Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Frank Blank

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5,302

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    425

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Frank Blank

    Acoustic bass

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Muzz said:

    I've just looked at these, as they look great for leaving around the place and noodling, but every demo I've seen they're fret-buzzing like mad... 😕

    Mine wasn’t too bad and improved post set up but still, if you dig in, it buzzed a bit.

    Bass Bashes

    in Events

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

    One little bass? Well I suppose that's one way of describing a Rob Allen ...

    Bwahahahahaha!!!

     

    Come on, it is little, compared with your whopper...

    • Haha 1

    Acoustic bass

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted · Edited by Frank Blank

    6 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

    Why amplification? Because an acoustic bass unamplified simply can't compete volume-wise with anything more than a single gently strummed acoustic guitar.

    Absolutely.

    Quote

    Why use something other than an acoustic bass? IME you need to spend a lot of money to get something that sounds even half as good as a cheap P-Bass copy with flats. On top of that there are all sorts of problems with handling noise and susceptibility to feedback. 

    Actually, this is true, cheaper acoustic basses will cut it at home but gigging wise I have struggled with some cheaper acoustic basses. The three I mentioned (Kingman, Taylor, Godin) all cut it live but several didn’t. I’m beginning to agree with you about the cheap P with flats but if you do have the funds there are great sounding acoustics out there.

    Acoustic bass

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    50 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

    For live use (even at an acoustic pub gig) you will need amplification, which in my view pretty much negates the point of having an acoustic bass in the first place. Unless image is paramount in this situation, you will be far better served in terms of sound and playability by almost any solid bass (preferably fretless) fitted with flats.

    I do almost exclusively small acoustic/folk club gigs and whilst I agree most of these situations will require amplification I nonetheless exclusively use acoustic basses, simply because no solid body bass gives the sound I need for the kind of music I play.

    • Like 1

    Acoustic bass

    in Bass Guitars

    Posted

    I’ve had quite a few acoustic basses but the best (in your price range) that I’ve had was the Fender Kingman. For just a bit over the top end of your budget a Godin A4 is excellent and sitting in the middle of your range is the Taylor GS Mini bass, it’s small but seriously, don’t discount it until you’ve tried one, it’s more fun than crack.

    Bass Bashes

    in Events

    Posted

    On 30/08/2018 at 18:28, Jabba_the_gut said:

    Just a quick note for anyone thinking about attending any of the Bass Bashes listed in this section - go!

    The Bass Bashes are informal get togethers of all things bass with people of all abilities with all types of gear. Don't be put off going if you think that they will be dominated by exceptionally talented folk continually slapping on boutique basses as that isn't the case (there will be boutique basses and a bit of slapping but there is more to the bashes). Folk turn up will all sorts of gear and its a great opportunity to try different kit and put faces to the names seen on here. I've met some great folks of all abilities at these and picked up lots of useful info. I've tried lots of basses I wouldn't normally get the opportunity to try and discovered I dislike some I've previously drooled over and really liked others I've dismissed!!

    For info, I don't play in a band, I'm not a particularly good bassist, I can't read music, I can't slap but I have a pretty decent amp and I make my own basses.

    If you're thinking about it, try to come along to one if you can. It's great that someone organises these and attendance will reward their efforts and ensure these events keep going.

    Hope to see you there!

    And there's usually cake too.....

     

    I totally agree with @Jabba_the_gut. This year’s SEBB was my first and, as a foul-mouthed anti social misanthropist, I was quite nervous of attending, not just because of my borderline personality disorders but also for exactly the reasons @Jabba_the_gut mentioned...

    ...if you think that they will be dominated by exceptionally talented folk continually slapping on boutique basses.

    I do play in a band but I’m not a very good player, I dont read music nor do I slap yet I was made to feel very welcome despite only having one little amp and one little bass. Everyone was really friendly and I was surprised just how many people were interested in my little bass! Seriously I arrived and sat in the car park watching folk unload their gear and I almost drove back home, what an idiot. I had a top time with some genuinely lovely folk and I had a chance to drool over many, many gorgeous basses. The most difficult part of the day was stopping myself chinning @Jabba_the_gut and runnng off with one a bass he’s built and that I’ve fallen in love with.

    If you are sweating it, don’t, just go, you’ll have a time.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1

    Who did you see live last?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    8 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

    Killing Joke at the Roundhouse on Saturday night.

    Sound was OK, if not brilliant, but KJ were on great form.  Possibly because it was the last night of the tour they stuck pretty much with the greatest hits setlist.

    This ‘greatest hits setlist’ is one of their problems imho, I just want to hear some variation.

    8 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

    Bass wise - Youth made a horribly mushy, indistinct sound from where we were sitting, messing up one clear solo bass part from the last album by using a wah that took away all the sharpness of the notes and added to the already present mushiness.  May have been a problem due to our location, but overall there was just a low bass noise rather than being able to tell what was being played.

    Exactly what I experienced bass wise at Norwich.

    8 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

    However, Big Paul was on it completely - great performance from him, and I noticed him correcting the timing where the rest of the band were all drifting off tempo during one of the earlier songs. Jaz got better as the night progressed too.

    Great to hear, one thing you can guarantee from KJ is Big Paul’s drumming. Perhaps I should have hung on in Norwich until Jaz got into his stride.

    8 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

    Not the best gig of theirs I've been to, but still a good night

    Glad you enjoyed it.

    Who did you see live last?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Frank Blank

    I walked into the venue about five mins before KJ took the stage so I’m afraid I missed Turbowolf. Well there were a few reasons for my harshness, mostly it was the dreadful, dreadful quality of the sound, just a muddy dirge, no clarity or articulation at all, you could barely discern notes on the bass. Geordie’s once magnificent guitar sound now sounds like a reedy goose fart, thin and watery. It felt like they were just going through the motions. They don’t rehearse for tours, haven’t for years and frankly it shows. Jaz’s voice was on the verge of disappearing, he was really struggling especially with higher notes, this is understandable after touring but along with all the rest it was just awful. I have longer standing issues with them live, same old underehearsed set of songs played with no passion. I’ve walked out of the last two gigs before this but yesterday was the last straw, I’ll not go again. 

    Interesting FRFR story..

    in Amps and Cabs

    Posted · Edited by Frank Blank
    Unspeakable

    If I needed any more convincing of the FRFR route...

    Just walked out of a Killing Joke gig at UEA Norwich (I lasted a song and a half), lacklustre performance, ‘orrible sound generally, but the bass! One of the muddiest, least articulate sounds I ever heard, just a low end hum and rumble with barely discernible notes. An unspecified lump rolling through a swamp. I’m sat in the car listening to Radio 4 and reading Basschat instead. All that amplification on stage and just a dirge our front.

×
×
  • Create New...