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Hey dudes, it finally uploaded... So, word of warning... this ended up a little (understatement) longer than I though it was gonna be, but I wanted to cover a few things. Things I hit upon that may be of interest: The reason why we're experimenting with longer form dripped courses outside of the SBL Academy What's actually included within the SBL Academy (for those of you who have no idea) The reason why my YouTube content has changed over the years (this will probably be of most interest to you, as it's likely not what you think) Am I the same in "real life"... or is it a show for the camera? And a bunch or other morning ramblings Ezzzzz

You dudes... recorded a quick vid for ya's as I thought it'd be easier than writing an essay... I'll upload it this morning and post in here... but in the meantime, fear not, I haven't gone insane, and for those that seem interested all is OK with my wife too. Gimme an hour, I'll be back with ya.

Can I just say that I love the fact Scott Devine took the time and trouble to do the video. And actually, it was not very Youtubey either so it truly is appreciated.

This is my current fave - anyone on the forum ?! RevDrGlover (Coventry) Sunday 24 Mar 2019, 7:26pm I'll turn-up to every practice, won't do tiresome bass solos, will syncopate between lead guitar and the kick-drum, fattening-up your sound, and will have no opinion about 'musical direction', just like bass players should. I've been playing with bands that are 'nearly ready to gig' for four years, without playing an actual gig. I bloody love making music with other people. Happy to carry-on doing that; thoroughly enjoying practice sessions, or actually practice to the point of actually playing an actual gig. I'm in my 50's with a mental age of 14 or so, and love what bass guitar can do to glue a band together. If that's what you're missing; I'm your man*. [*Or your gender-neutral bass-person who's cosplaying a fat lazy old bloke.] Blip me a DM, and I'll WhatsApp you on Instagram, or fax you a Telex at your Reddit PO Box number. Erm, bro.

Its good to have you back and on this forum!

Respect.

Not basses, but as somebody with a few hobby rooms / cupboards full of "stuff", I'll say this: 1) If it gives you pleasure - you're winning. (if it gives you more grief / stress / worry than pleasure - you're doing something wrong). 2) It's usually easier to acquire stuff than it is to, um, decquire stuff. 3) He who dies with the most toys - wins. 4) See #3 5) See #3

So have I, that’s why we’ve got 4 kids 😉

Is that polite for putting on weight. 😂🍺🍺🍺🍔🍟🍕🍖🍗🥩🥓🥞🥖🥨🧀🥚🍳🍞🥯🥐🥬🍪🌰🥜🍫🍰🎂🍧🍨🍧🍧🍧🍡🧁🍧🍘🍥

It's the British way or something. Build them up 👍, and when they seem to be doing well - knock 'em back down again. 👎 And lets be honest, once you've had your picture taken with @TheGreekyou're pretty much right up there! 😎

The JMB poster may be commended for their brevity if nothing else. Frankly, it looks a bit weird without the usual lengthy list of entirely incompatible influences: (Aerosmith, Jimmy Shand, Stockhausen, The Macc Lads, Englebert Humperdinck, Bootsy Collins).

Good talk Scott. Absolutely fascinating, watched from beginning to end. Thanks for being so candid re youtube, also for the clarity over what is SBL vs what is external. Perfect response to this thread.

I hope everyone's wives are OK, by the way* *Where applicable

110%... I was speaking to the team about her yesterday saying we need to get something set up. Joe Dart's at the top of the list at the mo though, just trying to figure some stuff out around that. Was supposed to be hooking up in LA a few weeks back but stuff didn't line up - I will make sure it does though. For me, Carol is at the top of that list too... Also, someone on here mentioned Pino... he's defo on the list of peeps I wanna land, it's a little complex because of his schedule and a few other moving parts. He's also a private dude too, so I'll have to do some serious sweet talking.

Perhaps he could give you some tips on your reggae / ska technique? Something like 'Aaaargh! Make it stop Ricky! Please god, make it stop!!! ' Something like that?

Doh... already recorded the vid mate, so I'll do it here... Ricky 4000... YOU ARE AWESOME!

Did once. To get married. The lady in question bought it back, hence why I married her...

I reckon this one's definitely worth going for. They seem a really talented and dedicated bunch.

I reserve the right to put so many double negatives in sentences that they make no sense to anyone!

When I started bass again after a couple of decades off, I clocked YouTube for a few freebie lessons and found most resonance with Scott Devine's videos (for bass guitar) and those of Geoff Chalmers (for DB). Clearly, the funk/jazz thing is where I belong, so this was the obvious site to hit. Anyway, I subscribed - lifetime - and I pick through the courses for what I want, rather than trying to do everything. However, sometimes I will find a course that I wasn't looking for but piques my interest anyway, so I will give it a go. Steve Lawson's Fretless course was essential viewing for me, and I watched Phil Mann's slap courses to get myself into that technique, because it was something I'd not done before. But...I also enjoyed courses by Jonathan Maron, Andrew Gouche and Bobby Vega without knowing too much about any of those guys before, so those were nice surprises. And that's why I like the Academy, I'm constantly finding stuff out that I didn't know before. I don't LIVE in the Academy site, but it's really helped me to get back into the swing of this. (Yes, literally.) And...at the first London Bass Guitar Show I attended, I went along to the SBL room and picked up a lot of stuff; though what I enjoyed the most was Scott playing live with Mike Outram and a BRILLIANT Brazilian drummer whose name escapes me (sorry @devinebass, you did tell us but I'm old and I forget.....sorry what was I saying?). I don't mind Scott's occasional "waffle" introduction to a vid - if I do get fed up at any time, hey I know how to use a fast forward. I just like to see the enthusiasm - better than some miserable person trying to lecture me on the intricacies of A Minor Demented Mode and making the whole thing seem too much like hard work. So no, I don't begrudge him anything - clearly he's worked damned hard on this and it's something that fills a need, my need in fact; so why not?

🙂 My brother keeps on encouraging me to buy a cheap 3/4 classical guitar and a 'ukelele bass conversion kit'. I saw the ideal guitar today in a charity shop for £15. Unfortunately I'd just dropped my car off for its post-MOT work and I just didn't have the balls to walk through town carrying a bright pink 'Barbie-style' guitar...

Why Me? asks washed up Radio DJ Simon Mayo pondering Teebs' nipples yesterday

SBL isn't for me (prefer face to face lessons), but if it works for you, great, and it's great for Scott that he can make a crust from this & reach so many bass players across the world. Why do people always want to knock others that make a success of something?

Setting up 9 months in advance does seem a bit excessive, but at least it gives you plenty of time to properly sound check.

This is well worth a watch. It's like a TED talk....

Sooo close now! Unfortunately one of the pickups is dead so just sorting out fixing that with Nordstrand, then it’s pretty much final neck carve and finishing I think

Since getting mine, I've been lucky enough to acquire beautiful (real) '73 and '63 P's. Technically I should now sell my Limelight, but I can't part with it. It's just too wonderful.

I've heard of G&L in the past. I knew of the fender association etc. However, i like many never took much notice. If I was going to spend that amount of money, it would probably be on a fender. As luck has a way of doing things, I managed to pick up a g&l m2000 tribute for a great price. So good that if I didn't like it I could easily sell without much loss. Having had it a week, all I can say is wow! What a bass. The craftsmanship, build quality and design include balance etc is absolutely superb. It just feels lovely to hold and play. The active eq is brilliant. Go from a p bass to jazz to stingray in a second. The sound is true from growly low end to super smooth high end. Everything just fits lovely. Having done a bit of reading too, the bridge us an interesting unit. It also has an Allen screw that if you tighten it it makes it a mass bridge which really improves sustain and tightness of the bass. Ed friedlander has a great video on YouTube about it. In all honesty I'd love it to have an active and passive option (just as emergency back up) but hopefully it'll be possible for some tech to sort that with a push pull switch. I'd also like to design a p bass scratchplate for it, which would look wonderful. In summary though, I honestly don't think I'll ever look at another brand of bass. I've had all sorts over the years including: westones, fender p USA, jazzes, headless, Yamaha bb424s, v4s, and these g&ls are just a big step above them all in design, quality, finish and sound. I've played over a few backing tracks, from sabbath to u2 and disco to jazz, through headphones and it took seconds to find a sound that sat perfect every time. That really is good design. I'd love to try a L100, which will go on my list, but maybe a L2000 too! Great stuff G&L. Much impressed. Here is a stock photo.

Update... we’ve raised about £3200 so far. Iris is doing well, lots and lots (and lots) of appointments. But tonight...

But what a festival lineup that would have made...

I managed about 3 minutes. I will need to watch Slade in Flame tonight to cleanse my brain of it.

Like 'Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster'?

My title is a tribute to Scott's ones. Attracting like what I used to learn as a free journalist many many many many many many many many moons ago : the title must push the reader to go further. Job done. Now, I can go back to 😴

Just a quick mockup with the mirrored pickguard............ 😀

I think many of us are just swayed by wanton lust for basses, I know I certainly am. 🙄 Sometimes your tastes change, sometimes your body changes and what you hope will be the last bass you'll ever buy turns out to be just another bass. As other members have commented it's all good clean fun and if a buyer (of a new bass) goes into the purchase with their eyes wide open knowing that they're going to take a hit if it doesn't work out, fair play to them. If buying used, you can just move it on for the same price you paid for it. Happy days!

In their website blurb Mark says something along the lines of 'players who want the sound, feel and look of a vintage instrument'. I didnt know that he started out as a cheaper option to Nash.

Merton has asked me to colour the headstock face black to match the body, which I think will be a very nice touch and make the bass look more retro'.

If it’s a great neck, how about putting it on a P bass body? Like that one you liked in the abstinence thread. Decent body, Fralin pickup...mmm.... 😍

Firstly, my usual caveat on how to define "sight reading". Sight reading is different from (mere) reading, in that its the first time you've played that piece of music. If its the 2nd time, then its not sight reading! Secondly, I'm not sure what you necessarily call "high end" - 10th position? Given the above, then the answer is YES. Its harder than with fretted bass, but its certainly possible. You need to be comfortable with not only reading music but sufficiently relaxed/good that you can know where you are, look away then look back again and "find" your place again without getting lost. Because, on a bass, the neck is so indistinct that you need to occasionally glance, when doing big shifts. You can listen, and do short shifts, and not need to look but the best/most practical way is a combination of choosing the positions right (ie if there's notes which can be played on open string, use them as a "reference point" for the pitch; or just know you're positions sufficiently well that you can keep in position and not be all over the place all the time), listening to your own intonation and the experience of knowing where to put your left hand - which is relatively easy if you're in a fixed position, a bit harder with short shifts (but entirely possible) and much harder with big shifts (but still possible, but be prepared to have a quick look, or correct the intonation PDQ as needs be).

My Wounded Paw Battering Ram EQ was only £150 and it slays this stuff. £250? For them?!! Ashdown have obviously had access to the "Markbass crack warehouse" before deciding on pricing structure.

I’ve been there! Have to admit. The less I have had to worry about cash, the less care I take in “trying stuff out”. I sometimes get it right, sometimes get it wrong but to me that is part of the “hobby”. The surprise for lack of a better word. Finding the next “best thing”, sometimes it is and if not I sell it again even at a loss. The reason things do not sell is because either the market is too niche, or the price too high. Avoid that and you will sell. All part of the game and I enjoy it. I mainly buy 2nd hand, but have also had stuff built for me. I have set myself some boundaries too as I do not need Foderas or such, but for the rest it is just fun and games not more wastful than going out on the p1ss every Friday and Saturday evening and certainly healthier. It is my money to spend, I have fun with it and it means I have been able to try many many brands and basses over the years, so can even give advice to others based on my experience with an instrument. Nothing wrong with that in my book.

My solution is to wait until a secondhand high end bass comes along that is close to what I want, then subtly modify or finesse it until it’s exactly what I want. Ends up being a hell of a lot cheaper than a brand new custom, and I lose very little in resale if I ever change my tastes.

Just to note that all of my custom ACGs (and I'm a frequent flyer) have cost less than a Fender Custom Shop bass. In fact a number have cost less than a US Professional series. Yes of course there is a risk, and you definitely won't get your money back, but by chosing carefully (both luthier and spec) then you can mitigate some of that risk.

Ten hours of video is a lot to edit. Probably cut down from a lot more. Probably production staff to pay (some young buck getting their first break making the tea etc - deserve to get paid, right?) What else goes in to these videos? Renting or buying the space to produce them, etc. It’s the same argument with music - why pay for it? Because someone took the time to get good at it, then make it. Btw, I’m not a subscriber. Devils advocate duty for today - check!