Leaderboard

Well after a series of trades, I picked this up today from a very strange dealership in Manchester, which takes up a whole upstairs factory floor. So it's an Overwater Perception Custom Classic made in 2006. The main differences from the Inspiration/Progress series is that the older basses have the pickups further back towards the bridge & closer together, producing quite the punch in the mids department, not unlike a rampaging horde of angry Stingrays. I particularly liked the Rosewood on Mahogany spec as it reminds me of my first Status bass which I bought in 1990. After putting on some new Elixirs and adjusting the truss rod, the only issue is that despite the string height being just about perfect from frets 1-7, the huge brass blocks on the bridge don't allow the strings to go low enough between frets 12 & 24. I'll call Overwater tomorrow and see if they have any smaller string blocks for these old bridges, and visit my tech to see if the string grooves on the E & B blocks can be widened/deepened.

Back in Edinburgh again at Stramash with SHOUT!. Really busy this time as was the town. Fast becoming our favourite venue/gig. There are acts on all day through to 2.30 in the morning. Our slot is 10 to 12 midnight! Crowd all well oiled and up for fun! Our songs are as old as the hills but I bet most of the crowd have never heard them before...sometimes I think some of the band have never heard them before! Anyway back there in a couple of months. Bass used...Squier Classic Vibe Precision with Fender Flatwound strings through Mark Bass house rig.. Shout! Stramash.mp4

In an idle moment I clicked onto the Jet website, and aside from the JJB range having more colour options, they have a 5-string P bass in Charcoal and a 5-string 'deep blue' Jazz bass. https://jetguitars.com/guitars/bass-guitar/

Our Singer usually goes home after gig's even out of towners for various reasons. But we had one last year and he'd saved up and we all got our own rooms in a nice hotel. He wouldn't shut up about how much he was looking forward to the big comfy hotel bed. Great gig, barman said he couldn't pay us (we knew that anyway) but could give us a 1.5L bottle of Jack Daniels from out the back as payment. 60 shots worth. So we drank that.... Anyway, he got back to the hotel room, he fell through the door and passed out on the floor. Waking up in the morning next to a still made, luxury bed. 🤣

I suffer with uninspiring bassface, so carefully hoard the rare occasions I get a good gig shot!

A couple from me. April 2025: Playing my Fender Japan 60's Precision with Andrew Maxwell Morris at The Bedford in Balham as a pre Glastonbury warm up gig. April 2025: Playing my fretless Fender Japan 62RI Jazz with the Tim Shez band 2025. Playing John Giblin's fretless Precision.

Me from our BLOCKBUSTARZ gig at The Ferry in Glasgow on Saturday night. First time there and depping for a friends band who had to cancel so a lack of advertising for us but it was a great night. Dave

My bass has now been fretted.

When I started to learn to read in my forties it was a game changer. It really did open up loads of playing opportunities. Just pitch up and play. No more worrying about if I had learned the wrong key or arrangement. There’s endless community music groups around and often it’s only the bass and guitar players who can’t read. Far more chance of getting the gig if you can. And it really is not difficult to get to a grade 3 level. 5 mins a day of proper practice on reading and that’s achievable in a year.

Very interesting topic and one size does not fit all as what works for one may not work for others. I think the first thing you need to decide is, do you want to learn to play bass or be a bassist as they are two totally different things. Learning to play bass is just a tick box and is very much like learning to drive a car, you might pass your test and get from A to B but still be a crap driver. Being a bassist is like being a racing driver, extremely competent, understanding the dynamics and physics and technique along with understanding ones own strengths and limitations. When I started out playing bass nearly 40 years ago, I literally saw U2 at Live Aid and said, that's what I wanted to do. I then got into more music, got myself a bass and then spent the next two years learning to play every bass line to every song I could get my hands on. Some I could easily play and some were way above my ability but I improved and got there. I drowned myself in everything bass, watching music video's, reading magazines and studying as much as I could. The best advice I was given was don't limit yourself to one genre, be open minded and learn to play everything, even if you don't like the music or genre, there is always going to be something that the bass player can teach you. You basically need to be open minded and be a sponge and certainly don't form any prejudices, for example, anti pick, anti slap, fingers only, hate pop, hate punk etc. After two years or locking myself away, I came out, joined a band and learnt my craft from being on the road. I did have two lessons but they were a complete waste of time for me. The rest is history as they say and I went on to be signed, have music on TV and adverts, toured, work with some big artists and have a great career. I put my success down to simply hard work, commitment and being open minded. My goals when I started out was to be a fretless bassist, have a song played on the radio and go on TOTP's. I did all of that (except TOTP as it had stopped by then) and way more. That is however my journey and things are very different these days but the basics are still exactly the same in my opinion, the more you play, the more you commit and the more you listen, the better you will become and the more you will learn. The good thing these days is there's so much resource out there, YouTube is such a valuable resource and tool for learning that wasn't available when I started. I had to record TOTP and The Tube on a Betamax and rewatch it again and again to learn. Lessons can work and do work but in my opinion, they suit a certain type of person and certain way of learning. They can even be too restrictive and hold you back but for others, its the perfect way to learn. I would still personally put the best way to learn is to throw yourself in, open minded into studying all things bass by listening to as much as possible, watching as much as possible, read as much as possible, learn to train your ear, and play as much as possible, every day if you can. One thing I would also add is there is no right or wrong way to play bass or play music. Some of the best musicians in the world have bad or unconventional technique, Jamerson for example with his one finger hook technique or Flea wrapping his thumb over the top all the time. It doesn't matter, as long as it works for you, it is not causing pain or injury and is efficient then play the way that works for you, innovation, creativity and the enjoyment of playing is way more important. What I would do different, I would learn to read as that would have opened many more doors for me. I would also understand gear more. I was always a Jazz bass into an amp and that was in. I wished I'd discovered pedals sooner and the different ways to record bass.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1974438380615399 I don't know how to embed this video a clip from St Albans on Saturday

Played a fireman’s retirement doo at Northern Monkey in Bolton over weekend. Usual p bass/ashdown spyder combination for me but a change of strings after years of Elites Groundwounds. This was my first live gig with TI flats. Me likey!!!!

Someone brought their posh camera to our jam night last night… Me playing my new Sandberg SL ^^^ and inadvisedly using one of those short necked things and singing Crazy Man Michael… ->

I have had the best experience with LFSYS; Stephan has built a Monza and shipped it to me in Norway ❤️ Still early days, but it's already proved it's sound capabilities and has surpassed my GR 12" active cab.

I quite like it when companies put it in the back of the ‘headpiece’ like ACG do

Two spring to mind. Firstly, playing a club in Vienna with the Pretty Things. Phil May suffered from terrible stage fright. We do the gig and are in the dressing room. There's a knock on the door and a guy says Kirk Hammet and James Hedfield would like to come in and say hi. Without even looking up, Phil shouts 'tell them to f*ck off'. Second is rather less impressive. I'm playing the Tartan Heart festival near Inverness. I am driving and following the sat nav. We arrived at the site, and turned right into the ground. We played and eventually left, the sat nav taking me right out the ground. I waved cheerio to the security guy on the gate. 45 minutes later, after following the instructions, I was able to wave at him again as we headed back the way we had originally come. Still, Scotland's a beautiful country.

Absolutely, one size definitely does not fit all - an argument often levelled at mainstream school teaching in general. However, on a 1-2-1 basis, if lessons are 'too restrictive' or 'hold a student back', then that is the teacher at fault. They haven't understood the students needs or are not experienced enough to cater to those needs. That said, personal drive is necessary for progress and if the horse doesn't want to be led to water or accept the water is there to help them..

I love the convenience of home delivery of stuff as much as the next person, but I think part of retail therapy for me used to be getting out and about, or actually making a day of it. So I can still remember the "event" of going to buy my first couple of guitars (from Spectre Sound in Bingley, long gone now), also the fun of going into Leeds for the day - the only place you'd be able to buy heavy metal CDs! I certainly don't have any memories - good or bad - attached to the last time I clicked "add to basket". My point being: maybe the more satisfying part of retail therapy is just getting out and about. Although I appreciate that if you're living with chronic pain, or depression, a day out at the shops might be the last thing you'd want to do.

Pic of the neck heel on my 450B, which is of the "chunky" type (same also on my 650B), so as suggested above I'm assuming the ebay one is probably a later model with a more sculpted heel. That's top dollar for a 450B, but I guess seems reasonable when compared to a Fender of similar vintage - and I know which one I'd prefer to have.

Nice little look inside the V2 just popped up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/DVEz6kfks2i/?igsh=MXFlaHBrc3VjYXZhag==

I just throw a pick at the singer

A lot of people equate lessons as just being about technique, reading music and theory. Yet all of the elements you mention I teach in lessons. The other day I was teaching recording techniques, another, soldering and electronics, the weekend I'll be setting up a video recording and editing software. My friday student is learning about stage craft ( and many of the points you've mentioned) and today a student is learning a quick way to remember all the notes on the bass neck. Genuinely, hand on heart, I learned the long and hard way. The internet didn't exist, my ear was honed dropping the needle on the vinyl. I had a long (previous) career in IT and have an obsession with audio technology and, I've picked up a stack of stuff on the way that I wish I knew sooner - and given the amount of questions I get about the same things, I figure everyone else does too - so, thats what I teach (as well as what folk would term 'the usual stuff'). Do we need formal lessons though? Not entirely no. I can draw a picture without going to art school, but for those who haven't been to art school, may never know what they are missing out on. - And no, in case it comes up, music theory doesn't ever dillute one's identity on the instrument. That's gatekeeping BS.

Like those times your guitarist forgets what song you were playing as he goes in to a solo and drifts off in to a different chord progression. If you have the skills to spot it quickly and follow the daft b*****d you will save your band from many embarrassments.

There's plenty to choose from, but it depends what you mean by reasonably priced. Maybe Akai mini plus? If you want to connect using USB then you'll need a MIDI host which is kinda like an adaptor.

I'm astonished with mine every time I use it.

Some chunky saddles on my Vigier Arpege fretless. I’ve actually found loads of bridges don’t allow for low enough saddles.

Thank you @dannybuoy for giving me the heads up on the Zoom MS-60B+ and I took a punt on it and it arrived today and I've been playing it non-stop this afternoon and love it. Apart from the Octaver being just as good as you said it was and getting very much in the OC-2 ballpark, it also tracks really well, even below a low A, and you saved me some bucks on buying a separate unit and it's a huge improvement on that effect when compared to the past Zoom units we mentioned; however, the big surprise was just how good and useable the amps and preamps are and once again, they're a big improvement on past units. I'm very impressed and it was instant like shortly after I plugged in and it's livened up my EBS Reidmar 250 head which needed something. Cheers and much appreciated!!!!!

I had lessons from the age of about 15, and if I was starting out again I’d do exactly the same thing, I think it set me on the right path of how to learn, my teacher played mainly blues so I learned a lot of that first aswell as doing my own thing with reggae, I was also taught how to read music which is one thing I didn’t continue with, sometimes I wish I had but it hasn’t stopped me from playing anything I wanted, there’s no harm in just trying a few lessons just to see how you get on

Good friend of mine knows a thing or two about Cirrus 5 strings. Gillian has 2 US neck through models and 2 US bolt on models. Made a detour on her drive up for a visit, collected a 'darkwood' Cirrus BXP 5'er; couple of hundred quid 😎 Had a passing knowledge of US Cirrus myself, a black teal, tiger eye custom, bubinga and a bubinga bolt on. Pair of us went over that BXP with a fine toothcomb, A/B'd it against the US models to hand. Verdict. Looked like a Cirrus, played like a Cirrus, sounded like a Cirrus and it felt like a Cirrus. Bloody hell, what a bass 😃 Was very disappointed with mine. Loaned it to Gillian to get her opinion, returned in short order with the words "nice looking bass Davie, pity it has no balls" 🤣 Heard similar descriptions from other Sarzo owners but fella I sold it to was chuffed to bits 🙂

Pete Townsend take a back seat! Have you got one of those mini-trampolines Nils Lofgren used to use?

Yes, yes and yes!! I've been lucky enough to work with a wide range of students for many, many years - those at school, retirees, SEND, those with greater complex and specialised needs and even groups of sufferers of dementia. I slammed like on your post! I'm also a fan of that lil quote by that chap who was quite good with science: “If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself.”

This 100% and as I was always told, its not the students fault that they don't understand what they are being taught, it just means the teacher hasn't explained it in a way that the student can understand. Its not always that simple or black and white as you do get students who don't want to learn or can't learn for one reason or another but the emphasis should be on the teacher to understand their students and their learning style.

Well the first thing anyone wants to do is play their favourite songs, but I don't think just learning songs is the best way. I would learn some basic theory such as intervals and chords, proper fretting and plucking and holding the bass(including minimising injuries), learn the fretboard well, learn notation(not tabs). This way puts more meaning to the songs that you want to learn, and you can understand why a song is played the way it is. Being able to transcribe is also a massive plus.

That’s not a fault of the classical system. That’s a fault of the student ignoring the art element of music and not going out and playing with others outside of the educational structure. I absolutely agree that many classical only students don’t improvise because it’s not a genre that ever requires it. That’s why I said I would also take jazz studies - jazz is the biggest use of improvisation and it is taught and encouraged. Studying both is important but saying playing the line is only 10% just isn’t true. Bass generally requires far less improvisation outside of jazz as it’s used as a foundation for the rest. Playing the part right is always at least 90% of the job.

Like the P, bit disappointed it wasn't Jet from Gladiators (on whom I had a Partridge sized crush) playing it!

There are, of course, always exceptions to the rule, but my own view is: Best is fitted with strings at playing tension and trussrod set for correct relief at the temperature and humidity it will be stored at Best, if the neck is not fitted to the instrument, is to loosen the trussrod to no bend pressure...for a single action rod, that means just loosen; for a two way trussrod, that means at the middle point between forward bend and backward bend. That said, there are usually methods to straighten a set curve caused by less ideal storage so, most of the time, it's not the end of the world if an unwanted curve has been set in due to those circumstances.

Took me a minute to realise that the lower figure is facing towards us. And there was me thinking I knew the reason for the smile on the face of the upper figure.

Careful, Steve, this guy knows everything there is to know about vintage Fender basses, and he’s a polyglot! Probably best to mute this thread altogether; I know I will.

I did some eq sweeps here I also pair mine with a hx stomp - I found (after those sweeps I did) line level out on the stomp with a TRS - xlr cable into the colourbox with the wee pad on the side on gave me the best variety of clean tones - and helps protect from some RFI noise i was getting at our church

I think the bass might be a Burns Artist https://soundgas.com/products/burns-artist-bass-guitar?srsltid=AfmBOor-CVuWHDuAKqDzUkD7YVDgNfLasNKGheeUcQC571e3c2v-Tyjy

When it comes down to it, I don't see how buying stuff for the sake of it is a long-term solution. Sure, buy the stuff you need and appreciate it, but too much just becomes a burden. I think that Anthony Scaramucci has a good take on it. The trouble is that of the three things he says, the third is the most difficult - it is hard to be in a position where you can make any sort of living from something that you genuinely love. Great if you can, but unfortunately that just doesn't work for most people. However, the first two points (appreciate the simple things in life and be happy for your friends' / acquaintances' successes) are definitely something that everyone can aspire to!

I'm certainly not a 'tight wad', but I've spent too long being skint when I was younger not to want to get value for my money. I've always kept my living expenses pretty low, so I live in a small house in an OK-ish area and drive an older car then I could afford. However, I wear reasonably expensive clothes, we eat well, we travel a bit and I have more top quality musical instruments / gear than I strictly need (although they have always paid for themselves through gig earnings, etc). I've always been pretty fit, although I can't exercise to the extent that I used to, due to a bad knee injury. However, I still do a bit and that is always a good idea. I have had a couple of fleeting issues with depression - in my late 30s after a period of chaotic romantic relationships and then in my early 50s due to relatively minor health issues. What brought things into focus for me was my wife having a serious medical incident that required an operation to save her life. You have to focus on what is important and not sweat the small stuff.

Id definitely recommend in person lessons. On line lessons are fine but you'll get no feedback at all. You need someone to tell you if you're technique is a bit off. The online lessons also don't put enough emphasis on timing and because bass is a rhythm instrument, timing is extremely important. Bad timing can make a good band sound terrible.