skej21

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1390220294' post='2342660'] I don't doubt that story and others like it are huge problems for music shops. But the internet is often described as a 'game changer' and this is exactly the sort of thing that happens when something better comes along. How many of us keep a horse and cart for our travel requirements - after all, they're still available aren't they? Once upon a time they were the pinnacle of transport aspiration but were eventually superseded by something so much better that the vast majority of people chose the alternative. Sure, change sometimes adversely affects some people, but if that change is not to the benefit of the vast majority of people then it won't happen because people will stick with what they know. I don't think people were forced to give up horses in favour of the internal combustion engine - they chose it because it was better. What other reason was there? It's the same thing with high street shops versus online shopping, or email versus handwritten letters delivered by the royal mail, or warm comfortable shopping malls compared with trudging all around town. Times change. If they didn't then we'd all be living far poorer and less comfortable lives. [/quote] True, although I'm not sure your argument is entirely sound. In your example, it may be true but high street music retail versus online music retail is that one is largely cheaper, not nessecarily better. I suppose the one big advantage of that is that most large online music retailers have a total lack of knowledge and interest in maintainence of instruments. We make a lot of money doing set-ups and restrings and other obvious bits (that all our instruments in store get upon arrival) because online retailers don't bother. They just send the guitar in the box that it arrived to them in, often without even bothering to open it. Swings and roundabouts I suppose :-)

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1390160361' post='2342169'] A friend of mine had a punter crash a car on a test drive and run off! Try sorting that mess out! [/quote] Some people are just amazing!

[quote name='Wally' timestamp='1390157590' post='2342112'] Perhaps. As Skank alludes to. What about some sort of 'megastore' hosting gear for multiple manufacturers where a soundproofed booth was a tenner for an hour, or fifteen for two and all sorts of guitar, amp and effect combinations could be tried out in that time. You'd have to order whatever you might then want to purchase but leads and picks etc would be in stock as usual. [/quote] Personally I think that companies like Gibson, Fender etc should offer all offer a demo instrument of their choice to each retailer (cost to be split between retailer cost and manufacturers 'marketing'). If they insist on having stocking requirements and buy-ins and laying down rules to keep dealerships, they should also offer a demo instrument so that shops can have them hung up with a 'WANNA PLAY A *insert brand name* TODAY?! JUST ASK A MEMBER IF STAFF TO TRY ME!' sign. That means anyone fancying a quick ten mins jam on a guitar to fulfil their playing Tourette's/attention seeking tendency can do without damaging shop stock, the manufacturers get more people playing their instruments and it means the actual stock is less likely to be damaged prior to purchase by a genuine buyer.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1390156931' post='2342094'] That's disgusting. I read a long time ago that signs such as "All breakages must be paid for" haven't got a prayer in law, don't know if that's true or not? Couldn't you have done him for criminal damage for such an expensive item, if you'd called the police in? [/quote] Not really. If we let people play the instruments, I suppose we're responsible for them. It's losing money on items like this that cost the high street stores money that online businesses will never have an issue with. The ironic thing is, it's the people who feel it's their right to try everything in the shop without an intention of buying that are the first ones to pull lines like 'well it's the last/only one in stock, therefore it's ex demo so how much are you going to knock off' or 'what's your best price?'... I had a guy pull the first one on me about a Gibson custom VOS SG the other day. How likely is it that ANY shop is going to stock more than 1 of the same model of Gibson custom VOS SG?!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1390153954' post='2342025'] Would I pay a small fee to try out a bass? no- put this way, it's my money in my pocket they want me to spend- and if they want me to spend it with them they'll let me try things. I do have a policy of not trying anything unless a) I'm actually looking to buy or the shop offer to let me have a go first. [/quote] It's a shame there aren't more customers like you. We had a gent today who came in, unlocked a guitar on the wall (ie helped himself despite 2 of us asking if he was ok or needed help etc, to which his response was a flat 'no'). He then dropped the guitar (acoustic) cracked the back, passed it to me and said 'here *passes instrument*... Sorry', walked out of the shop and so we now have to recoup the items cost despite the damage which he hasn't paid a penny for. Personally, I think it's this kind of issue that is killing the high street music shops. They can hold less stock so don't get bulk order discounts plus staffing costs and damage of stock pushes the price of instruments up and makes it so difficult to compete.

[quote name='benbastin' timestamp='1390045714' post='2340803'] A [url="http://www.dv247.com/microphones/se-electronics-z3300a-condenser-microphone--20585"][font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][size=2][b]SE Electronics [/b][/size][/color][/font][color=#920001][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=2][b]Z3300A[/b][/size][/font][/color][/url] should shoudl fairly nice, £185 on dv247 a used [url="http://www.dv247.com/microphones/akg-c-214-large-diaphragm-condenser-microphone--51651"][font="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][color="#000000"][size=2][b]AKG [/b][/size][/color][/font][color=#920001][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=2][b]C 214[/b][/size][/font][/color][/url] could be a good bet also. [/quote] +1 for the AKG C214. Lovely mic and about £299 new so you should get one second hand at a reasonable price :-) I use one for recording double bass, acoustic guitar, vocals, my bass cabs for electric bass and always get a great outcome.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1390073822' post='2341233'] Edit: How did the word 'bastards' get through the profanity filter? [/quote] If you type swearing in a Yorkshire accent like Sean Bean, it goes through... http://youtu.be/5C8IuThoWuU

I'm thinking about getting another looping pedal after falling out of love with my Digitech Jam Man a few years ago and selling it. I've heard great things about the Ditto and the Ditto X2 looks awesome too! http://www.tcelectronic.com/ditto-x2-looper/ If anyone has any experience with either (I know the X2 is pretty new!) it'd be cool to get some opinions before putting my hand in my pocket!

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1389959809' post='2339940'] Speaking of celebrity Bass endorsements [url="http://www.premierguitar.com/blogs/5-daily-news/post/20168-cort-introduces-the-jeff-berlin-signature-bass"]http://www.premiergu...-signature-bass[/url] It will be nice when it's finished... [/quote] Does it have the same unique bitterness of tone as the man himself talking about Jaco? :-P

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1389950987' post='2339783'] I went for an audition the other night, and the band were very good with lots of gigs booked. They seemed very impressed with my bass playing. The only thing is, they are all the way in Reading and I am in West London. It took me an hour and a half to get there. They have offered me the job last night, but I have been mulling it over for the last few days and have decided against it as it is too far. They are such nice blokes, I feel a bit rotten for saying no. [/quote] Don't feel like you were the only option and you're letting them down. They might have offered to someone else first who had similar reservations so they asked you, so don't worry! It's only fair to let them know so they can sort out the issue ASAP :-)

One man's mundane plodding is another man's bread & butter.keep turning those gigs down and sharing the gigs/money around :-)

Do you need a better bass? Nah. They all sound the same with flats on ;-)

That '79 precision is nice :-)

I thought Google didn't work on rainy or snowy days so they don't have to declare as many working hours for tax purposes ;-)

Sounds awesome. Aren't kitkats more square than round?

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1389738383' post='2337483'] A Geddy Lee with a John East J retro pre amp fitted, would knock spots off a Fender Deluxe. Search for John East retro pre amps on basschat and you'll see what I mean (they get a lot of love). But be aware the Geddy neck is ultra slim and doesn't have the graphite rods the deluxe does, so tends to need truss rod adjustment regularly if you like a low action. [/quote] I prefer a very low action and I haven't adjusted the truss rod on my Geddy for a LONG time. Even after changing strings, it's pretty secure and only needs minor adjustment at the bridge so I have to disagree with that based on my experience with mine I'm afraid!

[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1389737092' post='2337448'] Could do with some help I'm in the market for a second bass. I'm getting a scholarship at the end of the month which means my budget can just about stretch to an american deluxe jazz. There are other contenders - a 2eq stingray and an am. standard precision, but the jazzes are the front runners. I've only been playing for about 18 months, and whilst I have quite an eclectic taste in music, never really listened to any Rush. I've heard Geddy's name on here and tb a lot, but only recently thought to look up his signature bass. With a badass bridge, I think american vintage pickups (?) and it's looks, it has to be considered. I know the deluxe has active capabilities, but is it really worth the extra £££'s? Any help, or experience of either of these basses, would be much appreciated [/quote] I have a Geddy Lee jazz. Pickups are great (quite growly and aggressive but I like that!), the neck binding and blocks are lovely features, the bad ass bridge is a nice addition and the neck profile is uniquely slim/thin (which is usually the dividing factor between those of us who rate/hate this model)... Pros (as far as I'm concerned): Pickups being aggressive give me something different to choose from, bad ass bridge is nice, aesthetically kicks the butt off a US standard/deluxe and the neck profile feels amazing IMO. Cons (as far as I'm concerned): No hardcase, slightly less versatile due to aggressive pickups and much lower second hand value than US standard/deluxe models. Hope that helps :-)

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1389600526' post='2335857'] The technical things I want to get under my belt usually come out of struggling in parts of the music that I need to learn. To unravel problems , I use the 'whole/ part/ whole' method where I look at the [b]whole[/b] piece of music, look at the technical [b]part[/b] that needs the work , have a good think about what the issues are and develop it outside of the music with some related exercises, and then re-insert the finished product back into the [b]whole[/b]. What I find really fascinating to figure out is the detail of why the dots dont 'flow' in the first instance when I trying to learn certain passages. Usually it isn't about note bashing and committing to memory but is 99% of the time due to something entirely unrelated such as poor hand shape, ropey right hand technique, dodgy fingering, shifting etc, etc. Figuring out the detail is always the hard part but also the most rewarding! Anyone else set themselves goals about their playing and how do you go about improving technique? [/quote] Reading music is like reading words. When something simple and common (like a dotted crochet to quaver rhythm) crops up we recognise it and how to play it immediately but more complex passages we have to step through slowly (like trying to read a complex word like 'achaenocarp'). You automatically have to break up the information into smaller chunks which slows you down and ruins the flow. The best thing to do (as Bilbo mentioned) is to just read/consume as much music as you can and add to the music vocabulary you have and it'll help when more obscure passages or parts crop up :-)

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1389638352' post='2336435'] The prevention of it? [/quote] Fair point. I still find it odd that people can quote the individual weight of basses they have/had...

I don't understand the weight thing at all. I've never weighed any of my basses. I have a nice leather strap that seems to make anything I pick up comfortable so have never worried. Is there a reason why people prefer light basses other than having shoulder pain from a heavy instrument?

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1389623124' post='2336197'] This is just as common in almost every career, whatever the profession. I couldn't list all the times that word of mouth, or reputation, have given me the edge over others. Networking works in most industries; the essential difference that one has to be good at your job, just the same..! The 'lucky break', or 'know the right folks' might land a budding pop star in front of a camera, but if he/she doesn't come up with the goods, it won't last. [/quote] The difference is, they virtuoso bedroom player with no networking/friends won't ever have the chance, no matter how good. Getting out gigging and networking is something you can't learn in a practise room. It's just preparation for nailing an opportunity when it arises (usually as a result of knowing the right people)

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1389623525' post='2336204'] Have you seen the state of the road outside his house? Only BC'ers with 4X4's need apply! [/quote] Haha yeah! Proper northern road. I always park at the end of the street lol.

The thing that always surprises me about the whole meeting up thing is how so many of us pay a visit to see Howard (Bass Doc) yet I've never bumped into another basschatter whilst there! I thought it would be like a hub for meeting other basschatters. Agree with all the comments about how lovely other basschatters are when I've met them. All genuinely lovely guys and girls :-)

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1389565834' post='2335679'] Now this, I would contradict. If you mean by 'career in music', pop star, roaming the world in a jet, you may well be right, but I would maintain that there are far more healthy, satisfying and viable careers to be had in music than that. Teaching, orchestral pit work, studio sessions, sound engineers, producers... The list is long. Pop stars are only a tiny, highly visible, tip of the iceberg. [/quote] The same goes for that kind of work too. The last three bits of pit work ice done have been as a result of the ensemble needing a a bassist and I knew (in this case) the drummer. On paper, a recent music graduate with hours of practice a day should be perfect for the job but I got the call first because firstly I'm capable of doing it (but so are hundreds of bass players in the area) but mainly because I'm friendly with the right people. The reason I got to tour Europe with my last band was because the previous bassist left and i had been good friends with the drummer, so rather than auditioning and seeing lots of other capable bassists and choosing the best, I got a call that was basically '*drummer friend* put in a good word so if you want the job, it's yours'