Balcro

How can you go wrong with an SR500, now slightly modified for 2010. Super 3 band eq. If you want a MM sound just boost the mids and flick the mid-frequency select switch (not fitted on the 2009 models). Go for it. Balcro.

[quote name='Faithless' post='740171' date='Feb 9 2010, 05:19 PM']So, I was shedding (practising) with metronome at the moment, when I remembered an after-gig situation, when very experienced keybordist, that I played with that night, came to me and drummer, and said: - "You know, (me, bassist), you [i]draw[/i], and you, mate (drummer), you [i]rush [/i]a hell lot",- He also added to me, that, "well, anyway, drawing is better than rushing.." Actually, it wasn't the first time, I was told I [i]draw[/i] - and I'm not talking about my timing, which is actually good, it's more about the [i]feel[/i], if it makes sense.. So, it got me thinking then - no one of us has a perfect[i] time-feel[/i], right, some of [i]draw[/i], some of [i]rush[/i], when playing. So, the big question - how do you think, if drawing is better than rushing, or vice versa? And, at the end, can one be [i]better [/i]than another..[/quote] I would interpret the drummer "rushing" as simply playing ahead of the beat. Perhaps he's trying too hard to drive the music on his own rather than letting the other musicians play their parts. "Drawing" could mean that he thinks you're being too expressive with your playing rather than simply hitting bass notes on the beat. A bit like you are hitting the note on the beat, but adding to the simple note by changes of volume, length or touch (trying to [i]draw[/i] a picture). That's why he thinks it's better than rushing. Balcro.

Yeah!! That's what it's all about. The Georgia Satellites. Whoo, Can't stand the pain. Balcro.

G' morning Linus27, Thanks for producing the sound samples and describing the method. I voted for No.1. I obviously prefer clean deep rounded sounds. If I had to pick a second choice it would be No.3 and for a little more edge, No.10. With fingerstyle flat mids and quarter of treble (upwards) you can hear the sound of the strings. I have the same strings, so I can pick out that "zizzy ting". The pick brings it even more into the sound. When you take out the mid & treble as in No.10 the "zizz" drops off until it's almost not there. Thanks, Balcro.

Hello Linus27. It's me again. I don't know whether it affects the overall result much - "Warwick with both pick-ups and tone on full still seems to be the winner", but the "Poll" description next to the vote buttons is still identical for both Warwick clips. Ped where are you? Balcro.

I agree. Beautifully balanced shape with curves in all the right place without added silly exaggerations just to make it like different. So light and easy to play. Balcro.

[quote name='ped' post='735568' date='Feb 4 2010, 10:07 PM']lulz Long day mate...[/quote] Hi Ped, I think your poll is faulty. The two Warwick selections are the same. Or is it me. ------------- Opinion - I like the Warwick with both pickups full. ESP surprisingly good - slightly drier than the Warwick full, but very close. Fender full is plummier. MM higher output and more mids than the others. Balcro

Pm'd. Balcro.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. Go blast away with Rancid, Zappa and Guns 'n Roses, they're the global punch bag you need to get the anger out. When you've had a session and you want to pause for breath, try an alternative that simply lets you say " yeah, nice notes, aah". Wind down. Look up "Super Session" by Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills on the internet. Just nice music with notes in the right place. Bass is by a guy called Harvey Brooks. The songs to try are "Really", "Albert's Shuffle" and "Stop". Best of luck. Balcro.

Likewise here with the compacted earwax. Went to se Mott the Hoople on October and popped in some foam plugs (according to instructions). Almost from the time I took them out, the left ear gave up. Three to 4 wks of Earex. 7 day wait for a doctor. Your ear is blocked! Yeah. Try olive oil. Didn't work. Wax removal was beneath him, so I had to wait another 14 days to see the nurse. Wow what a relief when it was done. Be ready for a surprise once it's done though. The recovery in hearing can be shocking and you'll probably rediscover all the highs you haven't heard for years. I have to cover the TV speaker when I'm using teletext. Every ping is just too hard & sharp to bear. Good luck. Balcro.

[quote name='leschirons' post='712259' date='Jan 14 2010, 09:18 AM']Was that in the Kings head in the old market place?[/quote] I think it was in Rush Green. Leave Romford going north. Cross the dual carriageway ( A12 ?) Keep going straight ahead for about 1 or 2 miles at the most. Came to a junction and turned left. Pub was on the left a little way along. Only ever went there once. Sorry that's all I can remember. Balcro. EDIT:- Correction. Having checked the map I now think it was Colliers Row, not Rush Green.

[quote name='chris_b' post='710803' date='Jan 13 2010, 12:39 AM']All Laklands are Pleked these days before they leave the factory. Isn't Plek just an aid to help you guys set up instruments?[/quote] Warwick too, I believe. Balcro

[quote name='Huwberry' post='710759' date='Jan 12 2010, 11:21 PM']I'd still classify that as a 'trick' of sorts though - it has no real musical application... right? Whatever. It's still ridiculously impressive![/quote] I guess so. No musical applicationat all. I couldn't have been standing 8' from him when he did it. Balcro.

[quote name='grimbeaver' post='710518' date='Jan 12 2010, 08:25 PM']Just for a laugh, does anyone know any cool bass tricks? I have seen a few on youtube of throwing the guitar over your shoulder and wizzing it round your body but never fancy smashing up a good bass if it goes tits up. I have seen and tried playing behind your head, and with teeth, all old hat though. Anyone know any really cool tricks, or tried any that have messed up.[/quote] I don't know if you could call it a trick, more of an amazing facility with a six-string acoustic. At a folk-club in the back of a pub near Romford, a guitarist played normally, then in mid-song, without missing a beat, flipped the guitar over and played it left-handed... and back & fore several times!! In those days he was known as "Shaggis". By 1977 or so he was better known as Davey Johnstone, Elton John's guitarist. Balcro.

[quote name='chantelle' post='708223' date='Jan 10 2010, 09:35 PM']i bought this from ebay ... thought it was an awesome deal! its the top one (mustard pearl) :) [url="http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=yamaha+rbx374"]http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trk...w=yamaha+rbx374[/url][/quote] Yep. It is an awesome deal. they used to be around £300! Enjoy. Balcro.

Err, no! Scratchplate courtesy of The Sky at Night & Patrick Moore. About as attractive as the average headlight on a modern car. Balcro.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='695408' date='Dec 29 2009, 09:57 AM']So, who do you think has got a great sound but you nevertheless don't like listening to them. For my part, I can't think of a single player.[/quote] [i]"by my reckoning, it is the sound of the bass in the context of the music being played that attracts us NOT the sound itself".[/i] - I think I must agree with that. I pick the overalll sound/song and then the bass sound follows on later. I have no reason to dislike listening to anyone, but I simply don't bother with the usual suspects - VW, SC etc. Not because I have anything against them, it's just that the paragraph above has kicked in. Despite their fretboard genius I don't like the musical context and their tone often seems to be thin & dry compared with what I like. I have a number of references for a likeable sound. 1. Only in the context of Cream: Jack Bruce playing "Crossroads", "Badge" etc,. Also admirable and aspirable playing as far as I'm concerned. Apart from that that I've never liked his sound much. 2. Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater. Lovely deep dry sound on "Fortunate Son". 3. Lonnie Turner with the Steve Miller Band. From the Greatest Hits- "Take the Money & Run". Rich, extra deep tone - almost certainly using Music Man bass No.02. What's the auction price of that ?!! 4. Again, a rich deep tone from an often forgotten album. The track - "Street Kids" on the Elton John album "Rock of the Westies". Bass by Kenny Passarelli. So overall I guess it's Jack Bruce. From the end of Cream ('69) I aspire to his talent but not his sound. I aspire to the deepest loudest rich tone. I think I'll have a long wait. Balcro.

[quote name='owen' post='693959' date='Dec 26 2009, 08:22 PM']Hi, I am looking for any articles about the above. TIA as usual.[/quote] I wouldn't expect papers on the subject to be free, but I suggest you start with the following sites:- www.ioa.org.uk www.isvr.soton.ac.uk/index.htm -- and or a search on "auditory fatigue from distortion". Good luck, Balcro.

The "GAK" price is right. Fancy transposing the numbers to get 429 on a bass that's probably at least 4 years old!! Balcro.

[quote name='OldGit' post='691875' date='Dec 22 2009, 09:36 PM']I've got a new reggae band possibly happening in the New Year so I'm looking for tracks to play that really work. We have the "floor fillers" thread for pop/rock etc [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=8685&view=findpost&p=90010"]here[/url] but I'm looking for the reggae ones. Complete sets for reggae bands would be good as well. Chuck in your ska top tracks too if you like though this project is decidedly more reggae than ska Thanks[/quote] "Return to Django" by the Upsettters. Oh, I'm old. Balcro.

[quote name='rip-da-cut' post='687124' date='Dec 17 2009, 10:51 AM']In what ways do some amps/cabinets colour sound? Do any particular bass guitars have a distinctive character? I'm trying to find/or explain a distinctive sound I keep hearing in a lot of old reggae/dub numbers, maybe you guys can help me out, the sound I hear could be described as almost "vowel" like, for example in this Dennis Brown number, the bass appears to me to have a slight "e" formant/characteristic. [url="http://dl2.musicwebtown.com/rip_the_cut_/playlists/283991/2983425.mp3"]http://dl2.musicwebtown.com/rip_the_cut_/p...991/2983425.mp3[/url] I'm wondering if maybe bass tones recorded through distinctive sounding amps could cause the sound to lean towards particular vowels, maybe one bass/amp combination might have a subtle "e" voicing, the next an "o" could this be possible? Are amps or bass guitars ever talked about in these kinds of terms such as formant characteristics?[/quote] I think "stevie's" right. That may have been a plain bass line at some time, but it sounds very processed to deliberately remove normal note definition. That way it matches the rest of the sounds. Balcro.

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='686223' date='Dec 16 2009, 12:26 PM']Cool, cheers Balcro. Yeah, I realised Warwick owned Framus, but I thought that they only made guitars nowadays...[/quote] A bit of self correction. I've seen a '96 Streamer LX that has the P/J configuration. Maybe it'a version of that. I can't seen any basses on the Framus web-site and their vintage-framus section is really vintage. Balcro

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='686068' date='Dec 16 2009, 09:17 AM']Looks nice, but no idea about it... Can anyone enlighten me? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Framus-Fretless-bass-guitar-MINT_W0QQitemZ190358218125QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2c523be58d#ht_500wt_1051"]Framus Fretless[/url][/quote] Framus are part of the Warwick group. The body and headstock look like pure Warwick copies, but I don't recall any recent Warwick stuff with P/J's. Try the web-site www.warwick.de for the e-mail contact. Balcro

[quote name='maxrossell' post='682941' date='Dec 13 2009, 12:48 PM']I know what you're saying. Unfortunately we're locked into using this space for various reasons that are frankly too boring to go into right now. Also, due to the nature of our arrangement with the space owners, any changes we make to the space are pretty much limited to hanging stuff on the walls and putting stuff on the floor. I wouldn't seek to attenuate all of the reflections - for instance I have a feeling that the ceilings, which are a series of brick arches, might actually help to provide room ambience in a far more random and therefore pleasing way. I think it's mainly that we need to break up the broad expanses of bare breezeblock that are currently reflecting the hell out of the drums and guitars. I think we might try experimenting with dampened risers for the bass and drums as well, just to get them off our rubbish floor.[/quote] I would try getting hold of some 8x4' sheets of 12 / 15mm fibreboard and rest them against the walls. If the building owner will allow, I would suggest you just use 1 screw for each at the top to prevent them falling forward. Place them so as to fill up the wall spaces between (and or overlay) the foam mats. Balcro.

It's a +1 with "Brave Sir Robin". + The Ibanez SRX 360. Balcro.