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Uh oh! Laura broke the Bass...


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Hey everyone,
I'm Laura (duh..?) i'm 24 and new to playing Bass, and as my name and top title suggests, I broke it! :)

I started playing Bass about 4 months ago, I was slow starting as I only bought a cheap beginner Encore bass package, I wanted to start with something cheap as I figured i'd break it what with it being my first bass and hadn't played it before... I figured right, eh? :rolleyes:

It came with a cheap amp that sounded terrible. I live with my Fiance and his Brother, my Future Brother plays both electric and acoustic guitar and has a very nice shiny Marshall amp, so I used that ocassionally but it wasn't 'right'.... So I was playing practising just acoustic mainly.... Then at Christmas I had family visiting and wanted to show them what I learned but when I went to hook it up to the amp I noticed the jack socket thing wasn't there, the nut or whatever it is that holds it in place has vanished and the actual socket had fallen threw inside.... Doh.

Which, kinda sucks considering my Future Bro bought me a Marshall Bass Amp for Christmas...! :lol: Double D'oh! We took the plate off and poked the socket back threw and plugged it into the cable which held it in place and we managed to play it like that for a while, it was sounding lovely but it was only temporary, now it just makes the amp flip out... So poor 'lil broken bass is sitting in the corner and i'm getting withdrawl.

I'm out of work due to long term illness and I need myself a project! I have decided I'm gonna give repairing it a shot... I'm also going to do some artwork on it, a complete respray and custom stuff, if I can make the idea I see in my mind... It's gonna look nice.

As for the repairing, i've done some searching about on the net and I got as far as here and finding; [url="http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsJacks.htm#JackPlates"]http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsJacks.htm#JackPlates[/url]
Could anyone reccomend which socket to go for?

The bass I have; [url="http://www.jhs.co.uk/encorebass.html"]http://www.jhs.co.uk/encorebass.html[/url] .....
Apart from I have a nice strap I bought seperatly and the Marshall amp <3 oh and a better tuner... The bag is handy, the stand is good, the beginner cd just made me laugh and switch off... But all that said, it's a nice Bass, has served me well threw my learning so far, Future Bro has been making some awesome sounds on it, but it's broken and right now and I really can't afford to buy anything better....

But, the Bass has potential and I can afford a new socket and some spray paints stings ect.
What would be the best paint to go for? Also which kind of finish would I need to make it super glossy? Not sparkling but just...Glossy! I'm very creative and artistic but i've not painted a bass before... :lol:

I'd love to get some maybe softer strings for it? My fingers have toughened up and i'm used to these ones now but I'd really like to try something softer...?

Right, you'll be glad to know i'm shutting up now.
I apologise for the long waffling, and congratulations if you made it this far!

Thanks for any advice!
Laura (...and her Fiance who helped provide me with this username, thanks for that...... :lol: )

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This is yer fella...

[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/4614-allparts_1_4_input_jack_switchcraft_mono"]switchcraft mono jack[/url]

Have you got a soldering iron?


If you're gonna spray it, you need to sand it down first. But there's plenty on here who know a lot more about that than me. I did once spray a bass with car paint but I did an absolutely sh!t job of it.


Softer strings? I use flatwounds, which are much less abrasive on the fingers, but soundwise, they're not to everyone's taste. They sound duller, less zingy.

Edited by bigjohn
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Hi Laura, welcome to the forum. Those Encore P-bass copies are seriously tough things. There's not much you can do to them that'll harm them! :)

As for strings, try ordering some DR Fatbeams or HiBeams 40-100. The DRs are really nice strings and seem to have a softer feel than the average.

Edited by OutToPlayJazz
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[quote name='bigjohn' post='725400' date='Jan 26 2010, 04:39 PM']Have you got a soldering iron?[/quote]

Greetings,

If you have a Maplins anywhere near you, they do them as well: [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1252"]http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1252[/url]

If the wiring is all still attached, you'll probably find that the nut from the new one will be a direct fit to the "broken" one. If it is, no solder necessary - just a spanner/pipe wrench!

Pete.

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Indeed welcome and as said above plenty of willing mendists on here who love a challenge.......

'fess up..... where are you?

For softer strings you might want to try a set of Roto sound tru bass 88s these are nylon wound and sound really 'plunky but that may not be your sound.

depends what you want to play really.....

Painting is a bit tricky and specialist if you want to get a 'proper' spangly finish.... Although plenty on here have had a go with some prtty good results.

On your page of jack sockets its the top one you need.

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Thank you everyone for your advice! Awesome help.

I'm in Scottish Borders, nearest major place is Edinburgh. Recently moved here to live with my Fiance, I was living in South East England... Loving the hills up here! Miss it though. Painting the Bass with the Union Jack was one idea..
I'm still looking into links and things people sent :) I'm sure i'll reply again soon, waffling again no doubt!

Thank you again awesome people...

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Hi Laura,

I stay just outside Edinburgh, but work in town. If you message me your location I could have a look at it for you and see what needs done. Don't know anything about painting though.

Failing that, taking it to Guitar Guitar or Red dog and fluttering your eye lids might work...! :)

Kets

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All these replies have been awesome. Been chuckling away and getting some amazing ideas...
Must apologise now, the 'T' key of my laptop doesn' want to work properly Today, if my post lacks a few T's, sorry :)


[quote]Guitar Guitar or Red dog and fluttering your eye lids might work...![/quote]


[quote]Good call. I've always found Red Dog to be really friendly and helpful[/quote]

- What is this Red Dog of which you speak? It sounds like a good dog, I mean, option.

[quote]You have a death wish? Seriously?[/quote]
Heh, no i'm just proud of my roots...
Loving the idea of a Saltire.... It's inspiring me to a sketching doodling mind scribbling session, got about 5 ideas doodled, about 30 more to go! lol got a kind of rising sun type funky in your face idea at the moment, must get that one doodled.

Ok i'm off again, i'll check back soon!
Thanks again x

(Oh so many T's, eep, that was painful...) :rolleyes:

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[quote name='LauraBrokeTheBass' post='726417' date='Jan 27 2010, 03:06 PM']- What is this Red Dog of which you speak? It sounds like a good dog, I mean, option.[/quote]

:)

Red Dog Music is at the bottom of Grassmarket in Edinburgh city centre - or at the bottom of Kings Stables Road if you are coming down the hill from the Lothian Road end. Good music shop. Not the cheapest maybe, but good service!

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[quote name='Conan' post='726423' date='Jan 27 2010, 03:16 PM']:)

Red Dog Music is at the bottom of Grassmarket in Edinburgh city centre - or at the bottom of Kings Stables Road if you are coming down the hill from the Lothian Road end. Good music shop. Not the cheapest maybe, but good service![/quote]

I agree, good shop, good service and good people. GuitarGuitar is equally good, but farther out of town towards the airport, in Corstorphine.
Live Music is another favourite of mine. It's just off Nicholson/Clerk street, small shop with good service and good people (in my experience).

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[quote name='Conan' post='726423' date='Jan 27 2010, 03:16 PM']:rolleyes:

Red Dog Music is at the bottom of Grassmarket in Edinburgh city centre - or at the bottom of Kings Stables Road if you are coming down the hill from the Lothian Road end. Good music shop. Not the cheapest maybe, but good service![/quote]

Ahhhhh nice one! :} I only moved here in August, still learning the area, loving every minute of it... Had seen that music shop on my bus journey home once, I saw it fly by.... Didn't catch it's name.... It's only hour or so on bus from here, will find a day when I can go up there with my future bro, he knows wayyyy more than I do... I would just stand drooling at things, he'd find what we went for...

He gave the Bass a temp fix by using a nut from his friends guitar (no longer in use 'cos he jus got a major upgrade, heh, shinies...)
They were having a little guitar bass session, was sounding sweet but it really is on it's last legs right now and we just noticed damage to the plate around the jack so looks like i'm gonna need that... have given up on the idea of painting it myself on account of fear i'll just mess it up, however I've sill been doodling, got some lovely ideas, just gotta somehow get it into practise!

Again, thanks for the help, i'll be back again tomorrow probably... :)
Laura.

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Hummmmmmmmmmmmm.............

I just had the idea of... Well, I used to do alot of music photography but due to illness and things I can't work but i'm still good for photo taking... Maybe there's someone out there who would like to help repair / paint my bass in return for some nice free photos for website, cd covers... I can do just about most things... Should sort out some of my old gig photos, i helped out a local music company in England as their photographer in return for a VIP go anywhere sit on edge of stage pass... Got in touch with the bands after and sent on the pics, some are kicking about in albums....

Waffle/random thought/mind decluttering, over and out...
:)

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