legoman

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1335260114' post='1627988'] Nice, not many of them around. Necks all like bananas though. [/quote] I must deffo be one of the lucky ones then as the neck on mine is a veritable ironing board

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1332302457' post='1586358'] Can you achieve low action on it? That is, action low enough where you can't slide a 1 quid coin between the frets and the strings without making contact? [/quote] Hi Kiwi, I haven't had the balls to dismantle the neck cos my action on mine is nice and low and I have a feeling if I do unbolt it that it'll never be as it is now! I don't have a ruler to hand but do have a 50p coin, which I can only slide between around the 13th to 21st frets without pushing up the strings (and between these frets the coin is flush with the strings all along) so I guess I might be a bit lucky with my neck!

Ah OK, well if I feel brave enough ang get time at the weekend, I might have a go at unbolting and posting a snap of it

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1331794223' post='1578826'] I've owned three, a Cutlass 1, a Cutlass II and a Cutlass 1 ex Cliff Williams with thru body string anchoring and three bolt neck. Have yet to find one capable of supplying low action but I live in hope... ...do you have any pics of the marker numbers written on the heel of the neck on your instrument? [/quote] Hi Kiwi, I don't have any to hand unfortunately. Would I be correct in assuming that I'd need to unbolt the neck from the body to access these marker numbers?

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1331721457' post='1577562'] I'm not sure how credible that claim is... I've an infrequent visitor to guitar/bass shops and have seen a couple for sale. [/quote] Yeah I'm sure you're right as it seemed a bit odd, but it came from what I'd consider a reliable source at the old Bass Centre in Wapping so I didn't dismiss it out of hand....unless I caught them on a wind up!

I think there's nowt wrong with crossing genres. I'm all my years of playing it seems like many cover bands feel like they HAVE to stick to just playing the safe standards in order to hold an audience's attention (more so in a pub/club rather than function/private hire scenario where you probably don't have the freedom because you're paid to play the songs the hirer wants you to play) and pass up the opportunity to throw in a number of other well known tracks that rarely get any kind of airing but would be well received. It's something the cover band I play in does and the general feedback we get is that it makes a refreshing change to hear the kind of songs we do and we've even inspired people to buy music from the artists we've played because they've not really noticed or heard of them before or it's dawned on some just how good some of these other songs are! The other bonus is that it makes playing sets way more enjoyable as you don't feel like you're like a live jukebox.

I've had one on my Musicman Cutlass for what must be 13 years now and still works a treat. I recently fitted one to my Jazz and just requires the odd tweak here and there at times but I'd deffo recommend one, especially if you're regularly swapping between standard and drop tunings during a set as I do. It's also good for dropping further from a drop tuning (eg D to C), seems to retain the correct pitch despite the lesser string tension.

I thought I'd share my experiences with click/backing tracks over the years in some of the bands I've played in. Like a few other posters have mentioned, for the most part the backing track side of things was driven by a mini disc player (as they could handle the vibrations on stage) fed into a mixer to allow the drummer and PA to receive the split stereo feed of click on one side and mono backing accordingly....very simple, reliable and idiot proof. In another band the drummer had a Roland SPD with percussive backing tracks stored as long samples, so would strike a pad to trigger the track and then play along. Another set up I've come across was with one of my old guitarists who used a combination of a drum machine and noise gate to gate his guitar at a set tempo which the drummer could lock into...again very simple but sounded tight as a gnat's chuff live! I've yet to play in a set up that relies on a computer running a live sequence (plus soft synths etc), so cannot offer much in the way of advice or experience there, but I'd say that by its nature, something like that is probably more prone to potential failure compared to something simplistic as the minidisc setup. Finally IMHO any decent drummer should be capable of injecting a bit of push n pull by sitting on top or slightly behind the click during a song rather than just trying to match the click (which makes a subtle but nice difference to the vibe when playing live) making it less rigid for the rest of the band.

I've been the owner of a Musicman Cutlass I for over 15 years now (having stumbled across one for sale at the Gallery in Camden) which has proven to be one hell of a servant over the years (and probably one of the nicest basses I've ever played) but I recall some years ago that it was mentioned to me that only 10 Cutlass I's ever made it over to the UK and that one was destroyed in a fire so only 9 remained in circulation here?? Having recently joined BC it got me wondering if there were any members who currently or have owned one, especially in the UK as whilst I took the above comment with a pinch of salt, since I've had mine I've never seen another one in the flesh ever, but have seen a few other pre EB Musicman bass models, so wondered if there was any truth in their alleged rarity in Blighty? Here's a pic of my Cutlass I, along with my recent Marcus Miller Fender Jazz acquisition...(click to enlarge) [attachment=102450:IMAG0319.jpg] As you can see mine has had the 3 band EQ mod (which was done before I bought it) and has a wickedly low action, which is great for a skinny fingered ham fister like me Dave

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1331379657' post='1572072'] Again I'll agree with all that. I was too young to see them too. The greatest pop group that never was. Unfortunatly Andy and Colins later stuff wasnt up to much IMO. They ran out of steam (soul coal ). They've parted ways now so its all over. And here he is on a very nice fretless: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAaxZPjbrVQ[/media] A [/quote] Abso, I deffo favour their earlier material to the latter stuff as for me they seemed to lose their way when they became just a studio based band. Black Sea is one of my Desert Island albums.....I love the older pre Dave Gregory clip of them on TOGWT playing Statue Of Liberty as they have a real rabbit in the headlights energy about them. Seems like Colin these days has totally distanced himself from music altogether so like you say, it's all over

[quote name='RandomProddy' timestamp='1331333911' post='1571714'] Alex James - would he be considered unsung? [/quote] Yeah I would say so, seems more noted for his cheesemaking than anything else these days lol. Some of his Blur basslines are mint

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1331325365' post='1571564'] Absolutely. One of my heros is Colin. Beautiful stuff. And Ill give a nod to Terry Chambers, exellent drummer. A [/quote] Agreed, a very underrated rhythm section! It's been a joy to have YouTube around to be able to see so many of their gigs that I was too young to see and it was such a shame that Partridge broke down and stopped performing live because of all the bands that have reformed over the years, XTC would be one I'd love to see the most make a return

20th September 1984, lying ill on my folks sofa sipping Lucozade and watching Top Of The Pops when this band came on with some bloke with a red bass guitar wedged under his armpit playing a bassline that got stuck in my head.... http://youtu.be/gZPIwqS7cVE

One that often springs to mind is Colin Moulding from XTC, not ever one to blow your socks off technique-wise, but could pen a nice bassline and formed a very underrated songwriting partnership with Andy Partridge

Oooooh, something to get my teeth into whilst I wait on the irons... P or J..? - Deffo J for me, especially as I own one now! Fretless: lined or plain..? Hmmm...well if you're gonna play fretless you should at least have an inkling as to where your fingers should be (and also trust your ears) so plain with some tasteful vibrato is what it should be as far as this cat's concerned ECC81 or ECC83..? Valves....can't say I'm experienced enough to be able to tell the difference (I only know if they are working or not) so I canne give you an answer there captian, but what I will say is that I prefer all non Chinese manufactured valves Orange or Matamp..? I own an Orange head (TB1000) and our guitarist uses and Orange rig, I like the sound of Orange gear but haven't come across Matamp on my travels so I have to side with Orange by default Pick or fingers..? I use both, depending on the type of song I'm playing, but at a push I guess fingers as they have a less tendancy to fall on the floor during a set Pick: pointy or rounded..? Pointy for me Lefty: valid or heresy..? How about just 'unlucky when it comes to choice of basses'? Tea or coffee..? Tea, no sugar thanks Flatwound or roundwound..? Roundwound all the way mate, and I like 'em piano bright too, none of this James Jamerson-esque dullness for me (not knocking the man btw, legend 'n all, just not a fan of that kinda tone) Oh yeah, keep any cat or dog hairs, grass pollen and penicillin away from me and I won't end up half dying on ya.... Bring on the wrestling ladies

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1330705432' post='1561989'] Good evening, Dave, and welcome to the forum... That's a pretty nice intro; you're doing well, but I somehow don't think that you've been through the initiation ceremony. Has Doody forgotten to fill you in on this (that wouldn't surprise me, but is regrettable...)? We can continue this thread once the formalities are settled, so if you would please prepare the necessary artifacts (yes, simili leather will do, we know that the real stuff is expensive...). Please keep anything even slightly inflammable away, though, at least for the first hour or so. Hope it all goes off well, and trust that your insurance are comprehensive, as BassChat cannot refund medical costs incurred. Anyway, enjoy it (well, at least the opening 'drinks' part...); we'll settle up your financial engagements once the scars have healed. We've all been there, done that, that's what makes this 'brotherhood' so united. Welcome again (I shan't do the secret wiggle right now, that too will be explained by the lady players involved...) [/quote] Hi Douglas, Many thanks for the welcome and the heads up, much appreciated. Dood did neglect to inform me of any such initiations (I'm sure Confucius once said never trust a man who dyes his hair pink ;p ), but hey I'm game if it gives me a chance to get accepted into the basschat 'hood sooner rather than later....(oh yeah I have stocked up on E45 and Fret Fast as I like to keep the wheels greased as it were, but I'll keep the WD40 out of harms way) I often feel we are a neglected and undervalued species in the t'internet resource world (even at my gaff) so it's nice to know there's a focal point right here for us bassheads to collaborate and help each other, so like I said I'm looking forward to getting to know at least some of you in the 'hood over time Let the initiation commence!...

Hello everyone, My name is Dave and I joined Basschat last November but have now decided to show my face! I was introduced to this fine forum by Dood as our paths regularly cross through our combined work. I'm a multimedia manager for music tuition site LickLibrary.com and also its sister digital magazine publications 'iGuitar' & 'iDrum', of which Dood is the main man for the new bass section within iGuitar, so we get to hang out over a nice of tea (and biscuits if any are left) and talk much bass shop stuff Obviously I also make some low note noise myself, having played bass since around 1987 (prior to that I was 'playing' a tennis racket, cricket bat, broom handle or whatever was lying around) and have been fortunate enough to jam with some amazing musicians over the years (especially drummers such as Mark Richardson, Pete Riley & Craig Bundell) whilst hardly progressing much further than a ham-fisted illusionist (I think I have the art of looking like I know what I'm doing down way better than anything else!) Bass wise I have been playing my trusty Musicman Cutlass I for years (having spotted this rare beast at The Gallery in Camden years ago) and have recently added a Marcus Miller Fender Jazz to the armoury as there are times when you need to ease off as that Cutlass is a real 'all or nothing' bass! I've mostly been involved with writing and performing original music (I currently play in an instrumental Drum 'n Bass/Jungle/ Big Beat outfit called External Unit) but have more recently succumbed to playing in a cover band (The JDs & The Sometimes Band), but fortunately we tend to avoid the usual cover trappings (Mustang Sally, Livin' On A Prayer, Sex On Fire etc) so it's something I can enjoy without losing my mind or feeling like I'm part of a live jukebox! My influences are wide and varied from light to quite heavy, but I am a sucker for a groove rather than a noodle, so I guess my bass heart is a little funky and I don't mind if the thumb comes out now and then, but too much of anything (especially rambling notes) and that's me done! Anyways, I guess that's enough ramble from me to digest so I look forward to getting involved here and sharing all the stuff I know about bass that would fit onto the corner of a fag packet Dave PS, I do love Lego too and once day I would love to own a bass mostly made of the stuff (that is playable!), probably would sound awful, but hey as long as it looks good...;p