Russ

Seems to have been a while since there was any update on the new Wal situation... anyone heard anything?

I've played the sunburst one a few times... great bass. Big tone, comfy neck, great EQ. The 5-string even has a decent low B. I prefer them to the USA deluxe Jazzes.

Take a look at these (from the Japanese ESP site): [url="http://www.espguitars.co.jp/artist/tetsu/index.html"]http://www.espguitars.co.jp/artist/tetsu/index.html[/url] ... the red Edwards Lakland-alike is filling me with GAS right now. Anyone got any idea where someone might be able to order one? I seem to recall there were a couple of places that specialised in Japanese guitars online, but I can't find them right now.

Or, hold out until the end of this month, when Musicman's Sterling series will become available... I think they're supposed to start around the £600 mark, and they're supposed to be almost as good as the US-made ones (pretty much Musicman's Skyline series). They'll be doing versions of the 4, the 5 and the Sterling.

[quote name='Chelios' post='424604' date='Mar 3 2009, 11:24 PM']Ill take one at that price [/quote] I've seen used Stingrays change hands for around that kind of price recently... keep an eye out.

Jon Shuker will build you a custom super-J for much less than you'd pay for a Sadowsky or Lakland. Under four figures, probably. I don't have any of his basses, but this place is full of satisfied customers.

Had a listen... I hear the need for an MM-type bass. That gives you a few options: 1) Secondhand MusicMan SUB - the real thing, although the finishes take some getting used to 2) Ibanez ATK - nails the MM tone nicely. £300-ish will score you a new one. 3) If you want that more modern take on the Flea-type tone, you might be able to find a Peavey G-Bass within your budget (single pickup, graphite neck) - kinda hard to find though. 4) MTD Kingston. Great bass, huge thick tone. If you're very lucky, you might actually be able to score a proper Stingray for £500, what with the economy being the way it is.

Played one in NYC last year. Unimpressed. Just another super-J, to my ears, with an ugly, blobby headstock. Nicely made, quite nice neck and didn't sound bad, but the Sadowsky Metro I tried the same day sounded and played much better and was half the price. And I've played Sei Jazzes, GBs, Moons, Celinders and Bacchuses (Bacchi?) that do the super-J thing better than both of them.

I think this discussion hinges heavily on what people look for in a bass player - a great technician, a great writer, a great performer, or all of the above. For instance, Anthony Jackson is an amazing technician and writer, but not much of a performer - he just sits there! Conversely, Lynott was a great performer and a really good writer, but not the greatest of technicians. But, if that's what floats your boat... For me, Doug Wimbish and Tony Levin. They've got all three, in spades.

Firstly, get some old Parliament/Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone records. Listen loud. As for what to do bass-wise - take your simplest bassline, then remove half the notes. Then remove a few more. Then put those few (or one) remaining notes per bar you have left in the groove - takes more practice than you might think. Unless you're talking jazz-funk, the chord progressions are usually pretty simple, and you won't have to play much more than pentatonic scales to start with. Have your thumb ready for slap duty, but, considing the stereotype of slap only being for funk bass, you don't hear it all that much on the proper funk classics - it's certainly not ubiquitous. Add envelope filter to taste. Then keep practicing until you're playing with that puckered "oooo" face that's essential - then you know you're feeling the groove.

I think I want to track down my old GB. It was on Ebay a year or so back, but I missed out on it. It'd be nice to have it back, since it was custom-made for me, and is unique amongst GBs for several reasons. Bernie tells me he's still got the designs for it, so he could make another, but it'd be nice to have my old one back. So if anyone sees a custom ash/maple GB Rumour 5-string going, with a custom body shape, and two Hipshots, let me know.

I'm a huge Primus fan, but I just haven't been able to get into Les' post-Primus output... it just doesn't do it for me. It's weird - I [i]should[/i] like it, but I just don't. I can't connect with it.

[quote name='XB26354' post='417983' date='Feb 23 2009, 11:47 PM']Don't ignore the BTB series - lots of people here seem to love the SR's but I have always liked 5- and 6-string BTB, and the new thru neck ones in walnut are very, very nice for the money (even with the price hike due to the collapsed Yen-Sterling exchange rate). Massive piano like sustain and a richer, less stringly tone than (for example) the SR5065. Balances better too...[/quote] Gotta concur here. For the money, I don't think you can get better tone, fit and finish, and general solidity than a BTB. They're physically a lot more substantial than the SR basses, but better for it, I think.

They are pretty hideous, but they're also very "Flea". I'd expect the ones he plays onstage to be seriously tweaked (better pickup, hardware, etc), but that they will still look like the production instruments. I'll be interested to hear how they sound, if they've got that Stingray-ish punch he's known for.

The guys at The Gallery have never let me down before - they've even loaned me instruments in the past when I've had a gig or been in a pinch and they've either been servicing or building a bass for me (although they do know me quite well, as I've been going there since the early 90's). Explain the situation to Alex and I'm sure they'll help you out - their reputation for good customer service is well-earned and they pride themselves on it. Even if Martin's away, John can easily handle a setup, although Martin is the main electronics guy, so that probably won't get done while he's away. A lot of pros use The Gallery, and they appreciate the fact that some people need their instruments returned to them quickly.

I enjoy some of his stuff... the Joni stuff, some of the Weather Report stuff and a few tunes off his solo albums. The man had chops and soul, but I didn't always like the music he applied them to. Some of it was meaningless noodling, some of it was a little too close to "smooth jazz" and some if it just left me utterly unmoved. There's no greater insult in music than that... to get no reaction from a listener. But, there are few other bass players that can make the hairs on my arms stand on end they way they do when I hear Portrait Of Tracy, or the solo from A Remark You Made. Then again, I'm the same with Wooten... technically awesome, love watching all the bass gymnastics and stuff, but he leaves me strangely unmoved... I don't *feel* his playing at all.

Almost everyone mentioned here came to prominence well over 10 years ago... I've got to go with Bona, Matt Garrison, Chris Wolstenholme and Ryan Martinie, and all four of them are pushing the 10-year mark too. Tal's not a bad player, very much a young female Marcus, but, let's face it, most of the reason she's well-known is because she's a) young, and b ) fit.

He knows his stuff... shame the Megatar is so fugly. They look like they were built in someone's garden shed. The only touchstyle instrument I'd play would be a Warr... they at least look nice!

One of the best slap tones I've ever heard came from a Streamer Stage II. Very much a J-type tone, but with extra through-neck sustain and buckets of that trademark Warwick growl. Awesome basses, and probably the only Warwick I'd consider owning. Shame that it's one of the most expensive instruments Warwick make!

Foderas look great and play brilliantly, but I've never really found them to be "tone monsters" - the ones I've tried (a VW 4, a Matt Garrison 5 and a couple of others) have been a little too thin and delicate-sounding for me. A little too "hi-fi", if you like. Obviously pretty good for certain applications, but not for me.

Having tried a lot of basses over the years, I was frustrated that there wasn't an instrument that combined all the best features from my favourites, with a few other touches that only a custom luthier can provide. You might like the neck profile of one bass, but not the tone or choice of finishes, you might love the tone of another, but hate the neck, etc... if so, custom's the way to go, and luckily there's lots of great luthiers out there right now, at every price point. You can now get *your* bass for less than the price of a US Fender. Plus, I've always been one for having things that are unique to me - in musical terms, a custom bass is pretty much the manifestation of that. I've had 3 Seis and a GB over the years, and my current 5-string Sei is the bass I had always wanted - I've had it for 6 years and it just keeps getting better. I think another Sei will be on the agenda hopefully some time in 2009.

No, the Stick is not a bass. However, it is an instrument that can play in the bass register (down to low C in standard tuning, below low E on a 4-string bass), and it has a unique sound in this regard. Other similarities are that the Stick is the same scale length as the bass guitar, and is tuned in a combination of 4ths and reciprocal 4ths, making it relatively easy for bassists to get around on. Regarding Tony Levin, he is a man of many talents... he also plays cello, guitar and upright bass - he's not just a bass guitarist (although he's obviously best known as one). Many of his best-known bass parts were played on the Stick (eg, Elephant Talk) so it's natural that interviewers will want to talk to him about it and that listeners/readers will be interested and might be interested in replicating that sound.

He's playing a 4-string, long scale instrument using bass guitar technique. I think that makes him a bass player, even if he's not sticking to the low registers. It sounded pretty good to me. Stanley Clarke is well-known for also playing a piccolo bass and having another bassist onstage to play the low notes, and nobody would dare not call him a bass player. Jaco played up the neck a lot, sounding more like a baritone sax than a bass a lot of the time. Michael Manring (who is obviouly one of this guy's heroes) does it all - high/alternate tunings, unusual techniques, etc, and the man can also hold down a mighty groove. Just because someone can do the technically advanced chordal and melodic stuff doesn't mean they can't hold it down too. Absolutely nothing wrong with exploring what else your instrument is capable of other than what's below the fifth fret. Of course, as a working bass player in a band, 90% of the time you'll be playing the low notes, but, since the bass is capable of so much more than that, why not explore it? The bass guitar has a wonderfully complex sound, and, when played properly, is just as versatile as most of the other instruments considered to be solo, or lead, instruments. The players I mentioned above, amongst others, have proved this, and there's nothing wrong with someone being influenced by that. Cross-pollination of styles and techniques is a good thing - ever heard (the utterly amazing) Andy McKee, or even our very own Newton Faulkner? They both use bass-derived techniques on the acoustic guitar, including slapping. Does that mean they're not guitarists?

I've played a couple. Comfortable, very light, slick neck, well balanced. I found the sound a bit lacking though, very mid-shy. All boom and click, but no oomph, if you know what I mean. Some people like that type of sound though, so give one a try if you can.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='388863' date='Jan 22 2009, 07:32 PM']I like the Goldsmiths but the New Cross Inn is a more 'Punk' pub.[/quote] Isn't the New Cross Inn the same place that used to be the Dew Drop? If so, I agree... judging by the amount of crusties (the proper, filthy, dog-on-a-string-called-Rizla ones) who used to hang around outside bumming fags and waiting to go in at the end of the night so they could drink the contents of the drip trays!