4000

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='331386' date='Nov 18 2008, 11:51 AM']I'm with Clarky - assuming that the lacquer on Rics is nitro and not poly, that's caused by a reaction between the nitro and the rubber on a stand. It won't polish out - in fact it might not come off at all. Wouldn't bother me, but the only way to sort it out, might be a partial respray[/quote] The lacquer on Rics is conversion varnish, not nitro. That happened to both the CSs I've had (and yes, the finishes on those are notorious for marking, discolouring and generally falling apart), and unfortunately it wouldn't come out, even with T-cut.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='330487' date='Nov 17 2008, 10:37 AM']I am often overawed at my capacity to disappoint myself It only ever comes together about once or twice a year. The rest of teh time, I am looking for the motherlode and winning nothing more than a pan of gravel....![/quote] LOL! Bilbo, I think you just said it all, and far, far better than I did!

[quote name='Shaggy' post='330194' date='Nov 16 2008, 06:15 PM']Nothing beats the pleasure of that very first "suss" - in my case "Down through the night" (Hawkwind - live version) more years ago than I care to count [/quote] That was one of the first things I learned too. Space Ritual I take it? That album pretty much taught me how to play. Love it to this day.

[quote name='Longmayyourun' post='330170' date='Nov 16 2008, 05:31 PM']Unfortunately, no [/quote] +1. The last time I impressed myself was around 1996. These days I amaze myself by how much I've slipped.....

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='329117' date='Nov 14 2008, 02:03 PM']Nice one Shaun! Lovely looking bass, that Ric... got any more photos of it? You do look a bit like you're hanging onto it for dear life which reminds me of exactly how I felt when i joined the band i'm in now, as I hadn't gigged for 12 years before that! So well done for getting through it [/quote] Thanks Nik. Here's another of the 4000 with my other Rics: The 4000 has been my main gigging bass for the past few years. However after last night (and due to other rather more nebulous factors) I'm actually thinking of selling it. It's a great bass, very aggressive sounding; far more so than my 4001s. Imagine if JJ Burnel played a Ric and you're about there. I found last night that for the first time in years I needed the addition of that deep, mellifluous neck pickup sound, so 2/3 of the way through the gig I switched to the CS. I must be getting old! It does indeed look like I'm hanging on for dear life! I think I was actually doing that strumming/damping percussive thing that Leigh does on such songs as C30 and GSBT; I utilise it on a couple of our songs (although we're nothing at all like BWW).

We did a charity gig last night with a bunch of other bands. We're really short of recent gigging experience (only 3 in 2 or so years due to all sorts of factors) so we weren't at our best, and on a personal level I was very poor, nerves having got the better of me. Still, the event was a success and that's what matters. Here's me with my '73 Ric 4000.....

[quote name='Alun' post='327480' date='Nov 12 2008, 12:15 PM']I must admit I didn't think either was particularly muffled, not much treble but still defined and easy to make out every note. Their tones are quite similar to a lot of players from the ( I may get flamed for this) "Matt Garrison school". Cheers Alun[/quote] I love Matt's tone, and to be honest thought Janek and Hadrien sounded fine in the context of their music. The thing is tone is such a subjective issue, and also has to be applied in context. I loved TM's playing (and he's such a great guy) but I liked his tone least of all the players at the event, even in the context of the music. I'm sure others (probably Graeme) would disagree, and that's fine because they may have different sonic tastes than me. That's not because I'm not into more aggressive tones though, my favourite tones ever come from Chris Squire, Entwistle, Jon Camp, Lemmy and JJ Burnel to name but a few.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='326016' date='Nov 10 2008, 03:51 PM']If anyone's coming up to Kendal on Fri I'm up for a pre gig beer. Peter[/quote] Well I can't get a lift so unless I can stretch to a B&B looks like I'm out. That's assuming I can even get a ticket...

[quote name='Machines' post='325964' date='Nov 10 2008, 03:04 PM']I watched about 5 mins of Hadrian Feraud as well, really didn't get on with it so I left and went back to the stand.. EDIT: Didn't realise it was you on the W&T 4000, glad you enjoyed it .[/quote] Yep, fab bass! Loved the light weight and the neck which was superb. Difficult to judge the tones due to my struggling with the amp (and believe it or not the action was a bit too high for me) but I got the impression it would sound really great. When I sort my finances a W&T of some description is definitely on the cards (got a hankering for a Zoid, although that was bass was so impressive I wouldn't turn it down; nicest bass I played all day). BTW, is it just me or is Dave Marks actually the [i]real[/i] Wolverine? "Let's party bub!"

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='325876' date='Nov 10 2008, 01:05 PM']I saw grown men wiping tears from their eyes. Incredible[/quote] That was probably me! Richard was the single most inspiring musician I've seen in years. Never mind the supernatural bass playing/singing, I could have listened to him talk all night. Absolutely [i]beyond[/i] unbelievable. There really were tears in my eyes! By contrast, Hadrien didn't connect with me at all, and I actually left after his second number to try some gear. Met TM in in a pizza place afterwards; what a great guy! Loved Yolanda (always do - will always be a standout for me), Janek (I want his bass, which looks like the easiest playing bass in the world!!!!) and Dave Marks, who I thought was sensational. Had a good pro-Gallery chat with him and he's a thoroughly fab bloke to boot (hey Bilbo, he played a Pat Metheny tune and I enjoyed it! Hurrah!). The only trouble this year was there were so many great artists on that I hardly got to try any gear out. Unfortunately however I did get caught on camera trying that Wood & Tronics out (yes, sadly that's me...or is it my dad ???? Oh good grief!!!). Loved the bass, one for the future, but really, really [i]really[/i] didn't like the rig. The Berg (could have been the Genz I suppose) was my anti-tone. Mike, didn't realise you were going; I'd have loved to have seen your Sei in person. I probably saw loads of Basschatters and walked straight past them coz I don't know what they look like! Think I may need to see Bona in Kendal if there are tickets left and I can scrounge a lift....

[quote name='Mr.T' post='324693' date='Nov 8 2008, 09:58 AM']Sounds like we are on the same mission! I have gone from... 1 x 15 The big old one. to 4 x 10 Even heavier. to 1 x 15 (1153) & 2 x 10 + 5 (2103). And now want to go 'lighter'.[/quote] Maybe we could do a "Long Way Round" type thing about said mission, going round the world trying bass cabs the hard way!

[quote name='BassInThePlace' post='315604' date='Oct 27 2008, 10:10 AM']The Trace line started going tits-up before Gibson bought them out - in many way Gibson tried to save the company. Gibson get blamed for much of the Trace demise but in reality, the company were going south before that. The best Trace gear, the pinnacle of build and sound quality, is generally thought to be between the early 80's and very early 90's with the "best of the best" being the MkV line of amps, although the earlier amps(MkIII/MkIV) are still better than most. I like to think of these as using "old Watts" if you know what I mean. The earlier Trace stuff, even at 250W, can blow away a lot of new amps in terms of punch and tone - even if some newer stuff is supposedly more powerful. That's just my opinion. I know everyone's ears are different, but my MkIII AH250('83ish) is better than most of the newer amps i've played, and the MkV I play regularly is an absolute beast of an amp, even compared to the EBS Proline 2000 and Warwick Neo Tubepath 1000w amps. And the rest of the band agree with me! As far as the newer Trace stuff goes - I don't really play any of it. But only because I never get the opportunity. I certainly don't reserve judgement simply because it's new, but by the same token, I don't expect it to be as good as the best Trace gear from the 80's. Like everyone else has said - if it sounds good to you then it's good enough.[/quote] The best rig I ever had was my early AH150 and painted (Series 1???) 4x10. Clear as a bell and all the balls in the world. Enough power for any gig I ever did. Wish I still had it/could still carry it. Also had a 300SMX which was loud as hell but didn't sound quite as good, although it still sounded great; once again matched with a simple 1153 it had power enough to backline at any gig I did. In fact I sold it to a mate and went to see him using it, and it sounded incredible and filled the room. I love Trace gear, I just can't carry it anymore! I much preferred Mark King's sound when he was using TE and Leigh Gorman, who has one of my favourite sounds of all time, used TE too.

What I'm currently trying to find (now having sold my GS112s to Dave Perry - cheers Dave!) is something that gets close to the tone of my old pre-Kevlar Trace 4x10 (or even the 1153 compact 1x15) but in a lighter package. In my band (not at home in my fusion-noodling mode) I'm after a tone somewhere in the Squire/Foxton/Entwistle area, and most of the small modern cabs I've played don't do it very well. I also find many modern cabs a bit "plasticky" sounding, for want of a better word, when I'm using my Rics. The Ashdown compact 1x15 is a consideration, but if I could find something a bit tighter and punchier I'd be happy. However it still has to be able to deal with the low end of the Rics, which is very deep rather than fat. Does anyone have any suggestions? The most success I've had so far with the Rics are Ashdown and Trace, but Trace are now too heavy and I have little experience of Ashdown other than the 15s and the tweeter-loaded 210 combos (which I don't like because you can't turn the tweeters off). I'll add that I've always liked Celestions, and I never use tweeters; give me a tweeter and I'll turn it off! With the horns off I found the Aggies too congested and not detailed enough for me; they didn't respond to my picking technique at all well. Oh, one other thing... the cabs can't be too deep (no more than 15" or 16" really) as vehicular space doesn't allow. I've been advised to try the Schroeders but I'm not sure they'll do the Squire thing. Also wondered about the Zoots, which seem to have a lot of what I want, but I can't try any, the ABM 210 (switchable horn but 75hz low end response???) and the ABM 4x8 mini. Head currently used is an Ashdown ABM500.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='324435' date='Nov 7 2008, 07:33 PM']Hi Folks, It's been a busy week (as per usual) and sometimes when it all gets too stressful, the first thing I think of when going home that I know will chill me out is picking up a bass and having a noodle around for half an hour! But it doesn't usually pan out that way because the first thing that happens when I walk through the door is kids/family mayhem etc, etc, and quite rightly so as they come first. Which means I tend to skulk around much later on practicing the bass with the headphones on, which is never quite the same thing. Is it just me with this scenario or does this sound all too familiar to anyone else?? Nik[/quote] Nik, I don't have kids but have a partner who is not very supportive of my making a racket, sorry, playing, and so I only get to play plugged in either when she's in the bath or out. I have to add this situation was a gradual one as I used to play plugged in when the telly was on! Playing bass definitely relieves stress for me, but I feel it's not the same when you're not plugged in, and headphones don't come close.

[quote name='nick' post='320924' date='Nov 3 2008, 01:48 PM']A bass player who I personally rate, Mick Quinn from Supergrass now uses an L-Series Steinberger, in favour of his usual Ibanez Blazer - quite a change. Still couldn't bring myself to have one though...[/quote] Didn't Mick break his back a while ago? That would explain a lot. I love the concept of headless, but I find the string tension seems a bit stiffer on the ones I've owned. No idea why. Also I actually find my headed Sei comfier than the 2 headless Seis I've had in the past. Wouldn't stop me buying another though.