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Neil Pye · Aug 13, 2026

I use Leatherwood for most of my ensemble playing, but Jade for solo stuff. I've had my current cake of Jade for over a year now, kept in the container it was supplied in. I've noticed no deterioration in sound or performance, and the colour is exactly as new. Maybe yours has been contaminated with something?

AndyMopley · Aug 13, 2026

Know none of the tunes? Join the club

konoyaro · Aug 13, 2026

I really liked Me’Shell’s Playing with Pat Metheny at the Montreal Jazz Festival many years back:
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DCCat · Aug 13, 2026

Ritter667 said:
Get a simple cheap capo, like this one, attach it on the head of the bass, just behind the nut, problem solved:
View attachment 7552793

Of course remember to slack off the strings abit first, tighten up and attach a capo of similar design as the above one, and tune up, there you have it!

Can also be used on otehr basses if one wants to kill sympathic vibrations of the stings behind nut, or instruments where the witness point around the nut is hard to impossible to set.

Good idea. Or this, even cheaper and lighter:

robert_stuart · Aug 13, 2026

Turnaround said:
It's a bit off topic here, but I will answer because I don't want to start another thread right now.

Multi-scale basses present a way to deal with the "floppy B-string"problem. In order to get decent string tension on an electric bass with a low B string, there are basically two options available - you can use a heavier gauge string or increase the string length, both of which will require a higher tension to bring the string to pitch. There are compromises with both solutions.

If you increase the string gauge, you increase the string's mass per unit length. The compromise here is that as the mass per unit length increases so do the unmusical overtones, and the note definition diminishes. And increaseing the gauge of all the strings will result in a lot of tension on the G string and even the D. But if you use just a heavier gauge on the B and E strings and leave the upper strings alone, the tonal difference between the lower and higher strings becomes more pronounced.

If you increase the string length you also increase your stretch to reach the lowest notes. And you increase the string tension on all of the strings simultaneously, likely giving undue tension to the D and G strings.

So the compromise is a fanned fret system which gives a longer scale to the low strings and a shorter one to the high strings. You can get a better definition on the B string than by using a heavier gauge, and you get more even tonal quality across all strings. Sounds Ideal - except for that "extra reach" problem.

And that extra reach and the geometry of the fanned frets is something that I really dislike. First consider the natural position of the hand in a resting position - stress free:

View attachment 7556434

When holding an electric bass it looks like this:

View attachment 7556435

It is a relatively natural position when playing mid-neck - the arm and hand are in a relaxed position, the elbow just slightly closer to the body than a fully relaxed position:

View attachment 7556436

But when you reach for the first position your hand takes an unnatural position, you must angle your wrist and push your elbow forward to make the reach. And if the reach is 36" rather than 34" the position is more extreme. And when you are dealing with frets that are angled away from your natural hand position the problem is at its worst:

View attachment 7556453

View attachment 7556450

Not onbly does the wrist have to be twisted and angled, but the elbow is pulled into the ribs while simultanously extending the arm. Try it and note the stress in you hand, wrist and elbow. You don't have this problem when playing double bass - the hand position is much closer to natural:

View attachment 7556454

After decades of playing the electric bass (regular 34" and 35" scales) I have developed tendonitis and arthritis in my left hand and elbow. These days I play far more double bass and am not finding the same stress levels.

My analysis is that the fanned system helps to alleviate some shortcomings of the electric bass while adding to the stress on the human body.

My opinion is that the advantages are outweighed by the risks.

Fascinating, thank you.

bknop · Aug 13, 2026

They were using line arrays way back in the day! Now line arrays are mainstream PA, what comes around goes around. Rigs used to be cool and big, nowadays a child can carry a 1kw head and possibly the cabs.

gusrb5 · Aug 13, 2026

BassicJazzy said:
IMO Sadowsky MetroExpress J's or PJs are much better deal and sound better.

Nowadays I'm super into Japanese handmade 5 string Js. Especially Bottomwave. They were previously "Fodera N.Y.C" iirc but now they are making basses smth like 50% Fender tone 50% Fodera tone. I tried their basses once and couldnt believe how good they were.

Gosho · Aug 13, 2026

Great price! I just hope they also offer the option “Congratulations! You won this product completely free of charge!” That way, at least youll have something to show your wife and a solid excuse for why you bought it.

Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati · Aug 13, 2026

Little update and OT —> the neck (J-neck) of my self-made P with the underwound Fralin pickup has publicly thanked me for switching back to the TI JF344 Flatwound strings - setup is now Ferrari style.
The pickup works decidedly better, taking full advantage of the crispier sound of these strings (however I shall experiment further)

Reno2 · Aug 13, 2026

Bryan R. Tyler said:
OK, it just went up on our Instagram and Facebook!

Thank you Bryan!!

Dr McBalders · Aug 12, 2026

Just because pictures are more interesting sometimes. This is my tidepool player p with a player plus neck. The pau ferro board is really nice, and I think the string's silk complements the bass nicely.

fdeck · Aug 12, 2026

I like to put some tubing around the grip of my bow, to open my hand up a bit. Latex tubing turns to goo over time.

I've had good luck with this "EPDM foam tubing" from McMaster-Carr, and it's not exorbitant. I've never had this stuff turn sticky or leave marks on the bow or my hands. I put a little bit of corn starch in it, in order to get it to slide on. My preferred size is the 3/4 OD and 1/2 ID, part number 4339T8.

I learned about this EPDM material in search of a long lasting foam tape that I can put inside my HPF's to keep the battery from rattling.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

TerribleTim68 · Aug 12, 2026

This shot always makes me laugh.

Iristone · Aug 12, 2026

Unfortunately if you don't live in the US, CME seems to type in their international postage rates with toes

Daz X · Aug 12, 2026

It was a combo, it was the Ampeg DD-1 Dual Drive Bass Combo

Major Seven · Aug 12, 2026

DJ Bebop said:
Maybe that was his intent, to use those synths for those specific sounds. Not to upset you

I heard a Keith Richards interview on the radio (NPR), he told the story of creating the Satisfaction riff lying in bed with a handheld cassette
recorder. He played the riff ,fell asleep and recorded the remaining 45 minutes of himself snoring.
When they went to make the record, the only way to satisfactorily get that sound was to use the cassette machine to get it.
I don't know if this is true since fuzz boxes existed by then, but its a fun story.

jd56hawk · Aug 12, 2026

Malak the Mad said:
Spoken like someone who's a short drive from Atlantic City!

My gambling days are done...casino gambling, anyway.
Still might take a chance buying one more bass online, though.

GrahamNN3 · Aug 12, 2026

lyralain said:
Slowly making my way thru the over 200 pages here, but what's the state of roundwound strings for this bass in 2026?

Attempted putting on DR High Beam shortscales twice but the low string went dead & bell-like after a bit each time even with the proper bend during install, guessing maybe because the thick part of the string wraps onto the peg. My mistake trying it twice.

In my searching so far it seems like the bottom strings of the Ernie Ball 9-string Slinky guitar set are one of the only options, haven't heard any examples of how they sound as bass strings but might give them a go. Do you need washers at the ball-end or do they fit fine?

GHS Balanced Nickels seem evangelized for shortscales but the low string is still too long for the Mini P, though it seems some people have used them without issues- at least initially, not sure how they fared long term.

If anyone orders custom rounds for this bass what specs do you go with?

I have small hands & this is the most comfortable bass I've ever played, plus with the strings that aren't dead it sounds pretty great stock- so it'd be nice to find some strings that actually work for it.

I’ve ordered Newtone Hex core gauges: 049 069 089 109 (which I think is the same as the Labella mini P set. But not arrived yet ..

Click to expand...

UntitledProject · Aug 12, 2026

Sharko said:
lol, im learning a lot today. In any case, your bass looks so rad

There's a bullet club on here with loads of info. It's a very cool bass. All versions.

Braunzo · Aug 12, 2026

Well, this rules. I spent about a half an hour with four different basses; a Stingray Special HH, Precision w/ Half Rounds, Reverend Decision, and my old Music Master w/ Flats. They all sounded absolutely great. I'm thinking the scoop setting is where I might live for the most part. Someone else mentioned somewhere on this forum that going into the scooped setting, then bringing the mids back up and backing off a bit of bass seemed to be a sweet spot, and I think I agree. I'm not sure if I prefer the warm or qtube setting the most, but they both sound awesome. My little Music Master into the flat input with the qtube and some EQ-ing got pretty close to the B-15 that's behind it in the picture below. Still can't beat a B-15 for that kind of thing, though.

Overall, I'm really happy. I think I might have to get a 212 cabinet as well, just so I can have a big rig and a small rig. Or maybe another 112. Who knows. Whichever one I can find a good deal on first will probably win lol.

Shugama · Aug 12, 2026

Can anyone comment on the differences one would experience between either set? Since the Monstertones can be split I’m assuming they are stacked humbuckers tho the pictures look like normal SCs.

I’m ready looking at the Schecter J-4s,
and tho I don’t like the Exotic’s body, I am intrigued by the EMGs and the roasted neck.

The Nikki Sixx has the same neck but I hate the crapiky relic’s body. All the non-exotic J4s have the monstertone pickups.

Metal Sombreros · Aug 12, 2026

Awesome find dude that is a beaut

FussyFingers · Aug 12, 2026

Problem fixed. The problem was actually created by the last person who did a full setup on the bass; who worked at a fender authorized shop. The neck needed to be shimmed. The neck angle required the saddles to be at their minimum height, yet the action was to high at the 17th fret. Luckily, I had some shims for bass guitar on hand for some reason, like that Ben affleck movie Paycheck, so I trimmed ine down to a good fit and reinstalled the neck. Now, all the saddle screw tops are pretty much flush with the tops of the saddles, the action is spot on, the low e saddle is where expected, the intonation is right in, and the pitch is just as clear as the other strings. This was an awesome learning experience, and I have faith in my string installation skills once again. Feels good to cross a project off my list as well.

rcmbass · Aug 12, 2026

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75Ric · Aug 12, 2026

I tried the Nory Mute, twice I think. I guess I just had to be sure! Didn't like it either time. Too much mute and no adjustability. I've gone with foam on a pbass, cut on a slight angle to give more muting to the E-side and less to the G-side (in standard EADG). It cuts the overtones nicely.

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