Dead spots on basses

[des mcneill]

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies and perhaps I feel a bit better that it's not only me. Very impressed with the AC50/18" combination. Would love to hear that in anger, are any of you you coming to Scarborough ? As you can see from another thread I love Vox bass amps and now that they've made a tiny 10 watt Pathfinder I hope it grows rapidly into an all valve 12", 15", 18" monster !!

You don't need lots of sustain for 60's bass playing, I agree, but it is a bit frustrating when you hit certain notes, however briefly and there's nothing there but a duff note compared to the others.

I absolutely agree that there are no dead/flat notes when Jet plays, only lovely fat notes. On the subject does playing with a pick, which I don't, eliminate the flat spots ?

Regards, Luigi

Afraid not Luigi,I actually thought the other way round. I have several bass rigs,the AC50 is my favourite,- mid 60's JMI. Soundwise the AC50 is bass heavy which I like but very dynamic. I also have an old JMI bass AC30,this gives a very even tone but out of respect for the original "blue" speakers I don't use it very often outside the house.
Des.

[David Martin]

Interestingly, I have installed original style Fender mutes into the ashtray of my Precision copy to limit sustain, and it sounds much more authentic....

[George Geddes]

More information, please, David...

George

[des mcneill]

Interestingly, I have installed original style Fender mutes into the ashtray of my Precision copy to limit sustain, and it sounds much more authentic....

Hi David,
As I use a plectrum mostly I use a soft rubber pad as a mute and prefer the sound that way. When using round wound strings for me it is compulsory but with flatwounds, which I mostly use, I sometimes remove it if the strings become too dead. The mute definitely delivers more punch which is what I like.
Des.

[Iain Purdon]

I don't know! There doesn't seem to be a dead spot on either of my P-basses. There again, I do use the pick most of the time.
Iain

[Iain Purdon]

I use an Esh Stinger bass http://www.esh-bass.com/ - No dead spots and incredible deep sounds...

Interesting David. What drew you to it, and is it 4- or 5 -string?
Iain

[David Martin]

I use an Esh Stinger bass http://www.esh-bass.com/ - No dead spots and incredible deep sounds...

Interesting David. What drew you to it, and is it 4- or 5 -string?
Iain

It was recommended by Mark at Bass Direct and he was right!! It's a 4 string as my left hand won't cope with stretching round a 5 string neck.

Wonderful stuff...

[David Martin]

More information, please, David...

George

Having installed the pickup cover, I used some very butch self adhesive draft excluder, stuck to the "roof" of the ashtray, which sits tight on the strings as they emerge from the saddles... sustain deadened, and Jet Harris installed!!

[Paulps]

More information, please, David...

George

Having installed the pickup cover, I used some very butch self adhesive draft excluder, stuck to the "roof" of the ashtray, which sits tight on the strings as they emerge from the saddles... sustain deadened, and Jet Harris installed!!

Any chance of a picture, David

[bassboogie]

The April 2010 issue of Bass Guitar Magazine has a good write up on the Esh basses. Lovely piece of kit, and put together by craftsmen. Well worth a read.

In the article there is also a picture of David playing one when he had very long hair and tight trousers. Well worth a look.

Regards, Luigi