All Activity

I'm intrigued by the idea of some kind of modular setup - the neck itself could be full graphite, and you could have a P, a J, and a couple of 5- and 6-string options with different widths, but then have neck pocket adapters enabling these necks to be bolted onto a range of bodies, and some way to make switchable headstocks or just go headless. The headstock and neck pocket adapter needn't be full carbon fibre, but could use some other strong but easier to mould composite that doesn't require all the same tooling and setup as making bespoke carbon fibre components. Something where the moulds could just be 3D-printed. Not sure about the feasibility of any of this, but it might be something worth exploring.

I can't really comment on the cases you have listed but for me the obvious choice would be a Hiscox liteflite case, you'll not get a new one in your budget but they're not hard to find secondhand and on a weight vs protection ratio I don't think there is anything better, personally i've got 12 of them and many were bought secondhand, some for as litlle as £30 a wanted ad on here would probably find you one, alternatively i've had good luck on facebook marketplace and ebay, as you're in London you've got a good chance of finding one. Matt

Ah right. cool. I found them all to be quite varied but like you, only one really works for me. It's a shame there isn't an iOS app I could use to change these over when away from the house.

I used a fretless Sei Original 5 for my main bass for several years - switched back to fretted for the current rock covers band but do use fretless now and again when I feel like it, and take the fretless out as a backup bass. May switch back to fretless. I decided to use fretless for the originals band as it seems to fit better than fretted, trying using a 6-string fretless which seems to be working quite well.

They make a great sounding fretless.

Bilbo....welcome back...you have been missed!!

No, because you have just added a load of additional latency.

NICE!

I have played a fretless, on and off, for about 40 years. There have been times when I haven't owned one but now have 2, with my SUB Stingray about to be converted to fretless, with a new fingerboard. That'll make it 3.

Jimmy bought my Smooth Hound wireless. Jimmy paid quickly. Jimmy corresponded well. Be more like Jimmy! 🤣 Thank you Jimmy, smooth transaction indeed. 👍

My fretless is a bass I defretted myself as an experiment. The neck was unstable, it still is. The electronics were noisy, they still are. It's in the loft, so doesn't get played. I've been tempted several times to get a proper one, but not pulled the trigger on anything yet.

I was gifted an active six-string fretless by Our Eldest, several years ago now, but it has been 'confiscated' by Our Youngest. It has replaced his Cort five-string, and has been in regular use as his sole instrument ever since. He struggles, now, to use any of my four-string basses. I'm not sure that I agree that there are songs that 'don't suit' a fretless; he uses it exclusively for everything, and has quite a varied repertoire.

About 30 years ago, I had a few lessons with a really nice bass tutor . He showed me his Wal ,and let me have a go on it .At the time , I wasn’t too familiar and thought they were a custom jobbie like mansons who were always mentioned in the uk mags at the time . This led to me purchasing a Vester custom bass . ( Copy of Warwick Thumb) Other than the weight which we took for granted back then , the bass was superb . Surprisingly I did very few Les Dawson impersonations, and was wondering what all the fuss was about . I even took it to a few rehearsals . I’ve still got it . I purchased a nice headless made by mybass 8 or 9 years ago . I remember seeing in the uk mags that metal players don’t / shouldn’t play fretless 😮‍💨. Oh how times have changed . I don’t play much these days . I do wish I did purchase a Wal for obvious reasons 🙂

Just an idle thought, as it's really the headless that interests me: with the Fender and Stingray necks, could the headstocks be tilted back rather than using the awful original design, so there's no need for string trees?

Looking for a new case for my Sire v7 j-bass. (Bought it 2nd hand and it came with an old padded gig bag that is a bit worse for wear). Want to give it some decent protection as I get to rehearsal studios on the bus so it gets shuffled around a lot/people knock it sometimes squeezing past - but also not too heavy as I have to walk a bit too. 1) Any opinions on getting a 'soft hard/rigid case' like this? https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Gator-GL-BASS-Rigid-EPS-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Case/MWN or https://reverb.com/uk/item/74725688-kinsman-ultima-hardshell-bass-guitar-bag-grey Seems appealing to have soft backpack style straps rather than just a handle.. But does it offer much protection or am I better off with a hard case? 2) If anyone has any of these hard cases below would love to know how heavy you find them - find it mad that they don't all specify how much they weigh! 3) Also Gator vs Kinsman as a brand? Gator I am familiar with and feel like they are decent quality? Any vouches for Kinsman? 4) I assume the difference in c£80 vc c£100 is just marignally better quality? The hard cases I'm looking at: https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Gator-GW-BASS-GW-Deluxe-Wooden-Bass-Case/2AIS https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Gator-GWE-TBIRD-BASS-Bass-Guitar-Case/2AK2 https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Gator-GC-BASS-Deluxe-Bass-Guitar-Case/CU2 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186520468123?_skw=bass+guitar+case&epid=14012051135&itmmeta=01K049C1NJH175YFQ5WZ89HZEE&hash=item2b6d7c7a9b:g:7zAAAeSw-yNocLXq&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cpsC1MZFh4N8uPuXF6%2BHytYb%2FxsIB0a01stQArsQl7q41FojfZmjyAc7ImnDp7Bdhj21zdYwSCTGfe65zRJqbRdk8QkAyYVe--5TOwnCLR0R42O3%2FsldrFMJCwHlgPZzaTZKSC1dht134G1OzkNcVT1VI1vmaFVnuvrqDj4v5Hiz%2F%2BtnhH7sbL%2BKMyyUpCSA5bm6CwWs7qCpK87zAc7p57W2Kt2SlxLW5NgGSo6vV3sRPFyBR5UsOOhpEi8RONcHc%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4SbsImBZg

I'm wondering if someone has modelled it for one of the multi-FX units that's out there - Line 6 don't have it and Zoom don't have it, wondering if the likes of Fractal, Headrush, Neural DSP or one of the others out there might have tried.

Back in the late 80s, my first band was Drastic Action. Our vocalist/guitarist left all the lead work to the keys, except for Show Me the Way and like a Hurricane where I got to go completely off-piste. I used to play a mix of the vocal line (with flourish) and then scales based stuff over each chord untill it got silly. I recall I typically had an HM2, a Mini-Phaser, a chorus pedal and god knows what else all mashing my sound.

This thing was hyped to death …and then some . The scruffy unwashed Geldoff telling family audiences , “ Just send your f**in money! “ ( or words to that effect) during the middle of the day was not very nice to hear before the waters head . Classy person he is not . From what I remember, the gig made Bono , the edge and the other 2 global superstars 🤢🤮. To this day , I don’t know who I dislike most ..Bono or St.Bob . Probably a draw . We kept hearing about Phil Collins playing 2 countries in one day etc . The amount of Colombian marching powder he must have had that day , was probably more than the rest of the celebs combined. I watched bits here and there . I thought the quo did a cracking job . Freddie stole the show imho , as has been said by many. I remember watching Neil Young / Tom Petty / Bob Dylan being in the USA one . They looked pretty stoned ,and said “ do farm aid instead “ I think . They were relaxed about it and I liked that . I remember the gig being shown constantly on the pubs in Portugal where I was on holiday around that time . “ money for nothing “ was played to death , and I hated it for a very long time . I quite like it now 😬 It seems not much has changed and tbh , the BBC could have sent the Groundforce. team out there with Tommy Walsh , Charlie Dimmock and a few others to make a difference . 🤔 not sure if those programmes were on then ..but if they were ..

Well, the IR function of my pedal does work exactly as it is supposed to, what I meat was that no other IR really work for me and my tone.

If you print out set lists then do it in Black Ink on white paper only. If you play anywhere with any coloured lights, even just pub ambience then if you have used the same colour for text it will disappear on the page! Plan the set list carefully. A group of amazing songs can lose impact if the pacing of the show doesn't work. First and last 3 should be high energy. The middle is for a ballad or two (if you want) and other mid paced stuff. If this is your first band, then you are probably rehearsing mostly facing each other. That's fine to working on songs but it is not an act. Rehearse as if you are in front of an audience. You might feel silly, but this is where you remove any cringy stuff. Actually work on banter for between songs - especially until you get experienced. Segue the first 3 songs into each other. Don't give the audience a break - they WILL enjoy you! then say hello, but only briefly then get stuck in again. Then after another 2 or three thank the bar staff and the punters for being there. Always have an encore number in the back pocket. Make it something that all ages could sing along with. When I started Teenage Kicks was a good choice but I suspect it's not as well known these days! Take spares. Equipment failure happens. But being prepared to continue with the show is vital, especially when you start getting paid. Some people only take spare strings - but a 5 min string change in the relaxed environment at home can turn into 10 mins of dead space under the pressure of the gaze of the audience. And the singer will end up telling Knock Knock jokes. I always take a spare instrument, and a spare amp head. If the cab dies then either of my heads can be used DI straight into the PA. Not perfect but I can finish the gig. If you can get someone to film the show - that is such a great learning tool for seeing what worked and didn't. Now - get out there and have fun! If you look like you are having fun, then the audience will have fun. Even if you are only doing Morrissey covers, leave the Morrissey glumness at home. Smile, eye contact etc. The audience needs to know it's not just a rehearsal. Finally... If there is 1 person in the audience or 500 - give it full beans. That 1 person who came along deserves the same effort as a full room. I hate people who view low attendance numbers as just a rehearsal. It isn't: someone pitched up to see a show. Do it right and that word of mouth is worth so much. That solitary punter could end up being the best advertising you ever get.

@LukeFRC that's what i'd normally do with an OC-2 or similar, but figured there's no way this would track that so never tried. Whaddaya know.... it does!