thebassist

1 hour ago, ambient said:

Like I said in a later posting, five of the number being advertised are by two sellers.

Not all music, or all players require the use of a six string instrument; I think most players would actually get away with a three string bass and just four frets. I think Tony Levin had a three string Stingray built for him?

I mostly play solo, and I tend to use a lot of chords, so for me the high C string is really a necessity, as is having 24 frets. It all depends on what you do. I remember one of tutors at uni kept asking if I wanted him to remove one of my strings. He was d**k though, his thing was playing like Victor Wooten, totally different to my thing.

...I wonder if I'd be able to guess who that tutor is...

1 minute ago, Cato said:

Playing a six requires really good technique.

I play fours with my thumb over the top edge of neck and I use that thumb to mute the lower 2 strings when required.

You can't really get away with that on a five, let alone a six. Because of the width of the neck it really needs the classical thumb-on-the-centre-of-back-of-neck fretting hand position. Muting strings to stop sympathetic resonance is more difficult.

It won't stop me getting one at some point, but I know it's going to be a bit of a challenge.

I went from a 4-string to a 6-string after a lot of research, back and forth, worry about the additional strings, etc., etc. and many conversations with @ambient.

This was 2015/16 and now I'm down to just one bass - a 6-string. Ultimately it's been fine. You just adapt and get used to it.

Never say never but I can't see myself moving away from a 6-string now.

The Serek basses get incredible feedback don't they.

And I've fancied an Elrick for quite sometime myself too.

Which do you prefer so far?

On 19/05/2019 at 12:16, jezzaboy said:

There is a guy round my way that every time I put a bass up for sale on Gumtree he will give you a lowball offer. If you are asking £300 he will say something like "I know you are looking for £300 but I have £150 and can come over and collect the bass today." 

After 2 or 3 of these offers, I sent him back a mail congratulating him on giving a stupid offer on every bass I have put up for sale. Haven`t heard back from him since.

When people like this contact me, I respond with something like "To you, £400." - I acknowledge it's childish but it makes me feel a little bit better that I've at least been able to waste some of their time.

In return for a 2014 custom Fodera 6 Elite 6-string I had, some clown here offered me the pick of 3 basses from a selection of 4 he had - 2 US Standard Precision basses, 1 US Standard Jazz and a G&L L-2000.

I think a lot of chancers think you're super desperate to sell/trade or they think you're actually really dumb.

Played at Servant Jazz Quarters in London last night with the wonderful talents of @Steve Lawson and Tom Herbert. It was a really great evening of goodwill with fantastic music spent with the nicest people at a fantastic venue.

On 01/04/2019 at 17:23, Basinski said:

This will be a brilliant night.

I think so too. Thanks a lot.

On ‎08‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 15:25, Master blaster said:

The tech dealt with the distributor. It was just an instant “you gotta replace the board”. Its such a waste.

I have the tone hammer pedal, which is lucky as I’m now having to rely on it with IEMs. I like the suggestion of a clean power amp. I think it’s that or something that’s not class D. It’s disappinting, I had a GK 700rbII for 8 years before this. Gigging just as much as I do now, and used a lot more for home practice. It was cheaper then the th500. But it never went wrong. Thanks for suggesting the ashdown. I very rarely drive the amp with gain and distortion. Will be interesting to try one. 

Yes, Barnes & Mullins - I've dealt with them myself and they're a waste of space frankly.

16 hours ago, Greg Fane said:

Do they have covers?

No. And I only have one left now FYI.

On 28/03/2019 at 08:38, binky_bass said:

I spoke to the shop about this one a while back... They said seller is the builder and even with it being second hand the builder reckons £7000 is reasonable... madness! They tried to say it's worth the price because the body is made from an old bar top! 😂 

So a free piece of discarded wood means 7k? There's barely anything out there in the custom bass world that costs more that 7k new, I just can't fathom the logic behind the price. 

This will simply never sell... it wouldn't sell at half the price either! Some people are dreamers.

A 6-string Rickenbacker rip-off for £7000! Incredible. I reckon they'd be amazingly fortunate to get anywhere close to £1000 for that thing.

Servant Jazz Quarters address is 10a Bradbury Street, London, N16 8JN.

SJQ are within two minutes walk of Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction Overground stations.

The following buses stop nearby: 30, 38, 56, 67, 76, 149, 236, 242, 277, N38, N76.

I've just moved on my Aguilar equipment. I have one SL112 left to shift now.

I played using two SL112s powered by two TH350 heads. I thought they were okay at the time but the new stuff I have is far better in my opinion.

While the SL112s are very, very lightweight, it comes at too much of a cost in my opinion.

The weight/sound ratio is perfect on my new Trickfish TF112 cabs.

4 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

Because I really know the value of money.

This might help.

https://www.thebalance.com/value-of-money-3306108

10 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

As a subscriber, I was supposed to have access to all SBL content : THAT is the problem, because since a few months Scott started extra paying lessons, courses, masterclasses, ... even for regular members. As I wrote, I don't give a sh*t about money and hate it : my wife owns everything including the house and I'm paying for all. But if I pay for something, I want to have it (for my wife or sometimes myself) : is it so hard to understand ?

I know Scott isn't insane and that he loves his wife too (the 50% share is a proof), but he's making promises to the subscribers he doesn't keep.

That's what's been hurting me.

I think you should start Hellzero's Bass Lessons.

When I commission a new build, I'm happy to accept the risk that comes along with it. I think of getting a build wrong and selling it on at a loss as what it would have cost me to have rented the instrument.

I actually have a new build due for completion in June and I've only changed two elements from the bass I have currently. I feel like I can finally say that I'm 99% certain I've gotten the specifications right.

23 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

I seem to have a history of being too opinionated and probably missing out as a result. But am I reasonable or a pain in the neck?

Recently auditioned for a Commitments type group. Learned five songs, all uptempo stuff. The drummer was about 19 and, at my audition, tore into everything at a rate of knots. I commented on this, and also asked if we could do a ballad (My Girl) as a contrast. They played that too fast, too... I didn’t comment, but knew my goose was cooked. 

More recently auditioned for a 70s Fleetwood Mac tribute. The volume at the first rehearsal was way too loud, so I commented straight away and got black looks. They did turn down though. The second rehearsal I said nothing but could actually not hear myself at all!

I sent an email to the leader putting forward my concerns, and that the drummer and guitarist, both heavy rockers, could do with throttling back  and getting under the skin of the music rather than bashing it out with no regard for dynamics. The reply was similar to the one Lindsey Buckingham got a year ago... Go your own way!

Finally, for now, on Saturday I quit my regular gigging club band after 18 months of biting my tongue and accepting plenty of lucrative gigs in exchange for not rocking the boat. Sum total of my contribution - two new songs in an otherwise unchanged repertoire. 

Maybe I should just go solo... 😉

I don't think anything you've written here is unreasonable but I'd probably have waited until another rehearsal or two before speaking up myself. It's a tricky one though.

And was the regular gigging club band originals or covers?

Electronics

• Middle Pickup: Custom Shop '60s Split Single-Coil Precision Bass
• Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
• Pickup Switching: None
• Pickup Configuration: Split Single-Coil

34 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

That's them out the game then. The 4 string may survive... but modern amp manufacturers trying to branch into basses? (I state Modern because I know somebody is going to mention the F word.

Remember that Italian company that tried to branch into PA...? I can't remember their name... but they had little yellow speakers that looked like owl's eyes... Not doing so hot right now...?

At this price point I think you’re absolutely right. These look like they should be at the £300-£500 mark to me. Thinking about it... even then I wouldn’t buy one.

It'd be really great to see some of the Basschat community at this event.

3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I'm really keen to start playing again, so I recently signed up for this:

https://abbey-road-music.com/abbey-road-army-registration/

The details have just come though and it looks like enough people have signed up to form five 'bands', including a good number of returners from the previous one (which has to be a good sign!)

There will be a first meeting this month to divvy us up (a bit like the Sorting Hat?) There will be seven rehearsals starting in April and a seven-hour several  bands gig on 19 May.

I'm pretty much the target demographic (50's , haven't played in a band for decades, vaguely competent rather than talented...) and it's a lot cheaper than buying a Lamborghini.

Now I know the timetable all the questions start coming... Who will I be  playing with? What if the music they want is crap or needs a Billy Sheehan/Pino Palladino? What if I suggest a song then find out I can't play it &^£^%$*^!!!!!

Big worry is I know it takes me an hour to settle down my nerves when playing with new folks so at first I will come across as complete crap!

I know the aim (and what I want) is just to enjoy the crack and make some music but what if they all go off note-perfect first time like the Commmitments playing Mustang Sally....

Has anyone on BC done something similar?

All the backline is supplied for practice and performance; for some reason taht's making me worry even more about choosing which bass to play. I suppose I should take the one I find easist first time,but it's tempting to think 'which one will sound best' or worse 'which one will give me the most cred'.

Crikey this is worse than worrying about my first band audition over 30 years ago (which was a miserable disaster - I spent weeks trying to learn all the songs on a tape, then they didn't want to play any of them).

Sounds exciting mate and try not to worry - the way I think of things nowadays is that in 100 years I won't be about anymore so sod it - go out and have fun.

I play stereo bass in a bass/drums duo too - I use stereo mainly for ping-pong delay - it’s a lot of fun.

Hmmmm that is tasty.

In A Silent Way by Miles Davis. It's such a nice chill out record.

Steve Lawson playing Servant Jazz Quarters, London 18 April with support from Tom Herbert (double bass/effects) and Minus Pilots (electric bass/drums)

Facebook event page - https://www.facebook.com/events/274739173195153/

Tickets - https://store.championversion.com/merch/ticket-to-steve-lawson-x-tom-herbert-x-minus-pilots-18-april-2019

Steve Lawson - Beat-infused electronica, post-rock, ambient-jazz, solo bass, Steve Lawson is the UK’s most celebrated solo bassist. Steve spends a lot of his time making ambient atmospheres and emotive sounds with hip-hop tendancies making the eventual hybrid of jazz, electronica and ambient.

Tom Herbert - A bass player in Mercury Music Prize nominated bands The Invisible and Polar Bear, as well as vocal/double bass duo Moats & Thrones. He was also was a founding member of the British jazz-punk band Acoustic Ladyland. Tom is also currently on the teaching staff at The Royal Academy of Music.

Minus Pilots - percussionist Matt Pittori and bassist Adam Barringer. Touching the realms of modern classical, cinematic, post-rock, ambient and post-jazz, they weave sparse textures, crumbling atmospheres and fractured drones. Minus Pilots have performed in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, London, Milan, New York and Paris.

My Fodera Emperor 6 Elite and pedal chain.