4000

[quote name='Musky' post='900456' date='Jul 20 2010, 08:45 PM']I've got a 68 (ish) 4001S and as far as I remember (it's been sitting in it's case for the last year or so) it doesn't have a model number and the 'Made in USA' is parallel to the Rick logo, rather than next to the nut. I've only had the TRC off once, but if I remember correctly it was painted on the back rather than a piece of paper like the OP's.[/quote] Yep, all the plexi's I've ever seen (and I've seen a few) are painted. You should get that '68 out. What's the action like?

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='899808' date='Jul 20 2010, 10:57 AM']Ha! you beat me to my edit. Yup, I agree with you in parts... because again, it's all very subjective. For me, I get the reggae tones playing over the top of the neck, using the front pickup, with all the treble rolled off. I can go lighter in dynamics and stronger.. but if I need even more, that's where the amp volume comes in. As for sounding better, again, that's subjective... and somewhat influenced by the instrument that is being played. I guess it comes down to, again in part, having the right instrument for the job. There is a perceived link between low action and speed... but there are loads of guys I know who can propper rip it up at shred like speed on an action that is what I would call very high. I can't.[/quote] And +1 again..... One thing I will say is I find I get [i]better[/i] tone with lower action. I sound awful once I start raising it (which I try once in a while). Again, it's all about the way you play, the sound you're after etc etc.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='899775' date='Jul 20 2010, 10:19 AM']That's more like it! I think the problem people have with low action is that you do get the best results with a really light touch. Anybody who is used to playing with a higher action and then dropping the action is going to have problems. You have to adjust your right hand playing style also! I literally feather the the strings with my left hand and the right hand is a very soft touch. My "loud dynamics" may equate to another players "soft dynamics". You have to play appropriate to your action.[/quote] Absolutely +1.

I believe there were; some don't have it. The one in question looks fake to me, but I'm no expert on the 60s ones in particular. Someone on there will know.

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='899937' date='Jul 20 2010, 01:04 PM']Started in a Punk Band. Joined A RHCP Band. Played a few trad Jazz Sessions. Played Melodic, Hooky-Esque Lead Bass and Baritone Guitar in an Alt-Rock Band. And down i'm playing really dark Indie/Folk stuff. In my spare time, I practice using Miller/Wooten/Mark King stuff. And i've recently been working through Motown gear. I find that any Slap/Funk/Jazz stuff helps me work on timing, knowing wher to miss notes, add notes etc. I'm not adverse to using a chunky plectrum, an e-bow and I have used a slide on one recording...nothing groundbreaking. I've basically worked on being a toolkit, a bit of everything as a player. My current band is led by a prolific singer/songwriter, and he'll throw suggestions like 'can you make the bassline really groovy' or 'really electronic' or 'as much like a double bass a possible' he then totally leaves me to it, and has never asked me to rethink what i'm playing. So it's nice to have direction, but with total freedom. There are plenty of bassists who come in my shop, and sit with a bass. They sit down and nail 'Teen Town' (Something i'm too lazy to commit to) perfect tone, touch, timing and feel, but then try to slap something and it sounds like a bag of spanners... There are also folks who Slap something amazingly well, but just can't do anything else. And it makes me think - why didn't you 50/50 split your practice time? And of course there are Playes who sound like a bag of spanners rolling down the stairs no matter what they do, but are convinced they're the grooviest white guy in town... Each to their own, but if you're going to be a Stylistic type, learn how to bloody play the thing.[/quote] Ah but Andy, that assumes that everyone wants to slap/play fingestyle/play with a pick etc etc and be able to do all equally well. I don't play much slap but will occasionally bash out a bit in a shop for my own amusement. I'll seldom actually use it, and only then within my limitations, which are considerable. There seems to be an assumption that unless someone can do something well they shouldn't be doing it at all, but isn't it supposed to be about enjoying yourself at the end of the day? If someone is hopeless at slap / whatever but want to go ahead and do it, that's up to them. Of course they may not get in a band doing it, or get on a session, but that shouldn't be the be all and end all. This somewhat reminds me of people criticising Youtube footage of people noodling away for their own amusement. The point is, they're doing it for exactly that reason. When I go in a shop I don't stick to the things I can do, I try whatever pops in my head at the time, good or bad. I'm just having fun, hopefully. What I play in that sort of situation bears no relation to what I'd play in a band or on a session.

Looking fantastic. I was on the latter stages of planning a Marseer build a short while back before a change of circumstances nobbled me (apologies once again Robbie). However I WILL get one done in the not too distant future, as soon as funds allow. I think the Marseer is a stunning design, one of the best I've seen IMO. The fishtail and headstock are lovely touches. Interested to see how the bolt-on neck pans out.

[quote name='urb' post='899457' date='Jul 19 2010, 09:43 PM']Bollocks to it I'm a wuss - I love my action low and light - fighting the bass is a pointless exercise for me. Admitedly my action is very low but it's not as low as some players I know, I think it's all about the end result, ie does it sound good and are you comfortable while playing? Damaging tendons, fingers and wrists to 'be a man' is just silly, so do what feels good and suits you best, not out of some misguided macho attitude. Just my 0.02 Euros... M[/quote] +1 to that!

Ditto..

Why am I missing the point? That's how it sounds to me, unfocussed. I just don't like the style of it. But then I'm not much of a "jazz-funk" guy really, old Jamiroquai aside. To me it's usually the worst of both worlds. I'll just add that if anyone isn't "bumbling around" it's James Jamerson. Comparing the two is like comparing Danny Williams to Muhammed Ali.

Doddy, I think that's part of my problem. Tone aside, it's too laid back for me, too loose. As I've said previously, I like things that push more, that have more positive tension.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='898073' date='Jul 18 2010, 02:23 PM']Im a cheapskate and use Elites which appear alot better than Roto's for not much more money, £30 for 2 sets from Mark at Bass Direct.I only change them once a year anyway!!! A year old set of Elites still have more twang left than a week old set of old Roto's to my ears,Are there any lovers of Rotosounds out there?[/quote] Yes, as above. Elites are some of my least favourite strings, I really don't get on with them. The years where they were all I could find were hell.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='898015' date='Jul 18 2010, 01:15 PM']Rotosound Bass Strings are like Fender Bass Guitars. Superior when there wasn't much competition, but technology has moved on since the 60s and they haven't really kept up.[/quote] But not this...I find that Rotos are the best strings for my Rics, far better than anything else I've tried. It's abut matching the strings to the bass. I really like that hollow, grinding din. Tried some TI flats on an old Thumb bass at weekend; the only flats I've ever tried that I liked. A revelation. Sounded and played great.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='897948' date='Jul 18 2010, 12:00 PM']Just goes to prove that there is no definitive string choice. Only the one that's right for your playing style on a particular bass.[/quote] Ditto this.....

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='897557' date='Jul 17 2010, 08:19 PM']Don't diss the strings. They can make all the difference.[/quote] One of the truest and most accurate things ever said here. Well done that man.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='898948' date='Jul 19 2010, 02:01 PM']if this is what you would play just working out a bass line to this track, i wanna see/hear you play!!?? thats a bold statement.....ok i get what you mean, but at the end of the day its a different style with fills that are much more musical, with alot less space..im gonna hide after i say this but.....i bet Mr X could play the Zender version with his eyes closed, but i bet you Zender could not come out with the musicality that this guy does... different horses and all..[/quote] Mr X could be musically more proficient than Stu (we'll never know), but personally I find the line in that track a bit waffly. It just sounds to me like he's loosely improvising around the changes in a fairly uninvolved way. I think Stu cuts to the chase much better and drives the song much better; in Bilbo's terms it's the difference between Ray Brown and Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson. To use that old chestnut, "cleverness is no substitute for true awareness". With regards to my playing, if there's one thing I can do easily it's play a whole lot of notes. Do they mean anything and are they any good? Doubtful. . Seriously though, what I meant was I'll generally start out far too busy and notey and rein myself in gradually. I reckon I could cop Mr Xs thing far easier than Stu's though, I just can't cop Stu's feel at all. Wish I could, I love his feel on the early Jamiroquai records. Same goes for Bernard Edwards. I can play a hundred times faster than him but I'm not a 1000th of the player he was.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='899117' date='Jul 19 2010, 04:39 PM']Not only happy to adapt, but also keen to have a go at new things.[/quote] +1. Not too sure how good at that I am, but I know that a fellow Basschater/Finnbasser was very surprised seeing me play in a different style at Moffat after seeing me in my band so I guess I'm not as one-dimensional as I often think/fear. It's a great thread actually; I've been thinking about these issues a lot recently trying to pin down why I like what I like (always a good thing to do IMO). I think I've come to the conclusion that many of the bands I like have very stylistically strong individuals basically all competing with each other; Yes would be a perfect example, as would RTF or the Who. I like the tension that creates. I remember going to see a big band gig once where the horn section were all trying to outdo each other and I loved it (I was brought up on jazz); my classically-trained then-girlfriend thought it was a shambles, which amused me no end. So I'm not sure I tend to favour the supportive role of the rhythm section so much as the challenging one. Of course there are those who favour the supportive, serving-the-song thing and that's fine. I love John McVie and Rutger Gunnarsson, but they're lucky in having such exceptional songs (IMO) to work with. In general, I tend to prefer musicians who are really going for it, as tiresome as that may be to some.

I'm bailing now before I get into trouble again. Seriously though, in addition to sonics, how much does the type of music played have an influence on this? It's something of a sweeping generalisation, but it seems like a lot of session guys tend to play what I would describe as more mainstream music, which may engage a certain type of listener more than others.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='898224' date='Jul 18 2010, 05:42 PM']The twist to this is that, whatever style I play, I still have a tendency to sound like me.[/quote] Sadly so do I.....

When it comes down to what sort of players you prefer are sonics not a big part? I happily admit to hating Marcus's sound (yes, I went there, sorry ) which in my experience he seems to use on pretty much everything he does. If I don't like somebody's sound it's very difficult for me to get into their playing; not that I can't see beyond it, but it's about as enjoyable as trying to eat something you know might be nutritious but which tastes awful. On the other hand I love Chris Squire's sound, Stu Zender's sound, Stanley Clarke's sound etc etc, and it make them far easier for me to listen to and enjoy.

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='896754' date='Jul 16 2010, 06:28 PM']Do they have to be mutually exclusive? I have my own style which I think it recognisable across a few of my originals bands, but the bits of session work I've done have required certain styles (even when writing original tunes) which I've played without any problems.[/quote] +1. However if I had to nail my colours to the mast I prefer the stylists over the session types. The Nathan East types do nothing for me to be honest, much as I respect them. I like listening to guys who have more of an individual voice, so I personally would always prefer a Geddy or a Claypool. However I tend to be a bit schizophrenic regarding my own playing; sometimes I simply want to be more versatile than I am, sometimes I simply want to have more of an original voice. As above, the aim is really to be able to do both when required, and I completely agree they needn't be mutually exclusive. EDIT: BTW, came right to this from the first page. Looks like I need to read the other pages! EDIT2: I think we all know my thoughts on Mr. Miller. I wont bother reiterating. FWIW, he'd sound terrible in Motorhead.

I love Stu's tone; the only player for the original Jamiroquai IMO. Paul's a great player (and I've told him so!) but Stu was so integral to the original band. Mr Xs playing sounds to me like the sort of thing I'd do when I was trying to work out what I was actually going to play on the finished track. Stu's version IMO is much more concise, focused and, well, funky. Each to their own though.

Don't like the album version at all; IMO the one weak point on a superb album. Can't stand the tone for a start; one of my least favourite tones ever. I vote for the Zender version every time but it's ultimately your call.

[quote name='Stu-khag' post='846567' date='May 24 2010, 03:16 PM']My old band always used to get compared to hawkwind. A lot! I'd never really heard them other than silver machine. So at the grand old age of 24 I heard Warrior on the edge of time for the first time with some mates. When Opa -Loka played and we heard the bass, everyone looked at me and said "that sounds like you playing". I played a gig at a little festival in an afro jazz kind of band and was playing just after Nik Turner, I like to tell people he supported us. Whenever I get asked to DJ at gigs, I always try to Opa Loka. I've never been to see Hawkwind live as people have told me not to bother as they aren't sounding too great live and rely too much on sequencers live. People's views on them differ so much that I don't want to take the risk and be disappointed.[/quote] Dave Brock played bass on "that bloody Opa-Loka thing". Lemmy told me. I love the track but Lem hates it!

[quote name='Stag' post='889733' date='Jul 8 2010, 06:08 PM']Same for me. I feel instantly at home with my '82 4001, but not so totally at home with a P or a J... mebbe cos ive been playing the same bass for 10 years...? Would advise you play one first though a few times as they can be a bit "Marmite" as previously mentioned. (on a second note, how odd that I own both kinds of bass being discussed in the same thread? dont think thats ever happened before!)[/quote] I think its quite possible that if you played 10 different Rics you'd have 10 different experiences.