4000

[quote name='Jake_M' post='299053' date='Oct 3 2008, 11:52 PM']My own main bass influences would be Burnel/Entwistle/Lemmy. I've always tried not to plagiarise of course, tried to develop my own thing, but seeing as so few other bass players have ever really gone there, comparisons do arise. Cheers, Jake M[/quote] Well I draw upon influences from all over the place, and at home noodle around like a (very) poor man's Matt Garrison (or possibly more like if Yngwie was a bassplayer- which of course he is), but stick me in a room with a band, and the Lem/JJ/Entwistle/Squire thing comes right out. I guess that style is in many ways [i]my[/i] style. Like Nik, my fave from that period is Leigh Gorman (I don't count Lemmy who in his Hawkwind days was my main early influence), but he was closely followed by JJ. However I was also massively influenced by Phil Lynott and Geddy Lee (Squire and others came later), but Geddy is again that distorted, melodic, aggressive bass thing. That's always been my thing, driving, melodic, big, slightly distorted bass. Not that I only like that of course ( I love people like Clarke, Zender and McVie for instance), but I guess that's where my heart lies. I'm slightly jealous about the Hiwatt BTW.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='373672' date='Jan 7 2009, 11:27 PM']Weight wise it's very reasonable although I haven't put it on any scales. It's actually quite small too. By fingerstyle to you mean tapping with the LH? Alan does have several designs and will adjust them to suit the customers requirements. IMO the only way to buy an ACG is to call in and spend 3 hrs going through his stock and talking about your needs. Therapy in it's purest sense Peter[/quote] By fingerstyle I actually meant simply playing with my right hand fingers (i.e. as opposed to a plectrum). I have a similar (but far worse) problem with the classic Status shape . The shape of the upper body bout means I can't play for more than a couple of minutes without experiencing excruciating pain in my right wrist/forearm. Thing is, i think I like the Harlot shape best of Alan's designs, but not completely sure it likes me...

[quote name='Mr.T' post='372664' date='Jan 7 2009, 12:36 AM']Interestingly (or not!) I didn't find my 1153 to be particularly 'top shy'...if anything it was the bottom end that needed tightening up. Good cabs for the money (IMO). I just wanted something easier on my ageing back![/quote] +1. I compared my old 1153 to my old Aggie GS112s with the tweeters off and the 1153 was far more toppy, more articulate and open, although not quite as fat (with the same eq). I would agree that the main weakness is that the bottom isn't tight enough for me, but I'd be quite happy to still be using mine if it weighed 10 or 15lbs less. Alex's cabs sound like a good option; I never really need more top than I got out of my 1153.

No probs mate, I do the same all the time! Glenn was using Vigier, then Manne, but he gets around a bit with his endorsements.....

[quote name='XB26354' post='373422' date='Jan 7 2009, 07:52 PM']I have to disagree, having owned a lovely Epifani 210 combo. I currently have an Ashdown combo and have tried plenty of Mag and ABM gear in the Gallery. The Epifani made every bass, passive or active, 4, 5, or 6 strings sound great. The Ashdown makes every bass sound like the amp is inside a wardrobe at the bottom of a well. They also look crap imho. No, I don't know why I bought it either, apart from it being cheap![/quote] Played my Rick 4003s8 through an Epi UL310. Pants. The same bass through my Trace 1153 sounded like God. Played several basses through an Epi set up in the Gallery the other day and they all sounded fine until I got to the Rick 4003. Pants again. Yet Ricks sound great through my Ashdown or my old TRace stuff. I think whatever rig you use it's all about the combination of the bass and the amp, the way you eq, the sound you're after etc etc. One thing I have found is my Ashdown is way more versatile than I thought it was even after the 1st year of owning it. Still not great with my Sei though!

Now that sir is a stunning bass! Looks like the wood selection is similar to something I've been weighing up too, even down to the different rear facings. What's the weight like? I'm now selling my Alembic Triple Omega due to back problems so am weighing up viable options (another Sei currently leading the pack if the Alembic does go). The only thing I did find playing a Harlot at Bass Day was that I couldn't really play it fingerstyle as the steep cutaway of the upper bout really hurt my wrist.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='373475' date='Jan 7 2009, 08:41 PM']Martin Turner[/quote] Thank you! Memory failing in old age you know, and too lazy to Google....

[quote name='KevB' post='373142' date='Jan 7 2009, 03:25 PM']Glenn Hughes for a while after he initially replaced Glover in Purple. Didn't like it apparently and switched to Fenders. Think he plays Vigiers now, as does Glover (but different models). Pete Trewavas in Marillion played a ric in the early days. In fact loads of neo prog bands in the early 80's had ric players in them as a result of Squire and Rutherford. Wasn't Rutherford's original doubleneck actually 2 separate rics lashed together before they brought out a propr official Ric twin neck?[/quote] See my prior post for much of that info. BTW, Glenn plays Manne Soulmover basses. For now....

It was seeing Thin Lizzy "Live and Dangerous" (Whistle Test special) that made me want to join a band. Phil was, along with Lemmy, my hero when I started. I only got to see him once and had drifted into a full-on metal phase by then. I wish I could go back. He was as true a rock star as you're ever likely to see, and a great, great talent. R.I.P. indeed. I miss him too.

[quote name='Delberthot' post='372037' date='Jan 6 2009, 02:39 PM']I think 'I'm Rick James Bitch' only posed for the album cover. I heard he didn't really use one. Roger Waters Pete Quaife (Kinks) Donovan John Deacon did use one but had changed to a P before joining Queen Someone on the Rickresource has Maurice Gibb's old white Rick John Entwhistle had one of the first 1999 models Mike Rutherford used a 4080 double neck in Genesis, Geddy also used a 4080.[/quote] Rick James used it occasionally, just preferred his Stingray. Andy Winters has Maurice's old bass. Mike didn't use a 4080, he had his doubleneck put together from a separate bass and guitar. Glenn Hughes used one briefly, as did Geezer Butler; Neil Brewer of Druid used one (I know 'cause i've played it), as did Jon Camp of Renaissance, as did Dave Meros (Spock's Beard), as did whatsisname ?!) from Wishbone Ash, Stanley Clarke (a 4000), Pete Trewavas from Marillion.....have we got Roger Waters? Mike Rutherford also played an RM1999. Doubtless there are loads of others I've temporarily forgotten...oh, the bloke from Manfred Mann is another (my memory fails me regarding his name and I can't be bothered looking it up).

I've not been particularly happy with the tone of my Rics through the Markbass gear I've tried so far (I also didn't like the GS112s - hence why I sold them recently) but I guess it all depends on how you play and what you think is a good Ric tone. You need to try 'em and see. That's what I'm going to keep doing.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='364469' date='Dec 27 2008, 09:18 PM']Once you're into this kind level of price and customisation surely it comes down almost entirely to personal taste? Alex[/quote] Absolutely. I've played several GBs and one W&T and I would just say they are different, and different people will prefer them. I liked them both for different reasons, although possibly slightly preferred the feel of the W&T personally. Tests like this should be taken with a pinch of salt in terms of which bass is actually best for [i]you[/i].

[quote name='Josh' post='364261' date='Dec 27 2008, 04:29 PM']I'd agree with you that that video is not the best example of a Spector being put to good use. I'm not a fan of his playing nor of Cannibal Corpses music, just merely answering a prior question. As you just said yourself, "It all comes down to personal preference", sor eally I could indeed give you plenty more examples of what I think IS a good example of THEE Spector tone. You've shown in other threads that your not one for a Hi-Fi Zingy sounding Jazz like tone whereas I am. Spectors can do that tone, and so really the examples I could show you wouldn't exactly help change your mind. Try asking Cetera though, he will have a whole catalogue of examples of Spectors in action.[/quote] Fair enough. Cetera? BTW, it's not that I'm not a fan of hi-fi zingy tone, just not that hi-fi Jazz tone, which I'd describe as "wiry" rather than zingy. Zingy is fine, but I guess perceptions of "zing" will be different. I wouldn't describe Marcus Miller's sound as zingy, whereas others might. To me he's a mixture of thumpy and glassy. . FWIW, when I bought my Spector (a euro 5) I played it in the shop through an Ashdown Electric Blue 1x15 combo and it sounded great; really ballsy & growly. However using it through my rig at the time (ABM500 and Aguilar GS112s x2) it sounded awful whatever I did, so I took it back. Now I've got rid of the cabs (although yet to replace them), I'd be interested to give Spector another chance. Not saying they'll be for me, but it's worth a try.

Had a long chat with Julian once in the Gallery. Very nice bloke.

[quote name='Josh' post='363676' date='Dec 26 2008, 01:50 PM']Indeed. [/quote] That's really interesting. I think you've just done a great job of highlighting the fact that there are no such things as good and bad tones, and that it all comes down to personal preference, because I think that Spector tone is nothing like what I'd describe as a good tone, even in the context of the music. I much prefer the earlier P sound. Also interesting because I wouldn't mind another Spector at some stage and have been trawling the net trying to find tones I like from them, so far without success. I live in hope though. Any examples would be appreciated.

I'd speak to Chris May; he's an extremely accommodating bloke.

I always get terribly nervous before gigs, and I've been playing 28 years. I've tried everything to stop it, with no success. The only time it stopped was when I was in a band that was pretty popular (in a local sense) and we were gigging a lot (which I find is the only real cure) . I'm currently in a band that I wrote all the material for (every last bit of it) so that makes things even worse, because the band lives or dies on your songs. For various reasons we've only played about 4 gigs in the last 2 years (maybe only 8 in the last 5), and at every single one I've been crapping myself. The last one took me 2/3 of the gig to calm down, and then only after I'd changed basses. It is indeed a horrible feeling, and to be honest is one that's made me think about packing it in on more than one occasion. The reason I haven't is simply because that would be admitting defeat. It's true that the audience doesn't really notice (we also recently went down a storm despite playing terribly) but it's not really the audience I worry about, it's just doing it right. Stupid, I know.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='348186' date='Dec 7 2008, 10:34 PM']Oh he didn't try and [i]sell[/i] you something, did he? He seems to try and do that a lot, but I don't know why.[/quote] More a case of he really didn't want to even [i]talk[/i] about selling me something unless I showed him the money first.....as I've said before he was like a cross between Gimli from LOTR and a Cave Troll, with an attitude to match.

[quote name='Golchen' post='362104' date='Dec 23 2008, 04:09 PM']Any bass designs that really turn you off? I love the Status classic shape, but I REALLY don't like either the Kingbass shape or the newer Streamline. I know that they are great basses, but if I won either they would be straight on eBay with barely a pluck in anger. I find both unpleasant to look at! Another one for me is the GB rumour. It's supposed to have a womans curves, but I prefer my women with a little less ass! It makes me think of one of those chubby assed women in a renaissance painting rather than a curvaceous babe. If I had a GB I'd go 100% for the Spitfire. In no way am I knocking these superb instruments, many people have them and many love and admire them. This is just a totally personal opinion on aesthetics and not intended to offend. Any designs that you lot don't like???[/quote] I like the look of the Status classic shape but the ergonomics are, for me, worse than anything else out there. You would not believe how much pain they cause me. To be honest there are very few basses I really think work aesthetically across the board. If the Kingbass looked like a headless Alembic Stanley Clarke I'd love it but it doesn't, although I like the basic concept. I can't say I'm mad on the new one either. Re the GB Rumour, that's [i]exactly[/i] how I like my women ( i.e. a bit Aurora Jolie....)! However I only really like the daphne blue ones; I find the others a little conservative looking personally, but then I tend to prefer more extreme looking basses. Not over keen on the majority of Fender types, they don't look aesthetically integrated to me, but then that's something I can say about many basses; I like a lot of custom stuff, but find certain details really grate. My favourite looking basses are Rickenbackers (which remind me of 50s American cars, which I love; to me anything pre-73 with full-width sparklies and checkered binding is the most beautiful bass out there), certain Alembics (Standard, Small Standard,Triple Omega, Balance K and Rogue) which to me look very Art Nouveau, W&T Zoid, Warwick Dolphin, Sei Flamboyant and Singlecut (particularly Series 2) and Fodera Matt Garrison. There is very little else that grabs me off the top of my head, although I like the Status Stealth and some of the Jerzy Drozd/CBs/CTs. As I say, I'm not a very conservative guy when it comes to bass shapes. Absolutely no offence meant to anyone who has basses I've mentioned though, plenty of people will hate my choices and that's fine; beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc etc. Heck, most of the women I like are a little less mainstream too; wouldn't give you tuppence for Angelina Jolie or any of the Hollyoaks/Girls Aloud/Pussycat Dolls types.