SpondonBassed

Welcome Graham.

Welcome Ian. Good of you to say hello.

Welcome Matt. I'm glad to hear that you'll keep at least one bass.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1506351011' post='3378115'] btw, Verbal Warning have a proper gig at the White Horse, Derby on 15th October 5ish start [/quote] Cheers Paul. Funnily enough I already had that pencilled in on my calendar from a previous conversation.

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1506153751' post='3376728'] A slappy is a pie butty in wiganese. [/quote] Is that the same as a pie sandwich? I thought I had invented the cake pie until I heard it was a thing already. I went on to come up with the intellectual property known as deep fried cake pie but I now want to put that in a sandwich and patent it. You don't mind do you?

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1506339193' post='3377990'] sorry can't make that one, Verbal Warning have got an acoustic ?????????????? gig at Foremans in Nottingham, not sure how that's going to work out [/quote] I had to do a double take. You [i]did[/i] say Verbal Warning and acoustic in the same sentence didn't you? Don't worry. It will be great to see you any time you can make it.

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1506328958' post='3377841'] I recall Vince calling in at the old Sun afternoon jams in Beeston a couple of times. In fact he played immediately before I got up with another bunch of players one week so I suppose I can say he was my support act The Spondon thing sounds interesting, might try and get over one month if I can. Always easier squeezing in a couple of hours on a wet Sunday afternoon than making it out on weekday evenings. If Paul, Neil and Ray make it we can have a Basschat venting session! [/quote] I'm fifty five now so venting is not a recommended practice for me in general but I agree in principle. The next jam is 3 to 7pm, Sunday 22nd October 2017.

Welcome Cos. There's no need to apologise for lurking but it is nice of you to join in. It's good to be able to do both finger style and plectrum. I'd love to do the hybrid thing sometimes though. I may work up to that. I'd suggest some finger exercises with a metronome or drum machine. If you do three frets going from string to string and repeat up, down and sideways you will learn how to keep the [i]one-two-one-two-one-two[/i] on your picking hand independent of your fretting hand so that it doesn't matter what your fret hand does. If you can feel comfortable with that you can introduce your thumb or another finger and build up from that.

Welcome Amy. There is a love for short scale basses here; http://basschat.co.uk/topic/242658-show-off-your-short-scales/page__view__findpost__p__3358513__hl__shorty__fromsearch__1 It might help in your search.

That inlay is lovely. How did you line your countersinks on the cover plate and the plate itself?

Nicely nibbled that man! I know how tempting it is to rip through the roughing out and make a slip-up. Even your rough work is tidy. What I am taking away from this is the notion that the router is more of a finishing tool than I used to think. I'd be inclined to use it to remove larger amounts than I should so you are a good example to keep in mind for getting the best from my router. Chisels are still useful in these circumstances. Personally, I enjoy a bit of a whittle with a regularly sharpened chisel. I'm no good at it but it makes me feel more connected to the work. That's a very nice bridge despite the vermicelli. Individual piezo for each saddle by the look of it. Does the preamp treat them as individual signals or are they summed before the tone is shaped?

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1506019617' post='3375987'] Finally I'm going to get a 5 string after years of 4-stringedness! For any players who have made the change, any advice on how to get the most from the extra string? I want to think of it as a new instrument in a way and not just 'a 4 string with an extra low string tagged on' - any hints or tips to make the most of the new opportunities? [/quote] Instead of playing the open E, try to get used to playing it on the B string at the fifth fret. Everything else should follow in due course and you'll find new neck positions for stuff you already know. You can cut down on your neck travel when you're used to it.

[quote name='tony_m' timestamp='1506001935' post='3375794'] I'll take that as my epitaph... [/quote] Oh. You play the epitaph as well?

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1505975775' post='3375531'] The general consensus is that it's better to be the worst in a good band than the best in a rubbish band. Like a few have already said, it's great to work with people who have more skills than you, as they push you to improve & reach their standard, rather than trying to drag other people up to your standard. As much as I hate to admit it, Coldplay are actually good musicians who decided to peddle their bland blend of self indulgent music on society. Someone has to do it I suppose... As for watching an episode of Car Pool Karoake with Chris Martin & James Corden, a) I'd rather watch paint dry and if ever there was an episode where you really wanted to watch a car crash, because they were too busy being egotistical bell-ends, it would be that one. [/quote] It was worth putting the Cordenite warning in then. Good. I didn't watch the clip myself after about fifteen seconds or so.

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1505983574' post='3375590'] Why are you using a piezo bridge as well as magnetic pickups, is the sound noticeably different when playing? [/quote] One of the advantages of piezo is that you can use non ferrous strings and still make noise.

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1505306635' post='3370899'] I'm a fan of Rickenbackers, but this is just hideous! [attachment=253499:13848.jpg] [/quote] With my poor eyesight that looks like it says [i]Rickenbarker[/i]. In this instance it's appropriate.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1505944286' post='3375471'] I know at couple of players who are trying to be a big fish in a small pond and I think they look a little sad. Who wants to be anything in a small pond? Whatever size fish I could be, I always wanted to be in the biggest pond I could get into. To play with the best musicians, in the best bands and do the best gigs I could. I have been the worse one in several bands but I also did pretty well in others. I know I could/should have done better if I focussed and tried harder, but I was a lazy sod and still am! Ho hum! IME the bad guys are usually the ones that don't want to hear your ideas. If you have something worth saying the good guys are usually the most receptive. If you play in a band and worry about being fired you might as well not bother. Make them want to keep you. Some bands are very cut-throat but when you get to a certain level you're more likely to be fired because you don't "look right" rather than for musical reasons.The one thing to aim for is to always play better this time than you did last time. If you think you could play something better, ask and then change it. Be realistic and make sure you don't fool yourself. I've seen plenty of guys get fired who were convinced they were the bees knees. The Dog and Duck or a US tour? No contest really is there. [/quote] Fish, dogs, ducks??? Am I even in the right forum? I'm not really feeling the love for Coldplay in this thread. Poor old Chris. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SADub7W22Zg[/media] (Warning: The clip above contains large amounts of Cordenite. Watch from the safety of a lead lined string vest.) OT then; Plus one to being the lesser player in a band that would stretch my skills. So far all of the people I've met who have been able to earn from their talents have been so supportive of my meagre efforts. I feel empowered by this. I'd like to think that when I eventually set up a band that I will be able to get amongst better players. I mean, why would anyone form a band with players that aren't as far along with their skills as yourself? At my level that probably means that we're all going to be learning a lot as we go but that is half of the fun of it. If I can't get a sense of achievement from it what am I in it for? One of my aims is to make people stand up out of their seats and shake ar5e. If I get to that stage I think it still leaves room for improvement in terms of keeping a repertoire current. Of course, if people get up to shake ar5e at me in some sort of formation mooning team, I'd have to take the hint and retire.

Welcome Pauly. You will find lots of us "born again bassists" amongst the many working musicians and long-term experienced old salts. Good of you to join us.

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1505887778' post='3374915'] work out what you want to know, then find a way to verbalise it so we can understand [/quote] Pardon?

I saw that a while back and I thought it looked contrived. Maybe they want to get the Chic stage-party thing going?

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1505838347' post='3374680'] ...And just wait until I've put the finish on top! [/quote] Now you're just teasing. Very nice.

I feel grotty for checking this topic out. Could you rephrase the question please?

I used to favour a low action. When I put my kit build together I ended up with a playable bass but only at max neck relief and with the saddles bottomed out on the B and G. The action is as high as I've ever had and been able to fret with precision. It needs a neck shim to allow it to be set up for low action at all. It's fair enough for a kit build. One day I might be ar5ed enough to do something about it. The thing is, it plays really well. It's got the nicest tone of any bass I've owned. This in part is due to it having a fully body with a nice set of D'Addarios as opposed to my headless stuff. I still think that the high action helps. My playing is adapting well enough to the higher strings up the neck so I'll carry on with it until there is a pressing need to dismantle it. What I'm interested to find out is how the low action will feel when I take out one of the headless ones again. I like a bit of a tickle on the strings for certain songs when the amp is up loud. The Beatles' [i]Michelle[/i] for an example. I also like to have a good old pluck or pick with a hard plectrum. I can do both now. Before I had to pluck across to avoid fret crash. Now I can pluck with impunity. I think its good to try all sorts of set-ups at least once or twice.

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1505756254' post='3374089'] Yeah, when I started (not that long ago) it was hammered in to me by my teacher that if you get lost "go to the root note and sit on it if you have to, but don't stop or the arse will fall out of the band". And as above, enjoy it. [/quote] Quaint imagery. It's right though. If you stop dead you are removing much of the the drive from the band. Root notes and deep relaxing breaths are the saviours in these instances. It's not been said in this topic yet but remember to breath well. Your body needs more oxygen than you might think during play. You don't want to hyperventilate. If you can recognise early that you are tense one or two deep breaths can help soothe the nerves.

I used to love [i]Never Mind the Buzzcocks[/i] when they had a round where everyone made up lyrics to bits of well known songs that were released with indistinct vocals. It is hard for me to understand the words on lots of poppy stuff. Am I the only one?