pecking order in my metal band.[/quote] I've been interested in trying a $$ 5-string myself...I take it it goes well over beefy guitars?

[quote name='Ajoten' post='500801' date='May 29 2009, 12:34 PM']Fat neck one of the main attractions in fact. But want a passive instrument, so the Stingrays are out. This is why I lean somewhat to Fender, as so few other brands do "superior" passive basses.[/quote] +1! Fat necks? Check! Passive...Check! I got so many Actice basses that I play with everything flat...I can't find a use for it if my amp does EQ. Maybe I need a lesson. [quote name='Eight' post='500808' date='May 29 2009, 12:37 PM']Buy a Warwick. I just inadvertently smashed (and I do mean smashed) the chandelier with the headstock of the Vampyre. Not so much as a scratch in the paintwork.[/quote] LOL! I always knew they were the devil in a bass.

OMG he can make these!? You bitch! I was thinking of a J/P/MM config. PLease who me when it's done!!!

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='500038' date='May 28 2009, 05:01 PM']Im going to be very interested to see how well that steve bailey jazz 6 sells. with the 18v onboard preamp it wont have a classic passive jazz tone and its extremely expensive for the features on offer. its up again very serious competition in its price bracket.[/quote] I guess it's aimed at the Bassists in similar to Steve Bailey. It's a 6-string in fretted or fretless and it's a Jazz bass...I always dreamed of a 6-string Fender that IS a bass and not a baritone guitar. Not sure how it will sell but there are more expensive basses out there. [quote name='leonshelley01' post='500638' date='May 29 2009, 10:04 AM']In another odd decision, the MIM Jazz V seems to have been discontinued as well, so their "entry" level fiver is now the Active Deluxe Jazz.[/quote] Yeah that sucks...Personally I buy an active bass and then never use it so the passive option was fine to me...Plus the Tone pot smells of another output jack to me. But now the entry level Fender Jazz V is £550! [quote name='NJE' post='500736' date='May 29 2009, 11:50 AM']I remember playing one of those Jazz 24 V basses when they first came out and to be honest I didnt really like it. It just felt quite poorly made for the money and I couldnt get along with the EQ, it just didnt seem to do much. I am not sure whether this was just a one off dud (two fenders are never the same as we know) or if they were all much the same but it just felt a bit nasty. One thing I will say though, I picked up a Squier Deluxe Jazz 5 in black for £150. It doesnt have teh 24 frets but i would seriously reccomend having a try. Mine has absoluteley amazing build quality. The neck pocket is one of the tightest and best fitting I have ever seen, the fretwork is amazing and the neck is a really pretty piece of maple, unbelievable for a cheap bass. of course some of teh parts are not too hot, but I put a badass V on it and am having a Aguilar OBP-2 installed and its just superb, perfect modding project. I have only spent £80 on the preamp and bridge so its still well under fender prices. Anyway happy hunting.[/quote] +1 on that, had already thought of that before as a decent Jazz V to use before I can the Fender. It has an ebanol Fingerboard and no scratchplate (But a 5-string MIM would fit) and you only need to drill a hole for the slap switch on the chrome plate and there you have it, it's not naked anymore! Also it has 4-over-1 config...don't ask why but that floats my boat more than 5 in a line...maybe it's cause I'm more vintage in looks now from my modern mashing? And you can get it all in black...but then won't I have too many in black? The white just doesn't look so good...pah but black works with anything and I only have 1 black bass right now (My built P-bass). I'm using a Squier Jazz V (affinity series) right now because, although A LOT cheaper than my basses I have it feels right for me...sounds good, not as good as the higher priced ones but the Squier Deluxe Jazz V...I've heard people play it and it's awesome...plus I may have use for that slap switch, I feel it will be good for tap lines where sometimes my favoured boosted mids make too boomy. I think I will consider going for this as I have thought for some time...Gotta love the headstock config too...PROPER vintage style. 20 frets will do me for my band, I'd just love to stick to one or a couple of basses for a change and actually age them. So yeah, I'll have a look soon into the Squier (names don't bother me) and work on it. Oh BTW about the Fender 24, some folks did say they are "Hit and Miss" so maybe you found a dud? But the later series, when the 5-string and Stealth Black came in did up the bar to consistancy.

[quote name='gafbass02' post='500635' date='May 29 2009, 10:03 AM']I must admit the amount of cone excursion does worry me, but I've never wanted for volume. I do miss the big stack though, except at load in/outs lol[/quote] So it wasn't me...that's good. Still, when I say loud I mean output at 1/2 way on a Markbass SD800...which I do kinda miss...So not really loud.

[quote name='foal30' post='498495' date='May 27 2009, 08:25 AM']well the Boss PQ-3B is on my pedal board and I think 5 string bass means 15" speakers. potentially not as cheap a solution as a blanket under your cabinet though.[/quote] I run 5 and 6-string through 10" speakers. More than enough boom on modern 10"'s you don't need size for bass and I'm against some mean de-tuned guitars.

[quote name='bumfrog' post='500687' date='May 29 2009, 11:14 AM']because anybody with an ounce of decency wouldn't sack somebody over email. imho of course [/quote] LOL! That's the modern age of spinlessness you see...WHy bother telling it to someones face when you can use technology to tell them over distance. It's as bad as the old chestnut of being dumped over a text in the old days of school.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='500481' date='May 29 2009, 12:43 AM']+1 on the SVT-3....could not get it to sound like it was cutting through without the vol being really high. Orange amps 'sounds' so loud. It must be just in the design...the cabs and the voicing perhaps? i did a lot of research on the RV heads, and the 100watt version is just insanely loud![/quote] Yeah I had the output at 3/4 way (yikes) and the input no more than 1/2 way as it would clip...and I ran it through my Trace Elliot 1048H cab...the cab was just laughing at how piss weak this "Profession" head was...Turning the volume dial a little bit did nothing...it felt like a trickle! And these are the amps so many bassists I like use!? Also the tone I got from either using the graphic or parametric mids was just a fart box smush...My bass sounded like cardboard! No way of getting clear highs or tight lows or punchy mids...just cardboard! I spose that's why Orange are so expensive...you don't get as much wattage as with other companies BUT you get the volume and tone. From the heads I've been using I've gotten used to A LOT of wattage...Like the Markbass SD800...now THAT'S power. But getting volume from low wattage...Peavey did this with the old amps and I think they still do now (Not tried the Tour Series yet) yet at a low price. But yeah, high wattage does not mean high volume...it's just an indication of headroom to me.

I didn't get mine to increase sustain, only as a huge and heavy anchor for my strings. It beats my other bridges.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='500083' date='May 28 2009, 05:34 PM']Agreed, but the Orange idea of watts always 'seems' MUCH louder than you think. I love all the Orange gear, whether it be Bass or Guitar. Mostly made in UK, nearly all tube gear, awesome colour and style. [/quote] +1 TBH, volume is not all Watts. From an old forum I was told once that doubling your watts from 300 to 600 only increases volume by 3db...That's nothing! There's so much more than watts to volume...Tonight I was using an Ampeg SVT-3...not my choice...and it was quieter than my Laney home head!!! Had to push it so damn hard to get any level...and I tried everything I'd normally do. Same goes with Peavey...I'm not a great fan but they have some serious volume!!!

[quote name='yorick' post='500234' date='May 28 2009, 08:38 PM']As of today i am no longer the bass player in my (ex)main band. Apparently, i've been made the scapegoat for the bands inability to "reach the next level". The rest of the band have been talking about it for ages without my knowledge!!!!! Basically according to the email, "we think you've been unhappy for a while.....". Was i asked? Was i feck. "We'll be playing FLASHIER songs....." Was i asked to work them out, or if i was able to play them? Errrr, no. The only bit that had a ring of truth was about my reluctance to wear better stage wear and wigs. Even this was never mentioned, as in "Nige, we'd like you to make a bit more effort in your onstage appearance". FFS, it's a Van Halen/Dave Lee Roth tribute, where the emphasis is on the frontman. Not a full blown Kiss tribute!!(Sorry Gary....) And they got the drummer (who's the nicest guy in the whole world) to phone me up to explain the band's point of view............. excuse the shouting.. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rant over.[/quote] Sounds like it was a band of ponces anyways...Your better off without. I hate it when bands say that, not happened personally but I hear about it all the time. They want to play "Flashier songs"? Don't make me laugh! It's funny when bands say that when really they ain't playing anything harder than before...it's an easy way to kick someone down!

The 2 pup Stingrays do kick ass. You get that Stingray tone with added low mids. I GASed on an Ibanez BTB405qm that used to be my mates brothers...we jammed and I played it...it was awesome...found out he was selling it the next day...MINE! Now I........don't play it so much.............shame but I still love it.