leftyhook

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1326722594' post='1500963'] Damn, you're right, hadn't noticed that.I'll email them straight away! On a more serious note, I got this email a few minutes ago: --- hi there, Thank you for the email and the photos. Please return the faulty unit back to us for replacement. Please send the unit in its original condition with all the accessories in the original box with the labels which you will receive within few hours in a separate e-mail. You can print the label, stick it firmly on the parcel and take the parcel to nearest post office to be sent. Pack the unit as good as possible so that the possibility of a further transport damage would be at its minimum and in case of one, we could get the courier responsible for it. Please include a message with your contact details, reason for return (written fault description) and your wishes for the procedures made with this specific return. Within 30 days from purchase, we can exchange the item under the following conditions: -The unit needs to be in mint condition. -No dog ears on manuals. -Original packaging and accessories needs to be returned as well. If these terms are not met or the 30 days is clearly over, we will instead repair the unit for you. Please observe! Normal repair time is 3-4 weeks from the time we receive the returned item until we can send it back to you. Unfortunately we cannot lend you a product during this time. Repair info only: In case where the technician states that the fault was accidentaly caused by you, we can not cover any of the shipping costs nor repair the unit under warranty. I don't think that is the case but I am obliged to let you know this before hand. --- My reply: Thank you, but surely this is no way to make amends - four weeks!! I do not accept your offer of a replacement as stated. If you send a new, good bass in the next couple of days, AND NO LATER, and collect the other one at the same time as you deliver it to me, I can accept that. That would be the ONLY way I could accept an exchange. Asking me to wait longer is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE under any point of view. As a less preferable alternative, I request from you a partial refund on the price of the bass, so that I can pay a luthier to repair the bass here in London. Please reply without delay. Best regards, Silvia ------------- I think their suggestion is an insult, TBH. [/quote]Way to go! You pay without delay, in full. They should respect that and treat you with respect. But this type of processing (ugh, horrible word but that is how it feels) goes for a lot of companies.

Can someone please point me to a couple of track that show Guy Pratt at his best? I have seen his youtube videos like 'best disco lines etc. I mean recorded songs. thanks!

Sticking my neck out here, but Guy Pratt, is probably no more talented than a lot of musicians on this forum. That goes for his musicianship, and his 'comedy exploits'. The difference is, probably, a massive amount of confidence (arrogance some may say) self-belief and getting himself out there where and when it mattered. This is a rather ambiguous thought as I have not read his book and is not an attack on GP, but it a theory we can put to many of the famous bassists, except for the likes of Jaco. There are many many musicians sat in their home replicating some mind-boggling bass lines created by bassists in the limelight, but those who have made it just got out there and did it.Probably had many knock and rejections on the way , but they got there. BTW nor is it an attack on bedroom bassists! if they are happy doing that then that is fine.

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1326713185' post='1500747'] Anyone thought that instead of making it technically more interesting for themselves, they could use the time to make the act more visually appealing to the audience?? It is a show after all. [/quote] Ha! of course. I have done it all, from dressing up like a clown, to robotics back in the 80's, leaping about like a nutter etc. there are still visual elements in my performance. Never been a shoe gazer. I often get comments from people who don't notice the playing comment on my subtle comedy visuals. I used to do character comedy, you see. I was just looking at things from the note playing point of view here. I've been playing live for 30 years and the cover band scene has been a true training ground for every aspect of live performance for me. There aren't many musicians in the crowd in the clubs, so I stick to what they expect musically and try to give them something visual to stop them wondering about whether they will win the bingo!

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1326682504' post='1500488'] i agree, and i think it shows a good musician that wants to be creative...i applaud you for it.... ive played bass lines that i know and inverted the bass line within the chord and all sorts, double stops, a little slap.. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.. this is always within the comfort of a studio/music room... then if you and your band think it works, let it go live... i cant stand the thought of music being a regime , ive spent 15 years learning how to play with no help, so i want to make sure i enjoy it..its my passion..... music is suppose to be fun, and what ever music your playing should be approached in that way... imo [/quote] Well said. However as I play in a.function band,where there are certain expectations from fellow musicians (" the bass drops out for 1 bar on the original recording"..blah blah) so variations have to be subtle. So my Firework 'personal exercise/challenge is playing the 'expected' notes, but how I choose to play them. Oh, and there is always the odd musician or two who notices your fingers doing crazy things

Brilliant. Thanks for such an in-depth explanation. I can see how they work visually from a players point of view, just didn't get the variation in fret positions etc. First saw one in the hands of Leland Skla and thought it was a stunt of sorts! Would love one. Thanks again

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1326679100' post='1500482'] Yum! Thanks It's satin black, which means very dark brown in fact, and the grain of the wood underneath the finish is still visible. I chose it in preference to the normal jet black - which was available too - like that of my upright and my Crafter (my very first never-touched-a-bass-before student instrument). [/quote] I thought I was the only one who was a post-gig insomniac! Let us know how it sounds too?

There I was on stage tonight, third show in a row this weekend, playing "Firework" By Katey Perry. I know what you are thinking. z-z-z-z-z for the bass player.No bass for most of the verses, then root notes and one noodly run into the middle section. It could be so easy to just go through the motions and think about what I am having for supper, but I try to set myself a bit of a challenge with such songs, or at least make it more interesting. So Firework for instance, instead of just the single root 8 to the bar notes(all notes until chorus are palm muted, just my way of simulating the synth feel), I play double notes (octaves) using my thumb and fingers, alternating my first and second finger in various patterns. Thumb playing the 8th rhythm on the low with the octave higher played with first finger for 4 notes then second finger 4 notes. Next time around I may do first finger 1 notes then second finger 3 notes etc. If a song isn't exciting you, maybe try changing the position on the fingerboard each time you play a riff? Well, it keeps my Lady Ga-Ga, Amy Winehouse lines more interesting for me I am sure some of you have similar ideas about making it worthwhile playing songs that don't make you tick otherwise.?

here here.

How the heck does that fanned fret thing work then? looks cool, but......am I just being thick?

nice pix. Liquid Liquorice! ( Winding down from a gig..it's just what came to mind when I saw your shiny black bass)

White bass = wow!

[quote name='noelk27' timestamp='1326649864' post='1499935'] Then you saw him "performing" "Hey, Little Girl" (from the album Primitive Man, aka Love in Motion) miming, with an SB1000, to a line that was written and played by Iva Davies. Is he still making his Roxy Music joke about that song? Well, must be easy to slag off someone else's creativity, when you were just a bit-part player. [/quote] Yes it was hey Little Girl. Yes with the Aria bass. So it wasn't him on the recording? Then hats off to Iva Davies BTW has anyone read his book? I think it's the one that his "stand-up" show is basses on.

Yes Miki Britain is thriving with live music. Albacete had almost nothing when I was there. Anyway, welcome once again!

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1326621554' post='1499508'] Watch it !!! I've got feelings too you know. I thought Guy was the star of the show during the Delicate Sound of Thunder Tour. His solo was briliant and entertaining and what a sound he had on the VID. I remember Ice House and thinking they were good at the time but can't say i remember any of their songs. ? Didn't know Guy Pratt was the bassist either. Aaah you live and learn. Cheers Dave [/quote] No no no, Guy Pratt is an excellent bassist,...just Pink Floyd. I had the chance to join a Pink Floyd tribute show, listened without rose coloured spectacles( I love DSOTM and WYWH albums in my youth) and heard not a lot that would tickle my bass fingers. As for Ice House, I definitely remember seeing him with them on TOTP's (when he had Gordon Ramsay style hair...I think it was him?!!) but I take on board what has been said about someone else's bass lines. Don't get me wrong, if I met him I would bleed him dry of his tips (not his hair tips from TOTP's that is)

I was cleaning 'the mistress', AKA my Wal Custom, when I noticed the neck pick up was quite low. I had also been feeling a little jaded with the sound of my bass lately, just lacked a bit of oomph. So, I adjusted the pick up, raising it higher than I normally would. Wow. I had forgot how this lady can almost drive the whole show! Tonight at the show, my Wal was awesome! It had guts, finesse, and made me play with a passion that I forgot I had. I looked over at my Precision on it's stand and thought, " how on earth can I bring you off the subs bench when my bass version of Lionel Messi is playing like this?" ! Thank you Wal and Pete. Thank you.

your right hand plucking near the fingerboard can help encourage the m-w-a-a-h.. but yes, get some new strings....old strings can be stiff and expressively difficult.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1326592711' post='1499391'] I let it do the washing up as well. [/quote] hahaha! nice one!

What did he play if he didn't play his bass ?? Football?

Yes, let nature do the drying.

Funny in interviews, but his name-dropping anecdotes isn't my idea of' stand-up comedy' On the plus side, I remember seeing him in Ice House and loved his playing. Wasted in.... Pink Flo.....zzzzzzz......y....ya-a-a-a-wnn............d....

hola y bienvenidos! ( I lived in Albacete for 1 year, though my Spanish is very basic!...y Catalan?....que no-o-o-..!!) Great to have you showing your stuff. Maybe you could talk about the music scene in Barcelona?

[quote name='henry norton' timestamp='1326401104' post='1496860'] Yeah, epoxy helps but - asides from changing the sound/feel for many players - IMO it's important to arrive at the sound and feel you want regardless of whether it wears out the fingerboard faster or not. In other words I'd rather wear my board out than have it sit there unplayed because I don't like the sound. I earn my living (in part) by epoxying fingerboards but I don't believe it's for everybody, just like using flats on a fretless. I could understand with the values attached to Wal basses, you'd be worried about wearing ruts in your very expensive fingerboard but I'd think a Rockbass would be the perfect instrument to experiment on, especially as bluejay will hopefully be getting some kind of discount [/quote] fair comment! However I never want o have to avoid certain positions on my fingerboard live again to avoid a nasty buzz coming through the P.A. "Once bitten..."

I was at Howard's last week. he showed me the tortoise shell. Not a photographed pattern. Bloody good quality stuff. Trust Howard - a really nice guy and always ready to go the extra mile to assist a fellow bassist.

[quote name='henry norton' timestamp='1326386932' post='1496579'] !!!! Good job Jaco Pastorius didn't swap his rounds for something less abrasive. Where would modern Jazz bass playing be???? I agree on the gift voucher angle though - I wouldn't think one graze means the entire bass has been abused. Just push for decent compensation - even German companies will try to fob you off. [/quote] Yeah, but don't forget Jaco coated his fingerboard with an epoxy resin. I ripped up the ebony fingerbaord on my Wal with rounds and subsequently needed a layer taken off on 3 occasions, until there wasn't enough to take any more off. if yu are a light player, it will buy you some time. I have Daddario Chromes on my fretless. smooth and bright.