gjones

It would be very easy for an unscrupulous dealer to arrange fake Fenders to be built to his specification in a factory in China. Then import them and fit Fender decals etc when they get to the UK. The quality would probably be very good, as they already make Fender branded basses and guitars in chinese factories (not just Squiers anymore).

Interesting in the early day he used to use a pick - if this video from rock goes to college is anything to go by [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MwKstla6w0[/media]

It would probably be easier to convert it to a 3 string.

Buy one of these and watch the guitarists in your band tremble before your [u][b]AWESOMENESS![/b][/u] [b][size=2][i]Warning Bugera will not be responsible for death or injury or damage to property - use at own risk.[/i][/size][/b] [url="http://www.bugera-amps.com/EN/products/BTX36000.aspx"]http://www.bugera-amps.com/EN/products/BTX36000.aspx[/url]

I've had a few Japanese Jazz Basses and they have all been great in their own way but all had USA pickups (other than a Japanese Squier). For a really growly typical Jazz Bass sound I recommend the Wizard 64 pickups, a set which I recently bought and was very impressed with. They will turn you instantly into Jaco Pastorius for about £70.

I think it's just that the body has been sanded which is putting people off. It looks like it's a Silver Series and although they are made of good quality wood it's close grained and doesn't look very pretty when sanded. The grounding strip is missing which means it will probably buzz a bit but is easily fixed by fitting a brass strip from the bridge to the rear pickup shield. The only thing that would put me off is that the rear pickup has been changed and as far as I'm concerned the pickups are the best thing about the Silver Squiers.

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1352296812' post='1861207'] Thanks for the advice guys, I've heard good things about the Ibenez Promethean amps, here is one here at GAK [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/ibanez-p3115-bass-combo-amplifier/56949"]http://www.gak.co.uk...amplifier/56949[/url] Would that do for what I need? Bare in mine im in a heavy rock/metal band with a loud drummer. [/quote] Possibly - Ibanez gets a lot of love on basschat and It does have a speaker output for another cab which is good but I doubt there would be many who have tried this particular model. The hartkes mentioned previously are good loud amps and are cheap secondhand. Remember you do get much more for your money when buying secondhand than brand new.

There are so many out there that it's difficult to recommend just one. I do recommend buying secondhand and sticking to reliable brands like Hartke, ashdown, peavy, trace elliot etc. Also make sure there is an output for another speaker on the back for those gigs where you may need the added volume another speaker can give you.

I bought a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass from a seller in California a few years ago when the exchange rate was $2 to the £. The bass was going for just over £300 but it was a false economy as insured postage and import duty added another £200 to the cost.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1352219255' post='1860314'] I read this in another post from silddx: I have heard this before and it got me thinking (and worrying) about a couple of my basses. [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I have a '63 Fender Jazz bass that most of the neck lacquer has worn off - does this mean the neck is unstable and should be refinished?[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I also have a '90s silver series Squier Jazz bass that has no lacquer left on the neck because the previous owner stripped it off by over cleaning it - is this neck also unstable?[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]What actually happens to the neck when it loses or absorbs moisture, in terms of stability and movement?[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]What about a new relic or road worn instrument that has most of the neck lacq[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]uer missing?[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Edit:[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Here's the original thread:[/font][/color] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/189043-refinishing-a-jazz-neck-with-low-friction-what-to-use/page__fromsearch__1"][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/189043-refinishing-a-jazz-neck-with-low-friction-what-to-use/page__fromsearch__1[/font][/color][/url] [/quote] I don't know about a bare neck making your neck unstable but it will pick up a lot of dirt that may be difficult to remove. I wouldn't worry about removing the neck on your basses. I've done it a many times with much more temperamental necks (Geddy Lees) without any hassle. I've used linseed oil before, with good results. The trick is to use it sparingly.

It's not the cold that damages your amp it's the condensation that ends up corroding the electronics. I used to leave my amp in the car and because of condensation in the boot slowly but surely the contacts got corroded and it started to crackle. Luckily it was just a cheap practice amp. If you really do need to keep gear in your car you need to try and keep it as watertight as possible. Maybe wrap it in a blanket that may get wet on the outside but which damp can't penetrate.

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1352067777' post='1858451'] Ive noticed that my kickback 12 produces quite a bit of distortion when ever I start playing loud and hard, when im playing quietly I get the warm smooth sounds that im looking for for some of our songs but as soon as i start turning it up distortion starts to kick in, is this the natural sound of these amps or is this a problem? [/quote] I used to have a Hartke 90 watt amp which sounded great but couldn't really keep up with a heavy drummer. Luckily with my Hartke there was a limiter built in so the speaker suffered no damage. I notice form the harke website that, with your amp, the speaker is 8 ohm and there is no extension socket for another cabinet - which seems a bit odd. I have a friend who uses a hartke kickback and he's quite happy with it but he plays in a blues band and they keep the volume at reasonable levels. If you're playing at volumes where the speaker is starting to fart out then you probably need a louder amp (just like I did with my hartke 90 watter).

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1352199507' post='1859884'] If you're still having pain you could do worse than seeing Tom Darling of "Back To Balance" on Montrose Terrace, the continuation of Regent Rd over Calton Hill. He may be retired by now, it's run by the gorgeous Emma Cox, but if he's still there he's by far the best physio I ever saw, one of the top guys in Britain. He saved me surgery and years of severe pain. [/quote] I think it's beyond that stage now. All that will cure it is loosening of the ligament via surgery.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1342004346' post='1727739'] Chaps, a brief follow up to my previous adventures in having f***ed hands - but is there a secret to any pain relief? Bloody hell, considering they feel numb they don't half ache! [b]Edit: [/b]Sorry, this was my previous thread - [b]I have been diagnosed already: [/b] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/176064-im-not-moaning-but-carpal-tunnel/page__p__1650059__hl__carpal%20tunnel__fromsearch__1#entry1650059"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry1650059[/url] [/quote] How have things gone with treatment for your carpal tunnel? I've now got to the stage that I'm on the waiting list for surgery.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1352143310' post='1859346'] I use my nose and chin. Truckstop [/quote] Highly amusing

It looks like it was possibly a body that was used to practice spraying on at the factory. After all you've got to start somewhere. Which makes more sense than a 'sampler'. The body could have been sat at the factory for years and used this way.

Oh.......and always buy secondhand, as you'll get more bang for your buck (and you can sell it for what you bought it for if you need to).

Don't buy the Hartke Hydrive 2x10 as i hear it tends to suffer from 'farting speaker syndrome' when you turn it up loud. This one [url="http://www.samsontech.com/hartke/products/combos/hydrive-combos/hydrive210c/"]http://www.samsontech.com/hartke/products/combos/hydrive-combos/hydrive210c/[/url]

Reddog music is based in the grassmarket right in the middle of the oldtown. It stocks markbass gear. Guitar guitar is out on the western fringes of town, on corstophine rd towards the airport. They stock Aguilar/mesa boogie stuff. They are the two main music shops in Edinburgh. Little bit of advice about Edinburgh, bring an umbrella............you'll need one.

I have a lot of empathy with you. Been there got the T shirt.

Why not just give them cash, which will be returned once it's been confirmed no damage has been done? Cash, cheque, pieces of eight They're all the same. If there's damage after the gig you lose the money, if there isn't you get it back.

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1351810755' post='1855847'] IIRC it's pretty much The Meters playing on Robert Palmer's Sneaking Sally Through The Alley; a bass line more funky than a funky thing with its funk pants on! [/quote] I wondered who was playing on that album. Thanks for the info. I need to check out the meters now.

Played bass in the band for the musical years ago. Some great songs.