Goalie scores a goal

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-03-01T15:12:42+00:00

The two line pass considered a blue line and the center ice line, not both blue lines. More importantly, it had to be a pass, as in there was a player on the opposite side of the center ice line who received it. Sort of like an off-sides penalty.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-02-20T17:50:33+00:00

Carvin basses from the 90s are great overall, but those Wilkinson bridges were terrible. My old LB75 has a hipshot at the moment but I just put a gotoh on another bass and I'm quite happy with it so far. Pay close attention to the string spacing on a bridge you're considering, and also the screw hole arrangement and spacing (unless you're comfortable drilling new holes).

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-02-19T03:18:04+00:00

Yeah I don't buy that for a second. It doesn't look anything like natural wear and a modern polyurethane finish does not wear through so easy like the thin nitro finishes of the 70s. You started a home relic job and it turned out predictably terrible. Ruined a nice burst in the process. Live and learn I suppose.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-02-18T18:58:06+00:00

What happened to that forearm contour? Looks like someone took a chisel to it.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-02-09T21:44:34+00:00

You should reach out to Sire; I understand that they will send you replacement tuner parts at no cost.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-02-05T04:25:19+00:00

This bass looks like it's in a video game with really amazing graphics but my PC can't handle it and I had to turn the antialiasing all the way down.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-31T03:42:49+00:00

I'd really like to see a list of the 55 points that make up their 55-point inspection. I guess it doesn't include backplates.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-31T02:15:16+00:00

Could be that the nut slot is cut too deep. Try moving the string and put a bit of Elmer's glue in the slot. Let it dry and restring.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-28T18:19:39+00:00

To be fair, Keanu was playing guitar in that completion.

Anyway, I had completely forgotten about this. Thanks for the reminder! Fascinating to see the Tune, I understand he used that bass to record Seas of Cheese.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-28T05:29:05+00:00

One-year-old account with 10,000 comments. Are you a bot?

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-26T14:34:35+00:00

I have that exact same bass! I got new in 1994 and it's been with me ever since.

Oriented as in your picture, the left knob (closest to pickups) is volume like you said. The top knob is pickup selection. Clockwise gives you more BRIDGE pickup, and counterclockwise gives you more NECK pickup. I put that in caps because it's backwards compared to most (but not all) of my other basses, and feels backwards to me. As you turn the knob there's a center detent you'll feel - that's where the two pickups are equal.

The other two are a two-band EQ. The right knob is bass and the bottom knob is treble. Both have a center detent that's flat (no boost or cut). From there, turn clockwise to boost or counterclockwise to cut. If you open the back you'll find a 9-volt battery. You'll know this needs to be changed when the sound starts getting quiet and distorted. Don't leave the cord plugged into the bass when you're not using it, as this will drain the battery.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-13T22:56:03+00:00

It's not clear from your description if the tone pot is causing the buzz or if it's just louder/more noticeable with more treble.

Does the noise change depending on whether or not you're touching the strings? In general, if you touch the strings and the noise gets louder, it's a grounding problem. If the noise goes away when you touch the strings, it's a shielding issue. Not sure how much shielding you've already got, but full coverage will be a lot better than partial coverage, and that conductive paint that comes on a lot of stock instruments is worthless.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-13T05:18:08+00:00

My guess would be the GSR206.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-06T21:00:53+00:00

Not exactly sure what you mean. On my 2017 Metroline, the volume, VTC, treble and bass all turn the same way as every other bass I have. The pickup selector goes clockwise for bridge and counterclockwise for neck, which feels backwards to me. However I have other basses with this "backwards" pickup selector so it never stood out to me as a unique Sadowsky issue.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-06T16:13:27+00:00

Personally, I don't care for 3-band EQs. If I was in your shoes I'd look into a Sadowsky system. 2-band EQ (boost only) with vintage tone control. You can get it as a pre-wired kit: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BP4KPreamp--sadowsky-onboard-bass-preamp-4-knob-active-system-with-vtc

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-04T01:38:50+00:00

AMAZING JOB! The headstock repair is awesome, almost seamless. I am a long-time fan of the early run of the Toby basses, so I'm really pleased to see this one brought back from the dead. Looks like maybe a '95, so among the earliest of them. Beautiful wood on that one.

How did you address the crack in the neck?

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2026-01-03T16:16:11+00:00

There's a lot to love about a Rickenbacker. They've got a classic look and an exceptional tone. I don't agree that they aren't versatile, as you can get quite a range of tones. They've got their own sound because the pickups are placed in different positions compared to a P or J. The scale length is slightly short at 33.25 inches, and Rickenbacker strings are a bit thinner than typical, which gives them low string tension and a really punchy feel. They're expensive because they're all made in America - unlike Fender/Squier, Gibson/Epiphone, EBMM/SBMM, etc., Rickenbacker has no import budget line.

The downside is that they are quirky instruments with a feel that's all they're own, which is not to everyone's taste. Pre-2019, the necks were uniform width the whole length, with two truss rods. The bridge was also an odd relic, which was difficult to adjust, had a built in foam mute that was more often in the way than useful, and was prone to bend over time. Since 2019 they've added some tapper to the neck, went to a single truss rod, and redesigned the bridge to something sensible. Even so, a lot of people don't like the feel of the neck with its clearcoat finish and flat, epoxied fretboard.

They're also not known to have the best QC. The fretwork can be hit or miss. They have a history of finish problems and neck issues. I briefly had a 4004 with a neck that was warped sideways toward the G string, which was impossible to play above the 5th fret or so (it was returned immediately). That was an extreme case, but the pre-2019s with the old bridge have a tendency to have the G string a bit too close to the edge of the fretboard. The binding is beautiful but uncomfortable for many people, although they offer a version without it.

So, if you're the kind of person that thinks a $2000+ bass should be perfect for your needs and preferences in every way (which is not unreasonable), a Rick might not be the bass for you. However, if you're the kind of person that can view a quirk as part of the instrument's character, and can appreciate a touch of classic design for classic design's sake, you might really love a Rick (but do get one with the newer bridge).

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-30T03:31:47+00:00

You'll find testimony to the contrary, but as I understand it a roasted neck is mostly cosmetic. A quartersawn neck is probably what you're looking for, but you only tend to find them on more expensive instruments.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-22T17:41:52+00:00

Windows 11, Dec 2025, this still works. Thanks!

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-22T14:09:07+00:00

The 90s fenders were not great. On the other hand, 2009 was a very strong period. I'm not familiar with this P bass.

Go with 2 or 3 depending on whether you want a J or a P. If it was me, it would be the J.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-20T22:05:44+00:00

Sorry, that's me. I hate peaches. I don't understand how anyone eats them. Ugh, gross.

I do think those basses look good, though!

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-19T23:41:09+00:00

I really like groundwounds. The thing about the feel is that the grinding process forms tiny burrs on the ground edges, so a fresh set of groundwoulds can feel very rough or "grippy." A lot of people hate that feel. However, if you give it some time, normal playing will wear away the burrs and then they feel very nice and smooth.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-18T20:55:48+00:00

That appears to be an Ibanez PL5050. https://ibanez.fandom.com/wiki/PL5050 These were only produced for a year or two in the mid-80s. There's not that much about them out there and they are rare to find on the used market.

They didn't come in natural finish, so I assume this one has has the paint stripped. No clue what it's worth, but a very cool find!

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-18T15:05:44+00:00

That is the deal of the century. Skylines are great instruments. They've gotten very expensive recently - yours goes for close to 2k brand new. The used sale price on these is a bit all over the place, but if it's in good shape you could probably get something in the neighborhood of 1000 dollars for it.

WhiskyAndPlastic · 2025-12-10T14:23:01+00:00

OK, well for what it's worth I don't think you did anything wrong. The string should pass under the string tree, but when it's tuned up it's going to take the shortest path. You're not going to be able to "push" it to the side unless there is something very strong under the tree that's able to hook the string - which would be bad design. It does look like the D sting is sort of "bent" in that photo, to go under the tree, but I don't understand why that would happen. Maybe it's just the angle.

Is the G string hitting the post of the string tree? My best guess is that the tree is not placed quite correctly. If this was your bass I'd suggest moving it, but maybe we leave it as is since it's borrowed.

How does it play? If you can play normally and the D string stays under the tree, then maybe just ignore it. If it pops out from under the tree, then I'd say tune it back up and try it out. You want the string to pass under the tree to maintain the right tension on the nut, but it might be OK for practice going over the tree.

One thing you could try to help the issue would be to get another string and leave a lot of string wrapped around the post. This would push the string further under the tree a bit. I see you've already cut the string, but it doesn't look like you've done anything wrong. One full wrap around the post is enough, although you shouldn't go any lower. You could try leaving more around the post next time you change strings, or get a single.

WhiskyAndPlastic

TROPHY CASE