Leaderboard

I think I may have been a bit hasty in deciding to spray it so I've sanded it down and given it a couple of coats of tinted Danish oil, it will probably end up a bit darker by the time I've finished?? 😀

Saturday featured a planned trip to BassDirect following the tedious and late completion of my house sale. Many months of chasing and hassle had to have some type of reward I decided. I set myself a budget and took my good lady along who was oddly keen to help me in my latest GAS relapse (it'd been a whole 4 months since getting my Dingwall NG3) There were a couple of basses i'd eyed up in the 2nd hand section to try out, but upon entry a gleaming apparition appeared before me. A glorious sunburst MM Jazz, beckoning me. It had just come in on p/x and was about to be posted online. I think not. I'd wanted a Miller since I first started playing in 2004, and this was not to be a missed opportunity, having missed out on not one, but three MM's in that time. Plugged in, it did all the right things. I knew it was meant to be. I did however try out a few others just to say I compared it (Dingwall ABZ4, Combustion 4) but it was a one horse race.

Finished! These pictures don’t really show the full effect, but a couple of coats of paint make the grill look so much better! Not bad for a £90 cab?!

... or tune down a semi-tone and use a first-fret capo for the stuff in standard tuning..? Lazy, yes, but it's an option.

There’s quite a bit of confusion and mix up in this thread. Let’s separate out some points for clarity. TRS & XLR - different connectors, same job. TRS stands for tip/ring/shield and means there are two signal wires and one ground - this allows for a balanced connection which (keeping it simple) allows much longer cable runs that can have any noise picked up along the way cancelled out at the other end. XLR is the same - two signal, one ground and thus balanced. A standard bass cable is one signal one ground and thus unbalanced - long cable runs will pick up noise. Now, the key bit is the impedance & voltage of the signal you are trying to send. From lowest to highest - mic, instrument, line. Depending on the equipment you are plugging in to, you are trying to find an input that will deal with your signal properly. A mic input on a mixer will have a mic Preamp that deals with its low output levels - a line input may not work well, but some pro stuff will be able to. The desk may have a separate line input, either xlr or TRS. A DI box that a soundman asks you to plug in to will convert instrument level to mic level and will have a balanced output for a long cable length. The key bit here is that the Stomp has a balanced output for long cable runs - so long as the soundman knows its line level then they can do what they need to do at the other end and not worry about cable run length. If you present it as TRS or XLR it’s actally sort of irrelevant.

......and.......... relax 🤭 Good to see normal service has been resumed 😂 We'll pretend that blue period never happened 😇

If you think that's dodgy, I suggest you have a look at TC Electronic!

And just for clarity - DI (direct injection/interface) comes from replacing a microphone in the signal chain (mic’ing an amp or instrument) with a direct connection

I'm quite surprised by the amount of vitriol directed at Yoko Ono and this version of Imagine It has a kind of delicate frailty, like it's just holding together. It's not technically great of course, but that's the whole point isn't it? - Human frailty, old age (she's 85), a world going down the tubes where the sentiment in the song seems further away than ever, a message to her dead husband on his birthday, the pop melody of a multi million selling song reduced to bare bones, etc. I thought it was quite strange and touching. I must be getting old

I guess for the "pub band" situation, the key is make the bass solo part of the entertainment. My Generation is a great example of how to do it, where the bass solos are snappy, two-bar breaks which work as a call-and-response between the bass and the rest of the band. If you changed that out for a full 32-bar break for the bass player to go through his/her whole book of chops, then you'd lose that pace and the queue for the bar would probably grow quite quickly. (So at least the landlord would be happy...)

1) if you have really small hands or arms, such as you are a child or have a medical issue, there is less of a stretch. 2) Getting strings is hard, getting a decent deep bass sound is much harder (if not impossible), intonation is harder. 3) No. Start out with the normal and then if you have a problem, seek out something to fix the issue

I just figured it out! These are bass players, aren't they? Examples of various types of Bass Face! As a public service, perhaps we can codify and classify the Six Main Bass Faces prevalent in todays music scene. Then we can just look into the guitarists' beady little eyes and show them one of these cards from the pack rather than get into a long winded discussion about how bass should be played. We need a 52 card deck, but these six are a great start. 1. Mad Max! "Is this guitard actually telling me how to play?" 2. Pained and P*ssed Peter! "Well, that guitard needed to be replaced, anyway, see?" 3. Happy D*ck! "The guitard's fiancé was a little late for work this morning." 4. Doubting Tommy! "So, you call yourself a guitar playah...really?" 5. Vincent the Visionary! "With a 10 string bass, who needs guitards, anyway?" 6. Freddy the Fixer! "Yeah... we had a guitarist... but... it didn't end well..." If you ain't got a Bass Face, you ain't really playing that bass...

Bias Alert! I feel that I should clarify this. The context of my remarks is where a band with a rhythm section is performing music for a dancing audience at a wedding, bar, pub... Where patrons or guests are having a good time moving to music of various tempo and the expectation of the patrons or venue operators is to keep the floor moving. This scenario is the norm for most BP's. A concert performance is a different animal. At a concert, the audience is accepting of long soloing sections and even craving many solos. As a BP of the former, I cringe at the thought of bass soloing as it destroys the momentum you've worked so hard to achieve. Still, it seems condescending to me, "Oh, it's only fair to let the bass have a solo, too!" As patrons find an opportunity to order, make a phone call or use the facility. Even in jazz, when it's "time" for the BP to take a solo, they seem long winded and unrelated to the music that has just passed. But then, I'm a dance musician. I play danceable jazz. Even in Dixieland, BL's have indicated that I could solo, but I never care to. Maybe four bars at most, a little string slapping, and I'm back into walking. In fact, I feel that as a BP, I'm always soloing within the mix, anyway. That's why I play bass. I realise there are 10 string BP's with FX pedal boards of 36 square feet who would like to kill me, now. And I probably only need two strings to do what I do to keep a floor hopping. In fact, I sometimes view the bass as just a glorified conga drum... But I feel there's a place for both BP types. Perhaps, not the same place.

Applying the ebony demarcation veneer. You will hardly see it, but it makes such a difference when you look at the actual join. Because katalox is an oily wood, I'm taking no chances and am using epoxy rather than wood glue - which doesn't work so well on oily woods. When this is done, I'll be seeing how much weight I can take out of the underside of the top before gluing it on and starting to fit the neck joint...

If the singer is struggling with some tunes, it might be worth running them all down a semitone to see if that gives their voice an easier time over the duration of the gig.

Clearly it's all about personal preference, but a rosewood board would give it nice contrast... And yup, I reckon recessed knobs would look good

Right move! The thing is, this has the vibe of an Aria - ref the wood combinations and style - and the shape of an ultra-modern. Honestly - I think it looks great. The 'piece de resistance' are the two stripes at the back. The whole thing is a lovely looking combination - quite unique.

Why am I even asking anyone else about GAS related matters when I am constantly floating in a cloud of it?

Friday night we played a festival in north wales. The organiser told us there'd be a drum kit there, mine is a bit of a PITA to move at the moment, and it was called a festival with more bands on after us so I thought it was a safe bet. When we got there we realised that this festival was just a Friday night in the clubhouse/pub at a campsite. Every other act was a rock tribute, and we're playing original folk-punk. So I was starting to feel a bit un-easy when the organiser walked up and said "I've been told you want some drums". "I was told there was a kit I could use" I said. He had me follow him to his car to collect the smallest bass drum I've ever seen. Maybe 18 x 14" at the most. I'm a fairly big guy and usually play a big 24" kick. Anyway, no matter, I loaded it in and then saw the skin on the bass drum. Some sort of ancient brittle glossy white plastic. I was convinced I'd break it on the first hit. Next I tap the toms which are horribly out of tune, but they don't have standard lugs so my drum key won't work. Obviously I just have to make do but the set was an hour and a half of gently tapping the bass drum while asking the sound guy to turn up my monitor Apparently we were really good and the rest of the band had a great night. I've learned my lesson. I'll never go to a gig without my kit again Saturday night was local at The Rigger and I got to use my own kit. Matt on the sound is always awesome and it just puts you at ease. We played well, went down well, and apparently they raised over £700 for charity which is a lot more than I was expecting considering the turnout. Brilliant! I don't know if this will work but this is a photo of me standing behind the tiny kit, our singer put it on Instagram:

Why would anyone pay £2k or over for a bass where they couldn’t even be bothered to glue the neck on properly and had to use woodscrews to hold it on instead?

I can't comment on the D800/D800+ as I haven't tried one, however I currently own a MPulse 600 and previously owned a Walkabout. IMO, though there is a family resemblance, with similar "faces" and controls, tonally they're not that similar. Nobody doubts the versatility of the Mesa range - lots available which means there is something for most needs and I'm sure that with patience and perseverance you going to get pretty close to what you want from either...The MPulse gives you old school valves versus the Walkabout's more modern solid state tonal package. They are not the same beast. Not currently gigging so I rarely move my gear...I much prefer the MPulse over the Walkabout - if I was hauling it about weekly I may have a different opinion but personally, I found it to be much warmer and phatter sounding - easier to access those more soulful and funky tones - whereas the Walkabout, which I wasn't overly impressed with TBH, is probably more suited to a rockier, more driven tonal palette. Having said that, I do know it's very popular here - many say one of the best amps they've played. If you like a good solid rock amp it probably is...Horses for courses I suppose. I also have the Powerhouse 1x15 cab. They may not be light by modern standards - i.e. compared to BF/Vanderkleys and the like, but they are not in the same weight category as your vintage Marshall/ Ampeg classics. I think Mesa, being aware of the weight factor fitted them with castors as standard....a bit of a Godsend...They must know about my back.. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the Powerhouse 1x15 however it recently inexplicably developed an "overdriven/distorted" sound for no apparent reason or cause. I suspect a simple wiring problem which is undiagnosable by your typical numpty (me). I bet an "expert" at shaking wires will be able to resolve the "problem" in seconds. Neither the MPulse nor the Walkabout are lightweights by today's standards. If you're not unhappy with the additional weight (over a Class D head) I'm pretty sure that you'll be happy with either.

I’ve always refuted that idea. I mean yeah what you actually play will sound like you, but the bass itself will sound different. Said bass might sound different again depending on who plays it. Example, if I play a P bass then a Zon Legacy, you’ll be able to hear a difference. Now if someone else plays them they will still be massively easy to tell apart but they might sound slightly different to when I played them due to technique. Which definitely won’t be a patch in mine. Lol. As far as I know, I’ve always loved graphite basses for their consistency and feel. I’ve also always seen Smith basses as having the ‘ultimate’ slap sound. It’s taken me about 10 years to get one.

Here is the latest incarnation of my big bass rig. BB2 and Dubster 2, Alembic Preamps and Crown XLS1502 in bridge mode. Had it out on a reggae gig last weekend. 🙂

Melanie C's ole bass player, Kim Khahn.. Awesome 'in the pocket' player and sings awesome harmonies at the same time.. GUH! Makes you sick ha ha!! Err, Julz Ruzicka too.. just for playin' with style.. I think she is playing with ex-SikTh Mikey's 'new project'. Used to play with Million Dead, I understand.

Just had my IPOD on shuffle and 'Boogie Oogie Oogie' came on by A Taste of Honey. The tone of the bass on that track just makes youur teeth rattle. Played by Janice M. Johnson. Can anyone recommend anything else she played on or other female bass players worth checking out.

I have quite small hands too. I got a 30" and it was actually ok, although it was a pain to get strings for, although probably because it was a 5 string.

How about an 8 bar solo in Smooth Operator? TBH, any solo out of context is deeply unnecessary in almost every circumstance. I remember in the 80s when we use to go and see rock gigs down the guildhall, there would alwyas be a drum solo so you could go to the bar or to the loos until it was over (in fact, I think that is often what the band did), but it is not much more entertaining if the guitarist does it either.

Simple, straightforward, but still soundin' fab.....ready for a gig at Priory Park, Southend-On-Sea. Bass Collection 4- and 5-string SB basses Genz Benz Streamliner 900 amp Genz Benz Neo X212 cab Yamaha wireless Out of sight behind the camera - the pedalboard with Dunlop PSU powering Fender A/B box, Korg Pitchblack tuner, Boss Chorus, Micro POG and MXR Filter pedals.

This is remarkable!!!! Thank you! This is helping my brain finally come to a decision XD There's a lot more material you can use than I thought! Thank you

This.

Just got back from the rehearsal. Went OK actually. I spoke to the BL beforehand to tell him frankly about my trouble engaging with the song. So we all decided that we'd have a go at a section from the middle and not try the whole thing. And we'd do it as a link from one song to another; not as 5 minutes of torture. Better for me and more palatable for the audience (supposing there is another audience). We also spoke during the break about doing some vocals. The other guitarist has a decent voice so we're going to work on a few different songs now with him singing. Which could lead to a change of direction for the band. And it wasn't even a 'clear the air' discussion. Just mates talking about want we want to do. So, unless I get 'that call' from the BL in the next few days, it all seems to have gone quite well. So thanks to Team Basschat!

Is that a comment or a song suggestion?

Yep. If you don't want to play a number, try to get it shelved before anyone else has put in the time to learn it. If you just turn up, make a mess of it and just shrug your shoulders saying you never likes it anyway, you'll have upset everyone.

Best wishes from the guy who sold you your original and long gone Tele bass!

I'm another self confessed TE fan. I loved my huge TE rig and my drummer gets excited when we have a trace in the rehearsal rooms. I'd say if it's impossible to get a useable tone the amp itself may need a service. It's old gear, chances are it could have been thrashed by someone previously, dropped, left in a damp garage for ten years, etc. While not everyone loves the classic trace tone there still should be a good acceptable place to be found in the EQ options. I used to hate Ashdowns until i used one that hadnt been abused by a previous owner.

We started out 5 years ago as an originals punk band made up of three late forties/early 50s guys, no idea where it would take us, but pretty much convinced it would be Tuesday night gigs to other bands and the occasional mate or two. Since then we`ve literally only played Fri/Sat gigs, played festivals, released three albums, played on the bill with some great well-known bands, toured overseas in Europe, and done gigs where we fly in to a city, do the gig, then fly home - was in Munich at the weekend doing this. Am not bigging myself up in any way here, what I`m saying is, go out and do it, I`m not sure what the metal scene is like any more but the punk scene is thriving, people still want to hear live noisy guitar music. You just need someone within your band that is focused and dedicated to get the gigs etc, that person is the one that will take your band as far as you`re capable. We all thought it would be a laugh to play some noisy original music whilst we still had a bit of life left in us, it`s been a blast, still going strong, wouldn`t change it for the world (touring Germany next week). Originals bands rock!!

The Wal I waited nearly 2 years to be built. Fits like a glove

It looks as though we have scared the OP off... So just in case they come back here is a sensible answer they their question: "Tone Woods" make a lot of sense when it comes to acoustic instruments. They are all about the transfer of the vibration of the strings through the top of the instrument to the air inside the body and projecting those vibrations out. Everything about the design and construction of an acoustic instrument is about getting a good tone at a usable volume. The shape and volume of the body, the thinness of the top the way the bracing is just sufficient to stop the instrument collapsing under the tension of the strings and the top sides and back are joined together with the minimum of contact to allow the maximum resonance. No compare that with a typical solid bodied electric instrument. The body is a big solid 1.5" thick lump of wood, and more often than not on mass-produced instruments 2 or 3 separate pieces glued together in an ad-hoc manner to produce a blank big enough to be cut to the desired shape. Its main purpose is to provide a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing platform for attaching all the other component parts - neck, bridge, pickups etc. None of the tone wood properties that are so important in an acoustic instrument matter very much in a solid body. Here the overall construction is far more important. I'm not saying that the choice of wood is totally irrelevant to the sound of a solid-bodied instrument, it's just IMO the least important factor and one that is impossible to quantify. Every single piece of wood is different and two bodies cut from blanks that came from the same tree can produce two different feeling and sounding instruments. So after all that what are the important factors when picking a piece of wood for a solid bodied instrument? 1. Strength. It must be capable of holding together under the tension of the strings and being hung from a strap. TBH pretty much any hardwood will fit the bill and even some softwoods. It might be worth considering long-term wear. Have a look at any solid-bodied instrument made 40 or more years ago, and you'll see the actual wood has worn away in several places due to contact while playing. 2. Weight. Overall the average weight for a bass should be somewhere between 4kg and 4.5kg, the closer you can get it to 4kg the better. 3. Appearance. If the wood is going to visible on the finished instrument then it should be something that you find aesthetically pleasing. And that's it. Good luck with you build!

Wormwood ?

Plywood is perfectly fine.

It’s good we all have different tastes, otherwise it would be a dull world, but I thought this outfit were dreadful.

If people notice what I'm doing on my gig I've failed. My job is to provide a pillow for the band leader to lay on. I need to fill gaps he leaves, make him sound great and control the interaction the audience have with him. If they catch me doing it the curtain has been pulled back and that's no good.

Couple of folk have mentioned the Revelation RPBX. I'd planned on building a similar bass for ages but sometimes it's prudent just to buy one 😎