4 Strings

Is Glasto still called a Rock Festival? Kool, Streets, Beyonce, we're rocking out! Ok, Queens of the Stoneage now

Here's a thought. Fenders have poured out 10s of thousands of guitars every year, hundreds knocked out each day, probably the largest manufacturer in the world. Their basses are designed for mass production not for luthier workmanship. The choice of woods is based on world market prices and ability to deliver enormous orders by the tonne to certain addresses in the States, Mexico, Japan and Korea. The organisation makes decisions based on maximum return on investment of its shareholders. Your local luthier will be buying very small quantities of wood, each lump individual and eventually selected for each project. The properties of each type of wood would certainly be known by him, assuming a he's a good one - its his business after all - and carefully crafted into his product. Decisions are based on his reputation and, of course, to make a profit for himself, but reputation will be everything. From which source are you more likely to find the magic, the guitar with the fabulous sound, the one you can't put down, the one that shows the best effect of the wood? Are Fender products really so individual, so mystical, so dependant on wistful things such as age, years of vibrations. Why aren't those made in Mexico considered as such? Why not Squiers, they've been around for 30 odd years or more, aren't they becoming old and magical? Or is it only the US factory that can cast such a spell? (Just to show I'm not bias, I have 4 Leo products in regular use and one from a small luthier)

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='1283269' date='Jun 26 2011, 07:45 PM']Nope.... I've had my Precision 32 years, and my Acoustic rig 31. No doubt it still sounds the same as it did in 1980, but that suits me just fine. I now own several basses and an Ashdown rig. TBH, I doubt that I would be able to tell whats what in a blind listening test, some people might, but not me, my ears aren't that good! All I know is, that I like my old bass and my old amp, and that I liked them when I bought them![/quote] I've had my Jaydee for getting onto 30 years, it started sounding better to me when I thought that it was becoming an old guitar and so would sound better. No idea what the comparison to new would be, my playing has progressed in that time.

[quote name='PauBass' post='1282943' date='Jun 26 2011, 12:41 PM']Of course electronics, pickups preamp play a major part in the sound of the instrument but wood also affects the tone. I mentioned Warwick basses because, at least to my ears, they sound really woody and I don't think that's down to the electronics. If you were to have the same set of electronics in another bass it wouldn't sound as a Warwick, would it? I think I was quite clear when I said "I'm not sure what it is, wood, time...." Again I'm not trying to convince anyone, if "yes" or "no" is going to be down to each person, I just said what I think from my own experience.[/quote] Do they sound 'woody' because they have a nice, open pore wood finish? Bit like maple fingerboards sounding bright because they are a light colour?

If you can afford it, go for it, great value and it will be beautiful. I agree that these are suitable for certain sounds and not others, I've had my Roadie 1A for nearly 30 years, the bass control is almost always turned 90% up. Did some recording and some was rejected due to the bass sound. It was this which caused me to buy a Pre-EB Stingray and, boy what a difference, effortless power. However, it can't do the complex Jaydee sound and the neck on the Jaydee is so fast. Its a bass which is full of life and kind of strains on the lead if you see what I mean, no stodge or thud here.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1281308' date='Jun 24 2011, 05:52 PM']The reason old ones do sound better is due to attrition. Bad sounding basses get parted out and modified and suchlike, good sounding ones get kept.[/quote] Kind of true, (certainly is about cars) but not too many Fender basses get junked. They can be fiddled with and improved over the years, but even allowing for pickup magnets to change etc doesn't account for the excellent comment someone else made about the guitar sounds on some old recordings being fabulous. Just been to see the Fellowship up at the Chelmsford Bassment - the Guthrie Govan/Zac Barrett weekly meander - and the stand-in guitarist was using a pedal board run by his Mac and two Mackenzie powered wedges for amps. The days of wood, valves etc seemingly on the way out.

I didn't say all old basses have old strings, just that the OP said his had old flats. Yep, believe everything a celebrity says, they know everything. [quote name='paul h' post='1281032' date='Jun 24 2011, 02:28 PM']First of all every new bass I have ever played has had crap strings on it. Also the idea that new basses all have new strings on them and old basses all have old strings on them is , actually I don't what it is. 100% wrong? And I am not sure why your opinion is more valid than MM's. Mmm. Who to believe, random internet stranger, or top class professional bass player? Tough call.[/quote]

Did you notice his techie pressing his pedal buttons for him? [quote name='PURPOLARIS' post='1281660' date='Jun 24 2011, 11:23 PM']I'm sure I saw the Edge use the same guitar over two songs, his techie is for the axe tomorrow.[/quote]

Back to the OP - Its the strings! These have the largest effect on the sound and he has very old flats. If there's a blind test with three similar basses then he has to use the same strings. Its absolutely impossible to tell the difference between such subtleties as tone woods on an electric bass with such steamroller sonic effects from different strings. All new basses will sound more brittle/brassy/thin (enter adjective here) than an old war horse as they'll have new strings. Also I would willingly tell Marcus Miller he's wrong about maple fingerboards sounding brighter. They look it, definitely, but its impossible for them to sound brighter as the wood is softer and less dense than rosewood. Similarly ebony, being darker is supposed to be warmer but its properties are harder and more dense and so will sound brighter (remember those aluminium necked travesties in the 80s?) Perception is everything. As someone else posted, an old guitar is going to sound great as soon as its known to be old. I don't get the soaked in vibrations thing either, certainly not for mass produced lumps of wood an inch thick.

Interestingly, his last comment is that he 'needs to cut the excess strings'. I'm sure he's talking about bits hanging of the tuners. Isn't he?

This is a beautiful musical instrument, but why is it considered to be a bass though?

So if I stand one vertically I get a more even horizontal dispersion. What if I stack the other next to it, does it all go to pot? I know the effect of lifting a speaker to be nearer my head for better monitoring, I've even had 'dummy' bottom cabs (ended up too boomy so got left unplugged). Its boominess I'm trying to avoid.

Your car interior is full of electronics far more complex and sensitive than a a bass cab, and materials more delicate than paper cones (it even includes paper cones in the car speakers). None of them suffer from being part of a car. Unless your car leaks onto your cabinet or you leave the windows open there's no difference to it being anywhere else. A shed would be different.

For those that remember this little journey, I've used that little cab with its tweeter rather than a port for a while, now. Just for fun - and coz I was after a more soulful bass sound - I swapped it back to being a port. Now I've got used to the 'sealed' sound I can detect changes. It sounds great, for the deeper notes anyway. Rather impressive low end. The comments about rumble from hand movements on the strings etc are true and I have to avoid that (good for technique anyway) or the speaker waves around. I lift the bottom end a bit on the amp, as before, due to the cab size and I get a lovely, rich tone. Its not a loud rehearsal so I have yet to push it to its max but its good I haven't needed to. Just wanted to say that the difference in sound is marked and I now prefer the deeper, ported sound for what I need. Definitely punchier when sealed, can't conclude if one is louder or not. Thought it might be interesting to some. Would still like to play with other holes and tubes, maybe one day!

I have 2 Hartke 2.5s (2x10 + a 5 - amazing little cabs!) and have yet to use them together but likely to at the w/e. Someone mentioned about dispersement and how speakers behave differently if one above the other compared to one beside the other. Can 'someone' (or indeed 'anyone') explain this again, please? With two similar cabs, will there be any difference stacking them side by side or vertically? 4x10 either way but spit vertically or horizontally. The cab has a long horizontal port at the bottom. Not sure I need dispersement but trying to avoid boominess as a bassy tone is preferred with this band. Any help greatly appreciated.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1264412' date='Jun 10 2011, 09:35 PM'][b]M[/b]usic[b]i[/b]an [b]S[/b]tung on e[b]B[/b]ay Would work with the EB font well IMO, Go for it Jose [/quote] Yep, good one EBay (in Ernie Ball) Mustbe Stingy

s/h is the way to get what you want without paying new money. However, it depends what you're after, people have reasons for buying new or s/h, if you want a new bass then you should buy one (after all if we all bought s/h there'd be no new ones!). While the comments about setting up etc are all true, from the enthusiasm in your post it seems to me its the American Standard you should buy as things like guitars are all about satisfaction and perception. If you're unhappy about the cheaper one later on, for any tiny reason, you'll not like it and regret your decision. You're more likely to grow to love the bass you want than another one. Also - it has a maple fingerboard! Great you're buying from your local shop. Can you get them to knock the price at all?

Four piece alternative/rock band The FiftyFours are searching for a new bassist ages between 16-19, currently residing in the greater London area towards essex. Influences include The Smiths, The Strokes, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Arctic Monkeys. Give us a shout if you fancy a chat about it To hear our music, head to www.thefiftyfours.bandcamp.com or watch us on youtube at [url="http://www.youtube.com/thefiftyfoursmusic#p/u/0/3x-k2n5jtvE"]http://www.youtube.com/thefiftyfoursmusic#p/u/0/3x-k2n5jtvE[/url] and check out the vlog if you have time Look forward to hearing from you soon! Thanks very much

Am I allowed this one, bit obvious but still a great bass intro. Changed my life anyway. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZvJA5jtSlQ&feature=related"]Stanley Clark - School Days[/url] You need to buzz on about a minute on this one

Why would your bass get damaged at a pub gig? Of course any use puts it at risk and so regular gigs means lots of use/risk. Depends how much you like playing your fancy bass and how important getting a dig on the bass you use is. I must admit I don't risk my fave bass for a lot of rehearsal and practice etc but I always use it for performance (even pubs) coz I love it so much. If it gets a little nick, well its there to serve me not the other way round.

... Or you could do this, apparently it helps [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Jazz-Bass-vintage-relic-road-worn-Squier-squire-/270745337252?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f09adfda4#ht_757wt_1113"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Jazz-Bass-vin...4#ht_757wt_1113[/url]

I must admit to being a bit cynical about how the finish of a body can 'let the sound out' and how a rosewood fingerboard sounds warmer than a maple one, but the wood used for the neck and body definitely makes a difference. I'm wondering whether you could try some A/B tests with another bass that doesn't sound so dull acoustally through your lead/amp/speakers with you fingers/playing/style. I doubt that they manage to use the best woods with a Squier for the price but I have yet to play a nasty one apart from an early ply bodied example. Try an A/B test to see what the difference is, you may find it less than you thought or it wiull give you a better idea as to what's up.

Yeah, but what a mouse! I must admit I find the mickey taking out of this fun as to me a fifth string is one too many so these multi-multi string excesses - almost always from the US, the land of excesses, are anathema to me. However, there are all sorts of musical instruments around the world and its difficult to criticise them. I just wonder that these are still called a 'bass'. Should there be another name (no, not a Pratbass, however apt it might seem)? [quote name='Delberthot' post='1229265' date='May 12 2011, 08:16 PM']I almost got chased to the hills for saying that Jaco's playing sounded like a bunch of cats fighting over a rubber mouse. Well it does [/quote]