uk_lefty

If I was recording or playing in a way where every nuance of my sound was important I'd go jazz. However for knocking out 80's rock and pop covers in pubs and at festivals it has to be the Precision (or since December it is the Stingray). The gutsier tone of the precision is what I prefer live.

Don't re spray it but add mini cooper racing stripes!

Truly awful mate. Hope the poor girl isn't left with a scar.

I've got a Fender MIJ 1970 Precision reissue (alder bodied). It's a cracking bass that I really enjoy playing. It currently has a Steve Harris signature pickup that I really like and appreciate however I wouldn't mind getting it closer to the authentic sound for the year. Question is, which pickup would give me that tone? I've had a look at Fender and Seymour Duncan but suspect there are others out there.... Unless this was an era of "generic p bass tone" rather than anything distinct!

That's the one. Looks amazing and I want to use it... Will try faffing about with the drivers again when I get chance.

Thanks mate I'll give that a go. The cable came from my guitarist who does the IT end of office and data centre moves so it is second hand, has been well used and then stored by him for a very long time. I'm sure I have a similar cable for my camera or printer somewhere too. The software you mention is that the freeware one put together by the chap off Talkbass? It shows you a graphic of the pedals to drag and drop around d the screen... Looks pretty good and ideal for someone like me who works better with visuals.

The Boss librarian software specific to the GT10 and GT10B plus some freeware developed by a chap on Talkbass. I don't think it's a software issue though as it could be the OS (Windows 10) or something else about the pc not reading the external device. The cable works because when I plug in Windows plays it's little jingle to let you know a USB device is connected but in the "my computer" window or the file explorer there is no icon to show that an external device is connected. I'm pretty stumped. I've been through the Boss manual and changed the usb setting to "advanced" as required, for Windows 10 I technically shouldn't need to manually find and download the drivers but I have anyway and still nothing. I'm just not sure where to go from here. There's some GT10B experts on Talkbass so I've asked there but yet to receive a reply. My work laptop won't read external USB for security purposes so can't try it with another laptop unfortunately. What I really want to do is create a backup of my patches in case I lose them; re-order and rename my patches for ease of use at a gig; use the freeware to experiment more easily with creating new patches; test and download other users patches that I may like. If I can't do all that it's not the end of the world, I do like a clean bass sound more than anything anyway, but to have the option of flange, different drives, wah and touch wah for those middle 8s of songs that don't always get played but when they do they really need it... That's what I got the unit for. For example, I used to use an 80's Boss Flanger for the breakdown in Magic Carpet Ride. I'd like to create a Magic Carpet Ride patch. I can do it without the PC but it's a bit laborious.

I didn't know they were, or there was the option of vegan. Suppose that's the way things are going and it's no bad thing at all. I just liked mine because it's as 80's as they come. White leather (or vegan substitute) with two things stripes, one red and one blue. It looks like Herbie, which is fine as we are regulars entertaining a motor racing crowd! There was some great colour combos. My wife needs to buy me something leather for our anniversary and I don't fancy a gimp mask so will go for another of these straps.

A cry for help here... I've got a Boss GT10B. It's awesome. All is going well except when I usb it to my laptop the laptop doesn't read it so I can't use the Boss software to backup and edit patches. I've followed changing the settings in the manual and I've installed the pc drivers even though I shouldn't need to windows 10. Nothing. Any help or advice welcome! Thanks

Their M series basses are a bit more original. I'd be quite keen for a four string version of one.

Good quality leather guitar strap? A branded guitar co stool to sit on and play? A swanky effects pedal of some description? Four hundred square 9v batteries from the pound shop? £400 in cash?

What if it's to stick two fingers up at the drummer without interrupting your playing? I do this a lot.

What about acoustic guitar amps? Have heard these are closer to bass amps than guitar... Not sure how true that is?

Hi everyone. Looking for advice please. I've just got rid of a forty watt fender Bronco modelling amp, it weighed over 12kg and was taking up quite a bit of space. I would like to replace it with a smaller practice amp and without spending too much. I'm looking at small amps like the Harley Benton 20w or the Ashdown Tourbus, and also the sort of "desktop" amps that Blackstar, Laney and Vox do. The desktop amp would be ok if it doubles as a Bluetooth speaker but can they handle a "proper" bass, meaning okay a low b without distorting? What would be ideal also is something that could handle guitar as well as bass. I've used guitar amps for bass in the past and it's been ok, but something that's meant to cover both instruments could be good? I'm not bothered about amp modelling and so on as I have all that on my multi effect pedal. Any advice welcome! Thanks

I've had a miked up drummer do the horns part of Dude Looks Like a Lady in the past. That worked. Unless you already do loads of feeding in samples and stuff I really wouldn't bother as it's one more thing that can go wrong. Surely you've got a guitarist-who-thinks-he's-a-vocalist type who'd love the limelight of making a noise down a mic?

Not sure if these have been done here but... What? Why? Who the...? https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F223346540047

Fair do's but as you say you're a muso. A non muso six pints in doesn't want a flawless version of sex on firrz they want local guys and girls playing it with sincerity. IMO.

World class musicianship won't always win over very good showmanship. Putting on a show is what people want, then they'll get in to almost anything. At big gigs I've seen the Hives get sneered at but turn it around through amazing showmanship and have the audience eating out of their hands, Dizzee Rascal the same when supporting the Red Hot Chilli's, went from having bottles of fosters thrown at him to absolutely rocking Knebworth through engaging the audience and winning them over. So in a pub, give me the world's best clarinet player sat in the corner knocking out a tune, I won't care. Give me a very good clarinet player putting heart and soul in to it while kicking over tables and stuff and I'm interested.

Yeah but you just hold the other hand underneath it. Or put it on wheels. Or make your father in law carry it so he feels like he's part of it...

They aren't heavy as such but if you've got a long trek with it you could do with side handles instead of just the one top handle. Best carried with two hands.

Also tell everyone where you're based! Sounds like whichever decision you make there will be two good drummers still available and we all know that good drummers are like rocking horse poo!

I had the 300w toneman 1x15 combo for quite a while. It's a good portable amp and you get more out of it by adding an extension cab, with the toneman cabs a good price (though I went for a great value lightweight rootmaster instead). I found it perfectly functional and gigged it quite a bit. It's got everything you need but it's not going to "wow" you on any level. It's just a good quality amp. Play a decent bass through it with good strings on it, run your effects through it and you're sorted. If it's just a backup etc you can't go wrong. Unless you're looking for lightweight. They are compact, I remember measuring mine because I couldn't believe it had a 15" speaker. The guy I sold it to was also surprised at how compact it was. While it didn't blow my socks off it did give me enough confidence to stick with Ashdown ever since despite my love for Fender, Trace Elliot, Vox, Gallien Kruger and Hartke Amps. You can see it in the background of this pic on top of a rootmaster cab.

Ha! Not really... The lad auditioning before me was about seventeen, handshake like a wet fish (immediately BL mouthed to the drummer "no") but he played everything note perfect. Then his dad picked him up. He was a good player but wanted regular functions... And a lift to them all! I have a firm handshake and was sat in reception warming up playing scales on my bass... I also didn't learn the songs note for note but played them my own way. The band liked that. I'm not a freemason. But then again, a freemason would say that...!

Allegedly I got my spot in my band based on my handshake. Hope that helps

So two gigs in and I'm LOVING this bass. Not in the way we all love something new and a bit different but I honestly don't know why it took me so long to just get a Stingray. Reasons for the deep and meaningful love: Feel of the neck - the finish makes me play faster, the profile makes me play so comfortably... I see photos from gigs and my fingers are in "correct" formation and my thumb isn't peeking over the top. Winner. The presence of the sound is huge. I loved my MIM Jazz despite its drawbacks but used to have to dig in so hard I'd badly blister my fingertips. With the Ray I played a long function gig last week and a pub gig this weekend and no blisters at all. I don't need to dig in to get that big, full sound. The EQ - I bypass the EQ on my amp now. Despite having a huge and very versatile multi FX I was seriously considering not using that either. I just get a big fat bass sound that sits perfectly, giving me lots of presence in with two guitars without mushing up anyone elses frequency. I barely adjust the EQ when I play. Weight - I never really got in to all the discussion about weight of basses bit this does feel very light compared to almost all my other basses that I've owned. It's just comfortable to play for long sets. Looks - it looks great. We were in the background of some professional photos at our last function and the bass looks great. Also with the natural finish and glossy coat I don't get greasy fingermarks like a lot of painted basses. It looks a million times better than my Sire in natural ash and black pickguard too. The fretboard - the rosewood board takes away any brittleness in the highs. I like some snappy brittleness off a maple board but can do without having to dial it in or out or tame it, so it just isn't an issue now. If I want the highs I roll them up on the EQ. Pick playing - I played with a pick this weekend a fair bit more than I usually would and I was really pleased with the output. It was a bit of an experiment but it just gave me that drive a pick can give but without being scratchy and loud and uncontrollable like it can with some basses. The only improvement? I want to add a drop D tuner. Then my five string would be out of work. Any recommendations? None of this will be news to Stingray owners, but if like me you were on the fence about them, or about the cash outlay, I hope this helps.