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Showing content with the highest reputation on 16/01/19 in all areas

  1. After having seen Scott's Bass Lessons video on why Pro's use a P bass I had to do something about it (I thought I was GAS free, but this was only a passing phase). I always swore I would never play a Fender ever again (partly because nearly every crap bass ever made looks like a Fender. Secondly I've never found one I gelled with (though the best sounding bass I ever had was a 1980's Tokai Hardpuncher P bass with a Nordstrand pickup) and thirdly, because I now play 5 stringers only, I couldn't find one that didn't give me a hernia every time I tried lifting one. Anyway, I was looking at the Bass Gallery's website and the most gorgeous looking bass just jumped out at me. A 5 string P/J bass made by AV Basses of the Czech Republic in the most wonderous bright, almost Lamborghini green, with Nordstrand pickups and only weighing 8.6lbs. After a quick email to see if they would take my two early 1990's Patrick Eggle Milan V basses as a part-ex I was on the train up to London and the deal was done. I now have the best of a P and and a J in something lightweight and eye catching. I couldn't be happier. Normally I have to customise the bass straight away, but all I've done with this beauty is add a thumb rest (not in the pictures) and put my favourite strings on (DR Sunbeams). It doesn't need customising as I'm sure there isn't another bass out there that looks like this one.
    6 points
  2. Hi All OK - while I've gained a bit of a reputation for being mad enough to take on stuff that any sane builder wouldn't touch in a million years - well, this one could indeed be my Nemesis There's a bit of well-founded and quite logical conventional wisdom that says that you can't use a stock P-bass type of bolt-on neck in a single cut bass re-body. Why not? Well, I can't find who's this beautiful example is, but here is a typical bolt-on single cut: And here is (actually, this is an electric 6-string) a typical big F type of neck carve: And the basic problem is that the neck carve carries on to about the 16th fret - and the neck tapers too But a single cut top horn extends down to around the 12th fret: And that means that the body needs to be carved to the same shape, but mirrored, so that it wraps around the neck between the 12th and 16th frets. And no one would be crazy enough to try that, would they? Hmmmm….. Well, after all, it is our very own @fleabag who's asking And, let's face it, what could POSSIBLY go wrong?
    5 points
  3. Up for grabs is a rather nice Jazz bitsa, put together from very high quality parts. I've been playing it a lot since putting it together late last year, but having bought a nice old Fender last week, you know how it is It's got a nice vintage feel. The neck is a stunning Musikraft (NYC), that's a little wider than a Jazz and a little thinner than a Precision. It is a stunning player, fast, comfortable, and feels like it's been played in for 40 years. With a little tweaking the action on this will go very low indeed. Body is an old Warmoth, lightly oiled and well used, feels very 1960's to me (it isn't, just feels like those old stripped 60's Fenders). There's some pen on the back (no idea why), I'm going to have a look at how that might come off other than using sandpaper but it doesn't worry me, in fact I quite like it. There's also a compartment for two 9v batteries should you want to use an active circuit. Bridge is vintage style, I think Fender RI, with the threaded/grooved saddles that allow a range of string positioning (which is probably why, having just looked at the photos, the string positioning over the PUPs looks a bit odd to my eye). Tuners are Hipshot. Body to neck fit is pretty much perfect - there's the tiniest bit of damage to the neck pocket wall on the treble side (see photo) - and the bass resonates very nicely. Vintage Dimarzio PAFs (I assume 1970's/early 1980's) are wired into a standard VVT circuit with series/parallel option (push/pull on front PUP tone control). You can have either pick-guard (I prefer the tort myself). It's pretty light-wight, especially for a Jazz, and feels very solid and, perhaps an odd word to use given it's a bitsa, authentic, probably a function of the nicely worn body, the beautifully made neck, and old PUPs. A steal at £400, but times are hard and bills need to be paid Collection from Canterbury or I can courier at buyer's expense. Chris
    5 points
  4. Precisely. There's a symbiotic relationship here - or should be. Pubs need bands to bring in the punters and bands need pubs to give them a venue at which to play. And let's be honest, we probably need the pubs more than they need us OK, if you're a band of sufficient stature that you can play bigger, music-specific venues then all power to your elbow and play what you want. But if you're in a band that plays on a Saturday night down the Pig and Whistle and you're being paid to do so by the landlord then, in my view, your job is to entertain the punters first and yourself second. And if that means playing bloody Wonderwall yet again then i will play it with a big cheesy smile on my face.
    4 points
  5. I suspect this is an attempt at humour. As I'd say to my kids... "Well done you!! Don't give up!.... Now clean your room."
    3 points
  6. IMO , It’s a 5 string bass and he’s playing all 5 , the 2 black ones are to make it look like 3 😀
    3 points
  7. This thread is proof that being in the majority of a vote doesn't necessarily make something the correct choice. I'm trying to think of another example, maybe a newsworthy and topical one, to prove my point... 😀
    3 points
  8. From my experience there's a very good reason why the audience are referred to as members.
    3 points
  9. I've played Sex On Fire hundreds of times. I still can't get the intro right. The drummer has to count me in! The thing I like about being a bass player, is playing bass. The craft of making a song come alive, via the bass line, for the audience. Playing songs I like is a bonus, but playing bass with other musicians is the best bit.
    3 points
  10. Not sure many of the new MB basses will be sold in the first place. As for their amps, I'd happily get one of their solidly built, reliable heads ahead of plenty of others! And there is a thriving resale market as an added bonus 😎 One person's "sterile" is another person's "clean with plenty of headroom". Which is fortunate, it would be a dull world otherwise.
    3 points
  11. I used that set up at the gig on Saturday. First time since owning the Rumble that I have actually felt the bass on stage. Don't get me wrong,you can certainly hear the Rumble 500,in fact I get told to turn down all the time! Just can't seem to find the sound that suits me. Adding the Warefdale cab made a differance,but I still have to fiddle about with the tone on the Fender a bit,it was a bit.....errm,bassy!!
    3 points
  12. We'll be covering approx 6000 road miles in just over four weeks and there will be a huge amount of downtime apart from the twenty minutes a day we're onstage so I was planning to take a laptop and do some writing anyway, but I'll keep a gig diary of sorts on here if anyone would be interested in the more performance-related aspects of that kind of show.
    3 points
  13. Compact Mesa Boogie Bass Rig for sale Mesa Boogie M6 Carbine Mesa Boogie PowerHouse 1x15 Mesa Boogie PowerHouse 2x10 + One extra 10” Custom Eminence Speaker Specially Tuned for PH Cabs Used rarely and only in a rehearsal space and studio (the whole set-up is app. 6 years old) Specs: M6 Carbine focused, detailed sound amplifier head, hyper-fast amplification provides amazingly tight Rock tones, preamp and driver section give the amp its aggressive voice, feature rich amplifiers give you a lot of control over your tone Amp Type: Tube Preamp & MOSFET Power Amp Preamp Tubes: 1x Mesa 12AX7 Wattage: 600 Watts @ 4 or 2 Ohms / 320 Watts @ 8 Ohms Power Amp Type: Trans-Class Power w/8 Power MOSFET's & 8/4 or 2 Ohm Impedance Switch EQ/Dynamics Controls: Active Bass w/Pull Deep Passive Mid 5-Position Active Mid-Voice Switch & Active Treble Convection or Fan Cooling: Fan Cooled Footswitchable Functions: External Switching Jacks for Mute & Voicing Modes Accessories: Fitted Slip Cover Connectivity Instrument Input Options: 1x 1/4’’ Effects Loop: Fully Buffered Series FX Loop w/True-Bypass Switch Direct Line Output: Balanced XLR Line Output with Ground Lift & Front Panel Level Control with Pre/Post Pull Switch Speaker Outputs: 2x Combination Speakon-1/4 Dimensions Height: 3-1/2’’ Width: 19’’ Depth: 13-1/8’’ Weight: 25lbs (11.3kg) Powerhouse 2x10 Type: Tuned Front Ported Tri-Porting Output Power: 400 Watts Speaker: 2x10 Custom Eminence Toned for Standard PH Cabs High-Frequency Horn: Yes Horn Control & Protection: Player Control Network Selectable 3-Point Crossover (3k/4k/5k) Premium Attenuator Instant Reset Horn Protection Cabinet Impedance: 8 Ohm Connectors: Combination Speakon & 1/4" Input & Paralleled Output Accessories: Fitted Slip Cover Dimensions Height: 19.375’’ Width: 24.5’’ Depth: 19.75’’ Weight: 69lbs (31.2kg) Powerhouse 1x15 General Type: Tuned Front Ported Tri-Porting Output Power: 400 Watts Speaker: 1x15 Custom Eminence Toned for Standard PH Cabs High-Frequency Horn: Yes Horn Control & Protection: Player Control Network Selectable 3-Point Crossover (3k/4k/5k) Premium Attenuator Instant Reset Horn Protection Cabinet Impedance: 8 Ohm Connectors: Combination Speakon & 1/4" Input & Paralleled Output Transport Assistance: Track-Loc Removable Casters Accessories: Fitted Slip Cover Dimensions Height: 19.375’’ Width: 24.5’’ Depth: 19.75’’ Weight: 72lbs (32.6kg) Price for the complete rig: 1800 pounds (or separately 1000 amp, 500 each box) - NEW MS Carbine rig with these cabinets on gear4music is currently 4100 pounds
    2 points
  14. Following on from the end of last year's tour - this Saturday sees the biggest gig of my playing career. Not bad for an old duffer! We'll be on the Introducing Stage at the Great British Rock & Blues Festival in Skegness. Anywhere between 600 and 1,000 proper die-hard music fans there for the likes of 9 Below Zero, FM, Saxon and many others. Good fun this original music lark!
    2 points
  15. I bought this; Just awaiting delivery...... Replacing my OLP
    2 points
  16. I'd have fretted and fretless 5s too. A matching pair of Wals would do nicely.
    2 points
  17. Right so the rules are you can only have 2 basses? In that case you can have a rolling stock. Use one while selling the second, then buy another and play the new one while selling the old one. That way you constantly have new basses to try and only ever have two. Isn't that what we all do anyway? (Except when we forget about the selling the old one part)
    2 points
  18. Start with 1, 4 string fretted most useful and stick with it until you are so good you need a better bass! 😎 By then you might know what you NEED/ It's all you need 😄
    2 points
  19. nee naw, nee naw.... THIS IS THE THREAD POLICE. PUT YOUR HANDS UP!!!! YOU ARE BOTH ARRESTED UNDER SUSPICION OF THREAD HIJACKING!!!
    2 points
  20. Just be sure to have some fat pillows at the bottom of your cellar stairs, you know, in case of accidental falls.
    2 points
  21. If I have I can't remember. I've been a pro bassist for 25 years, and believe me when you're getting paid to play as your main source of income then you become less picky pretty quickly! Of course we've had band decisions on songs over the years that may have been based on personal likes/dislikes etc, but the overriding outcome has always been ' will it help us go down better / get work / please the booker' etc etc. My worst scenarios (thankfully rare) have been when recording - some songwriter wanting bass on his (not great) songs. Having to keep schtum / not laugh / try and polish a turd etc is always really difficult, especially when you know it's got your name on the finished article. Same as backing dodgy acts - it's my job to try and make them sound as good as possible, end of story. 🙂
    2 points
  22. I don’t make a big thing of it, the music, I’m not a boaster. But occasionally I come up against the Pringle pullover brigade and can’t resist telling them I’ve played at Wentworth. When they all look suitably impressed I have to let it down and explain that it was with the band. They lose interest then.
    2 points
  23. Band i was in 2 yrs ago was taking £500 for a club gig but they were regulars on the club circuit. Not sure what they took for a pub gig as i never actually played a pub with them but i know it was less. For a new band in a club i would be expecting £300 upwards from what other musicians have told me. We've just been offered £1200 at a social club for a first gig as Glam Rock covers band altho our singer has played this club solo with backing tracks for £300. The gig is also on 28th Dec so that's gonna make a big difference. This is a new band and looking to start gigging in April this year. (new keys player starts next week) The band are all pertty well known on their respective circuits and have come together to do this project as we all have a love of 70's Glam Rock. They are talking gigs £1k upwards doings clubs and theatres. Drummer ex-Glitterband (1990's era) and keys from Racey (circa 90's era) I'm really quite excited about this wee band. Great fun so far. Dave
    2 points
  24. In an old punk covers band of mine we split the set into about a third of the songs that were undroppable and the rest that were picked from a long list that could rotate in and out. We typically had about ten or twelve more songs than we needed for any gig, so you put up with ones you didn't enjoy, and then rotated them out when it was your turn to do the set list. the crowd was king, and if they liked a song that you disliked so much that it became undroppable then you put up with it (and equally, if they were indifferent to your personal favourite, it was banished forever, tough luck...we did an absolutely cracking version of London's Burning by the Clash that only lasted two gigs because it's not one that the casual punk fan will remember and it's never been used in an advert, so there's no point in arguing that it's a much better song than I Fought The Law)
    2 points
  25. Fed up of Sex On Fire? play this instead 😂
    2 points
  26. And me too, although it's the guitarist who gives me the nod! Thought it was just me, phew.... Can you imagine if everyone in the band flatly refused to do certain songs / anything by particular artists? In my old 8 piece band, it would have made for a few pretty short sets! In cover bands we all have to bite the bullet sometimes and play stuff we consider crap / embarrassing / beneath us etc etc, but that's what its' all about - giving whoever is paying / supporting you what they want. The Mavericks tune mentioned above is a classic example, and when I went to see them it was that song that got their audience dancing in the aisles. Job done.
    2 points
  27. Bass Direct is amazing. I recently bought a bass from them and everything was super smooth. The customer service is amazing (I sent a mail and they answered me in like 5 minutes - in the morning), the packaging was the best I've ever seen and the prices are quite good. It's awesome to have such a dedicated bass-only store with the best products and great service. I've never been to the physical shop but my experience from their online services was top notch.
    2 points
  28. Yes, I have one (sold my FI to Quatschmacher); I'm still learning to use it but straight out of the box I you can get some great sounds and it's easy to hook up to a midi controller (DA DMC.micro) with a mono patch cable (which means I can tweak and save presets). It's small (well, compared to the FI), easy to fit on a smallish board and gives me enough very good synth sounds for me to use with the band. Tracking is very good for some sounds, OK for others. I mainly use it in mono mode as well. The octave sounds are nice and contrast enough with my Octobvre to justify keeping both. Overall, the FI is a better pedal, but for me, more than I need.
    2 points
  29. 2 points
  30. I always struggle with originals bands that don't want to play their biggest hits - Nirvana not wanting to do Smells Like Teen Spirit, or Robert Plant being bored of Stairway To Heaven. I have some sympathy, and I've become bored of playing the odd song, either originals or covers (depending on the band) just because of the repetition - usually it's the ones that are no challenge to play, and sometimes that makes me really dislike the song, but I prefer Lemmy's attitude, sick of playing Aces Of Spades but doing it every night because he knew that it was the one song that fans wanted to hear
    2 points
  31. If you watch the youtube videos of Geddy explaining why he reverted to Fenders, you would realise that he didn't set out to make his Fender sound like a Rick [sic]. He found an old '72 in a pawn shop and tried it. realised that he could get a wider range with the Fender and therefore changed his preference. As far as dreadful bass tones. Beauty is in the, in this case, ear of the beholder, so clearly its potatoes, potatos, tomatoes, tomatos. What's good for you, ain't necessarily good for me. I love Geddy's tone. I love Lemmy's tone and Entwistle had a great sound too. I don't generically love overdriven sounds, but I realise there is a place for them. This pedal can deliver far more than just giving you a Geddy sound. Its an overdrive and a damned good quality one at that.
    2 points
  32. We play Don't Look Back In Anger, and for the third chorus everyone drops out but me, just playing single root notes while the punters sing it to us. Satdy night was me and sixty or so people raising the roof. Brilliant to be a part of.
    2 points
  33. Oh, dear. I seem to have spent another £100 I really didn't need to spend, just so I can prop my Rumble a little bit higher... TBH, practice room could use a little more bass displacement... They kept telling me to turn it up! (Which is nice )
    2 points
  34. It's not just the music industry - its the race to the bottom where everything revolves around buying something cheaper....whether its internet shopping or lowering manufacturing costs for increased profitability 😞
    2 points
  35. Not a funky green colour, and no matching headstock either, but a seriously good bass nonetheless!!
    2 points
  36. Y’know when you pick your nose after it’s bled for a bit...? errr.. me neither. Honest.
    2 points
  37. Yeah, never been a fan of his bass tone. Sounds good up the neck but on the low notes it's just a horrible mid range fart. Still compared to his singing it sounds glorious.
    2 points
  38. He sounds bloody awful most of the time, why would anybody want this? [runs away]
    2 points
  39. To my utter amazement it's not metaphorically, no. We're doing 18 EU and UK dates as baby support for Pink this summer; UK dates are two nights in Glasgow, Cardiff, Liverpool, and two nights at Wembley. I'm as baffled as everyone else to be honest but pretty sure our agent is getting a pay-rise this year.
    2 points
  40. Are you guys actually bass players? Call Me The Breeze and every thing else by JJ Cale, has great, simple and effective bass lines that push the song along perfectly. Never Met A Girl Like You, anything by U2, Status Quo or ZZ Top and many others. . . all simple bass lines that are nothing by themselves but are exactly right in their place. If the bass line is good for the song then it's a good bass line.
    2 points
  41. You may wish to check out the isolated bass on Youtube. There's more going on than you'd think.
    2 points
  42. I like The Cardigans - First Band On The Moon and Grand Tuerneo are both good albums. I also like the ethos behind the band which was essentially four metal musicians decide to write pop songs and recruit an art school student who's not sung before to front it. Sounds daft, but somehow works
    2 points
  43. I play a fair amount of acoustic guitar, for private fun and also in a guitar / vox duo. What pees me off is," We're having a BBQ on Sunday, be great if you can make it. Bring your guitar"I It's like having to sing for your supper or someone expecting you to entertain their guests for a lump of chicken!! Regarding the main issue of people knowing you play, I'm never impolite but tend to have a bit of a laugh with it all. I remember being dragged over to a couple of guys eager to chat about their past musical endeavours. They were both into 70s Rock and started spouting various names so I tried to avoid the chat by making out that I was a Jazz musician. "Ah yeah, like a bit of Jazz meself" I then told them I'd played alongside one of the UK's greatest brass sections that featured the great Pete Sutcliffe on tenor and alto saxes, trombone player "fast" Freddie West and Harry Shipman on trumpet. Even got the "Blimey" whilst nodding approval and recognition, before I shuffled off.😂
    2 points
  44. Still happens. Personally I love all this as the punk scene is now what it always should have been, friendly and a good laugh, everyone getting on, punks, Skins, goths, crusties, all getting along together and listening to some great - and not so great, but who cares - music.
    2 points
  45. Like all our SansAmps the output is low impedance and is designed for direct use. There is no XLR connection though. If connectivity is an issue you can either use a 1/4" to XLR adapter or any inexpensive DI will work. As mentioned most mixing consoles and interfaces can accommodate TS, TRS and XLR connections. Usually the issue for live is most snakes don't offer combo inputs.
    1 point
  46. .... And there's more ... Does anyone know who the guy cutting the tape is , and the lady with the trumpet ?
    1 point
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