Misdee

I've heard of other people having the same problem with the Bongo overloading their audio interface, it must be said. It's never been a problem for me recording my Bongo onto my computer, but I was using a very antiquated method via the headphones input of my PC via an archaic digital signal chain. I've got a new modern setup now, but must admit I haven't got round to trying the Bongo. Maybe the input level on the interface is tweakable? Or maybe going through a preamp before the interface might help.

It's been disheartening to sit and read so many people misrepresenting what I said about this girl and try to assassinate my character. Never let the facts get in the way of virtue-signalling. Some of you seem to be having a whale of a time. I wish I could take each and every one of you to task but I literally don't have the time, and besides which, it would be a bit of shame to spoil your fun. You really seem to have got the bit between your teeth. I would just like to reiterate that I never said that she couldn't play, I never said she played badly. I just said she wasn't a brilliant player. An endless queue of supplicants posting how "she plays better than me" doesn't make her so either. Like I said, she's pretty good, not great. Great is a high benchmark, though. Great is Marcus Miller level playing, or Jaco or Tony Levin. To be brilliant you have to be original, innovative. She's a capable player but there's nothing particularly new or original about her music. And as many folks have quite rightly pointed out, you don't have to be an outstanding musician to have a signature bass. Look at the Fender DeeDee Ramone P Bass, or the Nate Mendel.I could name lots more. Manufacturers just want to sell basses, I agree. But show me where I said this Tiger woman shouldn't have a signature bass and I'll buy one despite the fact I hate the colour scheme. Looking at it every day will be punishment in itself. On the subject of the actual bass, when she says "I want my bass to inspire and empower people to become their best selves" and similar twaddle I can't help but think "Have you ever bought a brand new Fender bass and experienced their legendary quality control? You would be better occupied hoping that their isn't a gaping 3mm gap between the neck pocket and the neck and that every note above the 15th fret doesn't choke." It would be lovely if Fender put out a YouTube video of their disappointed customers returning their defective purchases to the retailer for a refund or replacement. I've been there myself too many times. And if her looks haven't played a significant role in her being plucked from the chorus of internet bass players, what has? Do you really think her good looks are incidental to her burgeoning media profile? You are very naive if you do. I never criticised her for it, I never said she shouldn't do it. Like I said to begin with, that is the way of the world. But you shouldn't blame me for noticing. Somehow that is considered a heretical point of view when all I'm doing is stating the obvious. You are all so keen to pile on me and characterise me as a bitter old man, but that's only because you can only deal in stereotypes. You think because someone has a certain viewpoint they must be like the clichés you associate with those attitudes. It's the way you try and make sense of things you can't accommodate. It's a good job it's water off a duck's back to me, but some of you ought to be more tolerant of other people's opinions. I might disagree with some people's opinions on this subject, but I am not trying to make personal attacks on them because of their differing beliefs. The way some of you behave is tantamount to bullying. Someone else might not be so robust and take it to heart.

A point of view is a way of telling a story, an opinion is a belief or judgement about something. They are not mutually exclusive .

What am I supposed to be jealous of? You seem to be unable or unwilling to understand what I have posted, and what I have said is reasonable and rational. This is an example what psychologists nowadays call "projection". Your associate me with all sorts of things that in fact I have had nothing to do with it made any reference to. It's very disappointing but I suppose not that surprising that so many people are so outraged by a different point of view to the one which has been prescribed.

No I don't "dish it out". I am always polite and considered in what I post. Your just making things up now to suit your own narrative.

I don't respond to personal abuse. (Except by stating that I don't respond to personal abuse.) Then her parents have a lot to answer for.

I'm not that old.

Your clutching at straws now, aren't you? I'll spell her name how I like.

I really don't appreciate you or anyone else misrepresenting what I posted. I never said anything about "woke", or anything to do with that kind of thing. Not least of all because Fender making this signature bass is far from "woke". Put simply, the reason Fender have given this person their attention is because she is an a beautiful young woman, not because she is an exceptional or successful musician. Like I also said, there's nothing wrong with her bass playing, she's pretty good, but not exceptional. I only pointed out that there's nothing unusual about how or what she plays the bass, it's fairly typical. There's lots of similar players. I also pointed out that she hasn't had any mainstream commercial success with her music. That's demonstrably true. And I mentioned Marcus Miller as an example because he is a benchmark example of a truly exceptional musician who had a Fender signature bass. That's all I said, and I don't think there's anything contentious in that. The rest is everyone else projecting their own prejudices and preconceptions onto what I wrote. I can't be held responsible for that. Like I already said, if people enjoy Blue, her music and this bass then great. I never said she shouldn't have her own bass, I never said it was wrong. But it is what it is, let's not pretend otherwise. Ironically enough, if they offered this bass in a colour other than blue I might buy one. I really like the sound of the humbucker at the bridge, and lightweight is good for me nowadays. It's just that I don't like the colour.

Let's face it, it's not rocket science is it?

Well Justin died of an overdose, so I think he endured a crueler fate. There's worse things in life than being an estate agent.

Why do you assume that I should prioritise diversity and representation? It's your preference and preoccupation, not necessarily mine. You have no right to expect it should be so for everyone else.

Double post.

Like a lot of people nowadays, you automatically equate equality with virtue, and inequality with injustice.

Your the football fella who knows foot all about football (or anything else) aren't you?

It depends what you call intermediate. I've seen better and I've seen worse. To my that makes her intermediate. A top level player would be someone like Marcus Miller, ie with a deep knowledge of jazz ect. I am reluctant to rate someone as being a "pro" level player because being a professional just means they do it for a living, it doesn't mean they are any good in terms of musical ability, taste or judgement. In my estimation this girl is an intermediate player, not exceptional but pretty good within limitations. There's nothing remotely new or original about how or what she plays, it's the same old thing lots of bass players on YouTube and Instagram play, same influences, same style. Nothing wrong with that though, if that's what people enjoy then great. Anyhow, what struck me most when I watched the clip was not the music but more how she speaks and what she says. She wants to "inspire and empower" and for her bass to help people "live their best lives". This is the nonsense that young people thrive on nowadays, and a huge burden for them to take upon themselves. No wonder they are miserable. And regarding Nikki Sixxx, I don't really know what to say. He always looked ridiculous to me. I never saw him as trading on his good looks. Or indeed his musical ability.

Easy mistake to make. I've seen some photos of Carol with a Gibson Grabber or Ripper. That's an interesting combination. I'd love to see that as a reissued/ signature model.

Are you sure that wasn't Mary Kaye?

Just out of interest, what was it like, because I can't find any reference whatsoever on the internet? Presumably a P Bass.

No, but they are famous for being in bands with a decades-long track record of worldwide success. Their record sales reflect that. You are quite right to point out that none of them are/ were Innovators or virtuoso players. Whatever their signature models celebrate, it isn't that. I only mentioned her playing skills because the OP said she was a brilliant player. Objectively, she isn't, but if the OP or anyone else enjoys what she does or finds it inspiring then great, that's enough for me. This woman is internet-famous comparatively recently. That's an entirely different phenomenon. Like I said, don't get me wrong, I don't disapprove of her having a signature model, I just don't think it's because of her bass playing being exceptional. That's not unique, though. The fact remains though, that if she weren't a glamorous looking girl, we wouldn't have heard of her in all likelihood. That's just the way of the world, I suppose.

No she doesn't, and neither does Gail Ann Dorsey, for that matter. Don't get me wrong, Blue is okay but purely in terms of her bass playing I really don't hear anything extraordinary.

Come to think of it, I've also got a Reflex with what is essentially an 18v Bongo preamp in it. However, it has the added intreague of being switchable between active and passive mode. Never noticed much (any) difference in output level between the two, except if you were to crank up the bass and low mids in active mode, probably. I seem to remember that EBMM recommended that the Reflex should always be plugged into your high impedance input, and I would surmise that the same would apply to the Bongo.

I don't think she's a brilliant player. She's a reasonably competent player at an intermediate level. Marcus Miller she ain't. She is, however, a marketable player. If she looked like Olive from On The Busses (I'm showing my age) we would never have heard of her and she wouldn't have a signature bass from Fender.

I've got an HH Bongo and I've recorded with it quite a bit. I've never had a problem with the output, even when I add some EQ from the Bongo preamp. It's definitely very hot, but I've no recollection of it ever unduly overloading enough to cause obvious distortion, and I play moderately hard. No problems through a big amp and 4x10 cabinet either.

I've got a Bongo and a Stingray Special. They are very different basses both in terms of sound and how they feel to play. It would help to know a bit more about the problems you had with your Bongo and what it is that you are dissatisfied with about the Stingray. Regarding 18 volts, I personally have never noticed much difference between 9 volt active EQ and 18 volts in practical terms, but I don't usually crank it up that much. It just depends on the design of the circuit. For example, back in the 1990's I used to have a Status Empathy with an 18 volt circuit. I remember plugging in an old Wal with a 9 volt circuit and comparing the two. The Wal was literally twice as loud. When people talk about extra "headroom" I'm a bit sceptical about how useful that might be in reality. Manufacturers are quite good at solving problems that folks never realised they had. There's plenty of 9 volt circuits that are perfectly good. I've certainly never come across a Stingray that seemed underpowered, going back all the way to the original pre-EBMM instruments. To my ears, the Stingray Special is a good-sounding example of that design, but it's not radically different to any previous Stingray, except it substantially lighter in weight.