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US: West Colorado Club

#1,181
WoodyG3 said:
What are you having done to your stealth fretless?
Click to expand...

Kelly's going to add a couple side markers for me... There's no dot at the first fret or 13th, and I really find myself missing that landmark. :hmm:

BumbleB said:
That's a bummer, 5sg! :( Keep us posted of the other gigs coming up so we can do our best to come out and groove!
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Yeah, we were all pretty bummed out about that one too. It would've been a fun gig. We'll have more opportunities though... we seem to be gaining some decent word of mouth around the area.

At the moment though, we're transitioning keyboard players and adding songs, so our next gig is slated for Sept. 7th at Wrigley's in Golden. The last one was a blast and they loved us. Here's a video from the gig... Keep a couple things in mind though: it was our opening number, which also doubled as our sound check AND our warmup! Also, it was like 98 degrees and actually rained a couple times, so pitch wasn't exactly perfect... lol

Mass Hipsteria - I Wish (Stevie Wonder)

funkyebk said:
Yep. Got a box behind the counter, wrap them up and put them in a ziplock bag... label them if you can remember gauge and type... Bring them in and we'll add them to the box
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They'll also take other accessories that we might take for granted as well, like picks and straps!

5sg.
 
#1,183
This might end up being a silly topic/ question, but I'm wondering if we Coloradoans need to take any special precautions with our basses.

I imagine that fretboards dry out quicker and would need to be oiled more frequently.

I also suspect that keeping the bass in it's case rather than out in the open air will help take care of it better too.

Are these valid concerns, or am I just being paranoid?

Thank you for entertaining my speculations!
 
#1,184
#1,185
WoodyG3 said:
I just thought I'd let you guys know I just put my Lull V4 up for sale in the classifieds.
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Bummer... Any particular reason?

BumbleB said:
This might end up being a silly topic/ question, but I'm wondering if we Coloradoans need to take any special precautions with our basses.

I imagine that fretboards dry out quicker and would need to be oiled more frequently.

I also suspect that keeping the bass in it's case rather than out in the open air will help take care of it better too.

Are these valid concerns, or am I just being paranoid?

Thank you for entertaining my speculations!
Click to expand...

The dry climate out here definitely affects basses. I noticed some fret sprout (fretboard dries and the frets start to stick out... and they're sharp :hmm: ) on my Stambaugh that I had to file down a bit. Chris is based in New Hampshire, so not nearly as dry as it is here. The fretboard is finished (tung oil I believe), but it still apparently had some drying to do when it got here. I haven't noticed the problem on any of my other basses.

I've never oiled my fretboards, but I clean/condition/wax them every time I change strings, every 3-5 months, give or take, depending on how much I play the bass. Here's my recipe, a combination of advice from Stambaugh, a tech at Ernie Ball, and a local luthier:
1) clean fretboard with Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 2:1 water to soap
2) condition with Ernie Ball fretboard wipes
3) wax with Minwax Paste Finishing Wax

Do not use lemon oil on a maple fretboard. #1 above is from the tech at Ernie Ball and confirmed by Stambaugh, safe for all fretboards.

5sg.

d149599724e576d4a5fafdf817a4a147.jpg
 
#1,186
I just keep a humidifier in my place. I try to keep the humidity level around 35-40%. Its hard to keep that up in the winter though as mother nature, and running the heater, fight my humidifier all the way. Even though I keep it humidified I have still had a few basses with fret-sprout. Although most of the ones I have had issues with were second hand so I am not sure how the original owners humidified their homes. Kellye of Lighthouse Lutherie at Premier Bass Guitars will fix that up for you for $50 though (and do a great job) Other than that, I have not had any other issues.
 
#1,187
Having more humidifiers in here would be wonderful! Some day we are going to install a whole home humidifier system. It's good for us and the birds too, actually.

The day before yesterday I noticed my Schecter's rosewood fretboard was looking a little pale and slightly crackly so I sort of attacked it with the Fast Fret. I don't remember hearing anything about mineral oil being bad for bass parts. Now the rosewood looks rich and happy again! I've had the Schecter for a few months now and this is the first time I've had to do this. Doesn't look like fret sprout has started in with the Schecter but the little bass probably could have a good check over.

Thanks for the wisdom guys!

5sg, wasn't the bass in the top of the pic at the GTG? It's pretty :) Is it a custom Carvin? I remember the bass clef fret marker.
 
#1,188
BumbleB said:
5sg, wasn't the bass in the top of the pic at the GTG? It's pretty :) Is it a custom Carvin? I remember the bass clef fret marker.
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It was. That's Persephone, my custom Stambaugh 6-string. The other one is Angel, an HH Stingray I happened across at Guitar Center (of all places :rollno:). They did a limited run for GC, with the gold hardware, which they won't even do for custom orders. Couldn't pass her up! :)

My basses are always in their cases and I have a small humidifier, but I should look into a "real" one. The main problem right now is that I would have to humidify the whole basement in the drafty old house we rent and the one I have doesn't make much difference. Of course, I don't have a humidity gauge to know for sure. I should figure that out. lol

5sg.
 
#1,189
Well, hey, GC isn't all that bad all the time. That's where I found "Ruby", my Schecter after all! :D Stoked for you that you found a cool find like that!

I'd have a heck of a time humidifying my basement too. It's not all that old, but it is unfinished. The insulation isn't even properly attached to the walls :p
 
#1,190
The only problem I've had with humidity was traveling with my bass. It's been my experience that once a bass is acclimated to the climate, it doesn't seem to get messed up at all. I leave my basses out all the time (I like to play/look at them) and I don't oil them often. It's possible I'm doing something wrong, but hey, 20+ years with no cracking, splintering, lifting, yadda yadda. If there's something else I should be looking for, I'm all ears folks.

Now, when I took a Mile High bass down to the humid sea level, I had to have a setup performed before the first gig in the area, every stinkin' time. At least it's a good way to meet the local talent!
 
#1,192
I don't humidify anything anymore:ninja: Really don't have a good place at home to do it.

I occasionally buy guitars/basses when I'm down in Kentucky and Tennessee. I just bring them home and let them dry out... Not that I'm bragging though! I had an old Teisco neck turn into an unworkable hockey stick over about 6 months :scowl:, and have had file a lot of fret-ends. I just watch guitars over time and see what is changing. Most times they eventually stabilize. However I am not buying high-end gear either.

I do use wood conditioners though. Our climate is just SO dry in comparison to much of the U.S. (and in the foreign lands where many manufacturers are)
 
#1,193
Any bass players in the vicinity of Aurora looking for a good cover band to join up with?
Age of players are late 40's to early 50's but any age is acceptable as long as pro.

Due to a recent home purchase that puts me too far away to easily travel, I will be leaving my band of several years after our last currently scheduled gig on August 30th.

PM me if interested.
 
#1,194
Just a friendly reminder about the Jazz trio at PBG this Saturday evening. I am planning on arriving an hour early, or so, and it would be cool to see you guys again!

Also, my sound has been cutting out pretty frequently. How do I know who's fault it is? (Amp, cord, or bass?) Thanks for any trouble shooting tips!
 
#1,195
BumbleB said:
Just a friendly reminder about the Jazz trio at PBG this Saturday evening. I am planning on arriving an hour early, or so, and it would be cool to see you guys again!

Also, my sound has been cutting out pretty frequently. How do I know who's fault it is? (Amp, cord, or bass?) Thanks for any trouble shooting tips!
Click to expand...

I'll be there as well. I've got a recording session from 12-3, and will head up after that. Should be there between 3:30 and 4:00. I'll make a note to throw my Zoom in the car so you can check it out!

On troubleshooting: it could be a number of issues. What kind of cutting out? Does it "crackle" as it cuts out or does it just go silent? Crackly usually means the cable has a short. That's usually the easiest one to check, simply by swapping cables. If it's just going silent intermittently, it could be the amp, especially if it does it with both of your basses. If it just does it with one bass, it could be that the battery is dead (if you have active electronics) or if it's passive, maybe a loose wire.

If you swap cables and figure out that that's not the issue, you could bring your bass(es) on Saturday and we could help troubleshoot further. You can check with other amps, and if you still have problems, it's probably something in your bass. It also might not hurt to bring your amp along, just so we could see the whole setup.

If you can't figure it out before then, I'm sure we'll be able to help on Saturday. We've all experienced issues like this before, they're just much easier to diagnose in person!

5sg.
 
#1,196
Thanks for the clues. From what you are describing it looks like something with the amp. When the sound cuts out it's clean. It's happened with both basses. Will need to try both cords to rule that out for sure. Sometimes if I wiggle the cord the sound with flick back in. I primarily use the #1 input which seems to be connected to the problem. It doesn't seem to be happening with the 2nd one, thankfully!

I'll try to remember to pack my whole set up. The amp is "only" a Rumble 30 so it isn't much trouble. ;)

Thanks for the help!
 
#1,199
Okay, just saw this and am pretty stoked to see these guys! Mingo Fishtrap is one of my favorite bands and they'll be at Cervantes on 8/17!! Based out of Austin, they blend funk, Motown, blues and a little bit of other stuff. VERY cool band, horn section and all sick players. Here's some vids.

I'll be there... who else is going?!

5sg.

Bitta Honey (my favorite, and check out the organ solo at 2:40!)
 

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