Roger2611

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1362179512' post='1996982']
Not sure why we're owning up to our ages, but what the hell, I'm 52.[/quote]

I guess I asked about the age thing because as we get older life pulls from different directions, kids grow up, abillity to practice increases because you are not going to keep waking them up but, work stresses and pressures increase so on the other side life offers less time / desire to practice. Older still and I assume (I will tell you when / if I get there) the work pressures decrease but health becomes more of an issue / influence on our abillity to practice

I played a lot more when I was younger but feel that practice time now is far more productive than ever before, I sat down last night and put some compilations on, nothing complex just some songs I like but have never wanted to or been bothered to learn to play, I picked up the acoustic bass and the result was by the end of each song I could play it and understood what the bass was doing

Really the only thing that matters to me is that we can do the song justice and the song will do us justice either one doesn't happen and I will have an issue with doing the song

Just wanted to do a straw poll (whatever that actually means)

I am in my 40's and still practice around 10 hours a week, where do I fit in with the rest of you?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1362091571' post='1995821']
Can't beat a proper 90's bass collection
[/quote]
Thanks I tend to agree, I do like the Bass Collections but I did find the 4 string necks a touch narrow, when playing quickly I found I would kick the G string off the side of the fretboard on occasions so I am a little concened the 5 string may give me the same problems

Hi guys and gals,

I am thinking of stepping over to the darkside and trying a 5 string bass again (had a squier hm? thing years back and hated it) I am thinking about something Bass Collection/ Yamaha TRB ish. I don't want to spend too much as to be honest I don't want to open pandora's box and end up wanting to trade off half of my 4 string stuff, I am looking at the idea of it being an addition to my current gear, something that will record ok and isn't too heavy (key buying point)

Looking on evil bay at the moment there is a used Samick Fairline at £249 and a used Bass Collection at £330 ish, any recommendations would be greatly received

Thanks

I'm still having the same issues, the rest of the band decided they wanted to do Moves Like Jagger which I detest with a total passion, in the end it lead to me leaving the band, in my abscence they tried it, realised it sounded sh1t and dropped it, I was then approached to rejoin the band, which I said I would do...now 2 gigs down the line I notice the singer has put it in the encore list, not in a position where we will play it but he has put it back non the less....I see another argument approaching!

Ok so it's not a bass but it looks like cracking value at more than double it's original new price, I was trying to work out what makes it so rare and the only thing I can come up with is that it is the only one in this country with that serial number!

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-music-man-electric-guitar-very-rare-floyd-rose-trem-fully-set-up-/271163491003?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f229a82bb"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-music-man-electric-guitar-very-rare-floyd-rose-trem-fully-set-up-/271163491003?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f229a82bb[/url]

Moves Like Jagger.....hateful song, the rest of the band all thought it was a good choice for a younger audience, as we are all in our mid 40's/ early 50's I suggested that the line "do you want to see some puppies" might also appeal to the same audience

Lack of room necessitates one in one out at the moment so I can't really argue when my good lady says "by all means but where are you going to keep it"

We are using a pair of old Martin CX2's powered via a Peavey XR680 and an LD powered sub to give some low end clout, it sounds fantastic but the CX2's came with some big problems as in replacement diaphragms for the duel concentric horn are quite simply unavailable anyway anyhow. I have had the internal crossover altered so we now run a pair of Beyma CP25's in a little horn box on top of each Martin cab to give us the top end

I think it would be a shame, sure the bulk of current musical offerings I hear don't rock my world but occasionally something new comes along that just gives that same buzz I used to get when I first started discovering new music in my teens

I find I can struggle when sitting down with a bass and when playing guitar if the strap in not adjusted perfectly, I think it is a lot down to posture and the correct playing positions and as other posts have said being tense. I only ever had one bass lesson many years ago (Eddie Reader's bassist) who took one look at the fretting hand and general posture and basically said it was crap and if I wanted to play to a decent standard go away and adopt the posture / fretting hand that he showed me....It took 2 years to really get it ingrained.....the best bass lesson I ever had!

I have to agree with a lot of the comments about the overhyped experience of playing the likes of the Bull and Gate back in the 90's I found it quite frankly a soul destroying experience but I think that said more about the London thing than promoters in general, we played Cambridge's Boat Race, Leicester's Princes Charlotte, Reading's Alley Cat and a few others always as a support to a local band with a good following and always played to good crowds.

I have to say we are now along way from that type of scene and am actually quite thankful that covers bands seem to be in such demand

I went almost exclusively from bass to guitar about 4 years ago, for a while it's great as your playing comes on really quickly, I have learnt some of the stuff you mentioned and with a lot of practice it is not that hard to become a competent guitarist especially rythym based, however your friend may find quite quickly that he is having to work so much harder when playing the guitar, it doesn't flow like playing the bass and the enjoyment is not the same.

We were forced to release our first bass player last year and I stood in on bass for a couple of months whilst his replacement got up to speed (I had been asked to do it full time but didn't actually realise at the time just how much I wasn't enjoying playing the guitar) I ended up quiting the band late last year as when I went back onto guitar it really brought home how much more I enjoyed playing bass, anyway to cut to the chase the current bass player anounced he was leaving a couple of weeks ago the band rang and asked if I would stand in again I said no but I will come back as your full time bassist, set up to speed and enthusiasm set to gas mak 10 again.

So yes the transition can be made and with practice fairly comfortably but behind the public face the desire to return to bass may well scratch away

My washburn is a short scale, it's the first one I have owned and I quite like it, I don't think it lacks anything soundwise and as an acoustic I think the shortscale makes it less of a handful

I have the fretless version and I'm certainly keeping mine also, loverly bass easily as good quality as any of the others I own. Good luck with the sale

We tend to favour the studio version then argue when our version doesn't sound the same!

I used to have one problem with the whole illegal download game, there was a time where a lot of excellent music was completely unavailable, the legal download sites didn't have decent playlists and the back catalogues were unavailable from the record companies so effectively you could not buy the bands music anymore.

Kazaa was the file sharing site of choice at the time and I actually uploaded a small number of tracks from Prince Charles and the City Beat Band to the site which were promptly downloaded a good few times usually in America (I had made countless searches online and via the likes of HMV and this bands stuff was completely unavailable anywhere in the world at the time) so my question is, would the band rather no one could here their music or would they sooner it be available (allbeit as a recording from a lp record) so new listeners can hear the music and hopefully with enough enquiries it would be re-released again?

I firmly believe in paying for the music I download (I actually felt guilty recently when OMD gave away the track Sister Mary Says I thought it was so good that I wanted to pay for it! so I am going to see them live instead)

So to me the above was a big plus for the file sharing sites at the time, however nowdays that the legal download sites have a much more extensive catalogue I cannot condone illegally downloading music when it is there to be brought legally but I bet there are still bands out there that are not on the legal download sites so the illegal fileshare sites may still be the only way of getting their music

I have the Mexican 50's classic Precision, it's a really early one and it is a real beauty, it has a neck profile like no other and is my favourite Precision, IMO it is leagues better than my Classic Vibe Precision although in itself it is an excellent bass. I also own a completely stock Mexican Telecaster which again it an excellent guitar. I know the Squiers are cracking guitars but I have owned ones that just leave me cold and unmoved. I owned a silver series Jazz some years back and just found it [size=4]e[color=#222222][font=Arial]xcruciatingly heavy and uninspiring to play.[/font][/color]

[color=#222222][font=Arial]I think there are good and not so good examples of both Squiers and Mexican Fenders, I have also played a few Japanese and USA Fenders that I am glad I don't own.[/font][/color]

[color=#222222][font=Arial]If you pick up a guitar and 10 minutes later the salesman is trying to wrench it back out of your hands, it really doesn't matter what it says on the headstock it's probably a keeper[/font][/color][/size]

I used to play in a band before the 24 hour drinking thing and the smoking ban, if you played the right venues the crowds would be there from the start, the wrong venues wouldn't have a crowd full stop, I still think it is much the same nowdays the only difference being that town centre venues know what time their clientelle will tend to arrive so get the bands to start a lot later than they used to!

The smoking ban has had an impact but more so for the venues than the bands, smokers who are watching the band will try to stand in doorways so they can smoke and still see the band potentially causing the venue serious licensing issues.

I hope the recent entertainment license changes may have a positive effect on the music scene with any sub 500 capacity venue able to put bands on without the need for a special license I would like to see some new venues step up to the mark and challenge some of the more established venues that think they can book bands off a reputation that disappeared long ago

+1 on the Jam bass lines, Tube Station, Eton Rifles, Start or Funeral Pyre

A couple of times in the last year we have played alongside/ support to a certain local band, the bass player always tries to insist I use his rig because it's vintage and awsome he always seems a bit put out when I say no, thank you ever so much for the kind offer but I really want to use me own. He has seen us at a couple of our own gigs and always says how good my set up sounds

The current Bass Collection J's and P's seem to have consistant cracking reviews and it's a name with a quality reputation

I have checked my old Bass Collection brochures and unfortunately can't be 100% sure, I would agree the 320's in my brochure had gold hardware, the 465 etc had exotic wood finishes, the only one I can find with black hardware was the 310 but from what I can see it was never available with the translucent finish, it'll be a cracking bass anyway...good luck with the sale

My stage name is Chris P Trousers if thats any help and avoid Kipper Trench as a name for some reason!