Prime_BASS

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1032979' date='Nov 22 2010, 06:02 PM']The single coil right on the neck on the EBMM Big Al is NOTHING but creamy and thumpy with nice definition, probably because its a single coil and a neodymium pickup. It sounds fantastic.[/quote] That's what I thought any sound ive heard from a big al SSS has been anything but muddy, unless that's what you want it do. It just goes deeper and PHatter.

If you want it to be all above board you'll have the charges to pay, works out around the current VAT rate so you've got until January 1st to not pay 20%. Obviously if you don't declare then you don't pay the extra charge but you'll risk losing the bass, and a fine. So will you risk it for a chocolate biscuit??? Sometimes the exchange plus the duties charges it works out roughly the sane to buy over here.

Three single coils you say??? EBMM Big Al 4 bass????

I agree with silddx on a few of his points. Although I expect a lot of parts come off a production line (bell plates, pickguards) and I'd expect that any piece to fit flush with another, never seems the case. For me anyway I have to be specific and say active jazz sound does it for me over P and passive J. Get that extra deep bass and high end.

There is also a 88 in the for sale section with an asking price of 900£ so to me, yes £1300 is a lot. At the end of the day it comes down to what you an other are willing to pay for it. And Musicman20 makes a valid point that you can get new ones with a warranty for around £950.

Well I just try to get a phat clean sound with a reasonable amount of high end, with a hint of vintagness. It can be perceived as sound like Tim Commerford, when he was using Rays and Flea, particularly on RHCP's - By The Way during the chorus.

Whenever the next one maybe, I can see about my place of works function room, it's 2 minutes up the road from fiveways, bigger floor space, only real issue is entrance for anyone who wants to bring big cabs. However where there is a will there is a way.

Haggle it down, as ou7shined is right about being able to get one for less here. Also I would give eBay a glance, a really very very very nice early 90s ray in rare blue burst bridge had intact string mutes didn't even reach £700, I would have got it if I hadn't been at the bass bash My 95' ray cost me £550 including postage and duties from the states, but its very used, still sounds amazing but has a SD bassline alnico pickup in it, I've tried some rays from around the same time which have sounded a little weak. I love despite its used nature, I fell in love with the heavy birdeye neck.

We all know guitards are relatively stupid, and as such older guitars fetch stupid money. My old guitar teacher has a mid 60's strat valued at around 15ish grand. He brought it in the states in the 70's secondhand for $500. The Jammy git. I've seen some late 50s Gibson LP gold tops sell just over 20 thousand.

Thanks for all the compliments for the Barefaced midget, can't recommend it enough to anyone . My praise has to go to the W&T Klimt that McGraham brought along with his tickling his strings technique. Really enjoyed playing some fine basses, and a good laugh meeting everyone. Looking forward to another bash in the future.

I just don't think I'm quite ready for anything with more than 4, although I did six years of spanking the tiny 6 string, I can't transfer that to bass for some reason. Not much is tickling me at the moment other than something to do with wood and tronics, but I can't can't justify that. Thanks for the info guys, I totally forgot about the "rule" of the twelve fret being equal distance from the nut and the bridge. Im not to fussed about the extra closeness it'll cause, I can find a body designed for 60s spacing and with the bridge closer it would give it 70s spacing bridge pickup sound, in theory I guess. I guess now I just have to find the right body and decide on the right preamp.

Well after the bass bash today, it safe to say my gas for a 5 string is gone. Don't know what it is but my mind turns to goop with an extra string. Btw thanks to those that let me and my grubby mits touch their expensive stuff. I'm toying with idea of either buying another ray or doing another project bass. If it was a project bass specs would follow: Ash jazz body, White. Delano J single coils (the ones with the MM style magnets) Some kind of 3 band preamp Status graphite neck. The necks the tricky part. I don't want a jazz, too small; and the P style necks I just don't along with. The ray version is what I want, and by the website the ray style neck should fit the neck pocket of a standard fender body, but it also says some gibberish about intonation. Anyway, my theory is the ray status neck would be fine on a a blank jazz body but I shouldn't drill the bridge down in the usual place. If that's right, where? Could I just take a measurement on my ray? Thanks guys.

Thanks for that Mark. I guess it's a nice system for those of us with a little amount of disposable income but it would take the 9 months of the take it away scheme anyway to save up the wonga.

2 seems 1 toomany for me. After the jag goes and I finally feta stingray 5 that will be me sorted for a while hopefully. The 5er mainly for me having fun, or if i ever join a band that wants low Bs. It's pointless having so many basses, IMHO. Sell the ones you don't use at all, then one of the ones that seems rather pointless. You'll probably be left with your Washburn, 1 other bass and the the tele. I don't know how much you paid for the tele bass but you I doubt you'll break even on it. Are those Dean cabbie basses 34" scale?

The delanos, with the fat magnets and a good quality 3 band pre will be your best bet. Those delanos that a coils with MMstyle magnets give the best representation of the stingray character. Although you should probably just save ip and buy a ray, or a sandberg.

I can understand a lot of peoples points of view, my only experience with the JV series was a strat and it was just like any of the other fenders my guitar teacher had on the wall. Personally I wouldn't go a head and spend more money on what is, in my eyes, essentially an 80's Japanese fender than I would a brand new one. I'm also a tight wad, my last bass cost me no where near what it could of cost someone else.

Do you really want to explain to an average Joe why your squier cost you £XXX??? A lot of people inflate prices because they are desirable, I want one, they generally nice from what I seen, but honestly your money is better spent on a modern MIJ or CIJ fender, some crop up on the eBay with US hot rod pickups aswell.

What's the current average wait? I have a few grand to spend

Im ordering some of those silk gloves purely to prevent my sweaty hands ruining my strings after a 1hr set.

As always "tone" is subjective.