Graham

Here's some Cynic http://youtu.be/hq_DiR5frEA

My understanding of Rics is that they're fickle beasts, they can sound fantastic (one of the best live bass tones I've heard was on a Ric), but you have to think about the whole band mix, rather than just the bass. This means that your guitarist(s) might have to change their tone to accommodate you having a decent sound, of course how willing they are to do this is down to their experience and personality........

Cynic are well worth checking out with Sean Malone on bass, if heavy vocals aren't your thing their most recent album Kindly Bent To Free Us would be a good one

Two amps, one cab: GK MB500 EBS HD350 EBS Neo 2x12 I bought the GK because I was having trouble with the HD350, it was cutting out during gigs and I fancied trying something similar but different to EBS. I will get the EBS serviced at some point and don't have any intention of getting rid of it, but I have fallen for the MB500. I love it's clarity, footprint, it's power and the footswitchable drive, which sounds brilliant.

Good night at a social club for NYE - plenty of happy, dancing folk; it paid well and we had our A-Team lineup so was a lot of fun. The singer was recording the gig, so looking forward to hearing some of it, even though my bass was off a pre-EQ DI and my strings are deader than a Norwegian Blue. Unfortunately the night ended on a bit of a downer as when packing up we found someone had made off with the guitarist's coat. Fortunately it didn't have his wallet/phone/keys in it, but still a real shame someone did that.

Just to make things awkward, if you don't need the low B, have you considered tuning a five string E to C? However, going on the specs alone of the three you've identified, I'd guess the second ESP would fit the bill best - through neck, exotic wood and 34" scale, which I think would be preferable for the upper register.

Tell the members who are reluctant to use IEM that you're selling the wedges, if they want monitoring they will have to buy (and store) their own, I suspect they'll see the merits of the small footprint of IEM quite quickly.

[quote name='SICbass' timestamp='1482842169' post='3202990'] I looked at this just out of curiosity. Obviously I'm aware of Sadowskys, but not necessarily a fan.... then I heard that warm, thick sustain....Oh my word... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJPaXhApBhA [/quote] It's a bit tasty isn't it.

The Sadowsky M24-5 http://basschat.co.uk/topic/297409-sadowsky-nyc-m24-5-spalted-top/page__pid__3202189#entry3202189

With G&L it's all about their pickups, I went through a lot of basses at Bass Direct a couple of years ago and the best sounding was an SB2, clear, articulated sound that was still definitely a precision. In addition to an American SB2, my main bass is a Tribute L2500, the neck is very comfortable, but again, it's the sound of the pickups that does it for me - bright, clear and powerful, but with the various switching options, very versatile. Bang for buck, you can't do a lot better than G&L.

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1482741412' post='3202403'] Hang on a sec, so the sterling 4 has always had an alnico pickup, yet when they released the 5 they out a ceramic in it, and changed the stingray 5 which had a ceramic (as the stingray 4 always has) and changed it to alnico??? What are they doing over there??? [/quote] I thought the Sterling (4 and 5) always had a ceramic pickup?

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1482590469' post='3201654'] My theory as to why 3-pickup basses have never been particularly successful: The extreme pickup positions (right next to the bridge and neck) rarely sound that great; one is honky and thin, the other flubby and over-fat. If you restrict pickup placement to the zone that [i]does[/i] sound good, then that limits you to one or too pickups. [/quote] That, I think, is the rub. It's a bit like when I switched from an active Ibanez, with a 3 band EQ and semi-parametric mid control to a passive jazz. Sure, the jazz had fewer tonal options available, but it had more [I]useable[/I] tones

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1482516014' post='3201264'] For total ott-ness Google an Atlansia Pegasus 6 string bass. Fitted with 3 individual pickups per string, yes 18 pickups! All switchable and even the pickups were adjustable by turning the pickup itself. [/quote] [Img]http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rukAAOSwUuFWzPEH/s-l300.jpg" class="ipsImage" /> Blimey

Anyone else watching this on BBC 2? There's some brilliant musicianship, and audible bass too, which is nice in broadcast tv

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1482537972' post='3201403'] i have no desire to buy bass stuff now... or any music stuff anymore..... does that make me a bad person? [/quote] Yes, you're destroying the economy Or, as Modern Toss put it:

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482524617' post='3201320'] Yup, we're using a DEP drummer tonight.Our drummer is unavailable. Guys, I have to tell you, I'm not big on deps. Or I should say deps for the bar band level. We, for whatever reason we can't attract a DEP with experience that can come in and due a night justice. Blue [/quote] We don't have a full time drummer, our first call guy has family commitments that mean he can't play as often as we'd like, so if he's not available - probably 3/4 of the time we go down a list of other guys to find someone who is. Normally works out fine, as Facebook has made it easy to find good quality musicians, and though they won't know our specific arrangements I make sure I communicate with them as much as possible on-stage to help.

[quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1482447975' post='3200766'] My learning was nothing to do with music. First thing I learned was that when I said towards the end of 2015, "Well roll on 2016. At least it can't possibly be worse than 2015 was!" I was being terribly, horrendously presumptuous. This has been a bl@*dy hard year in just about every way - and I'm not thinking about celeb deaths and the like. I've buried a brother and seen another debilitated by a terrible heart attack, I've had a new boss that I thoroughly didn't like or really get on with, I've struggled to understand my little boy's diagnosis of ASD and worked to access the educational support he needs, I've seen his best friend horribly injured in a horrendous car crash and the toll it has taken on the whole family and struggled daily with my own health... The second thing I learned? Sometimes the most important things are just putting one foot in front of the other, keep on going and concentrating on those you love and whom love you. [/quote] Sounds awful Trevor, hope 2017 is kinder to you and your family I have learned that I'm actually very happy with my equipment, and other than burning Wal GAS that wont leave, I don't particularly want or need anything else at the moment. I have also learned what playing a Wal feels like, for which I refer you to my previous sentence

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1482340492' post='3199748'] I had a Christmassy gig in Newcastle Cathedral t'other day - obviously it's a lively old room, so we played whisper-quiet and the PA kept low. It was fab. So atmospheric. [/quote] That looks like an amazing room We're at a good social club NYE, same place we played last year, should be a good atmosphere with plenty of dancers and different ages. The cool bit? Will be my first gig since the birth of my third daughter two weeks ago

I did this year, not bass related though - I spotted The Call Of Cthulu For Younger Readers on Facebook, basically Lovecraft's classic done in a Doctor Suess style with matching illustrations and couldn't help myself, it's brilliant.

Getting strings for it must be a ball-ache too.

[quote name='casapete' timestamp='1482074671' post='3197403'] And let's not forget the recent 'Lets Marvin Gaye and get it on ' by Charlie Puth. [/quote] No, lets

Sweet Home Alabama has a dig at Neil Young in it

Very thrash enjoy!

If we hadn't had a baby a week ago, I'd be biting your arm off for these. Clutch are a fantastic live band and The Roundhouse is a brilliant venue.