Burns-bass

Usually a Fender Bass with flatwpunds and a foam mute.

In some cases they're double tracked too (upright Bass and electric simultaneously).

One of the best bass tones I've ever heard is Herbie Flowers on Serge Gainsbourge's Melody Nelson.

I'll stick it all in DropBox tomorrow and post the link.

Hi all, I'm about to start researching a book all about double bass and need to increase my library. This isn't so much about playing, technique etc (although useful) but about history and construction.

I know some of these books can be expensive and rare, but let me know what you might suggest as I certainly don't have a comprehensive list just yet.

This isn't a wanted ad (I have posted one), but about crowd sourcing appropriate sources.

I won't go into detail, but feel free to DM if you want to chat or have any recommendations etc.

If anyone is interested I interviewed Caroline Kaye about this stuff, but never published the article as I didn't get around to writing it. Anyway, can post the stuff somewhere of anyone is interested? Includes a load of her handwritten transcripts, contracts and stuff as well.

Bump!

I've bought one!

This is a surprisingly nice Squier Bullet Series Strat. It's a Chinese model and is in good shape.

The guitar plays nicely and has proved to be a nice little loving room guitar (picked up and played by everyone).

I've recently cleaned it, and lemon oiled the guitar. The tremolo unit has been disabled (it's a bit cheap and unreliable) which has helped the guitar no end.

A few scrapes, bumps and knocks but you'd expect that.

It's got reasonably powerful staggered pole pickups and non-scratchy pots. Damage there are some knocks and bruises, but surprisingly few. There are two screw holes on the bottom of the neck. I really have no idea why, I can only assume the neck was used on another guitar at some point.

I'll remove the neck for postage and send without strings for £50

I've a set of new Ernie Balls I can chuck in for a few extra quid if you'd like them.

Photobucket has died on me ( and he rest of the internet) but I can send you some pictures of you want and will post a Dropbox gallery.

Brilliant, cheers!

I did try Google (honest!) but didn't get as far as that. Will order one later.

Muchos Thankos.

People need to create a brand for their band. The best ones are able to do this and become very successful.

The best bands take a professional approach, analysing gigs, successes and failures. Criticism is essential, as it's about refining the product.

And everything should be planned out, rehearsed and refined. Gigs come with the professional approach.

Hello!

Just a quick question. I need a DB stand and he Hercules one looks good. I want one that I can keep my DB on its stand extended at playable height. I have a small room and laying the bass down and extending it is annoying and has led to a few damaged items.

If the Hercules stand isn't able to do this, can someone recommend a bass stand that can?

Comfortably Numb with a guitarist playing it note perfect through a Hiwatt stack blaring out over a field while soundchecking. Drummer ran in and started playing and the keys player was having a field day by the end. Hell of a player that guy.

As an originals band it was quite sad that it was probably what the crowd wanted to hear! (We were playing at a Prog festival headlined by the Australian Pink Floyd).

I sold a Roland GR77B and floor controller to Phil Oakley from the human league, and I have away his letter and signature to someone on here.

Owned a Fender Jazz played by John Enwistle (have photo proof somewhere) for £750 from Barry Matthews about 15 years ago. I sold the 1965 neck for (wait for it) £150. Bass long gone too.

Have gigged with a lot of prog rock greats not all of whom have been nice people. Recorded a few albums with John Burns, prog genius and all round legend.

My favourite musical experience was driving Acker Bill to the CliftonSuspension Bridge where he pulled out his clarinet and gave us a tune live on radio. Lovely, lovely man and sadly missed in these parts of the West Country.

I once missed the chance to go out and get pissed with the Strokes to stay in and revise. Went on a pub crawl with the drummer from Kyla Shaker and once turned down a spliff from Norman Wattroy when I did a gig with Wilko Johnson.

Don't risk long-term damage for the sake of one gig.

Good book

I guess these are tools of the trade. While we fetishise originality (down to the solder joint in some cases) these instruments will all have been changed and improved.

[quote name='Stu-khag' timestamp='1502363721' post='3350927']
Watching Lang Lang playing in the living room of a renowned piano competition organiser almost blew my ear drums.
[/quote]

He's a bombastic player, isn't he? I don't know a great deal of the classical repertoire, but I've alway enjoyed his technically perfect interpretations. I know some people claim he's a little automatic, but perhaps that's snobbery.

[quote]
[color=#292931][font=Arial, Helvetica, freesans, sans-serif][size=4]The Gariel Strad of 1717, which was worth £6.3m in 2012 and will only increase in value[/size][/font][/color]
[/quote]

It's this sort of thinking that causes problems. There is a massive amount of fraud and manipulation in the world of classical instruments. This is a good read: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9616021/The-great-Stradivarius-swindle.html

There's a great book out there somewhere about this (it's on my shelf and I can't remember the name).

What I think is great is that the instruments are, for the most part, still played. Can't say that about vintage Fenders - including some of my own (sadly)

This is a beautiful amp in showroom condition. I'm sure you've considered it, but it might be worth adding it to Gumtree.

I sold a similarly aged amp and had a huge amount of interest in it.

Scales are wonderful things, but don't be limited by them. If great composers taught us anything it's that pretty much any note can work in a given situation.

It's fantastic to get the scales in your fingers, try visualising them in your mind when you're playing. It's a revalation.

Fingerboard harmony is a brilliant book, and Gary Willis is a genius.

One tip on the book (try playing a solo but move string every note) was the basis of some amazing lessons and some great jam sessions. There's plenty more in here.

Tough way to make money is insurance. They would need to have specified in the documentation about drug use. If you dig out the Rolling Stones insurance policy for the tour they did it's worth taking a look at what is and isn't covered for those guys. Fascinating, if a little odd.

The question is how you view your instruments: as a working piece of machinery or an appreciating asset. It can be both, but the former will (in time) affect the latter, with wear and tear and inevitable changes needed affecting the value of your instrument. I have the jack socket of my 66' re-soldered for example, which now renders it slightly modified, but I couldn't be doing a gig with a crackly bass or my bandmates would have killed me!

It's also worth considering how liquid that asset is. The market for vintage guitars is buoyant at the moment, but it crashed after the last recession and with consumer debt currently at huge levels, it could happen again. Then your prized bass may be worth a lot less than it currently is. Markets being dynamic and all that. If you've bought the best player (that suits you) then you should be in a good position.

As someone who spent their 20s and early 30s recklessly wasting money this realisation is slightly jarring, as I now recognise that I sound a lot like my dad.

The first thing you've done properly is play the guitar - many people don't, particularly with imported guitars.

As the owner of a few ridiculously expensive guitars, I'd suggest buying the one you like the best and that sounds the best. If you want collectibility then buy the most complete and original example. If you have the money I'd plump for the '65, but there were awful basses in all eras and wonderful ones.

I agree with poster above, of use a fretless jazz bass with a lot of Bridge pickup and a hint of neck, played at the bridge with a firm set of fingers. You're looking to play right hand with a lot of attack and the left hand silly smooth in a flowing, fluid motion. Chorus and compression (it's the 80s, eh?). This is all about nailing a Jaco-ish tone.

I know, apparently it's something to do with Photobucket. I can't sort it today, but I'll do so tomorrow.

The DropBox link still works, so feel free to use that :-)