EddieG

Wonder if they've taken a bit of "influence" from these guys?.... [url="http://www.ansirmusic.com"]http://www.ansirmusic.com[/url]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1071166' date='Dec 28 2010, 06:47 PM']This has developed into an interesting thread. Playing in a tribute band, I try to get nail the lines as accurately as possible. But over the years I've tried to inject a bit of my own personality and feel into the Steely Dan bass parts. As I mentioned previously, Chuck Rainey's slap part on Peg is hard to replicate, mainly due to his style and the fact that the bass didn't sound 'zingy' when slapped. You can see why Becker and Fagen failed to spot him slapping. For me, my version of Kid Charlemagne is also an approximation, as I believe Rainey's amazing part is impossible to replicate accurately. Bootsy's Sex Machine is also an example of this. However, there are certain songs where I have studied the original note for note, as the part is so perfect and just has to be played to the record. Greenflower Street and IGY come to mind. In fact, virtually every bass part on The Nightfly is absolute perfection, and IMO should be performed (not necessarily played) as is recorded. I also think that the part on Gaslighting Abbie warrants this. An example of a bass part that I've changed slightly over the years is Ricki Don't Lose That Number. Apart from the intro, the main song isn't something the average listener would pick up on. To me, the main importance of most songs is to maintain the overall feel, which is something I try to achieve. But I just agree with JTUK that certain songs need to be performed live as they were written. And Rhythm Stick is one of them. Ramble over.[/quote] Agree 100%. I play in a band that does predominantly "Yacht Rock" stuff, and in something like Kid Charlemagne, there are so many live versions around of Steely Dan performing it that you can take some ideas from all of them and then make the part your own, while keeping the same groove as the original, and you'll get away with it. Sometimes, in the case of something like Minute By Minute, the live versions that followed are much better than the original recording, and are better for live performance. But, in some songs like Josie, Peg or even Boz Scaggs' tune Lowdown, where the bassline that's on the record is an integral part of the song (even a "riff", if you like), you really do need to stick pretty rigidly to the part that's there in terms of the meter and delivery of the notes you play, and Rhythm Stick is one of those basslines. I'm playing it on New Year's Eve, and not only is it a pretty difficult part endurance-wise, its also one that you definitely cant busk because it'll get spotted straight away. Its a fun line to play though, even if it is a hand-breaker! And the keyboard/bass unison line on Gaslighting Abbie is a nightmare!

Muzz, how did the heel on the Mighty Mite neck compare against the SX neck? I've heard some people say the heels on the SX are slightly smaller, and I'm sure that was the case when I measured it up against my Warmoth neck.

I've got an SX that I use as a practice bass. I upgraded the knobs, string guide for a Hipshot one, and replaced the electronics but kept the pickups as they sounded pretty decent. Its turned out to be well worth the money. I've been reading on Talkbass that a lot of folk have been stripping the "nuclear orange" tint from the necks, using something called Citristrip. Its not available over here, but I wondered if anyone else had stripped the neck of their SX, and what they used.

John Entwistle said of them [quote]“There is something different about the sound of these Precisions…I’ve tracked it down to the pickups and tone circuit — the sound is much raunchier and gutsy and has a hint of distortion when the volume is flat out.”[/quote] [quote]“The slab Precisions were like white, squared-off Telecasters, with a split pickup, a maple neck, black scratch plate and what looked like blue veins coming through the white paintwork. I don’t know what they used on them but those basses had a sound of their own, really raunchy with more of a growl than a regular Precision.”[/quote] I'd love to know exactly what's different about the electronics on the slab Precisions compared to the regular models, and whether anybody has tried to emulate this circuit with measurements and multimeter readings taken from a slab Fender. Coolest picture EVER!

This is mine: [url="http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk/punkjazz.html"]http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk/punkjazz.html[/url] First Jaco "tribute" that John built, plays like a dream, and never leaving my possession while my heart is beating.

Landing L3 Landing L300 Landing L332 Landing L532

I'm intrigued, what's so mythical about this particular bass?

I'd put money on it being a Nash, Guy mentions them at the back of the book, in his rundown of all the gear he's used over the years.

Not in the UK, but [url="http://www.syncobass.com"]http://www.syncobass.com[/url] do single string pickups.

Admirable what Trujillo did, but this?... Hang your head in shame, Robert!!

[quote name='jonthebass' post='882259' date='Jun 30 2010, 06:33 PM']Show off![/quote] At [i]every[/i] opportunity!

Hmm, wonder how much mine would cost today then? The first fretless "Jaco" bass John ever built? :brow:

I use two Hartke 4.5XLs as part of my rig, and I've never had any problem with low end. In fact, I played a gig with them at the weekend, and the engineer said at one point he muted my signal through the desk, and there was no difference between that and the volume coming from the cabs onstage!

Hey folks, been lurking around here for a wee while, and figured it was time to make it official! I've always had a talent for music, but been playing properly for almost 20 years now, and bass for around 16 of those, and I now see myself as a bassist first and foremost above anything else. I'm lucky enough that people keep asking me to play music with them, so I must be doing something right and long may it continue! Currently I'm playing in three bands regularly, doing everything from Steely Dan to AC/DC to the Black Eyed Peas. Gear-wise, I'm using a Sansamp RPM/power amp set-up, into two Hartke 4.5XL cabs, which is a fantastic rig. For basses, I'm using a self-assembled Warmoth Jazz, a Fender Roscoe Beck V, and a Bravewood Jaco Pastorius tribute (the first one John made!), and am looking to put together another parts bass as a gig machine, because I'm just too precious about taking my Warmoth to gigs! I'm also using various pedals, such as a Bass Synth Wah, Pitch Shifter and other bits and pieces, always trying to push the envelope a little further. You can see pictures of my basses here: [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32889360@N00/"]Flickr[/url]. There's also videos of me online, doing a recent gig with my rock covers band which you can see at our Myspace, [url="http://www.myspace.com/heathendundee"]http://www.myspace.com/heathendundee[/url] Anyway, enough waffling!