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Showing content with the highest reputation on 30/12/18 in all areas
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Quite. The clue's in the name...or an anagram of it, at least: Fender Precision = Reinforced Penis10 points
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Pro bassists favour the Precision because it produces a pleasing sound and is visually appealing in almost every colour scheme*. The controls fall easily to hand and the instrument can be field-stripped and reassembled by an average player in under ten minutes. Most importantly: research has conclusively proved that bass players are 42% more likely to get laid if they appear onstage with a Precision than any other bass. This is because the Precision is a manly instrument which combines earthy sexual power with a sensitive vulnerability which appeals to women of all ages and social classes. Gig a Stingray or a Rick and the only date you'll be having is with Mother Thumb and her four daughters. * Excludes Antigua and International Blue9 points
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Certainly, in the US, unless you are at the Nathan East, Lee Sklar or the late Louis Johnson level you play what the client wants. Most of the top working session guys will get porterage to bring anything up to 6 basses to the studio. They will run through them and the client will choose. There are a lot of interviews with these players on youtube, and as a lot (most?) of the guys say, they'll usually end up on their late 50's, early 60's P bass with flats. A lot of the UK session guys will play Overwaters and Fenders. Ian King, for instance, plays 4 different basses on his show. Not because he wants to, but because that's what is written. If anyone in this thread thinks that bravado and "their" sound is of interest to the client, it's a good job none of you are trying to make a living in the pro session player world.9 points
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This thread highlights some interesting (not to say depressing) differences in attitude. At the extreme, attitude 1 is "I have MY sound and that's what I'm going to use. So there". Attitude 2 is "What suits this piece/song? How can I achieve that?" A number of previous posts betray some pretty sad snobbery (jibes about "playing on Nana Mouskouri records", "hired hacks", etc, etc). I'd bet that most in the attitude 1 camp are weekend warriors. It isn't just the sound of your instrument or what you play that's important. It's how it fits/blends with what else is happening and with the overall feel that the writer/arranger/producer of a piece wishes to achieve. There is an enormous difference between doing your own thing and playing for someone else. Part of being an adult is to appreciate that you and what you do are often not the centre of the universe. The sound we like when we're playing at home/with ourselves (oooer) isn't necessarily the one that works best in a given context. I love my old J bass, for example, but I'd be the first to admit that it doesn't always suit. That's OK. If someone is paying me, I try to give them what they want. It helps me make a living and lessens the likelihood that I'll have to clean toilets in order to put food on the table. I can always indulge myself/be "creative" at another time. If someone handed me a '62 L series P bass and asked me to use it, I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at it. For certain things, they're pretty hard to beat. I guess I shouldn't say all this. After all, the more people there are with attitude 1, the greater the chance "hired hacks" like me will continue to be offered work.6 points
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Ever played a Caravan Club rally? They're like Saigon during the Tet offensive, sh*t going off everywhere. Never again.5 points
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Really? Do you think that there are crap producers and engineers working at Stax, Motown and almost every other studio in the US for the last 60 years? The pro players can use what they want when they are working on their own projects. In the studio they are at work and their job is to turn the music into what the client wants. There seems to be a lot of confusion here about this simple fact. In the studio both you and the engineer are working for the client. That can also happen on many gigs, but as has been previously pointed out, where the sound engineer isn't calling the shots he is usually working for the band, where a totally different set of rules apply. In the 70's I knew a guy who wanted the best, so they hired Herbie Flowers. When the session started the bass sound wasn't right, so they asked him to take the foam off his bass. Herbie refused because that was "his sound". Another bass payer replaced him for the rest of the recordings. Herbie's lines from that session were over dubbed. If you're the "best" sometimes you can get away with that attitude. Most session players can't. A P bass has a relatively tight range, mostly in the low-mids, and it can be easily EQ'ed in the studio where the tone stays away from the other instruments. If you turn up with "your" sound which tramples all over the other instruments you're not going to be popular and you're not getting called back. Good move if you want to make a living in the studio.5 points
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I have just somehow wandered upon the Amphonic Music series of recordings by the Syd Dale Orchestra. I am grinning ear to ear. This is my weird happy place. Here’s a sample.4 points
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By the way, Sean Hurley seems like a genuinely lovely dude. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what bass you play, you won’t get much work if you’re a tw*t 🙂4 points
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I bet most cyclists play P basses too, bastards all of 'em4 points
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This thread has managed to mesh 3 BC perennials - P vs J, Pro vs Amateur, SBL haters. just throw in Brexit & music stands and we’ll have a full house..4 points
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I haven't played NYE in years through choice. It's always, without fail a nightmare. People who don't normally drink get sh!tfaced and act like d!cks, couples who don't go out very often go out and argue with each other, people who do go out all the time get territorial and act like d!cks to ones who don't go out all the time, the night never lives up to anyones expectations and it all ends up a very sad, depressing place to be. And I'm stood, sober on a stage watching it all unfold. No thanks. Merry New Year 😄4 points
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Hey gang! I've finally joined the pre-CBS club. Never thought it would happen... Not original: refin, replaced jack, and a couple of wires. The rest is as-is. Weighs 9lbs-ish, it's resonant and has that midrange. Gigged it last night, and it's lovely.3 points
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Sold Aria Pro II SB1000, made in 1981 at Matsumoku, Japan. The SB1000 is a true classic with a place in bass history. It was Aria’s flagship bass, top-of-the-line during the famed Matsumoku era, being played by a number of notable players, including Jack Bruce, John Taylor, Cliff Burton, and many others. It’s very versatile for a single-pickup bass. The 6-position ‘varitone’ selector switch (essentially a stepped low pass filter) provides a fast way to access a rake of highly varied and useable tones on the fly. It allows effortless switching from the fat and dubby, through some great modern slap tones, getting honky or punchy for the fingerstyle funk, or bright and open, just by a click of the varitone. It also has a wide tone control, volume control, and battery status LED. Not least, a passive switch so you can bypass the preamp completely for a more classic tone. What these basses are best known for is their strong presence that sits so very well in the mix, punchy and solid, with a good thick low-mid-rich bottom end, massive sustain, and crystal clear harmonics. Loads of growl on tap. The dynamic range is really impressive. The body is made from Canadian ash, the neck is maple/ walnut, and the fretboard is rosewood with 24 frets. Brass bridge and nut. Aria-branded Gotoh tuners. MB1-E pickup. I’ll include a hardcase in the sale. The bass is all original, and in perfect working order. Structurally solid, and in lovely cosmetic condition. There are a few minor surface marks, and the patina of life that one should expect with a vintage instrument, but it’s in fantastic shape for its 38 years. It has been well looked after and is a thing of beauty. There are no dead spots anywhere, the frets show very little wear, the neck is straight, and the truss rod does what it should. No issues whatsoever. It’s set up very nicely, and is good to go. The bass is in Pittenweem, Fife. I’m happy to meet within reasonable distance. I’m also willing to courier at the buyers expense. I’ve posted several basses in the past without issue, and I know the importance of bomb-proof packaging.3 points -
Equipment used for learning by ear? Some ears - very useful IMO3 points
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3 points
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That's a fair point, particularly in respect of the fan sites. Moreover, Gibson have in the past been tolerant to a fault in permitting savagely critical posts on their product web site, though this may change under the bright-eyed marketing wonks who've just taken over the reins from Unhappy Hank. Thing is, every brand attracts fervent adherents, a microscopic proportion of whom appoint themselves Defenders of the Faith. I'm sure it's just the same on washing machine forums ("People who don't like Miele's new crease-free drying programme are just, you know, stupid and evil") and for years I informally attributed this blind, defensive zealotry to psychological illness. Nothing serious of course, just a case of the mental sniffles. I was forced to reassess my position when I read a paper in The Lancet which links this kind of erratic, emotional and slightly womanish behaviour with low or depleted testosterone levels such as might be encountered in both pre-pubescent and elderly males. Extensive fieldwork reveals that a small subset of sufferers have evolved a rudimentary cure, this being to self-administer oral doses of prostatic fluid milked by hand from the loins of those industrialists they have set upon a pedestal. The problem is revealed to be physiological rather than psychological; but the afflicted deserve our compassion whatever the cause. The only thing sadder than a brand fanboi shrieking at the wall is seeing an old teddy bear wired to the front of a bin lorry3 points
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Sometimes BC feels like a support group for GAS sufferers...3 points
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We all did that! What everyone must remember is that you've all agreed in the T&Cs when you signed up that none of you can sue us! It's like the law or something.3 points
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The Daily Mirror claimed it happened at the world famous 'Caravan Club' Someone didnt proof read their story. 🙄3 points
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Well, I get your point. But that’s YouTube for you. His lessons in the academy are different for sure.3 points
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In that instance I went from a short scale narrow neck to a wide fretboard Fender P bass with one run through, before the red light came on. It was a real roast to play anything in tempo on that bass, but I did it. Sadly, they made it sound like it came from Toys R Us! But, no matter, on the strength of that session I was asked back many times. In that world, the true measure of you as a bass player is how well do you play, how accurate you are (no bum notes allowed) and how quickly you can contribute to the session. I wish I could play to that level today! I saw Nathan East at a Bass Clinic at GAK and he said the hardest thing on the LA music scene, is to be asked back. True, it isn't a hobby players world, but if you aspire to playing like your favourite player it's good to also be aware of the environment many of them work in.3 points
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A very good point there, Chris. Reminds me of a band I was in a few years back, the bassist - I was on rhythm guitar at the time - had "his sound" and wasn`t for budging. We recorded some tracks and the only way to have "his sound" not decimate the songs entiely was to have him so far down in the mix that there really was little point in him having turned up for the session. Not saying a P-bass would have saved the day, but imo in all cases the sounds should fit the band, not the individual.3 points
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Found the link your after https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2018/03/on-bass-tina-weymouth3 points
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Two of the 3 stingrays I've played have had serious issues. One had an incredibly weak G string. Mainly because it was a 4 string in BEAD. The second had 5 strings which is a serious design flaw as all bassists know. However, on a serious level, I like them. Very good instruments though I do prefer the HH versions. I guess it's something I might own one day, but that's for some other time.3 points
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Surely this is completely uncontentious (this thread having now reached its 5th page!) - most pro session bass players will keep a Precision as an option, in the same way that a pro session guitarist will keep at least a single-coil- and a humbucker-equipped guitar to cover the different sounds that may be required. Personally I don't operate at these rarefied levels, but it was a fairly interesting video. Don't forget the purpose of these videos is to generate custom for SD's lesson packages...3 points
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Yeah baby!3 points
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I'll keep my head down. I've got a P and a Rick. I've not got piles though. Or an IPhone.3 points
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We are all hopeful that there will someone who will buy HMV. It’s not over yet. In the meantime we are still trading & we’ve been told that we should remain optimistic. It’s not easy carrying on working under these circumstances but we live in hope. Please support us bass friends as we need it!3 points
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They will never be referred to as "vinyls". 😋3 points
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Yeah and I’ve still got the little pencil I nicked at the same time 🤣3 points
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P Bass, it’s a yes from me. I don’t get why so many people on here hate Scott’s videos. If you watched one and it whizzed you off, don’t watch another one. It is that simple. On the other hand, I bet a lot of people hating Scott would swap their job for his in a blink of an eye. And then, it doesn’t matter that they have to make a 12 minute video to put up on YT, hell, they’d probably make two!3 points
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I believe Scott's brother, Barry Devine, has a Youtube channel which is aimed at builders. In an hour-long special, he covers "Why do a lot of builders use a Ford Transit" with an interesting 12 minute monologue by a roofer who presents an alternate view and owns a Renault Trafic. Also he has a 15-part mini-series on the premium channel, on different types of sand.3 points
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Due to an expensive recent purchase I`m putting my Sire P7 up for sale only, no trade thanks. This is Version 2 with the new pickups, ebony board, matt finish on the back of the neck, gloss finish on the front of the headstock. The tuners have been changed to a brand new set of Schallers and the bridge barrels have been swapped for Wilkinson brass ones as I don`t like the look of the original ones which will be included. There is also a fresh set of D`addario strings fitted. It is fitted with the 18 volt pre amp which is a great bit of kit as the threads on here will confirm. The specs are below. It weighs 8.5 to 9 lb, it`s as near as I can tell from the Mrs scales. It`s a £460 bass new, this is as new with £60 worth of tuners and new strings thrown in. I would much prefer collection from Paisley just outside Glasgow, don`t mind driving a bit to meet up or I have a hard case which I can stick it in but you can arrange your own courier and I will make sure that someone is here to hand over. If you are wanting to do this, payment would have to be by bank transfer, UK only. Body Material: North American Alder Shape: Sire Precision Bass Type Neck Material: 1 Piece Hardmaple Shape: C-Shape Scale: 34” Neck Joint: 4 Bolt Steel Square Plate Fingerboard Material: Ebony Radius: 9.5” Frets: Medium, 20 Frets String Nut: Natural Bone 38mm width Binding: 1 ply Ivory Inlay: White Pearloid Block Electronics Pickups: Marcus Super Precision Advanced (Neck) + Jazz Advanced (Bridge) Preamp: Marcus Heritage- 3 with Middle Frequency Control Controls: Volume / Tone (Dual Pot) | Pickup Blender | Treble | Middle / Middle Frequency (Dual Pot) | Bass, Mini Toggle (Active / Passive) Knob: Modern Black Plastic Hardware Bridge: Heavy Mass Standard Tuning Gear: Sire Premium Open-Gear Hardware Finish: Chrome2 points -
Stumbled over this little demo on YouTube - lovely to not have a slap fest for a change. Unusual (read interesting) choice of basses and some creative playing. The Peavey was my surprise favourite....2 points
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I have it on authority from mutual acquaintances that this was a fully unprovoked attack, and that the singer gave the offender a well deserved pasting.2 points
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Got it. £92. bit more than I wanted to pay really, but still under the £100.2 points
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Exactly, though I wish they did a 60's rosewood board P Bass. If, or when, I need to sell my 66 P Bass that's what I'd be satisfied with.2 points
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That's what I did, and now I think I'm gonna use it for the New Years gig over my FU4, why the heck not!2 points -
Snake oil2 points
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I don't even like it, looks like a £500 bass like most P basses do to me.2 points
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well put2 points
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You'll probably appreciate this one then. Its one of Aimee's best lessons so far:2 points
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I hear it's a bit moreish2 points
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As Meatloaf said, "Two outa three ain't bad".2 points
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You and Maude could lobby Coreen Bailey Rae to change her lyrics: "Girl, put your polyvinyl chloride pressings on, tell me your favorite song, just go ahead, let your hair down". 👍2 points
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In the end, if you are a pro musician, It's down to what the client wants. If they want a P Bass, they get a P Bass. End of story.2 points
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Four things: a) HMV was paying business rates of £15 million a year. That's a lot of council tax. b) Hilco its "vulture fund" owner appears to have taken out £30 MILLION of cash from the business between 2013 and 2016 by way of "fees" c) HMV still managed to have sales of nearly £280 million in 2018 d) The Sunday Times describes HMV as a "DVD and vinyl chain". Ok that settles the matter, records are officially "vinyl" and in future all tyres should be referred to as "rubbers"2 points
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From my own very limited and certainly non-professional experience of recording studios... P-basses are popular because their sound is so dependable. And yes, of course it's all in the ruddy fingers! But aside from that, with a P-bass the sound engineer/producer generally knows what to expect. Same goes for certain brands of guitars. They're like the 'industry standard' of their instrument type. And they wouldn't have acquired such familiarity if they sounded crap, either. They're also a doddle to fit into a mix. I record my own P-bass with the tone rolled fully off and it rarely needs much more than a few dB of compression; it just sits in the mix almost perfectly 'right out of the box'. I'm certainly not a P-bass fanboy. I find the constant lusting over what to me essentially boils down to different colours very disinteresting ("Ooh, a red one! Like the blue one, only red! Wow!"). But they are undeniably classic instruments, in terms of both aesthetics and sound.2 points
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dont busk it, unless every one else is. if every one else has made the effort to learn the song right , then respect that and learn the song right or you will be jamming over everyones hard work = disrespect. in a perfect world, learn the song, understand the groove, and find the places where you can if wanted add your touch, if your bits go tits up, you can always jump back on the groove and in funk its the bass groove that carry's the song so you can be sure that bass line has already been thought about by quite able bass players, so , the chance of coming up with something better on the fly is doubtful.... fun yes, but doubtful. thats how i look at it.2 points
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When in the studio there is a huge difference in being part of a group (paying the producer out of your own pockets), and being the hired hand. If you're the artists paying the producer, you can say, "I don't care that you want a P bass - I'm using my Steinberger - deal with it!" The chances are you WON'T get fired. If you're the hired hand and you tell the producer, "I don't care that you want a P bass - I'm using my Steinberger - deal with it!" The chances are you WILL get fired, and your number will be removed from the artists and producers contacts. EDIT: FWIW Many years ago I was asked by a name producer of the day (who helped Pino on his way) to bring in a P bass. I've never since been asked to bring in any other specific bass.2 points
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