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Showing content with the highest reputation on 20/08/25 in Posts
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The Zep tribute played at the Nightrain in Bradford on Friday night, a hometown gig for 60% of the band these days and the only one we're playing anywhere near locally all year. We hadn't played (or rehearsed) together for a month, so it a bit rusty but a pretty good performance overall. A few people reckoned it was a bit loud at the start of the set, although a muso mate of mine who was near the back reckoned it sounded awesome! First gig since the drummer got his driving ban, so the logistics were a bit of a challenge! I think the reality of the situation has started to affect him and he even managed to forget his bass drum pedal! Fortunately, there was one there we could borrow, so no harm done. Same rig as normal (Fender Jazz / Handbox amp / Berg cab) and the new Vans pigskin hitops got an outing! Before and after show pics:12 points
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The next evolution of my Nano Rock Covers pedalboard: R-L 1. Korg PitchBlack XS Bass Tuner. 2. Microthumpinator v2 (underneath). 3. Grimalkin. It's like a posh fuzz that does so much more. It's very cool. 4. Origin Effects DCX Bass sparkle box. Makes Spector basses more Spector than is appropriate in most circumstances. 5. Origin Effects Cali76. A compressor that I actually understand and get to work for me easily. 6. Aguilar Chorusaurus v2 analogue Bass chorus. It's lovely, so much so it's turned me into a Chorus-whore-us. I can't turn it off. Edit to explain signal path: It all runs through a PedalSnake, which keeps it really neat on stage. What you can see in the photo is RHS=guitar cable, Middle = 9v supply to board when not using the PedalSnake (at home), LHS = the PedalSnake tails. The power comes down the power connector of the Pedalsnake. It’s a TrueTone OneSpot 1700mA. The Chorusaurus goes through the send/return loop connection of the PedalSnake. You can see the red/white connectors on the top. The others go straight in the front of the amp via the black PedalSnake connection. Sometimes I go cable straight in to the tuner from the bass and sometimes I use wireless bugs.7 points
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If you have time you could pop in and see us, we can put LOADS of 5-string basses in your hands7 points
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2007 USA MusicMan Sterling in black/maple Reluctant sale of this lovely USA made bass, If you don’t know this is the jazz bass to the Stingray with a lovely narrow neck of 38.1mm at the nut and different pickups/electronics 3 way pickup selector which makes subtle but all usable changes in tone. The neck is unfinished oiled maple and oh so smooth to the hand with a sculpted heel to get to those high notes. Perfect combo of black body and pick guard and maple neck/head IMHO. Condition wise it’s very good, see the photos. The neck is amazing with maybe one slight mark which I couldn’t photograph and only saw when I was inspecting it for sale. I have polished the body to make it look its best, there’s a couple of very fine scratches on the back and some evidence of small paint touch ups on the edges but overall very good for an 18yo bass which was used a fair bit before I got it from the original owner. - as it’s black it tends to show marks easily but I reckon you’d be very pleased with it - it is 18 years old. All the hardware is great and untarnished and all works as it should as I checked everything when I bought it. Frets have been polished and it stays in tune beautifully. It has always been stored in its original MM hard case in my possession, the case has marks and scratches as pictured but it’s done its job and it a great case with its original key. (Case is very expensive to replace as it’s designed for the Sterling). Has a medium action which I can change for you if you buy it. Comes with the EB cloth, spare white tort pick guard (which isn’t a MM item but it’s very good) and black Schaller strap locks (I will include the strap bits of this as well and a strap if you want one). I have the original strap buttons which I will include and I can put back on if you want before sale. I won’t post this at all but I am prepared to travel a long way from Huddersfield to deliver it or meet halfway. I’ve been to London before to pick an eBay purchase up I don’t mind! It has the advantage of peace of mind that it’s got to you ok and I know you’ll be happy with it. Obviously cash or immediate bank transfer only. Open to offers but no swaps sorry. My first big sale on here but I’ve huge feedback on eBay as a seller and on Retrobike website which I can share if you want the info. Any questions let me know!6 points -
We've played 37" B strings that have been pants and 33" that have worked wonderfully, and the other way round too.. So its all personal6 points
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This is a single-channel take on the venerable Ampeg B15, sitting somewhere between the Heritage model and the Ceriatone 'Aunt Peg', but without the fixed bias option. The build blog is here and I suggest any prospective purchaser should read it carefully to get an idea of: How much care went into this build, along with the quality of the components. The problems I encountered and the fact that they have all been ironed out! The specifications. This was far from being my first amp-build rodeo, and I feel that I did a quality job on it. The amp has seen a lot of use over the last 4 years as a luxury practice amp in my home studio / practice room. I built it to use, not to sell, but I now find myself with (a) too many amps, (b) not enough space, and (c) a hankering after various other shiny things. I'm looking for £950 collected or by way of mutually convenient meet-up - it's not something that I would want to entrust to a courier. I'm based in Swindon, Wiltshire, but do travel around for gigs and to see family. The price reflects the cost of the components plus a tiny fraction of the many hours that I enjoyed putting it together. I will provide documentation (circuit diagram and layout) that should assist any tech that needs to work on it in the future. Some of the folks who attended the Big Fat South West Bass Bashes of 2024 and 2025 got the chance to hear this through my BF Super Twin - @Stub Mandrel, @Chienmortbb, @MichaelDean, @Pea Turgh, @Wolverinebass, @Sean - the latter played his new P-bass through it at full volume and produced so me very pleasing distortion!5 points -
On this day in 1949 Phil Lynott came into the world....the rest is history..4 points
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Agreed - its like those little stickers on laptops, hate it.4 points
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If you can miles try one of the necks with the B width nut, you might be pleasantly surprised, my 71 precision and all the early ones I’ve had have ( like most from 67/68) a 40mm nut but they are very comfortable , I’ve played mainly jazzes for years and I can pick up my P and not really notice a difference , the mid to late 70s ones can come up a bit chunkier, but not the earlier ones4 points
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Something new from CMC Audio: Si4 points
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I had an Ibanez GWB35 (the matt black one). I stripped off the dull as ditchwater, black finish and the basswood underneath, whilst not flamed or otherwise, was pleasing in its plainness, I liked it. Sonically (if these things ever make a noticeable difference [opens can of worms]) it was absolutely fine and the weight was great and not just for a 5 string. I kind of miss that bass.4 points
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Well, he only put 20 frets on Precisions originally, so presumably he wanted to keep bassists away from that 22nd fret when the pickup would meet the antinode and the streams would cross. After a while he realised that nobody with a Fender goes past the fifth fret so he stuck those dangerous extra frets on for marketing purposes.4 points
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Sunday day gig, thought it was going to be hot so took a fan, so did the drummer. We eventually made a fan table behind us and it was a good thing! The gig in general went well, normal set list, we didnt' get any new songs ready like we were hoping too, people were too busy. I used the Ric in the first half and it was as good as normal, but the guitarist broke his single guitar strap (he has 3 guitars and 1 strap), so as my ric has a strap with no strap lock I switched to my Maruszczyk in the second half so he could use the ric strap. In the second half he was getting electric shocks from his pedal board and threatened to stop so I let him use my wireless so he could continue. Aside from that and a few messed up songs that noone noticed, it went just fine!4 points
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Up for sale is my 24 fret Korean made Spector Legend P/J bass with 3 band EMG preamp, EMG pickups, gold hardware and quilt maple top (or is it a veneer?) in Amber burst. Made between 2004 and 2006 these were a limited run before manufacture of legends switched. It's a rarity for Spector basses to have a 1.5" nut width but that's why I bought it. It's a delight to play having had a recent fret level, crown, polish and new D'Addario prosteels. Plays fantastic all the way to the dusty 24th fret. Comes in a Freestyle case which is, well, OK.... Only faults are one very minor filled ding to the headstock face and one snapped control cavity screw. Straight sale preferred. Can courier or meet within an hour of the wirral. Thanks for looking.3 points -
1. I visited Franz Liszt's house in the Weimar Republic in the late 80s while I was a music student. Yes, yes, I know. He was out. Saw his Piano, though. Anyway, did you know that he totally knackered his tendons by taping wooden blocks in between his fingers in order to try and gain an even wider hand span? (Eejit!) 2. Also, is this the five minute argument, or the full half hour..?3 points
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There isn't really a clear "I want to play bass" moment for me. It was an impulse that just bubbled up to the surface from the teenage primordial soup of dumb ideas, anxieties and dreams. When I was 14 or 15, a few of my friends at school started to play the guitar, as did my older brother. I thought they seemed really cool and wanted to join in. My dad would probably let me play his old bass, I knew that, but I was ultimately too chicken to try. At the time, I thought of myself as unteachably inept at any sort of physical skill – I was crap at sports, a risk to myself and others in a workshop and had displayed a spectacular lack of musical ability throughout my childhood. I figured trying to play an instrument again would just be setting myself up for embarrassing failure. At around the same time, oddly, I also developed a sort of nagging and largely irrational anxiety about the prospect of learning to drive. Like, I was aware that this was a thing – a physical skill – I'd need to do, and I was concerned that I would turn out to be just as bad at that as I had been at everything else. I started thinking that perhaps I should try to learn to do something (play an instrument? juggle? knit?) to reassure myself that I was capable of learning something new. The final piece of the puzzle came on a day when I was off school and bored. I was playing 1080 Snowboarding for the N64, and set a time on the "Crystal Lake" run that was genuinely world-beating. Well, perhaps not world-beating, but definitely fast enough that I could write into the magazine if I wanted, get my name in print. I sat there, looking at my character celebrating on the screen, looking out of the window at the sunny summer's day I was avoiding, and had a sudden urge to do something – anything – more productive than this. Something that might make people think I was cool, something that girls might think was cool. I went upstairs and pulled my dad's old bass out of a cupboard. I downloaded the tab for "Dammit" by Blink-182 and started awkwardly plucking the notes. With help from my brother and my dad, I beat my expectations and got surprisingly good surprisingly fast. Haven't stopped playing since. It never did help me get any girls though, and I never did learn to drive.3 points
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I have done the Luthier thing. It is impossible to tell how 2 pieces of wood will mate together. If it is built by someone who knows what they are doing it will work. Will it float your boat? That is another question. And you are financially in deep by then. Having being doing this for a LONG time, I have found that a TC Spectracomp lets all my basses speak clearly all the way down. Part of me sees this as cheating. But it works so I do not fix it. I find 33" scale basses really comfy to play. I bump the bass eq on the pre, hit the compressor and can forget about the planks of wood I am playing. The one there is not, the chase only there is.3 points
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For me it started at about age 14. A friend was front man boy in a high school band and they were short of a bass player. I played keys at the time, but he lent me his bass, and overnight I learned "Teenage Kicks". We rehearsed the next day and I was in. I still have the enthusiasm. It waxes and wanes though. I sing and play a bunch of other instruments. But it seems there's a shortage of bass players, especially upright players, so bands tend to want me to play bass. Also, since picking up the microphone I'm not content being in the shadows at the back, I like being up front. Lately I've had my own home studio though, so I multi track more than play in bands these days. My musical tastes moved away from pop/rock into classical then jazz then country, early music and most recently folk. I've no idea what that very first bass I played was. It was a four string, black gloss body with white scratch plate. My main bass now is an unbranded laminate upright that's had a fair bit of work done, and set up "just so".3 points
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The rickenbacker gang love keeping stickers on pickguards… knocks me sick.3 points
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Failed at violin lessons. Chucked out of the choir audition. Found school music lessons grim. Discovered TOTP. Got into ELO and part of that was the realisation that each instrument and voice had a different rhythm and melody. Used to listen to those albums over and over focusing on different parts - so I was aware of bass. I had a 'classical' guitar I fitted bronze strings to... then a Kay 'sg copy' (I still have it) and made a couple of deadly amps from old valve record players. Went to uni and got better - used to vamp chords along to a copy of "The Beatles Compleat" as folks sang along. Got a gorgeous mid-70s Epiphone Jumbo and became moderately competent as a rhythm player on it. My best mate had a Precision that fascinated me - I had to play it whenever I saw it. In the end he leant it to me for a month on the condition I learned one finger per fret. Ended up buying a new Hohner Jazz and getting into a cover band at my second audition. then my brother gave me a B2. Then I got a Maya fretless P, followed by almost accidentally getting a Fender Performer. Two originals bands brought me to 1996 - I lived for music and mountain biking. <over 20 years of non-musicalness due to work but mostly a tough marriage> Towards the end of this I was self-employed and started playing bass to break up the monotony of working on my own - discovered I was good at playing by ear to the radio. Then I started finding my own way again (divorce incoming). Did a weekend warrior event and led to a band, Ialso did some random stuff with a local singer songwriter. Starter buying basses... Then covid... Once vaxed, moved out to look after my dad. As soon as I could, joined two bands. Met my new partner through gigging. One band never gigged so left and started another. Started going to jams and open mics, got confidence and did some depping. Got asked to join two more bands. So now I have too many basses, four bands and I do the odd dep and have an incredibly supportive partner who lives for live music. Yes I'm burning the candle at both ends but I have a lot to catch up on. And it's f£%@ing awesome to rediscover myself.3 points
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Ahead of the Nick Smith Memorial Charity Gig on Septermber 7th (Where you have the opportunity to WIN this incredible bass designed by Nick and @Grainger guitars,) Darren and Gavin arranged to bring the bass over to me to put it through its paces. It was quite a surreal experience and not without its emotional moments off camera as I was sat playing the bass Nick would never get to play. Thank you to Darren and Gavin for the opportunity to show it and at the same time, for me to give something to our community in remembrance of our fallen hero, friend, brother and loved one. I put together this video for the Charity Raffle, but don't worry, there's a full in-depth video review coming up later too. I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to watch the video, like, share, subscribe to my channel and follow, as well as giving the video a positive comment for Nick's family to see please.3 points
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B with are my faves too!3 points
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Which reminds me, the new Spinal Tap movie's due out soon... 😀3 points
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I "think" that the A width neck on a precision was an option right through the years, but as a special order, and are therefore rare. The B width neck became standard on P basses in '68, but A could be ordered, and I assume therefore a C width too, although I've never seen a C width neck from after '68. I too like an A neck, but my early 70's B width necks are just lovely, it's not just the width, it's the profile too. Mine are around the 41mm mark at the nut. Rob3 points
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3 points
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There is among some on BC a tendency to think of anything that's not root'n'fifth (or at most, on the mellow side of McCartney) to be showing off and not proper bass playing. So most of jazz, anything with slap'n'tap or excess widdle gets dismissed as "unmusical showboating" - which completely ignores the fact that you have to have a hint of show-offery just to get on stage and play any music, never mind the classical concept of the cadenza or solos in jazz or even (God forbid!) in rock! BTW, not saying that's you - I agree with what you're saying...3 points
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It wasn't me who pronounced the alleged "showboating" as unmusical... Just because something doesn't float your boat doesn't make it "Unmusical", though the dictionary definition of unmusical is also deeply unhelpful: 1. not musical; deficient in melody, harmony, rhythm, or tone. 2. acoustically and aesthetically harsh on the ear; strident; dissonant; cacophonous. 3. not fond of or skilled in music. According to my mother, a piano teacher, just about all rock and pop music is unmusical. Many folks would find most free or improvisational jazz "acoustically and aesthetically harsh on the ear", but this fails to say which ear. If it's mine, that's not true. Many others would disagree, but that's taste - one man's beautiful music is another's nails on a blackboard. So as a result I wouldn't say something I didn't like, whether it's showey-offey or just plain old Black Lace, was unmusical - but perhaps not to my taste. Or after a couple of beers, a steamy pile'o'sh!te...3 points
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...so is anyone still in? I'm already thinking about next year as having (unexpectedly) acquired essentially an entire new rig this year (plus a bunch of cabs), physical space may limit my GAS next year!3 points
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Almost impossible to say. What suits one player may not suit another. There is no one size fits all. The things that matter most to me are: construction - a well constructed bass will always produce better low notes than extending the scale length alone, by all means pick a long scale length because you like the extra space between the frets but don't automatically assume longer equals better. Everything else IME is down to playing technique. If you play hard, like I do, you'll probably find that you'll want a taper-wound B (and maybe also E) and you'll also probably want to move the pickup(s) away from the lower strings slightly. If you have a light touch these things may not matter and something else (I don't know what) will be more important. Spend a couple of days out at Bass Direct and The Bass Gallery trying all their 5-string basses including some outside your budget just to check that you don't need to save a bit more to get the bass you really want.3 points
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Had a good practice last night. Just getting the set together for tonight's gig at the Gryphon with a couple of Canadian doom bands, Witchrot and Tumble. Tumble were caught up in a Canadian flight attendant strike and it was touch or go if they'd make it or not, so we prepped a short and a long set. I've also managed to make a parallel fuzz sound on my GX-100 inspired by the Mountain King Megalith that actually sounds as good as pedals and confirmed by the rest of the band, so I'm very happy with that and have taken the pedals out of the effects loop (after carefully backing up the patches of course!).3 points
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A great bass tone comes from how well the bass is made and the quality of the components. Cheap pickups will never sound good. The bass that ticks the quality materials, quality manufacturing and quality components boxes will get you the best tone, across all strings. The 3 best basses I've discovered so far are Sadowsky (Japanese, US and German models), Mike Lull basses and US Lakland 55-94's. . . . the Lakland Skylines are also worth a look. Don't rush this. Take your time. You have a great budget. Buy a good used bass and get much more bass for your money.3 points
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Given the emotional content of this thread do you genuinely believe your comments help? If so, please can you be so kind as to advise how they are constructive as I have missed this.3 points
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Aye... Playing anything complicated or difficult shouldn't be allowed! Just because they're using a musical instrument to produce sound doesn't mean it's music, it's just about inflating their own ego. They should just stick to straightforward and easy tunes, so for keyboards, no harder than Chopsticks, and for bass players, stick to the root and throw in the occasional fifth if you really must. I blame that Paganini and Liszt.3 points
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As a Spector fan and Euro LX 5 player, always play one standing up with it on a strap before committing to buy.3 points
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Shaping/smoothing out of the area I just routed away. Refinishing of the area I've just been working on. Bridge pickup is on its way from South Korea. After that arrives, pickup installation and wiring (got an Artec SE-2 waiting for the remainder of the guts). In the fullness of time, something decorative on the headstock. If you're super desperate for news, the felt washers for the strap buttons should be arriving tomorrow, but that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel!3 points
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You aren’t the real @AndyTravis3 points
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I think he needs to invest in a back up strap and some time in sorting out his pedal board. No-one should be getting shocks from a pedal board. Its generally all low voltage in pedals and suspect its more a static thing than actual voltage shock but definitely needs investigating. I prefer my fans in front of the band 😂😜😂 I take a large 18" gym fan for our female singer and a smaller 16" gym fan for myself. Drummer also uses a 16" gym fan. Wearing Glam costumes and wigs it does get very hot on stage and those fans and 2 litres of water each gig are my saving grace. 🤩 Dave3 points
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Bass is in excellent condition & working order. It has got one dink on the body which I’ve indicated. Big sound and good variation in tone. Hard case included in the sale. I call it ‘Reverend Green’ Welcome to trial here in WV14 West Mids through my gear or yours. See link for spec https://reverendguitars.com/basses/mercalli-4/ Cheers Geoff2 points -
If you want to save a few quid and have some most excellent nosh, his brother's signature Penne is only £15. There's a pizza too, but personally I recommend the fiorentina.2 points
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2 points
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I've just been triggered by seeing a six year old bass with a manufacturer's sticker still on the scratchplate 😱2 points
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UPDATE: We’ve finally wrapped up the warehouse move! The new pre-owned showroom is now open too, so if you’re in the area swing by, grab a coffee/tea/beer, and check out some lovely basses. Always happy to talk gear and hang out.2 points
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I started out as a guitarist, in my teens. Played in a school Glenn Miller tribute band but wanted to be the next Hendrix. Went to university and met up with another guitarist, a drummer, and a keyboard/guitar/vocalist. When it became evident that I was the worst guitarist in the band (demonstrating an uncharacteristic self-awareness), and we didn't have a bassist, I decided to change roles. The Fender Soundhouse just down the road had had a fire, and Hayman had gone out of business, and the combination of the two things meant that bits of Hayman were being sold relatively cheaply. So I put together a Hayman 40/40 and went from there. I still love playing, 50 years on. My taste in music has remained with rock - melodic, prog, and glam, although not everything in those genres. And when I was young I aspired to a Fender, which I eventually bought, then I played a Warwick and the P went in part-exchange for it. Then, twenty years later, I moved over to 5 strings - the Warwick is still here though. Most recent couple of basses were a Barcus 6-string fretless and an OLP Tony Levin.2 points
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Please can I be the first to ask the weight!2 points
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I agree with the notes written by @Hellzero. Try several basses. When you find a nice feeling one, start the hunt of the best strings. Visit a local luthier for a pro setup. Most of the pickups are like SD, EMG, bartolini, and all sound like they sound. But the setup and choice of strings make the best out of the instrument. We do can discuss endlessly about brands, pickups, scale lengths, etc. "No matter what others try to say, my choice is always the best and the only one." Someone said that the amp and cab should go to 30 Hz, and that's nonsense. A good cab that can produce 30 Hz within 3 - 6 dB of 60 Hz is huge and heavy. A good cab is able to go down to 60 - 80 Hz area (first harmonic), because ear creates the lowest end. Usually all frequencies below 50 Hz are more or less eating your headroom out: cannot be heard, but need lots of power. Handling noises and very lows are better to be tamed by an HPF. Try one and set it by listening. You'll be amazed of the frequency after you have set it right. Cannot be heard, but does a lot.2 points
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Ive had a few and if you want a really thunderous B string with good clarity then multi scale is the way to go and the best Ive tried is the Spector NS Dimension 5.2 points
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I've got bolt-on Warwicks which are really good, Status wooden neck models which are good, and I've had a Rickenbacker which I didn't bond with.2 points
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People are going to say 'bigger is better' and go for a 37" Dingwall (which also sounds like a euphemism). Having owned them, I'd say there wasn't a huge difference in B sound between a 37" Dingwall, a 35" MTD, or my current 35" Ibanez EHB MS. More of a difference in feel. I have found 34" B is a bit too floppy so needs higher action to get a clean B string notes without fret buzz. What does seem to make a big difference though is a good strings and good bass setup, and having an Amp and Cab that can properly cope with 30Hz.2 points
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I don't think anyone else though you were trying to take over. Knowing you're not alone in a situation can definitely be therapeutic.2 points
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Saturday night I depped with a local band at a pub in Bracknell. Being a warm evening most people were outside so we just played to a small crowd inside. They seemed to enjoy the set but were muted in their appreciation... Decent payer and I had a nice compliment on my bass tone from a punter so not all bad2 points
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