Recent content by Chuck King

I feel like mid scoop is one of the defining characteristics of a Jazz Bass, with both pickups on anyway. If I want punch out of mine, I roll off the bridge pickup and go with just or primarily the neck pickup. (Or vice-versa, for a different kind of punch.) Any of the usual suspect noiseless...

I voted Model P, as someone who has a bunch of P-style basses, loaded with (besides a Model P/Model J set in one) EMG Geezers, Fralins, Duncan SPB-1s, Bartolini 8S and a set of ancient pre-Bartolini Hi-A pickups. I had some QPs for a while but got rid of them. However, I will say this: most...

This. And, I wouldn't worry about six versus four pole pieces---the overall magnetic field is what really matters, and as long as you have equally-spaced pole pieces it will be close enough to uniform as to not matter. By way of illustration, if you buy a new Squier Bronco, the pickup is a...

There are a lot of comments and advice in this thread based on incomplete understandings of how corporate entities work, which brings up the most important thing you can possibly learn about legal issues: never take advice from strangers on the internet regarding any legal matter. It can be...

I bring a backup bass to gigs. In the last 15 years the only gig to which I didn’t bring one was also the only gig where I ended up having a technical problem with my bass.

On one hand, it’s true that the Hofner is not as versatile as a Jazz Bass, but it would be fine for the music you say you want to play. It can get a good thumpy tone and with roundwound strings they can get growly too. They sound different from Fenders but that’s a matter of getting your amp...

What you see in YouTube videos is one small subset of bass playing but it is very disproportionately represented on social media because it lends itself to showing off in a solo setting. The most valuable bass player is one who solidly and consistently holds down the bottom end in a group, who...

I don’t think any sane person who has any experience with them would say that Ibanez instruments are bad, even if people have had occasional lemons (as happens with any brand). In particular I think the quality-to-cost ratio for Ibanez is well above most brands. That’s my personal experience...

Bigboo-TAY.

In the voluminous discussion of this new Fender Standard line, here and on other guitar forums, I consistently see people claiming that there are better-spec Squiers for less money. Assuming those Squiers are functionally equivalent and of similar quality, I still think a lot of people...

A Rickenbacker. I had a couple, a 70s 4001 and then a 00s 4003, and they were okay but not magical, and I sold them to fund other purchases. But I think there are better Ricks out there—I played someone else’s 4003 at a Rick get-together once that was really special. So I’m open to the idea of...

Quoted for truth: No personal experience with Lollars, but I can second the recommendation for Fralins for what you want. I have them in a couple basses. Classic P tone but with a little extra sweetness—more balanced tone but still the P mid punch. It’s hard to describe. EMG GZRs have the...

The serial number and internet wisdom say 1985.

That little pedal-looking thing is actually a Quilter Interbass head, through an EA Wizzy 112 cabinet. This was my gigging rig for a few years, believe it or not. The Wizzy is very efficient so the 44 watts the Quilter puts out got loud enough for my band, with PA support where necessary...

I was at one of those Ralph Stanley concerts a few years back and never have I felt the same combination of pity, anger and disgust I felt that night. Dr. Stanley was way, way past the point where he should have been on stage. He couldn’t remember songs that he had been playing for half a...