Sue Ryder Bass Arrived

[apa]

[quote name='tarcher' post='1170803' date='Mar 21 2011, 04:00 PM']So there you go.
A bass thats given 37 pages of discussion,sorted out Sue Ryders stock,given a lot of pleasure to so many people as well as giving a test bed for you all to try out different things.
All for sixty notes.
Thats value for money.[/quote]

Brings a tear to the eye and makes me feel all fuzzy inside

A

[Ancient Mariner]

Seems the thread isn't over yet - just got this blue and maple one from Casa Pete (thanks feller!) - this is probably the colours I'd have chosen given a choice.



Now the questions are: white or black pearl for a scratchplate, and whether to pop flats on?

The strings are (surprisingly) not bad for the originals, and the only 'fault' (bearing in mind Pete's set it up) is that the bridge is just a couple of mm off to the bass side, but it's VERY marginal really. At £60 these would be VERY hard to fault.

Edited March 23, 2011 by Ancient Mariner

[lemmywinks]

My dark blue one has a black scratchplate, it was either that or dark tort.

Bear in mind a dark pg will look odd with the white pup cover though

[Ancient Mariner]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1173920' date='Mar 23 2011, 09:31 PM']My dark blue one has a black scratchplate, it was either that or dark tort.

Bear in mind a dark pg will look odd with the white pup cover though[/quote]

Yes, it would. I quite like the idea of this one being a reverse of the Jazz.

[Ou7shined]

That guy selling the white body and hardware on the bay made £73.22 + postage for it - all there minus the very recognisable neck and p/g which will no doubt find their way to the bay soon too.
He told a couple of porkies about not knowing the origin of the parts and when asked directly about the origin of the tuners claimed they were "for a Fender" (note the clever wording - not [b]off[/b] a Fender).

[sjohns]

Caught mines yesterday and took a sizable chunk out the fret board last night, so looking like a new neck!

Tone pot is very crackly also, so gonna have to change that too.

Anyone got any sujestions?

Edited March 24, 2011 by sjohns

[Raslee]

[quote name='sjohns' post='1174492' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:35 PM']Caught mines yesterday and took a sizable chunk out the fret board last night, so looking like a new neck!

Tone pot is very crackly also, so gonna have to change that too.

Anyone got any sujestions? [/quote]
I may sell my rosewood neck as i've fitted a mighty might maple to mine now

[mcnach]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1173944' date='Mar 23 2011, 09:50 PM']That guy selling the white body and hardware on the bay made £73.22 + postage for it - all there minus the very recognisable neck and p/g which will no doubt find their way to the bay soon too.
He told a couple of porkies about not knowing the origin of the parts and when asked directly about the origin of the tuners claimed they were "for a Fender" (note the clever wording - not [b]off[/b] a Fender).[/quote]


(thinking... I have three bodies, three... and three sets of tunes "for" a Fender)

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1175245' date='Mar 24 2011, 09:11 PM'](thinking... I have three bodies, three... and three sets of tunes "for" a Fender) [/quote]
Ch-ching!

[mcnach]

Well, here's my SR#1.
Changed the black nylon tapewounds (went to SR#3, which is being converted to fretless) for a set of Status Hotwires "half wound", and left it untouched, except for putting a black pickguard on.



I used it yesterday for rehearsal, featuring a few ska rhythms... it sounded pretty good, pretty good. Only these "half wound" strings seem a little odd, they sound just like flats, except for the G string, which makes me feel there's something wrong. But that's on another thread...

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1175268' date='Mar 24 2011, 09:29 PM']Well, here's my SR#1.
Changed the black nylon tapewounds (went to SR#3, which is being converted to fretless) for a set of Status Hotwires "half wound", and left it untouched, except for putting a black pickguard on.



I used it yesterday for rehearsal, featuring a few ska rhythms... it sounded pretty good, pretty good. Only these "half wound" strings seem a little odd, they sound just like flats, except for the G string, which makes me feel there's something wrong. But that's on another thread...[/quote]
That look purdy Jose.
I notice that the string alignment over the pups is way out. Judging by how well the strings suit the neck (E and G running parallel to the edge) it would suggest that the problem isn't bridge alignment but that the pups themselves are out. Could this explain the uneven effect you are describing?

[mcnach]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1175304' date='Mar 24 2011, 10:00 PM']That look purdy Jose.
I notice that the string alignment over the pups is way out. Judging by how well the strings suit the neck (E and G running parallel to the edge) it would suggest that the problem isn't bridge alignment but that the pups themselves are out. Could this explain the uneven effect you are describing?[/quote]

Well spotted, got a good eye for these things!

Yes, the alignment is not perfect, but the slight angle of the picture (I tend to take pictures from the right, avoiding reflections of flash etc) combines to exaggerate the effect.
There is a generous space on the fingrboard at either side of the strings, but especially on the right (which the angle of the picture disguises a litle bit).
If I were to move the bridge just 2-3mm to the right, the alignment over the pickups would be excellent, and the fretboard would look perfectly aligned with the dot markers centered properly and the strings evenly separated.
This is something that I plan to do soon, probably at the weekend. It's a pretty fast and painless job.

I do not think the effect I hear is due to the pickup alignment, because I noticed it as I was stringing, unplugged.

Maybe I should record a clip. If I remember well... you have used Status Hotwires, right? I just don't recall whether you used straight flats of "half wounds"

[apa]

That SR#1 looks very nice with the black pg Jose. How apropriate you were playing ska on a 'two tone' P

Funally enough Ive put half round roto's on my fretless ryder. Frankly I can hardly tell the difference against standard roto rounds. Still zingy and bright to my ear. Not even very smooth. Not a good comparison with your brand just an observation on half rounds.

A

[lemmywinks]

When i got mine the bridge was misaligned, when i moved it i took the opportunity to move it back a bit too. This way the saddles can be moved forward and the break angle for through-body stringing is much better. At some point i'm going to get better ferrules, fill the existing holes and re-drill.

Then again i might not bother, it was £60!

[apa]

Ive just moved the bridge down as well. Its not string through anymore but the saddles are now in a more mid position. The bridge is actually as far back as I can get it on the body.

A

[mcnach]

[quote name='apa' post='1175385' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:12 PM']That SR#1 looks very nice with the black pg Jose. How apropriate you were playing ska on a 'two tone' P

Funally enough Ive put half round roto's on my fretless ryder. Frankly I can hardly tell the difference against standard roto rounds. Still zingy and bright to my ear. Not even very smooth. Not a good comparison with your brand just an observation on half rounds.

A[/quote]


what you describe is pretty much what I remembered about the "half wounds" of Status! ONly the G sounds that way on this set

Heh, I hadn't picked on the two-tone thing. Very true! Funny thing is I didn't set out to. Our drummer in this band quit. So the rest met to jam about new ideas and stuff. Well, our three guitarists can drum, so one of them became the drummer for the evening and one of our latest songs ends with a fast ska part and that song is working really well live. So after we played that we just started deriving other similar rhythms, and ended up mixing some ska with a curiously "balcanic" sounding progression that incorporated the Tetris tune. It's going to be another hit when it's finish, I swear!

[lemmywinks]

Oh and the white with black pg looks sweet btw!


Had a jam with mine tonight with my lodger, hopefully practice is on next week after a fortnight of cancellations so i'll get to hear it in a band situation then.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1175377' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:05 PM']Well spotted, got a good eye for these things!

Yes, the alignment is not perfect, but the slight angle of the picture (I tend to take pictures from the right, avoiding reflections of flash etc) combines to exaggerate the effect.
There is a generous space on the fingrboard at either side of the strings, but especially on the right (which the angle of the picture disguises a litle bit).
If I were to move the bridge just 2-3mm to the right, the alignment over the pickups would be excellent, and the fretboard would look perfectly aligned with the dot markers centered properly and the strings evenly separated.
This is something that I plan to do soon, probably at the weekend. It's a pretty fast and painless job.

I do not think the effect I hear is due to the pickup alignment, because I noticed it as I was stringing, unplugged.

Maybe I should record a clip. If I remember well... you have used Status Hotwires, right? I just don't recall whether you used straight flats of "half wounds"[/quote]
Well it is what I do to earn a crust.

I noticed it in this pic too...



I suppose it could be the angle again, although your OLP doesn't seem affected by it.

Aye, I use Hotwire flats.
They are fecking fantastic strings and spank the competition (which cost twice the price) into submission imho - of course getting the hype mongers to agree with me on this has proved futile. I mean how can a set of strings at half the price compare to the crème de la crème of strings? Sound familiar?
I use TI's too so I have a fair basis for comparison.

[lemmywinks]

One other thing i noticed when swapping pups on mine was that the holes for the 4 pickup screws were pretty wildly drilled. I mean like someone had done it blindfold!
Again it's a simple job to correct, might be something to do with the slightly wonky pup?

[lemmywinks]

Oh and Rich, what sort of Tension are the Hotwire flats?

My SR is fine with the strings i've thrown at it so far, just a bit nervous about putting higher tension strings on it after Greene King's neck issue.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1175409' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:36 PM']I noticed it in this pic too...[/quote]

No, of course, the misalignment is there no doubt about it! I was just referring to how you say the strings appear to run well along the board, but they're in fact a bit towards the left.
Next time this thread gets quiet again, I'll take a flashless picture dead-front as it is now, and after moving the bridge a tiny bit to the right, you'll see what I mean.





[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1175409' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:36 PM']I suppose it could be the angle again, although your OLP doesn't seem affected by it. [/quote]

Well, the OLP is absolutely spot-on. It's a quality instrument, don't you know? I've told you so again and a again
It was a tiny bit off initially, but when I had the fingerboard finished the guy also readjusted the neck and it is spot-on now.


[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1175409' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:36 PM']Aye, I use Hotwire flats.
They are fecking fantastic strings and spank the competition (which cost twice the price) into submission imho - of course getting the hype mongers to agree with me on this has proved futile. I mean how can a set of strings at half the price compare to the crème de la crème of strings? Sound familiar? [/quote]


vaguely

but you haven't tried their "half wounds"? I just remember them being pretty amazing bright things with the feel and character of flats... but only the G string behaves that way, so here's a very confused Spaniard.


[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1175409' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:36 PM']I use TI's too so I have a fair basis for comparison.[/quote]

Those are some that I must try at some point (it gets expensive to try all these strings!). I hear they're some of the lowest tension flatwound strings around.

[mcnach]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1175428' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:52 PM']Oh and Rich, what sort of Tension are the Hotwire flats?

My SR is fine with the strings i've thrown at it so far, just a bit nervous about putting higher tension strings on it after Greene King's neck issue.[/quote]


I like to live dangerously, so I'm having a little bit of wood shaven of the shoulders of the maple 'board neck, as it's substantially chunkier than the rosewood ones.
I will report back if something goes wrong (I do have one extra neck...)

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1175428' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:52 PM']Oh and Rich, what sort of Tension are the Hotwire flats?

My SR is fine with the strings i've thrown at it so far, just a bit nervous about putting higher tension strings on it after Greene King's neck issue.[/quote]
The tension is low, not as low a TI's but a fair bit under what I'd call standard tension for rounds.

Peter donated that neck to me to "experiment" on - the bumps are now gone. I might bung it on a body soon and see if they come back.

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1175447' date='Mar 25 2011, 12:10 AM']The tension is low, not as low a TI's but a fair bit under what I'd call standard tension for rounds.

Peter donated that neck to me to "experiment" on - the bumps are now gone. I might bung it on a body soon and see if they come back.[/quote]


Cheers, might have a gander at those. I've preferred Elites rounds for years so spending £30+ on strings just seems a bit unnatural for me. I think i'm getting more stingy with age!


You wanna whack that neck on eBay - "Neck for a 1968 Leo Fender bass with original tuners"!

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1175431' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:54 PM']...Well, the OLP is absolutely spot-on. It's a quality instrument, don't you know? I've told you so again and a again
It was a tiny bit off initially, but when I had the fingerboard finished the guy also readjusted the neck and it is spot-on now.[/quote]
He's done a smashing job.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1175431' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:54 PM']vaguely

but you haven't tried their "half wounds"? I just remember them being pretty amazing bright things with the feel and character of flats... but only the G string behaves that way, so here's a very confused Spaniard.[/quote]
I have but it was only one time and on someone else's bass. From memory, I found them just to sound pretty much like rounds (they were new) but played like flats only they sort of dragged on your finger tips. Kind of pointless in a way. I'd personally rather go for one or the other.


[quote name='mcnach' post='1175431' date='Mar 24 2011, 11:54 PM']Those are some that I must try at some point (it gets expensive to try all these strings!). I hear they're some of the lowest tension flatwound strings around.[/quote]
Yeah they really flop about a bit.
I have Hotwires on my Shuker and TI's currently on my G&L L-1000.
The TI's I find are focused on the lower mids which is fine for whumpy old skool P bass tones but where the Hotwires excel over them is that they have a more open range and I find that compliments my hot single coil Lollar to a tee. At some point I'll probably get some Hotwires for my L-1000 to open up the top end a bit more again.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Ou7shined