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My main and favourite bass is a 1985 MIJ 57 RI P bass that is completely stock. However, every now and then i consider upgrading the pickups for something a bit hotter but still vintagey.....resisted the temptation so far but that itch never goes away.....

im absolutely not a vintage fender expert but that tort doesnt look right, looks almost 'cheap' compared to the wonderful deep dark red plates you usually see on 60's fenders?

Flats wise I've tried pretty much everything - finally settled on Elites for years but the dead E's started becoming more of a problem. Eventually switched back to Fenders. Rounds wise for years i switched back and forth between DR Fat Beams and Rotosound Solo's. Eventually when i do use rounds its normally fender 7150 pure nickels

My new band project utilises the drummers own home studio for rehearsals which saves me lugging my amp and cab. I use a Dr J Sparrow sansamp clone and get a great valvey type sound - not over driven but slightly hairy sound with my flats loaded P bass. I used to own an Ampeg SVT Tube DI which i loved but let go due to not getting much use. In view that these are now hard to get hold off ive looked at some 'budget' valve DI options - things like the EBS Valve Drive DI or even the Ashdown OriginAL DI. From what ive read the EBS does that 'tube amp on the edge of break-up' well whereas the Ashdown is a little more 'fuzzy'. Are there any other obvious pedals ive missed (other than the usual sansamp offerings)? Furthermore are there any EBS users on here that get on well with the pedal in its current form or even with some valve rolling at all?

I had the Squier TB P bass a while back that is similar to this with the great big Seth pickup by the neck. Lovely playability and a lovely neck but sound wise it was just all bark and no definition. Looked the muts nuts and played well just it only had one sound and that sound didnt work for very much

Agreed. Huge Queen fan but ive not gone to see the current incarnation. Just seems Roger and Brian and selling the soul of the whole thing. Shame really. Another opportunity for me to announce that my 11yr old lads middle name is Deacon after John, much is my love of queen in years gone by

Im a dyed in the wool flats player but they just arent working for my current band/project. I loved the 7150's as i like their fundamental and the fact they had nice (high) tension. Im working out if i could get away with those rather than going NPS or Steel. I hate zingy rounds but needs must at the moment, even moving from my favourite Elites flatwounds to more twangy Fender flats hasnt brought the necessary amount of drive/clarity/grit

Im not remotely an expert on these things but when did Fender bring in the bullet truss rod on the 70's jazzes? Was that later along with the 3 bolt neck plate?

I keep toying with the idea of just selling everything gear wise and retiring to a nice vintage bass, a B15 and just noodle away pressure free at home. This is the current ''this is the one'' bass https://reverb.com/uk/item/72076949-fender-jazz-bass-1974

Chromes to me sound too much like rounds. I prefer the fenders as they mellow down nicely whereas the chromes seem to retain their metallic clank