Sparky Mark

I bought an as new Musicman StingRay Old Smoothie via the website and a phone call. Everything as promised and expected. I've bought amplification from the website too, no issues. Always call them before buying or visiting just to confirm things. I'd recommend the Gallery.

I've owned and gigged my Warwick Thumb NT for over 30 years. Admitted, I'm not a three gigs a week player, and I've always looked after my gear very carefully, so mine is as good as new having replaced the barrel jack a little while ago.

Most Markbass amplifiers have a similar tone by virtue of a common preamplifier. The LM250 is unusual in that it is now the only class AB amplifier offered by Markbass. Some players state that they can hear a difference between the Markbass class AB and class D amplifiers. If you need a physically smaller amp then the Nano will probably be so similar you won't really notice a difference without comparing side by side.

It's possible that the pots are dated 1963 which might explain the previous advertisement. The neck date isn't the only reference point.

I've looked more closely and edited my response above re the nut.

Edit: does your nut look taller on the E side than mine? Maybe the nut needs some attention as well? Here's mine. Looks very similar but I have no issues with string height over frets 1 to 5. Bridge still has room for adjustment either way. Could mean your 4003 truss rod(s) need adjustment?

Do those graphs represent 60's basses only, or all vintage (30+ years old) basses?

Glad to hear that the nut is now staying glued in place. It seems that the friction between the strings and nut was high enough when tuning up, to break the nut away. The strings need to slide through the nut slots when tuning. I'd look in the nut slots for any rough bits grabbing one or more strings, then carefully smooth them away. Applying graphite dust (lead pencil) in all the slots will also reduce friction.

That decal is really interesting. I cannot find another like it anywhere online or in my various books. It doesn't make sense to me that anyone would create a fake that was different to a genuine decal.

Totally agree. I wouldn't have looked for one then or even now based on aesthetics alone. Not knowing it was active, I was expecting it to sound like any other generic passive single muddy pup bass. However, once I'd heard its full, punchy growl and chatted to the player, GAS had me (again). This is also the first time I've touched Sperzel machineheads. I think they're more of a thing for guitarists but they are brilliant! Took me a couple of minutes to work them out (instructions are for ignoring aren't they?) but they lock the strings into the post without any possibility of slipping. Downside is that the rear locking head/knob might get lost.

The New York bolt on neck range of guitars and this bass were introduced to compete in a lower priced marketplace. However, I think they had a distinctive cool 50s/60s retro look, in contrast to the more typical 90s designs of the higher priced set neck offerings.

I would be wary of using a rubber glue to secure a nut as it may have a damping effect, I.e., reducing string vibration transmission through the nut to the neck. It might be less of an issue for instruments with a zero fret.

Maybe, in an attempt to increase production output, the variable Rickenbacker quality control missed a few issues?

CA, or super glues are rather brittle in my experience. When I want a glue to really stick, permanently, I use a quality two part epoxy resin such as Araldite.

Beautiful guitar. I hadn't realised the Tony Iommi signature models link between Patrick Eggle and John Diggins (Jaydee) until I received the 95/96 PEG catalogue with this bass. (There's a bolt on Milan bass for sale on ebay at the moment for what looks like a very reasonable price - not mine I hasten to add!).