Misdee

This is a really good demonstration of the difference.

My Sadowsky's are both Will Lee signature models. The mid boost control is a nice feature , but even without it engaged the true single coil pickups fitted as standard on the WL have much more pronounced midrange than the hum cancelling pickups that come on the regular Sadowsky basses. It's a big difference in tone. The single coil pickups are much more raunchy. Much more Fender-like.

I totally agree that there's respective merits to traditional Fender-style style Jazz Basses and more modern active versions. I think a lot depends on how, or indeed if, you use the Sadowsky preamp. With a two band boost-only preamp there is a tendency for players to boost treble and bass, and the inevitable consequences is that it makes Sadowsky basses sound more recessed in the midrange. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but as you quite rightly point out, it's not what you want in certain situations. I'm not a huge fan of that modern scooped-out, thump and sizzle Jazz Bass tone. Marcus Miller makes it sound great but it's tiresome that so many players just want to copy that tone. For years I shied away from active Jazz-style basses for exactly that reason. However, it's quite possible to EQ a Sadowsky so it sounds anything but scooped. Not least of all, those basses sound good either in passive mode or active but with no added boost or just a little bit. Or add some mids externally and boost the bass or treble (but not both) depending on whether you want to be deep or bright and bit more gritty. You can also attenuate with the VTC. There's lots of ways approach it. Also, being able to pan between the two pickups on a Sadowsky opens up a lot of tonal possibilities that can be harder to achieve on a conventional passive Jazz with two volume controls.

Well, if nothing else we've all learned something about how to play Hard To Handle.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the "right" way to play it would be the original version by Otis Redding. I've had a very quick listen to the original. It's in a different key for a start, and to play it the same way as Johnny Colt does you would have to tune down a semitone. To my ear Duck Dunn plays the part in question completely differently, with a root-five-octave figure replacing the bit with a low E. It's quite clear however, that he plays the contentious G# version, except it's a G because Otis' version is in B flat. To my sensibilities the bass part works better the "right" way because part of the musical effect of the song is how it moves between major and minor tonalities. I'm all in favour of making adjustments in the name of individual expression, but sometimes it's a question of judgement whether embellishments are to the detriment of what made the song what it was originally. In this case either approach will work, but I think the "right" way is the right choice because it sounds better.

Either will work over a dominant 7th, but the G# emphasises the major tonality. (Listen to me! Dominant 7th , major tonality? I've watched a few bass tutorials on YouTube, now I'm starting to believe my own publicity and getting ideas above my station😄. If I get myself a six string bass and a looper you have my permission to shoot me.)

Either will work over a dominant 7th, but the G# emphasises the major tonality.

Finally got to my bass tonight to have a crack at this. I can see how someone might assume it's an A, but G# is clearly right and sounds better to me. The verse is in a major key, and the turnaround bits use a minor third, but you can play a minor third over certain major chords, and vice versa. Otis Redding version is essentially the same.

It'd be interesting to compare how Johnny Colt plays it compared to Duck Dunn on Otis Redding's original version. Maybe( probably) Johnny isn't playing a faithful rendition.

This happens to me quite a lot, ie realising I've been playing something very slightly wrong whilst being totally confident I had it right. One note can put a whole different complexion on things.

I always think about The Who that if they came out today with that same music they would be feted as the hippest new indie band on the scene. Their music hasn't aged, and equally guitar- orientated rock music is still in the thrall of bands from that era. Those classic Who records are still incredibly modern and current-sounding.

Can't believe he's 65. I remember when he had teenage girls screaming at him like it was yesterday.

I recently found an old recording I did before the lockdown ect with my Fender AVRI 74 Jazz with Thomastik flats on played through a V2 BDDI and a Diamond bass compressor and it sounds amazing. I had to double check it was me! I wish I could play like that now. I must have been feeling good that day. I've got a Sadowsky Jazz Bass and those basses have got a sound of their own that I really like, but they never seem to quite match the low-end heft of a good Fender.

John Shuker does a great job. At least you have the peace of mind knowing that it's a top repairman doing the work on what is a pretty pricey bass.

Thanks, but unfortunately that bass had to be returned due to a fault. The Sire I got subsequently is lighter so I didn't bother fitting replacement tuners.

That looks like the early '90's Chic reunion. Bernard was also using a Sadowsky by then. A man of impeccable taste.

Apropo of nothing, today I came across some footage from the early '90's of Bernard Edwards playing his Ferrari Red Spector NS2. Looked like a fairly early model with dot markers rather than the crown MOP inlays they come with now. It must be the bass he played on Addicted To Love by Robert Palmer. I know that bass went to John Taylor after Bernard died.

I will definitely look into that, thanks. The older Katana was actually my first choice but they were discontinued and sold out at that time. I'm now going to explore the relative merits of the NUX v the Boss. Choices, choices! The Katana does look and sound pretty nifty from what I've seen on YouTube so far.

Thanks so much everybody. Last I heard Boss had abruptly discontinued the Katana headphones amp. This must be a new version, I assume. My benchmark in terms of sound quality is my old Korg Pandora PX4. That sounded so good and was so useful, but is unfortunately now so knackered after years of heavy use. Probably the best money I have ever spent. Does the Boss have the facility to control the volume of the music you are playing along to like you can on the NUX? All I want is to be able to pick up my handy bass and have quick faff-free session playing along to backing tracks ect.

Can anyone tell me about the relative merits of these respective models? What practical advantages does the Pro version offer? Is it worth spending £25 more than the basic version? I want to buy a headphone amp for home noodling, playing along to YouTube ect and the Nux seems to be the only Bluetooth option. I'm not planning to use it for anything more ambitious than that. I'm not very tech-orientated, to put it mildly, so simplicity and less options might be a good thing in certain respects Any experience, advice or suggestions much appreciated.

Tony Levin playing a Steinberger. Collectors item!

I read an interview with Bryan Ferry where he was talking about the succession of bass players Roxy had during their classic era. He singled out John Wetton as being an extraordinary player, as well as Alan Spenner, who he said would still be in Roxy had he not died. He also really liked John Gustafson. Bryan also made a point of mentioning that Alan Spenner was a big fan of Marcus Miller's bass playing, and was pleased when Bryan hired him for Live Aid ect. I seem to remember there was a track on Bryan Ferry's solo album Olympia that had three bass players on. I think it was Flea, Mani and Marcus Miller. No skimping in the bass department for our Bryan !

I remember seeing Nile Rogers, might have been that same documentary, saying that seeing Roxy on British TV in costume with their female backing singers was what gave him the idea for how he would present Chic. There's some footage somewhere on. YouTube of Alan Spenner playing his Wal bass with Kokomo at the 1979 Gay Pride bash and they are knocking out a version of We Are Family by Sister Sledge. Alan can even be seen doing a bit of slapping at certain points. All with a lit fag hanging out of his mouth. Very cool.

When I listen to Alan Spenner on those late '70's /early '80's Roxy albums I can hear Bernard Edwards' influence in some of his playing. You can can tell he's definitely been listening to Bernard and other prominent bass players of that time and incorporated some of it into his own style. I'd love to know if he's using rounds or flats (or both) on his bass. It sounds more like flatwounds to me, but it could be very dead roundwounds. Whichever it is, the sound Spenner gets with his Wal bass on those records really punches through the mix and you could hear it clearly even on AM radio. In that respect he reminds me of John McVie with Fleetwood Mac during that era, who managed the same trick using an Alembic with flats on it.

A used Yamaha 1024/X isn't active but it's within your budget if you can find one and it sounds modern, not much like a Fender at all. It really does have the thickness of tone that the best active basses have, too. It will certainly challenge something like an SB1000 for that in-your-face upfront bass sound that was so popular at one time. I suppose nowadays when bass players refer to "modern" basses it's a bit complicated because what that mainly means is what used to be modern back in the old days, that being the late 1970's to the late 1990's. I've been getting into that sound again recently. It's long overdue a revival. In modern times ie post millennium traditional "retro"style basses and tones have dominated. Modern basses have been considered old-fashioned, if that makes sense.