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Bit early to prep for the bass bash, no?

For the first time in perhaps 25 years, I've packed everything away, not a bass, amp or cabinet out. Honestly don't have the inertia to do band stuff, it's like herding cats. I feel like I'm pretty much done. The little corner if the extension where I used to set stuff up? Might put a woodburner in.

I was skeptical when Sire broke the £1k barrier with V/P 10 range a few years back, but not only are they still in production, Sire have actually moved upwards in price bracket again with the some of the new F series range. So it's apparently possible for a brand that was once perceived as budget (I think my series 1 V7 fretless was less than £400 brand new) to successfully move upmarket.

Right on cue! 😁

Agree, pretty much all of the gigs I’ve played in the past 10 years or so in originals bands have always been well attended. Since returning to Knock Off temporarily, in the three gigs we’ve played crowds were approx 600 (800 capacity) 100 (100 capacity) 500 (600 capacity).

I have no issues this whatsoever. Quirkier the better. My point was more about 'do we really need another budget Jazz Bass on the market?'. You could go to eBay, Marketplace, Gumtree and (arguably) pick up an equally (or better) specced Jazz bass for £500-600, Fender badged included. You can get a new budget Squier/Sadowsky/Markbass/HB/Bass Centre/Eastcoast JBs for well under this, all of which carry more kudos than HB. My take? Brutal as this may sound, the BTW model will be gone in a year or 18 months tops. They'll be discounted to clear by next summer. Nice experiment, thank you and goodnight.

The url is a nice reminder that it's pronounced 'hefner' like the playboy guy.

I see what you're saying here, and yes, in some ways you're absolutely right. A lot of the premium 'Super Fenders' by the likes of Sadowsky and Mike Lull, and even the German and newer Polish contenders can seem a little sterile for their comparatively huge price tags. Most don't even sound like a good example of a Fender. The answer continues to be, if you want a really good Fender sound, go out and play Fenders until you find a good one. I've only played one Sadowsky I ever loved the sound of, and that was a Japanese 2 band Will Lee Signature. The rest sound bland and sterile to my ears. I tend to like the Mike Lull instruments better, but they still don't have 'that' Fender sound. For me, Bernie Goodfellow got it absolutely right with the Spitfire. It has the Jazz ergonomics and playability, but plays and sounds like a totally different kind of bass, much more premium and hand crafted and it doesn't try to sound like a Fender. It's truly a bass from the top tier of makers that can out punch a Stingray with it's metallic anvil-like attack, and has a sweet tone to boot. I've been sorry to hear what's happened with G&L, but at the end of the day, they seemed to stop innovating in terms of the bass range some years ago. They certainly have their fans and I know @Mike Brooks really likes his newly acquired American L2000 CLF. Maybe they will re-emerge as a Fender sub-brand (particularly the excellent value Tribute models)?

I started playing some songs using a pick for an originals band as it better suited some of the material. Lots of fast string swaps including some octave skips. In the past I've only used one for a occasional songs and never felt really comfortable. Hit the notes but not getting any character in the way I can with fingers. Sitting at home is one thing, took three rehearsals to be comfortable doing it in anger, and now feel like I'm getting my own style. Always more to learn.

Apologies for only contributing to this thread now. There has been the sad passing of many musicians who I admired, or who inspired me over the years. But Danny Thompson's sad passing has been one of the saddest in recent times. As others have said, the Transatlantic Sessions are great, and his playing and tone are just wonderful. I saw him live just twice (with Pentangle) and I wish I'd seen him more. I also would like to have met him. In interviews, he always seemed such a decent, humble and humorous guy. The world is just that little bit less colourful since he has gone, and I know that a huge range of talented musicians who played with him will be feeling the same. R.I.P Danny 😞

There's of course more than some truth to that that bands are useless. However, I've certainly seen enough that most definitely aren't and are still struggling. They're doing the promo, got merch and all the rest. They have great material and put on a great show. Still sparsely attended gigs though. I would say that as I play in progressive metal bands, I'm very much in a "niche of a niche," but I can see that in London, if you try and play more than 4 gigs in a year, you can do all the right things and still not get anything for it. Most bands are just cycling round the same 10 venues, which is about as dire as it gets.

Or - get yourself to a bass bash where you know someone is bringing one? Bass bashes are a lot of fun, and you'll see a lot more crazy stuff than one pedal you want to try.

Just buy at distance, give it a try, then send it back under distance selling regs. You'll only lose the postage. Appreciate that only works if you have the slush/scratch to buy the thing in the first place...

Does anyone know about renting pedals in the UK? From shops or BCers? 😉 For example, I'd really like to try out an MXR Bass Synth before ordering one. Reference: https://www.guitarpedalx.com/news/gpx-blog/mxr-collaborates-with-ian-martin-allison-on-the-perfect-bassline-bass-synth-pedal-which-yes-has-a-6-string-guitar-tracking-mode-too

Not my specific unit, just a random Google image of it, but I got this a couple of days ago: Absolutely amazing. I use it for my always on 1 octave up effect, to emulate an effect somewhat similar to that of an octave course 8 string bass. Much clearer and more natural sounding than the TC Electronic Sub'N'Up I used previously, even I had that running with a custom made Toneprint, I meticulously dialed in myself, with pre and post octave engine EQ filters. Obviously the XS-1 octave up still sounds somewhat artificial, but it's still a substantial improvement over the Sub'N'Up, and with the mix at 50% or lower it does sound completely natural. Gone are all the odd digital artifacts and occational glitches as well.

Another 'highly recommended' vote for Shuker Guitars Artist series. Incredible instruments.

Monster Mash - Bobby Pickett & The Crypt Kickers

Oddly enough, in a curious twist of fate, I'm picking up another Space 5 today...

Monster - The Automatic

Very cool pics, @cybertect.

Its the 'iron' of the power amp in these, and similar ones, that gives them a lot of the sound.

This times many.^^^^ You reap what you sow and this was a bad harvest.

I has a quick 5 minutes on one in Andertons last Friday, my first time with fanned frets. I felt comfortable with the frets after a few seconds. I didn't have to acclimatise, and I was pleasantly surprised to not be playing two frets higher up the neck than I wanted, which has happened when I've tried headless basses before. It felt comfortable, but I hardly ever play sitting down, so I'd like to see how it feels on a strap. The sound was quite clean and hifi, which I like, but I found the tuners quite difficult to use. It's definitely worth trying one if you can.

The second part of Robin Trower's "Too Rolling Stoned" . From about 3:00