CamdenRob

Ha... Ok ok fair enough... I get that fingers make a massive difference between players, but I don’t get the argument that it somehow overrides the differences in tone you get from different gear. The same player playing the same bass line - with the same fingers - on a P bass with the tone rolled off, and then again on a jazz bass with the bridge pickup soloed and the tone wide open, would sound different... similarly, the same player playing a Spector running through a full on darkglass distortion sounds different to The same player using a uke bass... same fingers... 😐

Inevitably followed by “it’s all in the fingers” 🤦‍♂️

Mostly been learning the melody line to various Christmas carols this week on my 8 year old nephew’s half size guitar 👍 Mostly up and down a G major scale to be honest, but seemed to go down well with the family 😊

It’d fit in my mono tick though... 🤔 ... I need to get back to work to stop me browsing the internet all day looking at bass stuff to buy 🤦‍♂️

Great thread, I’ve often thought this. The number of basses must pale into comparison to the number of guitars out there...

I feel very lucky to have been in the position to order the basses I’ve had built over the last few years. Some potential work situation changes coming up next April might put me in a different position in the years to come, so I’ve promised myself another build whilst I can. A Smith seemed like the prefect addition to compliment the existing stable 😊 ...should land in around six months 😊 I’ve broken my self imposed “no gold hardware” rule as well 😕 Shout out to Bass Direct too 🙂. It was proving somewhat difficult to order direct and Mark stepped up to save the day 👍

Placed my order for a Black Tiger sixer yesterday 😊 nigh on identical to the one in the original post. Six month wait now 😬

Sounds like a great opportunity to me, but I’d have to say from the perspective of something fun to do, rather than increasing chances for employment in any great way 😕 Music (playing) is a ludicrously difficult industry in which to make a living... The issue is it’s great fun, so a whole host of people will do it for nothing. That said having the kind of skills it sounds like you would get from this course would stand you in good stead for orchestra work etc. Pop music work is mostly how you look as opposed to how you play, and I imagine you already have the required technical standard for that. Id say if you have the time and the money do it, it would be great fun (I would), but I wouldn’t expect a career at the other end of it. There are people who buck the trend obviously, but generally people just don’t buy music anymore in anywhere near large enough numbers to make playing an instrument a viable career choice. My job is s*it and no one in there right mind would do it for nothing, hence it’s not massively competitive and they have to pay me a reasonable amount for it 😕

It’s really hard isn’t it... if they make anything other than Fender copies they just won’t sell in large enough numbers to make the venture justifiable. That said the headstock shape may prevent sales in any great numbers by itself 😕 It looks OK on the four string... less so on the five 😐 Can’t see how these are offering anything new at the target price point, however I really do wish anything Ashdown are involved in the very best of luck. They are famously tip top on customer service and I understand - despite not having actually met them myself - throughly decent blokes 😊

Like a few others I suspect, my favourite combo is my current stable. Went through just about everything out there before arriving at this trio. 1) Wal six fretted (2015) 2) Wal six fretless (2017) 3) Fodera Emperor Standard Classic 5 (2019) The Wals give me the sound I have in my head when I think of how I want my bass to sound. The Fodera is a truly versatile beast in Fender clothing, for when a more subtle aesthetic is required. I have all I need but I still gas for other instruments. Looking to add a Ken Smith 6 next year.

D6 looks an attractive instrument to my eyes 😊

That looks the business 👍

Some folks don’t even notice but it’s a big deal for me. I can’t cope with closer than 18mm at the bridge. Someone mentioned 14mm above 😯 (possibly in jest?). On my sixers that would be a 2cm difference in string spread across the set... that’s a big difference in feel. So much of right hand playing - ghost notes / muting etc - is muscle memory, a 2cm difference is bound to affect things.

Balance trumps weight for me in the playability stakes... Light AND balanced is the holy grail. My basses are bloody heavy but my back issues are less of the bass playing nature and more of the - sitting on my fat a*se at work in front of a computer for ten hours a day - nature.

Yeah I much prefer the lighter coloured natural Elite V. Ive had half an eye out for one for a while...

Reoccurring theme in the bands I’ve been in over the years... 🤔

They are like normal basses only lumpier 😐

Can’t say I’ve listened to anything of theirs since he left (the first time) so I’m not really best placed to comment 😕 That said RHCP were a regular part of my rotation in the BSSM era. ...and also not knowing anything about the subject never stopped anyone posting on BC ever 😐 controversially (perhaps?) I always found the bass and vocals a bit meh... drums and guitar first class though. In fact I struggle to think of anyone better for my tastes

Wal looks the business 😍 Is that a cheeky OBBM cable there as well?

I appreciate this is a thread on pricing rather than the instruments in general but anyway... I had a thumb NT 6 and it sounded absolutely awesome but the horrendous neck dive made it virtually unplayable... even on a strap you actually had to hold the neck up (and the body down with the other arm) or it would just swing down and the body would hit you in the face 😕 ... really did sound incredible though.

Me too... Out of interest have you tried an Elf with them? I haven’t but am hoping it might be loud enough 🙂

Is the 802 enough better to make up for the ridiculously named EQ bands... I just couldn’t get past that however good it sounded 😕

This is an oft repeated mantra but a five string is more than just the extra notes. It gives you more options for the notes of a four string by playing in different positions on the neck. An 8th fret B string G has a completely different timbre to a 3rd fret E string G. Same note - different sound. Both have their places and it’s useful to have the option, much like playing over the bridge or neck pickup. I almost always play higher on the B string than lower on the E. I just prefer the depth to the notes. ...a fiver (or six) is for life not just for Christmas. 🎸 🎄 🎅

That red one... 😍