doctor_of_the_bass

Thanks Jake! I had a 3 gigs offered the other day - of all days I'd already got a gig! Doh! Never rains but it pours! Nick

Some slots still available! If you are in the Peterborough, Stamford, Huntingdon, Rutland, Corby, Wisbech areas, do get in touch! Cheers Nick

Hallo! Things are not fantastic on the corporate gig front for my main band at the moment, so if you need me let me know. Top gear, very quick learner! One of the best ear's in the biz....and very modest! PM me here or give me a bell on 07961 880 770 Cheers. Nick

[quote name='charic' post='505143' date='Jun 3 2009, 10:38 PM']Sorry about the incompleteness of this build thread, im well behind on it due to lack of er... internet at home. Currently stealing the GF's lappy but dont tell her! A few pics for now, will fill in the blanks probably next week when internet comes to my flat! Waaaay. Anyways heres the most important updates... Colour! First the body got sprayed green as opposed to staining. [attachment=26500:Light_green.jpg] This was a fair bit lighter than either me or Alan were looking for unfortunately and the amount of coats needed to get a bright colour would have created a risk of the lacquer cracking. At the same time the neck got masked off and the stringers and headstock got sprayed. [attachment=26499:Green_Neck.jpg] The green on the stringers is beautiful IMO, however the headstock will probably have to be adjusted to match the body the stringers cannot be stained as it will bleed into the wenge. So body got sanded (after setting ofcourse), and after Alans hardwork and sanding the body got stained [attachment=26501:Staingreen.jpg] This was a fair bit darker than I expected, however after a few coats of finish the backplate looked like this: [attachment=26498:Backplate.jpg] Im gobsmacked. All i can say is that this finish has surpassed all expectations I ever had and im now itching to get this bass into my hands![/quote] Am liking it son! Very nice!! Nick

Superb basses! I've got a book (anyone remember The Guitar Guide) from around 1982 and they featured a Merlin in there, got a fantastic review. Build quality excellent - I sold a fretless model years ago at the branch of Music Village where I was chief saturday boy (1987!!).

[quote name='Enzo' post='504412' date='Jun 3 2009, 05:09 AM']My private collection.....just kidding My 2 'bics are on the first row bottom left. The 2 sisters in maple top, Distillate and Spoiler. Great reunion, my head is still spinning ! [attachment=26475:IMG_0228.JPG] [attachment=26476:IMG_0176.JPG][/quote] ...looks a bit like my private collection (hehehe!) - only joking - I've only got two Alembics right now - sold my Persuader earlier this year! Loving your sisters Enzo. Always wanted a Distillate...

All I will say is `check my signature'! Much love X Nick

Nice Hohner! Just like mine!

Ouch! Try using the nail - I find I get a clearer tone on the `upstroke' etc. Be careful! Nick

Hi Simeon! Nice one! I used to live just round the corner from the Church - I'm about a mile and a half away nowadays but hopefully should hear your Markbass shaking the foundations (I think I was there when you first tried it out with your own cab?) Cheers! Nick

I started messing around aged 10 on my Dad's Fender Strat - he used to work in the middle east whilst I was a kid and thus I was able to sneak the guitar out of its case and just mess around on it. After a while, I was able to play along to cassette tapes of bands like The Shadows, the Police etc, but for some reason, I was working out the bass parts! Something clicked and next thing, Mum suggested to Dad that a bass might be the way forward...I got my Aria CSB-450 in Sept 1982 and within two months had joined a band and won a talent competition! Bass is me really, I do own around 10 guitars and teach beginner/intermediate guitar but its not the same in terms of passion - I can outwiddle a lot of guitar players (again, they think I just play bass and they don't like it!) but its not where its really at for me; the bass is the real force in any musical situation and whilst I personally advocate playing other instruments, I'd rather be known as a bass player (I used to think it must be awful for someone to get famous on their second or third instrument rather than their true love!). On saying that, Mark King wanted to be the best drummer in the world, just that he got famous for doing it on bass! Ciao! Nick

[quote name='Flanker' post='496113' date='May 23 2009, 04:16 PM']Before you buy Markbass check out Tecamp gear at Bassmerchant. I've owned both.[/quote] Hello there fella! Hope you are well! Just to add to the OP, I'd stick with what sounds best to you - try as many rigs as you can; I swear by Markbass as I've not really found anything else that I like for the money and weight! I'd like to have a look at one of these new fangled Barefaced cabs at some point!

Hallo Had an interesting one today! My cousin `Mel' (guitarist) calls me late this afternoon to ask me to dep for his new local pub/rock band `MonkeyBoy' - they've got a gig on Saturday and so, I nipped down to a rehearsal (sans my own gear) to have a listen. Their keys player also plays bass (very good player) - so he was filling in as they were'nt aware I was free later on following my teaching etc. Anyway, I ended up going thru their set on his lovely metallic blue StingRay V (the twin p/up model) - what a great bass. Played through his Markbass 15" combo (he is a man of great taste!) - really huge fat sound! So now I've got even more gas....! Has this happened to you, an unexpected last-second rehearsal leading to love..!??? Nick

Hi Lovely bass that! There have been a couple of such instruments for sale over here in the UK on ebay etc - normally priced around £800 (pounds sterling). Best regards! Nick

Good to see you again yesterday! Welcome to the forum! Did you get taught (many moons ago) by that famous local bassplayer Rick Spliff???! Cheers m8 Nick

Some very good advice here! The way I tend to go about things (technique that I use when teaching) is very simple. All you need is a pen, bit of paper and a CD with said tunes! 1. Listen to the track. Try and make a simple judgement as to the overall structure ie. intro, chorus, verse, bridge, mid eight etc etc. Write it down at the top of the paper. 2. Go back, listen to each `section' ie intro, verse etc and physically write out the beats per bar for each section. This will give you a map which saves a lot of time. 3. Then, sit down with the CD etc and listen to each section, try to listen to the main `root notes' and try to apply these to the `beats' you've already written out for the map. Write them down on the map. Do this for each `section' and you should then have a skeleton `guide' part. 4. Once you've done this, go back and add the `flesh' to the basic parts by working out fills/phrases by repeated listening to the track. Eventually, you'll have an overall transcription - tab it out if need be. This is quite a long winded way of doing things but I find it helps students visualise the piece and of course, in most songs, once you've worked out verse 1, chorus 1 etc, the rest are (not always!) usually repeats! Like Rich, I can nail a part virtually straight away (within reason!) only through experience of doing it over 27 years - your brain (not ears!!!) learns and adds to its `knowledgebase' every time you pick up your bass to do this stuff. Cheers! Nick

Welcome on board! As you might notice from my avatar/sig, I'm a very very sick man indeed, there is no cure! Bassitis!!! Heheh! Cheers Nick

[quote name='Kongo' post='499085' date='May 27 2009, 05:38 PM']Good news...Bob is a great guy with a vision for giving muso's what they deserve, a good place to chill and rehearse...Not a dive! I go with one member an hour early and chill in the Foyer...I will do so today and and tomorrow. It's great...and the rehearsal rooms have plush carpets / rugs and sofas and stuff...it's great![/quote] Glad to hear Quad is doing ok - I had a rehearsal with a Rush tribute band there about 18months ago and I was impressed. Bob liked the sound of the amp rig and was impressed by the lightweight nature, so perhaps I kind of sold MB to him!

[quote name='Kongo' post='498442' date='May 27 2009, 12:53 AM']LOL, peterborough...land of the flat. If your ever in Leicester check "Quad Studio's"...things have changed since the days of the crappy rehearsal rooms with floorboards you could fall through...(did someone say "Stayfree"?) You'll know when your near as my Trace will be causing an earthquake and you'll smell Markbass a mile away...Every room has em now I think (markbass)...[/quote] I have used Quad in the past - it might have been me that influenced the guy to go Markbass!

...Micro-Kid - Level 42 - great line, awful song! Same can be said about `Tracie'!! Thinking about it, `Running in The Family' was pretty naff but a nice line! I thought David Paton (ex Pilot) played bass on Nikita...? I've been listening to `No Parlez' alot recently, one of my fave albums - the slap tone on Sex is awesome! Ku Ku Kurama - another naffish song but the bassline is stonking! Can't really believe that that album is now 26 years old!

Ah! Leicester-boy! My old stompin' ground! Not too far away from The Master! (moi!) X

Fosk Take the speakers out, then have a good look inside the cab - see if you can see anything moving about in there...you never know, there may be something in there causing it. Cheers Nick