Bass-Thing

I'm sure there are many others out there who would agree that it would be awfully nice if you would allow Rob Green of Status Graphite to build Buzzards again. Is there no way you can come to some amicable arrangement about this? Rob Green is a really nice bloke and Status are a tiny company compared to you guys and I don't see how their bespoke manufacture of Buzzards would cause you any problems at all. You can't really call them competition. Even if they were still making Buzzards they wouldn't even dent your profits and People wanting a wooden Buzzard would get one from you anyway. Personally I would like the option of buying a carbon graphite version. I'm sure Warwick would earn a lot of new fans if they did this (and John Entwistle would stop spinning in his grave!).

[quote name='MysticGuitar' timestamp='1341335698' post='1717300'] Unfortunately, it isn't my Hofner, but it's the one I'm learning on, owned by my guy He owns lots of basses. [/quote] Beautiful bass and with many other basses he sounds like a man after my own heart. Welcome to basschat

Hi-hat side. Always had trouble with keeping in time, which is great for a bass-player (I tend to speed up if left to my own devices), so it's easier to lock in with the drummer and keep eye contact. I prefer also to be as far back as possible because I'm shy and it puts me off if I think people are watching me (this is in spite of a theatrical career of over 30 years). I also have a tendency to stand with my back to the audience but I'm working on it.

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1341219876' post='1715174'] I did see these but was a bit wary about them, have you used one of these before? [/quote] Not the necks but I've found the other parts they do to be excellent. I would have thought at those sort of prices they were worth a punt. There is also the ebay seller The Stratosfear who do genuine Fender necks varying in price from a few hundred downwards. They too are very good quality and sometimes you can bid for a bargain, though most of the stuff is 'buy it now'. I think they just dismantle used seconds.

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1340964909' post='1712062'] I'm really only looking at using this bass for a backup and possibly a de-fret job somewhere down the line. That's why I'm looking for cheap second hand necks. [/quote] CH Guitars on Ebay do very cheap very good quality brand new necks for about £50

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1341049402' post='1713156'] I have 3 "playing" Basses; P Bass strung with flatwounds, a Stringray 5 string strung with round wounds and a Stingray Fretless. These 3 cover all musical styles I play and as said before by other BC'ers I think anything on top of these 3 would be doubling up somewhat. I've also recently bought one of the Jubilee Hofner Violin basses more as an ornament (and hopefully an investment). [/quote] Ornamental was actually the word I was looking for earlier when discussing my reasons for having way more basses than I actually need. I also think that to describe my collection as a 'Harem' of basses sums it up perfectly. They have all spent time as my favourites, though I have to say that my Geddy Lee jazz is named after my Wife because if I could only keep one, it would be her. Enjoy the Jubilee Hofner. Beautiful bass.

[quote name='simonc61' timestamp='1341068319' post='1713452'] Hi BassThing and belated welcome to BC. That's an interesting story you have there. Good on you re starting the bass course. I also reached the 50 milestone (millstone?) mark and started a college course at DBs sound when I was 49. I was surrounded there by young 17 years dubstep/dance/house guys with headphones permanently glued to their heads. Thought I'd feel out of place but didn't and if anything, the other students were curious and enthusiastic with regard to my musical background, though I drew the line at bombarding them with Prog rock! [/quote] Thanks so much for that. Really encouraging to hear. I'm really looking forward to it and it's not long now. Nothing wrong with prog rock!

Very interesting that the lightest gauge I've seen in this topic is 35. My teacher uses 30, 50, 70, 90, 110 steel Elites on his Geoff Chapman 5 string and I've strung my Spector Performer with the same gauge nickelwounds (Rotobass/Elite mix). Even with a Badass V it took a while to get used to but I'm being taught to play with the lightest touch possible on a super low action and now the strings are worn in, it's heaven to play. On my Ray 35 I've got super slinky's which are OK but I might just try the same gauge on that too because I don't enjoy playing it as much as the Spector even though it's a far superior bass.

[quote name='Ruiner' timestamp='1340895500' post='1711201'] I think the no longer a newbie thing is post count related. GAS = Gear Aquisition Syndrome something I predict you'll start to feel after hanging around here for any length of time [/quote] Oh God in that case I can safely say I've had serious GAS for years. Thanks for letting me know.

I was just wondering how I suddenly became 'no longer a Newbie' when I've only been on the forum for about 5 minutes (give or take a couple of months!)? Also I know I can look it up but can anybody tell me what GAS is in forum speak?

I believe that the neck is what defines the quality of a bass. It depends what your budget is and indeed what bass it is but if it is a jazz or precision or a stingray type bass, you would be best off buying a new neck from Status Graphite. In my experience it is one of the most superb upgrades you can give to a bass. The cheap Squier I upgraded now sounds incredible and is gorgeous to play. They can be bought online for about £300.

Sorry if I'm repeating what somebody's already said (tried reading all the posts but went cross-eyed on page 3). I regularly play all my basses but I have to admit to being a collector as well (I have a small collection of 6 string guitars as well but I'm not much of a guitarist and not interested in playing 6 string....but they look awesome and I actually hang them on the wall!). Nothing wrong with collections. It all comes from not being able to afford a decent bass when I was at school and having to play a sh*t one (Avon SG copy... let's not go there). 25 years later now I can afford several decent basses, I'm not holding back. I keep 3 basses in my office so I can practice during the day. When I'm learning something with my teacher, I like to use a bass that's appropriate IE fretless jazz for Jaco stuff, Stingray for Bernie Edwards, 51 p-bass for blues, 5-string for JS Bach etc. I would like a Gibson SG bass just to exorcise the ghost of the Avon and I really want a Ricky, but apart from that I'm very happy with what I've got and feel I've got all basses covered..... sorry

[quote name='surfinbernard' timestamp='1340561086' post='1706268'] Be aware that some music shops who offer tuition sometimes have dreadful teachers. The shops make a lot of money renting the rooms to teachers and can become desperate to have a full house and if a good teacher isn't forthcoming they will take almost anyone. I'm sure some have standards but I have experience of two music shops and both had teachers who were unable to offer good solid tuition, bedroom shredders being the usual, only able to play the one style they've learned, only able to pass on what they know which is relatively little, and in some cases disinterested, I hd one guitar teachertrying to stretch things out to fill the time slot and insisting on teaching me classical style shredding techniques a la Yngwie Malmsteen which I can't stand, . after I had asked to learn more blues-based lead work an help to get a better overall solidness to my guitar playing. I literally felt that my money may as well have been stolen from my purse. Be warned! [/quote] Yes my disaster was based at a local Music Shop with a rehearsal space. He was used to teaching children very rudimentary stuff and was totally fazed by having somebody who could already play. Still think the nearest music college faculty is your best option.

If you're planning to be in Haywards Heath any time soon, it might be arrangeable, though I haven't spoken to him for a bit (though fingers crossed his jazz trio is playing my 50th). If you're passing this way message me.

Many thanks for all your kind messages of welcome. I actually find that being on this site and part of this community is a big help to keeping focused on all things bass. There was a video of my Herbie moment on YouTube but can't find it now. Not too sorry as I was 2 stone heavier than now and a much worse player.

It occurs to me that I can also include basses I have but would never 'upgrade', for example my MM SUB looks and plays better than my friends pre EB MMStingray and indeed several other EBMM Stingrays I've tried. Same way my Japanese Geddy Lee JB sounds better and plays better and indeed looks better than any American Fender I've ever tried. I've also found the addition of a Status Graphite neck is the ultimate upgrade and has ruled out several future purchases. [quote name='Samashton12' timestamp='1340291236' post='1702398'] Anything with more than 4 strings is a major turn off for me.. :search:And anything deemed as a stupid body shape.. IE Alembic's [/quote] I'd have thought if you like Thunderbirds you'd have liked Alembics. Their prices are what annoy me the most however.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1340132077' post='1699761'] Anyone remember the 'Home Taping is Killing Music' campaign? [/quote] I remember it well. We used to tape each others vinyl albums at school. Still I loved records so much (I still have a huge collection of vinyl) that I bought any album I liked that I'd had a tape of, as soon as I could afford it. I still prefer having CDs to downloads.

Yay another Southerner! Welcome to the forum. Can empathise about balancing playing with kids and work. Tried to get my girls interested in playing music but they get too easily distracted. Anyway enjoy!

Alembics, Foderas, Thunderbirds, Warwicks, Burns Bisons, Ritters, Hofner Violins, G&Ls, Dane Electros, anything with 6 or more strings, not that keen of 5, any silly shaped 'metal' bass.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1339607994' post='1691452'] Oh, and another thing! I think the above is a really good question. In my experience, you don't want your teacher to be playing too much in your valuable lesson time. My teacher really stretches me by making me do most of the playing on my own. If he sees I'm struggling he'll say 'Would you like me to play it with you?' which is a real help in the appropriate place. Only very occasionally have I seen him really 'take flight' and demonstrate something quite jaw dropping! But mostly he makes me do all the work! [/quote] Definitely. The truly awful teacher I once had, apart from popping outside for at least 4 cigarette breaks during the hours lesson, would randomly start playing tunes that had no relevance to what we were doing. He was a very good player but couldn't teach or even put a lesson together properly. My teacher will sometimes have me laying down the groove along to a drum machine and he'll play over it and it feels like I'm the bass player in a band.