martthebass

Loving the fretless!

3 hours ago, Deedee said:

It was @Horizontalste who had the neck done on this one Mart, he then kindly furnished me with the details and I had the same done to the black 3-EQ I had at the time. But I agree, a serious upgrade at significant cost.

My bad Dan, I get mixed up as I get older mate lol.  

Agreed though, it wasn't an insignificant cost to have the neck stripped back, stainless frets installed and vintage lacquer tint applied by Master Jon, so this really is a great price.  If I wasn't deficient in cash and not deficient in basses I'd be seriously looking at this even though I'm a Sterling man.

Great price on one of these.  On the basis of the neck job that Dan had done on this by Jon S I did the same to my US Sterling.  Lovely job and a definite upgrade to those of us who prefer a lacquered neck to the oil/wax rub jobby.

Once attended a 'new to me' jamnight in town.  Sempt like a nice bunch, albeit a little cliquey, but no more than average.  I'd taken my little Status Streamline that I had at the time and met up with a few guys I'd played with at other jams.  A few minutes after getting there a worse for wear 'rock dude' came up and asked/semi demanded to use my bass as he hadn't brought one....he struggled with understanding a polite no but eventually got the message when a less polite response was made.  Apparently this wasn't cool at this jamnight and a bass was produced from behind the bar (one of those JD whiskey bottle shaped things) and I was then the a$$hole.  Redemption came a few minutes into his session as he alcoholically stumbled and the bass crashed to the concrete.....I didn't need to say anything. 

6 hours ago, Rich said:

Absolutely ripping club gig last night, local to me for a change. Local as in a mile from my front door. Big crowd up and dancing right from the 'Buh' of 'Buster...', they even danced to our sound check now the club desperately want us back later in the year and the local beer festival are dying to book us too.

Gratuitous office shot.

 

Skanking with the crowd

Nice titfer 

28 minutes ago, The fasting showman said:

The Fallout, since getting a tribute a year ago and then getting a USA ( yellow with stripe!) one from Ash on BC, is all I want to play now. Great balanced sound and no dead spots. I use the OMG mode but dialled back, the parallel setting can sound great with an octave pedal also.

Has anybody found a gig bag that fits one well enough?  I'm just using a standard full scale one but shorter would be better.

Thanks 

The fallout launch edition came with a short scale G&L gigbag as standard. Don’t know if you can get them separately?

23 minutes ago, dmckee said:

I’ve had my G&L Fallout USA for a 3 or 4 months now and I just love it. I have a set of Labella DTFs on it which gives me just the right combination of warm and mellow enough when played gently but also just enough attack when played with a plectrum.  

 

I’ve always had a soft spot for G&Ls but sometimes found that MFD too much, but with these strings, and being on a short scale, it’s just perfect. I especially love how rich and full the D and G strings sound. I think also, with the neck it has and the position of the bridge, although it is a short scale, it doesn’t feel TOO different compared to a 34”, which is cool.  (As an aside, I wish G&L put their 1 5/8” neck on more of their basses). 

 

Interestingly, finding how much I was enjoying playing a short scale, I went off and tried the JMJ Mustang everyone raves about last week. It was fine, but the G&L is SO much better, I think. 

 

I bought it new (£1149 from GuitarGuitar) and out the factory, the fret edges needed a bit of attention (which is disappointing, especially for a USA instrument) but with that fixed, it’s all grand now. I don’t see much chat for the Fallout but def recommended. I’d quite like a fretless one too. 😃

Love my US Fallout, as you say the pickup can be on the hot side, I tend to use the parallel setting mostly but the omg is awesome in moderation. Picked mine up from Adee a while back and it gets used a fair bit on gigs. What’s the tension like on the labellas, I’d like to give em a go but I’m not keen if the tension is on the high side?

Sadly our gig in Withensea had to be cancelled due to lead vocalist succumbing to a nasty chest thingy. A couple of weeks now before the next one in that there West Yorkshire 

A nice local gig in Rotherham last night, which was a pleasure after last week’s 3am bedtime. It was definitely compact and bijou but everyone was friendly and enjoying the show. The club was full before we’d got set up which compromised the sound check but we managed. One number we hadn’t done for a couple of years (far far away) was a challenge as me and the guitarist thought we’d agreed on a key with the singer and erm...y’know. Fortunately we cured it quickly on the fly and no one was any the wiser. Off to the seaside next week - Withernsea, oh we do like to be beside the seaside.

1 hour ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

This was a bit of a spur of the moment decision but after seeing it on Thomann's B-Stock page at a very good price I thought I'd chance my arm. 
 

I've been looking for a lightweight bass for a while now due to back and hip problems as a result of lots of rugby and recently tried (and returned) an Epiphone Newport. I had bid on a Pelham Blue Jack Casady recently that sadly was withdrawn but was unsure of how the body shape would sit on me with a 34" scale neck. 
 

Anyway, I had one of these Guilds before and foolishly decided to move it on, so when one came up in Pelham Blue and weighing in at under 7lbs I decided to go for it. It arrived today and after a bit of minor tweaking (mainly pickup height) I strung it with a set of TI Flats which "just" about work from a length perspective (slightly too long on the G) it's ready to go and sounds great. For a B-Stock instrument I can't see a mark on it.
 

After a break from short scales I'm really pleased the way this one hangs on a strap.  
 

Very nice Nick

On 11/03/2023 at 09:37, lidl e said:

One of the few in that pic i still have

Surprisingly awesome.

 

 

I've been after the star shaped version of one of these for about the last 3 years - no luck so far.

On 28/03/2023 at 23:17, Elfrasho said:

You've probably seen this kicking about the classifieds for a wee while for not alot of money. Over the weekend I decided just to take a punt on it.

 

Got it delivered today. First impression is that its HEAVY. I don't think I've ever owned a combo this heavy. 

 

But.. it sounds tremendous. Had it in a rehearsal this evening with 2 guitarists playing rock covers and it more than easily handled it. Clear, defined, punchy but has incredible bottom end available with just a tweak of the EQ. 

 

The size and weight will probably mean this will only get whipped out when it's really necessary.. but for just over 100 quid, I highly doubt you could get a better giggable amp.

 

 

Very happy with It.. so much so I'm tempted to hunt down a matching  extension cab to get that wall of TE.. for this special occasions.

I used these for years, I started with the 130W and then had a 150W. Loved them, eventually moved to MarkBass only because the Osmium/Iridium construction was destroying the suspension in my Pickup truck....

13 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I think the one of the biggest contributing factors to leaving my previous band was having to play Rockin' in the Free World. 

Yep that would make me leave a band.

Get to play this one every weekend in my current band.  We even include the choreography.......

Love it or hate it as a musician but it's definitely a crowd pleaser which is priority number one for a band like mine.

On 26/03/2023 at 14:52, BigRedX said:

 

We were only using analog synths live from 1983 until mid-way through 1985, by which time we had upgraded to a Yamaha DX7 and Casio CZ500 each controlled by a Yamaha KX5 keytar. However the idea that analog synths went out of tune a lot was mostly down to poor designed US-made models from the 70s. Once the Japanese had got involved, tuning stability was much improved. We hardly ever had problems with the Roland SH09 or SH101. The only one that generally needed tuning before a gig was the Korg MS20 and that was probably more down to the location of the tuning control than any inherent stability.

We had 2 SH09's in the first band I was in (a JD tribute iirc), they were absolute pigs for pitch stability.  Great sounds when they were on form though.

40 minutes ago, cheddatom said:

Friday night, Salty Dog in Northwich. I'm sure it's been fuller for us before but the boss says not.

 

You may recall me talking about a sound engineer who had to be shouted back to his station because he'd muted the acoustic guitar? Same guy. This time he stayed at his station, but he was so glued to his phone he didn't realise we were waiting on stage, ready to play, at the allotted time. At one point it sounded like he'd undone all of his bass boosting EQ and stopped the almost constant feedback. That lasted for about 20 seconds before he managed to f*ck it up again and get back to his phone. 

 

Fair enough if you don't like our music, or maybe you don't like us as people, or whatever, but if you're being paid to do a job, and a pub full of people are relying on you to do the job, it'd seem to be to be the right thing to do to either learn how to do it, put the effort in, or quit and give someone who wants the job a go

 

Anyway, there was a dog running around while we played. I'd been speaking to the owner before the set and she explained that the dog doesn't like loud noises, which was quite confusing as she'd brought her to a gig! I've never owned a dog but I couldn't shake the thought of causing this dog distress as I played. We've had a lot of positive feedback about the gig, and several people have complimented the presence of the dog too (her name was Melon) so, I'll let the audience be the judge, and they were happy. 

 

I guess the fact I had to drive home later, and this pub has the best beer on our circuit, also put a damper on my mood. 

We’ve all had em mate, sadly soundmen vary from excellent to barely sentient, you clearly got one from the shallow end of the gene pool. 
I’d agree generally gigs and dogs don’t mix, Megdog, my wappy cocker occasionally attends backstage at some of my gigs but she’s a good girl 🤣

Gig at the Royal Oak in Linthwaite, packed the house (we’re still world famous in Huddersfield apparently). Great night despite some technical probs (duff monitor, vocalists mic going down). Knackered this morning due to clocks changing. 

Definitely hard to please everyone with a generic set list. IMHO best to try not to score the full house on cover band bingo though. My last but one band was a 60s/70s covers band and I definitely grew weary of trying to cop gigs and please audiences. I’ve found it much easier in the Glam rock themed band I’m now in, does what it says on the tin and very very rarely get asked for Sex on Fire.....

1 minute ago, Ralf1e said:

 

 

You did not mention it as a common tonewood what you said was as above which is as I said EBMM seemed to get away with it (professionals as opposed to silly billy in his shed)

You can defend silly billy all you like but he doesn't compare to professional builders of timber products.

Ok R, life’s far too short to argue semantics especially when Vera is about to air on that wonderful Witness channel on Sky.

1 hour ago, Ralf1e said:

You compare professionals to a I can do silly billy in his shed?

Nope, you made a comment about poplar, I illustrated it was a common tone wood irrespective of its reversible expansion characteristics. 

1 hour ago, Ralf1e said:

 

Poplar is famous for moving hence it gets used in non critical internal frames.

Buy at your peril

EBMM seemed to get away with it ok on 1000s of Stingrays.....

23 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

So with my back continuing to be an issue a certain amount of common sense has had to be applied. With guitar I was using my Tele Deluxe at 8.5lbs, have made the switch to Epiphone SGs at 7lbs. And yesterday I had a practice and my back was sore after playing my Precision (my lightest one at 8.2lbs) so I`ve ordered a Fender JMJ Mustang Bass (will of course do a NBD topic when it arrives). Having read up on them it seems they average around 7-ish lbs, but even due to the size it will be easier to play and easier to cart about in a guitar gig-bag (research done there too).

My JMJ is smack on 8lbs, balance isn't too bad though so it's an easy lift.

Not really to my taste but it looks like a good quality build, definitely well above average for a home-build.

I still kinda like it but just think it's a bit on the bass heavy side (or is that just how they've recorded it?).  I'd have thought at that price point they could've done more with the humbucker like the coil-tapping in the Fallout bass to give it a bit more flexibility.

6 hours ago, Quatschmacher said:

I’m hoping he’ll send me some pictures in the meantime. 

You could walk it there and back in less than a week 😜