Frank Blank

12 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

 I assume 'Venn crossover' is a band, or is it two bands?

Venn Crossover, a short-lived offshoot from Grand Funk Railroad, Mel Schacher playing for both, sometimes simultaneously.

42 minutes ago, T-Bay said:

(and sanctuary is a GREAT song btw ;-) not good, great)

As I tend to bifurcate people into two groups over almost any topic or action, I.e. those who don’t look where they are going and those who get out of their way, people who enjoy football and those who don’t, glass half full/empty people etc. There are also two groups with no Venn crossover, those who like The Cult and those who like Killing Joke, I’m afraid I’m in the latter group,so I can, grudgingly, only go as far as ‘good’ when it comes to SSS.

Just now, Muzz said:

Oh, yeah - possibly because I like a ring to a bass, so I buy the ones which ring and sustain, tho only the very terrible ones didn't. I did own a 78 Jazz once which had all the sustain of a cowpat hitting a wall, but it was horrible in many other ways. Apart from the monetary appreciation...

I think this is it, sustain seems to be a general indication of the overall quality of the bass.

12 hours ago, Cato said:

I just did a quick test and was able to sustain a note at the 12th fret of the G for 20 seconds with vibrato before I got bored.

OK it's not technically pure 'one pluck and let ring' sutain but surely that's enough for any scenario?

It would certainly be enough for me.

12 hours ago, fleabag said:

There are scenarios for both muting and sustain, depending on the track, shirley ?

Very true, it's more why sustain appears to be one of the characteristics sought after by bass players when selecting a bass that I'm trying to get at?

12 hours ago, T-Bay said:

I might be missing something with what you are asking but as sustain is a measure of the length of time a note sounds for, so why wouldn’t you want a better sustain characteristic? There are way too many songs to list, but to pick one - she sells sanctuary by The Cult, the bass starts with two ringing A notes so without sustain it would sound terrible. You can always mute a note if you want it to sound for less time.

She Sells Sanctuary - great song btw, well, not great, good.

I realise it is the length of time a note sounds for, what I'm trying to ascertain is (which is not adequately, or possibly at all) addressed in my initial post is why sustain appears to be one of the characteristics sought after by bass players when selecting a bass?

As an offshoot from this post, can anyone explain to me why a bass player would desire their bass, or perhaps more accurately the material their bass is made from, to have ‘sustain’? In my many years of bass playing it is not a quality I have sought from a bass nor heard in music to my knowledge. Again, am I missing out on something or am I simply a philistine with no nuance to my hearing? Could someone point out a bass line or piece of music where the bass is employing sustain? I discussed this briefly on Saturday with the chap who works on my guitars and he was as baffled by the concept as me.

*NOW SOLD*

Price drop - Fender Aerodyne, mint condition, unplayed £500

Here are the circumstances. This bass was bought on 17th November 2017. It went straight from the Fender carton into a gig bag and on the 18th Nov. it was taken to Guitar Technical Services for a Pro Set Up. As GTS had a backlog the work was not finished until just prior to Xmas when I was unable to pick it up (full documentation of set up with pics). I picked it up today.

The reason for the sale is that just a week after the purchase, on the 25th November to be precise, I had my short scale bass revelation and realised that short scale is the way to go, I haven't played any of my standard scale basses since. So yes, I am taking a huge hit on this one but such is the search for our ideal instruments!

I am selling a lot of my gear to completely change to short scale. Chowny make beautiful ss basses, I’m going for a fretted SWB Pro and a fretless SWB-1.

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

I've been playing bass for 45 years, and quite honestly, have never played anything that fits me any better than my small collection of fairly recent US Standard Precisions. Having them set up professionally rather than doing it myself was a bit of an eye opener, though.

I’m not far behind at 36 years playing. After years of attempting to have my basses set up by inexperienced bass techs who talked the talk without the requisite walk or staff in music shops who weren’t much better, I finally found Guitar Technical Services and after my first bass was set up there I realised not only that I had never had a guitar or bass set up correctly by anyone before but also that I had never even played a correctly set up bass. Eye opener indeed.

Just now, Woodinblack said:

I am separating 'a better instrument' from 'mostly sound the same'. They do sound mostly the same but some are a delight to play and some are horrible, while still sounding the same.

And no, the hand assembly makes the instrument less consistent, so some will be miles better, some will be miles worse and most will be in the middle. But as I said, once you lose / break / burn the miles worse, the average moves up.

I agree. I suppose the modern construction techniques even the basses out into a plateau of quality whereas the hand assembly, as you say, turns out dogs, middle ground and gems. Do you really think that the lesser or middling ones really get destroyed or do they make it through history in the hands of less discering players until they are past the line and become vintage and valuable regardless of tone and playability?

Just now, Quatschmacher said:

The one in this story turned out to be a very good fake (as determined by an auctioneer from Christie’s after its owner took it there).

I wondered why I could only find the one story about it online. Excellent, thanks for letting us know. Whether or not that info was a relief or not to him remains a mystery I suppose. 

4 minutes ago, josie said:

Once when I took my Aerodyne out to my local om night, an older gentleman came up to me after a while and said admiringly "You know, from across the room that looks like a real Fender." I smiled and said "It is". His mouth literally fell open and he almost pushed his nose into the headstock to be sure he was reading the logo correctly. After a pause he said in a tone of almost religious reverence "I never thought I'd see one of those in my local pub".

Ha ha, that's so cool. Oddly I've just bought an Aerodyne, just a week before I realised I should be playing short scale, that will be the quickest I've ever bought and then sold on a bass. They are beautiful basses though.

1 minute ago, ambient said:

There are a great many instruments that I just look at and think, no. All the time I was playing it I would be conscious of the fact that I didn't like the instrument.

Me too, I think the vast majority of players would agree (even some who wouldn't admit it) that aesthetics come first. I would also be very conscious of the fact that I was playing a bass I disliked the look of.

9 minutes ago, GuyR said:

I am fortunate enough that I have access to that expertise free of charge, but, bearing in mind a set up costs about £40, checking over a vintage bass might be expected to take a similar time. Even if it cost £100, a good investment. 

7 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

I agree. Specially at the more eye watering end of the price scale!

I totally agree.

Just now, Bridgehouse said:

Get yourself off to Bass Direct and go play one

Or, as another thought - how about a vintage Mustang bass? (Trying to stay on topic!) A 66 sold on here for under a grand just a few days ago

I am heading up to Warwick on Saturday to take up a new bass for set up and pick up one that's just been done. I was thinking of dropping in there to do just that.

Oddly there is something about those Jaguars that leaves me cold, purely a look thing.

1 minute ago, Bridgehouse said:

Ha! And I think the Chowny is the best option - don't listen to the Ric naysayers

Man, I'm pretty sold on the Chowny SWB Pro, the looks alone slay me.

3 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Depending on where it's located, I'm sure some of us vintage owners/collectors would come and look with you as well. I know I would. I may not know everything, but I've learned the obvious stuff to look for

That's a lovely offer, thank you. *faith in Internet restored*

Just now, Bridgehouse said:

Do you mean the forum? If so, I'm the same username over there

In that case we are, you were offering me short scale bass recommendations.

1 minute ago, Bridgehouse said:

No, but I'll give you one for free

A good friend of mine - Feline Guitars based in Croydon. Jon really knows his stuff and he is an absolute expert and a gent. He makes the most beautiful guitars and basses, and he services a lot of guitars played by some of the worlds best - he's seen his fair share of proper authentic vintages owned by guitar heroes and expert musicians alike and he would be a good starting point..

Brilliant, thank you, just in case I ever drag myself away from modern, somewhere near 1k basses that I now usually go for.

2 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

I will give you two answers to that. Yes, and no.

Yes - with a very real example. The fingerboard edges on my 64 are rolled due to years and years of play. Even when done with a tool it's not the same. It feels played in - and played in over many years.

And no - I'm sure some of the feel is because I've bonded with it so much.

That makes perfect sense. Are we also discussing things on Fretboard..?

6 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

You can. Having said that, there's only a couple I would trust..

You live, you learn. Do such people lurk on Basschat?

5 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

True. Which was what attracted me to a vintage bass in the first place, having owned a few vintage guitars..

My only controversial thought on vintage basses is thus: Whether it's the material, the ageing or whatever, once you find one that you really like, I think they do feel different to a more modern instrument. 

I think that feel that you mention is a very natural symbiosis that occurs once you find an instrument you truly like. Do you think part of that symbiosis may be because the instrument is vintage rather than the instrument itself having any inherent superior properties over something modern?

11 minutes ago, GuyR said:

It is worth paying a reputable expert for an in-person report. Photos are not enough, in my opinion. Mistakes are v expensive!!

You can do such a thing? Sorry, not 'you', 'one'.

4 minutes ago, GuyR said:

Once you are confident of what the instrument is, in terms of originality and, therefore, ability to recoup the thick end of your financial outlay, it only remains; does the instrument inspire you to buy it?

This is true. I think I would seek advice on here if I were to make such a purchase.