socrates

Just bought a rather wonderful Sandberg California from Carl... item exactly as described and all interaction was quick and helpful. The bass was posted the next day and even the packaging was a work of art... Top chap and thoroughly recommended! cheers, Nick

darn the FSR 74 jazz has gone, overnight... think I even dreamed about it

Surely Herbie Flowers' "Granddad" must be a basschat favourite? No? OK I nominate Bennie Hill's "Ernie (the fastest milkman in the west)" -I actually think that is a good song and any time I hear it I am immediately transported back to my 70s childhood...

Just bought a fretless Westone Thunder 1a from Paul... Childhood dream fulfilled, house now full of badly played 80s bass lines... Anyway top bloke, pleasure to deal with...

In Kaye related news... this is still on iPlayer if you haven't listened already... she was quite a mean jazz guitar player too (she is playing the 6 string as she is interviewed, oddly). Given cheesy or boring bass parts by producers she always found a way to make them interesting and in most cases actually be central to the song: [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05nk25s"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b05nk25s[/url] Wichita Lineman is definitely in my top ten recordings of all time, as is God Only Knows (also her...)

How sad... these bass lines seeped into my musical unconscious many years before I even knew what a bass guitar was. Dancing Queen is amazing but also Money Money Money for example - takes a cliched octave bass part and makes it swing in an original way, absolutely central to the feel and pulse of the song...

don't think anyone has mentioned this yet: [url="http://www.musicradar.com/news/bass/paul-mccartneys-12-greatest-beatles-bass-performances-509352"]http://www.musicrada...ormances-509352[/url] Has some nice analysis and links to all the songs in one place. My favorite bit, on Michelle: Remarkably, the smooth and silky bassline which serves as a poetic counterpoint to the guitar chords, riding lightly off of Starr's hi-hat, was thought up in the studio on the spot. "I never would have played Michelle on bass until I had to record the bass line," McCartney revealed to Bass Player magazine in 1995. "Bass isn't an instrument you sit around and sing to."

Yup, RIP Ian McLagen.. stay with me a great bass line though is it just me or is there a bum note around half way through? Just adds to the live and loose feel I always think!

Hi - anyone have any experience of these yet? http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/u_eb_page14.php?year=2014&cat_id=2&series_id=55&data_id=120&color=CL01 Fancy a cheapo 5 string for trying to learn/tinkering at home - am usually a Jazz/Precision bod so know it will be a leap but I know Ibanez are well respected... any thoughts? Nick

welcome - I have had a similar recent 'call to arms' in the last couple of years - playing both for my office party band and the parents band at my son's school. After not gigging for over 20 years its refreshing to see that some things never change... I am still the first to set up, guitarists still incessantly make random noises/solo at full volume during rehearsals when everyone else is trying to sort out arrangements etc... seriously though it is great to be playing live again even if it means rehearsing in the work gym or at other parent's houses very very quietly after the kids are in bed! It is the only way to seriously up your game in terms of technique and experience the sheer enjoyment/reward of playing in front of others. Oh and the other downside is that now I have half an excuse to buy more equipment that I don't really need... a 150 watt amp for an audience of 7 years olds in the school assembly? Why not!

Just had to add a White Denim track and up the James Jamerson quota with Franki Valli's The Night.. Bernadette already on there so this is perhaps my next favourite Jamerson performance (and I think one of his last ever?)

When I was 20 my band supported the Stone Roses, about a week after the first album came out (in Stratford Upon Avon of all places). I chatted to Mani for a quite a while at the side of the stage (the others were less approachable, although I recall Ian Brown would go into 'monkey mode' as soon as anyone pointed a camera near him). Mani was very friendly and we ended up laughing about good bass amps being 'trouser flapping' loud. We also talked about his incredible semi-acoustic Rickenbacker and how great it sounded. My stand out memory of the day however was the soundcheck - they just sort of ambled on to the stage one by one and started jamming their songs at an incredibly slow tempo... none of the 'testing testing one two' nonsense for half an hour... it was the coolest thing I have ever seen or heard. Oh, and the road crew were the scariest bunch of manc lads I had even encountered (even though they were wearing flares and floral print t-shirts). My only interaction with name bassists since then has been at gigs where I have muttered 'great gig/bass/ playing' etc after the show whilst trying desperately not to look like a stalker...

Ordered and installed P bass wiring kit - all works brilliantly, was very easy to install (especially for a soldering-phobic fat fingered bloke like me!) and vastly improves sound of an old Korean pickup noticeably already. very chuffed! thanks again for super-quick service and providing such a fool-proof package!

What a truly wonderful looking bass, and a great story - made my day! Owning a '74 Jazz bass myself I think there really is a unique look to the aging which relicing doesn't come anywhere near close to I think. I did a build project myself after a similar landmark (turning 40, first baby) and it really is most satisfying (though mine not nearly as nicely done as this, nor vintage)..

Wow I sympathise with this completely - after being a lover of jazz for years but only ever playing rock and indie (and not being a music reader), I was recently invited to play in a jazz trio with a guitarist who has been playing standards for many years and a professional violinist. I felt like an absolute plodder in comparison but now we have about an hour of material and a couple of gigs under our belt the learning curve has been phenomenal. What this has shown me is that even just reading changes is a skill in itself (in lots of other music I think we just think in terms of riffs, verse, chorus etc rather than counting out bars), before even tackling soloing and feel. The guts and confidence to get on stage with a bunch of strangers and pick up a standard off the cuff is something I aspire to one day . . .

wonderful documentary but yes needed much more on early years and Move in particular who were a great band. Also, a vintage guitar and bass collection to die for I think . . . Me and a mate started to discuss it Sunday morning as we took our kids to a playcentre and first thing we said was - nice house but where does he put the wife and kids??

A gig, in a local park, no stage, no marquee, just three chairs and three amps on the grass in between a queue of kids getting their faces painted and a 'test your strength' machine. Strong smell of dog poo coming from one us . . . Then driving partner, 5 year old son, baby, mate who had come to watch, bass, bass amp, pram etc. home in my Ford Escort. Wonderful!

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1348493124' post='1814251'] Relax. You are the bass player. Provided you don't catch fire, noone will notice you anyway. [/quote] ha ha

[size=3]thanks both[/size] [size=3]well, I survived it! It was a great experience - we played OK but on reflection there are a few 'learning points' to take forward:[/size][list] [*][size=3]Outdoor gigs - tell the guitarist to use a bigger amp than usual so they can get a nice warm jazz tone at volume (we ended up with tinny and fuzzy!). Sitting us in between the generator and a 'test your strength' machine didn't help either![/size] [*][size=3]On an otherwise pleasant and sunny September day, don't sit in the shade as your fingers get very cold after ten minutes (violinist especially, but this affect us all -luckily we were supplied with regular cups of tea)[/size] [*][size=3]In fact, if there is no stage and no marquee (as we had) then wrap up, remember clothes pegs (to keep sheet music in place during gusts of wind!) and, most importantly, entrust someone as chief childminder so that sons/daughters don't keep running up and start cuddling you as you try to solo over 'Autumn Leaves' (this happened - cute but grrr annoying)[/size] [/list] [size=3]Playing wise, things were OK but this emphasised to me that playing jazz is not just a case of learning the chords and how to stop and start (OK, OK, I know) - if we had more rehearsal time we would have had the confidence to relax into the songs a bit more and concentrated on 'swinging' better. Also I didn't realise just how much trio playing leaves you really exposed and there is a real art to keeping the sound consistent and interesting. A percussionist and/or a piano player would have helped a lot. At times – and particularly when I soloed – the whole thing sound like it was close to grinding to a halt![/size] [size=3]So overall, a good experience and - perhaps most importantly - has left me wanting to do more (if only to make it better next time!) . . watch this space . . .[/size] [size=3]Nick[/size]

I have always 'kept my hand in' with the bass playing but when my son started school last year we started a parent's band to play in assembly etc (I came up with the name - 'Mommas and Poppas' of course). The guitarist plays in a Jazz duet. He has collared me and one of the moms to play a 40 minutes set in a local park festival on Saturday. This means my first proper gig in 16 years. This is great but there are a couple of things making me extra nervous: The jazz guitarist knows lots of standards and can sight read. I can do neither and can barely count along to a chord chart. We have had a couple of practices and I am muddling along but this is quite a leap for my rusty chops! I always loved jazz but only ever learnt standard bass player stuff - some Jaco stuff by rote (i.e. not really understanding the changes underneath) and one walking bass line. Also, the mom is a professional violinist who has done sessions for Weller, Coldplay, Roxy Music etc . . . musically out of my league doesn't cover it. Luckily she is very patient and puts up with my endless demand for reassurance and more practice time . . I must say though that the experience of learning lots of new material and playing with pro-class musicians has been a real treat. I am used to playing in indie or rock bands where it is all riff and chord led and you learn a song by ear - to have someone plonk a chart in front of you and then you just play it is daunting but I am slowly getting used to it. Luckily I already has some understanding of jazz basics (AABA structure etc) but actually playing the stuff and keeping the eye contact going whilst following a chart is a real discipline. Also, being just a trio they are asking me to solo - I have never solo'd in any band I've been in so this is another first . . wish me luck!

This is fascinating, wonderful stuff. One day when I have more time I am going to do a spotify playlist of 'great British session players' of this era - Mo, Herbie Flowers, Dave Richmond, Les Hurdle etc . . the bass lines that we grew up listening to when we largely had no idea who they were! There is already a ton of KPM session stuff on Spotify featuring these players, including some comps under Herbie Flower's own name such as: [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/1rMfmR7TzRvhfNPcxCUxhx"][font="Consolas"]http://open.spotify.com/album/1rMfmR7TzRvhfNPcxCUxhx[/font][/url] Nick

Brilliant, loving it. I also did an ebay special jazz bass a few years ago. Dollar was cheap then so bought Fender body and some other bits from the Stratosphere - '62 reissue body and an Allparts lined fretless neck. I'm pretty pleased with mine too but it wasn't the bargain yours was and I stupidly cut corners and didn't use the right tools for cutting the nut slots etc so it doesn't look as slick as yours either! Nick

mmm . . . in no particular order: 1. James Jamerson - created pop/soul bass guitar with one finger, one bass and the same set of strings . . . oh and because that root/fifth/octave sweep thing is still what I do when I can't think of anything else to play. 2. Geezer Butler - because when I was teaching myself to play those early Sabbath riffs were a better education than any tutor book 3. Jaco - for the playing of course but also for the composing - Three Views of a Secret is the song I find myself humming in the shower. 4. Herbie Flowers - for that gorgeous floppy, funky sound and basslines that alwasy just sound both really musical and downright fun to play . . . Histoire de Melody Nelson, Space Oddity and - my favorite - Nick Harrison's theme for Budgie, "the Loner" (check it out: [url="http://open.spotify.com/local/Nick+Harrison/The+Music+Library/The+loner/162"]http://open.spotify.com/local/Nick+Harriso...y/The+loner/162[/url] 5. Steve Terebecki (White Denim) - for renewing my faith in great clangy/fuzzy basslines that can lead a song . . . plus taking the rickenbacker and musicman into indie rock . . . check out "I start to run" and in fact the whole Fits album on spotify: [url="http://open.spotify.com/album/22qmL9JpkRhk7IAAG6heRo"]http://open.spotify.com/album/22qmL9JpkRhk7IAAG6heRo[/url]

welcome (from another 40 year old suit!) - I too have seriously got back into playing after a long break from gigging . . . I would add Basschat seems a great place to buy used gear from - much better than ebay - there's always some interesting Fenders up for grabs . . . Nick

I thought Everything Everything were great too - but am surprised no one has mentioned great bit of bass playing (and quirky moves too) by the bloke with Delta Spirit . . . busy but old-school blue-eyed funky at the same time . . . and a fantasticly noisy bit of guitar and violin abuse by Warren Ellis of Grinderman (who I am going to see tomorrow!). All made Jamiriquoi look like a pub band IMO I must say that there is so little good live music on TV that i always enjoy Jools even if I'm not keen on any of the bands . . . I was lucky enough to go to a filming last season and we stood right next to the Specials - Gary McManus played an explorer but I was only inches away from his backup bass - a lovely old white precision (with two-tone logo on the headstock!)