Let's see your guitar and bass gear!

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I vote for new neck, but fretless!!!

Also, what do the GRM rabble think of Thunderbird basses?

In reply to Recon1342 :

There is no bad kind of Thunderbird. 

In reply to Recon1342 :

Probably my 2nd favorite Gibson bass behind the EB-O

In reply to Recon1342 :

I've got an Epi Goth Thunderbird. I like it, but it's definitely an acquired taste. Neck dive is bad, and it feels awkward to play sometimes. I moved the strap button from the body to the neck plate and got a wide strap, and it helped a ton. Tone-wise, it growls and has incredible sustain like a grand piano. 

BlueInGreen - Jon said:

I ordered an Alvarez this morning. Musicians Friend black Friday deal on a factory restock.

I've been casually shopping for a quality acoustic/electric for awhile and this was too good of a deal to pass up. I like Alvarez guitars in general and really dig the color.

Excitement.

Sounds and plays as nice as it looks   It's nice and tight, the first acoustic in my stable that's not a big ole boomy dreadnought.  Will be perfect for church and coffeehouse stuff.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

I've got an a original '69 model. This looks like it might actually improve on some of the design quirks 

Recon1342 said:

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I vote for new neck, but fretless!!!

While I don't have a fretless in the arsenal, I'm thinking 80's Heavy Metal with this one. If the neck does get replaced, I'll go with a Fender-style maple neck with a maple board. Basically, a P-Bass neck. Boring, I know.

Recon1342 said:

Also, what do the GRM rabble think of Thunderbird basses?

Preferred bass for Agent Orange's Perry Gx. (He has a few of them.)

In reply to LanEvo :

Oh those rock. I would like a Univox version just because I have a thing for Univoxes. I know they're out there. Just waiting for one to show up at our local shop. 

And guess who bought more gear this weekend? Our local shop is flush with guitars right now--several big collections have been added to the inventory. (Sadly, there's a common connection between these recent acquisitions and the current worldwide events.)

I tried this one on a whim. It's way more balanced and natural feeling that expected. Sounds good, too. Dog is chill about it. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Ooh, now you can play new wave bass tunes!!!

In reply to Recon1342 :

And Rush!

I was today years old when I learned that Geddy played a Steinberger. Looks like he was an endorsed Steinberger artist.

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to LanEvo :

Oh those rock. I would like a Univox version just because I have a thing for Univoxes. 

I don't know about Univox, but I've always wanted a Dan Armstrong since I played one at a friend's house in the mid-'80s. 

Problem is, they're a lot weirder than they need to be. Tuners that don't really work with bass strings. Bridge that doesn't adjust for height and barely adjusts for intonation. Stacked pickup and wacky control layout. Formica pickguard. Lots of little things that leave you scratching your head. 

Tony Sestito said:

I was today years old when I learned that Geddy played a Steinberger. Looks like he was an endorsed Steinberger artist.

Geddy famously didn't really like his Steinbergers. He used them on stage because he was moving back and forth between bass and keyboards. He went with Steinbergers because they were compact and less likely to get knocked out of tune when moving around giant racks of synths.

I've tried to love Steinbergers, but I have to admit they leave me cold. I like the neck feel: big and round like a '50s PBass. But they're REALLY heavy. And, honestly, they just don't sound that great: There's something missing in the midrange.

I've owned a bunch over the years (my favorite was an XM-2) but I always end up selling them.

LanEvo said:

Tony Sestito said:

I was today years old when I learned that Geddy played a Steinberger. Looks like he was an endorsed Steinberger artist.

Geddy famously didn't really like his Steinbergers. He used them on stage because he was moving back and forth between bass and keyboards. He went with Steinbergers because they were compact and less likely to get knocked out of tune when moving around giant racks of synths.

I've tried to love Steinbergers, but I have to admit they leave me cold. I like the neck feel: big and round like a '50s PBass. But they're REALLY heavy. And, honestly, they just don't sound that great: There's something missing in the midrange.

I've owned a bunch over the years (my favorite was an XM-2) but I always end up selling them.

I'm in the same boat. I have played a few over the years and they never feel "right" to me.

This is a licensed version built by Hohner. Sounds like it's not as heavy as the Steinberger. I found the weight to be about right--heavier than expected but not heavy. The neck is kinda meaty. 

Total impulse buy. One of our local shop's recently acquired collections includes an early G&L bass. That's the guitar that I wanted to see, but this is the one that clicked. The owner of the shop/my instructor used to play a Hohner and really dug it. In fact, he thinks this might well be that very guitar. (The previous owner of the guitar is no longer with us.)

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I picked up a 5-string Hohner copy probably 20+ years ago & I agree the tone was rather disappointing. 

However, on the subject of headless basses a friend of mine(who's building the bass for me) has been gathering a nice collection. These are just his Westones, he has others. 

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I picked up a 5-string Hohner copy probably 20+ years ago & I agree the tone was rather disappointing. 

However, on the subject of headless basses a friend of mine(who's building the bass for me) has been gathering a nice collection. These are just his Westones, he has others. 

Quoted for sexiness. And because I've never seen such things. Wild. 

What do we like for bass pickups everybody?  New player here and like a wide variety of music and have a MIM Fender Jazz bass.   I am having a local tech do my set-up and he told me the OEM pickups hummed.   Probably not an issue for me to practice and learn but suggested I consider their replacement.

Also, I played a lot of jazz in high school (baritone saxophone) and love the sound of an upright bass.  I came across a Stagg electric upright recently and wondered if you all had any input.

In reply to wawazat :

I'm a big fan of EMG pickups, but I haven't used the j bass ones before. Any passive single coil pickup is going to have some hum, but shouldn't be enough to cause any issue except at high gain, higher volume. I know the Duncan 1/4 pounder pickups are popular. I wish I knew what my Japanese j copy is loaded with so I could recommend them, but they have no markings. 

In reply to wawazat :

I like the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders and the DiMarzio Model J's. The Duncans have more output and are punchier, while the Model J's are more of a slight improvement. I have a Model J copy in my Peavey Foundation S (made by Schaller) and it's a beauty. 

I'm a huge fan of Mudbuckers but unless you wanna do some surgery they aren't fitting in a jazz bass as is