Soulfinger

[quote name='Neil H' post='189285' date='Apr 30 2008, 11:01 PM']Soulfinger, thanks, big difference in the prices. Is the 57 worth the extra? I can afford it if it is worth it.[/quote] Hm... I have played a couple of Classics and two 57 Reissues. Personally, I wouldn´t pay that much more for the US version. The Classics are great basses and very well made. The US reissues may have a slightly more complex, richer sound - but in the end (= band situation), these subtleties will probably not be audible anyway... BTW I opted for the best of both worlds IMHO, a MIJ 57. These have slightly slimmer necks though.

Re. Tony Wilson (1950-2007): "Hating Jazz is hazardous to your health." - Soulfinger (*1967) + 1 on Kenny Wheeler, one of my favourite musicians. I´m currently enjoying Spiros Exaras World Jazz Ensemble - Phrygianics (Matt Garrison on bass). Brilliant.

[quote name='Beedster' post='189835' date='May 1 2008, 05:44 PM']It was only a Jazz so it doesn't matter. Now, if you'd sold one of your proper basses I'd have been worried Chris[/quote] Took the words right out of my mouth!

The 50s Classic P will be your best best. These have the widest, chunkiest necks of the current Ps (other than probably the Vintage ´57 reissues which are much more expensive).

I got to play one at my shop - it really sounded exactly like the one in the vid (even with me at the wheel ). The funny thing is - I still don´t think the B string sounds all that hot. Plus to me the sound lacked the typical throaty, gritty, growly P-Bass vibe I´m used to from my 4-strings. Maybe it´s the wider neck, I dunno. Some might actually prefer the sound. Still, it´s a great bass, and I loved workmanship, fit and finish (oly white, yeah!) - it was absolutely flawless. The glossy headstock and satin finished neck are a nice touch, as is the tort plate. And it was really light and comfortable. Fender seem to really have their act together these days.

Oh no! They put the bridge pickup in the wrong place!

[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='179253' date='Apr 17 2008, 09:42 PM']To rub it in further I think [b]Jim Keltner [/b]was his drummer that day.[/quote] Now I hate you too.

The Jags I tried did nothing for me, and they were noisy, too. I´d much rather have your Cort - it looks lush and I´m sure it sounds fine as well. BTW, here´s a fellow Basschatter putting his Cort to good use: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6wG71TR2_0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6wG71TR2_0[/url]

In a recent fit of Anti-GAS (brought about by the acquisition of a seriously wonderful MM SUB Sterling) I sold three Fenders and a Yamaha. Just when I thought I had everything under control, a tax return came my way - and the opportunity to buy a pair (!) of Jazz basses for a very reasonable price. Now what am I to do? Good grief, it never ends...

@york5stringer: Looking forward to your review! I got to see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings two years ago here in Vienna and let me tell you - they are the real deal! Be prepared for a breath-taking, fantastic old-school soul review à la James Brown. That band is tighter than a gnat´s a**hole during mating season. Bosco Mann is not only the bass player but the musical director for the band, and he´s doing a hell of a job. Top player as well, with a great fat, greasy, groovy sound. Unless he changed gear recently, he plays a 1969 short-scale Carvin with two pickups and old, worn rounds.

[quote name='thedarxide' post='172014' date='Apr 8 2008, 09:45 AM']The final thing is, I can't figure out what all the knobs do!! There's definently vol/tone for each pickup, but it seems like the one on it's own is the tone for the bridge, and the one in the middle seems to be some kind of intermediate tone, but there's no cap on the pot and it seems quite subtle. Weird.....[/quote] If it´s the generic super-cheap Chinese onboard pre-amp, it should be volume and blend (on top) and a 3-band EQ with the mid control, as you say, doing next to nothing.

[quote name='tauzero' post='170085' date='Apr 5 2008, 01:35 AM']What I don't understand with all this going on about his chops is that no-one seems to have noticed that the songs were utter, utter sh*te. (...) Estelle - anonymous formulaic crap.[/quote] A huge + 1 from me. I can´t watch the BBC program as I´m not in the UK, but two of Estelle´s songs from that show are on Youtube now. Uargh. What a waste of time. As for the bass player, I could hardly hear him. Crappy middly burpy sound that got lost in the mix. I´m sure he can play but I don´t care.

I take it you don´t play a Spitfire, then?

The ashtrays on my P. Not only are they utterly useless but they actually get in the way because I can´t pluck in the sweet spot directly over the pickup. But they look soo cool...

I like that disclaimer: "Nigel uses a technique he calls Rhythmsync where he confesses, notes are an optional extra!" AFAIK he´s the one who played all the sound clips on [url="http://www.rotosound.com/"]http://www.rotosound.com/[/url] , including the "theme song".

Funny - I just listened to Khan´s "Eyewitness" album this morning (with the original version of Where´s Mumphrey?). Those live clips sound much groovier though. AJ is a legend, but I can´t really get into him. His sound is not my cup of tea, and his choice of notes seems very abstract, almost painfully cerebral sometimes. I dunno, sort of like playing chess on a bass...

I like (and own ) all kinds of basses but nothing, rpt.: nothing beats a good P in a band context. HW1 strung with flats, MIJ with rounds, CIJ Mustang with rounds. Thump, growl, punch, clarity, pure sonic satisfaction, it´s all there.

I bet a custom gig bag for that beast willl cost you more than the bass.

The Fish - Yes Don´t Give Up - Peter Gabriel Money - Pink Floyd Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles Stratus - Billy Cobham Cantaloupe Island - Herbie Hancock Runaway - Jamiroquai Soul Man - Sam & Dave Reach Out - Temptations Boogie On Reggae Woman - Stevie Wonder ...

I found that D´Addario Chromes have pretty much the same tension than their XLs one size bigger, i. e. a set of Chromes in 40-95 feels like a set of XLs in 45-100 (to me anyway). Chromes sound fantastic BTW. Fender flats, however, have really nasty tension. I had the ML set in 50-100 and thought they were excessively stiff. Plus they didn´t sound half as good as the Chromes to me. YMMV, of course.

Bassists that played at their peak in the 70s and haven´t been mentioned yet (I think): - Nate Phillips (Pleasure) - Wilbur Bascomb (Jeff Beck, Hair soundtrack) - Byron Miller (Herbie Hancock, George Duke...) - Doug Rauch (Santana) - Ross Valory (1st edition of Journey)

I got to try this unit recently and was very disappointed. No real volume and a very indistinct, muddy sound. To be honest, I wouldn´t even want it for home practice. It looks cool, but soundwise there are lots of better amps out there IMHO.

I can vouch for the 62RI with US pickups I had for a while. It had all a good P should have - thump, growl, warmth, punch, the lot. I sold it back to the original owner because a) he missed it badly and b) it sounded almost identical to my US HW1 P so I couldn´t really justify keeping it. I still have my maple board 57RI MIJ. These basses deliver.

Holy cow! I was about to post something about in-ear monitors but after seeing the pics of your bass, the problem is obvious: You need to get rid of that P ASAP! I´ll take it off you anytime, no problem. No really, cheapest option for now would be to try the original pickup and see if it helps any. Good luck!