thepurpleblob

I must admit I don't drink, don't smoke and am an antisocial git. I never try to be something I'm not and I'm always up front about it. I try to make a bit of a joke about it, "don't expect me to buy you a drink, I'm too miserable" etc.. The only time I like being in a pub is when I'm playing in it. I still get to play though, so I don't think that's it. Just be yourself as they say :-)

You're not just coming over as "desperate" are you? I'm sure being successful in bands is as much to do with temperament as it is to do with skill. I think you know when you turn up at an audition and it "clicks" and everything goes well. I've done disastrous auditions and great ones and I honestly couldn't tell you the difference - wish I could.

Yes - I am going mad. Even madder than the mad guy. Don't even ask :blush:

.....ok, leaving myself open here. Loads of posts marked as updated "Today" seem to be last updated back in 2007 when you go there. Am I just being stupid, or is something borked? Awaiting abuse

Just look at Music Videos - it's 90% Fender, Rick and a smattering of MusicMan. It's not surprising that new players must think that's all there is!

Mmmm..... The Jaco thing keeps coming up. I'd never heard of him before I started playing the bass and reading forums like these on the Interweb. What's more I *owned* a copy of Heavy Weather (he does play on that, yes?) and had never noticed the bass playing one way or another. Since then I have listened to at most half of one of his tracks, and that was only out of curiosity. I guess though, time marches on - he must have influenced a great many players at the time, he just doesn't seem so relevant now. Being dead probably doesn't help either. Ditto Wooten - a brilliant player of course, just not particularly listenable. I went to see Bella Fleck et al play live last year. Left half way through. Very, very boring. Self indulgent even.

I pissed around my myself for several years on and off and got nowhere. At the grand old age of 38 I decided it was now or never, bought a decent bass and took lessons. That got me good enough to join a band which I guess made a big difference. I still take lessons off and on. I also have some books and dredge the Interweb for info/lessons/help. After years of effort, I'm still mostly rubbish and get shown up by 12 year olds all the time!

[quote name='Sean' post='172543' date='Apr 8 2008, 07:41 PM']What difference does this make? Does this render the tone pot useless?[/quote] Yep - completely useless, but it should cure your crackling until you can get it fixed. You don't need it, there's tone controls on your amp

Chances are, no. The pickups are probably designed to be used in that configuration. Most that are switchable are essentially passive basses with a preamp added on (if you see what I mean)

Just as likely (or even more likely) to be the capacitor - cut it off.

I would start by carefully checking your soldering for dry joints (they should be shiny and smooth). Failing that, it's "probably" a dud pot.

Ok.... in (roughly) chronological order Yamaha BB605 - good value, but noisy pickups. Gone.... Yamaha TRB4ii - still got, mega Yamaha RBX800AF - first fretless, surprisingly good. Gone.... Yamaha RBX775 - ghastly, neck too skinny and stupid, stupid electronics. Gone.... Fender (USA) Precision Fretless '77 - still got, lovely sound, wish I could play it Yamaha TRB4p - searched for years for one of these, imported from the USA, hated the sound. Whoops! MusicMan StingRay 3EQ - still got, well it's a StingRay :-) My main bass I suppose. ESP Custom Shop J-Five - still got, great passive sound but never quite got on with the Jazz thing. Gone.... Yamaha TRB-1006 - nice, if a bit "soft" sounding. Not sure I have much use for a 6 really