Rayman

Sire V7? Great basses

I get increasingly frustrated, hearing stories and  having my own personal experiences with suppliers and manufacturers, where customer service seems to be an afterthought.

Having bought new equipment recently that was faulty, and also having a couple of failed attempts to buy equipment from a dealer who frankly couldn't be bothered to help me, I also hear stories on here about new basses that weren't set up, difficulties in returning wrong or faulty equipment and just general apathy from some sources of gear. The line of work I'm in, we just couldn't get away with such indifference.

We spend a lot of money on our passion, and to me, in return, there should be an equal passion from the supplier, and if not, they don't deserve the business frankly, I won't name names.

I have had however, totally stellar after sales support from two absolutely first class companies.... Ashdown and Warwick. Both of whom were absolutely delighted to help me in any way they could, including great conversations with the bosses of both companies. That's the way it should be no? Two examples of companies who are obviously passionate about their products?

If I'm buying gear, whether it's a cable or a new bass, I expect that store to be totally on it when it comes to processing my purchase and being friendly and helpful without exception. Otherwise they can do one.

One of the few makes of bass I’ve never owned…… I’ve had a go on a couple but never owned one. A friend of mine had the CS, rare as the proverbial now I believe.

Anyway, looks absolutely lovely, especially in black, the best colour of course.

Inexcusable that the store, whoever it was, didn’t set it up. Pure laziness.

Something like the Ibanez SR505, very manageable shape and weight, and I’m guessing similar string spacing to the Cort? 
Nothing wrong with Bass Collection by the way, the Nanyo range are ace.

👜

It will be, once the Aguilar pre is fitted.

I get his 'motivational' videos popping up on my social media quite a lot. Now I'm no expert on video presentation, but he literally looks like he's just got out of bed most of the time, and I'm guessing a member of his family is holding the phone while he records the film. I mean, there's such a thing as a relaxed approach, but at least sort your bed hair out first?

31 minutes ago, jimbobothy said:

… maybe the Nottingham gig, just a pain to get to so we’ll see. I saw the last trio in Manchester and that was really very good indeed 👍🏼

I had a ticket for Mcr, but couldn’t go.

I have my ticket for Nottingham, and for the masterclass beforehand 

We’re celebrating being together 40yrs this year. Rehearsals are going well, my voice (I’m also the frontman, we’re a 3pce) is warming up, and I thought I’d blow the dust of the old Squier Frank Bello jazz instead of the usual Thunderbird. Sounding good, via the Ashdown Mark King combo behind me. Not your normal combination?

I've always liked Fernandes, I've had a couple in the past, really great basses. 

Agreed on Cort basses, pretty much fabulous at most price points. The GB5 looks awesome.

Also agreed about Jeff. He's an enigma for sure. His playing..... well lets be honest he's a genius. However I was lucky enough to fall out with him on a FB thread a few years ago, where he argued that you absolutely have to have a solid grounding in theory to be a good bass player. I argued that I'd been playing 40 years and knew next to nothing and had managed as a semi pro in the past (although nothing like the dizzy heights of people like him, obviously), learning almost exclusively by ear. We had a lengthy argument about it on the thread, it got a bit heated and I left it alone.

I actually met him at a bassday gathering in Manchester a few years previous, and he's an absolutely lovey and funny chap, but he has some odd opinions.

So,

After the nasty surprise of discovering that this bass had a cheap Thomann onboard pre in it, that you can pick up for 25 quid online, I've ordered an Aguilar OBP1 to drop in there. I'm also switching back to TI flats, as they sound so fantastic on my Streamer.

What did we learn from this? When you go to pick up your new purchase, take off your rose tinted spectacles and give it a full and careful once over, to make sure it is what you think it is, and that there are no nasty surprises hidden away. Thankfully the bass is absolutely lovely, despite the poor choice of upgraded (!?!) pre, and once fitted with the Aguilar, I'm sure it'll be even better.

I’ve thought about one (and the 4 stringer) for years, but I guess it boils down to the same thing with any signature bass, it’s designed around the requirements of the person who’s signature is on it, and that is very much the case with Jeff. I can’t get past that hideous body wood configuration on the 4 string (which was chosen by his wife when they were designing it), so I always preferred the look of the 5. I have heard though, that the tones lacked a bit of something on both, but, that’s a matter of opinion isn’t it?

I just read through all that…. and I don’t think it answers your question at all 😆

Anyone else going to the November gigs/workshops? Specifically the Nottingham one?

GAS is the whole point isn’t? It’s the thrill of of the chase, the hoarding of equipment, the jealousy you have of others who have equipment you don’t, the buzz of looking through the ads on payday (before you’ve paid your actual bills), shiny, pretty , things 😈

Nobody actually plays any of this c**p do they??

21 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

Back in the early 90s our band was doing pretty well - we were headlining the Marquee and all the Mean Fiddler venues, we were touring with Carter USM and Gaye Bykers, we'd had bands like Bolt thrower supporting us...

So our keys and guitar player decided our fame was imminent and jacked in their jobs. the rest of us felt it best to hold onto our employment for just a bit longer.

As it turns out we were right! We just drifted along until we could no longer be bothered.

That’s an important point…

If you read Frank Bellos’ book, he points out that while Anthrax were touring and recording those early albums, he was still going to work in his uncles deli in NY just to make some money! Just shows, fame doesn’t pay the bills.

18 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Strangest time I was recognised was at Hamburg Airport, by The Macc Lads of all people - we were playing the same venue that evening.

Lol…… we supported them a number times…. I still see Tristan (Mutley) riding his bike around Macclesfield. He’s even more grumpy now than he was then.

I’m such a massively creative person, I can’t imagine not playing and writing, but I have to have a reason. Stupid as it sounds I have always struggled with playing for fun. There has to be a point, a direction….. writing, recording, gigging…. support slot… radio play or Spotify hits….. something to have as a goal. To this day, I don’t see the point without those ambitions. Sad really.

1 hour ago, cetera said:

I was in a 'signed' band (European and Japanese distribution) that did a few cool shows but saw zero money and always had some 'Manager' or 'A&R' man making rubbish decisions. How do you pay the bills?

I'd been running/playing in a KISS tribute as well at the same time that was a good regular payer, to decent audiences that sang every word and also involved well paid overseas gigs and tours so I chose that. Enjoyed the 'perks' for 25 years, including picking up endorsements with my two fave bass gear companies, until I realised the band was looking stale and my back was suffering. Moved over to the theatre circuit with a rock covers show and get my kicks there now. Get paid and in bed by midnight. 

The man with more Spectors than the rest of us put together 😆

I remember the Kiss thing….

For me, honestly, I thought I still had a shot well into my 40s (😆), when creativity was still going strong, songs were good, the band was great live….. 

I never had a moment of realisation, it just kind of slowly dawned on me that at at 50…… I think, the boat has sailed without you. 
 

I’ve turned my hopes of creative endeavour to creating a book of illustrations instead. 

As a professional musician I mean?

A generalised question I guess, as some of you are professionals, but I’ll wager most of us aren’t.

Did you think you’d be famous? Did you thing you could be a session pro? Did you wait for the call that never came?

When did you realise that it was never going to be any of those things? It’s…… just…… a……………. hobby 😳

*update*
 

HPW from Warwick replied to my email this morning with a full and detailed spec on the bass, what it originally was built as and all other relevant information.

Superb after care from Warwick, and details on the EQ, from them that would return it to stock.

It was built as an active bass with passive pickups, and frankly it’s a mystery to both of us why the modest Thomann Pre is currently in it.

Next…. will be to replace said parts with something decent.

Presumably I can go back to passive?

Any suggestions?

So a cheap pre…. That’s disappointing 

I feel something considerably better is required 

53 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

 

Doh!  Really should have looked at the front of the bass for the knobs.  Yep that doesn't look right; it didn't come with stacked pairs.  Someone has done a tidy job. As it happens Warwick couldn't have helped you with that info, as it is after market.  What brand is it on the board?

Alpha pots…. Artec board??