Tait

when you say about the OLPs, i'd say go for the active, 2 pickup ones, but not the passive single pickup ones. the active ones are great basses, i really like mine. the single pickup ones aren't as good though, they're ok, passable, but theres nothing that makes them stand out, and you can get much better for that price. [quote name='horribleman' post='508796' date='Jun 9 2009, 08:19 AM']ibanez sr500 could be a good bet[/quote] +10000000000 the ibanez sr500 is fantastic. there are 2 basses ive got that i will never sell, one that i built on a shuker course for £990, and my ibanez Sr500. i can't fault the SR500, my dad complains its too light and the necks too thin, but i really like that. but thats the only fault with the sr500 i can think of, its amazing sounding, great looking IMO, very versatile, and just an all round great bass. for the money you have, i'd say the sr500 is your best bet.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='517811' date='Jun 18 2009, 08:43 PM']There are certain bass parts that seem quite easy to play, but when you actually learn them they just don't sound right, no matter how long you study them. For me, a prime example is 'Sex Machine'. A few simple notes, but you try to make it sound and feel like Bootsy...impossible. Another one is Steely Dan's 'Kid Charlemagne'. I've been playing this song for 12 years, and I've studied it note for note, but I can't for the life of me get it dead right. The feel is unbelievable - funk/reggae. Chuck Rainey freely admits it's probably his finest moment. Anyone else have an example of this phenomenom?[/quote] Sex Machine? ahh crap, i gotta learn that for a gig i got coming up, it sounded easy so i've not bothered trying it yet.

i think its great looking, but would be so much better looking if the pickguard was black. also - "if you love this piece then you would take your time restoring it". errr... provided it works, no i wouldn't. the awful condition is one of the things i like about it, like an old beaten up gibson grabber, i'd love one of those.

one of mark hoppus' two bright pink fender hoppus jazz basses, the ones he had painted himself and famously used for lots of gigsand videos.

i was imagining something a bit more like this when he said red stain [attachment=27110:squier.jpg] if it's like the picture mikey r posted, i'd definatly go no pickguard. if its like the squier i posted, well, i already explained my suggestions earlier.

[quote name='biro' post='513919' date='Jun 15 2009, 10:30 AM']I've tried a couple of iceman specimens in istanbul last summer, and I have to say they're great basses for the price. Let's say I've had the chance to try out some other Ibanez basses in the same occasion, eg a couple of BTB's, which in my opinion were clearly superior. as far as i can remember the pirice tag was similar, but sound-wise it wasn't really a fair comparison. If i were in your shoes I'd consider picking up a four stringer btb. It's a great looking bass, and has a great sound. Plus, the 35" scale lenght allows for higher string tension, which is a great thing if you are into picking styles and perhaps dropped tunings. then, keep in mind that we're still talking of fairly cheap korean-made basses, thus they're not exactly flawless. Though, I enjoyed the BTB's a lot. give it a try, I don't think you will be disapointed.[/quote] +1 to what biro said. i was considering buying an iceman a while back, it was really nice, BUT not as nice as most of the other ibanezes i've tried. sure, they're suitable for a metal bassist, and look so much cooler than the SR series, or the BTB series (absolutely hideous), but for soundwise and playability, the BTBs, SRs and ATKs ive played have been better. in fact, have you thought about an ATK? i'd say they'd be great metal basses, but they havent got the thin neck you said you like, and are bloody heavy. tbh, i don't think you're going to get much better than an SR500 and a SRX705 (if the 705 is the one i'm thinking of - the neck through one, with an ash body?) for metal. i might also add i love my SR500, its one bass i'd never sell, and have had GAS for a SR700 several times.

[quote name='Golchen' post='513914' date='Jun 15 2009, 10:23 AM']Anyone see the older guy with fair hair slapping a bass very effectively (on the Rotosound stand?) He's always at these shows, and always gets a crowd to hear his 'noodling'. I had a chat to try and get some pointers, but since getting home I just can't get the really cool fretting hand dampening that he makes look so easy.[/quote] i think i know the guy you mean, i saw TM Stevens stop and watch him, then give the guy a high 5 afterwards, he seemed really impressed.

[quote name='MuseMatt' post='511128' date='Jun 11 2009, 12:57 PM']indeed they are spawns of hell as you can cleary see after having put a spawndetector over them![/quote] you scare me. there aren't many single cuts i like, i like the more plain ones, the shuker shapes my favourite. someone had a jazz with the upper horn filled in, i liked that. of course i like teles and les pauls. back to the tele thing, id say they are singlecuts, but i dont like to think of them as singlecuts because then theyre related to some of the hideous singlcuts out there.

[quote name='ateyercheese' post='509908' date='Jun 10 2009, 09:23 AM']The trouble is I can't decide whether to have a black scrtach plate and the black control board or go au-naturale and have neither?[/quote] black one piece jazz pickguard? bit like the fender mark hoppus? i know jon does one piece jazz pickguards one some of his jazzes, he used to have this really nice sunburst jazz with a black one piece pickguard. theres a natural lefty with that pickguard on jon's website in the j bass gallery, if you want to see what i mean. i'd go for that with a red stain jazz, personally, in black. after that i'd go black pickguard with chrome hardware, but that wasn't one of your options either, so i'd say black pickguard, black control plate, black hardware. EDIT: by the way, hope you have a great week. i went on this course a while back, and it was fantastic, i'm sure you'll have a good time.

i like that, i prefer the tele control plate, but the design you've chosen is very cool too. and speaking from experience as a member who's done this course, you'll have a great time, it was a great week for me, and i'm sure it will be for you.

this is really going to look fantastic when its done, hurry up!

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='512723' date='Jun 13 2009, 12:06 PM']I beleive that the strap button was put on the headsock so that upright players could play it upright, doghouse style as they say. This was back when they were trying to get upright players to swap to electric basses and Fender must have thought that the ability to play the bass in the upright position would sway players. Of course, I could be talking complete b***ocks! Jez[/quote] spot on, according to "the fender bass: an illustrated history" - [i]"In 1960, Fender added the strap button to the back of the Jazz and Precision headstocks. (Traditional players used this button to help strap the bass vertically, allowing them to play as they were accustomed in their transition from doghouse to electric bass.) By 1969, the button dissappeared, creating yet another Fender mystery, To enable the Kluson gear to mount flush to the back of the headstock, in late 1964 two small divots were added per gear, which corrected this flaw and probably increased performance.[/i]

i thought it was poor. none of the stands seemed to like you playing their stuff, barely anyone had guitars plugged into a little box with headphones so you can just pick up and play, i really noticed the absence of fender - there were only about 3 jazzes in the whole show, which would normally be a good thing but i'm after a jazz atm. all in all, definatly one of the worst guitar shows i've been to. still, it was better than a day in on my ps3 or revising for exams.

[quote name='boabskiboab' post='472750' date='Apr 26 2009, 04:32 PM']Sunshine of your love - Cream[/quote] what?! really?! i think it's possibly the second most boring song ever written, after sex on fire, which is easily the most boring.

[quote name='Buzz' post='471946' date='Apr 24 2009, 11:58 PM']Except "I miss you" if you're trying to sing as well. That's quite difficult.[/quote] its harder to sing and play the guitar part, i find.