mcnach

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1412511295' post='2569433'] Why is it that highly technical bassists largely seem to be loved on Basschat, but highly technical guitarists seem to be denigrated? [/quote] really? I haven't noticed such division, myself...

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1412633977' post='2570718'] The even cheaper Harley Benton Jazzes seem to stay put with their owners a bit more. It must be the coloured finishes of the J&D basses that are triggering the more magpie-like instincts of basses. [/quote] based on a sample of n=?

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1412500602' post='2569292'] looks about as useful as tits on a kipper why is there no video demonstration? are they embarrassed or something? [/quote] seems like a totally pointless and tedious to use contraption... If you're not away from a bass for months, you won't lose dexterity. If you are away from a bass for months... get a new bass!

[quote name='dincz' timestamp='1412614633' post='2570417'] I'm stuck waiting for parts for my Mingray experiment (see thread in Bass Guitars). Meanwhile I'm wondering if it's worth including a series/parallel/single switch. I'd guess series/parallel would give quite different sounds but is a single coil option worth including? I'll be using a Seymour Duncan SMB-4A mounted in the Stingray spot. [/quote] I would not bother. But it may be worth trying both the parallel and the series configurations and see which one you like best. I personally don't find it that useful to switch between the various configurations in one bass (I have a couple of basses that allows that, but I didn't choose them because of it), but one configuration may be nicer than the rest, for you. One of my SUBs is wired in series (stock), and it's my favourite when using a 2-band preamp. It seems that the extra mids complement the preamp better than the parallel config, for my liking.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1412405652' post='2568602'] These do seem to be making the rounds. People rave about them being good for not much money, but they demonstrably do not seem to be 'keepers'. [/quote] When they're so cheap, many people buy them on impulse and after a while they come to their senses and realise they really don't need it, and possibly have other basses they prefer so... away they go. Not very surprising, really. What is surprising is that they're so good for the price they go for!

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1412148252' post='2566030'] True, but then why the little laughing emoticon? It's belittling... [/quote] I'm truly sorry you feel that way... I think you're taking things far too seriously

let's just

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1411985434' post='2564484'] Shame on me for having an opinion... [/quote] why the hurt? you have yours, I have mine, and we're allowed to disagree

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1411389231' post='2558968'] Fixed that for you there... [/quote] So the ATK sounds more Stingray-like than a "modern" Stingray? Sure thing I love the ATK (pity about the ugly headstock, but everything else is beautiful and sounds great) but... more Stingray than a Stingray? Then again, some people say the G&L L2000 can sound like a Stingray (which it doesn't, at all, ever )

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1411837325' post='2563208'] I used to have one of the Warrior series many years ago, I can't recall the model number but it was the one with F holes. Looked lovely and played ok but electrics were terrible, a really weak output and not much tone to speak of. I only paid fifty quid for it and eventually gave it away to a friend's brother who was just starting out. Decent starter instrument but didn't really stack up against the cheap Squier P Special and Ibanez GSR I owned at the time in the sound department. [/quote] That would be a Warrior III. Poor output? Mine was a beast! I eventually drilled an extra hole for a 5th control and installed a 3-band Glockenklang preamp. But even without the preamp, it sounded pretty good - I thought. This was my Warrior, and this one was pretty sweet, except for the neckdive issues: I don't have pictures of my old Warrior II, but it was shaped like a Warwick Corvette.

[quote name='barkin' timestamp='1411404528' post='2559195'] I've gigged a Sue Ryder P too. And I've done 100's of gigs with a Westone Thunder, and more recently a Vintage V4 that I picked up from here for under a ton. If it plays OK, and makes a sound that you're happy with, what's the problem? As for those that say "it has to have the F word on the headstock" ... F 'em. As long as [i][b]I'm[/b][/i] happy playing it, I don't give a monkey's what anybody else might think. [/quote] Exactly. I used to gig with an OLP and I sometimes encountered snobs... the best one was one that didn't realise it was an OLP (it goes to show how much he knew) and after the gig he was talking to me about how great we sounded, how great the bass sounded, and how Stingrays are the best over any Fender etc (cue me smiling politely) and then he said something about people mistakenly going for cheap instruments but a Stingray is where it's at. You can guess my joy pointing out that I was playing an OLP that night Sure, it had a new pickup and I installed a preamp, and the bass had been setup to perfection by my luthier friend... but it was an OLP. Now I don't have that OLP, sadly, sold in a moment of madness... I do have a Stingray that I preferred to the OLP, but the OLP was a really good instrument in its own right. Lately I've been playing more Jazz basses. I own... 5. One is a Vintage brand, my first bass that I bought back after selling it. I have gigged with it but I do not use it that much. Then I have two Fender 75RI (60s and 70s spacing), a Squier and a J&D. All those have been gigged. In order of preference: Squier, Fender 75RI (70s), J&D, Fender 75RI (60s). So lately I have been using a red Squier Jazz that cost me £75, which has a plywood body and the most amazing neck. It's a little battered, but it adds "mojo" and it looks inexpensive enough that people don't look at it with bad intentions. The neck pickup routing is pretty neat, so I use it without a pickguard at the moment. Ok, it does have DiMarzio Area J pickups now, and a J-Retro preamp (with stacked Kazz-style plastic knobs to preserve the traditional looks). It's a monster. It feels great and sounds fantastic. And I prefer it to my two Fenders - not that they're bad basses at all, otherwise I would not have bought them! But I just prefer the Squier.

I owned one. They're solid decent basses, if a little "uninspiring" overall. I actually owned a Warrior, a Warrior II and a Warrior III. The Warrior was the nicest, but the short top horn made it suffer terribly from neckdive, so I let it go in the end. It was great 'though. The Warrior II was fine. Think Squier VM "fine": well made, it all works, yet not an instrument to fall in love with. The Warrior III had the looks, and was a pretty good bass too. If the price is attractive, and you like the looks... go for it. You may like it more than I did, but at any rate they're decent instruments.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1411723023' post='2562220'] It's next weekend, Saturday 4th at the Blind Poet. It's a low-key gig and usually fairly early in the evening. [/quote] Ah, NEXT weekend, I missed that. I still think I'm free if it's early. I'll check it out.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1411670835' post='2561814'] OK, I've had the conversation and I've left the band. Singer seemed sad, one of the other two was surprised but understanding, the other one I'm fairly certain had seen it coming. I've not burned my boats with anyone though, as I was quite determined not to do that. As I result I held back a little about some of the aspects that were annoying me, but I think I got the message across well enough. I'm kind of sad about it as it has been a fun band in a lot of ways and I've put a lot into it, but I think I needed to do it. I'm doing one more gig next weekend which I'd agreed to weeks ago, but after that it's done. Things are a bit weird as now I don't have an electric bass gig at all, just an acoustic project with the double bass and a band where I play guitar. I'll probably seek out another project to play bass guitar with, but possibly not right away. [/quote] Pity that things got that way... but if it's not fun anymore, what's the point? Where are you playing this weekend? I'm reasonably free and would love to see you guys play one more time

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1411640422' post='2561385'] An update; I'm meeting up with the band to discuss things later today. In the meantime the singer appears to have signed us up for an unpaid gig at a tiny venue in London next month (we're in Edinburgh, so massive effort and expense involved) and only asked the rest of us after the venue had already listed the gig. That's not going to help matters! [/quote] I'd probably be sugesting they play without bass again Seriously? No asking first?

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[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1411126179' post='2556697'] Alternatively get a USA made SUB. They're usually around half the price, sound and feel like a Ray if you don't mind the rather industrial paint. [/quote] +1 I have two, and a Stingray... there really isn't anything significant between them, other than the different look.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1410775836' post='2552868'] Cheers guys. There are more responses here than I expected, almost too many to respond to individually but there are some good points there. We had a solid couple of years where the gigs were really fun and we seemed to gather a bit of a following. I don't think that we're still at that point, as the gigs are drying up a little (one of the reasons the singer is keen to take every offer) and we're not rehearsing very often. The singer gives the impression that she wants the band to be the main thing in her life, and I don't feel that I'm in a position to do that or that the band is actually ready for that. Had we jumped on it and gigged more widely a year or two back when things seemed to click a little better perhaps we might have been able to take it to that next stage, but we didn't. I do wonder if there's an element of denial over whether we've missed the boat there. I'm about 6-8 years older than the rest of the band and I've watched friends get signed to labels, slog round rubbish venues staying in travelodges or on floors and end up in the same position they started in except distinctly jaded and frazzled round the edges. It seems like the ones who are happier have just continued to do their own idiosyncratic thing on the local scene to whatever niche following is around whilst carrying on with a relatively normal life. So that's the model I want to pursue, and happily that's more or less how my other projects operate. It's difficult as the singer and the guitarist (who are a couple) are people I knew before we put the band together so whatever I do I need to keep it amicable. They got together at about the same time I met my wife and we've spent a lot of time together. I think I might suggest that they look for a new bassist, but agree to play out the remaining gigs we have booked and see how that goes down... [/quote] ah, if they are thinking of "making it big"... that could complicate matters, from what you say your outlook is (similar to mine, by the way). I've been in various bands where that idea would be discussed from time to time, about the commitment and sacrifices we'd have to make... fortunately, we were never in a position for any of that to become real. I'm happy with SBK, for example. We play locally a lot, and explore other cities, towns, villages and hamlets sometimes too (and the odd forest!), and that works for me. I have a day job that pays reasonably and I'm not in a hurry to quit. If suddenly SBK became big and we got a good financial offer, I would not mind touring around the world but... I know it's not going to happen. If the band wanted to start travelling up and down the UK regularly, I'd have to quit, because it would no longer be fun for me. If the priorities have changed, and you're all friends... I suppose the sooner you discuss that the better, before the situation turns sour and it affects more than just the band. But hopefully it's just a phase... it's a great band!

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1410742367' post='2552681'] I have been having mixed feelings about one of my bands lately (the first link in my signature) and I'm trying to decide if I may end up leaving when we get together to talk to each other about it. I've played in the band for several years; we've had some really enjoyable gigs and recorded some things I'm quite pleased with. It's an amateur concern, as while some gigs are paid, when all band activities are taken into account we break even or less. I also play in two other projects, one of which gigs very rarely and the other of which can occasionally be busy though it's quite sporadic. When asked about my availability for gigs, I will confirm the earliest offer for a given date without giving priority to any one band, so short notice gigs (less than a fortnight ahead) are sometimes turned down. This summer I've had limited availability as my Father-in-Law had a prolonged period of illness and passed away last month and we've had to travel up and down from Scotland to England a number of times to care for him and my Mother-in-Law and to sort things out after his death. I had to cancel a couple of gigs at short notice the week he died, but what else can you do? The band keep accepting gigs when I have told them I'm not available and playing them without bass, which for our particular lineup isn't going to work very well. I have told the band that I'm uncomfortable with this as I don't feel that going out like that represents us very well and I would prefer to feel like a core part of the band rather than an optional add-on. If anything I would rather they used a dep rather than going out bass-less. Two members of the band have responded to this by saying how disappointed they were in my limited availability recently and that they thought I must be losing interest, and this is when when I've already made my family situation quite clear to them. We have already disagreed a few times recently over which gigs we should accept, as our singer believes we need to say yes to everything in order to "make it". I have no concept of trying to "make it" and just want to play gigs which I enjoy. We haven't worked on any new material in over a year and it appears that my priorities are not the same as the rest of the band. I'm fond of this band, so it's a difficult choice to make. Looking at this description, what do people reckon? [/quote] Oh no That's a pity... I love that band! But, yeah, when you don't feel like you're "needed" it's not so much fun :-/ I can't believe they just went ahead and played without bass. The bass is so important in so many of your songs! I don't like using deps in bands like Jen and the Gents, or SBK, etc. I feel that using a dep is not representing the band for what it is (no matter how great the dep is!). But in SBK, I (rarely) have someone else playing bass, if it's a gig we consider "important" and we really don't want to miss it. My view is that if it's really that important, all the more reason NOT to use a dep! But it keeps everybody else happy, and as long it's not used to book any regular gigs, I'm ok with that. It's been ok so far. You know my dep... it's Pete, now in NUF He is someone I trust, is known to the band, and he may end up playing a couple of gigs a year perhaps. If your bandmates are worried about your availability, maybe that's an option... although your availability issues are more than reasonable and I'm surprised they didn't understand and support you. Working on new material... I'd get bored if all we did was play the same things over and over, without seeing a progression. I wonder if the fact that you changed drummer first and then guitarist made the band slow down a bit. I know that when we changed drummers in SBK (first in early 2011, then in early 2012) it felt like it took ages for us to move on... As for which gigs to play... I love playing so I say yes to nearly all. Nearly. I'm not interested in playing lots of multiband gigs where you get a 30 min slot, 40 if lucky, that end up eating all your evening and give you little back. We don't always charge, and the amount we charge varies... but we tend to balance it so that we can play for free (or food and drinks and some petrol money) if it's fun and we don't require to bring much equipment and/or it's local, and we want more of a cash incentive if the logistics are more complicated... There are many gigs around Edinburgh that would see you playing to a handful of people for little or no cash (if you play often in a small city, you can't expect your followers to be there at every gig)... I'd rather not do those. Henry's Cellar? No thanks. It can be good if you organise it yourself, but it generally sucks when we join someone else's bill. I think being a bit choosy helps a lot. One thing that helped us a lot was getting regular slots at Whistle Binkies (one of the main music bars in town). WE started being offered 45min slots on a WEdnesday or later a Thursday, then we moved to better slots on better days... You get seen by a lot of people, and I think your band would do well there, but until you have a 2x45min worth of decent material you won't get the decent slots... I don't know, sorry I just rambled... it's late, I'm tired and trying not to think about the referendum I hope it's just a low point and that it gets better. That band would not be the same without your bass!

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1411054818' post='2556026'] There's room for a neck jazz there too... [/quote] no need

helloooooo I don't know much about pickup specifics, I just know what I like... I like the Seymour Duncan SMB4A a lot, although it may not be exactly a replica of the original. I think it's a bit more punchy and has more clarity to it, while keeping a huge bottom and a great midrange. But I do like the original too, especially wired in series (I only tried the SMB4A in parallel). I did not like the Nordstrand MM4.2. It felt a bit "woolly" to me. When I need a replacement, I just go for the SMB4A, it just works very nicely for me. And a MMSR preamp from John East, of course. The midsweep module is fantastically useful

[quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1410690103' post='2551898'] Isn't the C4H already equipped with two MM-style humbuckers? The regular C4 has two soapbars. You're describing a PJ-setup, which slightly puzzles me because there's never been a C4 with PJ. All I can think of is the Cort Action Bass - which shares its bodyshape with the Artisan C4. Why not get a C4H or C5H instead, with the two humbuckers? [/quote] is the bridge pickup at the Stingray position? No, it isn't. Therefore buying another bass won't achieve the goal the OP outlined.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1410592468' post='2551023'] Can't you just turn the volume down? I use my OBT at home, although I replaced the fan with a silent one as the original was too noisy. [/quote] exactly. I've used both a GB Shuttle 9.2 and Streamliner 900 (900W) into a Schroeder Mini10R 10" cab at home, for apartment-friendly practice... The master volume is touchy, but you just bring the gain down sufficiently for the volume to give you a reasonable operation range. Use the volume knob! Going down 100-200W in max power won't make a difference. Doesn't the OBT have a gain control as well as a master volume?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1410613188' post='2551264'] Do it [/quote] do it do it do it!