Conan

Threads like these highlight two common but unfortunate facts. 1. Ebay is a minefield, and that the default mindset appears to be "believe nobody". 2. Buying "older" or even "vintage" Fenders is a total nightmare - and should not be approached by anyone except existing experts. The main question is my mind is [i]why[/i] would you buy a 34 year old bass? If it has investment potential, and you intend to put it away for another 20 years in the hope that it will make money, fine. But this instrument, with it's bizarre machine head downgrade, is surely unlikely to do that! So It's an old bass that is being sold for a similar price to a brand new one. But from an era when the Fender "quality control" (sic) was notoriously variable. Several people have already questioned the presence or absence of certain "key" features, and others have confirmed or denied that their assertions were correct! Jesus. Is it really worth it?

Sadly, I really hate going into music shops. I often get the impression that the staff think that the shop is only there for [i]their[/i] convenience, not that of the potential customers. Yes, it must be difficult trying to compete with the online warehouses, but other indistry sectors have similar competition and have raised their game in order to offer something that an online retailer can never offer - genuinely personal service. Pete's story about the Epiphones is amazing but all too common. Instead of trying to offer something different to the Thomanns of this world, they badmouth them (which is probably bordering on slander) as they know that they cannot compete with them on price. In the last couple of years I have bought quite a bit of gear, but most of it has been bought second hand from here or a couple of other similar sites. I realise that I am not helping music retailers much, but then again I am happy to buy used gear. It is really only strings that I buy new and once again I have found that the online traders like StringsDirect and Stringbusters offer great prices and good service. Why would I go to a shop to be sneered at because I am not spending a grand on a new guitar? Imagine if other high street retailers showed such a snobby attitude to their customers? If the butcher laughed in your face because you only wanted a pound of mince and some chicken bones for stock! Or the fishmonger ignored you because you didn't come in to buy the whole tuna from the window display but only a couple of haddock fillets for tea. I think some music shops deserve to be experiencing hard times. Unless they respond to the current market with more sensitivity, they deserve to go under.

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1354113901' post='1882217'] That said, lesser equipment will always have niggles and compromises that will, in time, lead to frustration, and everyone knows it is lesser equipment. Keep the best equipment you own[/quote] Yes - there is that as well.

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1354112385' post='1882202'] If the P is not selling right now keep it, if you can sell the other stuff, and you want to sell it, then do. Think of it as an investment, not just in terms of the increase in value (this may take some time) but also having a quality gig-able instrument - from which you can earn money. No bass = no gig = no money. [/quote] That's a good reason to keep [i][b]a[/b][/i] bass, but surely the CIJ and even the Squier would fulfil the same criteria? They should be more than giggable. If money is tight it does make sense to sell your highest value bass (as long as you get a fair price for it). It's unlikely that the US P will appreciate much in value for at least 15 years, possibly a lot more than that...

[quote name='Joker2807' timestamp='1354098300' post='1881944'] you can kill someone with bass frequencies can't you ??? obv i talking about a lot lower signal and with a lot more power than our basses lol [/quote] Still... it's something to aspire to!

Well. Just got my Geddy back from the Bass Doc yesterday and used it at rehearsal last night. It now runs at 18V following the installation of a rear-routed double battery compartment. BD did his usual immaculate job of course! So I've reduced the future value of my bass. Who cares? It's a keeper anyway. The key question is has it made any difference to the sound? Not really. To qualify that comment, I would say that it was a low volume rehearsal and I was playing through my 12 watt Marshall practice combo which is over 20 years old. I also experienced a bit of a volume-drop problem that seems to be related to a bit of a dirty gain pot... BUT (and that's a big but) I was rather disappointed when I failed to notice any increase in presence, tone, clarity, crispness, whatever... My ears are not at their best due to a hard-to-shake-off head cold, but still. So overall I would say that the doubling of the voltage has made little if any difference to the tone of the EMG pickups. Full volume rehearsal on saturday though, so if there [i]is[/i] any difference, it should be revealed by the combination of my Hartke and BFB! Can't help feeling slightly disappointed though.

[quote name='John Schoen' timestamp='1353780942' post='1878448']The bass is a bit neck heavy but nothing that a good strap won't cure.[/quote] [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1353781388' post='1878456']I believe you'll have to pop a FatFinger on it.[/quote] Add more mass to the headstock of a bass that is already neck-heavy?!?!

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1354023359' post='1880929'] Partner wants me to hang on to the USP till after Xmas to see if the market is better, [/quote] Which implies that [i]she[/i] wants you to sell it. How you respond to that knowldge is up to you...

Strange - I've never thought of DRs as "low tension". But then I do use fairly heavy gauges... Have you tried the lo-riders?

Well I thought it was funny...

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1353868597' post='1879171'] Just because you've bought equipment, doesn't mean it ALL has to be used at every gig. As for spending time investing in my own sound? I never do that, I spend time getting the bands sound right. What I think of my sound is irrelevant as I'm not playing for myself, I'm playing for the band. This is something bass heavey guitarists seemingly fail to do. Dan [/quote] That's my approach too, but sadly it is all too rare. It's hard being a grown-up sometimes...

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1353963346' post='1880364'] which bass of the 3 makes you want to pick it up and play it the most? [/quote] Exactly. Plenty of people complain about instruments that are not good enough for them to play. You don't often hear that a guitar is "too good"!! In the current market, if you do sell the US P at all you might not get what you want/expect for it. Keep the P and sell one or both of the others.

I bet Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall wouldn't...

[quote name='jackers' timestamp='1353977327' post='1880539'] My main issue is that I really want to get the right people for this, [/quote] Be aware, though, that what [i]you[/i] think are the "right people" may not actually exist, or may already be in their ideal bands. If you set your standards too high you will never even get started.

Best policy is to be honest but assertive. Don't bullshit people. If you don't think they are right for your band, then say so. It is possible to be clear without being rude. "You're a great player but I just don't think you are the right person for this project" type of thing. You have to be a little bit selfish or you will end up saddled with a load of heartache and regret later. A good mantra for life in general really!

As Wilko Johnson once said "If you make a mistake, just look brash and the audience will think they heard it wrong"

Getting slightly desperate now...

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1353930796' post='1879775'] Trouble is, MM never plays Jazz. He plays [i]a[/i] Jazz, but I have not heard any Jazz being played by him for decades I think the new DG at the BBC should resign over this (and take his £300K bonus with him....) [/quote] Isn't that slightly tasteless bearing in mind he could have been killed?!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1352980966' post='1870022'] With Fender, (and with all businesses, especially larger ones like this) its ALWAYS about the money. [/quote] As it should be. With large numbers of employees and customers it would be irresponsible for them to take unnecessary risks. I know nothing about business, but even I can understand that. I may not [i]like[/i] it however....

[quote name='rednose200' timestamp='1353804133' post='1878688'] I'm sure you will still be able to find a new Jap made Geddy in a store somewhere. Dont know about Mex made GL's but every Jap one I have played has been wonderful and also wonderfully setup straight out of the box. I dont think £800 is out of the way for this model which has the best Fender neck ever made on it. Up to you man. [/quote] In my limited experience (having only played 3 GLs!) I would whole-heartedly agree with this. If you pick one up second hand (typically in the £450-£550 range) then the quality is stunning.

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1353667176' post='1877100'] That article was interesting. There were opposing views on whether through-necks emphasise the fundamental or the mids, and disagreement over whether the type of wood makes [i]much[/i] difference, also good to read their general thoughts on building basses. [/quote] Yes. I wouldn't say that there was anything resembling a consensus there...!

[quote name='Kongo' timestamp='1353602649' post='1876499'] Also might be worth adding here, a fretless bass can just be played as is. You don't HAVE to slide and have a huge amount of "mwah" at all times y'know. :-P[/quote] That's a good point. I'm guilty of that myself. I don't play fretless all that often and when I do I am very aware that I play differently - with far more slides, vibrato and so on. It's almost as if occasional fretless players have to make everyone notice that they are playing fretless... Why do we do that I wonder? I remember listening to Jeff Berlin playing on Bill Bruford's "Feels good to me" album for the first time. Not only was I fairly sure that it was Jaco on bass, I was absolutely convinced that it must be played on a fretless (it wasn't!). Sometimes, Jaco on fretless sounds like he is playing a fretted bass! It is not clear-cut at all! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1USv4S0Uvuo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1USv4S0Uvuo[/url]

[quote name='Inti' timestamp='1353652194' post='1876950'] Absolutely, but the subjective opinion of a great bassist is not to be taken lightly like the subjective opinion of a charlatan who thinks technique is irrelevant. [/quote] Er.... excuse me?