Emanew

Hi, I used to be sceptical about flatwounds but one day i tried the Thomastick' strings (JF 364 super long scale 44-57-72-96) on my Takamine B10. Expensive (around 50€) but i use them for 3 years and they still sound great (i wipe them after each gig). I plan to have my old beloved Precision loaded with flatwounds.... I hope it will help you.

Hello, My first fretless was a Godin acousticaster in the 90's (i still own it). Ebony fingerboard, acoustic chamber, LR Baggs Preamp... You can play without using an amp (it is simpler when you need to practice) and plugged you have a rich sound. Godin basses (acoustic or solid body) are not expensive on the second hand market but are good instruments. Check the neck and trussrod first, and play ! I hope it will help.

For me, the ultimate JB. I love the yellow in this sunburst. Lucky groover

There may be a lot of reasons for that. There are my hypotheses The dots existed already on the guitars, so when the bass came out, it had the same fingerboard look. Back in the days, when Leo Fender created the Precision Bass, it was designed to be used by guitarists. "Don't hurt the customer" It allowed them to be able to play a low frequencies instrument without changing their skills. Secondly, the Precision Bass had to seduce (hard job) double bass players, so it had to be also played almost vertically. You watch the neck differently. Dots on the front helped these "switchers" coming from a bigger instrument (in terms of playing). In 1951, Monk Montgomery was one of very first to handle a 51 PB with Lionel Hampton's Band. At last i would say it helps the modern bass beginners. When i teach young players, actually they use these dots. When they get more self confident, they can use only side dots. I agree with you that it is no more useful after few years of playing BUT... i couldn't imagine an old JB without dots. It is a part of the harmony... Sometimes when i see a classic JB or PB neck without front dots, it lacks something. Did you ever feel this way or am i completely mad ? For the look without front dots, Warwick, Elrick, Mayones, Vigier basses kill. Designers meant it.

[quote name='Toasted' timestamp='1327502659' post='1512442'] Your cheapest route to the Sadowsky sound is to get the best Jazz bass you can afford and get the Sadowsky Outboard Preamp. http://www.sadowsky.com/accessories/preamp.html Of course, the only thing that gets you a Will Lee is £3000 [/quote] I agree with that suggestion. I use to play with an old sadowsky preamp (second hand, half the price) and it coloured well the sound of my JB. For the hardware, you can buy black bridge and keys. [url="http://www.sadowsky.com/stock/view/5225.html"]http://www.sadowsky.com/stock/view/5225.html[/url] For the look, you can ask a luthier to add, to your good JB, a rare wood facings (exotic wood, flamed or quilted maple, etc... You will be able to choose the beautiful wood with him. A luthier workshop is always a wonderland for me. It will be far far from 3000£ and you learn a lot about instruments with him. PS : a Warwick Thumb is a very good choice, splendid bubinga and sound...

Welcome Harleyheath, Beautiful artwork, i need to go deeper on your site. Congrats !

Hi Louder, What better way of making music than jamming with friends live ? Don't hesitate, go. Good groove.

Beautiful maple sound and elegant playing. May the...Fa be with you, Nim knight :-)

Hi Kevin Jones, I agree with you, a music without groove doesn't make sense... See you.

Hello Arnaud ! Bienvenue chez les...brit. It is cool in here. Bon groove

Welcome 2tonetwist, large range of music, congrats. Sometimes i play reggae and Dub too. Good groove, Yo !

Hi fellows, I played my old TB 10 (early 90's) for almost 10 years, and like you, i went through differents "periods" with that bass. First, i started to play horizontally : i asked my luthier to install a "female" black strap-lock on the "talon". I may have picts if you want. As i was coming from fretless bass guitar, i was confortable (even with that big neck) and i was playing with roundwound strings. Slowly, i switched to vertical playing. I asked my luthier to add small abalone dots on the side to help in the beginning. It is not a minor issue with that bass. Sorry but as you saw the bassist with tatoos doesn't play in tune... It needs work and hours of playing but the result worths the pain. Once i mastered the way of playing this beast, i got aware that the TB10 doesn't sound the same horizontally and vertically. First, you touch it differently and secondly the instrument doesn't vibe the same way. It is important to know that. At the end, i tried flatwounds and after few weeks i decide to keep them. Only on this bass, i am not a "flat" fan. Now i admit it fits the bass, i learned to make them "sing" as roundwounds do. I don't want to be too long and i do my best with english, so i stop here this evening.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1327681960' post='1515361'] Not only do I want the gig, I can do without the worry of who's legging it out of the fire exit with my 6 million dollar Fodera when I'm at the gig. On that basis alone, a Fender. Although perhaps not a particularly mainstream one. Maybe an Urge or Roscoe Beck... [/quote] ;-)))) Six million dollar Bass....Excellent Lfalex To compare Fender and Fodera, you have to compare a early 60 hand made JB or PB to a hand made bass by Fodera crew. And then, you can not go further comparing. There is passion on both case, i think. You have history and pionneer research for a afordable instrument in one case. Thanks Mister Léo for creating a Little Big Bass : amazing revolution with PB and JB. Future and happy few high lutherie on the other. With Anthony Jackson, the Butterfly luthiers brings the Bass a little bit further. The problem is : be careful if you own a Fodera, you have to PLAY or you'll be ridiculous... ;-) Money, fashion, and rare products came to interfer with Music. The Tool fits the Music. Each Bass its sound, character. I still laugh reading "who's legging it out of the fire exit with my Six Million dollar...Bass". Thanks Lfalex

To protect and to carry more easily my electro acoustic bass, i have 2 ways - my RITTER double gig bag (for 2 basses !). I paid around 80€ for it. - a semi-rigid TOBAGO case around 70€ I hope it will help

A Mk III. Beautiful elite instrument. Thanks for posting, AndroWal. I really like the Mk I But the taxes kill... i won a bid on ebay for a G&L last year and the customs services didn't forget me.... Unless you take a airplane ticket to visit America

Hello, As said Luke FRC, the American Vintage basses (57 Precision, 62 Jazz bass) have a nitro finish. Of course, all the Custom Shop Time machine instruments. Why are you interested in knowing that ? For the sound, the look ? Good groove

What better place than a church to play fretless ? My Fretless is my Holy Bass... Welcome back home and keep on playing exclusivly fretlless.

According to me, when you love your bass it gives back to you. Taking care of the instrument, finding something to improve, i have a better feeling and i play even much better. For sure, your Wall deserves to be "appreciated" and you deserve a such mistress.

When i started fretless (i mainly play FL) i bought a second hand Fender Japan. (In the shop i loved the look of this one precisely...) Almost 20 years later, i think it was a good choice : you play on a good Bass for half price, and only a litte more than a brand new cheap one. You loose much less reselling it. I hope it will help. Good groove

I know that in 66, the new owner CBS ordered a large stock of CTS pots (example 13766xx). All these pots lasted till 1969-70, CBS used them on 67-68-69 basses. So if you only check the pots, it is easy to say this bass is a 66 whereas it's a 67.

Hi, Considering the fact that you already have your woods, I agree withbigsmokebass. But there is always a but... A question : what wood will you use for the body ? A total "gold" (natural if you prefer) bass would be cool : ash body and maple fretless neck and fingerboard. A splendid bassplayer Jean-Marc JAFET played a long time with this kind of set. One day he decided to change for a ebony fingerboard. Hard wood in the 2 cases. I also own a maple fingerboard fretless with active electronic. I boost a little bit the bass knob and i am at home. I like the maple reactivity. I think you have to find your own balance between look and sound.

Hi Laurence, Thanks. I love my JB that's why "she" sounds. I see that you're a Wal and Mike Karn fan. I am looking for a Mk I fretless for a long time. I wish i could find someday...