Leaderboard

Not my usual taste in basses, but once brought to my attention by Andy and John, I couldn't resist, especially given that it - or an instrument very very similar to it - was responsible for the bass parts on my fave album of all time, parts that I have been learning for about 10 years! What do I love? The nut is close to 45mm, the board is pretty much flat, the PUPs are light years apart, and it's bloody light. What do I not like? The colour Should be strung through, so a Badass III is going on at the weekend. The board is going to receive a damn good oiling at the same time. At some point in the future the finish may come off also. But in the meantime, I'm going to Graceland

Been after a passive jazz and rather than scrape together the 1-2k I'd normally deem necessary I decided to have a go with one of these, the Squier Classic Vibe 60s jazz - admittedly based purely on the OTT reviews I've read everywhere, who knows maybe I've saved myself a fortune. Maybe yes maybe no, I'll let you know in a week or so.

My dear old love, PR people - like the rest of the meeja - don't go to wine bars these days, even if wine bars existed. Christ, they don't even do Charlie anymore and that used to be a sine qua non, believe me. No, they're all 23 year-olds stuck at their desks from six in the morning till eleven at night, frantically tweeting corporate bollocks in between messaging their little friends and whimpering 'Oh, I'm so depressed, I'm working all the hours that God sends and I haven't got a life and I'll never be able to afford a place of my own because fascist baby-boomers, obvs, do you think Zoe likes me?'. Then they go home and lie awake all night sobbing into their Greta Thunberg pillowcases and cursing mankind for burning the planet. They're all stressed out of their tiny minds so no wonder they're doing weird shít like mocking up fake synths and pedals to annoy some dweeb 'journalist' who shouldn't even be on their radar and even if he was, just pay a couple of guys to break his fingers. If only they'd just relax and go down the pub at lunchtime and slope off early at half-four and throw sickies so they can spend the day in bed with an extensively tattooed hooker they'd be far happier and probably much more efficient.

Sometimes its better to just keep your memories of bands when they were at their peak. Dave

AFAICS the real mistake Behringer made was leaving themselves open to (wildly overplayed) allegations of anti-semitism. Other than that, I thought it was quite funny. Sure, it's not a good look to have so many pops at the same journo over a short space of time but sometimes people get under other peoples' skin to such an extent that they just lose it. Over time Kirn seems to have said some fairly unpleasant things about Behringer so a degree of pushback was probably inevitable - but Behringer overdid it in some peoples' eyes. Silly spat between an Internet 'influencer' and a gear cloner: who really gives a rat's anyway?

I hope that’s his name. That would be so cool.

I have just finished my latest bass build. It's the Brooks Grabbird. This bass combines the 1964 Gibson Thunderbird II with the 1973 Gibson Grabber. It features a nine ply neck through construction just like the Thunderbird. But with strips of maple veneer in between the mahogany, instead of walnut. The nickel covered humbucker resembles the pickup of the sixties Thunderbird. But the sliding mechanism in the raised middle section refers to the Grabber of course. The shape of the headstock echoes the Grabber headstock, but the ebony veneer on top is a nod to the Thunderbird headstock. The shorter headstock and the Ultra-lite tuners make sure it doesn't suffer any neckdive! Specs: - Neck through with figured mahogany body wings - Nine ply mahogany/maple neck - Ebony faceplate on headstock - Cherry gloss transparent acrylic finish - Rosewood fretboard - Jumbo frets - 34" scale - Handcut bone nut - Three ply white-black-white pickguard - Wide travel Thunderbird bridge plus tailstop - Spokewheel trussrod - Sliding Thunderbird pickup nickel. 9.2 K Ohm - Hipshot ultralite nickel plated tuners - Volume pot Bourns 500 kOhms logarithmic SRT - Tone pot Bourns 500 kOhms logarithmic SRT - Kemet capacitor 47 nF paper insulation - D'Addario Nickel plated Roundwound 45-105

Charity Appeal We've all got busy lives but we should each take a moment to think about some elderly, disadvantaged people. Just to make it more real, let's call them Tony, Phil and Mike. Tony's a bit of a brooding curmudgeon and his family might like to see the back of him for a year or two. Phil can hardly hobble to the cash-point these days and worse still his bank is in Switzerland so it would take him six months to walk there and back. As for Mike, it's like he barely even exists the way people never think about him, not even on bass guitar forums. Just £700 from each individual who reads this appeal would help Tony, Phil and Mike to get out and about and stay at some nice hotels and do some interviews, possibly on Graham Norton. Don't turn your back on them. Thank you.

Original lineup reunion! 😮

Quite so. Are the worlds of PR and Meeja any more productive, efficient or 'ground-breaking' since a bunch of po-faced puritans took over, insisting that they are 'passionate' about doing things even though 'passion' is about the last thing you'd associate with these bloodless, rule-making bean-counters? No, they are not. My poor niece works for a global PR behemoth and her life (and that of her colleagues) is pretty much as I describe above. When I outlined the 'spare jacket on the back of the chair' ruse to her she reacted as if I'd suggested robbing the poor box, so inculcated is she with the corporate BS. I hold out little hope of bringing her over to the Dark Side just yet. For all their so-called freedom and open-mindedness many young people today are little more than bowing, scraping sararimen which is why I am launching an outreach mentoring project where old industry hands such as myself and @FinnDave teach our shining-faced youth such valuable lessons as how to successfully function in the workplace after a lunch comprising four pints, two bottles of wine, a large brandy and a pork pie.

I have 5 tattoos and am available for fun and friendship

Bloody love Genesis.

For me its my Fender Rumble 800 HD head. Its not perfect overall, but it has more things i like and hardly anything ill never use. I like it so much that i put it up for sale and then withdrew it. I am torn between this and my MB800, which is noticeably smaller and has a punchier tone, but for now ill stick with the Fender.

Just seen this - absolutely hilarious. Apart from the idiocy of referring to the 3-piece as "the classic Genesis line-up " (you know nothin', Jon Snow!), they then post a picture of Tom Petty and label it as Mike Rutherford. http://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/genesis-set-to-reform-after-fans-spot-clue-released-online/ar-BB10HNz8?ocid=ientp The Telegraph. Serious feckwittery.

...also, he probably has a bloody good ear for a catchy bass part. Theory is no good if you don’t know how to use it.

Only because I’ve never used one and would be interested to hear your thoughts

The world holds its breath..... We auditioned a singer about 10 years ago, similarly young compared to us. He was a big lad, and really nervous. He had a small black bag with him. Amongst other songs we'd asked to to prepare Le Grange by ZZ Top. It's a song you can either do or not do, there's no middle ground. It was first up. He pulled out a can of 1664 from the bag, shook it, shotgunned it, and absolutely f*****g nailed the song. He didn't get the gig because others in the band were worried about his use of alcohol. I left the band.

Our video for Death Rag seemed to generate a bit of interest so here's our vid for 'Three Line Whip'. Follow us on insta / facebook / youtube etc. It makes our harmonica player feel like he's a real human when people pat him on the back! Let us know if you like it too. You'd be surprised how many people message to say they dislike it; its significantly higher than those who seem to like it!

I believe you have stolen Johnny 5's face...

I think they cancel out each other's weight right?

Listened back to last night. Big Al is in.

From journo bashing with a soupcon of racism (allegedly) to tattoo'd hookers/bass players and coronavirus statistics. Par for the course on BC

I now have it's sibling

Love is the Drug, Roxy Music. Infuritaingly difficult in places.

Thanks @Teebs. I'm sharing on Basschat's accounts. Hope it's recovered quickly.

Lightweight amps I've had are the Ashdown Mibass 500, the Markbass LMIII and the Aguilar TH500. I've ended up with the Ashdown RM500. It's got the most sensibly specified eq and does the 'slam' thing that not all lightweight amps do well.

IKEA

For my ears Gunnarson always played lines that supported the melody and propelled the beat - much like Jamerson. I think he had the theory and the feel - listen to something his line on Dancing Queen, properly listen without a bass in hand - it is a work of joy.

Jesus. £70-£180 for tickets at Newcastle. Do they not know we're poor up here?

I'm pretty sure that at those levels of touring where the only thing you have to drag is your tired carcass from top hotel to top hotel, are flown to the city of the gig (yes, this happens. I was lucky enough to meet members of AC/DC at Manchester on their Rock or Bust tour, and during the course of the conversation I found out that the band were actually staying in London and flew into Manchester in their private Airbus) then driven to the venue, where you don't even sound check, and then return journey after the show/meet and greets etc. Surely this it's a hell of a lot easier than Joe Average's gigging experience of loading the gear into a van, driving to the venue, unpacking and setting it up, playing the gig, putting it all back into the van, driving 90 mins home then unloading it all, only to be knackered all-day Sunday before going to work on Monday morning.

IMO, Genesis are about songs as much as performance. Provided Phil can pretty much navigate his way around the melodies, that’ll be good enough for me.

If it makes you feel good, you should absolutely do it. It’s why people watch films they’ve seen 100 times, watch the same sports team they watched as a kid despite the fact it is now rubbish and in the minor league, go to the same place in holiday each year trying to recreate the magical summer of ‘88 etc. Sentiment is powerful

Im done in the next day after a night at the Dog and Duck! It all sounds so sexy when you're in your 20's but I can't think of anything worse slogging your tired old carcass from flight to flight and hotel to hotel for months on end.

“If you end your bass training now — if you choose the quick and easy guitar path (as Vader did) — you will become an agent of evil.” – Yoda

🤦🏻‍♂️

That depends though. He’d had a lot of health problems fairly recent to that tour as I understand it. He may have got a bit better since then. There’s also a chance he may have spent the tour bombed out on pain meds. I have some idea of what that can be like. I tend to struggle with the idea of musicians telling other musicians when they should retire. The general public can vote with their feet, and nobody is forcing anyone to go to shows. But what happens when it’s your turn? My dad, who has been a jazz musician most of his life, retired from playing a couple of years ago because he felt he couldn’t cut it anymore, and his health has absolutely plummeted since. Because really, he’s nothing left to live for. It was everything to him. The same happened to his friend a few years before. He gave up playing, then gave up living, took to his bed and died.

An old hippy acquaintance of mine organised a Gig with a up & coming band many years ago. Was agreed that they'd given a Bar Tab in payment. Sadly for him it was the Pogues!

I find Bass on it's own is fairly boring, great in a band, but I play acoustic guitar when I want to just play and sing on my own

I've heard that Brian Pern is touring with them.

I'd agree with all of that, but can't remember having any lunches that light in my 16 years in throbbing heart of the nation's meeja. In fact, due mainly to the lunches, there isn't that much I do remember!

Before I purchased mine, I tried/played/borrowed many heads. I knew I wanted SS and light, so class D seemed the way to go. There was a GK I was impressed by, the Aguilar didn't do it for me, nor any Mark Bass, some were way out of my budget, and others bigger than 1u in height. When I tried a TecAmp Puma, it ticked all my boxes plus it was easy to get a great sound straightaway with my bass. So when one became available on Basschat at a more than reasonable price I bought it If you want to have a fiddle with it on Saturday you are more than welcome?

Put some tort on it, it’l be fine.

Well. That was enjoyable. Different. He’s good...but not flashy, loads of feel. Only downside...guitar is a Pointy thing with skulls on it..😟

Hola - I'd echo mike257 status above. A lot of the stuff covers off what I would say at a high level. Digital - In short, 2.4Ghz works but can suffer from drop outs when a room full of mobile phones looking for open wifi spots enters the room (e.g. so what works at soundcheck may cause you grief when the audience piles in) 5Ghz is better - what it gives up in range (assuming like for like transmission power compared to 2.4Ghz) it gains in there being more intermodulation free (e.g. interference free). Unlike 2.4Ghz, there aren't many 5Ghz systems around, certainly not from the more reputable manufacturers. Digital on channel 38 is best... but not common place unless you are investing in higher priced systems. For Shure, you are looking at the QLXD and ULXD as the cheapest (but not cheap) systems. Take a deep breath and click on this link - https://www.thomann.de/gb/shure_qlxd24_beta58_k51.htm (shared mic license = cost associated for license ) and this link - https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/wireless-handheld-microphones/shure-qlxd24-beta-58a-s50-823-832-and-863-865-mhz-handheld (free for use license) for an idea... and then think about adding another 6 or 7 hundred on top for ULX-D. I should point out, this is touring grade spec equipment - and hence are robust against mobile phones and wifi routers! Digital introduces latency as it has an analogue to digital conversion for the transmission and then digital back to analogue* (assuming that you haven't got something like a Dante enabled desk that keeps things in the digital domain) before going into the preamps in your desk. Depending upon the system, this latency should be kept as low as possible, especially if using in ears. Remember that latency is cumulative... so if you have a chain of digital devices, they will all add latency into the chain (for example a digital mic, into a digital vocal processor, into a digital desk will introduce 3 cumulative stages of latency). The latency could be the difference between a delay being not being able to be detected to completely unusable because it will sound like a delay has been put onto your vocal. As an idea, cumulative latency for a signal chain should aim to be under 8ms. I would say a mic with a latency of 3ms or under is good. Analogue - tends to be cheaper... but also cheaper analogue tends to be terrible due to the companders that have been mentioned above. Some systems have very transparent companders, others are terrible - leading to fuzzies, a lack of lows and most noticeable, harsh highs. Unless you can afford a decent analogue system, I would say stay away... however, if you can stretch to a decent analogue system, they are probably the best way to go. As mike above mentioned, the Sennheiser EW100, EW300 and EW500 are worth investigating. A G2, G3 or G4 will all do a great job (particularly G3+). For small venues, I'd stay away from condenser capsules - so you are looking at 835, 935 and 845, 945 capsules. The 845 and 945 are most closely linked to the Beta 58 - personally, I think the Sennheiser x35 and x45 smash the 58s into oblivion. There is a reason they are one of the most commonly seen analogue radio mics in use. They simply sound great and the radio element of the system is arguably still amongst the best in the business. So what would I do? Well, I actually run both ULXDs and EW300/EW500s. My vocal mics are all Sennheiser analogue. Body pack systems are ULXD. If I had to choose the best mic system for the money, I would look at a EW100 with a 935 on channel 38. If all of this is too much, then a Sennheiser D1(ew D1-945-EU) or GLXD24/beta 58A will do you - just make sure that you have a wired mic as back up (which you should always have anyway) and don't be too disappointed if you have to revert to wired due to interference issues. For a lot of people, they will never have any issues. If you are in a band that plays next to office blocks with lots of wifi, or conference centres/hotels, don't be surprised and expect the worse. It should be noted however, the single most reason why bands have a nightmare problem with wireless is that they aren't co-ordinated in what they buy. For example, the guitarist buys a random radio system, then the other guitarist, then the bass player gets something completely different... and these systems won't magically play nicely with one another. If you want to something to work out the box for the whole band, settle on one digital system (be it Line 6, Shure, Sennheiser) or whatever and then simply select individual channels - and the chances are things will just work. If you want to run lots of different brands of digital systems, you will run into problems, unless you have the problems to select discrete frequencies as opposed to presets that can't be fine tuned. Similar, if you go analogue, if you stick with one brand and model, you should be able to use a set of frequencies that are designed to work together. On the higher end stuff, you can fine tune all these systems (even of different types and brands) to be intermodulation free (e.g. channels free of interfering with one other) - and this can be quite a complex task and is generally worked out by software. Theses systems typically start at an entry point of the like of analogue EW300 and EW500 and ULX, (analogue) ULXD and QLXD (upwards to Axient) - and their prices reflect that versatility and capability. So to sum up, if your band wants to go wireless, get your heads together and subscribe to a common brand and model... this may also influence your choice if other elements in the band are already wireless. If there is already other wireless in the band, especially systems that have preset frequencies, there's no guarantees of them all playing together nicely! Hope this helps (if it hasn't totally confused you!)