Black Coffee

Sold up lesser gear and bought my long wanted ABII. Walnut chambered body, bubinga neck and top. It is better than any bass I have ever played. Even my 25th anniversary MM Stingray. Could just sit and look at it for hours, sorry about my shabby photography.

Ampeg portaflex 500 watt head and two 15inch cabs. Boss effect board. Simple, light, clear and LOUD. Does what it says on the tin.

Having read all the replies posted, I feel a bit bad for perhaps being a bit misleading with the title of the thread. Please accept my apologies. Im actually surprised it generated the replies which it did given this. Maybe should clarify that I wasn't referring to slap technique being bad or boring or indeed anything negative at all (in fact used in moderation I think it looks and sounds incredibly good), it was just an observation on my part that the bass sound has gotten so lost in some modern metal that the agressive clank and percussive playing style which is needed to be heard through the wall of noise he/she is competing with; disables the bass player from any individual expression and clear recognition with normal playing. Or maybe they are just a useless bass player and it suits them.

I apologise if I was making it sound as if I was implying Lee, Lynott and Harris were the GREAT players. It just happened to be who I had recently listened to. Rush recent live album, Maiden Killers and Metallica Kill em all. I don't think we can say who ever was the greatest as styles are far too versatile and one who is good at chord/gallop playing doesn't do thumb slap/pop at all but is up there with the best in his music type. When you look at Victor Wooton, Jaco, Mark King, ...... where do you stop , who is the greatest? List is long dude. John Myung apparently has it all in techniques from what I read about him, but he doesn't exclusively slap does he ? I dont know much dream theatre stuff. The guitar being where the bass is, is a good explanation for not hearing I suppose. But guitar ego is overriding all sense.

I'm all for progress and music. Progress is good and comes with practice and should be everybody's goal. Look how far Flea took it, but there's only a few who slap like him and sound as good. I think he actually said that he abandoned the aggressive slap style because everybody jumped on after him. Maybe I am just cynical. To explain where this came from. I was led to write this after listening to some Cliff Burton, Geddy Lee, and Steve Harris from the 80s recently and it's sweet to hear compared to the stuff on the television music channels that my son watches. I am not wanting to be criticising modern sounds because one mans symphony is another mans earache and thats your right as a musician, just that the bass is sometimes drowned too regularly in a wall of distorted drop D guitar chunk, bump and grind. It's each to their own I suppose.

Does the bass sound of some slap and modern metal hide the fact that some people can't play a bass at all ? Think of the Geddy Lees, Phil Lynotts, Steve Harris sounding metal bassists in 70s and 80s who played clear crisp riffs that inspired. Then hear the modern drop D grunge and slap. Have some adopted aggression and a percussive sound to mask the fact they can't play at all ? Or am I just cynical....

The only bass I ever really regretted selling was my 5 string SR. I had bought a 25th anniversary HSS 5 string and it had to be funded, so the SR5 and a warwick thumb and others had to go. After some time though I moved the 25th on and immediately bought another piezo 5 string H SR. Have to say the £2,899 price on the 25th anniversary bass doesn't guarantee it sounds any better, if anything it failed by trying to be too many basses in one. If you want traditional SR sound, don't sell your prize stallion or you will regret it.

The first cut is the deepest. Cat Stevens. Don't ruin your playing by worrying about knocks, or you will start to be a bit of an anorak about it and get on everyones nerves by obsessing. I did this for a bit over my first MMSR5 and my wife told me I was behaving like an ass. Good to have someone reliable tell you this, even better when you know it's likely true. Enjoy the bass, every extra dent is a feature, every feature tells a tale. Get over it for your own sake.

Regarding Ric sound. Can I tentatively ask if Mani from the Stone Roses played a Ric during recording of the Second Coming album ? For me it is one classic album from start to finish, no real favourites from the tracks as they are all good. But the sound is fantastic; smooth, soft and sublime. Was just wondering if this was a Ric? I have read that he has used Rics and also Fenders; but it doesn't say when he used them. Anybody clarify this ?

Not likely to be on Youtube, but it's Thin Lizzy's Still in love with you from Life - live album. John Sykes I believe playing it. If you haven't heard it, get it and enjoy every note. Every mood in a solo all under one track. Brian Downey, Big Phil and Gary Moore in supporting roles at the scene of the crime - it can't fail at being a gem - really.

I owned one of these in HSS pickup setup. Looking back it was a lovely bass, in fact probably the most stunning looking and potentially versatile instrument I have played, but if you want the traditional loud MM sound just buy the traditional stingray for half the price and don't go through the financial mill. I learnt a sound lesson. If you want a passive sound, buy a good passive bass, if you want an active sound buy a good active bass, not a £2,899.00 hybrid which does none of the above as good as a bass half the price would. Incidentally I paid only £1650 for mine, second hand (right place at the right time). Let it go two months later for no profit then bought a piezo pup 5 string which sounds better than the HSS 25th Anniversary verison ever did. Strange but true. Along with this, I never had trouble with neck dive with them.

Simply put - that ABII is the mutts nutts with that maple neck.. Dingwall or die. I want an exotic Super J. Dont care what colour.

Is it really as long as 25 years...that means I must be over 30 at least..... I have lost count of the basses, just notches on a guitar stand I'm afraid. As for amps I am getting to know my new Ampeg PF500 head teamed with two 15 inch cabs for the first time. First decent piece of amp kit ever, and likin' it.

I think in reading this you have your mind made up. You will not regret owning one of these, I had two and when I sold them there was a hole in my life which was only filled when I got another 5 stringer. The tone, sound, power and cheesy grin never fade. As for the spouse scenario. My little lady endorses and encourages bass buying, (but only if I sell or trade alongside and she has full disclosure). Tell her it's a lifelong commitment to improving your skill and hobby - it's not just materialism etc etc and she will go with you to pick the colour. Order it on the quiet and it arrives with you not there and she signs for it - you've had it. Enjoy your last new bass. You won't regret buying a 5 stringer, you will regret selling one.

This is a picture of a Musicman 25th Anniversary Stingray 5 which I owned for a short time after I happened to be in the right place at the right time to avoid the £2,899.00 price tag by about a grand. It had a set of pickups like a Velociraptor had teeth and it knew how to pack a punch with a mindbending array of passive and active possibilities. We parted company because I have a young family and I think Farleys rusk, banana and baby juice would have ended messy among the hi-gloss finish and strings and pickup selector buttons. Another player is no doubt appreciating her beauty at the moment. Having said that, it was a beautiful instrument. But my other MM SR5 with piezo pickups sounds every bit as loud and hard as this 25th version did, minus the worry.

I played my way through almost £4,500 and three Rics and couldn't get comfy with any of them. My first was a 4003FL, then a Firelgo Laredo and finally a mapleglo 4003. I pluck rather than pick and the big U over the pickup had to go to on the 4003s to get at the sweet spot over the bridge pickup. Even after that I was not getting that fuzzy feeling because of the gap around the pickup unit. This is one of those basses that is so cooool that I really wish I could play it, but it wasn't to be. Lemmy made it look so easy as I drooled over Motorhead, but thats Lemmy. I am tending towards trying again and going wth one of the bridge pickup surrounds which are available now. But will this be a success ? Or another expensive crash and burn. Can anyone comment on these little gizmos ??? A Ric looks real cool, but you can't get away from the point in the first post and you might not want to acknowledge this but - there ain't a lot of people playing them anywhere. Warwick, Fender, Musicman and Ibanez are stealing the show.

Hello to fellow bass pickers, pluckers and slappers; I was advised to start reading forums to get tips and advice from fellow tradesmen/women and this was one which was named as one of the best. Thanks for the easy sign-up. I've been playin over 25 years but still feel as if I've only scratched the surface.