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Post subject: Help?
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:32 am
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Hobbyist
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Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:36 am
Posts: 8
Hello all!

I bought the Mike Dirnt P- Bass (read the serial - think it's an '04) little over 3 weeks ago and I love it. I've owned a fair share of well crafted and poorly crafted instruments over the years (like my custom 5-String Warwick Corvette w/Bartolini Jazz pickups) but this MD Sig P-Bass is my hands down favourite.

However

After some time spent playing, I've decided to check out what other people had to say (about the bass) on the good ol' interweb machine, but now I have some concerns regarding its life and reliability.

Apparently the tone knob has fallen off in two cases I've read. Now knobs are of no real concern to me as long as the electronics are in tact. Let's face it. anyone that's been playing bass/guitar longer than a year has experienced knobs falling off at some point. This is a nothing to me, if they keep falling off then replace them. Simple.

However, I did happen to come across a review regarding neck warping to a point in which is could no longer be used. For what I've read, despite attempts to adjust it, the damn thing continued to warp even after setting the truss rod as far as it would go.

Talk about a pain in the $@! - as the neck requires removal from the body in order to be set/adjusted.

Again, I could just replace the stock neck and buy good neck, problem solved.

Thing is I JUST bought this bass. (March 30/11)

My band plays often (about one gig a week-sometimes more, depending) and although these concerns come from some posts I've read reviewing this instrument, in the global perspective, I've really only seen few negatives about the bass and a lot more positives - all solidifying my beliefs and opinions about it.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Cheers.


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:52 am
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Amateur
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Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:20 pm
Posts: 164
Location: Kuwait
Thing is, and this is just my opinion so please don't take any offense, if what you stated regarding other users' experiences hasn't occurred with your instrument yet, then I think you should be happy about that. Personally I don't own a MD sig, even though I considered at a point just for the pickups. However as I stated, if yours hasn't been a problem as of yet, then there's no real need to worry.

Regarding the neck, one of the main reasons for neck warp is the string gauges you use. I use LaBella 52-110 flats and because of the thick and heavy gauges, the neck of my P-Bass warped a a bit but I managed to adjust it before any serious damage happened. It all depends on the string gauges you use, so pick wisely.

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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:18 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
With any mass produced products, just like with automobiles or washing machines, you can get a "lemon."

Two identical instruments made by the same workers of the same raw materials and parts on the same day can turn out very differently.

If the neck on yours had issues, it would probably have shown up by now.

Improper storage, mistreatment, neglect, improper adjustment and modifications can all cause an otherwise great instrument to develop problems. I'd say that many issues are directly related to one of these things instead of any manufacturing defect. Especially in your case after years of stability and working correctly. (Leaving an instrument in your car during winter's coldest night or hottest summer's hottest day for example is murder! Rule 1: Don't leave your instrument anywhere you would not feel comfortable.)

If your knobs are falling off, for solid shaft knobs with a set screw, periodically tighten the set screw on the side of the knob. For split shaft knobs that are falling off, take a small flat-head screwdriver and gently pry the split open just a tad and push the knob back on. That is just ROUTINE MAINTENANCE and should be checked during every setup.

It isn't just the Mike Dirnt model and it isn't just Fender. The same can be said for the entire output of any musical instrument company or for any mass produced item. Some will be better than the rest and some will be worse. The trick is finding one of the really good one and then properly caring for it. You may have!


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:31 pm
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Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
I run into alot of basses where the previous owners don't really know what they are doing so they work ( or don't have work done) on their basses and mess them up. I'm sure that's what alot of repair guys like. I kind of like it and kind of don't. Stuff like - the truss rod is adjusted so tight that it comes thru the fretboard.

I've had to take some basses in to have them worked on because they are a little beyond what I care to get into. I go to the same place quite a bit. I swear those guys think I did the stupid stuff to the guitars. I'll tell them and they just go "yeh right". HA! Then they tell me stuff I already know cause they think I did it!!! HA! I'm probubly parinoid!!! They take my money and I just know they are thinking- " He'll be back.... the dumb*%$" !


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:56 pm
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Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:40 pm
Posts: 746
*Member in good standing of the "Brotherdave is Awesome club*

Everything that Brotherdave said!! AND......the neck is wood......and it has little metal thingies stuck into it and inside it and stuff (Thats the technical terms of course!)

It may do whatever things wood normally does in whatever circumstances you choose to expose it to.

But ok, one more thing to hopefully allow you not to worry and just enjoy playing it....if its a manufacturing defect, and assuming that you kept your reciept and are the original owner.....and some other disclaimers..ok, cut to the chase ....if the neck goes bad on its own.....its warranty!! YAY!!!
Reviews....well everyone has an opinion....and some people post them....thats ok....but you also may consider how many like the bass who may not be posting.

Lastly, hey!!! it looks like someone screwed up and left me in charge of Customer Service....and looking at the number of complaints or returns, or things like that we've received over the last 3 years or so....and the number is crazy low. That means that the ones we've shipped....stayed shipped and probably have happy homes.

ok finally (honest!)------what brotherdave said.

Enjoy your bass (pleeeeeeeeeez!!!!)!
All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:41 pm
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Amateur
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:34 am
Posts: 125
NMF88 wrote:
Let's face it. anyone that's been playing bass/guitar longer than a year has experienced knobs falling off at some point. This is a nothing to me, if they keep falling off then replace them. Simple.

I've been playing for 22 years, and I've never had a knob fall off or even become loose to the point that it might fall off a guitar or bass.

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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:13 pm
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Professional Musician
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Location: Green Bay, WI
You lucky guys, I have when I 1st started. It was @ band practice.

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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:14 pm
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
I had a bass knob fall off in the 70's .............................

It rolled off the stage and on to the floor,
Took a left at the barstool,
And rolled out the door,
And into the street,
Then into a bush,
The last time I saw it,
It looked like moosh.


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:22 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 4583
Location: North of Pittsburgh
Quality Control? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:35 am
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Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:17 pm
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Rock Star
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
On my first bass, a Telecaster I bought new, one of the knobs got loose, but can't remember which one. Next bass a Jazz and the tiny tone knob got loose. Both had the set screw which I got the wrench for and fixed. Never had a knob fall off, just got so it slipped.

One time I had to replace a pot in a MIM Jazz, one of the early Black Labels and it had Stratocaster type knobs. I could not pull those knobs off with bare hands. I tried off and on for about an hour. I didn't want to mar the surface of the instrument by prying on it, so I slid an old 6 string guitar string under it and worked both sides to try to gently wiggle it off. It came off like it was fired by a slingshot and bounced around the room. Funny now, but at the time it about scared me to death!


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:10 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:22 am
Posts: 548
Uually I'm the first to throw mud at a MIM bass but in this case I cannot,I had one from the second year of production and its a bass a sorely miss,it had the 70's script tuners I replaced for vintage reverse ones(I'm glad I kept the originals,I still have them on a vintage lawsuit model bass),I really like the neck the most besides the pickup quality.
The neck was stellar w/perfect frets and a well cut nut,it never needed adj. and stayed true with no matter what gauge string was used,a fact not often associated with a MIM Fender owned by me,BUT I have heard from other bassists and reviews alike that they have gone a bit downhill over the years,they even offer an Indonesian made Squier model which does'nt look much lower quality other than the original MIM, The pick-up seems to be the only difference besides some asthetics that are complained of.
I have played a few MIM's and they are'nt the same quality as the one I owned and have tried to find a replacement for my old one but to no avail,the Squier I have also played a few times and for 1/2 the price is'nt a bad bass for the money,my advice buy an old one,save money and heartache. :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:13 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:57 am
Posts: 542
Location: Basel, Switzerland (Local Sanitarium)
stroker vance wrote:
I run into alot of basses where the previous owners don't really know what they are doing...


...or they exactly know when it's time to drop the lemon, repeatedly need of neck-setting without changing gauge is a clear language!
looks like a neck-exchange... :(


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:42 pm
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
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I think I know what you mean except for the "drop the lemon" thing and the "repeated neck setting" and the "neck exchange" thing. I'm kind of hazey on the "clear language" also!!! HA! :D :D sorry I'm just being silly!


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Post subject: Re: Help?
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 1:48 pm
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Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:57 am
Posts: 542
Location: Basel, Switzerland (Local Sanitarium)
stroker vance wrote:
I think I know what you mean except for the "drop the lemon" thing and the "repeated neck setting" and the "neck exchange" thing. I'm kind of hazey on the "clear language" also!!! HA! :D :D sorry I'm just being silly!


ok dude, i gonna write all slowly next time so you might follow... ok? :lol:


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