Smythe

Hello BC'ers This week I sold some items privately through a Facebook bass sales page. I asked the buyer to pay via PayPal to keep it all safe and secure. He had requested that I send the item out as soon as possible, So, automatically I wrapped up the items Sunday night, used the address suoplied from his PayPal account and had it sent off Monday morning. I then got a message from him the next day saying that's his old address and he's moved! I only received these messages after I switched my phone on when I had finished work Monday night. The parcel was already on its way! I had asked Sunday evening if the PayPal address was correct and I also took a picture of the parcel and forward it on via private message. The messages and picture were seen by him on Sunday evening but we're not replied to so I assumed they were correct. Has anyone else had an experience similar to this and can the buyer receive the item ok? He's only moved a short distance from the previous address and it seems like his old address doesn't have any tenants in. The package was sent via royal mail recorded delivery. I'm hoping some ID/statement/bill from the previous addy and the photo of the parcel will help him claim it from the delivery depot.. I think I'm actually worrying about this more than the buyer tbh! Any feedback welcome.

Bought a John East J-Retro off Will. Great guy to deal with. Good comms and willing to answer all questions I fired at him. Received the item in quick time. Buy from him with confidence. Thanks.

Sold a ZVEX Mastotron to Daryl. Great comms, prompt payment, faultless. Wouldn't hesitate to do business with him again. A like-minded pedal junkie as myself!

I used to use D'Addario EXL165's exclusively for a good 3-4years, no other brand, until Dunlop Super Brights Nickels came out. I've used Dunlops for the past 12-18months and absolutely love them but I'd sort of forgot what the EXL165s sounded like. Tonight, I've just installed a set of D'Addario EXL165's onto my Jazz out of curiosity to see how they compare up against Super Brights . Its a nonpareil... I'm surprised at how muted they sound compared the Super Brights Nickel. With my tone pot fully rolled off, its like I've got my tone pot rolled half way when i use Super Brights. They just dont haved that crystalline brightness like Dunlops In future i wont be using any other brand but Dunlop Super Brights.

Just thought I'd chime in on this one. Lately my "Pedal Affair" seems to be drawing to a close. From around 2008 i started using/collecting pedals at a pretty steady rate. All types you can think of; Fuzz, Octave, Envelopes, Synths, Tuners, Preamps, Compressions, Exciters etc. By 2012 I was running two pedal boards at a gig with 20+ pedals on them. I was aware that i was using less than half of them on a regular basis, and the others just looked good filling out the board, with the philosophy of " it gives me options and I will use them in the future". I never got around to using the other bunch and a few sound guys had said to me in sound checks that my tone sounded "too coloured" or "overly dense". With 3 preamps, a couple of compressors and a sonic exciter running, they were probably right,. When i joined another band early 2014, a straight forward rock and pop covers unit . I only used the smaller pedal board with them, I realised that i didn't actually need this mass of pedals running and i sound clearer with just a few. So i started selling them off gradually. At present, I'm down to one board and 8 pedals, all fairly subtle, ones that i use regularly and they aren't permanently on. two of which I'm planning on selling soon also. I've received more positive feedback on having better presence and a cleaner tone since the drop. Maybe in another 12 months I'll be using none whatsoever??!!

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1429464973' post='2751625'] Two sets would probably do. The only trouble with having such old strings is that Elixir have probably changed the formulation / manufacturing specs at least twice in those 11 years and they might well now be sh1te, for all I know. [/quote] No coated strings sound good IMO. They all sound sterile/lifeless/muted. Most coated strings also interupt the bridge ground (which is more notable on passive basses) as the coating is non-conductive, increasing or inducing ground hum. The only sets that have a conductive coating are D'Addario EXP and Cleartone. But again, both of these are equally as bad sounding to me.

+1 for Dunlop Super Brights. My main go to string for the roundwound tone nowadays. As their name suggests, they are very bright and cut through the mix superbly with amazing clarity. Had them on since Janauary and still sound as good as the day they were installed. I Also like D'Addario XL's and Fender 7250s

I've recently converted to these strings. I love them. The first set I bought I accidentally ordered the stainless steels, a type of string I personally don't like. The curious nature in me made me put these strings on my Jazz to try them out and I was pleasantly surprised. They were actually quite loose tension for steels (loose tension strings are my preference) and they aren't as rough as the average steel string. I found they sounded quite balanced and not too overly zingy as most steels are. I persevered with them for 4-5 weeks and I've now replaced them with a Nickel set of these strings, which are just perfect for me.

Recently played a Rotarian charity festival, with many bands on during the day. I was playing in two bands who were on very late in the evening, 3rd and 2nd from the end. I thought it'd be wise to drink a big bottle of gin (with tonic) before I went on... I played pretty awful during my first set and my second set with the other band was worse. Although I can only vaguely remember it, apparently someone I know in the crowd had shouted to me, "get your balls out", seen as though I was wearing shorts I gladly obliged from the bottom of them (or so I'm told!) with being so inebriated, I had no realisation I was playing in front of a family crowd of around 400+ people.... It's safe to say I can't see my bands being booked next yr...

Sold a markbass cab to ash the other day. Quick, hassle free payment. Recommended buyer and a great guy. Thanks

On a previous unlined fretless I owned, I struggled On this bass i had the guitar tech remove all the previous side inlay dots and new ones placed over the correct fretting positions. This has made it a lot easier playing higher scale stuff in tune .

As Dave said "it was very shrewd move from an economical sense". I wasn't using the bass anymore as I have moved onto passives as my main fretted basses, but I still really treasured the bass and wouldn't have liked to part with it. It was a gamble but luckily for me it paid off, it is an improvement on the bass! I see the defret job I've had done as like taking stabilisers off a bike, it's now a better piece of equipment for it!

Hello BC-ers, I recently had the GAS dilemma of wanting a higher spec fretless bass and was struggling to decide what i wanted and which bass i would have to shift to pay for it. I was sat at home one day looking at my treasured Lakland Skyline 4402 and thought to myself "I wish I could just make that my fretless". Then I realised.... this could actually be a reality!! So I got in touch with the very talented guitar tech, Dave Wilson in Hexham to see if he we could create this idea of mine. We discussed all the ideas I had and the possibilities of the final outcome; frets removed, as close a colour match as possible for the fret filling veneers, all fretboard dot markers to be drilled out and filled with colour matching dowling and all inlay dots moved to the correct fretting positions. I got the bass to Dave and I will admit, I was a little bit apprehensive of the outcome, not on Dave's ability, more on the aftermath; Am I making the right move here with such a treasured bass of mine? Will it sound as good fretless as it does fretted? So I got the bass back last week and i was extremely pleased with the final product, What a fantastic job, It isn't entirely invisible from close up if you scrutinise it, but from a short distance away you can't even tell it was originally a fretted instrument. Most importantly as well, the bass totally sings . Masses of "mwaaahhh" and "pppwwooowww" on tap, and just an overall improvement on its voice and expression. It seems to have brought that bass to life. I just thought I would share this with you all and let you know I am a happy chappy!! Regards, Smythe

Sold a hipshot A style Bridge to Mart. Honest buyer, prompt payment and good comms along the way.

I have a Bass 10 pot in my Precision and Bass Duo 6 in my Jazz. In a nutshell...... They're a brilliant. The best mod for a passive bass you could wish for. Totally opens up the natural tone of your pickups and all settings are usable. Couldnt recommend them enough . The UK distributors are great vendors too. Smooth transaction, rapid delivery and personal follow ups via email regarding postal service and installation.

[quote name='s1ngle' timestamp='1396440322' post='2413610'] I bought my first bass two years ago. I chose sth cheap, because was't sure if it's just a fling or I'll keep on playing. My current bass is a Warwick's Rockbass, but since I tried playing other basses I wish for a new one. It seems like I have to use so much force with this one, and others I've tried were so smooth to play on, seemed totally effortless. Can anyone tell me what is the main thing that makes bases soft to play? (I'm translating directly from my language, so I hope I used the right expression). To know that, would be a great help with choosing a new bass. [/quote] Have a look at Yamaha's BB range or Ibanez Soundgear range, you get a lot of bass for little money from those brands. They have good craftsmanship, reliable hardware, half decent electronics and easy playability, everything that makes a bass buyable!

Not great from me either. I got a pair of Stainless Steel Elixirs to go on my Jazz. I found they created an increased 60Hz hum. Tried them on all my other basses and found the only bass i didnt get 60Hz hum with them fitted was my Lakland Skyline which is the only bass i have without open pole pickups. After researching the subject i found out that coated strings affect the grounding of a bass as the vast majority of them have non-conductive coatings and interfere with the bridge ground. The only coated strings to have a conductive coating are D'Addario EXP's and Cleartones.

Ok, quick update on this one Basschatters, After researching the whole subject of grounding and shielding in depth on forums/YouTube I found the shielding job to be totally under par on this special edition bass (shame on Fender). I ended up doing an overkill shielding job, two layers of conductive paint followed by a layer of copper tape in all cavities including the cavity backplate. I even ran pipe cleaners covered in conductive paint through all holes between cavities and ran copper shielding over all hot wires where they pass through cavities. I joined up the all cavities by running old, used strings through all the holes and soldering them down to keep ground continuity integrity. The results were very positive, I'd say 95% of the hum/interference has now disappeared. At a venue i know has a notoriously bad earthing loop I could hear a very faint crackle/hum once I put the bass through the PA system, but it wasn't something i was particularly bothered about. Even my Lakland gives off an equal amount of hum there. I've laid a very generous offer down on the table to my friend regarding this bass; my beloved Lakland Skyline 44-02 + £600 (equates to about £1400 in value all together), the ball is in his court now. Im hoping he accepts!! Its one of the best basses I've ever played. I play with very minimal EQ tweaks (if any at all!) on the preamp and its currently strung with D'Addario ProSteels which gives it a very authoritative Warwick-esque growl with Fender playability, what more can you ask for?!