discreet

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1423223354' post='2682358'] There is absolutely no reason or justification to get one of these. Is there? [/quote] Oh no... but what are you going to do when you need a spiffy black bass but don't want to have to worry about taking it out of the house..? And if you DO move it on, it's not like you're going to lose much cash on the deal, is it..?

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1423222784' post='2682347'] My routine is a tea towel between the strings... [/quote] Tsk! Typical girl bass player!

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1423222500' post='2682343'] It was a far from unusable sound, but just had less lows than a much smaller set up. [/quote] Fewer lows. Maybe they were so low you couldn't hear 'em?

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1423174777' post='2681957'] Oh , I thought he was the little kid from Star wars [/quote] No, that's Anniemac...

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1423214213' post='2682205'] Marmite? [/quote] No thanks, I've just eaten half a jar... BAARPPP!!

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1423217108' post='2682241'] ...bass players change them just cos they fancy a new set of strings rather than they NEED them. [/quote] That's why most of my strings get changed... well, you have to try 'em all, don't you?

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1423219955' post='2682288'] ...Actually I am struggling to recall why I got rid of it. Hell and damnation. [/quote] At that price you could sneak one into the house with the shopping. It's a stealth bass, no-one will notice...

[quote name='Bass Culture' timestamp='1423218177' post='2682260'] ...I think you're quite fair to point out the flaws in the finish but equally - as you so rightly say - they're £210 FFS! [/quote] Well quite... personally I don't mind much, I'm a pro-relic kind of guy. It won't stop me from playing the bass in public! [quote name='Bass Culture' timestamp='1423218177' post='2682260'] ...I'd guess many of you have had dealings with Discreet before so it will come as no surprise when I say: Top guy. [/quote] Why, thank you for that unsolicited testimonial...

New project underway, will go with the flow. Looking forward to seeing how it pans out.

Well it is tuned, so that's got to be worth something?

That looks amazing compared with the crappy Woolworth's Kay bass I had in 1973! Put me off sunburst for more than forty years!

That is a total bargain for such heft and power. But I don't envy you - I've already had one hernia repaired.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1423177820' post='2682011'] Actually that's not quite true IME. There were decent basses available provided you bought second hand and didn't want something that looked like a Fender, Gibson or Rickenbacker. I got my Burns in 1981 for £60 including the original hard case. A few years earlier I could have bought either a Microfrets or Hayman bass for about £80. [/quote] Quite true, but even £60 or £80 was a lot of money for the average teenager in 1981. Though I was lucky enough to acquire a new USA Precision in 1976, for what was about a month and a half's wages at the time.

Nice! Something a bit Wal-like about it.

That's right, they're for holding the thing.

Look at the pics carefully, kids - this is exactly the kind of unplayable crap that would have been available to you in the 1970s if you couldn't afford a Fender or a Gibson! There were no decent affordable basses [i]at all[/i]. I don't know - you tell the young people of today and they won't believe you.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1423157762' post='2681589'] Mine was well under 9lbs - a bonus, perhaps. Only £210 new! I wish you hadn't said that.... [/quote] Pretend you want the black one instead, they'e £245 for some bizarre reason!

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1423154772' post='2681557'] There's at least two more analogies that could be drawn between horses and eighteens... [/quote] They're both difficult to carry and produce a loud farting noise?

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1423154218' post='2681548'] My ambition is to have fun, don't let politics get me own and make a few pennies! [/quote] I'll go with that! I've found that not buying a newspaper and not watching the news is good for your peace of mind.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1423151245' post='2681483'] You didn't mention they are also, by Jazz bass standards, very lightweight! I had one (in black) for a while and was utterly amazed at how good it was at the price point. When I picked it up the neck was so straight and the action so low that I had to actually alter it to fit in with my heavy-handed thumpings. They don't get a mention as much as the VM or CV but I think for the money these are amazing. [/quote] Using the bathroom scales method (which admittedly could be wildly inaccurate) I'm getting 9.6lb. Is that light for a Jazz? Or does the tort guard I fitted weigh two pounds? You're quite right about the neck though, I've never seen one as straight on [i]any [/i]bass. I too needed to raise the action somewhat - I'm not a fan of a super-low action in any case, but if you are, it's very possible to get it silly low, especially with flats. Much lower than I could on my USA P. As far as feel, playability and sound go, it's an amazing bass at [i]any [/i]price point. It really sounds like a Jazz, and then some. But something has to give somewhere, hence the criticisms about the finishing and components. And if Fender made Squiers which were as good as or better than USA and Jap Fenders, who would buy a Fender? Well... I'm guessing someone who wants a genuine 'F-Decal' on the headstock. These people are still out there, y'know! But yes, given the Ebanol board and the very usable tone circult they're certainly a huge bargain, especially as Thomann are knocking them out for around £210 new and delivered! [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_deluxe_jazz_bass_iv_3sb.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...bass_iv_3sb.htm[/url] And unless you have some weird penchant for sunburst, the black option looks very lush indeed. It's a shame Squier don't offer a white option as they do with the Deluxe Jazz V. Oh well, you can't have everything. Where would you put it all..?

Another vote for the MXR M-80 here. The clean channel is excellent for a bit of heft and punch without overly changing your sound and you have the option of a totally tweakable distortion channel, noise gate and DI facilities if you ever need them. I believe there is one currently up for sale on this very forum.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1423147276' post='2681410'] Bill, don't ever go away. I'd miss your posts FAR too much. [/quote] Aye!