Starless

I have a couple of these connectors which I keep in my 'odds'n'sods' spares bag for emergencies (in case anyone else in the band has a problem). I don't like using them myself as I worry that pressing pedals and having two connected so rigidly could introduce problems with the sockets after a while or cause stress in the connector. Best to have short patch leads (6") so that any movement in one pedal is not directly transmitted to the adjoining pedal.

There is no 'hit or miss' with Japanese Quality Control (as you would expect). I have a '62 re-issue which was half the price of a USA model and I just can't fault it. As with Rickenbackers, USA Fenders seem to have a premium added because of some ill-conceived perception over the years that they are 'the best', but Fender Japan produce identical models which are immaculately finished. Rather than pick up a USA Jazz, why not spend the same amount of money on a Jap Jazz and a Precision to keep it company.

I was a Rickenbacker nut for years, but have now off-loaded the last 2 that I owned. Several reasons, the main one being I discovered the Fender Jazz Bass. I can make my Jazz sound like a Ric, but can't do the trick the other way round. The previously noted contempt for their customers, the shoddy Quality Control, and the fact that any famous Ric player through history has only really played them as a passing fad (McCartney, Roger Waters, Geddy Lee etc etc) leads me to finally believe that they really are not special and are now shockingly over-priced for what you actually get (even one that has managed to escape the factory relatively defect-free). It's the Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle for the noughties. Living on past glories and bumping up the prices to 'cool demand' rather than produce enough instruments. Anyone wanting to part with £1500 or upwards really should hold it, play it and inspect every last detail before parting with any cash (even a deposit). If you had ordered a 4003 in 2007 after having a shot of a friend's new one, you will now be receiving a 4003 with a completely different (fatter) neck profile from the one your mate has. You might like it, you might not - tough sh*t amigo - Ric will do what they like and have you pay through the nose for the priviledge of owning a 'classic'. But you have to ask - a classic what? Long live Leo!

[quote name='Clarky' post='505409' date='Jun 4 2009, 12:39 PM']Also does anyone make a credible P-bass fretless, as I prefer P necks to J necks?[/quote] Those nice people at Fender made them in the 70s, and thankfully those even nicer Fender people in Japan were making them only a few years ago, one of which is my Pride and Joy......