knirirr

I got this bass in 2018 after looking for one since the 1990s with no success. But, as I can play the DB that's inevitably what everyone asks for and this Fender never gets played any more. When fretless is called for my other one (which no-one will want to buy) usually fits the bill better.

Therefore, it might as well be offered to someone who will make good use of it rather than sit in a corner in its (somewhat tatty, Thomann-branded) case.

The only changes since I got it are a professional setup and the fitting of TI Jazz flatwounds. The strap can be included, if you want it.

I don't plan to drop the price as I don't really need to sell this, and I'm not interested in trades at the moment - sorry about that.

Apologies for the poor photos; having some trouble with the phone camera.

This is an earlier model of the Soprano Trombone shown in the Wessex catalogue here. As far as I can tell the main difference is in the slide brace (new one is curved), and the slide lock looks different. This example is slightly used; I'm aware of a small mark on the back of the bell section but otherwise the condition is very good.

Nice slide action and all seven positions available, but the instrument is essentially a trumpet with a slide instead of valves and requires a trumpeter's embouchure and air support, both of which I lack. Mouthpiece included is a 7C trumpet one.
Collection would be preferred but it might be possible to investigate posting.

The tenor trombone shown for scale is not included but I may list that separately later for £50.

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

 

...drummer got so relaxed he'd be slipping off his drum stool.

 

I remember playing with such a chap a long time ago. It was due to the way college ball gigs were organised; our jazz combo would not be the main entertainment but would have an early and late set on a small stage somewhere (e.g. in the bar). The payment would be a ticket to the event, i.e. free food and alcohol. The drummer liked to indulge considerably between sets; the audience would have been in a bad state and probably didn't notice anything was wrong, but the effects on his timing were a nuisance for me.

Nothing but alcohol-free drinks for me then, and now.

Not bad this afternoon. We had a dep. drummer with whom I've never played before but he was rather good.

There was one missed ending cue (the trumpeter likes sudden endings) but we must have covered it up well enough as the public I spoke to didn't notice.

On 09/06/2022 at 11:28, Dusty said:

Is there anything out there worth checking out ?

My local Ukulele band have asked me to join them and add some bass to their gigs. No problem indoors with power, but outside at fetes, busking etc, power is not always a option.

Is there anything out there ?

 

 

The Roland micro cube has been mentioned above. I recently had a chance to try one out and it worked very nicely; the particular band for which I use it normally complains that the bass is too quiet, but were completely satisfied during this gig.

There's a video here (apologies for bad playing; recovering from illness) which I have already posted elsewhere, so further apologies if you've seen it twice:

https://youtu.be/V6YLqu1Zb7E

I was using a pre-amp otherwise the pickup sounds dreadful.

N.B. it's fine with this amount of drumming, but is overwhelmed in the presence of a full kit.

Just bought a guitar bag from Tim.

All went very well indeed - thanks!

The only snobbery I've noticed is the common complaint against bass guitars when playing jazz, and that's usually not from other bassists.

Most recently it's been a guitarist; asking when I'm going to get a "proper bass" and then when I eventually find a nice one and space to keep it telling me that I wasted too much money when I could have just had a beginner one from Thomann for much less.

54 minutes ago, Richard Jinman said:

I exaggerated the point… some patterns are definitely transferable, but switching from a finger per fret approach on EB to a 1-2-4 approach on DB demands a rethink of some familiar arpeggios and scales does it not?

Ah, I see what you mean. I was thinking "patterns" as in the relations between the notes on the fingerboard (which appears like a linear circle of fifths to me) rather than the hand positions used to play those notes.

I'd not noticed much difference but I used 1-2-4 in lower positions on BG a lot, and 1-4 for 5ths, octaves etc.
Your comment was interesting as in the last lesson I had there was mention of students who've not studied bass guitar finding it easier to learn where the notes are on upright, which surprised me.

On 30/05/2022 at 10:42, Richard Jinman said:

 

8. You have to hear notes instead of learning shapes. Wait, all those EB patterns I spent months learning are redundant? Crap.

 

Interesting; I have found knowing patterns on a bass guitar neck to be extremely helpful when switching to DB.

1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Sounds great, certainly no volume issue there, although don't know why they can't run a cable out the window

 

Nor do I, but it never seems to be an option when we play there.

That amp did quite well, though; I only had the volume and gain on half. There's a gig in a park in a week or two so it will come in handy then.

Played a small gig yesterday evening. One set only, but that's about all I could manage; had an inner ear infection earlier in the week and I'm still not feeling great. All went well, though. There's no power at this venue and we were on battery amplification only so I tried out a Roland bass cube, which did the trick nicely with a preamp for the upright.

A brief clip here if anyone's interested.

Played in a small venue (40-50 seats) last night. Went quite well, despite changing an arrangement (and having to practice it) 15 minutes before the doors opened.

Apparently, mature Cotswold ladies like bass solos and want more volume.

33 minutes ago, grapefruitmoon said:

Despite being Scottish, I utterly despise bagpipes and pipe bands.

 

I'd agree about the pipe bands/pipe light music; horribly cheesy and boring IMO. Particularly "Highland Cathedral".
However, I like Ceol Mor. This opinion seems to be an unpopular one even amongst pipe fans. I found that playing it would result not only in the usual bagpipe "humour" but also requests for "something with a tune".
 

Jazz mags. That is, the ones which contain actual jazz.
I recall one which had an excellent Blue Note sampler tape with, IIRC, these on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv9NSR-2DwM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2KvM2T40RQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIBNV_RYQx0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuMd8ldLqxo

Compilation tapes from music shops were often worth a try as well. I got some useful leads from this tape:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/545217098612161071/

Old band photos are in short supply, but here are a couple from some time probably around 1993 (can't remember exactly) which I had previously posted on Guitarchat. It wasn't long after these were taken that I realised I was playing the wrong instrument.

These are great. I had mine set up here and it's proven to have very good tone & volume. GLWTS!

Fretless with anything other than an unlined board and side dots level with where the frets would be (as shown below). That's what I learned on and anything else feels wrong and confuses me.

Last rehearsal with drummer using full kit. For small outdoor gigs and jams without a full drum kit the amp is usually omitted.

1 hour ago, Nail Soup said:

Free jazz. Free isn't enough, you'd have to pay me to listen to it.

 

Getting paid to play it is difficult enough...

16 hours ago, paul_5 said:

I like Jazz, Mrs_5 less so.

We both like it. Unless I put some free jazz on; then, I tend to get dirty looks and complaints about it being "a bit too 'Desolate Shore'".

6 hours ago, Rich said:

 

Thanks back to you for inventing jazz! 😎

Definitely.

The Terror 500 with OBC112 was my choice as this combination is lighter than the old Trace Elliot BLX combo it replaced, not particularly bulky, and sounds good with BG.

It even works well enough with a pre-amp for DB. Just as well, as I don't have any other amplifier suitable for gigs, and even at rehearsals the drummer always wants lots of bass volume.

I recall someone playing me a Macc Lads track some years ago, and the count-in at 0:25 stuck in my mind as being suitably in-character.

Sold my first bass a long time ago because I didn't like the tone. But, the "poor tone" was because it had rounds on and I didn't realise that flats for bass could be had and would have produced the sound I was after. 

23 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

There are plenty of timewasters but also ...

 

Years later I still remember a woman who wanted a tent I listed on Freecycle:

1. Emailed me without asking for a phone call instead.
2. Turned up at the easily-agreed time and took the tent away.

3. Emailed again a few days later to say her son had used it at a rock festival and wished to pass on his thanks for how useful it had been.

An unusually pleasant interaction.