The Last Bass Outpost

I have an Epi JC that I bought a couple of years ago and I really like it, especially since I updated the hardware. I have tried various strings on it - Dean Markley Nickel Rounds, Chromes, DR Blues, Dunlop Nickels. All sound pretty good (different, but good), but I had a chance to try something that for me was completely different.

Last December Jason at bassstringonline.com (I get almost all of my strings from him - highly recommended) offered these:
LB_750GAME La Bella Limited Edition "Game of Death" Gold White Nylon Tapewounds 4-String Set 50-105.

The only tapewounds I ever tried/used was Fender's back in the 70's. I figured I would give it a shot.
(Aside - due to a snafu at bsol they were marked shipped but never sent. By the time this was discovered he had no more in stock so he had LaBella make a set just for me and send them direct. That was very cool! )

What I like is that this set is in a standard gauge vs the current 060, .070, .094, .115.
 http://www.labella.com/products/760g-gold-white-nylon-tape-standard-60-115/

I finally put them on the JC and gigged it this past Friday.

In a word, Wow! They really sounded great. Excellent fundamental (the E string roared), super easy to play. They are by nature a softer feel so some concientious attack control on my part was in order (I have a pretty heavy hand), but I am lovin' 'em. I only hope that at some point LaBella offers them in these gauges again. I'll have to look into that some more with Jason.
I'm not crazy about playing rope.

Anyway, thought I'd share an excellent discovery. Well worth a try.

I feel your frustration Uwe. Something in there is eating your tubes, and until that's addressed this will be a ritual for you. Getting an old one that's fully restored to spec may be the ticket.

I must agree with patman.

At one point I owned a 76/77 Magnavox SVT (head only) because I had to experience what it was about. The head was completely restored by an expert in SVT's, fully re-tubed with NOS Magnavox pre-amp tubes, 2 matched pairs of GE 6550's and a matched pair of EH 6550's. I never did hear it through 810's, but in my Aguilar GS212 it sounded absolutely amazing. It also felt like it was bulletproof, though I know that's an arbitrary evaluation.

I got a small rolling road case for it which helped, but all told it weighed in at 110+ lbs.

With great sorrow I kissed it goodbye....sigh.

I find tone development on graphite necks so immediate, you're initially always ahead of the beat if you switch from a wood neck bass! I have a Status Stealth II and its ultra-precise immediacy always throws me off, but you'll never worry again about being audible. The notes seem to rush through the cable at twice the speed. Very mistakes-unforgiving. 

This tone development is a fact. I had the bass at one of my regular gigs 2 weeks ago. A good friend was there who has seen us many times and is always good for some valuable feedback regarding my playing/sound. Though not a player himself he's got a good ear. His first comment was exactly that - the bass was very immediate, clear and prominent in presentation, and it was not a function of volume. He said it really punched through the mix, but wasn't overpowering the other players.

In other words, it had Ooomph!! I really like that!!!

"... with a G string that doesn't sound zingy ..."
An old Stingray affliction especially in my experience.

Indeed! That drives me crazy. Not uncommon on many Jazz basses either.

I'm going to re-include some pics - the ones I had here were lost when the free site I was using shut down. Now it's Imgur.

I heard "In The Court of the Crimson King" (the original KC version) on muzak at a restaurant we frequent! 

I worry that the person who thought up Muzak may be thinking up something else.
- Lily Tomlin -

On the other hand my regular supermarket has an excellent stream of original classic rock/R&B tunes.

I just signed into imgur and it's a piece of cake to use. Recommended!

Unfortunately all my previous photos have disappeared as the site shut down June 30th.

Without knowing where that was taken I'm going to hazard a guess and say it's a tegu.




Apparently they can make an excellent pet.
https://pethelpful.com/reptiles-amphibians/why-tegus-are-the-best-pet-lizards

True American hit monsters (besides the Beach Boys), live in the mid 60's. Love 'em or hate 'em, these dudes were a hit machine well into the British Invasion. We cover a couple of their tunes (Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You/December '63) and they never fail to fill the dance floor. Nick Massi, the bass player, played some pretty busy bass lines on some of their tunes, especially for the time.