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Socks -- this is from the Bluegrass Forum, where I first heard of these things ---

From BassBob --

I thought about whether or not to keep the last crazy eight until yesterday when I got wind of another deal for a different bass. So the last crazy eight is on the market.

Features include string and bridge upgrades from the stock model. The neck and fingerboard have been refinished for a much smoother feel.

A 3 band EQ - preamp and volume control are installed and in good working order. A piezo pickup with a slightly different damper installed to cut down extraneous noise. ( works well so far ) One element under each bridge foot.

A padded case and Bow come with the bass of course. email for your test drive appt. A deal at $375.

_________________

I'll stand behind most anything I've said until the crowd gets ugly and the bottles start flying.

Edited by dmiller
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Geezzzzz --- NOTHING like that ever entered my mind! :biglaugh:

:nono5::nono5::nono5::nono5::nono5:

Rick - yea -- from what I can tell it's electric only. I've not seen one personally, though a couple of folks I know in southern Minney-soda have them, and say they play really well. (I'll get a chance to see the things at the next festival up here.)

My bass is one of these ---

fender%20ashbury%20blue.jpg

Neck Type --- One piece of wood for the body, neck fingerboard

Fingerboard --- fretless with printed fret lines

Body Type --- One piece

Finish --- Blue

Pickup(s) --- 1 Piezo

Controls --- Volume, Treble & Bass

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING, ANYWAY': This is a reissue of the Guild Ashbory bass produced way back in the 80's. It's now being produced by DeArmond who's parent company is Fender. It's 18" long and uses silicon rubber strings. A lot of people think it's some kind of toy but it has a HUGE sound.

HOW DOES IT PLAY: It took a little while to get use to playing it. I've found that playing with a very light touch makes it much easier to play. The stings last for years and years.

SOUND: It sounds HUGE. The company claims that it sounds like an upright. I wouldn't exactly agree with that but it does sound different then any other electric. However, it DOES have some very cool sounds. It makes a very protible travel guitar and it's just a flat-out cool axe to add to your collection.

Like the review above says -- it has a HUGE sound. I really like the rubber *gumby* strings. Tie a knot in each end, stretch them out to fit in the peghead from the tailpiece, and yer set to go!!

Edited by dmiller
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Is the fretboard only 18" or the whole thing?

I considered one of those because I didn't want to callous my delicate fingers with steel strings... but couldn't do it. Besides, I love wood and the sound of steel strings (and the look). It does sound like the action is good for it and I bet it's great for some techniques like popping, but... aren't those strings also expensive?

Also, painted fret lines? What's the point? Isn't that like a painted bikini top? Whoo hoo. Does the paint rub off, rather than having fret ware?

Hmmm.... interesting... tell me more...

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Also, painted fret lines? What's the point? Isn't that like a painted bikini top? Whoo hoo. Does the paint rub off, rather than having fret wear?

The *frets* are pieces of binding that go across the neck -- so while it is a fretless bass -- one can tell where the notes are. It's only 4 1/2" from the nut, to the 5th fret!

Price of strings?? I don't know. I got the bass in '87 or '88,

and have never had to replace the strings.

They are still good. :)

I doubt if they are really expensive though.

Whenever I get fiddle strings -- that is usually $50.00 or more. :(

Edited by dmiller
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Hey Jim, welcome! I played with a Line 6 at Gutiar Center a few months ago, they were good about demoing it with me. Nice sounds, the banjo sound in particular sounded very nice. And so many other sounds!

One of my favorite local (Calfiornia) guitarists is Harvey Mandel, who plays a Parker Fly - HIS SITE HERE has some photos. There's a pretty good video of him HERE at the Cafe Du Nord doing his thing, takes a bit to load, but it's got some good stuff of his on it.

How's that amp sound, Bluzeman!?

Edited by socks
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How's that amp sound, Bluzeman!?

Well Socks, the word awsome gets really overused a lot but uh, nope, can't think of a better word here. :) The Soldano designed Yamaha that I have is all tube too, but they are 2 totally different worlds. The Yamaha has a Marshall tone (hmm...designed by Mike Soldano and it sounds like a Marshall...go figure!). Crank the gain up and you get the same Marshall style edge of chaos distortion (Yes, I blatently plagerized that description from somewhere, just don't remember where).

The Fender Blues Deluxe now, it has a sweet, creamy tone to it even with the gain maxed. Yeah, you can get dirt with it, but a different kind of dirt. When you dig in, it gets dirty, but pick softly, and it's a "softer" dirt. Does that make sense? It's touch sensitive, like all tube amps so when you dig in, you get this big blast of sound. And I have NO idea what I'm talking about here, just trying to describe the tone as best I can being a rank amature. :)

So anyway, all that being said...it sounds awsome! :biglaugh:

Rick

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Aaah! sound, or reads, awesome Bluzeman! I was at a store yesterday and saw one on the floor but there was a lot of activity in the area and couldn't get to trying it out. What are you playing through it? I bet it sounds great with some humbuckings or the like!

I like the soft/hard picking dirty description, makes sense. It can be hard to get a setting like that, but the amp sounds like it's made to do that. That kind of responsiveness is ideal!

I went out couple times this week, looking for an acoustic guitar, started with nylon string and went to steel string. Didn't want to spend too much, get a case with it if the price was right. Ended up with a guitar we really liked, bought it for my daughter. It's a Yamaha, the FG720S

I got the natural top, sitka spruce. Very nice sound, good resonance, plays great right off the wall. The store had several. Yamaha is doing some new things with production on these and the price is way low for the sound it gets. We talked wanting a good all around guitar, something that you could play with friends, leave out, not stress over too much and that would sound good enough to gig with. Anyone still looking for an inexpensive guitar with good features that plays well and is made soundly - this fits the bill.

They're priced at 259.00 most places online. I got it with tax for 299 and change, pennies under my budget, with a nice wood/plush lined case. Great deal. If you live around Northern California, I have to plug Zone music. They're good people and very helpful. So we're having a happy Easter too Bluzeman! :)

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Nice photo, there. Like the color. Those guitar really have some great sounds.

No, Bluzeman, she's been playing quite awhile, just back home from a year at Musicians Institute, finished the Basic and Intermediate Level Guitar program and is taking a break to get some time to play and shake it all out. They have a very aggressive program, she learned a huge amount in her first year there, and got some great experience. She's got a Fender Tele Thinline and Epiphone 335, but no acoustic and it seemed like a good addiiton to her instruments, having something she could knock around with. Within budget she wanted something that she could use for some of the fingerpicking and acoustic styles she learned. I was really impressed with the Yamaha. The have a sunburst I may go back and look at myself. :) Need mo' dough!

That Strat must sound good! :dance:

Edited by socks
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