iconic

You see in many shops nowadays, no matter what they sell, decent staff are just so tough to find. 

I like it, reminds me of a 70s Cadillac dashboard, with the fake plastic wood and sudden colour combo. 😎

Depends if you like, boutique and/or off piste basses. 

If, like many and you don't, then it's down to the usual suspects. 

Think carefully, a spendy bass says a lot about it's owner, well it does to other anorak bass players😉 they will sum up your character, house decor, car, sex life just by it's profile, obviously no one else would give a toss, it's just a funny looking, long geetar thing. 

I like Stingrays, although not enough to keep the one I had, one of those basses one needs to own, the Alfa Romeo of the bass world.

Do play before you buy, some, like my mine had/have annoyingly quiet G strings. And the larger necks aren't for everyone, each to their own. 

And, I know this maybe a tough ask, be great to try it over a few days, a shop maybe able to accommodate you, just be a pest, pop in again and again. Because some can have quite 'lively' necks, as in need tweaking more often than most. Fortunately the truss wheel type fitting makes this easy enough, just a heads up. 

Good luck with your search 😎

That's brilliant, well done sir😎

My bass tone is more nasal.....

Like my nose, runny. 

According to Davide Romani (Change et al) basically anything Chic was recorded in the studio with Bernard Edwards on...... a Fender P.

Anything played on TV or in concert was played for looks, Stingray, BC Rich, Jazz, Sadowsky etc. 

Bernard Edwards and Davide Romani were great friends during the Chic days, shared studio time and session singers/players when needed. 

Ohh, and that oft quoted comment of not knowing what strings were on his bass? Just BE being witty, but went completely over the interviers head. Bernard and Nile were grade A anoraks when it came to production. Again, Mr Romani. 

Those old B1000s were a cracking P bass, good pups and nice shallow neck, halfway P 'n J neck, good fit n finish, what's not to like. 

I've a pink and maple one that's been a keeper for years, whilst my spendy stuff has come and gone. 

Well, there seems to be a lot of vintage instruments for sale, that aren't finding new homes. 

....going the same way as classic car and bike market? 

Just because you can....

On 12/12/2023 at 15:34, chris_b said:

 

Of course.

 

As in many things there are performers and watchers.

I went to that stag night too...and quite by chance the female part of that production shops in my local Asda, small world😉

Hit Me, Ian Dury.....it's too tough to play cleanly for me😔

Me too, seems to be a bit of a thing at the moment on here.

... sold a shed load of gear this year and out with the spendy stuff that sounds just as broken as my cheaper buys.....with my playing.😉 

All passive. Two long term keepers, a £49.99 pink Westfield B1000 P bass from that Scots music shop that shut down 10 years ago (a belated thanks for the heads up Basschat), Squier first generation VMJ.

A new Harley Benton MB4 Snideray....

....ohh and last week a bargain too good to turn away Harley Benton JB75 in black crept in which is much lighter than the natural finish JB75 super tanker anchor I had, but same great fit, finish and sound....the pups are stupendous. 

So 4 bass, one Pacifica, from 10 ish bass and 5 geetars, I feel cleansed. There isn't one that sits unused, which is my barometer. 

Fenders, Yamaha, Spectors et al all gone and happier for it. 

On 16/11/2023 at 11:17, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I don't think there's a way to do this on a maple fingerboard, so I never do those, but on an unlacquered fingerboard (I've done rosewood, pau ferro, and ebony boards) there are a few methods. I used to use a screwdriver shaft to compress the wood at the edge of the fingerboard to round it off, however I now favour using an extra fine sanding pad (eg https://amzn.to/3sFbdxl) This is a much quicker job and an additional benefit of this is that it also rounds off the edges on the frets making them extra comfy on the fingers. Taking the neck off the guitar/bass to do this makes it easier. I've done this on instruments ranging in cost from £100 to £1200 and have always been pleased with the results.

 

Update: this is the exact pad I have most recently used, a Bosch superfine -> https://amzn.to/46gIM6B

 

I use these and foam nail file blocks, feels so much better after a dressing. Takes the newness feel out of the bass giving it a played in feel. 😎

On 11/12/2023 at 15:30, tauzero said:

 

Do you prefer adjustable spanners in metric or imperial? 

I can use both growing up in the 70s, but do lean towards a right hand one. 

On 05/12/2023 at 12:26, Nice Guy Rich said:

I could never buy a red bass.

 

I don't like active pickups.

 

I don't like 5 string basses.

Spot on for all three

The price of romance.....

Or spend a ton on a Harley Benton😉

I'm not a great fan of bass demo's when played on their own, one needs to hear how the bass sounds in the mix...so to speak. 

This gives a good idea of the MB4 sound.....to me, as an ex Stingray owner if I was blindfolded and asked what bass is this....tutto bene. 

Funnily enough I've got myself down to a P, and a J, sold 7 since January. Feel sooooo much better for it too.

One thing I've noticed over the years, is that the really serious players, you know, those that play for a living, tend to have the least amount of basses....maybe just me? 

Good old boys still great at customer service, they gifted me a new speaker for a 10 year old plus EB180, next day delivery. 

The The

The The.

On 25/11/2023 at 07:47, meterman said:

I found a box of old CDs recently while having a clearout. Singles, albums, EPs, promos... stuff like:

 

Royal Trux

Super Furry Animals 

Boards Of Canada

the “Super Discount” remixes

Air “Moon Safari” 

Sebadoh

Sparklehorse

Eels

Primal Scream “Echo Dek”

...plus loads more.

 

Will put the albums or tracks I like on a hard drive and take the CDs to the recycling centre. Great listening to it all again though 👍

 

Moon Safari....I'll be checking that out again. 😎

Not taking formal lessons.

Or, spending more more money on Gas than lessons, same thing. 

Best price 4 kesh

2 minutes ago, police squad said:

Fairy dust mixed with snake oil, that's how to do it

Tone dust and tone oil surely? 

I've a feeling that the P bass sound varies on what decade you first experience it...?

For example. Pretty much all singles up to mid 70s (?) had bass down and rounded off in the mix, to avoid the needle skipping...so we never really got heard what a natural sounding P bass sounded like.