Fat Rich

[quote name='Phil-osopher10' post='1256979' date='Jun 4 2011, 11:42 PM']So this muting business, how do I do that. It is something I think I really need to practice! But have no idea how to actually do it![/quote] Like this: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYceQadUXTI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYceQadUXTI[/url] The bassline you're trying to play might be a bit tricky using this technique, will take some practice! You could also try playing fingerstyle but flattening your fingers so you're playing with the fleshier part and not digging in so much, do that towards the neck of the bass and you might get closer to the tone you're after. I sometimes use both picking fingers together as it stops some of the harmonic overtones on the string developing and gives a bassier rounder sound.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1260019' date='Jun 7 2011, 06:09 PM']Oh thats perfect Rich, Thats right where I am at the moment! I will get on to that right away, Thanks [/quote] User manual is here as it's not got the best user interface! [url="http://www.antead.com/manuals/KSignatures/english.html"]http://www.antead.com/manuals/KSignatures/english.html[/url]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='1258086' date='Jun 6 2011, 09:18 AM']How about getting to work with the KSignatures app on the iPhone/iPad/iPod? [/quote] [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1258684' date='Jun 6 2011, 05:56 PM']Not heard about that one what's it like Rich?[/quote] Haven't spent much time with it yet, it should get you up to speed on recognising your key signatures. It can be set for Bass or treble clef (and others) and shows you a key signature on the stave and gives you four answers to choose from, some major, some minor. I still haven't learnt my Key sigs and relative major/minor properly so I'm hoping this will get me up to speed instead of working it all out using circle of fifths or visualising the fingerboard.

[quote name='Monckyman' post='1258374' date='Jun 6 2011, 01:53 PM']Great vid+song. How long before you all start singing jesus I need a piss? [/quote] Or "Cheeses, I need some peas"

Plus I reckon the block inlays look too wide at the headstock end.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1257839' date='Jun 5 2011, 09:38 PM']Just bumping this thread for potential new comers and a refresher for any slackers! Any news?[/quote] How about getting to work with the KSignatures app on the iPhone/iPad/iPod?

[quote name='Machines' post='1257071' date='Jun 5 2011, 07:21 AM']Ok have recorded 2 sound samples, one with my Overwater and one with the Status ! The differences between the 2 are quite pronounced: Recordings are in the following format: Both pickups, neck pickup, bridge pickup, all EQ is flat and recorded direct into Audacity via my PC linein port so there is a bit of hiss which is not from the basses. Your opinions please ! (of the tone, not my playing )[/quote] I rarely use either pickups soloed, you might get a more usable bridge pickup sound by blending in a small amount of neck pickup plus some bass boost. Similarly you can get a big fat tone by having both pickups at max or just favouring one pickup or the other a little. String spacing you have three basic options: 16.5mm or 19mm on the 4 strings, or 18mm on the 5 and 6 strings. If you decide to have a custom Status built you could ask Rob if he can match the string spacing on the Overwater, he's pretty helpful and approachable. And as I mentioned before, IMO the older ones without a truss rod (like yours) sound a bit more brittle and full on than the later ones with a truss rod. You might want to try a few and see how you get on, particularly before placing an order for a new one.

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1253780' date='Jun 2 2011, 12:10 PM']OK, the photography is pretty shoddy, but the resolution is more than enough to be able to zoom in and make it legible. Hope you're able to read and enjoy[/quote] Many thanks, that's a much better transcription than I could have done!

[quote name='Roland Rock' post='1253482' date='Jun 2 2011, 08:20 AM']I found the issue of BGM - it's issue 20, Jan 2010 with Mr Zender on the cover. Give me a shout if you want me to send it to you[/quote] Yes please, I can sort of play most of it but it'd take me ages to write it down. Would be good to be able to play it properly too. Cheers!

[quote name='spongebob' post='1252941' date='Jun 1 2011, 05:41 PM']Did Jaco play on any more Little Beaver? I've got some of his stuff, and I love it.[/quote] Not as far as I know, just the one track.

If you can play in time with a click or a drum machine then you're not a fraud A confident and experienced drummer will keep good time even when the rest of the band is all over the place, maybe your less experienced drummer is trying to lock into you or the guitarist. Or heaven forbid, trying to lock into a vocalist's timing! Have a word with him and see where he's at, maybe have a couple of rehearsals without the rest of the band so there are less distractions for both of you and see if it starts to come together that way.

[quote name='YouMa' post='1252671' date='Jun 1 2011, 01:47 PM']Anyone anyone Ayethangu![/quote] You should be more patient, it's not been 2 years yet. It's a great track, it's also on Very best of Little Beaver which is a pretty good album in it's own right. I sort of worked it out many years ago but never wrote it down and can't really remember it now, it's the usual Jaco schtick if you've worked other of his funky lines. If I get some time over the next couple of days I'll see if I can remember some of it.

How old are the strings? If they've been played for ages they can very occasionally get worn where they make contact with the frets and that can cause buzzing. Slackening the string and rotating it round can fix this easily, you may actually have done that when you took the strings off to make the adjustments. It's unlikely to be the cause but I'd check the strings are OK before shelling out on fret dress just in case

[quote name='Ben Jamin' post='1249832' date='May 30 2011, 12:48 AM']I've noticed Mr. Wolstenholme of Muse has acquired quite a few of his own Status' lately... and he's hardly a slap bassist! If he's touring them, they certainly can't be lacking finger-style Might be worth checking out a couple of 2010/11 Muse live shows, like the Seattle one they did a while back. Although half the time he'll be going through some fuzz/synth pedal [/quote] As you say he has so many effects it's difficult to tell what they sound like... I haven't been particularly impressed so far but maybe he's still getting used to them. He's been recording with an old S2 for years but never played it live because he didn't like the look of headless basses, his 4 new ones are all headed. They're working on prototypes for a signature S2 Classic at the moment, should be ready fairly soon.

Voted red before, voted blue green this time because it's too close to call. Both look great.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1249019' date='May 29 2011, 11:41 AM']Are they Double Ball-Ended? It's only an issue with these and any clamp-type string retainer (as per the E-bay link in the OP and also as featured on Status/Other Headless basses. If they're ([i]just[/i]) standard strings and are used on headed instruments, there'd be no problem. Perhaps that's why they make/market them?[/quote] Didn't think DR made double ball end strings, may be wrong though. I'm suggesting feeding the uncut string through the clamp, putting a 90 degree bend in the string before cutting to avoid unwinding, tightening the clamp which should also prevent unwinding, and then finally cutting to length. Unless I'm misunderstanding how the Steinberger headless system works

[quote name='BassBus' post='1248585' date='May 28 2011, 07:53 PM']From my own experience I'd disagree. When my S2000 arrived it had 30-95 strings on it, together with a load of buzz on the neck whenever I played it. Imediately put on a set of 35s and no buzz whatsoever. Therefore, the truss rod adds the flexibility to use whatever guage of string you wish. So I'd hardly say they are a "[i]ridiculous idea on graphite necked basses[/i]" Rob does know what he is doing. As far as I know, the graphite used for Status necks these days is a lot more flexible than it was in older graphite necks.[/quote] I've also heard that the extra movement of lighter strings can cause some buzzing on older flatter necks, I use 130 105 80 60 40s on my basses so I've never had a problem.

My theory is the older Status basses without a truss rod had a more aggressive "Status" sound that's more in your face and a bit harder to hide, although there are plenty of people here who prefer that. I think the newer ones with a truss rod have a somewhat more traditional sound, I think they're even more versatile particularly with the 301 / 302 / 303 series preamps which have a small switch that give you a smiley face EQ base setting (scooped), a sad face EQ base setting (mid boost) or a flat EQ setting. Plus even with the the 3 preset shapes you can always adjust bass, treble and where the mid cut / boost frequency is centred. Seems a little complicated at first but it's really useful. I find the bridge pickup soloed needs a little bass boost but can sound very Jaco Neck pickup soloed sounds good, with mid boost starts to get interesting as you sweep the mid boost frequency Both pickups together in varying amounts (with the blend pot) is where it's at, there's a huge variety of tones available. But as Conan said, astonishing amounts of sustain, all kinds of harmonics anywhere you want, never goes out of tune, stable slim neck where every note is alive, they record really well and engineers love them.

[quote name='silddx' post='1248508' date='May 28 2011, 06:22 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Steinberger-Headless-Hohner-Cort-String-Adapter-/320705667153?_trksid=p4340.m506&_trkparms=algo%3DNGRI%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D320699726503%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D250358189248232068#ht_608wt_1141"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Steinberger-Headless...8#ht_608wt_1141[/url] The guy is really nice and offered me a full refund, but I'm about £40 down on strings now. I think the problem is that my strings have round cores. DR are quite clear that round core strings do not allow the wraps to grip the cores in the way hex cores do, therefore they flatten the core at the end of the string that gets clipped and wound around the tuning machine post so the wraps don't unravel. I am now pretty sure that must be the problem as the clamp on the unit affects the part of the string with the round core, therefore the wrap has no grip and unravels. This happened to me on five strings. So, headless owners who want one of these, check your strings are hex core.[/quote] Don't DR suggest you put a 90 degree bend in the string before cutting to stop the windings moving on the core? Pretty sure it says that on the Hi Beam packaging anyway. [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1248610' date='May 28 2011, 08:29 PM']It's a known issue. Well, it certainly is at Status towers. During a lengthy conversation with Dawn, she explained that whilst they'd love to do round-cored Hotwires, they just keep coming unwrapped. Even Double Ball-ended ones, and always at the head(less?) end. Strange.[/quote] Status Premium Round wound have a round core according to the website.... I tried a set but they seemed to sound darker than the normal Hotwires so I didn't get any more.

A lower tech option might be to just play along with some tracks on an mp3 player, demonstrating different sounds from the amp suitable for each track / style, and maybe talking about how the groove or riff works within the song and covering any technique you're using pick / fingers / slap / tap etc. If you can have a few things prepared and judge how the audience is responding you can focus on groove or on chops depending on the reaction.

[quote name='crez5150' post='1247888' date='May 28 2011, 07:52 AM']Mark King or Flea?[/quote] Flee. Edit: Sorry, misunderstood the question.

[quote name='zero9' post='1245579' date='May 26 2011, 01:51 PM']Don't forget the difference in pups. The 'vintage' series II's (and Stratas) had Kent Armstrongs.[/quote] I think some of the earlier pickups were single coil with a hum cancelling coil in a soapbar rather than full humbucker, pretty sure my old Series 1 is anyway. But unplugged I think the rigid neck basses sound more "Status" than the later truss rod ones, mine certainly do!

[quote name='Shockwave' post='1247140' date='May 27 2011, 02:28 PM'][/quote] I hate the shape of Pedullas, but your refurbed green one is stunning!

Too much slap and not enough tickle in my opinion.

P, J & Ray: