Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

mcnach

⭐Supporting Member⭐
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    11,067

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

 Content Type 

Everything posted by mcnach

  1. mcnach
    Tonestyler ordered. And... I'm off to Glasgow to try a Sandberg 48, and maybe a Thunderbird too.
  2. mcnach
    Indeed, I was one I've bought two basses back. Both from members here, although the first one I sold on Gumtree and only a couple of years later I found he was a member of BC (Hi Sam!): I met him at a gig we where I was providing bass amplification, and I did not recognise him but I recognised the bass. He wasn't selling at the time, but I expressed my interest, and a year or two later he sold it back to me. A Vintage (the brand) Jazz bass. The second one, @alyctes here bought it from me. A Shine Telecaster shaped bass with two MM humbuckers. Someone else was asking about those basses, I chipped in what I knew, and alyctes was there too... one thing led to another and my girlfriend bought the bass back for me for my birthday. Alyctes even dropped the price as it was a present etc... Thank you sooo much
  3. mcnach
    singing? I feel old...
  4. mcnach
    And for the love of God... make sure your bass is in tune. Every time... I have a cheap Precision style bass that I had converted, with D'Addario nylon tapewounds and a Model P pickup, and it's got a lovely lovely sound. I have owned a couple of 'better' fretless basses but sold them and kept this. Anyway! I'm mostly a fretless owner rather than player. I play it at home sometimes, then go for weeks or months without touching it... as a result I haven't yet built up a very consistent touch with it. Last weekend I was meant to go into the studio to put some bass on one new song for my band's new album. It was just a jam that happened at the studio between the drummer and one guitarist, and then things were added to it and we decided to turn it into a song. I didn't know what to play and thought I could maybe use the fretless to make it sound a bit different and maybe it would inspire me... So the previous two days I used the fretless exclusively, a lot, playing a long to various things, working out alternative basslines for the new song... and then, on the day, I checked the tuning and it was slightly flat across all strings. No problem! I tuned up. But then... I could not play in tune! I was always playing slightly sharp as I got used to putting my fingers slightly forward to compensate for the tuning being off. Not fun. Because time is money, I ended up picking up a fretted bass instead, as it'll take me a couple of sessions to get used to playing the way I should. Check the tuning!!! That way you'll get into the habit of placing the fingers in the right spot from the beginning... don't be a silly billy like me 😛
  5. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    Indeed! Before I joined BassChat, I just used whatever my local shop had, and I only had priority about gauges. Choice is a terrible thing Fat Beams are roundwounds, of course, stainless steel, so pretty bright to start with, but I prefer them after they've been used a bit. That's why I keep them that long. It takes me 2-3 weeks for them to be just right, and then they last a long time in that condition having lost the initial zing. By the time I'm finding them lacking a bit, it's easily 9 months... and I'm reluctant to replace them because I just don't like new strings, so I might carry on a bit longer. edit: I have Fat Beams on a few basses right now, I just checked my spreadsheet : * EBMM SUB: 2 years and 2 months (but I don't use that bass a lot) * Fender Precision: 1 year 8 months * Maruszczyk Jake JJ/P: 3 months - still very bright, but mostly used at home, I have used it on a couple of rehearsals and a total of ONE gig. * EBMM Stingray: 8 months... This is the bass I play most gigs with. I really like how it sounds at the moment, so I can see another 2-3 months easily...
  6. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    I must have been lucky... for years! I'm off to buy a lottery ticket! (or maybe, just maybe, the possibility of issues is overestimated ) Either way, I'll do it differently next time, just in case. It costs nothing and I'd feel really silly if I damaged a string now
  7. mcnach
    [deleted... because why bother]
  8. mcnach
    He didn't just say "go and do it yourself", he explained how that could be a good exercise and I have to agree with that. It's a repetitive bass line so there aren't many different bits to it, so it would not be a huge amount of work but it can be quite educational. I get it that you were just after a tab you could go ahead and use straight away, which is fine, so you're entitled to ignore that post and carry on. The main thing is that he meant well, even if it didn't solve your issue. You don't need to bend over backwards thanking him or anything, but getting uptight about it will not help matters either and it's not a good look, I think.
  9. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    I don't do anything like that... am I supposed to? I roughly measure, cut, insert in post, THEN bend and wind. No issues so far but maybe I'll change my ways just in case...
  10. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    I guess that's fair. Before I bought my first set I was actually concerned as I had read issues with dead strings in new packets etc, although DR seemed prompt to replace them. I only moved to DR because a bass I bought used came with a set of strings that I really liked. I always removed strings from basses I buy and put my own, but this one was really nice. I had to start one of those "what strings are these?" threads and the consensus came to Fat Beams. I bought a set... and the rest is history. I wouldn't say there's a 'hype' about them, just very many happy users. But you're right, they won't necessarily suit everyone. However it's hard to find out without going ahead and trying them.
  11. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    No, I haven't YET. The comparisons with my favourite Fat Beams make them attractive and I like that they're a UK brand too. It's on my list for strings to try in the very near future.
  12. mcnach
    I think I am going to have to block you. As we discussed earlier tonight, MM + P sounds perfect for me. I do like the Thunderbird sound, but I'm not crazy about it. I love big bridge humbuckers, and MM+P is just my favourite combination for a two pickup bass. Then there's the look. That 48 is sexy AF
  13. mcnach
    They have two in Glasgow, none in Edinburgh... looks like a trip this weekend! Thank you! At least they don't come in my favourite colours or fingerboard options, so my wallet is temporarily safe
  14. mcnach
    Good point about adding more wood to the neck on a design that's harder to balance to start with. IfI go that route, I'd definitely be having a chat first: if they cannot guarantee good balance I would not go with that option. It's not like I can't play Jazz necks, just that they're not my favourite... There's a Guitar Guitar very near me, but I don't know if they have 48s... I should find find out.
  15. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    Additional cost to us. In the US of A they are not that pricey. Spending $19 on a set of Fat Beams is not exactly a hardship. In the UK, it's a different matter, of course. I still buy them because everytime I find something else that seems promising as a substitute, it leaves me disappointed. Considering I probably keep a set for 9 months to a year, I'd rather buy what I know I like even if I spend £10 or even £20 more.
  16. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    Nothing ever is a solution for everyone, of course.
  17. mcnach

    DR Strings

    mcnach replied to a topic in General Discussion

    In my case, I also found that with the right bass it was not hard to adapt (a Lakland 5502 for me, wide string spacing help making it feel natural), but I had a couple of basses a *really* liked, and they were 4 strings. Playing the 5er meant not using my favourite basses... and I didn't have a real need for a 5 string... so I let it go. I use drop D at times too, but the best thing about the 5 string bass is that it allows you to move sideways to reach many notes, and you don't have to move up/down the neck as much as with a 4 string. 5 string basses make sense even if you don't use the extra lower notes... But I don't see myself switching until I come across a 5 string bass that I enjoy as much as my Stingray 4-string...
  18. mcnach
    That would have been fantastic, thank you for the offer anyway I'm going to be not too far from Bass Direct in about 6 weeks, and they currently have a 48... If they still have it I could try to visit the store and try it, to get a better impression. Danger danger!
  19. mcnach
    Much better explanation than mine And... not all night, but I didn't go to bed until around 2am... I *love* that bass. I need to return it to you fast, before I get too attached
  20. mcnach
    Yup, that's pretty much what it is. Think of it as a tone control with 'clicks' along the way. It does a bit what a passive tone control does, but it seems to also shift the midrange peak as you go along and it retains definition better, that's how I'd describe it, I don't know... It's definitely a more useful take on a passive tone control.
  21. mcnach
    Yes, reaching into the very high registers is not easy, but then I I very very very rarely go there and only for effect, which I can achieve going elsewhere: a 17 fret bass would do me just fine I actually like the sound of the Sandberg more than the Thunderbirds (from videos, which is... not really a good comparison but that's all I've got), and custom order means I should be able to get a slightly wider neck, presumably (39mm at the nut is a bit narrow for my liking... 41-42 would be more like it. It doesn't sound like much but it's very noticeable)
  22. mcnach
    Interestingly, I ordered a set of TI flats on Saturday, which are for the bass that will most likely receive the Tonestyler...
  23. mcnach
    You are NOT helping... The neck is still looong, just the way the design is, but I hope they'll balance better than Epiphones... I wish I could try one, just to make sure I hate them too Now seriously, everything I heard about Sandberg's build quality makes me very interested, I'd be very willing to give it a try. I just don't know that I should get a Thunderbird style bass: I like the look and all but I really don't need another bass. It would look great for certain gigs but... Oh God, I'm sounding far too sensible
  24. mcnach
    Thank you! I don't own one yet. Yet! But I'll remedy that soon enough.
  25. mcnach
    Glad to hear things are looking brighter!
×
×
  • Create New...