Ancient Mariner

I'll play. First up, not mine, but a Roger Giffin custom, loaned by a friend. I'd never liked 'super strats' but this is the complete exception, and the the tone from those strat-size humbuckers was wonderful, whether series or parallel. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/AncientMariner/Gifffull01.jpg[/IMG] Now moved on, I loved the looks of this First Act Sheena but couldn't get on with the neck profile. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/AncientMariner/Sheenafront2.jpg[/IMG] One of my 3 favourite guitars, my Tokai 'Japan only' '59 replica Les Paul. With Burstbucker 1 & 2s, it sounds as good as it looks, and it looks VERY good indeed. One of the best Les Pauls I've ever played, and on a par with Gibson's VOS (the seller had a VOS '58 and I tried them side by side). [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/AncientMariner/Tolai59LP02.jpg[/IMG] Another one I moved on - Godin SD. They have a great reputation, but TBH I'd put the quality lower/par with MIM Fenders of 10 years ago. The fingerboard was too narrow and it did nothing as well as any of my strats, despite the 'interesting' looks. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/AncientMariner/After04.jpg[/IMG] Godin Radiator that I also sold (and regret a little). I like these - light, jangly, fun - but with a Jazz bass style controls which don't work so well on a guitar. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/AncientMariner/full02.jpg[/IMG] Switch Ultima IV plastic guitar with piezo bridge and GFS humbuckers. Not a bad guitar, but a victim of me wanting to slim down the collection. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v717/AncientMariner/Switch-1.jpg[/IMG] To be continued another night.

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1325698094' post='1486298'] I'd agree that some of the folks inhabiting guitar sites can be a bit anal, but when all's said this is actually a bass site. [/quote] Oh the irony. As another guitarist, but one who seems to be playing more guitar-synth than any other instrument (it's a form of madness, where you feel the need to bust out a riffing horn section or a trilling flute) I don't really mind either way. I quite like Harmony Central - forgave it, went back there after >1 year off and still post occasionally. But generally speaking, I'd say bass players are probably a bit more pedantic and anal about stuff. You're mostly very concerned about technique and musical theory, while most guitarists work on the principle that scales are for fish and why can't we just jam together instead of worrying about that flattened 5th. I'm not sure it would necessarily bring a lot to *basschat* though it might help a few people. IMO I don't think there are enough guitarists, and particularly guitar noobs, to [s]mock[/s] have questions answered.

But we know guitars and basses are highly variable - I have 3 strats here, and each one sounds quite different due to distinct constructional and hardware differences. Don't forget that in this study they weren't being asked if they sounded the same - quite the opposite, they were asked which they preferred for sound and playability. I wouldn't be at all surprised if some preferred a well set up modern Fender to a vintage instrument with a more 'retro' set up, heavy strings and high action.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110794731637&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:GB:1123 I just don't need *another* bass.

I was playing mine at practice about an hour ago. However mine's had a MM style pickup put in the bridge, and I like that sound over a precision tone by quite a large margin.

Not quite the same, but I have a Les Paul that's had a headstock break (before I got it) and it's one of the best LPs I've ever played. Had that guitar 3 years now, and it seems stable enough.

If you like the jazz sound and feel then I'd be inclined to stick with that, though there's no reason you shouldn't try other things. The jazz neck is nicer for us guitar players compared to some of the logs that often seem to go with bass playing. Ampwise, the Ibanez Promethian seems to have a lot of love round here, and they're around £500 for the 1X10 combo from Thomann.

Box of 5 nylon printer ribbons by 'Fullmark', all brand new still in heat-sealed bags. Designed for: Canon A-1200/PW 1156A Hyundi HDP-910/920 Logitec FT 7000 Free for collection or postage at cost - I just want shot of them.

As has been said, it's another tool. For most bands you don't need to slavishly copy the original bass parts, but also deciding you're going to have your own 'style' will make you look an ass if you try to play like a hard rocker on a gentle ballad. What works for the song is what makes the song sound the best it can - possibly better than the original if you're covering someone else's music. As a guitar player of >30 years, when I came back to bass I deliberately used fingers to differentiate from my main instrument. Now I really enjoy the sheer physicality of playing bass and literally getting to grips with it, but I carry a pick in my pocket to use if a song calls for it.

It is hard to imagine that one PU would have been de-magnetised while the instrument was disassembled for painting. I would be inclined to put it back together and see how it plays first, before deciding on remedial action. I also wonder if the weaker PU is the neck pickup.

Excellent.

PMT stores do sometimes carry a lot of good stock - there's a big one in Brum too.

Last time I was in Dawsons music in reading they had quite a big selection of basses (according to the website they have 29 different models of precision). Might be worth giving them a call to ask what they have that you'd like to try. [url="http://www.dawsons.co.uk/stores/music-shop-reading"]http://www.dawsons.c...ic-shop-reading[/url] http://www.dawsons.co.uk/guitars/bass-guitars/product-range-precision-bass

This doesn't so much like 'which precision' as 'how do I find THE one'. My feeling is that there's 2 approaches to take: 1) Go find a shop with a large stock and spend an afternoon (or a whole day) working your way through methodically - this is the approach to take when you need something fairly quickly. I did this when I bought my No1 strat, and played somewhere between 25 and 30 guitars back-to-back. 2) Buy a cheapish version of what you want, then consider what works for you and what you wish were better. Use the experience gained to find your 'ultimate' instrument. I did this with Les Pauls (except the first one was 'nice', and the really good one was cheaper). This is a better way of choosing except that one can get diverted off onto other instruments or even other activities. Somebody mentioned MIJ instruments. All my favourite guitars are Japanese: Fender, Washburn and Tokai. I own handmade English and American guitars, but they don't have what my MIJ instruments do.

The bloke I bought it from was selling it to pay for a Gibson VOS '58 (mine is a '59 replica). TBH there was almost nothing to choose between them except the Gibson had an even fatter neck and weighed about 2lb more. Oh, and had a list price somewhere north of 3 grand.

[quote name='Ian Savage' timestamp='1323808243' post='1467432'] I've found this to be very much the case with Stagg cymbals ('hand-made' in China alledgely using ex-Zildjian machinery)- there's a huge number of total dogs out there put when you get a good one it's REALLY good. [/quote] You just never know. Went to Music Live a few years back, played a £69 AXL Tele and went 'WOW'. Tried a whole bunch of teles, but that one was special, so of course it came home with me. Sold it a year later to fund a Gibson Flying V (which wasn't so great, and went out the door sharpish).

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1323806749' post='1467405'] There is something unmeasurable about having a bass made where they started, rather than where the labour is cheap. It's up to us whether we want to pay the extra for that. [/quote] I know what you. And yet..... About 6 or 7 years ago I bought a Heritage Les Paul, handmade by ex-Gibson employees in the old Gibson factory using much of the original Gibson tooling. Bought it sight-unseen and collected it during a business trip to the US a few years back. After much fettling it's not a *bad* guitar (especially now it's got some semi-vintage Gibson pickups in it, rather than the original Seymour Duncans) but it's not a great Les Paul either. I do have a great Les Paul (and have been privileged to play a few) but it was made by Tokai as a non-export model.

Indeed, Benz is the 'natural' father of the car. Back on topic, there was a time when MIM Fenders were deliberately inferior in hardware, electrics and used unselected wood (meaning you could get poor quality wood or great tonewood, but no guarantee either way). However they've really upped the quality of Mexican Fenders and even Squiers to the point where there's much more cross-over with the US models.

Like, very much. It's great when people trust each other, and even better when they back it up with their actions.