mingsta

The raw meat look would be great if you're in a GWAR tribute band.

After 7 dry years, finally scratched the itch and got this Gen 1 Sire V7 vintage in Ash and maple. I popped in to Andertons Guilford and tried several. I was going for one of the Gen2 models in Alder, but ended up walking out with this. It had the nicest feel and tone and was noticeably lighter at 9.2lbs than the others. I've heard about Sires being weighty. I've fancied a natural blonde for a while, but didn't think I'd get on with Ash/Maple combo as I prefer a darker tone, but this one has a nice thick tone and beefy mids. Just shows that while there are some general characteristics with woods, every bass is different. They had more Gen2 models in ash/maple at the warehouse, but given the nice weight and vibes, I figured a bird in the hand... Needs a minor setup, but I think we're gonna get on just fine. I've got some nice US made basses for reference that I couldn't even afford at today's prices and this sire is a LOT of bass for the money.

The HH is more versatile and you're not losing out on the classic stingray tone imo. But the H is iconic and has the purity of form and function. Same goes for PJ basses vs P. Depends if you're a minimalist or just in case kinda guy.

Great band.saw them a few months ago at Brixton academy of whatever the f##k it's branded nowadays and they rocked it. I was expecting a n older audience, but they are evidently very popular with all the young hipsters.

Most of the time the name is immaterial to me. But anything too pretentious or indicative of a blues band (sorry!) will steer me away... I've been in various bands with names such as "Vomit", "Girls on Top" and "Ming and the Chews" (singers choice, not mine), so I'm hardly one to pass judgement.

When the pints start talking back, it's time to go home!

As with all things tone, I think there are so many parameters that weight is just one part of it, and the contribution of each of these parameters, and the sum of the parts is all highly subjective anyway. While there are very good reasons to go light, some of it is also social conditioning as its become such a talking pint in the forums (as we all know from the classifieds section!). I never considered weight in previous purchases, but fortunately my main gigging bass is 9'3lbs, not light but not heavy either. As I'm now in my 40s, I'd be aiming for that weight or less in any new bass I bought. If weights not an issue to you, then great as the whole world is open to you. If it is, then you just have to be more selective to find an instrument that meets your criteria!

My favourites are: Flea on Blood Sugar Sex Magik: it was the tone that sold a million Stingrays. Until we found, out years later, that it was mostly recorded with a Wal! Randy Hope Taylor on Incognito's Postivity album. Warm, organic and so soulful. Too many others to mention, but Bernard Edwards, Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine), Steve Harris all had a great sound for their stand out tracks. I'd also normally try and sneak on my all time great, James Jamerson, in to these "great bass..." discussions, but let's face it, the tone was mud. It was his playing and genius choice in notes and rhythm that made him legendary.

My band mates can't stop talking about it! In fact our gig on Saturday was filled with impromptu tributes to various Queen anthems. The crowd loved it, despite the ropiness.

Once again, I feel I must congratulate you for your great taste in music. I saw them live just the other week at The Hideaway in Streatham and they blew the roof off. FANTASTIC venue for live music btw. First heard them on the Positivity album 25 yrs ago and Randy Hope Taylor is still my favourite out of their bassists. While his playing isn't as insane as the dude off the 100 degrees album, his feel and tone were off the scale.

It happened to too godammit, and I just binned and bought another one.

We've never been likened to animals, yet. But we did a wedding a few years ago at a posh stately home style venue where the guests were all aspiring upwardly mobile types in their mid 30s. They all had the usual shiny German motors parked out front and we overheard a few of the guests having a chuckle at us when we turned up in our armada of mad max style vehicles. Two of us are well paid professionals, but we're at that stage in our lives where we don't give a monkeys about having a flash car as long as it can hold 3 kids (real kids, not the singist and guitard) and a PA system, preferably both at the same time. We got well fed though!

Some funny stories going on right here. But it's good to see that we are generally well taken care of and that love of a good buffet is universal!!! But a word of caution, don't let the buffet cause you to forget yourselves and what you are there for... which is to be the personal minions to your singer! We did a 50th anniversary a few weeks ago where our singer did a crooner set to backing tracks as a freebie/warm up. He likes to have us all hovering around him in these situations, feeding him ice water, making micro adjustments to the desk/laptop, keeping an eye on time and general waiting at his beck and call. Mid way through his set, the buffet arrived and we all disappeared to fill our boots. It was only 30 mins later that he showed up at the buffet fuming and we realised we'd all abandoned him. We felt pretty bad. But his diva strop evaporated as soon as he had a nice warm plate in his hands too...

Good man. Whatever happens, it sounds like you put it to the band in a constructive manner and made it clear that there's a problem that needs everyone to work through.

To me, it's everything. More important than the money, the job or the music. But on a serious note, I've yet to play that type of gig where the hosts haven't invited us to mingle and tuck in to some grub in between sets. It's a nice surprise and not something we'd ever take as a given. A stacked plate at half time makes us feel like part of the occasion rather than hookers with musical instruments. It gives us hope in humanity and raises our game to new heights in the second set.

Awesome! I have an HPJ in alder and rosewood, which is my main gigging bass. Would love to complete the set with an RV4 but don't think I'll ever have the funds at today's prices!

Here's my twin Stingrays....and my real twins 😍 They're my babies, all four of them.

No accidents so far. At a gig it's the last thing out and first thing back in its case. I bring a proper stand for everything in between. I've never ever smacked the guitard with the heastock yet,though we've come close in a few tight spaces. I'd image that track record will come to an end if I ever got a 35 scale bass.

Seriously, sod that. How do the rest of the band feel about this? Seems to me that he's the problem. Have the chat and ask him to give others a bit more respect as individuals. There's plenty of good guitarists out there...

Some exceptions to the rule, but generally if the bass is good, then the music is good!

Gutted for the man. Is it me, or is just about every stolen music kit incident I've ever heard of been from the boot of a car? How do the buggers even know? There must be some times when its unavoidable, but I always force myself to unload the car after every gig, no matter how late or tired I am. I'd rather take the heat for waking the wifey and kids than find an empty car in the morn 8(