All Activity

I did a more jokey post for last year's WGD2023, saying a similar thing to you and pointed out that the early Goth had a bit of humour to it. I think the reputation can be very downbeat but as with all things, it's never quite as seems.

It was this absolute lad, Stuart Hamm, who was my musical hero as a teenager (and he still is). When I got into music, Stuart had just released 'Outbound'. He'd been riding a wave for over a decade with successive solo album releases, tours with Joe Satriani, recording with GHS etc. As a player and a guy getting good work, he was literally on top of the world. Since then, he has definitely struggled with work, alcohol and other things. I saw a bit of a lesson in that, realising that our heroes aren't infallible; they're just regular guys with their own struggles. The music business has changed such that I don't know if we'll ever see another era of great players riding high, touring up the yin yang and cutting records left, right and centre. I remain a massive fan of Stuart some twenty years after I got into his music and I sincerely wish him all the best.

Felix Pappalardi of Mountain

A very uplifting thread.

As a result of becoming chartered recently I'm due to receive a bonus from work, which obviously means NBD is going to happen. My budget for this is going to be around the £500 mark, and after a lot of debating on this subject (@Merton can confirm!) I've narrowed my choice down to either a new Sterling Sub Ray 5 or a secondhand G&L L-2500 Tribute. I tried out the Ray 5 a few months ago and was very impressed, and the neck felt extremely comfortable to my tiny hands, but I suspect if I were to buy this it would become a mod platform, with some mostly aesthetic changes to the bridge and tuner and possibly an upgrade to the preamp at some point. I've always been a bit GASsy towards the G&L, and have watched a fair few reviews and know it would be an awesome bass. I have, however, heard that the necks are pretty chunky, and having dispensed with my one and only previous fiver for having a tree trunk for a neck that made playing it very awkward I'm keen to not repeat the experience with a reward to myself. My problem is that new L-2500s in the wild are few and far between, as are secondhand ones, obviously a testament to how good they are. What this means though is that I can't try any out (the nearest one I'm interested in is in Nottingham, a 1½ hour drive away), which is where I hope some of you good people come in. Can anyone who has tried both comment on the difference in neck profiles? I've also dismissed a Warwick Rockbass Streamer for the same reason - are these really chunky as well?

The break angle and windings around the peg seem OK. As I understand it, if I were to press down behind the nut then the rattle would stop if it were to do with the break angle? I've tried doing that and the rattle is still there, so I'm assuming the angle is fine.

All screws seem fine and there wasn't a rattle before I changed the strings, I've held down everything when playing the A open and the rattle is still there. I reckon it's likely the nut as @LeftyJ has suggested. I just have no idea where to start with filing it down 😃

My old choice: and my 'new' choice:

Is the break angle big enough? Common problem on A strings.

I have an Encore and a Stagg if that floats your boat?

Wow! My 2 main basses are 2.9kg and 2.6kg!

There should be one in fairly soon at Bass Direct, they seem to be punting them out as fast as they get them in.

What kind of reverb sound are you wanting to have?