The Last Bass Outpost

Is there drive coming from the amp or just the pickup?

Exactly! Now the pickguard at the neck "joint" is flush with the edge of the body.

Yeah, it looks a bit odd these days, some of them with checkerboard even seem to have pickguards that cover some of the binding. I'm sure there's some reasoning behind it, but at least in my mind it seems like setting the neck further out like that would only add to stability issues at the neck/body transition (though I suppose that's not so much an issue with the 1" spacing. I know with that swimming pool of a route my 4001v63 had some problems). Given the current state of Rick basses with these details (nothing wrong with build quality, they're very good and I like the recent switch to single truss rod), I chose to go with a Greco PMB-800 to get back into the Rick zone instead of picking up a new 4003s. Closer in details to a 1970s one, plus the 1/2" spacing (with far less wood removed for routing, much more stable neck than my old 4001v63).

Darn, when he initially discussed 'Birds in an interview, he mentioned an Epi Non-Reverse. I was excited this might be that, but alas...

The sales tax thing really sucks. Applying it to used items that have changed hands through private sales is total BS. And the new "sales over $600 get reported to the IRS" borders on tyranny (OK, I'm getting dramatic now  ) Sales tax where I live is 10%. It's 8% where I work, so I have stuff shipped there (I usually always did that anyway).

I mean, I'm fine paying my taxes, I just want it going to infrastructure, but 100% agree, used items should not be taxed. They got taxed the first time, screw off. I at least get by with a state that doesn't do income tax, to hell with paying income tax to the state AND national gov.

I thought this was going to be that documentary on the Toronto band .

So did I! I came here for Triumph!

Skunk stripe as well as dark headstock wings, looks a lot like my Greco PMB-800. And like the Greco, I like that they're going to a single truss rod! The only change thus far I've disliked is discontinuing the lacquer on the fretboard. It looks alright on the 4003s model, but on the 4003 it makes the inlays and wood really pop.

I've been using a Menatone PIG pedal for gain and overdrive for a few months now, and highly recommend it, with the caveat of me running it in a stereo set-up, so that I have clean lows with the PIG blended in. It's based on the Marshall 200, and has a very good grit and natural sounding drive, to all out distortion, but I feel it retains note definition well. I find often times with bass overdrive pedals the highs end up sounding fizzy, or like there is a fizzy fuzz overlaid on-top of the bass's actual sound, but with the Amp-In-A-Box style, I find it sounds less like an effect and more just like the bass through a pushed amp. Like the amp it's based on, it has a Master Gain, Bass Gain, and Treble Gain, plus a master volume. It's pretty good on its own, but using it blended with the clean, it really shines, and allows you to keep your lows well defined. I've also used the Maxon DS-830 in a similar capacity, and it's great too, plus it's easily modded to retain more lows.

She actually did a lot of the work getting my Hiwatt DR103 back up and running, and it's impeccable! Very good tech from my experience.