4 Strings

I also found this interesting, actually from Fender. [url="http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=444"]http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=444[/url] and also this from the Squier site; [i]"Fender entered the picture in the 1950s, when the V.C. Squier Company began supplying Southern California inventor and businessman Leo Fender with strings for his unusual new electric guitars. The V.C. Squier Company became an official original equipment manufacturer for Fender in 1963, and Fender bought the V.C. Squier string company in early 1965 shortly before Fender itself was bought by CBS in May of that year. By the mid-1970s, the Squier name was retired as the strings had taken the Fender name." [/i] So, maybe Fender branded Squier strings were used for the guitars, but what about the basses?

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' post='786680' date='Mar 26 2010, 10:10 AM']Would you do the same to your car?[/quote] Why not?

Piano strings have always been round wound, but the windings in bronze so, despite the steel core, not that great for magnetic pickups (ok for the old microphonic type and the latter day piezo). I imagine steel guitar strings would have been round wound too, although I know tape wound strings were used. Can see here about (the claimed) start of roundwounds for bass ( [url="http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/bass/equip-entwistlegear-misc.html"]http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/ba...egear-misc.html[/url] )which would imply the strings supplied with original Precisions would have been flats, mimicking the upright basses of the day. This ( [url="http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/images/strings/1966_Fender_Strings_01.jpg"]http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/images/strin..._Strings_01.jpg[/url] and [url="http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/images/strings/1966_Fender_Strings_02.jpg"]http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/images/strin..._Strings_02.jpg[/url] ) shows that Fender's 'Precision Bass' strings were available as flat wound, tape wound and with unidentified (default round?) windings in 1966. Slightly earlier than Entwhistle, Jamerson used La Bella flats. Interesting that legend has it that he never changed his strings ('the gunk adds to the funk') but he wasn't using Fender strings that, if available, would have come with his bass, which, I understand, was bought new. So, with these little scraps, perhaps La Bella flats were fitted. This offers an indirect look (http://www.fender.com/uk/support/basses.php ) scroll down to 'Strings'. The 7150M are described elsewhere as '...the original nickel roundwound electric bass guitar strings from Fender, the world's #1 bass guitar manufacturer!' so maybe they were round and Entwhistle/Rotosound hadn't discovered them - seems unlikely.

Definitely do it justice, Marcus, you've got the sound nailed and great slapping going there. I love Mark King and you've done a good job. (I'm resisting the 'look a bit pale... get out more... join a band...' comments! Groovy bass too!

Let us know how you get on

Amen to that. If you want it to look worn out, use it and wear it out. Personally I can't see the satisfaction in doing this or, worse buying a guitar with this carried out, even well. If a bass has been used through the years then it has 'character' and the imagination can rise on where the bass may have been. If its been sanded/buffed away, who is it actually fooling? Why would anyone want to fool someone and if the user knows its a fake, there must be zero satisfaction.

Fair point, a blind test would be good. Light strings can't be plucked so hard, especially the E, as it will go sharp, so maybe there's a difference there. I've never used heavy strings so, I admit, the beefy comment is from my perception. (I also argue against maple necks sounding brighter!)

Have used 35s for >20 years. Find it difficult to understand why anyone would use anything else (accepting a bit of beefiness as suggested). So much easier to play, light touches only required, low action etc.

Goodness, its Really A Blistering Bass Everyone, Really! Can't compete with some of those others!

Especially Blimmin 'Orrible

Wow, A Real Wood Item, Clinically Klean But As Subtle as Sh*te

Try all the basses you want, but make sure you try a Stingray. I must admit not to have played an HH but the sound must be huge. Just roll the controls back for control. I am slowly being converted to a one bass trick, its to my Stingray.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='780263' date='Mar 19 2010, 09:50 PM']Having owned several of each, I'd say that a good Precision is the utter staple of rock music, but a Stingray will happily venture into some serious funk/slap territory and is much more versatile. There's something about the Stingray sound, too. It's just addictive! [/quote] Addictive, yes. I have both, a '78 P and recently bought a '79/80 Stingray from one of our number on this list. They are so similar in some ways on the face of things (both being black and maple) but playing them is entirely different. Most of us are used to Precisions, staple indeed, they do almost anything you want, can be very nice to play and have that certain 'rightness' about their feel. If its a car it would be a good solid Checker yellow cab. Play a Stingray and you now have the 8 litre sportscar of the same name. It is immensely but effortlessly powerful. Wonderfully comfortable, will do all the Precision can but with so much more ease and power. The neck is so slim and easy, the feel so solid and smooth, the pickup - that lazy 8 litre V8 with more whoomph than you'll need without trying its all so americanly excessive and ... addictive. There must be many who, once bitten, play little else.

All good - except the knob; I would feel like one with that on my bass! Its a great look, much loved as he was/is Phil was, in my opinion, a great bass player in that so many people recognise his bass playing and it contributed so much to the overall sound rather than merely accompany it - which seems to be be so often the case nowadays. A really nice chap by all accounts and, despite the manner of his death, I remember Leslie saying how proud he was of his daughter's husband (maybe just being the good dad!). His life was quite a story (was on Radio 4 a while back).

I know this will be an unpopular answer but I've always found Precisions to be neck heavy and find it a bit odd that there seems to be a 'lightness of body' obsession with them at the moment. The heavier ones can sit quite nicely, the lighter ones dip to the neck. Grippy straps will, as you've found, merely tend to pull your shirt round your neck. IA solution would be to put another strap button into the back of the bass 3-4 inches from the end of the body to shift the centre of balance to the right, if you don't mind making a little hole in the back of your bass. Its an irritating problem if you really like the bass otherwise, its one of the first things I look for when trying one out.

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' date='Mar 10 2010, 06:34 PM' post='770754'] Er... judging by the rest of your post, I assume you mean there is no reason [i]not to[/i] use a guitar amp? yes, um, thanks, reads a bit odd otherwise.

Jimmyb65, that's perfect!

I ordered my tickets and just had confirmation they have been posted to me. Thanks for the tip-off Danweb22, great use of this forum, I would have hated to have missed it, right on my doorstep too!

There is no reason at all for using a guitar amp, it should make no difference to it at all. I would suggest that basses are more peaky than guitars and so a valve amp will handle it best. There's no reason why the valves shouldn't last for years. Speakers designed for guitar use will sound pretty horrible on the low notes. Without a crossover this will make them distort and so even the high frequencies will sound nasty. The bi-amp idea is the best with a suitable cross-over. Overdriven amps, especially valve amps, can sound great with bass. Overdriven speakers just make me clench my wallet!

[quote name='toneknob' post='764865' date='Mar 5 2010, 10:26 AM']If they do bring an amp and let me use it, they get beer and sweets.[/quote] Surely this should be national principle for all bassists. If you're using someone else's gear always be courteous enough to show them what you're going to be doing with it, no matter how obvious it is, and make sure you and anyone else who's using it buy the guy a beer. (The down side might be that by the end of nights with 4-5 band the bass players of the headline bands are going to be half cut!)

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='764519' date='Mar 4 2010, 09:51 PM']I love a glossed maple neck, but rosewood always seems to help with a fuller and richer, more balanced sound.[/quote] I must say, I can't see how this is the case, especially as maple is softer than rosewood. I certainly have not found it to be true with the (relatively few, I admit) basses I've played, although I've not been able to carry out a direct comparison. Surely even the quality of the lead will have a greater effect than whether the fingerboard is glossed maple or not.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='764099' date='Mar 4 2010, 04:26 PM']It's a different thing. Making arrangements to share kit in advance is one thing. The ranting in this thread is about people who turn up without their amp, assuming that they'll be able to borrow someone else's. That's disrespectful. S.P.[/quote] Yep, fair enough, tons of difference. As far as my lad's band is concerned its always agreed in advance at least so all know what to bring.

[quote name='dangerboy' post='764085' date='Mar 4 2010, 04:14 PM']At the nights I run, we have hard and fast rules about this. Want to to use your bass amp but not let anyone else use it? You can get a gig somewhere else, because we don't want you. If bands can't be nice to each other and share, then they haven't got the right mindset for a DIY night. And we're not greedy promoters - we never take a penny out of our nights. Here are the Rules of Duel: [url="http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=173394714&blogId=516965889"]http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseact...logId=516965889[/url] On the other hand, we only put on bands who know what they're doing with gear![/quote] This is the common experience. Not sure where the other people play.

My lad plays in pubs etc around London and they are rarely allowed to use their own gear. Its very often down to the poor perishers who are top of the bill to allow the other bands free use of their gear. The drummers take their own snare, pedal and cymbals. The band do have their own backline but as they are usually early in the bill have to use what's already on stage. A couple of last-on acts have said 'no', no-one seems to mind, just means a lot of shifting about before they come on.