gjones

These are Mike Scott, from the Waterboys, 10 rules of how to be a ROCK 'N' ROLL STAR. Please pay close attention to rule number 2.

[font="Courier New"]I've been looking at the website of one of these rock schools where you take courses in how to be a performer. Maybe it works for some people but that kinda thing wouldn't have drawn me at the age 16. Rock + school just don't mix. So I think I'll start my own ALTERNATIVE ROCK'N'ROLL SKOOL. Courses to include:



1. How to dress like a proper f***ing rock'n'roll star (rule one: dress the same offstage as onstage. And I mean dress offstage like you would ON, not on like you would off)



[size=5]2. How to choose a musical instrument (it's the way it looks, stupid!)[/size]



3. How to write HOOKS. (If your songs ain't got 'em, get another job)



4. How to play your instrument not with your head or fingers BUT WITH YOUR LIFE



5. How to confound your audience's expectations



6. How to creatively joust with the mysterious race of beings known as ROCK JOURNALISTS



7. The lore and evolution of rock'n'roll (and how not to GO BACKWARDS. Rolling Stone magazine take note)



8. The occult science of the killer song intro



9. The occult science of the extended outro (rule one: earn it by preceding it with a disciplined and economic song arrangement)



10. How to get people to do things for you (eg take care of the money stuff) without surrendering your power or authority to them[/font]

All I can find in my Fender book is an active Precision Bass Plus which looks similiar to yours has the same font on the headstock and was manufactured in the early 90's along with a Jazz Bass Plus. Sorry I can't help you more.

[quote name='gjones' post='1255861' date='Jun 3 2011, 07:40 PM']Old vintage US and MIJ jazzers have this hole. US jazzes no longer have them, the MIJ jazzes still do. If you have a vintage reissue Jazz or MIJ it will have a wee screw in that hole.

If you ever need any more random useless info about Jazzers, I'm your man![/quote]

Ha, Ha, as I said above, there's no mystery! The original Jazz Basses had this screw because Mr Fender obviously though it was needed to keep the scratchplate down. In the eighties they realised it was unnecessry and from then on the scratchplates had no screw in the middle. In Japan they continued to fit the screw in the middle of the scratchplate and if you buy a reissue US Jazz, for that authentic look, they have a screw in the middle of the scratchplate too.

Right! Now that that's settled, let's all go back to arguing whether Musicmans are better than Fenders (it's been a while).

Old vintage US and MIJ jazzers have this hole. US jazzes no longer have them, the MIJ jazzes still do. If you have a vintage reissue Jazz or MIJ it will have a wee screw in that hole.

If you ever need any more random useless info about Jazzers, I'm your man!

You can only really go onstage wearing this thing around your neck if you are -

[size=3]1- A multimillion selling rock god[/size]

[size=5]OR [/size]

[size=3]2- Playing northern workingman clubs every night[/size]

Love it!

There was a drummer I used to play with who I would have to watch and wait to see when he hit his snare as he came out of (hopelessly out of time) fills so that we didn't go out of synch when we came back into the song. Another who was so busy hitting his cymbals on weird off beats that he forgot that he was a part of the rhythm section and expected to keep the beat. A good drummer can make or break a band and having to put up with a bad one can make an otherwise good band (and the bass player) sound like amateurs.

[quote name='JimBobTTD' post='1253049' date='Jun 1 2011, 07:28 PM']Scratchplate has a mighty big gap by the control plate. I'll contact Warmoth and see if they will still honour its return.[/quote]


Remember there's usually room to move the control plate around a bit to fit the scratchplate. Try that before going to the bother of returning it. I've fitted many scratchplates and they're never a 100% fit.

At the break

Him 'hey you're pretty good!'.
Me 'Thanks'.
Him 'I play bass'.
Me 'mmmmm?'.
Him 'Can I get up an play a couple of tunes on your bass?'
Me 'No'.
Him 'Oh go on...'
Me 'No'
Him 'why not?'
Me 'because this is a professional gig and we're being paid and I've never met you before and I never loan my bass out to peope who I've known for 30 seconds and tell me they're a bass player and then ask if the can borrow my bass and play a few tunes with the band'.
Him 'So will you let me have a go?'.
Me 'No'
Him '..........actually I take it back you're not that good'
Me 'Thanks'

With my old band I printed up a sign and stuck it on the monitor which said 'Please do not request Mustang Sally as refusal often offends'.

[quote name='Fuzzbass2000' post='1248862' date='May 29 2011, 04:12 AM']Hi -whats a shed pickup?[/quote]

It's made in a shed.

I played another precision the other day at a jam night. An old US one with an action like a bow and arrow and a nail as a strap button. What a sound though none of that fancy hi fi stuff just lots of bottom end.

I thought I'd got over my Precision fixation, seems I haven't...............hmmmm.

Y' know after seeing this thread I might just take my Geddy out to tonight's gig and give it a good thrashing. It hasn't had a good 'seeing to' in a while.

When I thought about this question I realised I don't clock the bass on a large % of the records I listen to. A lot of the basslines in the songs I like are pretty basic and could be played in most bass players sleep. You could substitute it with a keyboard or an organ and nobody would notice.

There are exceptions of course such as James Jamerson with his sublime groove and Paul McCartney with his melodic playing where the bass is way up in the mix. Tom Waits early stuff comes to mind too with Jim Hughart on double bass (and sometimes no other instrument except possibly a saxaphone). These songs wouldn't be half as good without a bass player playing a real live bass guitar/DB.

So the answer is..........maybe?

Image is a powerful thing. I love the look of those slab sided 51 reissues but I bet they sound like pants with that little single coil pickup.When bassists go on Jools show they know it just wouldn't look cool with a blue metallic 5 string Ibanez around their neck (even though they may have recorded the album with it). So they get the old Fender from under the bed to satisfy their stylist.

I agree totally! MIJ is where it's at! I've got a 93, a 2000 and a 2006 and they are all fabulous.

But it's a pity they can't make Fenders at Japanese prices and quality in the States. Because when you get down to it buying a MIJ Fender is like buying a Cadillac made in Tokyo.......it's just not right somehow.

Even if it is better than the real thing.

The cheapest and the best sounding bass I have is my old Jap Squire Jazz. I'm playing a pub with no windows soon (yes one of those) and I'm afraid to take even that to the gig.

By the way I love the way Ricks look...........hate the woolly sound. There must be replacement pickups that give you a better sound than the stock pickups.

Here you go this should help you make your mind up [url="http://www.bassemporium.com/newsletters/0609newsletter.html"]http://www.bassemporium.com/newsletters/0609newsletter.html[/url] I like hi beams as they are low tension strings and feel quite supple. I used to be a fan of rotos but I feel DRs are 100% better, giving more punch and clarity, they vastly improved the sound of my basses anyway. Well worth the price they charge.

Might be a good idea to shop around. I'm no expert but have read a few reviews and on some basses the B string can lack tension and flap around so you don't get a very tight sound when you play lower down Fenders seem to be one of the culprits.......apparently.

Collectors of these JV basses like them to be original. So I you want to do it up and sell it you won't get the kind of price collectors would pay for an all original JV. But if, after only paying £6, you replaced the missing parts with decent quality originals you'd certainly make a profit.

By the way any Fender made in Japan at any time in the last 30 years is a tip top instrument. I should know, I have 3 of them - including a Squire.

At a pub gig in Aberdeen, the drummer, in my brother-in-law's band (my B in law is the singer and guitarist) hit the bass player over the head with his vintage 1975 Stratocaster and destroyed it beyond recognition (it didn't do much for the bass player either who ended up in hospital for the next six days).
Now he plays a Squier when he plays dodgy venues or with psychopathic musicians.

After buying MattM's MM SUB last weekend I'm pretty GAS free as far as basses are concerned. I still would like a lightweight amp and cab so I don't need to lug around my great sounding but heavy Fender Bassman but I wouldn't classify that as GAS just common sense (and I don't lust after amps like I do basses they're just a necessary evil).

I do fancy a J-retro for one of my Jazzes though, as I 've got quite a liking for active basses since the arrival of the Musicman.

Edit - Oooops, I lied! I really fancy a double bass and am seriously thinking of selling my Fender Jazzes to finance one.

[quote name='mr.gritstoner' post='1237325' date='May 19 2011, 07:49 PM']hi guys, thanks to all your advice i have landed a bargain:

ashdown mag 250 head.

mag 4x 10 cab (250 w)

mag 1x15 cab. (250w)

cabs are the ones with the blue cones (apparently the best)

8 years old,decent condition, £300.

what do you all reckon?[/quote]

You can't go wrong with an old Ashdown. If it's lasted this long it's probably a goodun. Also probably made in the UK (the newer ones are made in China and not as reliable I've heard). I have one and I've abused it terribly and it's still going strong.

They forgot to plug him in.

Well I got my one here on Basschat 3 mths ago for £380 which is a very good price. I think £600 is too much. Around £450/£500 would be a good deal in my opinion.

Oh, and they do still make them.