Cato

I like Vic. I got into him through the Flecktones, but I also like some of his solo work, though generally not the more acrobatic stuff. This is by far his best solo piece. http://youtube.com/watch?v=IgtZIK-M0_8

I had a look at the guitar pickups a few years ago after hearing positive things, but got put off by the ridiculously 'metal' names for everything. Not sure whether they were being ironic, but I came away from the web site thinking they should do the Spinal Tap endorsement.

I got through a few when I first started around 25 years ago. I used to have a very aggressive pick style. About a year in I switched to a much gentler finger style and I've only had one string break on me since then, about 10 years ago an E string broke at the nut whilst the bass was propped up against the wall, not being played.

Turn up to the gig with a BC Rich Warlock, when they complain that it doesn't fit the image tell them that you happen to have a spare P bass in the car. They'll be delighted. As others have said, short of a double bass anything you play will need to be plugged in if they want the bass to be heard, so it seems a bit daft for them to be worrying about aesthetics.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1470772618' post='3108391'] Oh yes, she is in the charts as a guest vocalist for another artist at the moment I think too. She can belt it out and get the crowd going! [/quote] It's this one, it's a cracking tune. http://youtube.com/watch?v=B9BLMNn0PrQ

My brother in law got a bass for his 40th, when he asked me for tips I told him to start off by working out the lines and playing along to his favourite bands. His favourite band happens to be U2, so he's s been having a great time playing those simple-but-perfect-for-the-song Clayton lines. Lucky for me that his favourite band isn't Weather Report or I wouldn't be making it look quite so quick and effortless on the couple of occasions he's asked me to show him how something goes.

I really enjoyed it, cheers for posting. That's just the sort of cheese I've started to really enjoy listening to in the last couple of years. Unrelated but in a sort of similar vein, my latest discovery has been Bobbi Humphrey, jazz/funk flautist extraordinaire.

I was planning on changing my strings every two to three months this year, just to try out a few different makes. I put a set of hi beams on my favourite bass in February and they still sound so good that I have no intention of changing them again before they die.

[quote name='wishface' timestamp='1469198112' post='3096568'] What is MIM? [/quote] Made in Mexico. Broadly speaking top end Fenders are made in the USA. After that it gets a bit fuzzy. Made in Japan Fenders are highly rated, as are some Made in Mexico's (by some people). Then you have the Squier range made in Indonesia or China or possibly somewhere else in the Far East if they've moved production again when I wasn't looking. Some of the more expensive Squiers are as good if not better in some respects than the bottom end of the Mexican range.

Half these things are misreported, the classic example being the kids who were supposedly issued with safety gear whilst playing conkers. The other half started out like 'baa baa green sheep' which began a few decades ago as a joke based on the drive for trying not to use potentially offensive discriminatory terms in public institutions (back when racially offensive terms were frequently used by police and politicians as well as on prime time TV sitcoms) but somehow became so deeply ingrained in the national consciousness that there are now generations who think it really is illegal to teach kids 'baa baa black sheep' and nurseries and schools that do indeed insert a non skin tone colour in the rhyme to avoid causing imaginary offence.

Personally I think 24 frets makes more sense, giving you a full two octaves. Having said that I'm currently mainly playing a 20 fret jazz at the moment with no major issues, although I do find I miss the 21st fret more than I thought I would. I do more little runs and fills up the dusty end using that E than I realised. Edit: There no point in comparing tonal variations between my 24 fret and 20 fret basses because one of them is a carbon graphite neck through active headless Status the other is a bolt on passive Jazz - there's a lot more differences going on between them than the number of frets.

Try Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. http://youtube.com/watch?v=w9XDUBDMNuk

[quote name='Westenra' timestamp='1467928113' post='3087460'] ^ the squier HB jaguar didn't get that favourable reviews if I recall correctly. [/quote] That's a shame. I really like the look of them, although, as others have said, they're crying out for a seafoam green or sonic blue model.

There's a new (at least I've only just noticed it) Squier version on the Fender website with a single humbucker at the bridge and active electronics which looks interesting.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1467912789' post='3087292'] Never listen to the radio & never watch music programmes on the TV. There are loads of bands & artists people mention on here that I've never heard anything by. [/quote] I'm almost envious, through absolutely no proactive effort on my part I've managed to hear her last three singles so many times that I never want to hear them again.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1467911694' post='3087281'] I've never heard anything by Adele. [/quote] Do you never listen to music stations on the radio? She's very difficult to avoid.

For me he's one of those niche speciality players. Whilst I admire his skills and inventiveness it's not something I've ever felt the desire to incorporate into my own playing and I can't really see how it would ever fit into any band situation I've ever been in.

Just got back from watching Kamasi Washington and the Next Step at Birmingham Institute. Really can't remember the last time I enjoyed a gig that much but I suspect I was a teenager. I got soaked on the way to the venue, there was about 10 minutes worth of drum duet/solo between the two drummers and I missed the last train home and had to pay £50 for a taxi and it was still one of the best gigs I've ever seen.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1467055213' post='3080878'] This is what they should be selling then surely?! [/quote] I'm wondering is this might be a job for Maruszczyk.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1466943841' post='3079858'] Switched it on to catch a few minutes of Adele and ended up watching the whole set. [/quote] Exactly the same here. I don't think I'll be rushing out to buy the album but I thought she was outstanding live.

Enjoyed that, cheers.

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1466640410' post='3077564'] Are there people who would claim to be able to hear 2 recordings of one of each fretboard type and be able to tell which is which? [/quote] Many years ago I read an interview with a guitarist called Eric Johnson who talked about the tonal differences between different guitar lead jack plug materials and how he used a different type of lead depending on whether he was recording rhythm or lead. There may be people who's ears are sensitive enough to tell the difference between maple and rosewood, but for most of us I suspect the preference comes from tactile feel and aesthetics.

[quote name='AlpherMako5' timestamp='1466621013' post='3077359'] This is great guys, thank you . My next question is this. What difference does the fingerboard make? Maple or Rosewood? This isn't a wind up by the way, I'm genuinely interested [/quote] Maple looks nicer. (Unless you prefer rosewood).

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1466511223' post='3076331'] I have had a similar internal debate this morning about posting in the Morrissey thread... Thus far it appears to be some enthusiasts suggesting tracks for a new listener of the band... all very good natured I suspect that despite the thread being the best opportunity for me to use the phrase "monumental bellend" since the recent Kanye West thread, doing so is not really much of a contribution and probably not in the community spirit... [/quote] I had a similar dilemma and reached the same conclusion. Time and a place and all that. And that time will surely come.. Edit. And for the record, Jazz. Although I did spend about 20 years hating the look of them, they are now my undisputed favourite basses. Which just goes to show... something.

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1466372080' post='3075404'] Why is it not practical? [/quote] I got stuck on full version after I had to reset my tablet to default settings. There's too many links too close together for a small screen, I kept accidently clicking user profiles when I was trying to look at threads.