retroman

DR's for me Using their DDT sets on my Les Paul bass, and my Alembic Orion 5. Also using Fat Beams on my Thunderbird.

Used them quite a few times in the past. As bobbass4k said, they are decent enough for the money, but they do seem to go off rather quickly. I've had one set where the E string was rather dull out the packet, and another set where the A string had a wierd piano like tone to it, and way brighter than the other three. To me, they have a much nicer feel than Roto's though.

+1 for the DDT's I have one bass tuned to C, and using the 45-105 set. Also have my 5 string Alembic tuned to low A with DDT's. IMHO, the OP hit the nail on the head

[quote name='farmer61' post='973531' date='Oct 1 2010, 08:13 AM']I think that the decision you'll need to take is whether you fit to the wall with 2 or 3 screws, I went for 3 because I'm a belt and braces type of chap, mind you retroman's have stayed in place so 2 seems to work well enough![/quote] Yeah they even stayed in place when we had that earth tremmor a couple of years ago. It shook the house enough for all the cupboard doors to swing open!

[quote name='lanark' post='973336' date='Sep 30 2010, 11:12 PM']Is this the one?: [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hercules-AutoSwivel-Guitar-Wall-Hanger/dp/B000EEJGRK"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hercules-AutoSwive...r/dp/B000EEJGRK[/url][/quote] Very close. The hangers that I am using are the slightly more expensive ones that mount to the wall with a wooden plinth [url="http://www.herculesstands.co.uk/product/85302/GSP38WB/Hangers/Auto_Grab_guitar_hanger_for_wall_mounting_by_wooden_board%2C_short_arm"]http://www.herculesstands.co.uk/product/85...rd%2C_short_arm[/url]

Big +1 for the Hercules bass hangers. I have ten on the wall at the moment, and not lost a bass yet. Some of them have been up for years

Good call with the Les Paul bass! I have an early 90's Gibson Les Paul bass, with the Bartolini pickups, and pre amp. Sounds huge

I've alway found YouTube to be a great source of entertainment for bad players I think most of you guys have hit the nail on the head

[quote name='BigRedX' post='970430' date='Sep 28 2010, 10:17 AM']For the ultimate in Thundebirdy goodness but with as many improvements as you can make without ruining the vibe have a look at the [url="http://www.mikelull.com/Instruments/T_Series.htm"]Mike Lull T-Bass[/url].[/quote] Oh my gawd, that link has just given me terrible GAS!! :wub:

Big love for the Thunderbird over here at retro towers :wub: IMHO, they have a much darker, deeper sound than the Jazz, with a lot more bottom end, and plenty of growl. The current Thunderbirds balance a lot better than the originals from the 60's and 70's, as the headstock is much smaller. The necks are really skinny, and fast. Headstock dive isn't the big issue that some people would have you believe, as long as you use a really good padded leather strap. Used to have one of the newer ones, currently have a 1976 Bicentennial Thunderbird IV. Make sure you do try before you buy, and check it over carefully before handing over the hard earned.

If it's any help, Dave and the team at Electro Music are a great bunch. I'm sure they would do their best to help, and I'm also sure that there are several others on here who would vouch for them. I bought a set of Delano's for one of my P basses from there.

Have to admit, big love for Alembics :wub: After deliberating for a long while whether to go the 5 string route, I managed to pick up a second hand Alembic Orion. I love it to bits. So easy to play, lovely tone, and the build quality is sublime. The mahogany body has a holographic effect to the wood, and the Zebrano top is stunning. Has very much become my go to bass

Would love to come along to this if you've got space for 'lil 'ol me

[quote name='Lorne' post='959249' date='Sep 17 2010, 11:10 AM']/\ Ah,Gibson and Yamaha,went to the same school of customer relations then LOL My Yamaha Attitude LTD cost a fortune £1200 (I consider that a fortune) in 1992,but they couldn't care less [/quote] Yeap, certainly looks like they did! I really find it very disappointing that some of the major players can have an attitude towards their customers like that. If I spend £1k+ on a guitar I expect it to be really good quality, and if there is a problem, I expect good,prompt, and curtious after sales service. Unfortunately, there does seem to be an air of companies trading on past reputations. I've been quite tempted over the last year or so to have a USA Jazz.. Really tempted by the new 2010 deluxe Jazz V, with the block markers, etc, but too nervous to sink that amount into something again from one of the major players that have had QC issues in the past. In all fairness, never owned a genuine USA Fender, so I am swayed a little by "here say" on that one. What I find quite amazing is that some companies "cheap" brands are more consistent, better made and finished!

Worst experience ever........Gibson Thunderbird IV Ordered new, long wait for it to arrive, and the set up out the box was dreadful. Would have been more use as a bow and arrow. Easily found over 20 faults on the bass, including bits of wood missing out the fret board. The shop I bought it from did their best, But Gibson's aftersales service was shocking. The attitude I got was pretty much that I was lucky to have a new Gibson, and I also got the impression that they wanted me to keep running around after THEM Suffice to say, that is the last time I buy/ order a new Gibson. On the plus side, once the set up issues were resolved, it was lovely to play, and the tone was awesome. Still have a real fetish for vintage Gibsons, and own 3, but it still winds me up if I think about it for too long.......

For a while, back in the 90's, every rock/metal covers band doing the pubs, and clubs where I used to live were playing Metallica's "Enter Sandman".............I renamed the song "Enter Blandband"......

Anything that costs around £1K and upwards, and has average to non existant quality control..................

Stingray's..... The one I had looked stunning, sounded gorgeous, and had beautiful build quality. Problem was the neck profile used to make my left wrist hurt like hell after about 3/4 of an hour Maybe a Stirling would fit the bill

[quote name='BigRedX' post='939478' date='Aug 29 2010, 05:26 PM']For decent short-scale strings try [url="http://www.newtonestrings.com/"]Newtone[/url].[/quote] Thanks for the tip, I'll give them a try

I have a 1967 Gibson EB2 finished in Cherry. All sound advice above. Intonation can be a little awkward to get right, due to bridge design, and also the amount of choice in the string department is rather lacking these days. Some shops carry Rotosound short scale sets. I would love to know of others who make decent short scale sets? Drop tuning is an issue as well! Main reason why mine doesn't get much use any more. Love mine to bits. Love the skinny, short scale neck, and the Baritone circuit is great for blowing the dust out of a speaker cab.....and shaking things to bits! my thoughts on the original questions are; a) seem to turn up on Ebay in fits and starts. There are about 3 on at the moment The going rate "appears" to be around £2,000 - £2500 for a good one. 60's Rivoli's seem cheaper. c) they're huge fun, leight weight, and have some serious bottom end. They are bit of a one trick pony though, and can be fragile. Not really suitable for a player that likes to pull the strings hard either IMHO. +1 for wanting to have a go on a Warwick Star Bass. Hope this helps

10 at the moment, and always room for one more..... Main users now are an Alembic Orion 5 string, and a Les Paul. Some get played occassionally, some sadly seem to get little use these days, as the two bands I am in use drop tuning. In no particular order; Alembic Orion 5 1991 Gibson Les Paul 1977 Gibson Thunderbird Bicentennial 1967 Gibson EB2 1980 Rickenbacker 4001 Ibanez IC200 "Iceman" Squier Jazz bass (modded) Precision bass (modded, and of unknown origin) Squier Precision Special (modded) Aria Legend (my first bass)

DR DDT's Read all the hype on them, and thought "yeah right", but they really do work! I have put a 4 string set on one of mine (45-105) and the 105 does a good job of dropping down to low B! They are on a bass that I usually tune DADG

I'm still up for it

Gibson EB2. With that big chrome Gibson mudbucker, and semi hollow construction, you'll have all the thump you will ever need

No, Don't do it! I think there would be a few problems to be overcome as well. The Ric's have a lacquered finger board, and also the binding goes over the end of the frets. Not to mention it may well devalue the bass somewhat, all though this probably isn't such an issue as it was given to you by a family member. I would suggest get a Squier fretless Jazz, stick some decent pickups in it, and leave the 4003 as Rickenbacker intended