skej21

[quote name='Tweedledum' timestamp='1395667143' post='2404808'] It looks better in the picture than in reality: has its dings and dongs, quite some buckle rash on the back of the body, and the pickguard is shrunken, so that the tin plate protrudes all around. The finish on the back of the neck is worn down completely - that neck feels so good!! I never had a bass that played so smoothely. Fantastic. And it's a featherweight with 3520 g. And the tone! Elegant warm and rich. All this makes up for the quite colourful sunburst finish which I actually don't like that much. [/quote] Well you can always pass it this way if you're not a fan lol. Seriously though, that is STUNNING!

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1395626417' post='2404536'] I have owned P basses on and off over the years, but never grew on me enough. Yesterday I took one of my Sue Ryder P basses, which was strung with Status flats and had a Wizard Thumper pickup on, and I put on a set of roundwounds (Rotosounds swing 66). The action was never optimal because the neck needed a shim... so I did that too. Wow. I already had a "revelation" last summer with my Squier 'Mike Dirnt' Precision... but I forgot about it, and that bass just feels "flimsier" than the SR. It's not going to replace my Stingray of Jazz... but I'm definitely going to stop looking down at Precisions. (yes, I did, ) [/quote] Are you just looking at basses and saying you love them?... Do you really love P bass, or are you just saying that because you saw it?

Antibacterial hand gel... Load-ins are always dirty (especially with the old van we have!) and most gigs we do are weddings so the buffet is always just around the corner!

Pino. No contest.

The man is a legend. I've had a fee bits of work done by Howard including a refinish and his work is always outstanding. Can't wait to see this when it's complete!

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1395356567' post='2401660'] sorry dude, I'm only getting links with my posts. don't know why. [/quote] No problem man! It's just a nightmare to try and open on mobile devices lol. In future, where the link says 'https://' at the start, just delete the 's' out to make 'http://' and it should work :-)

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1395354372' post='2401622'] I've seen a few vids from a guy called Valter Kabas. . i really liked his slap playing on this classic. its one of the coolest most musical slap parts, that just work so well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOJzRxlBRhI but this doesn't work so well. I like to think i know what sounds good, and for me this slap bass guitar doesn't on this record. it seems a classic example of slap bass used where it shouldn't be. over takes the whole record http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLmnKiuSy-Y i don't want to knock anyones playing. although the skills are there, you can't apply those slap skills to everything. skills aren't the basis for taste i reckon. i guess i like simple musical slap. [/quote] Cool playing and musical slap. Too much technique in the second one for me. Too far removed from what is needed and not what can be rammed in but the first vid is a great example of playing something cool that works without being too flashy! P.s. Fixed so people can actually watch them and not have to faff with the links!

They've also released this colour with the NAMM 2014 models. I hope they end up doing the SR305 in this colour because I'd have one without thinking twice!

Worst paint job ever. It looks like they haven't even bothered taking the neckplate or strap buttons off and just sprayed that too!

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1395172603' post='2399487'] I pay £25 an hour for my bass tutor and he's a professional working bass player who is incredibly talented on both the electric and double bass. He himself will book a lesson in with any of his idols if they're in the area to keep on top of his technique. I believe he's got at least a degree, maybe a masters in music so his theory is first class. He also knows how to apply it to the instrument. My technique is noticeably better and by that I mean people who heard me play before the lessons now say that there's a massive improvement in technique and tone. So if you can, grab a working pro bass player as a tutor. None of these "I play guitar but can teach bass" people. You really want someone who lives and breathes bass. The conversations I have with my tutor about general gigging, playing and gear before the lesson are almost worth the money for the lesson alone! [/quote] Plus one to this! When I had lessons, my teacher was a pro bassist and gave me hundreds of bits of useful advice about gigging and reading... You're unlikely to get advice on sight reading bass from a guitarist who 'can do a bit of bass'.

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1395006755' post='2397761'] Aye, pretty much. There are horrible b@st@rds out there, for sure, but it's a sad world when we cower in fear and assume such guilt of our fellow man in the street. [/quote] Plus, those horrible sonsabitches aren't going to care if they're in your house or not. If they want it, they'll have it. Whether that means nicking it from your gig, your car, your house, their house (if you take it to demo there) and so on.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1394998457' post='2397609'] All the regular posters on here should know of at least a couple of companies/people who'll do a professional job refinishing their bass if they felt that they weren't up to the task themselves. [/quote] That would be an interesting poll. I know when I had my refinish done by Howard, there weren't too many options I could think of to choose from in that area of the UK.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1394997666' post='2397590'] I find all this fear of affecting the value of the instruments a bit perplexing. Partly because if I bought a bass and it was stunning in every aspect except the finish, I would have no hesitation in sending it off to be professionally done the colour I wanted it. In fact I have already done this with a bass which was worth a lot more than the average US-made Fender. I've also considered having the paddle headstock on my Warwick Star Bass reshaped into something more aesthetically pleasing and it's only the lack of spare cash that's stopped me so far. And secondly in real terms compared with the synthesisers I was buying in the 80s nearly all bass guitars are very cheap, and even back then I had no hesitation in customising or modifying far more expensive and more complex pieces of musical equipment. IMO if you're always looking at the resale value of your gear, unless you are very lucky you will never be completely happy with the instrument and you will end up selling it in the never-ending search for "the one". [/quote] Not everyone has that opinion though. You'd be amazed how many people come into my local music shop asking the shop to restring a guitar or even TUNE it because they're scared they'll do it wrong. Imagine those people contemplating a refinish and you can understand how companies like fender can easily manipulate the market as discussed.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1394989403' post='2397439'] On the face of things, yes, it's not an insurmountable problem , but it is always detrimental to resale values to refinish any USA -made Fender. Implicitly though, you have hit on the Big Question regarding Fender as a whole, which is, why, if everybody likes the old ones, don't they just make them like that now? A Fender bass is a pretty simple and straightforward instrument when all is said and done, and the idea that there something so precious that has been lost in the mists of time between 1965 and the present that means that the older onesl have an unrepeatable magic that cannot be recreated seems just plain ridiculous to me. If Fender revived what was so appealing and what has become so sought-after from their American Standard ranges of yesteryear , not least of all the colour choices, then I am sure that they would be fighting customers off with an unhygienically soiled stick. [/quote] Dont the American Vintage range and the new lacquer Classic Series Mexican basses accommodate for those customers? As for the refinishing that BigRedX mentioned, I think the main reason most people don't just buy a standard and have it resprayed is out of fear. They are scared of affecting resale value, they're scared that they don't understand how to do a respray and scared that if they pay someone to do it, it might ruin the instrument. I bought my YOB bass knowing it would be staying with me but wasn't the colour I wanted. I bought it knowing it would be refinished to the colour scheme I wanted and I did it but even I had those fears creeping in despite buying it with the intention of changing it. It's a natural fear I think we all have when spending a big sum of money I think.

Anything by Matt Freeman/Rancid. Love this: http://youtu.be/BiCwRY5dN6g

I love these pedals. It would be incredible if they teamed up with 'Jim'll paint it' for some designs!

[quote name='lou24d53' timestamp='1393328955' post='2378700'] I'd be interested in hearing peoples opinions on the Sadowsky or the Tonehammer pedals when compared to the MXR M80 DI+ which I currently have. Lately, I'm not feeling that the MXR is doing it for me, but I don't know if its based on pure tonal 'fact' or rather simply me having pent up GAS for trading up for something better or newer!! I had been looking at the new MXR Bass Preamp pedal, but reading the reviews and threads so far, it would appear that all I'm going to achieve is more room on the pedalboard...so it does seem rather pointless in going from the M80 to the M81 for little tonal benefit. [/quote] I have played/owned most of the Aguilar pedal range and we have the MXR pedal range at work. The MXR bass octave deluxe is (imo) more versatile than the Octamizer and there are arguments about whether the Filter Twin is better than the Envelope filter (I like the Filter Twin more but feel the MXR envelope filter is more fiddly/adjustable which some may like!) but the rest of the Aguilar range is better than MXR stuff by quite a way. The tone and tonal shaping you get from the Tone hammer pre is awesome. The DI is great quality and as a result, I've often gigged without an amp and just used my Tone Hammer direct to the PA. I use it EVERY time I record as it gives a great quality signal from the DI and the tone is always nice. Also the headroom it gives is excellent. I also like the AGS function when I want to drive the signal slightly but must admit I use it rarely. I wouldn't be without the Tone Hammer pre amp now and nothing I've tried yet has even come close to turning my head. Try one out and see if you still want to keep your MXR stuff. My opinion might be TOTALLY different to yours but it's worth trying as much as you can until you settle on one you like

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1394830461' post='2395831'] http://www.amazon.co.uk/60th-Anniversary-Collection-Jaco-Pastorius/dp/B005804MK6 [/quote] It looks awesome. It'd be even better if was 180g vinyl

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1394824394' post='2395718'] Yes, exactly. Ironic isn't it. I didn't think it needed saying out loud but never mind. [/quote] I just don't get your point. You appear to feel that people expressing their opinion is a good thing on a forum whilst using it as a way of stirring and antagonising other members which is the main thing on Basschat that distracts from discussions between people with differing (valid) opinions. That's just my opinion, of course.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1394823928' post='2395709'] Yes, it's often disappointing when people state their point of view on a public forum. [/quote] He says, in response to a post expressing someone's point of view on a topic...

If you don't want to see slap bass in a demo, leave your house, get down to a music shop and try it yourself. That way, you can demo it playing whichever style you prefer :-)

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1394725567' post='2394480'] No. [/quote] +1!

Used to think so. Since getting it in December, now I always reach for my Nate Mendel precision. I even tried to put it away under the bed and have something else out to force me away from it. That lasted about 3 minutes before I had the case open and the Mendel back out and it's been out since. Maybe it's time to try the 'only need one bass' philosophy for a while...

Another vote for the Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet here. Stunning quality for the price and sounds HUGE through a nice amp :-)

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1394564076' post='2392818'] TBH anything that isn't reasonably mainstream is IME difficult to sell on here. Basschat may look like it's got an impressive membership but I still meet more bass players at gigs who haven't heard of it than who have, and like it or not eBay reaches far, far more people. [/quote] Too true. Ebay also tends to have a lot of people who offer to ship too unlike Basschat where a lot of sellers don't want to. I've passed on quite a few things on here because the seller wants collection only (which is their prerogative but also inevitably discourages some potential buyers).