Bassnut62

on the JM4 the coil tap switch turns the back pick up from single coil (i.e. Jazz pup) to humbucking dual coil (i.e. MM pup)

I agree that these don't quite nail the MM 'Ray sound; but they are close enough to do the job.
these basses are very flexible for sound and always sound great in any setting.
I actually run mine passive most of the time and just go active if slapping or palm muting the strings.

the JM4 does cop very good Jazz sounds in all the different configurations single coil you might like.

i agree with you too they play unbelievably well. I couldn't resist the GAS inducing quality of these instruments.
you may still be able to get an interest-free 10mth Arts Council loan, which is how I paid for mine from Electro Music in Doncaster.

Also the tone controls only boost above the detent in active mode.
in passive mode there is no change above the detent, i.e. cut only below the detent.

+1 re the Bassman...eyes left all!
also +1 re the bi-amp link...gives lovely bit of grit and extras punch when you need it.
I've stopped doing that recently, since gettinga Catalinbread SFT to drive the amp......wonder what the SFT and the bi-amp link would be like......better go and juice up those valves!

reckon an old EHX White Finger might do the trick too and i think there's one for sale here under Effects For Sale or on TalkBass in US

oops..it is a White Finger and it is here on BC in classifieds, but it's not an old one. I did try the big old one a few years back and I think I remember it being dirty as well as squishy. I remember getting a nice squishy grunt for Rappers Delight finger funk

unless you're going to be doing some very loud gigs purely off the backline you probably wouldn't even need the 500w head. Hartke made a great 350w (LH3500), which is what I use and it is so loud I never run the amp at more than 3 on the master volume, even through a 2x15 4ohm cab.

you could save some money that way too and help get that better cab

[quote name='tino' post='935089' date='Aug 24 2010, 06:14 PM']The customer my Dear BP is always right...even when I'm WRONG [/quote]

too right and from what i've read in this thread so far I recon BP must stand for B#tt Plug.
that BP has traded on Leo Fender's glory for too long anyway.....

interesting how different everyone in this thread is so far.

I go for OTT muff fuzz - compression - synth - mammoth fuzz - overdrive - octave - filters - modulations

but even then i mix it up quite often; e.g. i like putting tremolo in front of filter, as square wave trem is great into filter.

+1 re compression in front of synth/octave to help with tracking

true enough comments above from the roaring rabbit
if an instrument doesn't give you the feeling you want, it ain't gonna work for you.

I guess I've been fortunate enough that all four of the preCBS Fenders I've played have felt absolutely incredible to me. I've tried 3 Precisions - a 61, 63 and a crossover 65 and I've tried a 63 Jazz. I now own the 63 P.

Having said all that, on a technical level, the Sandberg California JM4 Supreme I bought last year is probably a much better bass than anything Leo Fender ever made. But it would be the 63 P I would take to a desert island, if i was going to be stranded there for the rest of my life.

this thread must've kicked off so much guilt around the BC community.
I'm sitting on the following spends:
'79 MM 'Ray £550
'63 P Bass £1250
'89 G&L Asat £550
'08 Sandberg Cali JM4 Supreme £1100

makes £3450 total; but I reckon that apart from the Sandberg they are worth a lot more.....so I can live with it.
it's got to be better than letting the bank use my hard earned cash.

+ another 1 re the Hartke HA500 head

+1 re the Hartke
a ten year old HA3500 head is a trusty piece of very affordable kit that will cover almost any situation. it is also very loud if you need big volume. You can pick up the Hartke cab combinations that suit you on here quite easily. For a good wide sound that will cover most situations I would suggest a 1 x 15 cab with a 2 x 10 cab. I think the Hartke 2 x 10 has a horn in it too, which could be useful.
You could probably pick up that rig for less than £450 without much difficulty and you would probably always get your money back on it if you chose to sell it too.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='931887' date='Aug 21 2010, 01:41 PM']check out a Mike Lull p basses..there awsome[/quote]
never heard of those - what do you like about them?

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='931656' date='Aug 21 2010, 09:29 AM']I made a rather rash and impulsive purchase a couple of days ago; I was in a shop in Leeds trying out different basses, and after playing many Fenders, Sandbergs and an Ibanez ATK I picked up a Stingray. I've never played one before (I did have a cheap copy as my first bass, but that was terrible) and I was blown away by the feel, sound, articulation, build quality and, most of all, the range of tones available from that one pickup! It can be tight and snappy or warm and loose, simply depending on where you place your right hand, but it always maintains that incredible growl. Then add in the EQ and there's such a massive range of tones there. Also, the neck is quite fat, but [i]so[/i] comfortable and fast - it just fills the hand beautifully.

I hadn't planned on buying a bass that day... but well, it had to be done. I tried out 5 of them, including a five string, and a Sterling (which I didn't really like the feel of - the body was too small for me), and I picked my favourite.

After thinking that they were overpriced (as they look quite a 'simple' bass when compared with others in their price range), I am now a complete convert!

Anyway, sorry about the terrible iphone photo - a friend has my camera at the moment.
[attachment=57126:Stingray.jpg][/quote]

that's exactly what happened to me in 1984 and i've never looked back - here's the proof.....
this baby was in factory fresh condition when i bought it - all it needed was a bit of mojo, which i was happy to apply.
great choice - i hopy are both very happy together and that you never have a cross word without making up before bed time!!!

[quote name='Musicman20' post='931831' date='Aug 21 2010, 12:32 PM']Cheers guys.

Ill stick with what I have unless a really nice vintage P bass ever comes along.[/quote]

Smart move. PreCBS Fenders really do have something very special about them that cannot be recreated and cannot be improved on, even by spending £4k with a fancy luthier to make a brand new custom P bass. Only the real thing has that mojo and played-in feel. To me, it's almost like it takes 40+ years for all the different parts to grow into each other.

No doubt you can get a great P-like instrument for £2k+; but it ain't going to be the best P money can buy.

In My Opinion only!

[quote name='Truckstop' post='930333' date='Aug 19 2010, 09:51 PM']Iz yoo nut a gret bazz zlapper?!

Truckstop[/quote]

'fraid not - not many slappers that I like anyhow - two noteable exceptions being Larry Graham (the SlapDaddy) and Rusty Allen who followed Larry into Sly Stone's band in the early 70s
(i'll leave the slapper gags to someone else!)

[quote name='Musicman20' post='930271' date='Aug 19 2010, 08:29 PM']Thanks guys.

Has to be passive, and I think ive probably hit the wall of trying to find better but not succeeding, as what I have is great.

Im looking at the Lakland 44-64 (Bob Glaub) as well though...im wondering what theyd be like, especially the latest ones.

Any ideas?[/quote]

Sandbergs Calis are active or passive - i keep mine in passive almost all the time, except when slapping which isn't often as I'm crap-at-slap

well this baby has finally landed and the feds let it thru customs.
i was half-worried they would figure some nut was trying to blow something up and confiscate it.
Anyway - it's a monster with a lot of tweakability.
I found this review that seems very fair and accurate; although I don't have alot of expereience of the various Muff versions the reviewer talks about (the skullytone review is a few pages down in the link)

i've also spoke to Mr Skullytone and he does still make them and will sell them direct, but thru ebay (not sure how that works); but you can only contact him thru MySpace i think

careful guys
if it's genuine and a good one, it sounds too good to be true.
if it's genuine but a bad one, it'll only break your heart.
........but it just might be genuine, good and going cheap
now where did i put my employer's cheque book?!!!

it could be worth checking out a Sandberg California.
I haven't tried one of their P Basses; but I do own one of the Jazz based ones (a JM4 Deluxe - see pic).
this one cost me bout £1100 brand new about 20 months ago, after some serious haggling....also took advantage of the Arts Council 10 month interest free loan, dunno if that's still available tho.

anyway i am s serious leo fender addict and I almost cannot bring myself to say this, but.....these Sandbergs are probably better than anything made by Fender, MusicMan or G&L; but only after Leo had left those companies.
IMO there is something magical about any of those brands, when Leo was still involved personally.

Lastly, if you want to improve on a P, but still retain that P or Fender ethos, you could also try an American made G&L (not a Tribute).
SB-1 is basically a great P.
L-2000 or Asat are both excellent active/passive two-pup combinations of a P, a J and a Ray; but different from all of those and nonetheless great instruments.

furthermore.......
i've just checked my 63 P and guess what....no 21st fret spot!
admittedly early Ps don't have a 21st fret at all!

Hey Pete,
nice discovery.
perhaps you should rename yourself the SpotSpotter
just to help confirm your excellent theory
here's a picture of my 89 Asat Bass with no 21st fret spot

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='918871' date='Aug 8 2010, 05:19 PM']Its not that much of an effort if like me you sleep with it next to you just in case! [/quote]
someone could still nick it if it's only beside you in bed!
I keep mine under my pillow.

oh alright then.....79 Ray with mojo applied almost entirely by my own blood, sweat n tears
swapped 2 not very good late 70s Fenders for this in 84, when it was in near mint condition - it was worth every ounce of that trade too.
26 years later I would still save the Ray ahead of anything else if the house was burning down.

pm'd re blender/feedback loop

[quote name='tayste_2000' post='918118' date='Aug 7 2010, 04:36 PM']You are wrong, I'm not saying 250k won't work with other pedals but for the M9/M13 you need the 25k EB or the boss ones that work at 10k[/quote]
thanks, thought that might have been a botty burp!

but I guess the key point is if you're going to use a volume pedal for expression, make sure you know whether the frequency/impedance/whatever of your volume pedal matches the requirements of the effect pedal to be expressed upon.

you might want to think about second hand to get some quality under 500 Greens.
a few places to try for second-hand and for new would be
- Music Inn on Alfreton Rd (Bev and Carol the owners are both very safe people to deal with)
- Hot Rox near Sneinton Market (Matt and Mark the owner are both sound blokes)
- Electro Music in Doncaster (definitely worth the trip - Dave is a good man)
- Fat Cat in Mansfield (keep your wits about you though or you may get the short end of the stick; but he does have good gear)
- Another instrument shop in Mansfield not far from the Market Square (can't remember the name though; but you'll get a fair deal there)
- I would avoid that outrageously over-priced guitar shop for tourists and rich kids in Hockley; you won't get anything good there for under £500
- Millenium Music at bottom of Hockley might be OK, as might The Drum Centre shop round the corner; but all a bit mediocre in those shops I reckon.

Good luck