faceman

Right guys...I've got a gig next week where I'm doing a jazz set, an excellent first for me. Besides slapping some flatwounds on my 4003, I've been practising like hell. We are doing Watermelon Man, Moondance, Autumn Leaves and a few others to be decided. The quartet have also we are doing So What, which is posing a challenge. I asked the pianist about what to play but he said he couldn't explain it as his theory of jazz isn't good enough. I've followed a transcription of [url="http://www.bassmasta.net/d/davis,_miles/102723.html"]http://www.bassmasta.net/d/davis,_miles/102723.html[/url] for the main riff, which seems to be fine for the introduction and free form section. He said I [b]could not [/b]do anything on a blues scale as it would just sound wrong.

So can someone with a knowledge a theory, modes and modal jazz give me a brief explanation of how I can play this and improvise where needed...I'm not looking for anything amazing, just how I can do the introduction and some walking in the right places. I've got a bit of an idea about modes but not enough

Thanks

I don't have any at the moment, I can try and record some tomorrow if the need is willing. This isn't very good but here is the fellow from Franz doing their thing with his 3001 through an Ampeg stack.



Thanks for everything so far, still for sale though. No trades though as cash is needed

Bump with a price drop. Had plenty of interest but nothing confirmed. This is a very rare beast and a beautiful example of a 30+ year old Rickenbacker

[quote name='Musicman20' post='873134' date='Jun 20 2010, 11:29 PM']Id keep it as it is. Down the line you might regret it. Keep it fretted and save for a second hand or new fretless Stingray/Sterling/Big Al/Bongo...they would be my choice in fretless, or a Tony Franklin Fretless P.[/quote]

This is true, I'm just concerned that defretting will destroy the neck and the value. If i got a 4003FL, could always be swapped in the future for a 4003 again. It's just I can't see it getting much playing at the moment so just thinking of getting something useful

I've been thinking about doing something with my Rickenbacker 4003 Blueburst. Ever since I have my StingRay, I've never had the need to play it live really. I don't want to ever sell it because it was a present from a family member but at the moment, it's not a massive amount of use. The StingRay is much nicer at finger style and the pick tone is almost as good. For the amount of songs I play pick it's not worth it. My interest in Jazz and Jazz Fusion is picking up momentum with each day so I'm really tempted for a fretless.

At the moment I've been looking at the Squier Vintage Modifed Fretless and the Ibanez Musician for sale here. I played the Squier in a shop and loved the feel but know that I would probably outgrow it in a year or two. The Ibanez is £400 but I've heard it can't get a good growl, something which would defiantly be nice.

There is a third option - could I get the 4003 de-fretted? I wouldn't want to risk it myself but somewhere like the Gallery can do it for £90. Would this be done easily and would there be any complications as it is a Rickenbacker?

I was listening to Chris Brubeck (son of Dave) who plays some excellent fretless Jazz on a Rickenbacker - see this for an example


Or attempting to find a 4003FL for ridiculous money (such as £1,950 here [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-Rickenbacker-4003-Fretless-Bass-Guitar-BLUE-BURST-/220618418763?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item335de1ea4b#ht_2306wt_1053&#33%3b%29"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-Rickenbacker-40...06wt_1053!)[/url]

Thoughts as usual gang?

[quote name='BassBus' post='872046' date='Jun 19 2010, 07:33 PM']Well I'm Biased but what about a Status. The phenolic fingerboard can give a different sound. The link below gives you an idea of what it can sound like. This tune was all played on my Status S2 fretless.

[url="http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/2712082"]Maple Leaf Angel[/url][/quote]

Must. Not. Buy. Fretless. This is such a beautiful tune mate

I recognise that riff from somewhere Gareth, I need to write up a huge post now that the show is over.

Best of luck with the sale, I really would love this bass as it is everything one would want from a fretless!

Price drop and a weekend bump

Hey mate, nope it's long scale for sure Morning bump here, had a few trade offers but nothing cash just yet!

Hey mate, nope it's long scale for sure Morning bump here, had a few trade offers but nothing cash just yet!

Yes this looks fantastic! Price mate?

Overall Volume, Bass and Tone.

Usually I run it with the bass on full and the tone back a little to get a 'massive' sound

New morning bump

Thanks guys, the photos reminded me what a beauty it is! I always get confused with the 3000 and 3001 Clarky, I'm guessing the neck/body size are the only difference. Either way, it's a cracking rock bass, even better with a pick.

With my 4003 and StingRay I get all the tones I want so it's not really needed at the moment. So yeah, any questions let me know!

Here are the photos from when I purchased the bass in August 2009. If anyone needs newer photos please ask but the bass has not changed at all since then.

Sorry - photos will be up later today. Camera won't connect to computer for some reason!

So, it's time to get me back down to two basses so it's time to sell something vintage. I could really do with a new laptop so not really up for trades on this one fellas, just a sale. This is my all original 1977 Rickenbacker 3001 bass for sale and my word what a bass! This was imported especially from Chicago's Vintage Guitars last year when I saw how beautiful it was.

If you think 4001 with some extra low end balls then you are there. It's got a single humbucker in the sweet spot with tone and volume controls. Check out the dude from Franz Ferdinand, early Blondie and Mani to see this thing in action. It's such a cool bass with an excellent 70s vibe. The neck is very much like P, big and very movable. Also comes original hardcase too, which although being very heavy is also in good condition. The bass itself has a bit of wear on the body but apart from that, it's totally tip top condition.

So I'm looking for around [b]£645[/b] for this baby. I've done some research and recently they have sold from somewhere between £450 and £900 so I think this is a fair price. I paid around £800 when I shipped in from the USA which was a little much but it was worth it. Am willing to ship to mainland UK as well, although it would probably be an injustice to send this around incase it gets broken

Any questions, comments, just let me know

This video has to be one of my favourite pieces of music ever and has some fantastic bass work from Marcus Miller. This is a live version from the excellent Night Music



The actual music begins around 2:20. It looks and sounds like an active fretless Fodera bass, favoured to the bridge pickup, would I be right? If not, any thoughts?

Any thoughts on how to get a similar fretless tone on something a little cheaper?

[quote name='Doddy' post='863083' date='Jun 10 2010, 11:21 AM']Glad it's working out well for you.

Getting the shows in the 'real world' is the same as any other gig. Get recommended by
someone that's already doing them,do a good job,get asked back. I started of by depping
one night of 'Little Shop of Horrors' for my old teacher. The MD liked what I did and
offered me more work,so it all went from there.

It's great that you want to persue some more of this work-it's great fun. Be aware though,
that there won't be anywhere near the amount of rehearsal time that you've had for this
one. Pretty much every am-dram I've done has had just a band call on the Sunday where you
first see the charts,tech run and dress rehearsal on Monday,doors open on Tuesday.[/quote]

Fun times, now that really seems like a challenge! I think its all practise and I'm sure once you get on with it that you could go straight into it, knowing the tunes is a massive help

From my initial uncertainties I'm so glad it's all come together. Off to the cast and band rehearsal now!

Thanks S.P. and Gareth. West Side Story, now that sounds like a challenge I'm just running through my score privately to sort out a few niggly areas.

This has actually become so enjoyable I defiantly want to keep doing this when I leave university. Would be great for amateur stuff probably, how does one find these things in the real world?

So since the last time I posted it has all picked up at a furious rate! From Friday-Monday, we put in 21 hours of practising to get through the first and second halves on a day each. The first half is defiantly longer and harder, while the second is mostly acoustic stuff and reprises of the first half. There are a few areas of tunes that I need to look over but on the whole, I'm there! A mixture of hours of learning and dodging in rehearsals have got me through. Tonight we've had a run through of the second half as a band with the cast and it's defiantly sound awesome. I had to do four songs I've never played before and managed to get them without failing or any stops from the MD, all by sight reading! I'm amazed as I can now read most tunes, it's just those quick runs that get me out, so I often just do something of my own.

Massive thanks has to go to Gareth Hughes for his help with Santa Fe. I managed to adapt his finger positioning to something I could actually do and can now play the riff in time with the bongos. I sent him how I was playing it and he pointed out some small changes that have helped me nail it. It's just the movements up to D, then down to A, then up to D, then E, then A, G, F* and on and on.....great fun It's also been announced that we are (just very possibly) going to perform Seasons of Love with the entire cast at a music festival in Durham. My band happens to be playing with my keyboardist so half of the pit band's gear is on stage so this could be excellent fun. It's more working out do we have enough microphones or not?! There's two soloists that defiantly need them!

Tomorrow is the first full run through with the cast. Just a reminder from a mate that tomorrow is Thursday and the show opens Tuesday, fun times! This week we're running it as many as times as possible with the band on Friday and a tech run through on Sunday, dress rehearsal on Monday and maybe a run through Tuesday again. Apparently, this is normal in musical theatre (or at least student productions).

Now that I've moved on from the shitting myself oh-my-god-I-can't-play-I'm-going-to-get-kicked-out phase, I'm loving it. The show has some great lines that have improved my playing and some beautiful eight part harmonies. And for giggles, here's cheeky me in posed-concentration mode at tonight's run through...

1. I just listened to a recording of Epiptah on NPR, what a piece of music, Something like 4,230 bars!

2. It was composed by Charles Mingus in 1966

Yep sorry mate it's sold! Went to Kevin a few days ago and it's all been paid for so best of luck elsewhere!

My jazzy trio are giving Jamie Cullum's Frontin' cover a go and I was wondering if anyone had played it and had some chords, bass transcriptions of sorts? I'm going to give it a go by ear in a bit

You can find a live version here - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyHyR5wopy4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyHyR5wopy4[/url]. It sort of feels that it is just a chord progression with the bassist improvising over it?

I love the tone I get with my Little Mark II and Ampeg 15" cab. It's got a deep thick low end but it's not mushy at all and cuts through well. With my Rickenbacker, I play with a little mid boost and a touch bass and leave the rest flat and it's a fantastic rock tone with both pickups on. Cutting to the bridge gives a Jazz-esque growl and the neck gives a smooth double-bass-ish tone.

Yet to play the StingRay for a gig but I suspect a little mid-boost as I like to get that presence. My amplification seems to make anything sound good!

I have literally just sold mine of these for £550! Not sure I'd pay that much but it's a very nice Jazz bass