TrevorR

Wow, what an amazing bass, and this coming from someone who usually into heavy relicing... Wow!

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1456053126' post='2984797'] I suppose everything boils down to the criteria you set yourself when you go out looking for a new bass/guitar/whatever. Not only does it have to meet it's performance requirements (plays well, sounds good etc.), but it also has to meet your aesthetic requirements (as well as budgetary requirements). [/quote] [quote name='neilp' timestamp='1456079453' post='2985196'] I'd buy anything that feels and sounds perfect, but all of the categories you gave would hurt my aesthetic pride! To be honest, the one I'd struggle most with would be the "road-worn". Anything fake, no thanks [/quote] These two kinda reflect my view. I'd have to like the look of a bass no matter how well it played. Look wouldn't make me buy a bass but it might stop me. On the relic thing, I'm a bit in two minds... A beat up, aged over the years bass that I liked, or had reliced myself over years of gigging... No probs... A new-built bass I loved the feel and sound of which had some very light relicing... Yeah, fine, so long as not too daft. "Mr Bass Maker, please beat up the new bass you're making for me." Never ever, ever, ever! I'll have it nice and shiny please. As a reference point, the very very lightest level of relic I've seen on a Limelight is probably just about pushing at my limit... Tho, to be fair the real deal breaker for me on the options would be the SC, even over the metal monster (close behind).

Not just basses. It's also worth noting that pretty much every (or every other) traditional body shape steel strung acoustic guitar you've ever seen is a copy of a Martin model developed sometime between the mid 1800s and the 1930s...

Back in about 2000 or 2001 when I was on the look out for a Wal Pro series bass I popped into Denmark Street to see if anyone had had recently. Went into Music Ground (I think) and chatted to the bloke behind the counter. He said, "No, not had any of the old style ones in for a while. But we have just had those two in, if you're interested." and pointed to a pair of Wals hanging on the back wall. There was a maple topped fretted and a walnut fretless. But the maple one looked strangely familiar and it had a thumb rest down below the G string. I asked the assistant. He said, "Yeah, we're selling it for that bloke on Eastenders." Yes, Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet. And they were pretty much going rate for a second hand Wal at the time. But I already had a Mk 1 Wal and I was look for a Pro Bass so I wasn't interested. But it kept niggling at me. About a week later I broached the subject with my wife who reluctantly agreed that, if still there, it would represent an investment as well as something I would enjoy and cherish... Of course, when I went back they were both gone. And pretty much every day I regret the day I didn't buy the Wal that Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet used at Live Aid... Arrrrgh! Got my Pro Bass in the end though.

If I didn't already have two Snarks (brilliant) I'd probably have bought a Polytune by now...

Yeah, the two things which struck me were it's not clear if you're looking for a replacement or a temporary dep. And dial down the "hey we're a bit zany and kooky". I guess that they're intended to show that you both take the music seriously and look to enjoy it. However in an ad they com across as a bit naff. I'd have said... [size="1"]"This means we are looking to find someone to front the band and sing occasional male/female twin vocal songs/duets, we’ve..." "[size="1"]We're all working professionals aged from 30 to 40."[/size][/size] Having "childish" members will be an immediate turn off for any applicant. This will read as "[i]One member of the band is an utter dick. Probably the drummer. And you'll need to sing with him.[/i]"

Mo Foster plays some lovely fretless on his solo albums... http://youtu.be/ribitQEUA3A http://youtu.be/xGKilB2xalE http://youtu.be/pZpx-rswKiA

There are no wrong notes, there is only "Jazz"! Gordon Giltrap tells an anecdote that when he was an up and coming guitarist he was chatting to Hank Marvin who said to him, "If you ever play a bum note then always play it again the next couple of times that bit of the song comes up. That way people will think it's not a wrong note but an arrangement and assume that they're not musically advanced enough to understand." Apparently, many years later, when he was playing in Sir Cliff's Heathcliffe musical doing acoustic interludes between the scenes as "The Troubadour" one night he dropped a bit of a clanger in one tune. He dutifully incorporated it for the rest of the tune. Apparently Sir Cliff sidled up to him afterwards and said... "I noticed that a little bit of, ahem... Jazz... crept into that tune tonight." Gordon nods sheepishly, "I noticed that you deliberately repeated it a few times." Gordon nods sheepishly. Sir Cliff looks him straight in the eye and asks "Have you been talking to Hank?" before bursting into laughter.

Played a few nice ones when I was in a function/wedding band too... a lovely old brick cellar with suprisingly good acoustics near Waltham Abbey, on the grand marble staircase in hte entrance hall at a public school in Surrey, in a converted barn in deepest darkest Surrey which had been beautifully done, similar venue in Oxfordshire/Bedfordshire (next door to Ozzy and Sharon's gaff - which was ironically the reason for the super strict 11pm curfew!!!), The Pump Rooms and the Guildhall in Bath (both sumptuously Georgian in their decor), a gorgeous riverside hotel near Henley where our function room opened up onto the lawns which rolled down to the river, Ascot Racecourse... But also some lovely venues where I've seen music too... Ginglik - a nightclub under Shepherds Bush Green which is a converted Victorian Gentlemen's lavatory complex - the sort where you would have had a barber, a cobbler, a tailor etc all in the same place underground. Used to have the very best acoustic showcase night in London (The Big Secret), sadly not any more. They used to have an artist live illustrating the music which was then projected up onto the wall... Sooooooooo cool! Bush Hall in Shepherds Bush - lovely venue. Riverboar on the Thames - saw British Sea Power doing a renewable energy corporate event... Soho Revue Bar (formally the Raymond Revue Bar), London - saw Paul Carrack doing an album launch show case gig there. More alcoves with poles and red velvet wall coverings than you could shake a... I'll stop there... Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - saw Nerina Pallot there supported by Jon Allen many moons ago on a balmy summer's evening. Totally magical. St John's Church, Farncombe - venue of Farncombe Music Club. Always a lovely place to see acoustic based music (and noisy stuff too). Green Note, Camden - teeny tiny venue cum veggie restaurant in Camben. Wonderful place. Fave ever venue. Red Sky July - couldn't get far away to get a full band shot with my 50mm low f-stop lens... too intimite! Minack Theatre on the cliffside in Cornwall... say no more! Eden Project in Cornwall... also say no more. My back room - when we used to do "house gigs". Here's (this year's Grammy winning) singer songwriter Amy Wadge from about 6 or 7 years ago doing a gig at our place...

Well, 15 years ago! And priced to the "current market value" price quoted in an article in The Guitar Magazine... So, yeah Both my Wals for about 500 quid each (many moons ago)... "Engaging 'Smug mode', Mr Rimmer, Sir!" Full stories here... http://walbasshistory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/my-basses-1978-wal-pro-series-bass.html And here... http://walbasshistory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-basses-1985-wal-custom-4-string-bass.html

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1456234270' post='2986846'] I've never seen Phil play a Blazer... He did play a Roadster for a time, the active single pickup model with an aftermarket scratchplate IIRC. [/quote] Hmmm...Roadster? Blazer? It was still just a P Bass copy with an ugly wrong way round headstock curve to me at the time... brain made/advancing age/memory going.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1456316312' post='2987689'] Check out Paul Rodgers - Muddy Water Blues. There's some quite heavy interpretations of some classic blues numbers on there. [/quote] He also did a live album called Live: The Loreley Tapes whic has some top stuff on it. Geoff Whitehorn on guitar duties.

For that rock/blues thing also definintely check out some of Gary Moore's blues albums.. Still Got the Blues, After Hours and his "Scars" band album spring most readily to mind. You might also check out BBM (Bruce, Baker, Moore) for some Cream-alike renderings...

As others have said, the real answer is because I could afford them and I like them (nay, love them)! But for the purposes of craic... Aria SB700 - my first ever bass. Not played much now but great sentimental value (18th birthday pressie from mum and dad). Too lovely ever to sell. Wal Mk1 Custom - fell in love with the Wal sound watching Robbie Burns demo some Marshall amps at the London Music Show in 1988 and thought, "I'd love one but could never justify the price". Bought mine second hand in 1993 for £500. Been my main bass ever since. Will never sell. Wal Pro II E - thought it would be cool to own one since they are lovely basses and sound great. Found a second hand one in a local shop and after a haggling session that lasted 18 months (it really was stupidly over priced) bought it in 2001 or 2002 for £550. Has been my second bass ever since - always took two basses to the gigs when I was in a function/covers band and used both across the set. Will never sell. Frankenjazz - bought cheap off eBay as a project bass. Turned out properly lovely and got used regularly for many years until I loaned it to a producer chum. It now earns its keep in his studio and I suspect I may never ever get it back... Tony Revell Custom acoustic bass - bought as an indulgence from my share of the band recording fund when the folk band I played in split up. Lovely, unique. Paid dividends when I was effectively housebound with ME for two years in the mid 90s. Faith Titan Neptune Bass - bought a couple of years ago because we started doing acoustic nights at church and the TRevell has no pickup and is too delicate to drag around. Markbass LMII, Traveler 2x10 and Traveler 1x15 - a really great sounding flexible rig which has seen me right in a myriad of different contexts and venues... Back line only gigs, clubs with PAs, marquees, hotel function rooms, church, prison gigs, local festivals, wine bar gigs... Polytune pedal - essential piece of kit Tech 21 Sansamp VT DI - because we've now gone amp free at church Ancient Boss CE2B chorus, EHX Pulsar tremolo (a gift from a friend), Morely Bass Dual Wah - all I need for additional textures and more. Lehle 3@1 - for switching basses when I was in the band and used two on stage

Lozz, don't sell yourself short. Since this hypothetical person is hypothetically saying "Money no option" at the very least treat yourself to a Masterbuilt Custom Shop P bass...

Scott Devine is giving his top 10 tips for flying with a bass in this week's Scott's Bass Lessons video blog... http://youtu.be/_7zbE8bpkyM

Easy, two choices for me... A Wal MkIII Custom series bass... Probably an olive ash top, maybe in trans blue... 4 or 5... Not fussy... A 64 YOB Jazz Bass (or maybe a Hofner... Nah, deffo a Jazz)... For no other reason than that would be cool. PS Happy Birthday!

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1456004028' post='2984528'] Is that John Sykes on guitar as well? [/quote] Yes, from the farewell / Thunder and Lightning tour in 1893. Saw them on that tour and the Renegade tour in the summer of 81. On that tour Phil was playing an Ibanez Blazer bass with a mirror scratch plate.

I ended up ditching Bose ear buds after a few years. The performance of the buds was a fine but the cable at the mini Jack went far too easily and quickly for gear in that price range. And of course, the earbuds were hard wired so that was a terminal case. Complained and sent them back on a couple of occasions but even when replacements came back with a redesigned style of plug and cable they still didn't last nearly as long as I would have expected gear of that quality. And I'm pretty gentle and anal about looking after that type of thing. Between use they lived in their own little case, not tightly wound around my iPod. Moral, if you're going for expensI've ear buds splash out on a brand with replaceable cables. Not used them but the Shure in ears look pretty good for the price. Now for the iPod I just use cheap as chips Sennheiser CX3000 buds which, don't sound appreciably different for iPod use and have lasted three times as long. Anything more esoteric and I'll use my in moulded ears...

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1455876336' post='2983119'] The TE website doesn't appear to have been updated for some considerable time. It's won't be long until TE is no more I imagine. [/quote] ...again... A sad piece of deja vu for a great, badly mistreated brand.

Isn't the Ashdown VU for input gain not output? What you're seeing isn't the amp struggling, it's the fact that playing live you put more energy into the strings than practising at home. Therefore in rehearsal your bass is giving the amp more level than at home. Just turn the inpUt gain down a tad to reduce the peaking and increase the master vol a tad to compensate... And yes, if you do need more volume try adding an extension speaker first.

Great band. Did you know that Archive.com has a load of their shows for free legal download? Including the Electrif Lycanthrope shows... https://archive.org/details/LittleFeat?and[]=year%3A%221974%22

Sigh... Just a straightforward way of saying actually only a few are at one extreme or another but most are in the middle. Therefore a few bands (covers or original) are rubbish, a few are absolutely amazing, most are, to one degree or another, OK to quite good... Sigh...

For me the thumb behind four fingers four fret technique has been really useful and one which it is worth working on and becoming comfortable with. Ive got shorter fingers and even if you don't use it slavishly it is a really useful tool to have in the toolbox as a player. Looking across my playing I probably use 4 fret technique about 30-40% of the time. A lazy variant on 4 fret about 40-50% of the time and thumb over about 10-20% of the time, sliding between all three. Building up the pinkie works too, in fact now my ring finger is probably my more neglected finger over preference for the pinkie. It gives that little extra stretch. Those chromatic four fret exercises are good for building dexterity and strength too... Spiders crawling up the string and across the strings. Eg working up the next 4 frets at a time starting at F, then F# then G etc. Or 4 frets from F then Bb, then Eb then Ab and back down to F#, B, E, A etc... I've never had an issue with 34" scale lengths a problem but narrower necks certainly are an advantage.

Funny, I spent this morning on a diet of Doobies... Their first album and farewell gig from the 80s. With those five CDs you have the cream of their stuff. Next two two try are Minute By Minure and Livin on the Fault Line. The other two classic period albums. Tho on both the Michael McDonald soul influence gets heavier. Their self titled album is rawer but a great listen too. Tiran Porter... What a bass player! The later post reform stuff doesn't really stack up to the early stuff but is still quite listenable. There are a couple of live albums which are good too, esp Rockin' down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert. Kind of a greatest hits live set. Studio Discog... The Doobie Brothers (1971) Toulouse Street (1972) The Captain and Me (1973) What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) Stampede (1975) Takin' It to the Streets (1976) Livin' on the Fault Line (1977) Minute by Minute (1978) One Step Closer (1980) Cycles (1989) Brotherhood (1991) Sibling Rivalry (2000) World Gone Crazy (2010) Southbound (2014)[18]