Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 27/01/20 in all areas

  1. Today I took receipt of my first bass a Fender Vintera Mustang in sea foam green. Bought the bass from @Grantd who made the process super simple, really nice guy and went above and beyond to get the bass to me, so thank you, definitely buy with confidence. Really chuffed with this bass, should give me a solid platform to learn from and more importantly makes me smile.
    14 points
  2. Finally managed to make myself something! I wasn't sure whether to post this in build diarys or gear porn but I've plumped for here. Anyway, it's 32"scale which I'm finding really comfortable to play. Although with drop tuning things get a bit flabby so I'm going to try a thicker guage. I was also worried the LP style might suffer from neck dive but it's not an issue at all. It has a flamed Ash top and walnut neck and I'm very pleased with it.
    13 points
  3. You're both right: 50% on the source 50% on the amp 50% on the speakers
    6 points
  4. 6 points
  5. That description probably accounts for 75% of the basschat collective
    6 points
  6. For Sale £1850 Here we have my Spector Forte 4 Helium. Quite a rare beast and an unbelievably loud one. Fantastic tones has been used for recording only and there are a few marks on the black bridge but nothing on the body. Has lived most of its life in its Spector case. Weight 8.1 lbs At the winter NAMM 2014 Spector © debuted the first of its Helium™ Series, NS™ and Forte™ basses. These instruments utilise a unique combination of woods to achieve a great sounding bass with low weight. The top of this neck thru body instruments wings are carved from quarter sawn sycamore obtained from salvaged logs of trees which have blown down in our local forests near Woodstock NY. The back of the body wings is reclaimed redwood that was originally harvested in California between 75 and 100 years ago and used for the construction of water tanks which are sited on top of office buildings in NYC. They have been filled with the purest NYC drinking water for all those years which continuously permeates the redwood. This soaking with the water helps to wash out all of the sugar in the cells of the wood so that it dries more completely and in a similar way to the method used traditionally for curing violin wood in Europe. The final Helium™ element is a Spector © locking bridge made of aluminium with brass saddles. The instruments possess a full warm bottom end with a unique bloom to the attack of the notes. This construction is available in our USA NS Neck-Thru Series™ in our GrayBurst color in either matte or gloss finish, and also in our USA Forte Series™ basses in our trans black stain matte finish. Love this bass but fancy a change. Would consider a Rickenbacker 4004c or L as a swap.
    5 points
  7. People who don’t stop talking at gigs really annoy me.
    5 points
  8. Any fule kno that to reproduce the sound of a bass guitar correctly you need a 4x10 on top of a 1x15, preferably topped off with a tweeter box. Then you can lunge to your heart's content. While wearing a waistcoat.
    4 points
  9. Ok just back and thought I’d see how much fettling these would need before I can fit. Answer absolutely none. Nothing! They fit so snug in the guard and the pole pieces it’s ridiculous! I’m sure MM would be proud if they’d pulled it off! Absolutely over the moon @GisserD and much thanks for your help. I’ll tell the other dudes about it and I’m sure they’ll be ordering soon. This place man, it’s just amazing 👏👏 Couple of pics to show how neat they fit (obviously not set up yet!)
    4 points
  10. We had a chat...I didn't feel that he took on board what I had to say. His general attitude was "this is how I wrote the song and what the song requires" - I wasn't in agreement and didn't feel I was being listened to. Not a good sign. I've walked.
    4 points
  11. I was a big fan of the Jam back in the day and appreciated the kick and rhythmic foundation Bruce Foxton brought to the band. I've been building guitar partscasters - Tels and Strats - for a few years and this is my first bass and I wanted a black and maple precision. All pre-used parts this cost less than £500. 2018 Fender Player Precision neck, 2016 MIM Precision body, USA pickguard, ebonised tru-oiled rosewood thumb rest, Seymour Duncan SPB-1 pickup with CTS pots and Bare Knuckle .22uF paper in oil cap. Gotoh 201B-4 bridge. It's got plenty of thunk and clang on tap. The Rotosound Swing Bass set are in the post, but the D'Addarios on there currently sound very good. Looks great with my early nineties Rickenbacker 330 in Fireglo (final pic).
    3 points
  12. Amplifier No Longer for sale
    3 points
  13. Thanks to the stakeholders it can be closed. Best regards
    3 points
  14. After deciding to plonk for an MTD last March (a hell of a waiting list) I finally recieved pictures of my custom build from Daniel over at MTD. The spec I have gone for is 534-24/19mm poplar body, myrtle burl top with blue burst finished. Maple or grade b birds eye fretboard Matching headstock, truss cover, slap ramp and knobs Here is a picture of it as it nears completion! Can't wait to get this over here. I will update when the finished article is ready.
    3 points
  15. Just an idea I had... I'm currently building my fourth bass. It's generally going very well given the short time I've been doing it and I'm sure if I continue to hone my craft and amass better equipment I'll one day produce something someone might like to buy. In the meantime, though, I'm just making them for myself, which is all well and good, but surely the real challenge is making something to fulfil someone else's needs. As a consumer, I'm very forgiving of my own shortcomings! So I was just wondering - if there's anyone else out there at a similar stage, i.e. able to handbuild a serviceable bass but not feeling ready (or perhaps even willing) to go into business with it. If so, perhaps we could come up with an arrangement where we build an instrument for each other? In theory it wouldn't be limited to two people - an even number could pair off and an odd number could just go round in a circle. Obviously there would need to be further discussion to hammer out all the details, expectations, etc, but I just wanted to put it out there and see what people think. It may well have been done before on here - I wasn't sure how to word a search for something similar! I know there are more dedicate builder's forums out there, and I might try there in due course, but I've found the community here very encouraging and it's as good a place as any to start.
    3 points
  16. Funny you should say that... ...here are the happy couple. @TheGreek is absolutely right @Ashwood1985’s five string ACG is indeed a monster, Had a go this afternoon, glorious bass, someone will be getting a totally unique, beautifully built bass. I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that @skelf is the best bass builder in the country, actually, fvck it, best bass builder in the world.
    3 points
  17. It's roughly 80 mins a day, which isn't that much - I do an album each way on my commute, I also stick on albums in the background if I'm cooking dinner or similar. Just had a baby, so there's a lot of time sitting around feeding him at the moment when I can't get any other work done, so that's now prime listening time. I'm the same - I was basically raised on Dire Straits, The Eagles and very little else, then spent my teens listening to nothing but metal. I'm doing a blend of CDs and Spotify for precisely the reasons you mentioned. I wasn't going to make a list, but it might be good to make it public as a way of holding myself accountable and making sure I don't quit by March!
    3 points
  18. It's not about cars though. Whatever you think of Italian cars, the Italian PA speaker industry is world-leading. This isn't the first time that carbon fibre has been used for speaker cabinets, but the cost isn't usually worth it for most people. I can see some people going for it - cost being relative and all that. I certainly like the look of their heads.
    3 points
  19. Thank you. New Premium 1305 5 string. I'll have to find a pic of the SR30th anni
    3 points
  20. That's a fine result. Happy to have been of service!
    3 points
  21. Bass Soul Food might give you what you’re after. There’s varying opinion with them but you can nab one used pretty cheap and it does really need to be heard in a band mix as it could sound a bit middy and ugly on its own. That’s a fair point if I say so myself make sure and demo the pedal with your band. All too often folk on forums especially the TB crowd are buying and flipping gear within days having not tried them in context with their bands. Very important and not to be overlooked!
    3 points
  22. Bad News? Weren't they the Spinal-tappy band from The Comic Strip Presents? With Rick Mayall etc... Yes they was: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_News_(band)
    3 points
  23. They actually don't - this forum prohibits the advertising and sale of all Rickenbackers, real or fake. Discussion is absolutely fine.
    3 points
  24. You have a signal chain, from your fingers to the cone. Every bit counts towards the final sound. And then you have the audience and the room. All your gear should be good, but the cabs do the heavy lifting and they should be the best you can afford. The rule of thumb in the old hi-fi days was to spend 50% of your budget on the speakers. That's how important cabs are to your final sound. Cabs are still important if you are DIing, then its the PA cabs and your monitors that are critical.
    3 points
  25. Don't worry It's just my silly sense of humour..... John Hall, CEO of Rickenbacker Guitars is a notorious litigator and sues anyone or anything that relates to the "Fakers" This very forum has been threatened by his highly paid lawyers in the past .. I was merely combining the the possibility of you being an undercover agent with a threat from my alter ego..Dr Ray Mondeaux.
    3 points
  26. Whilst it makes a great difference to us bassists it probably makes little or no difference to the audience. At a bass bash we did a cab test and although there were slight differences with the sound, every single one of us would have been happy to own/gig any of the cabs tested. And they ranged from super cheap to super expensive.
    3 points
  27. I did exactly this the week before last. Met up with three other randoms with a view to jamming together. As it transpired, the jam revealed that they were looking to go down an originals route rather than covers as I was. However, it was worthwhile not least because I got out and played stuff I wouldn’t normally have done (though the 10 minute jam on blues in C wasn’t my highlight of the evening!) but also it helped me focus on what I did want to be playing. I politely messaged them afterwards to explain and we all parted amicably. I was introduced to some music I’d never heard before, got to play with new people and (largely) had fun. What’s not to like?
    3 points
  28. Me neither. I find the thread Mr Raymondo's referencing both baffling and terrifying in equal measure...
    3 points
  29. No reason not to post it here @MB1. He's not trying to sell it. Hi @RichardD22 - that's a common, very good quality mid-70s Japanese-made 4001 copy. These were sold under various brands, and badged as Shaftesbury are the most common through-neck Rick copy in the UK. They also appear here badged as CMI, Cimar and JHS. It's not 100% clear who made them but generally it's thought to be Chushin Gakki, one of the biggest Japanese manufacturers of the 70s & 80s. Shame about the mods, but it would be pretty straightforward to return it to standard with replacement scratchplate & pickups. Recommend you join the Rickenfakers FB group for info, unbiased chat & contacts. Interesting that it looks like the original bridge pickup's been moved to the neck position - there might be a code stamped underneath which can tell you its date of manufacture, and therefore an accurate age for the bass. Apropos of nothing - the replacement bridge pickup looks like an early 70s Maxon bass humbucker. Cool old unit probably taken from an MIJ EB-0 or EB-3 copy.
    3 points
  30. As someone who plays Bass VIs exclusively in one of my bands (I own a Burns Barracuda and a Squier Bass VI) here's my take: The 30" scale models with 3 pickups tuned E-E (an octave below standard guitar tuning) are most definitely basses, but with an extended upper range. The voicing of the 3 pickups allows bass as well as guitar type sounds. Don't expect to be able to play full chords in the first (or second) position on one of these though, it's just an undefined bassy mess. However two or three note chords in the upper register can work well, if you pick your notes and pickup voicings and arrange the song for it. Bar chords are unplayable unless you a have a vice-like grip on your fretting hand. In my band I alternate between bass parts and mid-range melody lines, but we don't have a guitarist and live, the synth player takes over with a bass sound when I'm playing melodies on the Bass VI. As I said it's all about the arrangement. The Squier Bass VI can be a good starting point, but there are a number of things you need to take into consideration first. 1. The neck is very narrow even by guitar standards. Of all the Bass VIs currently available the Squier has by far the narrowest neck. Think 70s Fender Stratocaster width, which with the much thicker strings you need very Bass VI tuning doesn't make the string spacing low down on the neck very comfortable. If you are used to very narrow guitar necks then you might be OK. I play guitar as well but all my guitars have wider necks so I find the Squier a bit of a struggle hence it's been relegated to being my spare Bass VI for live work only. On the other hand the bridge spacing is much better (wider) than a lot of the competition. IMO you have to try them all, but you may well find like me that it is a compromise between narrow string spacing at the nut or narrow string spacing at the bridge. This is a function of many of the instruments using standard guitar parts when they should IMO really be using specialised ones to account for the thicker strings. 2. The supplied stings are too light for decent bass playing - especially low E and A. This problem affects all the Bass VIs I have tried. What you change them for will depend on the sound(s) you are after. 60s style bass VI and you'll probably want LaBella Bass VI Flats. If your inspiration is more late 70s post-punk (Cure, New Order) you'll want either LaBella Bass VI Rounds or Newtone Axion Bass VI strings. I like the Newtones - the lower strings are the same gauge and feel as standard short-scale bass round wounds but the G, B and high E are lighter for a more guitar-like feel. 3. On the Squier you will also need to shim the neck to get a better string break angle over the bridge. You might also want to change the bridge for a StayTrem model that doesn't rock back and forth on the posts. This is fine if you are playing MBV guitar parts, but doesn't really add anything to a Bass VI except more opportunities to go out of tune. You will also find once you have changed the strings that the vibrato mechanism now barely works with the increased tension of the heavier strings. Again this a compromise. You can have a working vibrato but only if your bass lines can cope with the sloppy sound of of the lighter gauge strings. 4. You'll need to think about your amplification if you want both bass and guitar-like sounds from one. I run mine into a Line 6 Helix multi-effects and then direct into the PA with an RCF745 FRFR powered speaker for on-stgae monitoring. Otherwise I'd need separate bass and guitar rigs to get the appropriate sound for the different parts. Again experimentation is the key to find what works best for you. Occasionally at multi-band gigs I've forced into using the bass rig for on-stage monitoring. In these cases I always find that the higher parts end up sounding like bad jazz guitar. I know it's going to sound fine FoH so I don't worry about it too much, however if you are a player who needs to be hearing the right sounds on stage to be able to get the best out of your playing, that is something to consider. Hope all of that helps.
    3 points
  31. I look forward to the pics and full-on detailed review in due course. No reason for sayin' that of course. No reason at all 😁
    2 points
  32. That was a struggle! If you hadn't specifically told me that it was there, I'd never have found it. Whoever designed that website should be strung up by the microchips. The shape of the pickups has nothing to do with the old shark-tooth inlays, apparently. It's to do with improving the response on the lower strings, or so I was told when I asked them about it. Thanks for the heads-up, Woody. I may now need to have a chat with young Silvie ...
    2 points
  33. I've always been of the mindset (perhaps wrongly) that unless they're paying me to play for/with them, then my creative input is as important as any of the other band members. Obviously if I'm a hired hand, then that's very different. Doing it for free means to me, that it should be fun, not totally prescribed by somebody else.
    2 points
  34. @hiram.k.hackenbacker Bwahaha. I'm holding off another one until Spector finally wise up and build a EuroBird (TM).
    2 points
  35. I prefer standard psychology- "f*** off, d***wad" might have been my considered, thoughtful riposte.
    2 points
  36. Essex Harlots! Met up with @Frank Blank today to buy a Godin and he brought along my old harlot single cut to say hello to her sister. Not often you have two of these next to each other 😎
    2 points
  37. After many years of experimentation, my conclusion is that, if you want a non-fizzy overdrive sound, there's one factor that's super-important; much more so than any specific type of pedal or amp, and it's this: *** At some stage later in the chain than where the overdrive is generated, you MUST get rid of pretty much all the frequencies above about 5KHz, as this is where the horrible insectoid fizz comes from. *** This is often touched on in such discussions, but I don't think is emphasised nearly enough. Also, it's not sufficient to try to do this with any normal treble/tone controls on an amplifier or pedal , because they just don't have a steep enough cutoff of the upper frequencies. So, there are various ways of achieving the necessary steep HF rolloff: 1) Old school approach: Use a cab without a tweeter (since most bass cab woofers have a frequency response that drops like a stone above ~5KHz) [ But note: if you're also sending a DI signal to a PA system, you're still left the with the problem of removing the unwanted fizzy frequencies from that signal too! ] 2) Use an overdrive pedal with a built-in speaker simulator or low-pass filter @ ~5K This would include pedals such as the Tech 21 Sansamps, VT Bass etc, amongst others. ( Bargain hint: the Joyo American Sound pedal is a clone of the Tech21 Blonde, is cheap as chips, and works great for bass despite being intended for guitar...) 3) Use a separate speaker simulator or low-pass filter after your overdrive pedal(s) There are lots of these available these days, some of which allow you to load your own Impulse Response files to get the exact frequency response you want. I've found the Mooer Radar to be a great little pedal to play with for this kind of purpose. As long as you get this vital HF rolloff sorted via some method or other, there's a very wide range of pedals that will do the kind of job you're talking about. The other thing that seems to be very helpful for overdriven sounds is a (relatively gentle) bass roll-off BEFORE the overdrive generation, compensated for by some bass boost AFTER the overdrive (or perhaps mixing in some non-overdriven signal, as lots of pedals allow you to do these days). Good luck on the never-ending quest for the perfect bass overdrive sound! 😋 (PS: the Boss ODB3 may be the worst-sounding overdrive pedal I've ever tried!) (PPS I have a Danelectro Transparent Overdrive V1 which is a clone of the Paul Cochrane Timmy, and is fantastic, but is no longer available. The Caline Pure Sky is another super-cheap Timmy clone and may therefore also be great, but I haven't actually tried one... )
    2 points
  38. The Doors did use bass guitar players to some extend (not live AFAIK), but in this case it's Manzarek's left hand on the Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, and through some electronics. He might just be overdriving an input, Idunno. I've never seen him use organ pedals with his tiny combo organs, but that doesn't mean he never used them. I agree with EliasMooseblaster about the idea of a bass and an overdrive. The exact sound is hardly important for this song even though the overdrive part seems important to me. Me, I'd use a compressor as well so as to govern the decay as well as the oomph. Oh, and playing one octave closer to where the dust starts. 😃 BTW, for those few that might be interested, and I'm aware I'm being a foot fetish nazi here, there's no such thing as "foot pedals", much like there are no "hand pedals", "hand manuals" or "foot manuals". @Teebs, have you seen my nazi TLRT? Must've mislaid it.
    2 points
  39. IMO the op is worrying about the wrong thing. It's a cover band and he's the bass player so he should be playing the bass lines and they should be his interpretation of the original. His personality should be in those lines. I always listen to the original lines, then I'll decide how close I want to stick to them. IMO as long as you don't compromise the spirit and feel of the song, get in there and make the songs yours.
    2 points
  40. TC Electronics Spark booster gets my vote. Its like the Mojomojo with the blanket removed. Very natural open drive, runs off battery and doesn't change the tone too much. Waaaaay cheaper than the usual boutique pedals mentioned.
    2 points
  41. It's a bass line. . . . . . you're a bass player. . . . . . . so you play it.
    2 points
  42. Just remember not all P basses sound the same anyway, its a case of use your ears to see if you like it. A change of string can make much more difference than having a second pup on the bass and not using it.
    2 points
  43. Show him a melody to play. Then if he responds say “oh I thought we were writing each other’s parts “
    2 points
  44. Nonsense, they're on the fiddle as well
    2 points
×
×
  • Create New...