gjones

The ancient Peavey I was playing at a local venue went tits up the other day, forcing me to play through just the house PA. I've never had so many compliments on my bass playing from total strangers before?

I liked the John East pre amp in my Jazz because..... No 1 - It allowed me hear, and to fine tune the bass sound, from out where the audience would be. No 2 - It had a fancy mid control, which allowed you to pick a specific mid frequency to boost. Which made the bass much more audible in the band mix. You can't do that with a passive bass.

The clip on tuners accuracy depends on where you clip it on the headstock. I used to clip mine on the end of my headstock and after the battery drained a bit it would have difficulty reading the string vibrations. I experimented and found that the best place to clip it, is on the F of my fender logo on my Jazz and Precision. It picks up the vibrations of the strings much better there and the battery lasts for ages.

I had the same pleasant surprise a couple of weeks ago with my Jazz through a venue monitor. I put it down to the fact that my signal was going through an expensive compressor and, because it was a wedge, was pointing right at me. Try doing the same with your amp (i.e. put it on a table or something so that it's ear height) and the sound will probably be just as good. The problem with bass amps is that, with most of them, the sound is aimed at your knees not your ears.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1379355806' post='2211700'] What colour is that? Anyone know? I'm refinishing a precision and that's the colour I would like. [/quote] Vintage white..

What colour is that? Anyone know? I'm refinishing a precision and that's the colour I would like.

[quote name='Ruck' timestamp='1379326330' post='2211189'] Someone pays me Wednesday night at 10pm and I send the package Friday 1st class and I get impatient PMs about how hes not happy with that?!?! Seriously... bass players can have day jobs too you know... some people. [/quote] I'm pretty easygoing about receiving stuff from others on basschat - I realise they have lives. Most purchases are delivered really quickly (usually quicker than online shops). I've also found other basschatters really understanding if there is a delay on my side.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1379324404' post='2211168'] At a guess? An amp with Genz Benz innards and 'Fender' written on the front is more valuable to the Fender brand than if it had a name only recognisable to bassists. [/quote] Very true. Fender are only really known for guitar amplification. Their bass amps don't get much press. The TV range was great in a retro way and, although originally meant to be fitted with neo speakers, ended up too large and cumbersome once fitted with ferrite ones (as I found out after I bought one and had to hump it up 3 flights of stairs at the end of every gig). Hopefully if Fender incorporate GB know-how in their own range, people will start thinking of Fender bass amps in the same high regard as they do Fender guitar amps.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1379255513' post='2210376'] It's about the same price as the TC BG250 1x15 combo. So it seems to be priced accordingly. Don't think because is has more watts, it's louder. [/quote] The reason I ask is because Gear4Music are still selling there's for the normal price of £435. I wondered why the drastic price drop by other shops? [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Peavey-Tour-TNT-600-Watts-Bass-Combo-Amplifier/TC8?origin=product-ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Product+Listing+Ads&utm_content=ErdxSdBi|dc_pcrid_34325238799_plid__kword__match__"]http://www.gear4musi..._kword__match__[/url] Are they just bad amps or are they badly designed i.e. heavy and awkward. The same thing happened with Line6 amps. I've played through a 300 watt one and they sound great (and insanely loud for 300 watts) but shops are giving them away.

[quote name='jeid' timestamp='1379255416' post='2210374'] Thanks for the suggestions guys, it's not a Precision with a PJ pickup combo I'm after, it's a Jazz with a PJ pickup combo. Cheers. [/quote] Aha.....A Reggie Hamilton then? [url="http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/products/fender_reggie_hamilton_jazz_bass_rosewood_fretboard_3-color_sunburst.asp?gclid=CMCt8I_RzbkCFY_KtAod-FwAuQ"]http://www.richtonem...CFY_KtAod-FwAuQ[/url] Looks like you just missed out on one [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Reggie-Hamilton-Jazz-Bass-/290967377052?clk_rvr_id=516147249668&lgeo=1&vectorid=229508&nma=true&si=08kLPMboRNi8n5kmkqtvaXKzDGY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Reggie-Hamilton-Jazz-Bass-/290967377052?clk_rvr_id=516147249668&lgeo=1&vectorid=229508&nma=true&si=08kLPMboRNi8n5kmkqtvaXKzDGY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557[/url]

They are called precision specials. I'm sure you could find one secondhand for around your budget [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_deluxe_pbass_special_mn_bp.htm?sid=d6149817654e59871e46d36fc156c66d"]http://www.thomann.d...e46d36fc156c66d[/url]

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1379243283' post='2210132'] I love that in the advert from Thomann, it says "Extremly light class D poweramp" and further on it says 33kg! [/quote] They were originally supposed to have neo speakers in them but I assume when the price of neodymium went through the roof they had to go to plan B and whack a big old speaker with a ferrite magnet in there,

You'd be better off asking Damien Hirst he's the expert [url="http://www.damienhirst.com/projects/2011/flea-bass"]http://www.damienhirst.com/projects/2011/flea-bass[/url]

Ebay must have changed the rules because I remember getting cold feet once, about 10 hrs before the end of the auction, but the system wouldn't let me pull it. I thought the cut of time was 12 hrs before the end of the auction.

Why are the TNT and TKO bass amps so cheap? Whats wrong with them? I know they are 75lbs (ie over 5 stone in weight) which is not what people want these days but that can't be the reason why Thomann are selling them for £288 and Gak for £299, Do they have reliability issues or do the speakers fart? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/peavey_tour_tnt_115.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...our_tnt_115.htm[/url]

There's a guy selling a Harley Benton version of the Ibanez promethean on basschat, You could buy that and fit the amp to your head? Here's Harley Bentons version [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LU6wOzOa9g"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LU6wOzOa9g[/url]

Aha! I didn't notice the D machinehead. No wonder there's not much interest. It wouldn't put me off as I like messing around with basses but I can see why others might be scared off.

[size=4]A friend recently donated a dodgy old Squier Precision body. I've fitted it with a nice old P bass neck I have and a Mighty Mite split pickup from the first bass I ever bought (preloved) back in the early eighties.[/size] [size=4]I've never been too keen on Precision basses because I could never get that Pino Pallidino, James Jamerson, [color=#444444][font=arial, sans-serif]Donald "Duck"Dunn sound I was looking for when playing live. But by experimenting with my new Frankenstein P bass I think I've figured it out. [/font][/color][/size] [size=4][color=#444444][font=arial, sans-serif]Because Precisions are pretty bassy at the best of times, which I feel can make them them sound indistinct when playing live, I tried turning the bass knob (on my Ashdown Mibass) down to zero and turning the tone control on the bass off completely. Guess what? It nails the sound I'm looking for down to a tee.[/font][/color][/size] [size=4][color=#444444][font=arial, sans-serif]Is this the secret to a great P bass sound? Or do you know something that I don't? [/font][/color][/size] [size=4][color=#444444][font=arial, sans-serif]By the way this is the sound I'm talking about but using roundwounds not flats [/font][/color][/size][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVfamlcbYo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVfamlcbYo[/url]

I used to have a Japanese Charvel Jackson P/J bass. It was the best sounding bass (with a fantastic neck) I've ever owned. It's only downside was that it had a nasty pointy headstock,,,,, so it had to go, This Charvel doesn't have a pointy headstock and is cheap as chips. I'd buy it but have just acquired a Precision so would be surplus to requirements. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Charvel-P-bass-CX492-made-in-japan-circa-91-BARGAIN-BUY-IT-NOW-price-/130990201273?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e7f9fd9b9"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Charvel-P-bass-CX492-made-in-japan-circa-91-BARGAIN-BUY-IT-NOW-price-/130990201273?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e7f9fd9b9[/url]

Turn down!!!!

And here it is played by the man himself [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC0uzVzSNNQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC0uzVzSNNQ[/url]

[quote name='Josh' timestamp='1377895182' post='2193455'] You're already familiar with my modded CV Dunc: I think the mods have really improved an already amazing bass, especially considering how much they go for. I bought mine for £200 secondhand on here and it had already been modded with a set of Wizard 64's and the cavity had been shielded. I was more than happy with it for over a year and then I got a Fender American Special jazz with a maple neck, after a few days I quickly realised it was a pretty bland and harsh sounding jazz but I loved the neck and I've always liked the OW/maple/tort combination so off it came and on to the CV body with no hassle. The roller bridge was a £30 shot in the dark and it turned out to be a great bridge, fantastic adjustably and great sustain. I also swapped the stock tort plate for a proper Fender one as the CV looks a bit cheap. I have a relatively high turnover rate when it comes to basses and this has recently celebrated it's 2 and a half years with me and I honestly hope I can hold on to it for a while as it's such a good bass. I would happily have another one, no question. [/quote] So you would thoroughly recommend the CV Squier Jazz....except for the pickups, the neck, the bridge and the scratchplate? I'm being ironic in humorous and friendly way,,,,,,,,,,,please don't hit me

[quote name='bassix' timestamp='1378972465' post='2207096'] Thanks for the responses, to answer a few of the points, I did try moving the amp to another room and the hum was at the same level. With regards to the hum when touching the strings it stops, it is also almost entirely absent when the tone is rolled completely rolled off. I have looked at fixing the issue myself but I almost feel like I shouldn't have to on a bass that is essentially brand new. If the hum had been there when I bought it then I wouldn't have such an issue but there has been a clear change from when purchased to now. [/quote] It's most likely an earth wire issue as P basses are usually pretty silent when wired correctly as the pickups are humbuckers. The following diagram shows what the wiring should look like, If you're curious unscrew the scratchplate and have a look, The earth wire (which comes from under the bridge) should be soldered to the volume pot. If it's not then that's what's causing the buzzing. If everything seems to be soldered correctly then it's a more serious matter. Either way I think you should take it back to the shop and ask their tech to fix it,since you bought it from new. [url="http://www.buzzardsbass.com/electronics/wiring/diagrams/pbass-std.jpg"]http://www.buzzardsbass.com/electronics/wiring/diagrams/pbass-std.jpg[/url]

[quote name='Kevstein' timestamp='1378899178' post='2206179'] Hi all, Just a quick one, to ask if anyone would know where to get cheap basses from? Ive just refurbed my 1980s charvel and i made a rather good job of it i thought, which was surprising. I not have massive plans for a bass. I need a donor bass though of any make, condition etc. Scratches and chips are not important but no gouges. Does anyone know where to look for these? Ive looked on google/gumtree/this site but no luck. I am only looking to spend 20-50quid on it as its just going to be a project. Any help would be great cheers. [/quote] Do you have a cash converter or any secondhand shops near you? Gumtree is always good for cheapos.

[quote name='MisterFingers' timestamp='1378836260' post='2205383'] I understand, but surely something like string tension affects that arc-and the consequence is a higher string action if (for example) you use a heavier gauge. So in that case you would adjust the truss rod [i]and[/i] lower the action at the bridge to compensate. The problem comes when the saddles are at their lowest and the overall action is still too high - and then you would have to insert shims.(?) What's the general opinion on non-wood or paper shims? metal? perspex etc.? [/quote] I used a sliver of an old Morrisons loyalty card wrapped in gaffa tape. Didn't make any difference to the sound.