mbellishment

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1356787054' post='1913579'] To the OP what sorts of music are the bands you are auditioning for playing? As someone who's played 5-strings almost exclusively since the late 80s I've never encountered this problem. Admittedly I've mostly played in bands where the weirder the better has been the ethos and I've spent a lot of time trying to convince my fellow musicians to get something a bit more visually exciting to use on stage than their bog standard Gibsons and Fenders. I do think that the visual side is important especially if you are in a gigging band, but unless you are playing in a tribute band or strictly 50s/60s/70s music with an appropriate overall image to go with it then the number of string on your bass would be low down for concern. [/quote] I've always said I'll join any type of band as long as it's good and I get a kick out of it. I'm not exclusive to any particular genre. I've played in several twee indie bands, a metal band, a folk rock band, a punk band and a power pop style band, and never had any issues really. We used to have a musicians forum up in the north east that a lot of musicians from the local originals bands posted in regularly. Some of the people who used to get it in the neck on there were multi stringed bass players... bands who were too 'tight'... bands who used amps bigger than those you can fit in a rucksack... bands that didn't sound like Maximo Park, The Futureheads, Elbow or Belle & Sebastian! I thought it was ridiculous, but these fashion statements or whatever, eventually spread out to nearly everyone using the forum and almost overnight I found it increasingly difficult to find a band because everybody knew I played a 5. The forum is no longer there, but that stigma seems to have embedded itself in a lot of folks minds. A few people on here from the area have said I'm just unlucky, but I think it might be more a case that you guys are lucky to not have been persecuted this way, because like I say I know a few musicians this has affected.

I used to work for the, then, main British distributor of D'Addario before D'Addario UK was set up, and my brand manager informed me that D'Addario made a shed load of strings for a shed load of companies. I can't remember the exact list, but I do remember Elixir being one of them... hence why D'Addario coated strings just have their core coated, whereas Elixir can't do that as their strings are pre-made, so they just throw the strings in a huge vat of gore tex (the stuff wetsuits are made of) which apparently causes chipping and cracking of the coating, or whatever. I'm pretty sure Elites and Slinky's were mentioned too. I personally won't buy D'Addario anymore after my time there. Call me bitter... whatever...

Is it just the Newcastle music scene where this is an issue, or is it found everywhere? In the past I have been turned away from bands for the sole reason I play a bass with 5 strings on it... I've read on music forums "they would have been great if the bass player wasn't playing a 5 string bass"... and even had friends whom I've collaborated with musically for nearly 10 years now suggest it would be 'better' if I played a 4 string. It seems in many instances to be a fashion thing, or that only 'metallers' play 5 strings! I've heard some people say they don't even look like basses to them! I find it very odd. I know some folk that play 6 string and the insults they receive are even worse. I wonder what they'd say if someone in Newcastle turned up to an audition/gig with a 10 string or a chapman stick! Anyone ever experienced this?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356684104' post='1912303'] Its like the story of the drum clinic where the guy just played a straight solid beat for 15 minutes or something and told everyone to learn how to do that and they will be able to have a career in the business [/quote] I think that was Stuart Copeland from The Police. I don't get why simple = poor? I like to riff and get busy, but I'm currently in a band that doesn't allow that, and to be honest it's quite tricky just staying in the pocket without putting runs in at every available opportunity. Cliff Williams is class! I think a poor bass player is a player who has no perspective for the song he/she's playing. One example, for anyone who likes a bit metal, is Opeth. They have a great bass player now, but on their first 2 albums they had this other guy who obviously had a lot of say in what went on. A lot of the quieter, more atmospheric moments of those albums are ruined by badly played slap bass and noodling which is also production wise, way up in the mix. Being busy and solid is great... being an egotistical fret w*nker is not... and that's what constitutes a poor player to me.

Can't help but think someone off BC asked the questions on this relisted guitar [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-wide-necked-Jackson-electric-for-guys-with-seriously-big-hands-/190764221223?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c6a6f0327"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-wide-necked-Jackson-electric-for-guys-with-seriously-big-hands-/190764221223?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c6a6f0327[/url]

I love the felt tip artistry on the headstock of this - [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mark-Knopfler-styled-classic-USA-electric-guitar-/190765753716?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c6a866574"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mark-Knopfler-styled-classic-USA-electric-guitar-/190765753716?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c6a866574[/url] and the fact he's using photos of 2 different guitars on this - [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hohner-Paul-LX250G-with-custom-pups-/190768375905?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c6aae6861"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hohner-Paul-LX250G-with-custom-pups-/190768375905?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c6aae6861[/url] Definately misunderstood genius.

My old USA Jazz. She's gone now First bass I ever bought...

Looks like it's trying to be retro and modern at the same time... not my cup of tea at all m'fraid

Sorry to resurrect this ancient thread, but came across some photos of a 6 string bass I had built for me, probably around about 02/03 time. Mark

Hey Bert, names Mark... cheers for the welcome

A Warwick Ru-Dolphin hohoho

... hi! Been lurking on here for ages checking out basses for sale etc, but thought I'd finally take the plunge and register as usually have loads of questions about amps and guitars. Anyway hello, hope everybody had a great xmas x

Hello peeps, been a lurker for a while to see what's selling etc, but couldn't resist registering and uploading some pure porn pics of my filth machine! Love her haha