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I just picked up a Squier Affinity Jazz V, and I want to upgrade pickups.

I’m on the fence about spending $190 - $250+ on Duncan 67/70’s or Aguilar HC’s because they cost more than the bass did, but I’ve had them both before and I loved them.

Then I came across these…
Generic No-name AlNiCo pickups, look pretty good…but hesitant if the actual product is as good as how the photos look…

$60 for Amazon pickups is kind of unusual, too. Often, they are about $30.


I’m surprised that they even list DC resistance specs
“Neck pickup is 9.6(9-10)K,Bridge pickup is 11.1(11-12)K.”

Thoughts?

They been teasing this bass on their IG page, but now there are some entries of these basses on some online stores. Here is an example:


They are called the Avant, feature stainless steel frets and some unorthodox 3 single coil setup, with 1 slant and 2 straight (or maybe the opposite since its a multiscale?)

All sites I checked out have some weird specs like having 2 volumes for the middle and neck pickup, 1 blend for the bridge (whatever that means) and 1 tone. But on the Images we clearly see only 3 knobs. They also said its a 34 inch scale length which well... is also inaccurate

But still, I really liked this one, as a sucker for multiscale basses but also vintage looking styles, this one hits home. I can only think of the Dingwall SP-1 when it come to these features, so having a sub 500 bucks option is a god send. The 24th fret is a welcomed feature too, which is not seen in a lot of 'vintage' bases.

I really wanna now the scale lenght in these, and also the wiring of these pickups+knobs.

The only things I did not like are:
- The positioning of the jack
- Having no 21th and 24th inlay. Like I can get away not having the 24th but why not the 21th too?? Make no sense

What are your opinions on these?

Hey all,
I recently picked up an old (guessing 2000-2001) Tradition five string jazz shaped bass. The knobs are not stock. The bass is passive and i think has small pots in there.
The pickups volume knobs seem to do what they should and have a nice gentle resistance to turning which makes them feel like good qualitt.. But the tone knob is doing something very odd.
When I turn it up expecting more treble, I do get more highs, but also seem to get more overall volume that almost seems to have a mid push or density to it. When I turn it down, it drops treble but will turn the volume down and seems to be less weighty. This is completely different from other jazz basses I've owned.

Have you seen this situation before? Could it be intentional?

I'm not sure how to take advantage of this. The bass has great, warm tone with awesome sustain.

I'll have to open it up and take a few picks of the wiring. Not really wanting to spend on new wiring and preamp. Alsp, this bass is SUPER microphonic as inany touch to the bass is heard through the amp. I have to switch to a silicon ring to okay this one.

I am looking for a small combo for practicing at home, my study is crowded a bit so I don't have to much space for sound.
I have a multi effect but sometimes I feel like to plug directly into amp.
I don't have problem if I have to eq the sound for piano like high attack or warm for mellow sounds, etc.
I found 3 used for great price:

1. Ampeg BA-108 V2 (I like the 60° tilt)
2. Fender Rumble 15
3. Cort CM20B 20W

I really appreciate the help, unfortunately I don't have opportunity to try any of them, this is why I ask the community opinion.

I’m trying to source a .020” (.5mm) layer of black wood accent layer between the top and body. It’s a 2 piece body blank (not glued up yet). Each half is 21.5” long x 7” wide (546 mm x 177 mm). I’ve looked all over and either it’s out of stock or not even sold anywhere. I guess I could glue on some thick walnut and then plane it down but it won’t be black. Surely black wood or dyed black wood veneer is easily found?

On narrow (screw end ) of the neck heel I have three numbers in blue-green color arrayed thsuly:

010 5155
01201 (slightly smaller size)

I am not sure if it was manufactured in Mexico or not.
On the heel is: 1 TORRES

Anyone?

I just run IEM's these days, so my amps are almost always exclusively for practice anymore. That said, I've had my share of different amps over the years and often find myself (surprisingly) favoring those either with tubes (Markbass Vintage D2) or those that emulate tube saturation (Aguilar Tone Hammer, Eden Nemesis). It's actually a bit surprising because for years I just didn't find any 'logical' and 'technical' explanation that actually made sense to me, but after playing for quite a number of years now, that seems to be the direction I'm drifting. Note that that doesn't mean I simply like everything with a tube. I had a Markbass Tube 800 that I almost but didn't quite get along with (wrong EQ points and the "tube" was so tiny it hardly didn't even count). I also had a Mesa WD800 that just had some lack of "thick with sparkle juice" combination that I just couldn't find in there. However, the amps and pedals (Markbass Compressore, Markbass Vintage Preamp, Sushibox Slammpegg) I find myself using the most are often either tube or "tube-adjacent" (or darkglass).

Anywhose, if I were to lean into the deep end of a full tube practice amp, which one would y'all recommend and why? I don't know a whole lot about all-tube amps, but if it matters, I play 5-strings (usually Schecter Stilettos, but also an Ibanez SR with Nordstrand Big Splits and Aguilar OBP-3 preamp) and I do like to give a decent bump in my tone around 2.5kHz while either leaving flat or rolling off the low mids to reduce mud. I like a 'limitless' deep sound while also having good clarity and 'sparkle' - BUT also without having too much string/fret noise. Difficult combo to chase, I know.

Ashdown CTM 15/30 or Little Bastard 30 strikes my fancy (although I've never owned or played an Ashdown before). What are they like?

Ampeg has the Portaflex 20/50 heads. I've owned an Ampeg combo once (BA115, I think?) and wasn't impressed with the tone (although my SVT 410HLF was fantastic!). I don't believe I've played just an Ampeg head through a cab of my choosing.

My cabs are currently a Markbass 151hr (1x15 w/tweeter) and a Markbass 102hf (2x10 w/tweeter - both 8 ohm), so I've got plenty of speaker to push BUT sending 15, 20, 30, or 50 watts through that to get full tube saturation would be way too loud for a practice rig, I would imagine, soooo, perhaps I'd also need a load box?

Curious what y'all think about an all-tube basically practice amp!

More than 800 jazz standards, transposable to any key (including bass clef), with basic MIDI playback (chords and melody):

Jazz Standards A–Z — 865 Lead Sheets | Realbook.site

Useful as a quick reference, for practicing sight-reading, etc., and (AFAIK) completely free.

PS: Nothing to do with them, just posting it here in case someone might find it useful

One is a natural. I spent about a year and a half looking at t40s for a light one and got one that weighs in at 10#. Lucky me! Got it home, play it as my main bass at home, I like it. I've always wanted one with a rosewood neck because I think I can see my fingers and frets better against the dark color and my eyesight isn't that great so any edge is a good one. One came up locally and I bought it without weighing it but it's 10# as well, original factory Peavey paint job and rosewood neck. It's beautiful, it's going to be my stage bass for the little jam thing I have going right now.

Thing is now I have two, and I want to keep the red/rose one stock, but now I feel like I can play with the other one. I've seen some with the body shaved to a pillowtop and then tobacco burst, looks amazing really. Stain deep blue and gun oil, maybe put push pull knobs for single coil humbucker instead of the 123456-78910 thing that frankly needs better eyesight than mine to make it happen. I would maybe like to have a brass nut machined to let open strings really ring out and sustain.

I could spend $400 on super lightweight tuning pegs but there isn't a lot of neck dive on this one. If I remove a lot of wood from the body neck dive would be worse so all I would want is either a really shallow cosmetic thing or a little bit where my arm goes over the bass if that would help. I like my squier p bass body feel and think the t40 could be more comfortable. I would love to get a very shallow serpent carve done on the body but maybe some day.

At the same time it could use a neck shave so that would lighten up the neck a little and make it easier to get my left hand up the neck. Never blame your gear though says Chef Ramsay.

The gun oil t40 video on youtube was beautiful I'm sure more could be patterned from that

What would make for a beautiful T40 starting from a natural? I will shield the cavities with copper tape and use shielded wire between electronics in the cavity, run strings through the body, install push pull knobs for single/humbucker, other than that preserve the electronics and improve the wood if there is something obvious and in line with other bass guitars that won't make it a stupid frankenstein.

If I dig into the body I'll buy a replacement body and keep it salted away with the package along with a 1978 case that's pretty dang intact given the mileage and apparent value over the decades.

Can be found on some stores already, but I don't think Cort hasn't put out something officially yet. Just stumbled upon the pages because I've been looking for a do it all short scale for a while now. This definitely doesn't fit that ask, but I'm sure a lot of more vintage minded will like this.

Was at my favorite used store today, Atomic music in Beltsville. One the items I had on my list was a small form factor amp that I could use with my Portaflex 210HE. I normally use it for an extension cab with my BA210v2. Just thought it would be nice to have a BU amp or be able to use the cab without the combo. I tested out this Bugera Veyron and it sounded pretty decent... the price was right at $150 so I figured I'd give it a try (I traded in some old gear I had). They seem to have pretty decent reviews, and I've found that with Behringer products that they either work or thy don't. I do realize that with the wattage I have to be careful not to damage the cab. At some point I may look around for a 15" cab, or possibly a second 2x10. I don't see any reviews on TB that are trashing the amp, which is good.

This one looks like new, so hoping it was a good score...

My 8 year old son has been asking to learn bass. I'm not confident this is going to be something that takes but I would very much like to encourage him to do so. What are some inexpensive options in the short scale world these days? I'd rather not drop Fender Mustang money on this, plus I think even shorter scale might fit him better. Maybe an Ibanez Mikro? I want to get him something nice enough that it encourages him to play, but not so nice that I feel I need to get on to him if he uses a bit roughly.

I just like the feel of these strings, even the thicker/stiffer ones. I can't bend them at all or it hurts my fingers so I slide instead. I am looking for a way to keep the zing as long as possible. Among ideas are wd-40, isopropyl alcohol, thorough hand washing before playing, I suppose during playing if digging at it for an hour,

I hear the boil thing is good for one more session so that's not really what I'm looking for, more like how do I maintain my strings so I can keep them alive for as long as is reasonable. I can afford to change my strings, I just want to not be stupid about the interval and typically like to maintain my gear properly.

I have a Fender P-Bass Player II in Hialeah Yellow. I love the way it plays and sounds and thought about getting another Player II so I have a back up. As I scroll the ever so dangerous FB Market place, I stumble upon a feller selling the exact same bass, same color with a case and a Rumble 40 amp for a pretty decent price. I don't really need the amp, but it would be nice since I really don't have a practice amp. The bass and the case, that's another story. So the question is, does anyone have two of the exact same basses? I feel like the price is good but I'm hung up on having the same color. I have been eyeing up the Rallye Orange one as well, but I would be buying that new.

I've been wanting a metal flake bass for a long time. I prefer nitro, so that was a limiting factor. Saw this MJT body on ebay and snagged it. While checking it out, discovered the wire channels were not drilled. Matt offered to reimburse me for the 12" bits, and free shipping on my next order. Much easier than sending it back for the holes. Went together nicely, and I'm very pleased.

Hello, everybody.

I have a Stingray, which I bought brand new in 2001.

I haven’t played it in about 6 months, and when I plugged it in last night, no sound.

The battery was spent.

So, I installed a new battery, and the sound returned, but with 2 oddities:

1) The volume is only about half what it should be.

and,

2) The tone controls are not responding at all.

I am going to bring my Stingray in for a set up and cleaning, but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this or knows anything about this.

I find it strange that the volume works, but not the EQ.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks.

Mike

In the last couple of years, I've been listening to a lot of Japanese alternative bands. Whenever YouTube makes a recommendation, I will give the band a listen to see if the music clicks. Yesterday the band Yabai T-shirt Yasan had a First Take video pop-up. Based purely on aesthetics the bass featured in the video really checked the boxes for me. The logo on the headstock isn't familiar to me, so I turn to the experts here for help. Thanks!

I picked up this original Steinberger L2 for cheap because someone (Joe Sheals I guess?) turned it into a desert camo art project. Anyone know what type of paint this might be? And is there a way to get it off without damaging the valuable bass underneath?

Want to give a shoutout to Tone Table pedalboards out of Utah, and say how thrilled I am having worked with Jack on this pedalboard. On instagram as well.

I’ve never taken leave of the luxury of having someone set up a board for me before, but his boards seemed so cool and his work looked incredible, so decided to treat myself. He did not disappoint! Will definitely be working with him again.

Cost is incredibly reasonable compared to some of the usual suspects for pedalboards/rack builds you all probably know of well by now.

If you’re in the market for a board setup, couldn’t reccomend Jack and ToneTable more!

Tell him Fat Tony Marshall sent ya

I use a Micro VR 210 stack for rehearsals with a small ensemble. Light and portable, sounds great, gets the job done. It's "loud" enough but I find the single 210 cab lacks a bit of support in the deepest lows. Rubbing up against the the physics limitations of a sealed 2x10 box, sometimes it just sounds a little congested or forced, lacking in true low end at at louder volumes. I see Aguilar has a new 210 combo, looks ported - I wonder if it provides cleaner/deeper lows?

Anyone have experience with both of these rigs?

I've been looking at a range of basses, by a maker that I won't name. One model costs 345; another costs 736. Both have volume and balance knobs. They have the same active treble, middle and bass EQ. The woods are the same, as is the preamp. The finish is the same. 345 has the maker's own humbuckers. 736 has a third-party's split coil singles, which sell for 200. Let's say that their own pickups cost nothing. That leaves 191 difference in cost to us.

345 has a switch to tap the humbuckers into singles. 736 has a three-way mid EQ switch and a passive/active switch. A replacement switch costs 15, as it has it sells with the treble pot and its circuit board.

We now have a cost difference of 176. The knobs cost the same. The leftover difference is the hole for the passive/active switch. That's a lot of money for a hole. That wants to be a good hole, for that much money.

Hi everyone!

I got my hands on a base guitar, and would like some help identifying what it is and what it might be worth.

It is a Belamy WO.20381 made in Korea. Which I understand is a somewhat vintage and interesting for collectors.

Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to add a picture

All information is useful, thanks!

In a double bass is the back plate considered live or dead? Does the sound post and its position change this? Does it still apply if the back is laminated?

I know live back vs dead back is more of ac acoustic guitar term but curious if the back plate in a DB is purely reflective and supports the sound post pivot rather than being tuned itself to a major third higher and sympathetically resonates like some guitars. With lower bass frequencies and far less high harmonic content I feel it does not.

My hybrid Shen is 6mm 5 ply flat back with a 12mm thick ladder rung support under the sound post. I love the sound! I’ve also tried to see how dampening the flat back with my body changes the sound.

The bass I just built has a secondary soundboard like a double back mainly because it’s designed to be played more like a guitar with body contact. Thinking the next build I might skip and add some sort of bracing to the back plate for the sound post and maybe even arch it slightly. I use laminated vacuum pressed veneers over a foam mold so it’s as easy as flat.

I recently got a new bass from Elrick basses. I love Elrick basses so much… except for one thing. He uses fairly basic plastic knobs on his beautiful hand carved basses. As a result, I’ve built a nice relationship with Roger Fearing at THG Knobs (he does all of MTD’s basses). He consistently is able to dial in some beautiful custom wood knobs for basses I have owned. This bass is no exception.

I had bought a set of generic ebony knobs on Amazon that looked really great and provided a nice contrast between the holly top and the ebony neck. But then Roger’s knobs showed up and I think he really nailed it.

He matched the bass woods. Each knob has a swamp ash cylinder, and holly top and an ebony accent line. He also included Luminlay position markers to match the Luminlays on the bass neck. And he did it all from a photo.

I think something as simple as matching wood knobs really elevates a custom bass.

For the past few months I have been the main person for front of house sound at my church. I am not a "Sound Engineer", didnt claim to be when I volunteered to help, but id like to think i have a good ear. I play bass in the worship group as well and there was one guy that ran the board that did a good job but he took on a new job and cant be there as often which is why I stepped up. The others not so much. It was always nothing was layered right, or thin, or just plain flat. Supposedly there was a guy that was a "sound engineer" and he made the mix that we are supposed to use. That mix is that we are supposed to us is the one that does not sound right / good.

We are using a Behringer Wing. I am continuously learning the ins and outs of the board, the set up and plugins. One thing I dont understand with how this mix we are supposed to be using is the EQ settings. I included some images. Everything is set WAY below the "0"dB line which in turn just to get nominal gain correct, the gain has to be turned WAY high. The mix on one of the guitars was a +35dB gain just to make it nominal and still had to push the fader to +2-3 just make it present in the mix. Acoustic had to be a +40 gain. Trim on alot of the inputs whether its a vocal mic or instrument is usually no more than +4db. Ive had to do alot of EQ work on this saved mix already but I have been doing the altering from the point that was previously set up. Normally I would think that you would want the EQ to start form the "0" line and you cut or boost from there. I was going to try and create my own base mix one of the rehearsal days and start everything form the 0 line and EQ from there to see how it goes. That previous sound engineer they had do this is no longer around and the guy that had him do it is no longer around. the lead Pastor has mentioned about getting new speakers install through out the worship center and under the platform. The current system is in place in the up towards the ceiling, so i would say maybe 30ft up. It doesnt sound bad, I have had many compliments on how the sound has been since I have made adjustments and the worship team likes it when Im on the board. But you cant "feel" the music in the platform with this system. The bass and kick is there with still some more room to grow but you dont have that physical feel in your feet because the speakers are in the air. I do not agree that it is the best use of church funds to put subs under the platform. Especially when people want to go up to the alter to pray or be prayed for. They dont want to have to speak over the kick drum or bass guitar in there face.

Basically I want to optimize what we currently have before he considers new equipment. Much better things the funds could go to. And I absolutely do not even want the notion to be considered to have one of these AudioLink programs put in place. The attached images are of a couple instrument inputs, vocal mics and the pastors headset mic before I really had messed around with them to much and is on a 60dB scale. Let me know what you think! Thanks for your time and look forward to the discussion!