duncbassgit Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) Happy Halloween to all. Anybody got a copy of The Fender Bass Manual, by Paul Balmer and published by Haines servicing books? There are 2 versions on Ebay. One has a Tele bass on the cover, the other has a precision. Both supposed to be packed full of advice and cost between £15-20. Are they any good? (before I add one to my Chrissmus wants list!!) Thanks for any advice. Dunc Edited October 31, 2011 by duncbassgit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 wow, is it as thick as a car one? if so what could they possibly fill it with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncbassgit Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 It says on the ebay books description: how to buy, look after, tune up, adjustments, action set ups, replacing parts etc I've got my original owners Fender handbook which tells everything, but these books look good. I don't know....can they be better than the Fender owners book that you get when you purchase a guitar? Who knows-thats why I posted this thread Dunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 [IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Just%20Stuff/OctoberRust1.jpg[/IMG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Alls I know is I had a Haynes manual for practically every car I ever owned,and without them I would have been out 100s of £s in repair bills.Hell I even changed a cylinder head gasket myself,using the Haynes.If the Fender one is as good as the car ones,then I reckon its money well spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 This one on [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fender-Bass-Manual-Maintain-Guitar/dp/1844258173/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320065904&sr=8-1"]Amazon[/url]? It's got some (i.e. five) good reviews on there. As it's got 176 pages they must have found something to write about. Shame you can't see any content on Amazon though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncbassgit Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) [attachment=92291:one.jpg][attachment=92292:two.jpg Here they are gents... Edited October 31, 2011 by duncbassgit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I received a copy as a pressie last year. It's has been extremely useful. If, like me you are interested in doing your own set ups and general bass tinkering, then it's money well spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Any idea why there are two versions with different covers? Is one better than the other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 i have the tele bass one - its worth a read as its set up its quite details - nowhere near as detailed as the car ones obiouvsly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 it's a wooden board screwed to a plank, with 4 or 5 strings strung across it- that needs a haynes manual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) I've been thinking about changing the spark plugs in my mustang, so maybe I'll have to get hold of this book. Hopefully it'll be able to clear up my confusion over whether bass spark plugs are any different to guitar ones or if they are they are interchangable. Edited October 31, 2011 by Jean-Luc Pickguard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I got this for Xmas last year. The basic advice and info is okay, but very repetitive in the case studies of various basses I think, which makes for a rather underwhelming read overall for the money IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I need to prefix any comments I make here by saying that I'm biased because I used to know and work with Paul Balmer at Northants Music Service. I should also emphasize that I have nothing to gain financially by anything I might say about his books It's brilliant! It covers pretty much anything you might want to know about servicing pretty much any variant of the P-bass or Jazz, plus a bunch of others as well. It also contains a collection of player profiles (it's a personal choice of his and so might not include people you might think should be included). If anything it will be a bit specialised for a lot of people - it's a Haynes servicing manual! If you need a frame of reference, he has produced similar manuals for the Telecaster and Stratocaster which are now considered standard reference works for those instruments. I have mine (which I paid for, just so you know) in front of me as I write this. If you want any more detail, PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I reckon you'd be better off getting one of the Dan Erlewine books. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1320090206' post='1422263'] I reckon you'd be better off getting one of the Dan Erlewine books. G. [/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 [i]"Refitting is the reverse procedure to removal"[/i] Yeah. Right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I bought the Haynes for the Tele guitar, while it's an interesting read it's already been inferred that any Fender is such a basic guitar that most jobs you'd do on one should be common sense to any player of a few years. I sent mine to the 17 year old son of a friend who's not long bought his first Tele; with the disclaimer that if he starts taking it to bits it's not my fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 for any fellow londoners, there's a copy of the Haynes Fender bass manual in Charing cross library. interesting (and unexpected) interview with Andy McCluskey from OMD in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT40Graham Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 These Haynes Manuals are pretty interesting but they are very repetitive, so the disassembly of one guitar has exactly the same text as the disassembly of the other guitars. Having said that, it is all spelt out in easy to understand language and if it covers one of the specific models that you have then so much the better. You can usually pick them up at less than the RRP, especially on the run-up to Chrimbo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I keep a copy in the bog. It's worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I bought mine just to look at the nice pictures really & I'm pleased I got it. I'm a bit surprised by the more negative comments, it's just a bit of fun really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyhaw Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 [quote name='casapete' timestamp='1320069729' post='1421841'] The basic advice and info is okay, but very repetitive in the case studies of various basses[/quote] This. Balmer certainly likes his '50's type P's as he case studies feature four different ones (if you include the Squier CV) so a bit too biased toward that type of bass. That said, he does do the Bass VI, a 70's Tele, a Jag, Mustang, a MIM Jazz 5, and a Squier Bronco, so there are other models in there as well as a healthy smattering of Squier/Fender J's and P's. The knowledge stuff on the maintenance side is sound enough. He's a bit of a tease though - shows a close up photo of a P Elite and mentions them in passing but doesn't do a case study. No P Lyte or Stu Hamm Urge bass (don't know if either were popular enough to warrant an entry though) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1320772041' post='1431226'] I keep a copy in the bog. It's worth a look. [/quote] Ha ha, me too. Great minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 (edited) I hope you both mean 'by' the bog!?! I also hope they are better than the newer car manuals, the one for a jeep Xj, I can only think the titles got switched for a space shuttle it's that bad, older ones were quite good Edited November 8, 2011 by iconic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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