skej21

IMO, if you're super picky about wanting new strings on a bass when purchasing, you probably use specific types/gauges and therefore, should probably buy from a shop where you can try and haggle in a free set of the type you prefer and stay clear of auction sites. Sound like a real chancer!

The message I took from that was; '[i]Please make music for us so you can[/i] [i]provide "[/i][i]communities" (read "developers") with a social and cultural attraction to profit from when selling our hotel/housing developments to tourists or house buyers etc... BUT DO IT QUIETLY YOU BLOODY HIPPIES!'[/i]

It still amazes me that they can hear how great the likes of Gregory Porter and Rag n Bone Man are but booked Roy wood and Chaka Khan who were both awful (from a totally objective point of view based on how they sound now, not based on the past glories!).

A really fancy a custom 5 string Shuker but trying to buy a house. If the house ends up being cheaper than expected, I'll be emailing!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482803493' post='3202846'] You won't get a debate from me there. I'm out there in the trenches every weekend and I'd venture to say most of the crowd doesn't even know what a bass guitar is or what it sounds like. Blue [/quote]. Funnily enough, I also gig. Usually 3-4 times a week. That was what made me question why you think a bass players "sound" comes from their playing when most of the time, they don't have a "sound" because they're just copying the bass lines of someone who did have their own style. Not that any of it matters, because as gigging musicians know, people don't even listen to the band half the time because they're usually doing exactly the same thing as the band in the bar down the road and the band they saw last week. No wonder you don't want an actual debate. You're too busy making outlandish statements based on your opinions before immediately contradicting yourself at every turn...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482793081' post='3202794'] No self respecting Midwestern Bar Band would ever play Brown Eyed Girl. We don't. Blue . [/quote] Interchange Brown Eyed Girl for one of your beloved Beatles tunes or whatever you happen to cover. Same principle stands. I doubt anyone could tell your "sound" in your cover bass line apart from the cover bass line the bassist from the Midwestern bar band in the next bar is playing.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482779811' post='3202710'] Agreed ,but only to a degree. As a bass player I'm going to notice your ability a lot more than the sound of whatever bass your playing. Blue [/quote] Noticing 'ability' when you're watching a bassist in a band is completely different to hearing a bassist with their own sound/identity on bass though. I've heard hundreds of local players who have varying levels of ability but only a handful have a distinct enough style that I would know it was their playing if I heard them without seeing them. Having the ability to cover 'Teen Town' and mimic Jaco is a lot different to covering 'Teen Town' and still keeping your own sound (like Marcus Miller's version). I don't believe there are many players who have that. IMO, I don't think that listening to an average bar band bass player covering Brown Eyed Girl is going to sound much different to the bass player in the next bar covering Brown Eyed Girl. I'd even say I think the tone of the bass is more likely to differ between the two than the actual playing style of the individuals coming through in a well-known bass line.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482777706' post='3202687'] I'm saying your playing is going to sound the same under your scenario. Blue [/quote] I'll never understand why you think that you have the right to present every one of your opinions as fact...

I can't believe that TAB is still going when notation, MIDI and YouTube etc exists. So many better ways to learn to play something these days than TAB.

I'm not sure but maybe a lot of the popularity of this format is to do with how tactile it is? I know I'm a huge fan of being able to look at the inserts (see who played what, see photos taken during recording or the artwork someone has put their talent to in real detail) and have something physical to take home for my money. Being able to take music home without knowing what to expect and the anticipation that brings. Those things come with all music formats except digital downloads. They're too immediate and aloof for me.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1479736799' post='3178846'] Time for the traditional thread highlighting new ways to empty your wallet, starting with: Toontrack are selling Superior Drummer at $105, down from $349: https://www.toontrack.com/black-friday/ [/quote] Gear4music selling it at similar price too - http://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Toontrack-Superior-Drummer/95V

[quote name='philparker' timestamp='1479654026' post='3178135'] I offered up 'Anacrusis' as a potential band name, a couple of years ago, but nobody else would have it! [/quote] You were way ahead of the times!

Used to do it until I started using Superbrights which are pre-stretched. Now I don't bother!

[quote name='No. 8 Wire' timestamp='1479547372' post='3177341'] Hang on - on Thomann an RS112 is 325 GBP, which is a decrease on RRP. When I bought mine, Thomann had that one off £180 price, but all the UK retailers had them at £360 - so aprt from the one off deal I think prices have come down. On the gear I've been looking at, prices have mostly been coming down or staying the same, despite the fall in the £. I think you have to compare the best price that's out there, not just look at a few UK stores who maybe only stock to order and therefore can't generate bulk savings. Pretty sure their pedals have come down in price too - they seem keenly priced. [/quote] Yup. Prices are dropping and newer product lines coming out at more competitive prices which is squeezing the profits for retailers. I reckon they'll end up becoming a little more elusive in the stores but readily available online at a decent price!

I was thinking maybe trying it with the '60s Classic and see?

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1479546033' post='3177324'] No, I haven't. I tried flats on a Precision and couldn't get used to the feel of them, so went back to my usual round wounds. [/quote] Fair enough. I agree wth you about the sound of a jazz in certain band contexts and thought I'd give flats a go on my '62 RI Jazz and found that I was much happier with the tone. Thought it might have been worth a mention (but apparently not!)

From what I've heard, TC have changed distributors recently, which has resulted in a re-evaluation of RRP and retailer margins. Looks like they are really not working in favour of the retailers and with music retail the way it is at the moment, I'd not be surprised if some places stop stocking them going forward and concentrate on more retailer-friendly products.

Just out of curiosity FinnDave, have you ever strung up a jazz bass with flats before? If so, did you have a similar opinion on the sound as you do with the jazz bass with rounds?

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1478550987' post='3169873'] Oh yeah, but let's keep an eye on budget! I should have said sub-Roadworn money... [/quote] :-D http://basschat.co.uk/topic/294183-fender-precision-1958-american-vintage-reissue/page__p__3162784__hl__fender%20american%20vintage__fromsearch__1#entry3162784

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1478549844' post='3169857'] Can anyone suggest a precision with a 1.75" wide nut? Fender 50s Roadworn (and other 50s varieties) Fender Roger Waters I believe some Steve Harris sigs. Anything else I've missed? Doesn't have to be Fender... [/quote] Just working from memory but I think the American Vintage '58 and '63 both have a 44.1mm nut width too :-) Pino Palladino CS model comes in at 44.45mm.

I have the ACS Pro 17s and love them too. I used Thunderplug Pros for a while which did the job but weren't very comfortable. I even wear my ACS plugs in the cinema now after finding some films intensely loud and researching to find that the volume levels regularly exceed 90db (which is dangerous when exposed to for long periods of time) and as a regular cinema-goer, this caused me just as much concern as rehearsing/gigging!

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1477916676' post='3165195'] Most recently was after re-stringing a bass on Saturday with Dunlop super bright steels. Bloody 0.40 broke at the ball end when I was stretching it. Never had that happen before! Been using the Nickels for a while and haven't had any such issues with those.....hmmm. [/quote] Just a quick note that might explain this one. All Dunlop strings are pre-stretched so that you can put them straight on and have minimal issues with tuning stability etc. They did this after feedback from guitar/bass techs who suggested that stretching in strings was the most time consuming part of fixing a snapped string mid-gig. Maybe the additional stretching you were attempting was too much?

IF the bass did require a refret, the buyer should've taken the following steps. 1) Contacted you in a reasonable time (legally distance selling regulations are only 14 days for items bought online so maybe a grace period of 30 days is fair). 2) Explained what they thought the issue was, backed up by a quote from a luthier. 3) Allowed you to counter his thoughts with the paperwork that gave the bass the all clear from your luthier when it was in for a set-up pre-sale. 4) Discussed a compromise (maybe pay half each etc). By taking no reasonable steps to solve the issue with you and simply pursuing his own idea of an outcome and expecting you to pay, I would feel completely guilt free and point out in your response that you may have been accommodating had you been given an opportunity to independently diagnose and resolve any issues in a timely manner.

Diamonds on the soles of her shoes - Bakithi Kumalo. Dynamic, melodic, a beautiful fretless tone, some (rare) tasteful slap and a stunning groove with feel and great rhythmic interest. Also managing to fit a bass part that seems so far removed from stereotypical 'pop' bass lines into exactly that setting just shows how great and well-crafted Bakithi's line on this track is.

[quote name='Mylkinut' timestamp='1476470545' post='3154689'] Picked them up yesterday. Not quite as pretty as many here, but I'm chuffed to bits [url="http://s3.photobucket.com/user/mylkinut/media/DSCN7255_zpsqgxyjrz2.jpg.html"][/url] [/quote] Lovely!