chrismuzz

Personally I don't like the 'clean' sounds I've heard from a Rickenbacker bass. But when a bit of grind is added (usually SVT flavoured) there's nothing like it! They look the business aswell! I would love to own one purely because of the look!

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1334681095' post='1619687'] I know small luthiers who have tried to expand have said that they've started to lose control over quality (Jaydee in the '80s springs to mind), so I suspect there's a point of no return. [/quote] That totally makes sense. I was more comparing the QC issues with Rickenbacker as a small firm, and pretty much any other company who mass produces instruments

That's bloody gorgeous, nice work! [quote name='pikeman' timestamp='1334668419' post='1619397'] I don't know if I'll ever stop modding my Dark Ryder, I'm having a lot of fun with it and using it for rehearsals( when it's in one piece). Recent updates include one of John's wiring harnesses with a PIO cap and a blue sparkle scratchplate which cost the princely sum of £7 delivered from China ( and really nice it is too ).[attachment=105288:blue-sp1.jpg][attachment=105289:blue-sp2.jpg] [/quote]

I was thinking of the slightly less hateful Sex Pistols version

I get a similar reaction whenever I gig the 6 string I always feel guilty and have to explain to people that it actually makes playing easier! [quote name='janmaat' timestamp='1334675932' post='1619556'] Played a gig recently, first time with the 5er, - was surprised how many people - had never seen a 5er before - thought "he must be awesome" though I'm not, I have 5 strings because I am really too lazy to move my hand much - they should have thought "man, he's got a strong back" [/quote]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1334675347' post='1619543'] Ditch 4 strings? But then that would leave you with only 1 string. What's the use of that? [/quote] Dood could probably manage

If I HAD to play in drop D on a 5, I would tune it ADADG. Actually thinking about it, you could make some massive chords! [quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1334675196' post='1619537'] I quite fancy picking up another five. The only thing stopping me in the tunning, when we went from D to drop-D - I've acclimatised to the change, and am quite possibly too lazy to rework my fingering. I suppose I could simply drop the E - but then what for the B? This is how my mind works. A dangerous place. [/quote]

you can't take the beast to bits! [quote name='pantherairsoft' timestamp='1334674791' post='1619530'] I've been set a summer challenge - to create a smaller pedalboard, using the effects I have, but that will easily go in the back of a car/on a seat/be carried etc with the aim of doing a few shows on the fly (turn up with a mini kit, bass and board and use other folks gear)... Slimming down the pedals will be HARD given the diversity I am used to but I think I have a good idea of which pedals would make up this mini board. Question is - which board to get? Needs to be tough still so softcase/gig bags ones are out... The Diago Showman is an option but I recall it not being as tall as the Tourman and struggling with some expression pedals etc? (Maybe the owner of one can clarify?) This will only be for a few shows, open mics and backing MC's, rather than performing out regular shows... Shep [/quote]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1334669874' post='1619424'] The 'its a small family owned business' thing has already been said, that is supposed to give a high degree over oversight and quality control. [/quote] +1 Mr Shuker is a 1 man operation, and I've never heard of anybody being sold a faulty instrument by him.

This just reminded me of when I learned a bunch of Dream Theater's Train Of Thought album. John Myung actually tuned his bass BEADGC, CEADGC, and DEADGC! [quote name='MrTaff' timestamp='1334669438' post='1619416'] Depends on what you play & how the 4 is tuned, a lot of metal written in Drop C/C# isn't going to be playable on a 5 without detuning it to something like BCGCF and screwing up the tension, my life would be much easier if a 5 covered everything but unfortuantly it doesn't. [/quote]

I totally agree with everything you said there, but it would confuse the hell out of me A lot of the songs I cover are supposed to be tuned to drop B, but I use a 5 string in standard tuning for those! [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1334662938' post='1619258'] What about a capo on the 2nd fret so you'll get Db/Gb/B/E/A? It gives a more natural and instinctive playing than to have to compensate for the detuning on the E string when moving on to the A sting. Using the capo you'll also end up with better string tension and that will reflect on the quality of your sound! You can always ditch the capo and tune a 5er a hole step up! Yes, it's true, i don't get along with drop tunnings... Cheers [/quote]

I exclusively used a 6 for years, but never got rid of my old faithful 4 banger. In my opinion, every bassist should have one in the house. Sometimes even a 5 simply isn't appropriate. I use my 4 string at the moment in the cover band as I go from standard to drop tuning a lot... I find Bb Db Ab Db Gb way too confusing to play in! I use the 5 when I need the B, and the 6 when I need A!

Surely God Save The Queen would be a great cliche choice I don't THINK there's any swearing in it anyway!

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1334595375' post='1618245'] The floor can sort of act like an extension or the duct in some circumstances. [/quote] Yeah that's what I mean dude having the cab on the floor will cause major vibration! I dont do the whole 'sub' thing myself but use this to my advantage where I can, means I can roll the Lows down on my amp and have that little bit more headroom!

Pedalwise, youve had the best advice possible already! If you want floor shaking lows, a cab with front ports coupled with the floor will be the way to go! I can cause earthquakes running a 4 string through my 4x10 if I want to!

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1334576526' post='1617799'] I've emailed Newtone (thanks Charic) about their tensions in an effort to get a true balanced tension set together, as they don't put them on the website. It would be great to get a UK manufacturer to do proper balanced sets, even better for me if they did them in steel as nickel makes my fingers (and strings) go black! [/quote] Yep they can make you a set of steels

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1334569926' post='1617607'] It's always tempting to vent over this sort of thing. After all, one has put so much effort into mastering one's instrument and one's material and being musicianly and whatnot. But really, it's not remotely about this other band's technical failings. Somehow or another, they must be doing [i]something[/i] right because they've got the gig and the OP hasn't. Perhaps someone in their band is a consummate gig-blagger. Perhaps their marketing is better. Maybe a booker looks at their setlist and thinks "That's the right mix". Maybe they played for free. Maybe the drummer's related to the booker. Whatever the reason, they've exploited it and there's little benefit in us going down the "Bookers are stupid and punters are stupid" route because you have to work with what you're given. Selling a band in to a booker is like selling anything else. Find out what people want and give it to them. Problem is, many of us start out by focussing on what [i]we[/i] want to play and how to play it - genre, material, arrangements etc. That's the wrong way round if your aim is to secure regular gigs at local venues. The crafty ones survey the market and focus as much on how they present their offering as how they deliver it. As for punters not noticing, well who cares if they notice or not? Our job is not to present a faultless musical display but to entertain them in the broadest possible sense. Let's face it, if people will happily dance to a record, they're clearly not too bothered about the 'live' component. They just want a beat and a tune, preferably one they know. Audience engagement is about much more than playing the right notes, yet how often is this critical issue discussed on BC? Hardly ever. The reason why we're collectively less successful than we could be is because we spend too much time on here agonising about tone and cables and guitarists' irritating little habits. Frankly, looking an audience member in the eye and smiling at them is a lot more productive than executing that fancy lick we spent all afternoon learning. But we never learn. [color=#ffffff].[/color] [/quote] This. ALL of this. When I was a teenager I was in a great band musically with great songs, but at every gig we would just get stoned and stand on stage staring at our fretboards... Then wondered why we weren't getting the reaction we expected!

About £150 on average for us. Just confirmed a date where we get £100 plus 10% of what they make on the door. Were a very new band though! I don't mind as it's a hobby, but a bit extra would be nice

Newtone strings are by far the best I've used. Especially if you ask for stainless steel! I use a custom set on my downtuned 6 string and they're still on well over a year later! With my other basses I use Elites simply because they're a lot cheaper, and still good quality great sounding strings! I used to exclusively use Ernie Balls which I love. The best nickel wounds I'd used before the Newtones but sadly they are extremely expensive and don't come in steels!

Just fitted a set of Stainless Elites on my 4 string, £15 delivered. Forgot how great they feel and sound!

Frank Bello from Anthrax I believe uses an LH-1000 with a rackmounted Sansamp thingy just before it, and his tone is awesome! You might be surprised to hear this, but the most aggressive amp I've heard is the Markbass F1. Super clean and super fast response. Brings out a nastier attack than anything else I've ever heard, and makes ANY cabinet kick serious ass. A sansamp before is is just asking for trouble... And I like trouble Coupled with a more guitarry overdrive/distortion after the Sansamp? Well... try it!

Bonham gets accused of being overrated in heavy metal circles. i've always loved his groove and a lot of the time he's more interesting than the guys who pull the flashy stuff, which i do love by the way! Hyper speed blasting gets stale though. Malmsteen, I just love the guy. His early stuff was amazing, and whereas the actual songwriting/lyrics were epicly bad, you can't help but want to rock out to them. Plus he's one hell of an entertainer, EVERYONE has to see him live at least once! A funny guy too, whether it's intentional or not It doesn't bother me that mucht hat his playing is so sloppy these days, he's still Yngwie!

This is making me want to finish my board, hasn't changed since about a year ago!

Bi amp! Bass sounds awesome with guitar based overdrive but you do lose those lovely lows

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1334445511' post='1616389'] slightly OT but no T40 yet? Get that sorted! [/quote] Never have the money when they're around I WILL have one!