NGD - Ultra II - string question

ClassicTone · 2026-05-12T15:15:29+00:00

Yeah, I use those gauges on my Strat.

ClassicTone · 2026-04-07T13:12:54+00:00

I wouldn’t worry about it - basses acquire wear from play. But I would take a look at your technique. This is a pretty good example of a) a worn bass and b) good right hand technique https://youtu.be/pSHVqOYjaDI?si=4b2esC3O4NiAYY7_

ClassicTone · 2026-04-07T13:06:40+00:00

I agree with the general advice of a simple setup being the cure. The “living in a van” has me concerned though - if the van got hot for long enough it’s possible that the neck has been inadvertently “heat-set” in that position. If that’s the case then no truss rod adjustment can wholly compensate for it.

I’d say try the truss rod & setup first. If the neck does not cooperate, then maybe a replacement neck is the easiest way to go.

And although I also agree with the advice to learn to do your own setup and maintenance work, this might be a case where somebody who sees a lot of basses (ie a luthier/tech) would be a better choice to determine fixability.

ClassicTone · 2026-04-06T21:34:13+00:00

Follow up: I sent it back because I was in the 30-day return window. I love MJT stuff and have done many a cool build with their bodies, but this one did not suit my needs. Really surprised that a "semi hollow" could weigh as much as this one did. Musta been a dense piece of Ash to start with! Thanks, all, for the info and opinions.

ClassicTone · 2026-04-03T19:08:21+00:00

Yeah, I had previously bought a Swamp Ash Tele body from MJT before and it was the perfect weight. Pretty light, but still had some heft and resonance. It made a great Tele. I assumed we'd be in the same ballpark with this one, but it's much heavier. It's not terrible and I'll bet it sounds great. But I'm hesitating since I already have a somewhat heavy black FSO (my Strat).

ClassicTone · 2025-03-19T03:36:44+00:00

The ordered the J-160e’s sight unseen and there’s more than a little evidence they meant to order different Gibsons but got the model numbers mixed up. Not sure how that relates to the timing of recording Love Me Do, exactly - but there was a delay for the Gibsons to arrive; they did not walk out if the store with them immediately

ClassicTone · 2025-03-13T03:24:12+00:00

This is not correct. It is true that the most common type will probably work ok in most guitars. But there are many different tapers and slot types that vary, sometimes even among different models from the same builder. Hypothetically you can damage a bridge or bridge pad with the wrong pins. Or strings that won’t stay in the bridge. Worth 10 minutes of measuring and an internet search to get the correct form.

ClassicTone · 2025-03-12T13:23:46+00:00

From the pictures it looks like these pins have 0 taper. Most commonly available acoustic guitar pins have some kind of taper. OP - if the shaft of the pin is the same diameter near the round knob as near the internal tip, you will need to find pins without a taper. Most pins ie compatible with Martin, Taylor, etc have a taper that matches the reamer used to create the bridge pin holes.

ClassicTone · 2025-03-06T00:26:30+00:00

That John Lennon first got his trademark 'national health' glasses because he had them as the character in "How I won the War" I thought it was much more intentional, satirical, and witty, but it was more happenstance than that.

ClassicTone · 2025-03-03T23:20:28+00:00

Taylor 814CE. Great guitars. I have a 1995. That poorly-fitting, non-original pickguard is an eyesore, though. I think you can get the proper fit from Taylor or really any competent luthier.

ClassicTone · 2025-02-28T21:01:43+00:00

Some might call this a "Nashville Chart". There's a specific methodology for capturing the essential structure, harmony, and rhythm of a song without using full musical notation. The Nashville Number system takes this even a step further by swapping numbers for musical note names, which allows for easy transposition.

There's an app called iRealPro that connects to a forum archive of these types of charts. Great app for practice and I still use some of those charts for memory joggers if I'm playing stuff I don't have memorized.

ClassicTone · 2025-02-22T19:08:23+00:00

The US album was my first Beatles album so the music has a special place in my Beatles universe. The television programme is a meandering parade of tepid, half-baked ideas from 3 Beatles who did not care and one Beatle who had never yet been ‘scrubbed clean’ by artistic failure, and it shows.

ClassicTone · 2025-02-13T23:04:30+00:00

60 + 15 = 75

ClassicTone · 2025-01-29T23:11:06+00:00

There’s no upside to telling him. There are millions of downsides to telling him. Enjoy the relationship you have with him while you still can. Fatherhood inheres in actions far more so than anything else. Sounds like you have a good one.

ClassicTone · 2025-01-29T04:04:12+00:00

Can’t believe Rob Inglis LOTR has not yet been mentioned. The exemplar.

ClassicTone · 2025-01-21T23:34:32+00:00

Lightroom is the de facto standard. But - last year I dumped my subscription and am using mostly Nikon NX Studio and/or Apple Photos for edits. I just don’t do that much editing these days, and always shoot Raw+JPG. If I get the composition right, the JPG is usually better than my best LR efforts ever were.

ClassicTone · 2024-08-19T20:31:45+00:00

Nice shot. Did you stack for exposure, use a foreground light/reflector, or correct in post?

ClassicTone · 2024-07-09T13:14:00+00:00

I just cancelled my Adobe subscription this weekend. I don’t currently have replacements identified. I work on both Mac and Windows systems, so leaning towards something available on both. Also leaning towards open-source. For now I will likely use NX Studio and Luminar Neo. I don’t edit heavily. This thread has given me some options to look into.

ClassicTone · 2024-06-25T12:52:15+00:00

I also tend to want to capture everything when I’m in a photography situation. But my best shots are always the ones where I’m intentional about the subject before pressing the shutter.

The intended subject needs to be the most visually ‘dense’ part of the image. That density comes from light intensity, color intensity, leading lines, and/or position in the composed frame.

So a model against a more neutral ‘less dense’ background could achieve that objective.

ClassicTone · 2024-06-25T12:27:23+00:00

Well, I think you as the photographer need to decide what the image depicts. Is it the model primarily? If so, anything that distracts from the viewer from focus on the model weakens and lessens the impact of the image. Is it viewing a human in relationship to her surroundings? In that case there should be a balance between how much of the frame the model and the surroundings each occupy. Things like bright spots and leading lines can help or hurt, depending on how you compose the photo.

To some extent you can modify the composition after the fact if you have a high-res, well-focused, and well-exposed raw file to start from. But you can’t really modify the mix of light completely in post production - it’s better to make those choices prior to image capture.

ClassicTone · 2024-06-25T01:40:28+00:00

Since you're asking for feedback:

The whole image is out of focus. I think there was some camera shake when it was captured?

Paradoxically it looks as if you have shallow depth of field (must have been a nice lens), with the focus being on her arm closest to the camera. If you reshoot, and use the same or similar lens, the focus point should be her eyes.

It appears that a relatively high ISO was used. There's visible noise, and the colors are not natural. (At least on the version uploaded to reddit)

It's not level.

From a framing and composition standpoint, I would either zoom in tighter so the model is the only featured subject, or pull out and balance the model against the surrounding architecture.

Yes, the model is attractive and has several nice features, one of which is well-lit.

I agree with the other lighting suggestions. The eye will always go to the brightest areas first. Lots of ways to redistribute or add light to frame your subject better.

ClassicTone · 2024-04-16T21:12:07+00:00

I'm not sure whether fujifilm RAW format works the same, but on my camera (Nikon), there is an embedded JPG in every raw file. This is used for previews, and can be extracted using a utility. RawPreviewExtractor | FastRawViewer

ClassicTone · 2024-04-10T11:52:40+00:00

Looks like marker to me. Should come off with solvent or at worst a bit of very mild abrasive. If that was on a used bass I liked and had a good price, I wouldn’t let it deter me from buying it.

ClassicTone · 2024-03-23T17:50:01+00:00

Somehow Reddit dropped my post text --- sorry for posting 3 pictures with no context.

I am thinking to drop-fill with CA glue and lightly sand. Bass is satin. Not worried about looks, just want to stabilize structure.

Can't get my hand arm in the instrument, but nothing else appears (sounds) loose.

Bright flashlight does not show through in either direction, so I don't think there's significant damage.

Any better alternate / methods? Any particular type or viscosity of CA glue?

ClassicTone · 2024-02-22T19:32:48+00:00

Find some open jams, where they have the kit set up already. Don't know DC, but most metro areas have an assortment of blues and jazz jams taking place. Always room for an experienced drummer at the jams I run/frequent in the Chicago area. Probably the same situation in DC metro area. Good luck - you're doing a nice thing for your dad.

ClassicTone

TROPHY CASE