ikay

Godin A4/A5 SA? Would be interesting to be able to demo synth access. Marleaux is another brand I'd like to see.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1353165173' post='1872306'] I was wondering if the difference in action between the Lakland and your 72 Fender could be to do with the difference in the fret work on each bass as well as the radius? [/quote] Yes, I'm sure the fretwork does also have something to do with it. The JO4 has an exceptional neck (it's an early one from 2002 so pre Plek - in my view a positive!). The '72 still has its original frets and has been played a lot in its life. A classic workhorse bass with all the associated mojo. The frets have been dressed a few times and are getting a bit low. It's a great player but does require a slightly more forgiving action the the JO. I had a Noel Redding Jazz until a couple of years ago which also had a 7.25" neck. This had narrow vintage frets which were in very good shape but the neck still needed a little more relief and a slightly higher action than the JO. Basic geometry comes into play here. The narrow nut on a Jazz means the strings are splayed out towards the bridge (a little more than on a Precision). The top and bottom strings in particular are therefore running at quite an angle to the centreline of the neck. Doing this on a neck with a small fixed radius means that the outer strings will choke/buzz (around the middle part of the neck) if the action is too low. The larger the fingerboard radius and the more parallel the strings (ie. wider the nut), the lower the action will go before choking/buzzing. A compound radius also helps with a low action.

I have a 72 J with 7.25" radius and a Lakland JO4 with 10" radius. By way of comparison, I can feel that the '72 has a slightly more curved board but in general terms I find them both as comfortable to play. The bigger radius and flatter board is a bit more comfortable when playing further up the board and above the 12th fret. I can also get a lower and faster action on the JO than the '72. As I like a fairly low action with very little neck relief my general preference is for a larger radius (10"-16"). Having said that the '72 suits a more medium action and the 7.25" radius somehow feels 'right' on a bass of this vintage. All other things being equal though, If I was buying a 'modern' bass I'd go for the bigger radius.

Just sold my Epi Allen Woody to Etienne. Absolute pleasure to do business with. Thanks Etienne and enjoy the bass!

Taken from the FAQ at www.professorstring.com: [b]"Why are some bass strings tapered?[/b] There are two popular theories that suggest a tapered design is better than non-tapered. The first theory suggests that having too much mass at the string's fulcrum point (the bridge saddle) effects performance, particularly stability and clarity. In theory, tapering eliminates the problem. The second theory suggests, by eliminating the windings from seating on the saddle, tuning performance can be improved. In theory, tapering also eliminates this problem. Is any of this true?...you be the judge." A tad inconclusive I have to admit! I don't use them regularly myself but on the occasions I have I've found the string to ring a bit more clearly than non-tapered. Perhaps something to do with the tapered part giving a cleaner break angle over the saddle.

If the neck is already straight then don't tightem the trussrod to try and bring the action down. Is it a set neck or a bolt on? If it's a bolt on then the first thing to try would be shimming the neck. If it's a set neck then, as the action is high at the top end of the board, the best place to try and adjust it lower would be to file down the saddle. Not hard to do, just make a line indicating how much you want to take off and do it in small steps. Make sure you file the bottom of the saddle on a dead flat surface (the bottom of the saddle needs to be flat to make good contact with the under saddle transducer). Can you post a close up pic of the bridge/saddle? This will give a better idea of how much adjustment you might be able to get at that end.

As a guide, this one was up for sale on this forum last year for £150 - http://basschat.co.uk/topic/135150-ibanez-rs940-sold/

simenschi, the Allparts screws are standard 1 1/2" length. If you're in the UK drop me a pm with your address and I'll post you a couple of longer 1 3/4" screws. You should only need them for the G and D strings.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1351686710' post='1854115'] [url="http://www.bunkerguitars.com"]Still working for me[/url] [/quote] Hmm, so it is! Bit wierd, wasn't working earlier, maybe the server just dropped out for a bit.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1351677942' post='1853970'] Here's another one, the 'floating neck' used by Treker and Henman. [/quote] This uses the Bunker tension free neck mentioned above. The old bunkerguitars.com website seems to be dead so I guess they've now teamed up withTreker.

[quote name='decify123' timestamp='1351623464' post='1853428'] Hello! I know this is a very old thread but is there any chance anyone could direct me to the Fender pdf listed in Ikay's comment above? Im a final year engineering student and research into alternative neck reinforcement is my final year project. Thanks. [/quote] PM'd

Mackie SRM450s? Good quality kit and built to last. Been gigging mine (older V1 models) for over 10 years and still going strong.

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1351555846' post='1852696'] Buy the guitarist a working tuner. [/quote] +1 haha nothing like the guitarist tuning themselves to a randomly selected string to mess with your head on fretless

"Norm Stockton: When I’m slapping, my fingers have a tendency to get stuck under the strings if there’s too much room between the string and the top of the bass. I guess I have bony fingers! :^) So I’ve had all of my basses that I use for slapping fitted with a thin piece of wood (wenge) to reduce that distance." Basically similar to a regular ramp but not quite so close to the strings to allow a little more room for thumbing/popping. Concept is the same - to achieve a more even playing action. Here's a pic of a Nordstrand with a regular ramp (between pups) and a slap ramp (between pup and neck). The slap ramp is set slightly lower than the regular ramp. [attachment=122245:ramps.jpg] Here's a pic of a graduated slap ramp built into the end of the fretboard on a Status Kingbass [attachment=122244:Status Kingbass slap ramp.jpg]

Four bolt neck and no truss rod wheel which I reckon makes it pre 1990. A few more pics would help and serial number would confirm

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1351013387' post='1846246'] Just replace the stock pups with DiMarzio Model J's wired internally in series - or put a mini switch on them & get parallel too - they sound great in both modes. [/quote] Here's a useful review of the Model Js which gives more detail on the coil configuration and series/parallel switching. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/165194-dimarzio-model-j-dp123/ Separate series/parallel switching for neck and bridge pups should give loads of tonal flexibility and looks like a great option to me. Tempted to try it myself.

How do you mean add a P to a J? If you want to keep both Jazz pups with standard spacing then adding a P pup will overlap with the J neck pup. If you move the P towards the bridge to fit between the Js then it won't sound like a P anymore. The Fender Stu Hamm Urge has two Js and a P but I don't think any of them are in standard positions. [attachment=121866:J + P bass.jpg]

[quote name='mart' timestamp='1350575997' post='1840795'] If it's the resonant frequency, then it'd be the same wherever you played that same note, right? [/quote] No, not necessarily. Different resonant frequencies occur in different places along the neck. A dead spot is where the frequency of the fretted note coincides with the antinode of the resonant frequency of the neck at that exact point (or very near). Fretting a note of the same frequency somewhere else on the neck (on a different string) may not result in a dead spot as the resonant frequency of the neck at that point may be different or the position of that fret may not be so close to the antinode. This article explains it much better than I can - [url="http://www.acoustics.org/press/137th/fleischer.html"]http://www.acoustics.../fleischer.html[/url]

[quote name='Torben Hedstrøm' timestamp='1350488529' post='1839599'] I could probably just raise the action and get rid of it, but I really like my action nice and low. [/quote] Would be worth trying this. If the dead spot does disappear when you raise the action then it's most likely just a slight imperfection with the flatness of the fingerboard (which is relatively easy luthier fix) rather than a dead spot due to structural resonance in the neck (which isn't!).

Excellent, good to hear it's sorted!