Wolverinebass

Okay then, here we go. Nuts slimmer than 42.5mm. Necks which are massively thick from front to back. Necks that have a massive taper in them. Single cuts. 3 point bridges. Coil switching. Bolt on necks with massive heels and little upper fret access. Crap tone circuits. Specifically, Spector Tonepump being a classic example.

I am so happy I got a Gallien Krueger Fusion 1200s a few months ago. Means I don't have to say I'm tempted to get one. Wouldn't mind trying one though.

So, last Friday, my band Terbium put out our debut single "Hey Ya." It's progressive material per se. For those of you wondering, I'm playing a Wal. As a second shameless plug, I also produced this (recorded/mixed/mastered) at my own studio (www.eraxsound.com). If anyone needs anything done, basschat discount applies.

I had the 61 key version of that about 15 years ago. Is Doug not involved with Darkglass anymore? From watching the reviews, it does seem more than a little underwhelming to say the least, especially being almost £900.

He's one of my Facebook friends as well and a thoroughly lovely guy. It's always great to chat to him.

The best one for me was when he started slating Entwistle. I then found a video of his band playing 5:15. Badly. He was also playing the bass part very badly. I remember laughing so hard I felt I could asphyxiate as I could play that song better when I was 19. I mean, all of us here know what we're good at and what we're not so good at. That's regardless of what genre or style of player you are. I'm happy to admit my technical and professional failings. In truth, I miss his "Legend in his own mind," crap as it's so risible.

I miss JTUK. His constant proclamations of being amazing and what his vastly excessive tech requirements were for foldback monitoring. Then you find out he's playing "The Tickled Trout," in front of a massive plasma screen showing the FA Cup replay of Stoke v Crewe. How he only played with "named professionals," and was so amazingly talented at bass he could sneer at some of the greatest players to ever pick up the instrument yet provided no evidence of how he was apparently better. What a tool.

Or just turn up and don't care.

Funnily enough, I'd be after a Stealth, but I'll see how much stuff goes up in price.

Yeah. It's pretty grim.

I don't think that has anything to do with it and I of course was being sarcastic. MK fans have done very well for Status. I think Rob is probably doing the Electro 4 and maybe the Alex Venturella bass. Who knows, they might even update their website.

Personally, I wait for post new year. Maybe April to coincide with the new financial year for a massive price increase across the board. Oh, and a 10th Kingbass because there just has to be another one as if they didn't do one people wouldn't be able to play Mr Pink.

I think that this kind of makes the point I said a few years ago. If you could get an AO with saveable midi presets, wouldn't that be worth £500? Now, I actually like the AO, but I don't really use mine as it's mainly for clients at my studio. Frankly, if this was something that I'd use, I'd be getting one.

I agree completely Kev. The Dingwall/Darkglass thing is getting very stale. However, as a progressive metal bass player myself, I await claims of "passe" when my bands album comes out next year. "Wal and Tech 21? He must be an agent of the counterculture! Seize him!!" Out of all the Darkglass pedals, the AO to me is the best. I'd certainly be interested to try this one.

I feel that I should say not all Darkglass stuff is overpriced. The ADAM if anything is cheap for what it is.

A few years ago at the Bass Guitar Show I had a laugh about the price of the bag which was £90 then. I said that as it had memory foam padding in it you could use it as a pillow on the tour bus. However, at getting towards £200 for a bag, I honestly wonder what their costs and overheads could be to warrant such a ludicrous price. Does Nolly own one? Does the styling of the bag go with my 5 string Dingwall tuned in drop G? Does it have extra pockets to put a couple of other Darkglass pedals and a set of clippers so that you can still sound and look like Nolly? Does it come with a fake beard? These are questions we need answered.

It does indeed. A few years ago I went to see @NancyJohnsonplay a gig directly after the SE Bass Bash. The sound engineer was periodically going to the toilet and it was obvious to me that him and his mates were getting completely nutted on coke. So, for quite a lot of any of the band's sets he was in the toilet with a golf ball up his nose. I can only say that the sound wasn't great either. Surprising that.

The Black Album is merely okay and I must admit I've never been a fan of that mix. If you dissociate the sound from the songs (which is quite difficult as the songs are great) you'll hear it differently. Kind of like Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden. Sonically, it's not the best, but the songs are amazing so they get away with it. Load and Reload the bass is just mush and buried for the most part. Plus the material isn't their best through that period anyway. Ultimately, they'll never get stuff remixed, fixed, admit they made stupid decisions or apologise about it. I have very little time for any of the members of Metallica (aside from Trujillo) as I think that they're just not very nice people who deflect everything negative about them and whatever decisions they've made.

He did for the soundtrack in 1979. I was talking about the tone on the 1973 album which is the one mentioned in the video.

Scott can't ever say that Jaco's tone is divisive to put it mildly. Newsted's tone sounds fantastic if that really is what it is. I never ever heard it before and didn't realise the isolated tracks were even available. I would also go so far as to say Trujillo does what he's told for one simple reason. Money. Lars is the boss and is responsible for some of the worst production crimes in music, let alone metal. How many Metallica albums have got good mixes? Post Burton? None. Why? Lars is a moron. Anyone who's listened to the albums Trujillo is on will struggle to hear him. As an Entwistle fan, I've never been a fan of his quadrophenia tone. Mainly because it's Gibsons with no top end really. As for the Jamerson tone being bad? Really?!! Really?!! Insane. He's fantastic.

I'm so glad I have Scott Devine to tell me what to like. I'd be lost otherwise as my taste has not developed in any way. I mean, it's the usual Scott Devine BS clickbait video. People like what tones they like. If it works it works.

This could put paid to a 10th (10th!!!) version of the status kingbass. Hope springs eternal.

Very probably. I think when he fret stoned the 12 string the amount of metal taken off could have built the empire state building.

I do indeed. I've had my Status Buzzard down about 0.5mm at the 12th fret. My Alembic is pretty much the same. There is no way that I want to fight a bass with my left hand. Sod that for a game of tennis. Admittedly, some basses just can't be set that low. However, try doing tapping when you could drive a bus under your action. My style which is quite percussive (not slapping!!) suits this really well, but it's not for everyone. Even my 12 string Hamer has an action probably lower than most people could believe. Many thanks to Martin at the Gallery for that. A lot of it is down to style as well. I tend not to dig in and play somewhat differently to most. If I had a different style then I'd have a different preference.