Funky Dunky

I got my Sterling three months ago. I'm on my third battery. I never leave it plugged in and it has had about 10 hours playing time through the amp since I got it. I have emailed the manufacturer and I await their reply.

Thanks guys, the Todd Johnson video was very helpful and I also found a Scott Devine video on the same subject. Interestingly, if you watch how Scott plays normally, that's how I started out and I didn't have this problem. It was only after another bassist saw me play and was critical of my right hand that I changed it. He told me I was giving myself extra work and that I should instead anchor my thumb on the top of the pickup and simply reach a little farther with my index and middle fingers to pluck the D and G strings. I changed my plucking style, and hello muting problems. I will make it my top priority to fix this and will spend some time incorporating the floating thumb technique to see how I get on.

Damn, "what a brilliant idea" I thought when I read the title of the thread. I thought it was about showing our lot a bit of extra respect, like "all rise for the honourable four-stringer". "Stand for bass"

Just the bog standard blocking of unwanted noises when playing. How do you do it? I sound great unplugged but once you hear me through an amp there are all these ugly noises that shouldn't be there. Does this come naturally for most players, or is it typically something every bassist has to work at? I ask because I have never seen a lesson on it. I don't understand. It seems like I am constantly getting unwanted handling noise and catching open strings and sounding weird harmonics. Why can I not kill these noises? Am I especially clumsy? I can play some pretty challenging stuff for a novice, but I remain a novice due to this one flaw in my playing. For the love of God, somebody help me with this!

See, Behringer gear is always incredible value for money especially in terms of features. I remember in my days as a guitarist (ah, the wilderness years) GASing for things like loopers and Leslie emulators and was stunned the gulf in price between Behringer and everyone else - sometimes the Behringer pedal cost the same as the power supply for the big name brand pedal!! They always cram their gear with all the features you would hope to find as well. But again, that tone-sucking thing....

I skipped over to YouTube amd there are a few video reviews, but only a couple actually let you hear the thing and are of poor quality (mobile phone cam). Didn't do it any favours. Hopefully someone will put up a decent demo of it soon ;-)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1431348665' post='2770223'] However, I've got a strange kind of reverse-GAS which is now leading me to one of these: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_bx4500h_ultrabass_basshead.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...ss_basshead.htm[/url] Apparently it's an Ashdown clone similar to one I used as backline a while back and liked [i]a lot.[/i] Not much of a gamble at the price. And it's got a three-year warranty. [/quote] Gordon Bennett! That's insane value. I'm not entirely sure about Behringer gear - IIRC the pedals are really inexpensive, but were known for sucking tone right out of your sound and having an intolerable amount of hiss, but that was a few years back in fairness. If you get one of these, do post a review because at that price I would be most interested. Other than that, the answer for me would be to wait a bit, stick some money in a jar and when the time is right pick up a wee bargain from the For Sale section of BC. 6v6 has been the voice of reason. Even if I bought one of them thar Behringer heads, I could buy a nice used cab and save myself crazy amounts of loot.

[quote name='6v6' timestamp='1431335857' post='2770024'] True, but my response was really aiming to highlight that it's nuts to endlessly research amps lacking any features appropriate to your only current use-case, e.g home practice as has been previously stated. I kinda feel like we've all been giving crack to an addict here, clearly the OP is in the midst of a major multi-month GAS attack, obsessively researching every detail of products they can't afford and don't really need. We've all been there! I know the OP came here to seek refuge amongst other, similarly afflicted GAS addicts, but I feel like it's only responsible to try and rationalize things, so here it is, some well intentioned "tough love", FWIW: 1. Don't buy a really expensive amp you can't really afford and don't really need, you'll suffer the agony of the associated debt for much longer than the "agony" of the research. 2. The only way to gain experience of playing live is to get out there and do it. You don't need an expensive amp for this. Turn up at some jam nights with your £35 pedal and plug direct into the PA, it'll work fine, you can jam with friends at a rehearsal studio using the same method (or, frequently, with amps provided by the studio). This is also a great way to meet folks and get into/form a band. 3. If you really want to own an amp, or get to the point where you really need one, get something cheap (used) and live with it for a while, gaining experience of what you like. My first two amps were a £50 Behringher combo, then a £70 Hartke kickback, I gigged both in small/medium pubs (also DI'd generally) for several years before upgrading. They both worked perfectly fine. The MarkBass I upgraded to does the exact same job, slightly louder, but cost *way* more - personally I could never justify that outlay unless I had income from gigs to pay for it. Whatever you get, have fun and enjoy making music with it - good luck! [/quote] Sage. Made me step back and question myself. I'm not even in a band and I'm preparing to drop hundreds of pounds on something I can't justify. Fine if I'm a regularly gigging bassist, but at this moment I'm not. I didn't even recognise this as GAS gone wild, which ultimately is what it is. Your advice, 6V6, is really sound and safe, from a monetary standpoint as well as a needs standpoint. What am I actually thinking here? Get a cheap, giggable amp. Take it from there. Makes the most sense of all really.

Blimey! I'm scared now, like if I screw this up it could put a wrinkle in the space-time continuum!

Hi Geoff, glad you said that! This will probably be an intricate job, tiny wee bit then check it, tiny wee bit then check it.and if I screw up, it's a new nut.

Thanks guys, all good suggestions. Now that you mention it, I think I've heard of the ol' roundwound string trick before. I might go with the emery board though, Mrs Funk has loads of them, leaves them lying about all over the place, to my annoyance.

I was in a band and I hated when people asked me the name. I apologised in advance, explained that I didn't name them and then told them the name. They would then look at me, puzzled, and tell me it was a terrible name for a band. Then they'd ask me what it meant, and explaining the origin of the name was met with more bemusement than the name itself. I can't even bring myself to say it here in case my dear mate ever finds out how much I detested the name of his band.

Spandau Ballet Queen - nobody ever questions it, but it's a terrible name for a rock band. Pantera - do they come from an era of pants? Chumbawamba - I believe it was in response to bands called things like Kajagoogoo (another stupid name) but it's still really annoying to say/hear. Which brings me to Goo Goo Dolls. That's just dumb. You're grown men, but your name suggests a Japanese girl band. Scouting For Girls is a topper though, regardless of its subtle cunning. But it suits. Lame name, lame band IMO.

I've just slapped a nice new set of DR Sunbeams on my Squier VMPJ and I love 'em. They're a tad thicker than the Dunlop Super Brights that came off and as a result, they sit slightly more 'on' the nut slots than snugly 'in'. Thankfully there are no side-effects to this - no slipping or buzzing or anything nasty. But this raises a couple of questions: 1) SHOULD I file the slots and get the new strings sitting snugly? And if so, 2) Is there any household tool I could use to do the job, as I don't own the correct, specific tools? Or is that like asking if it's okay to respray the car with Dulux? Thanks :-)

Mate, if I had the money now I would happily take it off your hands.

https://youtu.be/SJYX2Fkpuzg That's the amp I'm after. And again, 3:30-3-50....most amusing!

Oops!! I apologise, I posted completely the wrong link! That's true, Timmy C uses Lakland jazz basses and on occasion a Stingray, through SVTs. Allow me to post the correct link in a mo....

https://youtu.be/dfF4t9-wpCM That's the amp I really want. That, or a Streamliner - but I can't buy secondhand. Well, I can but I'll have to save up for months. And I mean MONTHS. Check out 3:30- 3:50 on that video btw :-)

Way way over my budget unfortunately. Keep the suggestions coming guys :-)

Okay, my plans are somewhat scuppered. The Aguilar, The Ashdown and the Eden - it appears none have a headphone jack. In fact, it appears only the Fender Rumble 500 combo has a headphone jack. This does not please me one iota. I'm going away to drink heavily and smoke fags.

I'm in Ayrshire, but tbh if you can't buy it new from a shop, I can't have it. You know, I don't know that the Aggie has a headphone jack. That is a bit of a dealbreaker.

Was gigging a few years ago, just a local bar gig where up and coming bands cut their teeth. First on the bill was a singe/songwriter guy with an acoustic guitar. Half the crowd were there to see him and had paid to get in. He was a youngish guy of about 22, and there was a big anticipation ahead of his set, usual bit where folk are giving it "so talented, next big thing" and "I wouldn't want to be any of the bands, having to follow Martin" - all that. He took the stage to a rapturous cheer, and spent a good ten minutes footering with his guitar. Then he spent ten minutes staring into space. Then he got up, walked off stage without a word and never came back. Poor guy probably just got stage fright but talk about awkward.... Then there was the gig where the singer started heckling the crowd because someone shouted the classic "Play your GOOD song" after a few frankly dire songs. He had a monumental strop, shouted "YOUSE HAVENY GOT A CLUE ABOUT MUSIC. YEES AW WORK IN SHOPS AND FACTORIES. I'M A MUSICIAN!! I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOOT." He proceeded to play the the remainder of his set, flipping the double bird at the crowd constantly, before shouting "Goodnight ****s" and walking offstage. Nice.

I do believe it would! Thanks for pointing that out!

Thing with Barefaced, though, is how do you ever get to hear them? And they are a wee bit expensive to gamble on. On sheer testimony alone, they seem to be wonderful cabs, but without hearing one.....

No, I guess it doesn't HAVE to be. But I want it to have good clarity, plenty of bottom without being woolly, powerful enough to play halls and also portable. What are your thoughts? :-)