lonestar

Get yourself one of these > They're really good: [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Strings,_Straps,_Stands_at_Bass_Direct.html"]http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_sp...ass_Direct.html[/url]

Tricky choice: Ibanez basses are really good value in terms of build quality etc
I've tried their SR range they're great. Can't say the same for the fret king as I haven't tried them although they look very well spec'd. You or your friend really needs to compare them.

Good luck
Mike

p.s. My grandfather was from Kaunas!

Makes the Red Hot Chili Peppers sound somewhat lukewarm.

I'll come. Really enjoyed the last Northants one.

Thanks for this Gilmour. What an interesting and inspiring thread.
I hadn't ever thought of building a speaker cab before, although I'm pretty handy with the router and wood glue. I might have to have a go at some point.

Mike

Yep me too. I was 14 and a sucker for the green glow of "Electroluminescence".

I bought my s/h VS Bass head from Macaris in Charing cross road for £100 ca 1977.
I sold it back to them in 1983 for not much less I recall.
I played it through a huge 2x12 reflex bass cab that some friend of my dads had made for a disco PA.
I loved it; it was about 4ft tall by 3ft square and used to have to go on the roof rack of the family VW beetle but when it started to dent the car roof I had to switch to smaller speakers, which had a very detrimental on my heavy rock wall of sound bass style.
It sounded quite smooth up close but the people at the back of the gig at Green St Green village hall were probably having their digestive system rearranged and wondered why they needed to visit the loo.

It's amazing what you can do with 100watts of tranny power, a Kay P' bass, teenage angst and Paranoid, or Highway Star played in all reality probably quite badly but with 110% enthusiasm and conviction.
I've subsequently heard that HH had reliability issues but mine never blew up, although I did my best to cause it to.

I can't add much more to the good positive comments here other than playing bass and getting in to a band with her mates or even just getting together and making a racket is probably going to be more fun for her than learning the flute which is a fairly solitary excercise for a teenager.

My boy is 12 and having drum lessons, his mate who is learning guitar came around the other day borrowed my Strat and practice amp. I could hear them upstairs struggling through Teenage Kicks. It brought a tear to my eye especially when I was invited to come and join in. What a laugh.

Find her a good teacher, buy her a decent cheapo bass and amp and if it doesn't work out there is always ebay. there is loads of stuff on basschat about bargain gear.
I met OBBM from this forum at a recent bass bash and he had a brilliant bargain P bass copy PM him and I'm sure that he'll tell you what it was.

mike

What a great series of helpful vids.
Thanks very much Dave

Musicguard.
Don't forget to get the public liability if your gear is on the house insurance and you're out and about gigging.

You could speak to panic music in Swavesey which is near Cambridge.
They are Ampeg service agents or were last time I used them.

Saw 10cc last year at Brentwood leisure centre.
It was basically Graham Gouldman with a whole bunch of people who have played with them over the years. Great gig especially the singer.
Graham is an immensley talented bloke who also wrote lots of songs for people like the Hollies in the '60s. My wife( not a big fan) did ask who the bloke who looks like an accountant was though.

If they tour again go and see them. I will.

I have previously played I'm not in love and currently play Rubber Bullets and Wall St Shuffle with my band. Great bass parts. One day I'll get around to learning Things We Do For Love. It's a cracker

If the maple fretboard is finished, they normally are, and very dirty lighter fuel (naptha) is good.
It works well on bodies and necks too but make sure that there is plenty of ventilation.

[quote name='OldGit' post='168900' date='Apr 3 2008, 10:19 AM']Good point. I guess some people don't gig or even get to a rehearsal studio very often. There is no real substitute for the thump in the chest/guts/ears you get from playing a bass loud.

Hum that tangent needs its own thread (I'll start it) - how do you show civilians the true potential of the bass without appearing to be a flash twonk?
Depends on your band or other public performance opportunities.

I have a favourite example from an unexpected source: Steeleye Span live version of Blackleg Miner from the "Present" CD with Rick Kemp slapping and popping his slightly flanged Overwater .. - Now That's What I Can Folk.
We'd play it in my band if it wasn't so overtly political. I'm looking for a similar opportunity that will still work at a wedding

Listen here
[url="http://www.last.fm/music/Steeleye+Span/_/Blackleg+Miner"]http://www.last.fm/music/Steeleye+Span/_/Blackleg+Miner[/url][/quote]


Classy bit of playing. I never heard slapping over a folk track before! Thanks for posting this

[quote name='David Nimrod' post='167003' date='Mar 31 2008, 04:57 PM']Just to add to my earlier post...

I had a friend over today, a pro session musician (guitar & bass).

His funk/soul/rock playing is just excellent, really very good stuff.

So after listening to him giving one of my basses a good workout;

I just feel like giving up... But I know that I mustn't.

I've gotta just keep on learning and practicing, getting better slowly.

Trouble is, the older you get, the slower you learn (it seems to me).

[/quote]

I've being playing on and off since I was 14, I'm 45 now. It takes me a longer to learn new stuff too but i think that's largely because my standards are so much higher than when I was younger and my playing is definitely better and hopefully still improving. Increasing senility allowed for of course.
You've still got it all ahead of you Dave see your friend as an inspiration, work out what it is about his playing that dusts your broom. You'll get there!

I'll be there.

[quote name='woodenshirt' post='165715' date='Mar 29 2008, 08:44 AM']Looks as though I might be able to make it to the Bash.

I work for a sandwich manufacturer and might be able to sort out some sarnies for lunch, can't promise anything but if someone lets me know how many are likely to be attending then I'll see what I can do.

Would people want free sandwiches?

Just an idea,

(Hopefully) see you all there,

Mart.[/quote]

That's a very kind offer. i'll have one please!

[quote name='Baldwin' post='164648' date='Mar 27 2008, 05:34 PM']I've heard lots of good things about the Lakland Joe Osborn 5 and I'd really like to try one out - The Gallery has one Skyline, but I'd like to compare a few back to back if possible.

Google isn't giving me much to go on, so does anybody know a place in London that has a few in stock?

Cheers![/quote]

I've just read an article about Lakland changing distributors in the UK. They are now handled by Headline who also deal with PRS There number is 01223 874301.
www.headlinemusic.co.uk. They'll tell you where to try them.

Mike

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='163397' date='Mar 25 2008, 09:52 PM']Now thats a bass I'm quite curious about. Looks the parts and the other sig basses I've tried like the Rudy Sarzo and Jeff Berlin model were quite impressive. That Jeff Berlin is actually a bass I wouldn't mind having at some point. Great workhorse bass given its got a graphite reinforced neck.[/quote]

It was a bit of a risky ebay purchase having never seen one before, plus it had been refinished.
However after replacing a hard to find tone pot and getting used to the big chunky neck I'm really pleased with it. I would be interested to see what you think.

[quote name='OldGit' post='163394' date='Mar 25 2008, 09:45 PM']Yes please oh if there's not one already on the list..

Best bring a sleeping bag too (the bash is on Sunday)[/quote]

Oops thanks oldgit. That would have been a bit sad turning up and hanging round the carpark wondering when everyone was going to arrive. See you Sunday then!

I'll be coming on Saturday accompanied by my US Jazz, Peavey Tim Landers Signature five string and possibly my DIY fretless Hartke. Should I bring a my Markbass 2x10 combo too?

[quote name='neepheid' post='157395' date='Mar 14 2008, 01:42 PM']To be honest, it'd be as easy to use one of these:

[/quote]

So would I. What is it?

[quote name='Phaedrus' post='154555' date='Mar 10 2008, 02:27 PM']Absolutely - I'd imagine removing the frets would be pretty straightforward, but filling the gaps is surely a professional job.

Thanks,

Mark[/quote]

Depends on your woodworking skills. I defretted my hartke rosewood board and filled the slots with mahogany veneer, which cost about 4 quid purchased online. and took a couple of evenings from start to finish. It did involve quite a lot of cutting and sanding. You just really have to take your time.
I actually found removing the frets quite easy as long as they come out cleanly without damaging the edges of the slots. you can get special pliers for this but flush cutting wire cutters will do it.
There are quite few web resources for this kind of job but I've lost the site that I referred to.
This one might give you an idea of what's involved. I didn't bother heating the frets. [url="http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms/defretintro.htm"]http://www.geocities.com/charlesarms/defretintro.htm[/url]

Happy to help with any more advice that I can.

mike

[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/[/url]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='152645' date='Mar 6 2008, 08:02 PM']off topic but a really good exercise for intonation is to pick an interval and slide between the two notes in the interval on one string, change interval, repeat, use all intervals till comfortable then employ the same tactic with larger intervals that involve string crosses, change interval, repeat. When sliding try keeping contact with the string and apply a little pressure to the string between notes.
If you are wondering WTF is he on about? Its this:
familiarising yourself with exact positions on the fingerboard aids your subconcious to have more accurate reference points and sliding between notes (assuming you know what in tune is) helps you accurately position good notes
I learned this from an orchestral player on DB when I was having difficulty with a few specific notes, sorted it in no time.[/quote]

Thanks Jakesbass I'll give it a try. BTW I've enjoyed reading your contributions to the the "Stagg" thread elswhere on baschat.

Mike

[quote name='alexclaber' post='151498' date='Mar 5 2008, 08:06 AM']I disagree, you can do amazing things with palm muting and thumb plucking. Another good trick is to use a five and drop down a string and up five frets for more boom and wooliness.

Just spend ages experimenting with different plucking, fretting and muting techniques and you'll build up a huge library of sounds which can all come from one instrument without any knob twiddling. Listening is the key!

Alex[/quote]

Absolutely. it's all in the fingers. Try different hand positions between bridge and neck and the way you attack the strings with your finger tips or a pick. experiment with the tone settings on your amp and on the bass as mentioned in an earlier reply. You'll be amazed at the range of sounds that you can get with a simple rig.