Your best (and worst!) bass gear purchases of 2023?

[rmorris]

On 31/12/2023 at 19:46, nilebodgers said:

What did you get? It’s a problem I need to solve too.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9203176

[rmorris]

On 16/12/2023 at 17:36, chriswareham said:

Best: An Acoustic Control Corporation 136 combo, purchased from a fellow BassChatter. Replaces an ACC 140 head that I used to own, as it's the same head combined with a 15" speaker.

 

Worst: A Rickenbacker 4003. The neck on my battered Hondo Rick copy broke at the heel (it was a bolt on with most of the heel routed out to fit the neck pickup). Since I play in a Joy Division tribute act I needed a suitable replacement quickly, and this 4003 popped up locally on Gumtree at a reasonable price. Having now played it live several times, I find that the neck flexes leading to intonation issues (perhaps the more recent ones with a proper truss rod are better).

 

 

 

Interesting if disappointing. What's the issue with the type of truss rod ?

[Chewie]

I've sold more gear this year than bought.......... I think.

 

Best has to be my Squier jazz which I've done a few bits to.

Different tuners, I've taken the shine off the poly finish, changed a capacitor and the pickguard and added a badass bridge.

 

I seem to be going down a moddy kind of route at the moment.

 

Worst thing was easily a Yamaha BB735a.  I literally picked it up from the vendor and knew it was gone.

I know this is sacrilege to many on here but I don't play in a band anymore and it just sounded insipid to me and was just a big lump with a flat fretboard.

 

 

Edited January 3 by Chewie

[chriswareham]

2 hours ago, rmorris said:

 

Interesting if disappointing. What's the issue with the type of truss rod ?

 

It's got the traditional "hairpin" truss rods, which are essentially a pair of thin truss rods that aren't very strong. I think the idea was that you could have different tension on the bass and treble sides of the neck to compensate for differences in string tension. I've also seen claims that they could be used to cure a twisted neck, but I doubt it. For the last couple of years RIC have started using conventional truss rods, which are stronger and easier to adjust. With the hairpin ones you have to remove the string tension and clamp the neck while adjusting them, a lot of guitar setup people don't know this and can potentially damage the neck by adjusting them like they would a normal truss rod. It makes for a lengthy setup process as well - slacken or remove strings, clamp the neck, adjust truss rods, unclamp neck and tension strings, only to find you need to do the whole process again.

[Doctor J]

While the previous 4003 model also had dual rods, it was on the 4001 you needed to undo the tension and clamp the neck. The 4003 dual rods functioned as a standard rod would.

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Chewie said:

I've sold more gear this year than bought.......... I think.

 

Best has to be my Squier jazz which I've done a few bits to.

Different tuners, I've taken the shine off the poly finish, changed a capacitor and the pickguard and added a badass bridge.

 

I seem to be going down a moddy kind of route at the moment.

 

Worst thing was easily a Yamaha BB735a.  I literally picked it up from the vendor and knew it was gone.

I know this is sacrilege to many on here but I don't play in a band anymore and it just sounded insipid to me and was just a big lump with a flat fretboard.

 

 

Do you mind if i ask what tuners you went for as my Vintera P bass tuners are pretty rubbish to be honest. Are the replacements a direct fit for the originals.

Dave

[Simon C]

4 hours ago, MoonBassAlpha said:

I dunno,  I'm guessing it's a bad time of year to sell stuff. I'm asking among my acquaintances first before advertising,  but it's not good atm.

I bought a pre-owned 4003 yesterday.  I tried it on New Year's Eve (I went in the shop to try a Fender Jazz, and saw the Rick hanging close to it) then got the deposit down as soon as the shop opened on the 2nd.  Then down at lunch time to pay the balance and bring it home.  It hadn't made it to the web site, not even the 24h preview bit that you need to logon to see.  One of the guys in the shop said they'd only had it in a few days and another that he didn't think it would be around for long.  So either they do move quickly, or they parted this fool with his cash too easily 🙂

[dmccombe7]

55 minutes ago, Simon C said:

I bought a pre-owned 4003 yesterday.  I tried it on New Year's Eve (I went in the shop to try a Fender Jazz, and saw the Rick hanging close to it) then got the deposit down as soon as the shop opened on the 2nd.  Then down at lunch time to pay the balance and bring it home.  It hadn't made it to the web site, not even the 24h preview bit that you need to logon to see.  One of the guys in the shop said they'd only had it in a few days and another that he didn't think it would be around for long.  So either they do move quickly, or they parted this fool with his cash too easily 🙂

Some pics would be nice @Simon C I do like a Ric.

Dave

[Pat2019]

Nearly forgot this, got the Markbass MB58R 121 P Box in February. Very happy with it. Weighs close to feck all( imperial) and pairs well with the EBS Reidmar 502. Load-ins are much easier now.

Gigged the Elite precision on NYE very happy with that too.

Not so much with the Thomastik flatwounds , first time ever, I had an E string pop on me while fitting.

[msb]

I really don’t understand the grief people have for the earlier Ric trussrods. I have a 4001 and 4000 with the old style rods. They are not difficult to properly set , and are more stable than the later modern style. I have only adjusted my 4001 twice in over twenty five years , they do not do the seasonal shift like Fender style instruments. They are rock solid. I adjusted the 4000 once about five years ago when I first bought it and have not touched it since. 
These are the original spring style rods that were used up until 1984.

And my experience of using them for well over 25 years.
I have also helped set up at least a dozen other Rics that friends have bought and asked for a little guidance setting up. 

[Chewie]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Do you mind if i ask what tuners you went for as my Vintera P bass tuners are pretty rubbish to be honest. Are the replacements a direct fit for the originals.

Dave

Hi Dave,

They're Gotoh and they're fantastic.  Slightly weighty compared to the original ones that were on it but they work and look the business.

[Chewie]

Just now, Chewie said:

Hi Dave,

They're Gotoh and they're fantastic.  Slightly weighty compared to the original ones that were on it but they work and look the business.

Yes they're a direct fit.  

[Chewie]

On 31/12/2023 at 18:08, rmorris said:

Bit tangential. But needing a new desk chair - got one for Christmas that has flip up armrests so I can play bass/guitar seated in front of mixer without awkward manoeuvring.

I'm totally with you on this.  Mrs Chewie will say " I've seen a new chair" and I'll say "Has it got any arms?"

 

[Simon C]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

Some pics would be nice @Simon C I do like a Ric.

Dave

Here you go Dave (and thanks for asking😉)

 

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/144848-rickenbacker-4003/?do=findComment&comment=5109214

 

Edited January 3 by Simon C

[Skin Lewis]

I think my best of 2023 was an Epiphone Jack Casady, bought mainly out of curiosity. It turns out to be really good, comfortable to play with a unique, focussed tone that sits so well in the mix. I had to change a few things to get it right for me, but I now have to think hard whether to use this for a gig, or my Precision. 

 

 

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, Skin Lewis said:

I think my best of 2023 was an Epiphone Jack Casady, bought mainly out of curiosity. It turns out to be really good, comfortable to play with a unique, focussed tone that sits so well in the mix. I had to change a few things to get it right for me, but I now have to think hard whether to use this for a gig, or my Precision. 

 

 

I’d always go JC - sound like a bigger precision. Mate of mine who’s a bassist watched me use both at a gig once “that Epiphone sounds massive mate, bin the fender”. I didn’t. Have owned 2 JC’s now - wish I still had both.

[neepheid]

3 minutes ago, Skin Lewis said:

I think my best of 2023 was an Epiphone Jack Casady, bought mainly out of curiosity. It turns out to be really good, comfortable to play with a unique, focussed tone that sits so well in the mix. I had to change a few things to get it right for me, but I now have to think hard whether to use this for a gig, or my Precision. 

 

 

 

Quite a few people de-plate their JCs.  Nothing wrong with that, looks good either way to my eyes.

 

I guess because mine is the 20th Anniversary one, I kinda feel a little obligation to keep it stock.  Is that silly?

[neepheid]

Just now, AndyTravis said:

I’d always go JC - sound like a bigger precision. Mate of mine who’s a bassist watched me use both at a gig once “that Epiphone sounds massive mate, bin the fender”. I didn’t. Have owned 2 JC’s now - wish I still had both.

 

Don't feel bad, I'm on my third...

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, msb said:

I really don’t understand the grief people have for the earlier Ric truss rods

:

:

:
I have also helped set up at least a dozen other Rics that friends have bought and asked for a little guidance setting up. 

 

Doesn't that suggest setting up Ric truss rods is a bit tricky and needs an expert?

[SurroundedByManatees]

My best must be the Modulus:

 

 

The worst purchase must be a super rare Ibanez Artist 2615b. It sounded lovely but had severe issues (neck reset done poorly, truss rod not adjustable), so I had no other option than returning it to the shop...

[msb]

On 03/01/2024 at 14:46, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Doesn't that suggest setting up Ric truss rods is a bit tricky and needs an expert?

 

Once you understand how they work it’s straightforward. However … you can damage the neck if you just tighten them without positioning the neck first. Rickenbacker discontinued those rods in 1984. So that’s not relevant for modern ones.  

[dmccombe7]

On 03/01/2024 at 20:01, SurroundedByManatees said:

My best must be the Modulus:

 

 

The worst purchase must be a super rare Ibanez Artist 2615b. It sounded lovely but had severe issues (neck reset done poorly, truss rod not adjustable), so I had no other option than returning it to the shop...

Oohh sparkly..............i like that. Would be good in my Glam covers band.

Dave

[nilorius]

1 minute ago, dmccombe7 said:

Oohh sparkly..............i like that. Would be good in my Glam covers band.

Dave

Looks funky !

[badger]

I'll keep it simple & just say "a bass" as the best thing.  I actually ended up buying two - a Squier Affinity P & a CV Jag - but I like them both for different reasons.

 

I've been an off-&-on (mostly off) guitarist for 30+ years (not that you'd know it to hear me play) & I bought the P for the occasional bit of bedroom recording.  but now I find myself picking up a bass more than I pick up a guitar & it's really re-awoken my interest in playing music.

 

worst: BOSS CEB-3 Bass Chorus, not terrible, just sounds a bit synthetic to my ear

[SurroundedByManatees]

50 minutes ago, nilorius said:

Looks funky !

And sounds too! It's in the name🙂