Rumble

After watching some youtube clips of guys posting themselves playing bass in a way I only dream of I have to ask myself whether talent is a bit like velocity? If you drop a box from the top of the Eiffel tower it will reach terminal velocity when resistance (by air) equals (although is opposite to) the force and acceleration of gravity i.e. it reaches it's terminal velocity because air resistance stops it from continuing to accelerate. Do you think talent is the same? Is there that point where you just won't get any better no matter how much time you spend practicing? I have to think there is, because otherwise there'd be a vast number of Victor Wooten's and Anthony Jackson's out there and there isn't. Is there peace to be found in saying to yourself "[i]I'm mediocre and I'll probably always be mediocre, but that's OK[/i]"?! or is that just being defeatist?

I've experience of both MB and Aguilar (although only the MB was in 4x10 format). If you want clarity in your sound then I'd go Aguilar all the way. I bought the MB (104 traveller) on the basis that loads of people were saying it was a clean & 'hear-how-your-bass-really-sounds' sound, but for me, it was probably the worst cab I've ever owned. It lacked definition and clarity bigtime. The Aguilar (GS112) OTOH is a different bag altogether. Sure it's a bit mid-shy, but it's better in every other respect. My drummer, the first night I took the Aguilar to the practice after selling the MB said "blimey, that's better. I can actually hear you now!" It's personal preference and I really think you're better off not buying without trying (although, let's face it, we all do at some point and probably will again!).

I completely agree with BB. I used to have a j-retro in my Lakky JO5, but use the Sadowsky outboard now and, just as BB said, it really doesn't change the natural passive character or tone of the bass. Love it!

I have a Lakland JO5 and love it. Having recently tried several Sandbergs, I know that they aren't really for me. Some of them look very nice and their construction looked pretty good, but I got the feeling that the electrics just didn't get the best out of them. Sure they have a reasonably good low end, but the highs didn't seem to sing. They were almost half-way-house between vintage and modern tones. There was nothing about them to tempt me away from the JO.

I'm finding it very, very hard not to giggle just a little bit! We all had to start sometime. I just don't remember choosing such difficult tracks to start with. Bless 'Im

[quote name='odub' post='61921' date='Sep 17 2007, 09:37 PM']My tutor (who comes on this board) has me muting the strings with my thumb, and moving my whole hand going up and down the strings, so not placing any fingers on the pcikups or owlt. Kinda floating. It feels pretty good, and the muting is taken care of without thinking. Using strict finger alternation as well, to the distance from finger to plucking sting is always the same. I guess thats all very Jazz, prog, metal. Clean and fast.[/quote] I was one of those who said I'd probably focus more on right-hand technique if starting again from scratch. I think the perceived 'proper' was has been probably the common way, which is to anchor the right thumb on the PU or lowest string (E, B or F#). But when I started playing the natural thing for me to do was what odub's tutor's getting him (or her!) to do, in muting the lowest string not being played with my thumb. This is great for muting, but can be a bit restrictive when doing a descending run. I struggle to do any different now.

[quote name='tempo' post='60298' date='Sep 14 2007, 11:05 AM']One of the things I did to "discover" the range a bit more was to transpose some music from other instruments (classical guitar, cello, piano) to play on my 6 & 7.[/quote] Thanks Pete, I must admit this is one of the things I'd recently thought about doing this. Where can I find nice pieces of music to have a go at? Ta Andy

[quote name='dood' post='60032' date='Sep 13 2007, 07:07 PM']In short.. no, I don't think you have to be proficient on a 4 string to take on a 6er. You don't have to be able to drive a car to learn to drive a lorry, after all![/quote] Really?! I thought you did, but then I suppose they have a separate HGV test, so I bow to your greater knowledge. [quote name='dood' post='60032' date='Sep 13 2007, 07:07 PM']Go for it and don't let 'opinions' cloud your judgement. ;o) Good Luck! Dan[/quote] Ta for the encouragement! The odd thing is, the people I play, and have played, with think I'm pretty reasonable, but it's a personal confidence thing and just wondering whether I 'need' a 6 to do what I enjoy doing, after all, like I've said before, I don't want to do the tapping or really fiddly solos bit, but...

Like many others, I'd have to say the right hand technique as it's still the main thing I'm yet to feel completely comfortable with. Groove playing would be another thing I should probably have spent more time over instead of the incessant desire to play fast, complex riffs that in the main prove themselves fairly useless.

See, when you start talking about dep'ing, sight reading and tapping chords, I'm thinking to myself, this guy's good; no wonder he plays a 6. So the most obvious question that springs to mind is do you really need to have the 4 and/or 5 string sorted, with regards to fretboard knowledge and technique before progressing onto a 6?

Alun, Dood,...... How long did it take you to get used to playing the sixer? I know what you mean about the "isn't it overkill to have all those strings for doing covers" thing. My problem is that people might automatically assume that I'm part way decent to have something so fancy with all those strings.......and then they hear me and the illusion is swiftly broken to my shame and embarrasment!

[quote name='BassManKev' post='58296' date='Sep 10 2007, 04:56 PM']any links to some good sites explaining and demonstrating the various amounts of chords? im new to the 6 string thing too[/quote] I found www.studybass.com really useful. Loads of different bits'n'bobs on there. [quote name='dood' post='58306' date='Sep 10 2007, 05:06 PM']Definitely stick with it! As it happens, I really love prog, which seems to lend itself to all those lovely techniques you mention.[/quote] By "those lovely techniques" are you referring to tapping?! For those, such as yourself, who have mastered the art so that it sounds the dogs whatsits (love your bass BTW, so cool it's almost arctic!), it's great, but TBPH I have no inclincation to learn it and no opportunity to use it if I was to learn it. The chords are the only bit I really have the chance to play with, so I guess I'm asking whether it's worth keeping a 6'er just for that?

I recently bought a great Status 6'er. I'd always wanted a Graphite necked Status and this one really lives up to all my expectations; great feel to the neck, fab electrics and a brilliantly low action, but........ I'm........well, I'm just not sure what to do with all those high notes in a musical, playing in a band context. I know it may sound a bit silly, but I'm coming to the conclusion that you really do have to be playing a certain type of music to utilize the upper register to it's full extent. I've enjoyed learning chords and it's made me a bit more fretboard concious, but I'm not into tapping and never get the opportunity to do the whole solo up the neck bit. So what do you use yours for and can you give me some tips on other ways I can utilize a fab bass a bit more? Should I persevere?

I'm going to be a bit controversial here and say that whilst I wholeheartedly agree the Messers Sting (Hmmm!) and Copeland were the biz, I really wasn't that impressed with Andy Summers. His rhythm playing was nice and solid, but his solos were -I hate to say it- a bit lame. My mate, who's also a bit of a muso, felt the same. He just seemed to be a bit out of his depth. I got the distinct feeling that whilst we all know Sting's kept himself busy and it would seem that SC has done the same, Andy Summer looked like he was a bit out of practice and when I've just paid £65 for a ticket I really don't expect the musicians to come across like that. On the whole it was a very good show though; Copeland and Sting were just great!

[quote name='bassboy115' post='54404' date='Sep 2 2007, 08:27 PM']God there is some idiots on youtube...just looking at some of the comments...I bet most of them sit on the computer all day saying people are s**t, giving them 'there opinion' in the harshest words possible!... i bet most of them would struggle to play a blink 182 song![/quote] Totally agree! For heaven's sake, the guy is playing, with only one hand, an instrument that some of find tricky enough with two. Whether you like his style or not you have to respect the guy.

I've just used some really fine steel wool on my Lakland JO's maple neck and it came up a treat. But like Dodge said, keep the debris well away from your PUP's. If stray little steel wool fibres get onto the PUP's it's like trying to clean iron filings off a magnet (for obvious reasons!!).

For a littl'n who's only been playing for 2 yrs, that just fantastic! For some, it's in the gene's. I could practice all day and all night and playing that would still be about as natural to me as walking on my hands. One of the only things I remember from my Genetics lessons at school is that the phenotype is a representation of the genotype + environment influences. I still hold firm to this theory for the very reason that kids like this exist!

Definitely a Lakky, but like 'Paul, the' said, just watch the weight as some of 'em weigh a tonne. Sound fantastic though!