4 Strings

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1384419482' post='2276371'] Always been a fan of bridge pick-ups... couldn't stand too bassy tones and I needed to cut through with my Wal basses, Alembic, jazz-basses, etc... My hand reached for that bridge position whenever I picked up a bass and felt comfortable there. It was only because of nostalgia that I bought this '71 Precision here on bass-chat (Fischer Z, The Pretenders, Joe Jackson.. they all had these white Fender-ish basses) and I saw it as a present for my own birthday. I hadn't expected how much it would change my way of playing... found myself playing with a different feel and was surprised that even with those flatwounds (which I associated with blues-players who absolutely wouldn't want to be heard, not even by dogs) the sound was very present and lively. It's like again a door has been opened by a great instrument and I feel a bit more like a "bass" player again without "sacrificing" anything.. Can't wait to see how it will affect my playing in different bands.. Recorded a bit of noodling in the key of G. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKXQMD_Xn8[/media] [/quote] Sounds like you're having fun! Would the next stop on the journey be rolling to tone control off...?

Yep, read through that bass chat thread, some great advice in there and then do it! If you don't want screaming distortion a lower gain valve in V1 makes a huge improvement to the amp and its useful output, but will still give you loads of overdrive, if you want it, with the button pressed. I can thoroughly recommend it, if this is what you want.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1383908788' post='2270606'] The magnet damping the string because the pickup is too close because of people trying to raise the g volume is the chief suspect, lower the whole pickup right down and raise the treble end until it gives a nice clear output with no magnet damping then in a band setting (most important imo) raise or lower the bass side until the bass has an even output, simples as annoying people say [/quote] This. I suppose it could be considered a fault but it's really not a problem if you do this. I have another bass (not a Stingray) with a weak D and A. Awkward (any advice welcome!)

Get on with using your bass and stop fussing about things like not slacking off the strings.

I was finding that after a gig my voice sounded like I'd been at a football match. I put it down to useless bv technique, but the same was happening when I wasn't singing. 'Er indoors pointed out that I sing the bass line as a play. I didn't know. I had to consciously stop, but I'm not sure I have.

Looking a bit old now. Thing is, the unknown kid with decent chops would have required all sorts of investment of time and patience from a number of people there and, in the end you get the playing of a kid with some decent chops. With Pino there came no baggage just first class playing with little rehearsal and lead in. I'm no NIN fan, but it seems a bit boring to have Pino even if thebass sounds really good (I still baulk at him being in the Who for similar reasons) but there's is a professional world with different values and timescales than ours.

We dreamt of a school bass. Our music block was a piece of rolled up newspaper left in the middle of t' road.

Nothing to report as yet, rehearsal got cancelled earlier in the week so it's straight in with a gig tomorrow night for that set. In the meantime I've been playing at home every day and fiddling. Slowly getting the action sorted and sounds organised. However this is all a little bit of a waste of effort as Heath is popping by tomorrow to go over the frets and to check the wiring, and we think one coil of the MM Pup may be out of phase so action and sound is likely to change (improve?). It's difficult to 'love' a new thing because it's expected to do everything perfectly. Only when it has shown to be faithful etc does it become loved, just like the faithful old banger that always got you home at night years ago! It's going to take a while to become 'mine', I've learnt that first (usually enthusiastic) impressions are not the most important. The bass will become mine once it's been played in for a while longer and fiddled to suit my every nuance and loved when it can be relied upon to do the business. I've no doubt it will reach these stages, every reason why it should. (Just been doing some editing/mixing on some recordings earlier this year, my Stingray was so twangy! Big eq changes required for soul music. The Utility bass has an exceptionally big, mellow P sound from the neck pup, can't wait to use it in anger for soul. Have to wait a week or so for that, get some gunk in those new strings in the meantime.) Will post up some pics when I get time to do them. It has an unusual 'look' about it in real life, almost as if it's a cartoon caricature of a bass.

I've used Stingrays as no.1 bass for a while now, 1980, 2002 and 2007. Soft 'G'. The pups have very strong magnets, if they get too close to the string the sound weakens and has a sort phased effect to it. Set the pup further away and set it to optimise on the 'G', then set the 'E' side of it to balance. It is a common mistake to move the pup too close to the 'G' to make it louder, but the optimum point is not as close as possible, but 4-5mm away. Unless someone has posted it before, this is the worst place to go for GAS. However, you can find out almost everything you need to know, including the likely age of your bass. I promise you, you will pay anything for an old 'Ray having spent too long here. http://www.musicmanbass.org For me, the most important change was the necks. The early Pre-EBs have wonderful slim (front to back) necks that I love. The recent basses seem to have baseball bats in comparison. Also they have man size string spacing, which I also love. Maybe I just I love pre-EB Stingrays! Oh, and the 2007 one I had weighed a ton!

[quote name='Aqntbghd' timestamp='1383340649' post='2263496'] About 150£ were collected in these two Cambourne gig (and the previous one too). Everything donated on the just-giving page and.... WE'VE REACHED 50% of the objective !!!! Keep it going guys ! I know that 4Strings has a gig beginning of december but i'm sure we can do more in november. So... who's next ? [/quote] Yep, I'd like it on 14th Dec, mid of the month, keep it moving in the meantime! (Actually, have one on the 13th Dec too celebrating a year of Food Bank in Newham, apparently Stephen Timms MP will be there - photo opportunity!)

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1383681160' post='2267677'] You've pretty much described all electric basses... [/quote] Thank you! Actually, not really, the Yamaha in question has a bolt on neck, P type pickup, J type pickup, maple neck etc and so is going to sound pretty much like a Fender. Not a straight 'copy' as we know it, but pretty heavily based on a Fender. There are plenty of other basses with different construction, different pickups etc which while would be described as 'bass guitars' in the same way as Fenders, but have started anew with their designs (Hofners, R********rs, Jaydees, Statii etc). We all know Mr F wasn't the first with the bass guitar, even if he made the design acceptable musically and for mass production, so if we wanted to be pure we could say his were copies to start with (of the solid bodied, fretted Audiovox Bass from the 30s). We won't. May have been though.

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1383222985' post='2261710'] Yamaha TRBs = "Fender copies", really? [/quote] Well, I suppose they sound like a Fender and are based on Fender design. They aren't an original design, even if the body is slightly different.

London Bass Guitar Smash?

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1383479078' post='2264795'] I find this weird. How can she be so tight at it on YT but live she sucks? Nerves or just not practicing I wonder? [/quote] We don't know that she's poor live, just someone's friend apparently saw her and thought so. Anyway, she's way better in 3 years than me in 30 that's for sure. Couldn't resist adding this: [media]http://youtu.be/tgffDVO2UyA[/media]

I'll get on with it, Andy! Unfortunately it's back to work today, but rehearsed with it last night and tomorrow night and a gig on Saturday - anyone in Bolton free on Saturday? - and I have lots of new songs to learn. Next week is equally busy playing-wise so I should have a get a good impression. Couple of things in the mean time. There's some setting up still to do, after all this time Heath had one day to mount the pickups, sort out all the wiring etc, lacquer the pups (once I'd finally made up my mind), wait for them to dry and finally set up the fully assembled bass. He will be popping down next Saturday morning to give the frets a final dress and sort anything else out that crops up. I've played around with the pups to sort the balance to my taste and they seem fine. One niggle is the 5-way selector. These are Strat type switches and, it turns out, cannot work as I wanted for the coil selection (they are made to select coil: adjacent pair: coil: adjacent pair: coil meaning I can't have all pups at once nor my first and last coil scoop. There are other types available and I'm also going to look at MM type switches (and maybe bite my lip regarding their spare parts prices!) to see if it can be solved, but in the meantime I'll be playing about with sounds to see if it needs solving. Orchestral type rehearsal last night (intense concentration - I'm a poor reader!) but couldn't help notice that this bass sings! The sustain is incredible, I cannot find a dead spot anywhere (normally 5th fret on the G with one piece maple necks) and where I may have been used to a quieter G with the Stingray (if it was it certainly wasn't a problem) this one sings. It's a bit like driving a car that is clearly more powerful than your last, just a touch and it's off! Also the low notes are really defined, no woolliness but very clear and solid with plenty of woomph. No doubt I'll be playing with pups and action all week, it will take me a good couple of weeks to get it all settled.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1383354623' post='2263645'] imo, this is one of the best Chic productions they ever did. Bernard on bass, his bass playing is fantastic on this record. really great groove playing. Nile on guitar. its a cracker with Fonzi Thornton on vocals. not very well known, but a really cool record. this sort of stuff gets me up in the morning [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF8zvIzo_-U[/media] [/quote] Not heard that one, thanks. While a devoted'Nard fan I have to say Niles' guitar playing is outstanding on this. So crisp!

The Eagle has landed! Bit late to plug it in etc last night, will be playing lots today, will give some first impressions (even if has zingy new strings!).

Ok, I've found a reason on which to hang a decision. This: [url="http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/4Strings1/media/Ruach%20Utility%20Bass/NewPups_zps3ab7bb7b.jpg.html"][URL=http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/4Strings1/media/Ruach%20Utility%20Bass/Bluepickups_zps99fd0d78.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/4Strings1/Ruach%20Utility%20Bass/Bluepickups_zps99fd0d78.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/url] The blue pickups look ok but they are from different wood to the body and so the colour etc doesn't quite match and, for me, doesn't really work. The earlier example (the shiny green one) the pup was made from the cutout from the top wood and so matched perfectly. On this bass the covers are from the neck maple and not the body sycamore and so will take the stain slightly differently and not quite match the colour and look of the body. The pups will be lacquered in clear, that's going on this morning, hopefully be ready after our trip to Peterborough!

Thanks all, (very helpful RK!) Heath said that when he sees the picture he thinks 'green' but in the flesh he thinks natural. With just over a mm of wood on the top there's not much room to change minds. And, tbh, it's not important enough for me to give it back to him with the instruction to change them so this is it. Fancy wood pickups wasn't really the image I was after, but then they are there for the purely practical reason that Heath could make them quicker than the plastic people could make theirs. And it would be a shame to mask that amazing ripple. This is why I'm an engineer and not an artist.

Lots of confirmation there. However, a year isn't very long, you could keep one tucked away and go back to it every now and then. There are many huge bass playing names who haven't gone the 5 route. I find a detuner gives me all I need for almost everything.

I received a text today; "Houston - we have pickups!". A parcel had arrived in Corby. Here they are, resting in place, but to be fitted properly tomorrow; [url="http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/4Strings1/media/Ruach%20Utility%20Bass/NewPups_zps3ab7bb7b.jpg.html"][/url] This picture was sent to release one of the last decisions, to go with allighatt0r and green on the pickups or not? They are here merely sanded wood, the finished pickups will look like the neck. If they go green they will look like the body. I'm sleeping on it. Tomorrow I will go to see Leyton Orient (hopefully) beat Peterborough and then to Heath to try out the neck and maybe have the last shavings made to suit and pick the bass up. I have to advise the pickup finish in the morning to allow the two pack lacquer time to dry if we go natural. Sleeping on it. Won't be getting too much sleep.

Yes, interesting way of looking at it, and, I'm sure, a good one. However, comparing to the voice, the wood of a guitar is rather like the flesh that holds the vocal chords. Not recognisable on its own, but then neither are the strings (or vocal chords) recognisable on their own. The whole voice, the sum of these and other parts, is though, as you say. Rather like recognising a Telecaster, or a Precision down the telephone or in a stadium. Perhaps not just the wood.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1382906830' post='2257942'] I'd do musical mates a favour, but I certainly wouldn't pay to do that favour. I'm surprised that they had the cheek to ask quite honestly! [/quote] +1 We pay 'expenses and a bit on top' to any dep and are fabulously grateful as it involves a lot of work.

Well done, Aqntbghd, looks like you did a great job! So long as the bass in the vicinity of London/Essex early Dec so I can have me mitts on it for the 14th December, is anyone taking up Le Baton?

Try listening to this: http://youtu.be/E06cNv55jTs