velvetkevorkian

Cheers Wayne. It's definitely been used but the top looks spotless and the neck is lovely. Needs a good clean though!

Nicest Strat ever!

Just scored this out of Cash Converters this morning- it's a Schecter Omen Extreme 7 string. Looks great from the front, although the back and sides are pretty scratched and chipped. Plays nice, although it needs some new strings and a setup. I think I did OK on the deal too- swapped it for my old laptop, which they were going to give me £150 cash for. This still has a price sticker on the back reading £250, although it was on offer at £200. Don't ask, don't get...

On hold for BB.

Hello! A while back I posted in off-topic asking for mp3 player recommendations, and waynepunkdude very generously offered me this for no pennies. I've replaced it with a smartphone so I figured I'd offer it back to the community. I'd like it to go to someone who'll use it! It's a few years old, Creative, 4gb, silver, used but OK condition- the finish is wearing off the corners but it's structurally sound. Fits in a pocket, and the sound is actually better than my [cheap] phone. Comes with a charger, and you can hook it up to your computer with a USB lead (not included, but should only be a couple of quid) where it shows up as a removable drive- no drivers or irritating proprietary software required. Probably still has a bunch of metal mp3s on it from when I last used it... I'm not at home tonight but I'll be back tomorrow and can get pics of it then. First come first served- I'll even pay postage in the UK since Wayne did the same for me. If you want to make a donation to BC or to some other non-religious charity that's cool but not required.

Paint the rest of the cab to match....

Ha, that's fantastic.

Yeah, an XT with model packs would work too I think. Doesn't have the dual signal path of the X3 line though, which may or may not matter to you.

[url="http://www.gersic.com/preparationp.html"]Here's a nifty prepared piano VST[/url]

Track down a used Boss VF-1- has guitar and bass amp modelling and lots of effects in a 1u half rack. The potential downside is that the bass amp options are pretty limited. As regards the Pod X3, AFAIK the only differences between the bean, the Live and the Pro models are the form factor and variety of connectors (and possibly MIDI support)- all three have the same sound quality, amps, FX etc. edit- If you're feeling flush, there's the Fractal Axe-FX which seems to be the holy grail of amp modellers. Hellishly expensive though.

Another suggestion I floated a while ago (before being shot down in flames) was for a general "instruments that aren't bass" sub-forum- make it invisible to non-members like off-topic is and I don't see how it's diluting the basschat brand any more than having "other musical stuff for sale" and "recycling random junk" sub-forums.

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1325510306' post='1483712'] The Elixir Nanoweb coated strings are probably the smoothest and slickest you'll find. Just fitted a set to my Shuker, and I'm really liking them. Not cheap, but they have a long life. If you're a hard pick player I've seen the coating wear off the bottom ends: I'm a medium pick player, but I'm giving it a go anyway. [/quote] I'm a big fan of the light Elixirs.

This will depend very much on your personal taste and sound you're going for, but as far as gauges go I'd probably look at something like a 50-110 set.

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' timestamp='1325609643' post='1485132'] Who is that, and who is the bass made by? (If anyone knows! Just a tad curious haha!) [/quote] Not sure who the bass is by but I'm pretty sure that's Garry Goodman.

[quote name='andyonbass' timestamp='1323725443' post='1466376'] Check this one out [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162400-fs-peavey-international-series-5-string-bass-l100-inc-delivery/"]http://basschat.co.u...0-inc-delivery/[/url] Cant go wrong for the price [/quote] Yep, I'd go for this. I [s]had [/s] have one as my first 5, and then another as my second.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1323713164' post='1466149'] Friction in the tendon sheaths = inflammation = more friction = more inflammation, etc. Deep muscle massage won't help tendons mate. [/quote] Hmm, it's possible I'm lumping two different conditions with similar symptoms together. Just for clarity, I'm not suggesting massaging the painful areas directly, but the shoulders/back which had a big impact on me and my hand pain. YMMV. [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1323713164' post='1466149'] Always get a correct diagnosis before any treatment. [/quote] Yep- go see a doctor.

I've had tendinitis in my hands and arms in the past (and still have to manage it)- the biggest things that made a difference for me were 1: making sure my technique was OK (I was holding my fretting thumb in a stupid position) and keeping my arms and shoulders relaxed- for me doing nothing but playing bass and using the computer was the killer for this, and my shoulders and arms were very tight, which manifested itself as pain lower in the arm and hand on both sides. Recommend seeing a physiotherapist and possibly getting some kind of deep muscle massage.

...at least he doesn't have to dance like that any more...

Korg Pitchblack, it looks like.

It's just practice I'm afraid. I've been playing with three fingers for a few years now, but I had to spend a long time working on it to get it up to any kind of speed and consistency. Lots of metronome drills, starting slowly. You also need to practice leading with different fingers, so you can start with any of the three you're using. Eventually you get to a point where you don't have to think about what finger is coming next and you can play odd or even groupings easily. One thing that is surprisingly effective is to give your fingers numbers and say the numbers out loud as you play. Feels kind of stupid but it really makes your brain connect with your fingers. Hope that helps.

[quote name='tonyclaret' timestamp='1323510000' post='1463981'] ... I often find with both plugs in I can hear jack sh*t of any cymbals... [/quote] That's the whole idea! I have done orchestra shows with one plug in (I have worse damage in the ear that always faces the brass section ) and to be honest I didn't like it- I found getting two different sounds irritating. I would say stick with the matched pair- it's just a matter of getting used to it for the most part.

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1323445716' post='1463536'] Got some ER20s' a while back to replace the foam type ones, which although they killed a higher level of sound, they didn't filter evenly. The ER20s' do... Still have tinnitus mind (but that is after 30-odd years of aural abuse). It started not going away after a day or so, a few years back, even with wearing earplugs. It's a real PITA, though it is totally my own fault. Anyone not using earplugs in their teens & twenties, playing in bands is risking getting permanent tinnitus by the time they're 40. And I'm afraid that is not lecturing, that's bitter experience. [/quote] Or eighteen... edit: In summary, don't risk it. Worn plugs at clubs, some pubs, rock gigs, orchestral gigs, just about anywhere there's a real drummer or a PA. Unfortunately the damage was done.

Yeah, I think I'm just going to accept that this isn't the machine to be doing recording with for the time being- not a big deal as it wasn't the main reason I got this (iOS design/development). Found some free Mac VSTs on KVR- for anyone who's wondering, they have a .vst extension rather than the .dll on Windows, and seem to be separate from AUs and RTAS.

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1323355334' post='1462401'] Wow - I didn't know the latest Macbooks had done that with their ports. So much to like about a Mac, so much to dislike. [/quote] Yeah, that's pretty much exactly how I feel about them. FWIW the larger MBPs still have separate ins and outs, for now at least.