TrevorR

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1484918309' post='3219684']
The problem (and the best bit) of getting a full custom build (designed to your specs from the ground up) is that you really need to know what it is you want... what sound and feel you are looking for from the instrument. if you don't know what it is you want you're likey to end up with something worse than an equivalent bass off the shelf.

If you do go for a full custom it is difficult to look past ACG for quality, price and choice of options
[/quote]
[quote name='burno70' timestamp='1484919343' post='3219703']
I'd recommend you look into the most minute detail of the bass you want - there's more to it than the cosmetics and electronics; weight, neck shape at the xx fret, pick up placement can be just as important. Best thing you can do is have a checklist ready with everything you can possibly think of and then have a chat with the luthier.

I doubt you would ever end up with something worse than a 'regular' off the shelf bass - unless it's a crazy build, but I suppose there's always a chance that the ideal bass in your head doesn't really do it for you when it's in your hands. Although I'm not speaking from experience on that particular point.

If you want to go British I couldn't recommend Jon Shuker highly enough.
[/quote]

This and this. You need to know... REALLY know... to the finest detail... what you want. But also be willing to listen to the luthier's suggestions on how well those options will work and how they might be tweaked to improve the performance of the bass.

You also need to consider whether you mean hand-build to a luthier's standard body shape with custom options or truly custom - entirely inspired from your imagination. That's both body shape and fixtures/fittings. That will also guide your choice of luthier and the cost.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1484913449' post='3219611']


They'll probably say, 'You're not a lady or a non-binary person', I should imagine.
[/quote]

Apply. So long as you've only got analogue and not digital pedals on your pedalboard I'm sure you'll fit right in.

I've got one and I really like it - especially as I got it at a really good discount off list price! Around £550 - PMT' curret pricelooks good. It's a perfectly functional acoustic bass and was the best of the bunch I tried in Andertons when I bought it - including a £700 Takamine which felt and sounded leaden compared to the Faith. The acoustic sound is nice and the preamp - though simple (with one tone control) is really well voiced, with tailored profile at either end. As I recall, rather than just being more or less treble it has something of a smile curve at one end and sweeps through to another profile.

The acoustic feel and sound are very good, esp at this price point and I use it a lot at home for practice.

I would say that it is very resonant so if you do go for one then also invest in a soundhole feedback buster for live work. Makes a huge difference to the headroom before feedback problems set in.

So if you want a nice acoustic bass it's not a bad choice at all - I do like mine lots. However as others have said, you could probably get away quite nicely with an eelctric bass and a small amp. You'll need to amplify the acoustic bass anyway, it won't hold its own acoustically (no criticism, pretty much none will, unless you are straying into guitarron territory). So it comes down to whether you are looking for the all acoustic look and the more piezoelectric acoustic pickup sound. And that £609 PMT price looks really good against the other shops offering it at £850+

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1484867220' post='3219352']
The problem is that the frequencies that are enhanced or reduced by the acoustics of the room depend to a certain extent on the position of the sound source and also that of the listener. So using EQ correct the problem may well make it go away at some points but can also be too much correction or make it much worse at others. EQ will get you some of the way towards correcting room acoustic problems but it's not a consistent solution for the whole room.

Remember that if you could sort out the acoustics of the room completely by using EQ then recording studio control rooms wouldn't need lots of expensive acoustic treatment to give the engineer and producer the ideal listening environment. They could simply slap a 31 band graphic in front of the control room speakers and use a spectrum analyser to set it up. In fact this was actually fashionable for about 15 minutes in budget studios in the mid 80s until everyone realised that it only worked at the point at which the sound was being sampled and that the required correction changed every time the something in the room moved.
[/quote]

Indeed, but we all do it, don't we? Especially to get an acceptable sound from our backline amps on "stage" which we can live with/perform with ("stage" in inverted commas given the huge range of positions/structures that pass for a stage in the course of a gigging life) . Any room will have its acoustic quirks and, as you say you'll maybe get massive cancellation in one spot and massive reinforcement in another. You'd be hard pressed to get perfect sound dispersion from a twiddle on a three or four band amp EQ stage (esp at a "backline only" gig or with a non-permanent/non-calibrated sound system). But still... most of us will check to see whether we can at least partially address the most gross elements which present either on stage or in the room to get a sound which is livable with. Any further EQ tweaks from the bass will be done for "artistic" rather than acoustic/corrective reasons, taking that compromise amp/PA EQ setting as the baseline sound.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1484586793' post='3216543']
Thanks.

That particular one was made to order especially for me. At the time Simon did have some demo models that he would take to the various trade shows and would be a bit cheaper than a full custom order, but I haven't seen him at any since about 2005, so I don't know if he still has "stock". When I last enquired, about 5 years ago, that particular bass, made new to order would have cost just under £5000. I have no idea what the current prices are, but I doubt they have got any less expensive.
[/quote]

Those Gus guitars and basses are so very beautiful! Modern, retro, outlandish, ergonomic all at the same time AND so beautifully balanced in aesthetic terms. Remember first seeing them in Guitarist magazine so many moons ago and just staring open mouthed at the photographs!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1484843585' post='3219030']
Two problems with this approach:

1. You can't fix what is mostly a time domain problem (bad room acoustics) with a frequency domain solution (EQ).
[/quote]

Ooooooh, not sure that I buy that from a physics point of view. If a room has resonances which artificially amplify certain frequency ranges to cause those to "bloom" and "boom" then reducing the input signal into the room in those frequencies (i.e. eq-ing them out/reducing at the amp) will reduce the level of the resonant frequencies in the room - the amount of boom. That is surely what people mean when they say they "adjust the EQ to suit the room"? That's why sound engineers/designers measure the frequency response of rooms in which they install PA systems with white and pink noise and then set graphic EQs to reduce (or enhance) frequencies which are dominant (or phase cancel a bit).


[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1484843585' post='3219030']
2. And if you could, then every time you make an EQ adjustment on your bass, you are potentially negating the correction you've applied at your amp.
[/quote]

If step 1 normalises the sound in the room to approximate what you expect to hear from the amp in a more neutral environment all you are doing is then varying the desired tone from the bass around your approximate bass amp colouration. As anyone does when changing the tone from your amp. It's a bit like saying "Why on earth would you set up your amp with a certain setting for your P-bass and then for some songs roll back the tone knob...? You're ruining the sound you set on your amp."

What you are suggesting is, say, reducing the amp EQ at 100hz by 20db (with a Q width of say 30hz) to correct for a room resonance and then boosting the signal from the bass at 100hz by 20db (with a Q width of say 30hz)... only in that circumstance are you undoing the amp correction... and, let's face it, that's not how changes in tone from the bass works.

Never ever, ever got The Doors or The Velvet Underground. I find most Radiohead totally "meh!" and would probably have quite liked The Smiths if it wasn't for Morrissey.

The one that annoys me that I don't enjoy is Grand Prix by Teenage Fanclub. On paper all the elements say I should love it but I've never connected with it.

Off to listen to Owner Of A Lonely Heart...

http://youtu.be/ZPYzW5_FjwE

Just spotted elsewhere that the luthier Jim Mouradian has passed away.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/comments/5o4suf/news_legendary_boston_luthier_jim_mouradian_has/

Those who are fans of Yes and Chris Squire (or indeed Extreme) will be familiar with his amazing basses. I recall seeing Chris playing his green Mouradian on the 90125 tour Andrew being blown away by both its amazing sound and amazing look. It has been fascinating I watching Andyjr1515's Mouradian-alike build diary over the Christmas period. Asthat bass nears completion it adds a little poignancy to the fact that I've been thinking about Jim Mouradian's basses on a near daily basis for the last month and a half.

We did a few and we're always happy to sell a few to family and friends BUT only because it was a chance for them to come see us play in a nice environment (which with a wedding band you can't usually do). BUT that was our choice and our initiative, not any sort of compulsion or requirement.

If you want to look at it another way, you've already donated half a grand to the charity/event just by agreeing to turn up and play. So it does seem a bit out of order. It's not like you're personally affiliated to the charity or one of their fund raisers.

Personally I love active basses. All my basses have been active or very soon became active. Why? Well, I personally like to have the ability to drive my tone from the bass and a smooth pickup pan facility. I love Jazz basses but can't get on with the two volume set up. Pan pot every time.

And I change batteries regularly enough that sudden battery death isn't an overriding worry.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1484603254' post='3216807']
Unless the controls on your bass do something very different such as the filter EQ of the Wal or ACG, or they allow you to EQ each pickup separately, I really can't see the point as all they do is duplicate what you should already have available on your amp.
[/quote]

And my approach is the opposite of this. My amp is adjusted at sound check (simply any necessary room based tweaks to a largely flat EQ setting) and then tonal changes all come from the bass - from changes in pickup pan, EQ or plucking style and position. Horses, courses etc. Neither approach is right or wrong.

A thing of beauty indeed. Built in an orchard in Devon by Hobbits (that worked better with Andy's OLD hairstyle!). What are they calling the model? They must be running out of rivers by now! Sort of an Okement bass!

Ooooooooh, it that an Otter bass? They've always looked so lovely but way out of the "something I could justify" league. I've got a Tamar 6-string made by Simon and Andy in 1999 which I simply adore. They are great builders making some fantastic instruments!

One new addition to my board, with great thinks to Stingray5 for donating it to the SE Bass Bash raffle - a Joyo Vintage Overdrive pedal.



May not sound exciting but it's a whole voyage of discovery for me. Never really had any interest in overdriven or distorted bass sounds before (and still not really my thing TBH). However, really enjoying how it fills out the wah and funk wah sounds from the Morley Dual Wah. So much so that I'm clearly going to have to upgrade it to a proper bass OD... oh dear, GAS again... I'm usually so GAS resistant...

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1484465481' post='3215571']


Using the Markbass eq I haven't been able to dial up a good punchy sound, it's strange, there's so many much variety on there with the VLE/VPF etc. I'm now thinking I've been eq-ing the bass wrongly, when I walked out on the last two gigs it's had so much punch and presence with the mid switched in. I agree though, there be too much fiddling, I've tended to run everything flat if I can, I hate getting too technical with it but this time seems to have been a lucky mistake!
[/quote]

If you're trying to dial up punch from the VLE and VPF controls you're looking in all the wrong places. One rolls off treble and the other is one of those mid cut pre-shapes so beloved of slappers and the like. On my LM the VPF is always off and since I've gone from rounds to flats the VLE has gone from a smidgen to none.

Try setting the EQ flat and then adding a touch of bass and low mid to taste. That's pretty much how I set mine and there's more than enough punch!

Three spring to mind for me... Highway Star, Black Night and Space Truckin' for that crushing riff!

http://youtu.be/hHOrpFeXUao

Let's see... started reading about Wal basses in Guitarist magazine in 1984, saw Rob Burns demoing his on the Marshall stand at the London Guitar Show in 1987 and fell in love with them but knew I could never afford/justify one new. 1992, saw one advertised for private sale in Guitarist and a week later I'd bought my Mk 1 Custom Series. It has been my main Bass ever since. So that's 5-8 years depending on when you start the clock.

In about 1998 I started to get a severe hankering for a Pro Series bass to sit alongside my Custom Series. Spent about three years looking with little or no success. Until in early 2000 I saw a lovely red Pro IIE in a little local guitar shop. Except that the bass was listed for sale at three times the current market price!!!!!!! Then ensued a haggling session which lasted over a year and a half! When I first saw it in the shop it was priced the same as a brand new "Custom" bass. I made a sensible offer which was rejected. I pointed out the error to the shop owner who was adamant that his price was the going rate and it would fly off the shelf. I warned him that it would never, ever sell at that price. We agreed to differ and I toddled off saying "We'll see..." Over the next 18 months I watched as the layer of dust on the bass grew thicker, popping in once a month to have a play on it and repeat my offer.

Well, after I had popped in about once every month for a year and a half (the price had dropped to a grand by that time. Still twice the market value, though) yet again I offered a sensible price and the owner relented. That time I'd brought in a just published magazine article on the model for him to look at which quoted a sensible, at the time, £500 market price. Sadly he wasn't there at the time so I never got to see the look on his face. I left the photocopy for him. A phone call back from the shop that afternoon and the handing over of £550 later... and it was finally mine! Late 2001. It's been my close No 2 bass ever since.

So that was 3 1/2 years from initial hankering and decision until purchase, including an 18 month haggling session.


PS and that was my 1000th post. Yay!

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1484304803' post='3214469']
I've set myself the task of writing an antidote to all the "best bass player" polls, and aim to do introductory pieces on 200 players. It has stalled a bit, but just finished a piece on Oteil Burbidge. [url="http://www.modlock.co.uk"]http://www.modlock.co.uk[/url]

Also have a look at Flat Eric on here. His is well worth a delve [url="http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.co.uk"]http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.co.uk[/url]
[/quote]

Fascinated to know who your 200 are! Have you got a notional list already or is it building up as it goes along? Like how you covered a genre with the reggae selection and that's a nice way to make it into a series of more bite sized blogs (also less daunting/soul destroying for you as you won't have one long never quite finished blog hanging over you). So curious to see what's coming up next... a metal edition with, say, Harris, Burton, Trujillo, Kilminster etc, a pop edition with Gunnarsson and others, a folk blog with Glascock, Thompson, Pegg, Noyes etc, UK Session dudes blog with Foster, Flowers, Cottle... and so on and so forth? Nice format.

Will watch with interest...

Who said that?


I'll get me coat..

Mark's diaries on his journey to becoming a professional bass player are a good read... https://marksdiaries.wordpress.com

Steve (Solobasssteve) Lawson always has something interesting to say... http://www.stevelawson.net/?p=all

My chum Benjamin Ellis does regular, interesting musings too... http://bassguitarblog.com

More a magazine news site than a blog but there is Bass Player Mag's blog... http://www.bassplayer.com/blogs

Bass rambling usually has some interesting articles... http://www.bassramblings.com/hoomepage/


And, with apologies for self promo, if you want to read about Wal basses, see my blog in the signature below...

Pinktastic! Bassjaymi/The Pink Bassman/Jaymi Millard would love that! Ricky style and pink sparkles... perfect!,

Clearly pink [corrected: Hello Kitty livery] is for guitarists only...



Back on topic. I can only recall two particular gigs where I didn't bring/play my Wal and they were both 60s theme gigs. Took my non-60s-authentic bitsa Jazz instead just because that night I decided I would go with a more period look. But that was my whim not and feeling of pressure/appropriateness.

I'd kinda disagree when it comes to a lot of my fave funk riffs and lines. These strongly emphasise the One on the root note (or another strong chord tone) as an anchor....


¦¦ BOM [rest] badada-dada-dada-dada ¦¦ BOM [rest] badada-dada-dada-dada ¦¦ BOM... etc etc

If you get my drift. Or maybe that's just the type of funk that most tickles my ears

To be fair to the seller, those prices he's asking really, really are "[b][i]special[/i][/b]" (albeit in all the wrong ways! )

[quote name='ZilchWoolham' timestamp='1484167195' post='3213298']
I've never played a Wal myself but my favourite ever bass tone was crafted with one (an old JG model I think).

[/quote]

Oooh, which tune. Do tell...