Chris2112

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1370269074' post='2098327'] Just had a chat with Martin at the Gallery & he's offered the following info:—[list] [*]It's obviously had a life; [/list] [/quote] Trade speak for 'it's f***ed'.

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1370107225' post='2096557'] Early Status graphite necks were completely rigid and needed no truss rod, they popped out of the mould with exactly the right amount of relief and never moved no matter what gauge strings you put on it. [/quote] Surely, some of them must have moved over time (due to design flaws). I remember reading that some of the old Zon basses, made in a similar manner, were designed to be perfect out of the shop. And that was that, as there was no adjustment in the neck. Some gave years of good service before a 'shift' in the neck rendered them unplayable. I can't remember what the outcome was (knowing Joe Zon, probably some form of recompense), but there was evidence there of this occurring. That said, I've owned an old 80's Status Series II. The best sounding Status basses ever made, I think. Furthermore, what does 'stiffness' in the neck really mean other than tuning and setup stability? Take, say, a Jaydee Supernatural. Renowned for having thin, floppy necks that shift as the wind changes. Do they sound floppy? No!

Hey, nice Hondo!

That said, I'd avoid Rotosound Steve Harris Flats. They are so stiff as to be fairly ridiculous to play on a 34" scale instrument!

I remember reading an interesting few words on flatwounds, and why they are so great for grooving. They have a quick, but delicate attack and a quick decay. Perfect for really nailing a groove. The piece continued to say that this was why they were superior to roundwounds (this I don't agree with) but it summed up why they are great for grooves. They respond quickly to your inputs, but dump their kinetic energy fairly quickly, meaning you don't have to work hard to mute them out. They also tend to 'fade' into a busier mix and have a very distinct tonal spectrum, great for isolating the bass from other instruments. Of course, they have downsides too, which for me make them fairly useless. It's been years since I played with them, but they have their place.

[quote name='norvegicusbass' timestamp='1370006876' post='2095464'] I know when learning a new tune we have to look intently on our fretting hand but do any of you really closely observe your plucking hand when learning a tune? [/quote] No. Reading this made me realise how little I actually look at my plucking hand when I'm playing!

[quote name='Hamster' timestamp='1369213528' post='2086253'] It may be much easier to make Basschat a totally 'Rickenbacker Free Zone' [/quote] I have long dreamed of the day...

I think it was just a prop for the picture. I'm sure she can knock out a tune on a bass (as she probably can on most things). It's easy to forget these days what an immense talent she is. Most young people these days probably haven't even heard of her. She doesn't court publicity though, she probably thinks she has climbed the mountain (and in a sense she has), so what else is there to do?

I still think I'd prefer your Alembic...

I don't really like Rics anyway. They are heavy, ugly, play badly and only sound good through a really cranked amp which hides their naff tone. But I wouldn't even consider buying out of principle.

The Kingbass above doesn't tick the boxes for me because the topwood is frankly, pretty ugly. Whereas this is sublime:

This makes for entertaining reading!

[quote name='lapolpora' timestamp='1368984067' post='2083674'] I would say go for something that's going to be familiar. If you're used to J basses, go for a fretless J. Ditto for number of strings. It's quite a different beast to fretted. [/quote] This is a good place to start. Not the way I did it, mind, but I can see the benefits in getting something with a neck you recognise, so you can concentrate on technique and getting those notes right, rather than thinking "where is the first position again?".

I can remember when the Spector Euro basses first arrived at Sound Control Newcastle. What a revelation they were. I think SC had just taken on a contract as a Spector distributor as they had a few US models in at the same time. The Euro basses really were incredible. I remember they had a NT 4 string with a quilted maple top and EMG's. Being nuts about Victor Wooten at the time, the bass blew me away - it sounded so much like his #1 Fodera! And it was brand new at £1000! I actually ended up buying a 4 string Rebop DLX a couple of years later that was also superb. £549 brand new from Sound Control Preston! It was so good that I actually sold my Status Stealth bass as that wasn't getting used. That said, their pricing these days puts me off. Mainly because I remember when they were very much a 'performance bargain', they aren't so much now!

Not to be harsh but I do expect to see this new Kingbass for sale...one day!

Yes, it is fair to say that DMB absolutely suck. Carter is still a great drummer though.

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1368998901' post='2083892'] Beauford Carter leaves the supreme Bonzo in the shade. [/quote] This about sums it up.

Jeff Berlin doing some great 80's rock: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cKhfAa_oz8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cKhfAa_oz8[/url]

Or indeed a Thumb. I thought the music shops of London were stuffed with Warwicks?

It sounds a little pedestrian to my ears, sort of elevator music, if you will. I prefer my Latin grooves to have a little more fire!

What about those hangers that hold both the neck and have a bracket for the bottom of the body?

Yes, I believe there was a hiatus for a while and they are now being made again. Much like Schack basses, although I don't think Schack do carbon fibre stuff anymore.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1368176173' post='2074009'] Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead etc recently said "You've gotta have a damn good reason to play an open string on a bass." - not entirely sure why to be honest, I mean look at James Jamerson. [/quote] Probably more so the case back in the day when many basses sound crap, and an open string would sound even worse. Even today though, in inspecting a bass I always check to see if the open strings are suitable for use! Some just sound too 'thin' to of any use for more than a passing split second. Although for the OP it sounds more like a mental coordination issue. Much like anything else that takes you out of your comfort zone; be it string skipping, pedalling, slapping the right string or whatever, slow practice will see it right. I wouldn't rely on transposing things as that is a crutch and a further obstacle to overcome before getting it right. I do like to use open strings though, both for pedal tones and as 'stepping stones' on to other notes in quicker runs.