Captain Bassman

[quote name='WishICouldWalk' post='330167' date='Nov 16 2008, 05:26 PM']Ever get one of those days when you're blown away by your own playing?[/quote] Er, no... Well, not that I'd publicly admit to anyway!

I use a Radial Bigshot I/O all the time. It's a solidly well-built , neat-sized metal box (about 4" x 3") which fits neatly on my pedalboard. So it's slightly smaller than most stomp boxes. One of the inputs has a "dim" switch that allows you to equalize the output levels of your basses, so the idea is that you put your most powerful bass through the input with the "dim" switch. There's also a dedicated Tuner out and a mute switch so you can tune up in silence between songs. I actually replaced my Bassbone with this. The Bassbone was a great piece of kit but I really didn't need all the extra tone-shaping facilities or another effects loop. It was also bloody heavy whereas the I/O is passive so much lighter. It's also completely silent in operation. They're not too cheap compared with the likes of the Boss switcher but I reckon you could jump up and down on it 'til kingdom come and it wouldn't break. Go for it!

Get Here by Oleta Adams. I doff my cap, with complete creative inferiority, to the mighty Mr Palladino... Also have to learn I Got You (It Bites) and Get The Funk Out (Extreme). Not for a gig but just for the sheer unadulterated pleasure of playing some funk/rock!!

[quote name='BigBadBass' post='293337' date='Sep 27 2008, 11:09 AM']sounds really stupid but make sure your disributing weight evenly on both feet, that really makes a difference. if you putting more weight on one foot you spine isnt straight.[/quote] +1000 to this. For the last 6 years I have suffered quite regularly from muscle tightness and pains in my left shoulder often resulting in severe headaches over my left eye. It's caused by overcompensating for a lower back problem (unilateral sacralisation of the L5 vertebrae, apparently...WTF??!!). I'm only 41 and pretty fit for my age too!!! It's not all aggravated by gigging but the upshot is that I really have to pay close attention to my posture, both sitting and standing, at all times...especially when gigging. The tendency to lean more heavily on one foot or unconsciously raise my left shoulder whilst playing a gig can result in extreme discomfort in my left shoulder and neck the next day. I see a chiropractor once every 6-8 weeks and this relieves the discomfort and puts me back in shape for a while but I guess it's just something I have to put up with. My advice; * pay close attention to your posture when playing or practicing * if it doesn't ease up or gets worse go see a chiropractor or osteopath * make sure you stretch out your back and shoulders properly after every gig * keep as fit as you can, especially if you're over 40! Good luck!

That's the thing that stumped me for a while - the guitar/keys are playing F# in the intro/chorus/middle 8 but the synth bass is playing a low Eb against it. I was trying to pick this out on a 4 string and it took me ages! Doh!!! Got the 5er to hand now... Thanks again guys! See, it's a bloody catchy little song when you have to keep listening to it over and over and over and over and over... AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!

[quote name='lowdown' post='292987' date='Sep 26 2008, 06:41 PM']You may well all laugh.. But its a tricky little line and nice and tight... F..k that one up and all will know. I have the Bass part in Notation, if it is any help. As for me... I have a nice little mime gig tomorrow.. Two tracks for Cliff Richard..[BBC] If i F**k that up, i need turning into a born again Christian.. Garry[/quote] Thanks for all your cheeky comments guys...just wait until your time comes! Never thought it would happen to me but, there you go... Seriously though, it is one of those bass lines that makes the song (hey, wasn't there a thread about this a few weeks ago?). Lowdown is spot on, it's a tight synth part - screw it up and the whole song goes to f*ck! Garry, you're a saviour!! Notation is cool with me! Wanna PM with my e-mail address or do you want to post it on the forum in case any other poor f***ers have to learn it future?? David

OK, at the risk of being laughed off the forum and having my fingers broken, I have to learn this song for tomorrow night. Aaaaaaarrrgh! I've burned it off i-Tunes but to save me staying up until the early hours of tomorrow trying to figure it out I thought I'd ask if anyone out there has learned this before and could help me cut some corners? I've got the basic root notes down but could use some urgent help with nailing the other notes in the verse, chorus and middle 8 riffs. Apparently, it's very important to the person paying our fee that we actually play this live and not just resort to using a backing track! THANKS ALL!!!!!!!

Lowdown - Boz Scaggs (David Hungate) Starchild - Jamiroquai (not sure who bassed on this??) Square Biz / I Need Your Lovin / Portuguese Love - Teena Marie (Allen McGrier)...in fact, just about any TM track featuring Mr McGrier's low-end! How Long - Ace (Paul Carrack's vocals but haven't a Scooby who played de bass...) Different for Girls - Joe Jackson Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel (Tony Levin, of course...) and lots more...

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='270102' date='Aug 26 2008, 11:20 AM']What body is smaller? It's hard to tell from photo's! Anyone got a picture of a series II and III together?[/quote] John gave me the relative body widths when I ordered my GA24; Series 1 Mark King - 15 1/4 inches GA24 - 14 1/2 inches Series 2 & 3 Mark King 14 1/4 inches He also offered to scale any bass down to suit at no extra charge. Wottaguy!! Here's a side-by-side comparison between the Series I 'Classic' and GA24, just out of interest....

[quote name='Josh' post='265712' date='Aug 19 2008, 05:28 PM']Is that the one Mark King used for the Ohne Filter show or is it just built to the exact same specs??[/quote] It's very similar but there are differences, like the neck is rock maple rather than figured, the sratchplate is single-ply and it has the standard elephant-ear tuners that GB's seem to have rather than Schaller type ones. I bought it from the Bass Centre at the same time I bought the Warwick Streamer V - a very expensive afternoon! The guys were doing the px and paperwork on the Warwick so I went off for a play...and found the GB in a corner. Plugged it in and the rest, as they say, is history! I only realised it was close to MK's bass after my mate, who worked for Yamaha at the time, had been to some rehearsal studio in North London several months later to deliver a few bits 'n bobs to a band there. Turned out that the band was L42 (the stuff was for Lyndon Connah) and MK was playing his blue GB!! According to Bernie, it was one of a very small handful of basses that he produced for retail at that time. I suppose to get the GB name out there at the time MK started using them and boost custom orders.

[quote name='BassManKev' post='264776' date='Aug 18 2008, 05:54 PM']an aggie db750 with 2 GS10's seems pretty tasty[/quote] Would this satisfy your GAS a wee bit? Not GS10's but near enough...

[quote name='themoo' post='262885' date='Aug 15 2008, 02:49 AM']One of the next basses I order will be an original cherry red Series I JayDee... Just like Marks first one. Just love that bass. Then a pink one... Then a blonde Alembic MK... Then, then, then!! THEN I'LL GET MY VIGIER BACK [/quote] Hey, I wonder if John could make a mini scaled-down Starchild for my little boy?!! Although he's only 2 it would be a great way of getting him into bass from an early age! (spot the over-zealous parent!) There's a nice link since the song playing on the car CD when we rushed to hospital to deliver him was Starchild by Jamiroquai! "That Cooperman, comin' down, oooh-oooh"... Anyway, I'll shut up now and go do some work... David

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='262879' date='Aug 15 2008, 02:05 AM']Once I get sorted money-wise, Im going to get John to build me a new bass, based on the GA24 but slightly modded, with a medium scale neck. I love the tone of the GA bass, mainly due to the pickup placement - since I've got the Classic, (and the Calibas and a Roadie!) will be nice to have something different! Miss my cherry-yoghurt GA...![/quote] Hello chaps! Ahh, the cross-forum pollenation continues! Moo my man, great to 'see' you again over here on Basschat! Totally agree with your comments Nick. The sound of the GA24 is more 'modern' in a way and seems much tighter...well to my ears anyway (hmmm, that reminds me, must pop down to Boots and get some wax removal stuff before the weekend's gig onslaught...). Although you can still get some RRRAAAWWW sounds off the bridge pick up on it's own. Lavverly!! What mods are you thinking of apart from the neck length? I might just let you blag my custom's headstock shape if you're a good boy!!!

And my sunburst SR4 3-band EQ, circa 2001. Still thinking about selling it, if anyone's interested...???

+1, great album for bassers! LJ's bass work is always great and Dance With Me is a great slappy line but IMHO the best bassline on the album is Bobby Watson's masterpiece on Rock With You. Sheer class! It got a full transcription a few months back in Bass Player mag. It's not quite as easy as it sounds!

Oh all right then, twisted me arm! Here's my lurvely GA24 Custom... ('allo again Nick!!)

And...doing my bit for the GB fanbase, here's my trusty Daphne blue GBIV from 1999. She goes everywhere with me (gig-wise, of course...)

George Porter Jnr from the Meters gets my vote. Just how cool can a black guy with a beat up, fully-mojo'd old P bass be??

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='258103' date='Aug 8 2008, 02:02 PM']...did I mention that I f*cking hate the song with unbridled passion and that my teeth itch whenever we play it?[/quote] Same here! But hey, it's what the people want more often than not. And they pay the wages too, let's not forget. Anyway, why don't they just ask the chosen band NOT to play it? Any band can choose NOT to play a song in their set list!