Mrbigstuff

Only time my wife objected is when I deliberated spending half our house deposit on a very nice Ken Smith bass. Possibly the right decision in the long run.

I love a Thumb bass, only bass I regret selling

I’ve had this issue with a few basses, notably a 35” scale 5 string Overwater. I think having a low strap height helps the look but it’s never been my style

I had a Squier VM Jazz and a Sire V7. The Sire was far superior in every department

There’s a thread on them on here

If you can afford to pay £3-4k on this bass in these times, you can afford £100 for a hard case if you want one.

Strings exempt I’ve not had any new bass gear since 2017! Don’t think 2022 is going to be any different

Would this be bought as a gigging bass?

Loved the looks but lacked warmth and the G string offered nothing

Surely the pickups would be easy to replicate though? Alleva Coppollo and Moollon are supposed to sound close but from clips I’ve heard it’s not been right to my ears. But then some of the upgraded pickups in a vintage bass, such as early EMGs still sound vintage to me. My thinking is it was the wood source. These days a lot of the wood used for guitars is from sustainable forests in Asia where the trees aren’t as old as now protected forests in US, South America, or Canada. Where was the wood Fender used from in the early days, is it still available? The difference in climates and age will affect the density of the wood.

I suppose it depends on what you want from the instrument. I hear a sound that I have only heard through the vintage Fenders I’ve played (more than I should have done). And because I don’t gig I don’t have to worry about it getting nicked or knocked. My thoughts on replacing dodgy or worn parts is that most don’t still have the original strings so other parts that wear should be replaced, ideally with high quality new parts.

I believe it was magic pixie dust

Except for one fretless bass I’m very lucky to own I have two budget basses which are fine for now. Hopefully the bubble will burst with vintage fenders but folk have being saying that will happen for over a decade.

Get ready to be shot. I’ve yet to find a modern bass that sounds the same as a 60s or 70s Fender bass. I’ve really tried because I want that sound and was silly enough to waste money on a house all and the trimmings they require. I have been lucky to A/B true vintage against reissues (even an 80s Fullerton jazz) and they just didn’t sound the same.

Yeh 100% the modulus wins it

Holy moly

This, I bought a Epiphone Thunderbird blind for my second bass. It just looked cool and the Darkness had just gone to number 1. What a pile 💩 that was

It wouldn’t eliminate the scratching sounds I used to get but at least they’d be in tune

If it must be a surprise, then you can’t go wrong with a Fender P bass. I must have gone through around 15 basses in my first 10 years playing. I tried loads but the one that stuck was a £350 P bass I got for my 16th birthday. Maybe find one in a colour that is a bit different or fits her tastes? Or if you think a smaller scale could suit better then there is also the mustang range.

Can you get down to a shop? It doesn’t matter what works for others, more what she likes the look of and feels comfortable.

Don’t have the Squier myself but I normally hear a difference between maple and rosewood boards so hopefully it’d deliver the sound you want

Either a Ken Smith BT6 with some fancy woods or my Blizzard Pearl P bass but with a bound neck and lollipop tuners.

Looks that way but it’d be hidden on those with a paint finish. There are also plenty of natural finishes that have been stripped

I think you’ve answered your own question. The bodies were sprayed while hung by the neck pocket I believe so no difference if natural finish or colour. I’ve never seen a “natural” stamp. Holes are probably for routing or carving stage as reggae suggests

It’s much better to learn the floating thumb technique for muting than relying on a rest.