Black Coffee

Who would be irreplaceable as a bass player ? Im not suggesting irreplaceable means the best; but would the band be the same without them; eg stage presence, unique sound, particular skill in technique. Would the chillis still be red hot without flea? Would maiden still gallop without Harris ? Would Mr Big sound the same without Billy ? Who never got over their bass player moving on ?

Is there any fun in having a bottomless pit of unlimited money to feed the need to expand the bass stable? Regarding prices on basses, I dont think Warwick and Stingray are in the window alone here on price. Rickenbacker are falling in price for new models. Several years ago when I dabbled in three different Rics in a nine month spendingasm the tag was £1850 ish for a new 4003. You could get a new one now if you do a bit of research for about £1500 I have to say that over the years I have lost a considerable amount of cash on buying and selling basses; lets be honest - who hasnt. But; I have had a blast of a time playing some beautiful basses and don't regret any that I have sold except one Stingray 5 that was better than even the 25th anniversary SR I had for a spell. It's a fact of life at present that all goods are worth only what someone is prepared to pay for them, not a penny more. Going back to my first line in the post - unlimited cash would take the fun out of buying, playing, looking, lusting, selling, buying, playing etc etc etc and on and on. If you peak without the experience of ogling and drooling over other kit for months before getting your eager mits around its neck there's no fun and no anticipation and excitement. This philosophy has worked for 25 years until now when I bought a really expensive bass (£3000 roughly) and an unanticipated incident meant I needed cash in a hurry and now I can't sell it because it's so much that the number of people with a larger amount of disposable dosh is smaller than the collective who would deal in smaller amounts. As a breed, bass players have GAS. GAS is infectious and it is a lifelong affliction. GAS will get your pulse rate up, and make you ignore your wife (much to her frustration)while she is asking you where the car keys are while you read the small text about the 18v preamp and the abalone fretmarkers. GAS is the reason why the basschat forum exists and in answer to the original question - is why the SR is the new Warwick pricewise.

I have played both and I think for the previously posted already reasons they are both excellent basses. It's a personal choice when to comes to picking one over the other; but if I had to pick one I would go for the Stingray. To me it just felt more comfortable to play, and I just have always liked the look of stingray basses. Best thing is to go and play both of them ideally one after the other through the amp you would use and decide yourself. If you can find one of the earlier MM SUB5 basses second hand (they don't make these any more), it would go a long way towards saving a few pounds and they sound just as angry as a stingray. I owned a 5 string of one of these in blue finish with the metal pickguard and upgraded to a SR5 only because I got an offer I couldn't refuse for a second hander. Have some fun playing them before you buy and let us know what you think.

This is all personal taste, choice and the sort of music you play. Or you can call it natural curiosity progression in your bass trade. Some big bassists always go 4 string (Steve Harris), others are 5 string full time. Personally I think when I play the low notes sparingly and as extra features of the music rather than the normal it adds more to it. Again, just personal taste on my part; it doesn't mean I dont like listening to someone else moshing away all day on a low D. I flip between 4 and 5 depending on what I am playing but it took me a while to get my head around the B string being there and tripped over a few bum notes when whatever part of my head was learning to deal with - multi string dexterity I'll call it. It bugged me quite a bit at times but if you persevere and get through it it's nice to be able to alternate without missing a beat / or note for that matter. I find it's most beneficial when someone hands you a music sheet and it's got a lot of E flat in it. Good not to have to retune to have a low option. Personally - I think Dingwall are the best 5 string basses. Pricey, but if you can stretch to it they are worth a try. Enjoy.

Yep. They are a classic bass. You cant help but love the MM SR sound.

Nah. No discount. Just nice to hear what your playing without plucking the strings hard. I did manage a grin, specially with the tube gain engaged.

I like the sound of that. But i wud need a twin neck version. In case ur bass wuz bigger than mine. Cant have that.

Thanks to evry1 for their advice on this topic. Regarding marital disharmony, i find it easier to consult and inform the wee wife because she has ESP. Extra Spending Perception. Having said that i do stop short of taking her to the scene of the crime. A grown man begging for his wallet in front of other mature adults is not a nice sight. On a serious note . Provided s.w.m.b.o. is kept in the loop and has the final say on colour i have reasonably free reign.

On a different point. You could just light a fire and fuel it for two winters with the neck of the bass alone. Then kill a cow and float it downriver on the body wood to the slaughterhouse and get enough meat to justify the size of the fire you will make with the body of the bass. feed my neighbourhood too. Just a thought.

I had heard Denmark Street. Hadn't heard Charing Cross Road. Thanks too for Wunjos. Is the "how much?" implying , "thats wild expensive" or, "thats wild cheap" Where I am from, money is not round to go around; but made flat for stacking in neat bundles that don't fall over until they are six feet tall. This will be a voyage of discovery. Good thing the VAT controller will be shopping elsewhere in Oxford Street when I am viewing the bass goods. If I buy something will they post it ? Then I just have to apologise when it arrives at my door 4 days later rather than ask for permission in front of a shop full of people.

I have a visit to London planned early next year and I might have a couple of hours to kill; and the choice between browsing the likes of Primark in Oxford St with the boss or browsing bass guitar shops is not a difficult one to have to make. Sorry Primark, but brown bags and middle aged trolley rage doesn't do it for me. Problem is - I always hear that it's good for guitar shops in Central London. But, as I don't know the capital that well, can anyone point me in the right direction. If there are issues with advertising businesses in the rules, and you can't name a shop. Is there a street, or an area which is populated with a cluster of likeminded proprietors ?? Thanks

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1349601436' post='1828043'] To poorly quote Billy Sheehan on anything with more than four strings "I have a couple of five strings at home. I find most people dont give enough time to get good on a four string first" *interviewer* -"How long is that?" *Sheehan* - "About 20 years" or something like that [/quote] I remember watching this Billy Sheehan interview and thinking to myself that even though I am playing 25 years (it's 6 yrs since I ventured into 5 / 6 string land) I still couldn't play remotely like Billy Sheehan on a 4 stringer. I actually self critiqued and felt inadequate at the finger dexterity I had just watched. Some people were made to play Bass like Billy Sheehan, Mr Aircraft carrier sized bass is clearly not one of them. Neither am I for that matter, but I stay off Youtube.

I'd had GAS for a RIC since I first picked a bass up 25 yrs ago. Three different Rics later I still have bad GAS for one but can't enjoy the playing because I find them awkward if you pluck as I do rather than pick. It remains one bass I want the most because I loved Lemmy's playing and everything about the loud and proud ethic, and also they just look so cool. But sadly at the price I can't justify a £1500 piece of furniture, because that's what it would be. Since I last owned one the idea of removing the rancid U-bend and placing the black little pickup surround in place has come about and I am very tempted, but my inner sensible compass says nothing will change. So I will continue to "GAS" after it and do nothing about it. If I could try one with the pickup surround set in place it would cure my curiousity; but till then looks like Alka Seltzer will have continue to sort the GAS. MMMM

Hi. I went with the streamliner 600 watt. If my budget had stretched i wud have went for the 900 Nothin to worry about though because with the focus 210 cab setup it was plenty of power on show. I bought this without a test drive and its incredible, but like i said I am putting £3,000 of bass through it too. Have no fear buying genz benz. Take the plunge and grin benz.

It's official. There is no GAS like Dingwall GAS. Like that line in the Matrix movie, "Do you hear that Mr Anderson, that's the sound of inevitability". I was hooked about a year ago and a couple of MM SR5s, three Rickenackers, a couple of Fenders, a Warwick and a couple of Peaveys have been made redundant and duly sold to strive to climb the Dingwall tree of excellence in bass building[attachment=122766:DSC_0426.JPG]. It's inevitable.....see. Gorgeous ABII.

Hi folks, I have owned several different MIM and MIA Fender P basses and one fretless MIM jazz and the MIM basses were the best. The MIA P bass was just not as sweet to play. I couldn't discern that much between the tone, but as for the neck - the playability was far superior on the MIM. I bought a MIM P 50s reissue with the anodized pickguard for a total steal on ebay and it was a gem!! My 15 yr old son informed me he was buying it from me last Christmas after telling me that the new MIA P bass in the shop he had tried was crap compared to it. He has been playing since he was seven, and is now in the regional schools orchestra playing double bass and doing GCSE bass guitar so who am I to argue....? Not worth it. Don't believe the hype about the MIA dream, it's all personal taste and MIM is definitely worth a try. Set it up, put good strings on it and play it through a good amp. There's not a huge difference to the amateur ear, fair bit to the wallet.

Thanks to everyone for their input here. Despite this I have decided not to go with Behringer. I went with Genz Benz and it has been the best decision I have made since selling the whole stable and buying a Dingwall ABII. Played first gig with it and it is unbelievable how easy it is to be very loud and overbearing with very little on the volume control. Not sure if it's the amp and cab alone, or because it's teamed with a fantastic bass; but nevertheless - money very well spent. Certainly not my sleek tickling of the (Ernie) balls. . . . . . . . but it sounds incredible.

I am looking to buy an amp. Dont mind if its combo or head and cab and one of the most financially viable options is looking to be behringer. Are they the real deal with bells and whistles you get or will they not stand the test of time. Any opinions on the 300 watt ultrabass combo or the 550 watt head and cab? Thanks.

I had a 5 and a 6 at one stage and regret parting with them. Probably the best value for money around. Wud buy another no problem at all. Good solid weight and feel with classy look.

Which 5 string . . . .? I have played many 5 strings over 25 years and if you can afford one, the best 5 string bass I have played by a country mile is a Dingwall. I have owned the MM 25th anniversary 5 string and a standard SR5 among others, and they didnt come close. Tried others and whilst they are spot on for E A D and G, the B string on Dingwall blows them away for tone and playability. If you go Dingwall you will go fanfret and this is an added bonus. I have bought two Dingwalls this year from Mark in Bass Direct. The ABZ5 is in your range for money, but beware; once I got my paws on my ABZ5 I sold all my parallel fret equipment to move on up to a gem of an ABII 5 stringer. Dingwall draws you in like a moth to the flame and is in a different league on the B string because of the longer scale. Someone else may hate them which is their right, indeed you might hate them; but at least try them before you buy another bass. Look at the Bass direct site for a host of choice and reviews.

The choice of bass versus ability debate will go on forever. If someone can afford something they like the look of to gain more experience on, so what if they buy it. . ? Aspiring to be better is what got the greats where they are. Amid this I know we are all learning but I hope that I never make a total pigs ear of a song when trying a bass. The comment above by Shiznitt, " [b]I soon followed her in the kitchen and we both laughed our arses off! There are no words in any known language (except perhaps Russian) that would describe how bad this guy played like! Think of a person trampolining and trying to play a guitar whilst wearing oven mitts trying to play Hotel California. To put it politely, he had more work to do!"[/b] I have experienced this too and I hope I have never been this guy. Having said that the Bentley would be nice. I have a fancy bass, but I know my limitations and try not to be a smartass when in music shops because there's always somebody capable of pickin, slappin or pluckin better than you nearby. As for the competent smug bassists who sneer at lesser bassists instead of offering words of encouragement, remember - whether you like it or not you used to be what we now are. Shame on you that you forgot.