JamesBass

I know you said Southampton way, but if you can make it down to Portsmouth, there's PJs in Southsea which are amazing! The guys in there are great guys and get some really weird vintage stock in sometimes. They set my bass up for me a few months ago and it was spot on, think it cost £25 but I bought the new strings myself as my old ones were knackered!

This is a subject that many people are divided on because we all have different ideas of tone. I for instance have worked pretty tirelessly over the past year or two learning new techniques and getting the attack and dynamics right with my right hand playing, while strengthening my left hand so that after a good hours playing I feel no burn and no slacking in terms of grip which leads to fret buzz. I'm really comfortable with my technique now, especially when it comes to playing finger style. Now slap I can't do and pick I'm pretty alright at but, my best tone comes from playing finger style predominantly and while I'm playing Rock genre esque music. However, all the time I worked on my technique I had a Traben active bass that had 2 rockfield hum buckers, incredibly bass-y tone and very heavy almost metal like tone even when bass was scooped and the amp was set up with less bass again, it just didn't suit me and I knew it was the bass cause my Squire P sounded pretty good still, so I've recently bought a new bass, a Rickenbacker 4003 and now my tone is almost there, for the next few months I'm gonna sit next to my amp and fiddle with the EQ as I play to get that right balance. So tone, like beauty is in the eye or ear of the beholder

Bet you can't wait Stoker! I got mine a week ago and it is seriously phenomenal! Best bass I've played! Sounds just as good! I keep meaning to upload pictures but I'm not sure how to yet aha

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1354212571' post='1883738'] I'll chuck my few pence worth into the mix even if this will like like a poor showing compared to most! Squire Bronco bass (3/4 scale): Got it when I was 9 sold it after 2-3 years of owning it. Thought it was lovely when I first got it and learnt what I needed to learn to get my started till I grew a few inches! Squire P-Bass Affinity series: Got this one Christmas about 2 years after the Bronco and immediately wasn't seen in public or in my own house for a good few months as I was in my room playing bass all day everyday, well once I got home from school anyway! Still own it and probably will never sell it unlike the Bronco, if I ever have kids they'll learn to play bass on this hopefully! Traben John Moyer Standard Signature: I've had this bass for the past 4-5 years now, it's an active bass with Rockfield humbuckers and a 3 band EQ, got this bass after trying many many different basses, think it took me 9 months to find this! It plays very well with a modification of the action and some lower gauge strings. Although I do love this bass it's just not me anymore, it's too metal tonally and hasn't got the clarity to cut through the mix. Which is why I'm backing in the market properly looking for something to replace this with [/quote] I'll update my list This week I added my Rickenbacker 4003, 2012 Limited Edition in WalnutBurst. Might just be my bias but, this is hands down the nicest bass I have EVER played! Its sound is phenomenal a cracking blend between low end thud that feels thick and rich, and a sharp piercing top end, it just gives the bass a fantastic balance and suits my playing to the ground! I love to dig in and play hard, also though many people say they aren't exactly the most versatile I have to disagree, you can get all sorts of tones from a Rickenbacker you just need to have a play with the settings of amp and bass

I know this will have been done to death but, can anyone recommend a thick 3" plus, padded leather strap, max sort of price £45 Really in need of a better strap to help take the weight of my back a bit. Thanks guys and gals!

Finally picked up my limited edition Walnutburst 4003 and it is absolutely lovely! The neck is so playable and fast, just gotta get it set up for action and truss rod and it will be perfection! Any idea on how to upload pictures?

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1359111331' post='1949968'] So how do we decide when they are necessary? I appreciate the better-safe-than-sorry approach, but I reckon I often play my Hifi as loud as we usually rehearse so should that require hearing protection? Also, if I'm on my tractor all morning (doing proper high-revving work like mowing or ploughing) then my ears will ring slightly unless I wear ear defenders ( which I do). Same thing with clay shooting. But the band doesn't seem to cause the same problem. [/quote] If you research Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Noise exposure times and Decibel levels you'll soon realise just how important it is to wear ear plugs. Each time you experience ringing in your ears it means you've damaged them, all be it only slightly but each time you do damage to them you'll soon experience a sudden loss of frequencies and the level will drop. Seriously I'd recommend EVERYONE who plays music whether it's just low level practicing or full band rehearsals, just do it. Hearing is the thing you need most for playing.

Alpine, I use them and with the changeable filters it really helps! Today I used the medium filters but normally use the high filters. http://www.nevadamusic.co.uk/studio/headphones/alpine-hearing-protection-musicsafe-pro

Picking it up tomorrow, photos (If I can figure out how to upload them) will follow soon

[quote name='geofio' timestamp='1358821408' post='1945714'] Great finish james, go for it mate, i have had just about every colour 4003, this is my fav now it is just classy looking, pictures dont do it any justice at all. and if you get one that sounds like the one i have you will be a happy man .you get a certificate with the bass stating one of 25 made. with your serial number. cheers let me know you get it mate. [/quote] Oh that's fantastic then! It really looks good, been saving for it since about November aha Put the 10% deposit down on it yesterday for collection from the Epsom store and collecting it as soon as they get it from Newcastle, there's only a few left now! I'm so excited, this week is gonna be murder waiting for it!

Thanks for the reply Dood, your project sounds amazing, and is exactly what I am researching in to. I'm guessing you guys are finding funding hard to come by! In your experience, do you think there is a lack of musicians getting involved? I've become quite interested in the effect music has on people, especially the special needs and elderly. I did a bit of research relating to how music effects the brain especially in people with Alzheimer's, and it was fascinating and so touching! We all get those days where a song that we haven't heard for months or even years pops in to your brain and you hum it all day long, so it stands to reason that you can use that effect to help people? If you don't mind me asking but could we get an email correspondence going re your project and it's funding? It would be most helpful! If you're interested take a look at this video, just shows how music can do so much good http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AlzheimersCommunity/alzheimers-disease-music-brings-patients-back-life/story?id=16117602

In my experience, the bass frequencies matter yes, but it is the mid and treble that provide the cutting edge and the punch. It is the need to blend these frequencies with the guitars and vocals that creates the problem. It's all well going out and altering your tone to be as bassy as possible but without the mids and treble frequencies you will only properly "feel" the bass. When I studied Physics (Perhaps the worst idea of my life!) We had a huge unit all around waves and frequencies and as part of the assignment I looked at blending musical tones effectively live, having looked at the power of certain guitar amps it was obvious that there are more commercially available higher wattage bass amps, just to get the naturally low frequency waves out as far as the much higher energy frequencies produced by the Guitar and Vocals. If I remember correctly, the guitar frequencies and amps are optimum at around 15-30m from source, on a loud rig. Where as the bass frequencies aren't optimum till around 60m? Double and more of that of the guitars. Plus add to equation that unfortunately the majority of us aren't Level 42 or John Entwistle, we under pin and give the foundations to the majority of genres and music. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be heard, but it is a mix of many factors when it comes to it! Such as sound guy, equipment, genre, technique and personal preference. In my opinion the bass shouldn't always be dominant and always be heard but when it requires it the balance of the band and the bass should allow for it.

Just wondering if any of you guys and gals out there are involved in anyway with any music based charities or community projects? Part of my current studies (HND in Music Performance) is based around community music and how music is more than just a product but also a tool to help people with, there are many different genres of music out there and they can affect all of us! I'm sure that most of you when younger had a certain song you loved and wanted to learn so did, however not everyone has the opportunity to do this, perhaps they don't know just how accessible music is or don't know areas and environments where they can practice or get involved with it i.e.; Youth Clubs, projects or any other charity run or council run event geared towards music. I'm looking for any projects you guys are involved with or know of, just gather sources for an assignment. All help is greatly appreciated! If anyone is involved or wants to get involved please feel free to reply and get involved, music is such a powerful entity more so than I EVER knew! Many thanks, James

[quote name='geofio' timestamp='1358706890' post='1943746'] I now own one of these and i must say it looks awesome in the flesh very classy looking and this particular one sounds awesome. [/quote] Awesome, I'm hopefully getting mine this weekend! Been GASing after this for months! The finish looks lovely, very sophisticated as it seems to still have a nicely visible grain and a cracking blend in the tones of the walnut! Cannot wait to get mine!

Excellent post! Howard Goodall has new series on music starting this Saturday 26th at 9.30pm on BBC2 it's called Howard Goodall's Story of Music for all those interested

Cracking thread, thought I'd chuck my really old and pretty awful video in to the mix! This video was recorded from my old bands gig at the Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms in 2009, sound quality is ok apart from the poorly balanced guitars! The lead guitarist had just bought a new Fender stack and wanted to use that much to the dismay of the other guitarist and I who had 50 Watt combos! http://youtu.be/fLTbyT4T0dc

Don't stress! That's when my playing goes to pots, I can't think too much I just have to do, it's good to not try too hard as said above but also to have your say if you think something could be done better live then say so, don't be afraid to make suggestions if they ask for them. Try chatting to the drummer and build up a quick relationship, always helps me when meeting a new drummer

True there is that but what else strikes as being that great tone and sound? Ric and? Ray and? P Bass and Ampeg P Bass and Trace? Jazz and Acoustic amp

Got thinking earlier after a conversation with a few guitar playing mates, the topic was on dream rigs and set ups. One of my mates was saying how all he wants amp wise is a Mesa Boogie head and cab to go with his PRS as it is a classic combination. Another mate chimes in with how he wants to pair his Les Paul with a JCM800 head and cab. We all know these are great sounding combinations and many classic riffs and songs have been played on such combinations. BUT what classic combinations are there for bass? I couldn't and can't think of any? Apologies if this has been done before

Good to see others using Sennheisers, I'm currently trying to buy a pair of the HD25-SPii headphones however, my local Curry's are sold out, the nearest Curry's that have them in stock is the Chichester one, gonna have to ring up and see if they can get them delivered to my local store for ease.

Sibelius user since I migrated on to a MacBook, however on PC I used guitar pro[b] [edit] [/b]might be worth it as that way you'll get a look and feel for free?

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1358032322' post='1932250'] Just wondered how much you individually or as a band spend each year advertising. Web site domain registration Web design and up keep Web site advertising e.g. wedding sites or band promo sites Local papers and mag adverts Cards Then there is the other costs. public liability, PAT testing, instrument insurance. I am starting to feel like a charitable organisation just here to keep the other band members in Gigs. But you're dead in the water these days without advertising. [/quote] So far we don't spend much, but being a newly formed band and focusing on having material to get recorded and start to release that's when we will start to advertise and promote. Costs could be either astronomical or they can be minimal. Personally I prefer to do things by myself, I can design websites however till my band start making money at a good rate, I won't get a domain name, Word Press is more than good enough for bands, it's not as professional as having your own domain name but your music will speak for itself. All my costs towards Liability and Instrument insurance come from my membership at the MU, which also gives us access to loads of other benefits, we are also, once the songs are recorded, going to join up to PRS so as to guarantee no matter how low of a turn out at the poorly promoted gigs we still get good pay out of it by playing our own stuff and get the royalties for it. Also if you do some clever accounting and set your band up as a business you can claim those running costs as being requirements to the business, well that's how I understand it. Hope it helps?

Depending on what hardware you went for it was between £800 and £1500 again depending on through neck or bolt on, it was tempting but at the time I decided against it and again still looking but probably gonna pass on the custom route for now. I'm pretty sure if you get in touch with them and opt maybe to buy your hardware yourself and search around it might shave a bit off? An enquiry won't hurt!?

Just curious to see what preferences people have for strings out there. I started on Rotosounds SM66 but found they lost their brightness fairly quickly and felt horrible on the fingers, very rough sort of wind on them. Moved on to D'Addario's EXL170s quite a light gauge just like the SM66s but a much nicer feel and I've found a better life span. I did try their EPS170s and they were quite nice, a lot more twang to them I thought. So what do you guys use and what do you hate?

[quote name='thunderider' timestamp='1357735499' post='1927406'] id love a 4004....or 4003s with no binding i wouldnt buy a ric unless black....ill stick with my facker,bass assasin2 played it and recond it was good un,he was telling me of a hondo2 he had and recond it was better than some rics hes had,this is what worries me bout rics buying a pup,u read u get good and really poor ones,also it seems as i pay top dolla for something the arse falls out the market and its worth nowere near as it should!!!.....but black rics ar fricken awsome!!! i think i read some were lemmy plays a copy of his ric LK now,made for him by the guys in wales who service his basses?? [/quote] TCEllis, he does a lot of work for Motorhead, services Phil Campbell's guitar as well, also think Phil plays a TCEllis? A friend of mine had a custom TCEllis a few years back, had a lovely feel to it and was solid as a rock in terms of construction. I've priced up a custom bass from there and it was about £200 more than the other quotes I had, but if Lemmy has his built by this guy it must be pretty good! Might have to price up something from them again soon...