iamthewalrus

Hi Oscar,
Is your first student a beginner, or someone who's been playing for a while?

If it's a beginner, I'd do real nuts & bolts basics - tuning the bass, fingerstyle or plectrum basics with open strings, where some of the notes are, getting the fretting hand working by using the one finger per fret system higher up the board, using 1, 2, & 4 around about the first five frets. Teaching a basic 12 bar Blues would be a good idea too. The Louis Bellson book (Modern Reading Text in 4/4 Time), combined with some examples of the function of the instrument within the band would also come in handy for learning about rhythm. Working with a metronome or drum machine would be a good idea too.

If it's an intermediate player, you would have to really see where they want to take their playing. You would probably have to judge their current playing skill & suggest things here & there. There may be parts of their technique which might need to revisited, or they might need some more in depth music theory to extend their vocabulary. Sightreading or doing some more advanced rhythm work.

I'm not a teacher by the way (maybe some of the guys who are can suggest other things). If I was starting out again, this is some of the stuff I'd be looking at learning.

Cheers,
iamthe walrus

Hi Chris,
Welcome to the forum - I remember you from the Jaco website a few years back. Hope things are going well with the band (I see your gear's changed quite a bit since we met up at the Level 42 gig in Purfleet in 2004).

Cheers,
Louis (iamthewalrus)

Hi,
Can recommend the Crafter 5 ABG - my wife bought it for me for my birthday last year. Scale is 32" & sounds pretty good both acoustic & plugged in - I mainly use it for practicing but I would definitely gig it if the situation allowed. The strings (Bronze) supplied are light & you might be able to get away with tuning it E-C?

It also has a built in tuner which is also handy!

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

I used to have a bit of a dislike for C & W for years, but I got into the modern country thing when CMT Europe was on cable TV. Managed to see Trisha Yearwood, Suzy Boggus & Mary-Chapin Carpenter when they toured the UK in the mid 90's.

I would have to say that the quality of the gigs was excellent (Carpenter being particularly outstanding). Great singers, great songs & the musicians were top notch. I always thought the female acts had the edge over their male counterparts (would agree with an earlier poster that Alison Krauss has a fantastic voice).

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

[quote name='ped' post='204571' date='May 22 2008, 09:03 PM']Sorted, PM replied :0)[/quote]
Thanks Ped - much obliged .

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

Duck has been one of my all time favourite bassists since I started playing. Have spent many an hour trying to cop his groove on an Otis Redding or Sam & Dave track.

Was lucky enough to see him at Hammersmith Apollo in about 1988 or '89 with the Blues Brothers Band. Eddie Floyd was one of the vocalists & it was pretty much the original band from the film minus the drummer & the keyboard player (I think the drummer on the night was Danny Gottlieb, but I might be wrong on that).

Along with Tommy Cogbill, David Hood & Jerry Jemmott, Duck was part of the Southern Soul bass brotherhood.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

Started playing in 1985 - tried teaching myself with a Laurence Canty book, but after 6 months decided to get a few lessons.

My first bass teacher was a guy called Garth Thomas who used to work in Andre's Music Shop in Croydon. Good bass player, thoroughly good chap who had a cracking 1972 Cream coloured Fender Jazz. Only had a few lessons as the shop closed down not long after.

Next big step was a 10 week part time intermediate course at The Bass Institute in Acton (1987)(anyone on the boards here ever go there when it first started?). Tony Muschamp was the teacher & I definitely learned a lot while doing that.

I'm now being taught by Paul Geary (ACM) - top teacher & all round good bloke.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

Biggest regrets musically:

Starting late (21)
Not learning to read (got hung up on the technical side of things instead of trying to combine the two)
Not getting a really good bass teacher when I was younger (have got a great teacher now - bit too late as I'm 45 this year)
Getting a bit too hung up on buying gear thinking it would make me a better player (boy was I wrong on that one!!!)

On reflection I guess I can't complain too much - apart from a couple periods where I haven't played in bands due to family bereavement, I've been gigging fairly consistently over the last 10 - 15 years.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

[quote name='lukeward2004' post='161893' date='Mar 22 2008, 06:27 PM']Hi Guys,

I was in a music shop in Reading the other day, I wont name which one, but I have to say it left me a little bit sour.

I saw a lovely Fender P Bass, think it was a 62 RI, in fiesta red with a Gold anodized plate, it looked amazing. I thought I would ask if I could give it a play, and the attendant merely looked at me and said "well, you're not going to buy it are you, so why bother?"

I responded with "well I wont be buying it if I get attitude like that will I? I wont buy it if i cant play it". The attendant begrudgingly handed me the bass and plugged it into a small bass combo, and I began to play it.

It sounded immense, the action was super low and slick, and I was at this point considering buying the bass there an then as it just ticked all the boxes that a P bass should tick. I was mighty suprised to find that the bass was a Mexican model, the quality of the build and finish was unlike any MIM fender ive played, so I thought "right, ill have it".

That is until I spoke to the attendant once more. I asked what the price was of the bass, and he said "£650 with a hard case", I thought it was a bit too steep for a MIM fender, and I asked the attendant why it was so costly as Mexican fenders dont tend to be that costly.

He said "Well look, I can tell you arent serious about buying this bass, and I knew when you walked in you where a time waster, so if you dont mind ill have the bass now to give it a good polish to get your grubby finger marks off it".

I simply stood up, handed the bass back, and said "good luck selling this bass with that attitude".

What the bloody hell does he think he can achieve by speaking to me like a piece of crap? Perhaps he wanted the bass for himself, but you can bet your bottom dollar I wont be shopping in there again.[/quote]

Hiya,
I live in Reading & I would recommend Guitar Works in Market Place. The staff there are absolutely superb & treat customers with a [b]lot[/b] of respect (even my missus, & she doesn't play a musical instrument - she's bought me a few things in there). I'm sure they could order in a decent Fender P bass at a decent price.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

Bump for this week... anyone out there interested?

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

[quote name='Davemarks' post='158446' date='Mar 16 2008, 04:41 PM']To add to all that's been said, i feel it is essential to understand how the industry has changed - people like to buy sh*t. They buy rubbish magazines full of celebrity gossip, watch big brother and generally popularise and promote the value of soul-less rubbish. Gone are the days when bands can take 6 months or a year to make an album, where a lukewarm second album could lead to an awesome 3rd... a lukewarm 2nd album will get you dropped. Rec companies will fund you for a couple of weeks of recording...
With all of the technology that we have today, very poor musicians can be bolstered and supported into making good albums while genuinely good musicians struggle to be heard unless they wish to play pumping quarter notes on a Kylie record. Gone are the days of Pino, Chuck Rainey, Steve Gadd et al playing awesome parts on pop albums.
The music industry is in a bad place these days. I wonder if there was ever a time when it wasn't this hard...

If anyone watched the Xmas special of Extras - this is so true to life it's heartbreaking.

Don't hate the player, hate the game... :-)[/quote]

I didn't see Janek's article, but have read a lot of the posts on this subject. If the guy can practice 10 hrs a day, fair play to him - I wish I could. But the vast majority of us with families, full time jobs & bills to pay can only practice when those small time windows allow. I haven't heard any of his music or seen him play, but if he's making a living in a place like NYC he must be pretty good. IMO, I think it's good for the bass community that he shares his knowledge & experience either via his columns in BGM or on Talkbass.

Janek's got his own opinions - there was a thread on Talkbass about Hadrien Feraud which ran for a while where he made some valid points. I think Dave's post above pretty much ties in with Janek's view that there are only a few bass players out in the US who are part of the remnants of the session game over there. How that relates to us in the UK I don't know, maybe Dave, Stuart Clayton & the other pros who post here can take this thread in a different direction with their views?

I also think Dave's post has also pretty much summed up the state of the music industry & what the public are willing to accept nowadays (no, Dave isn't my bass teacher, but his website & YouTube lessons are good).

Just my ten bob's worth...

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

Hi Kevin,
Welcome to Basschat - was good to see you at the gig on Friday night in Wraysbury.

You'll get a lot of good advice from the members on here whe it comes to gear - everyone has their own take on things, & it's all part of the community spirit on the board.

When it comes to 5 string basses - the world is pretty much your oyster, & it just really depends on trying out a lot of different basses & seeing which one takes your fancy. £500 will buy you a good 5 string.

In terms of amplification, my rig is quite light but that's mainly due to the fact that I suffer from sciatica occasionally. Stuff like Warwick, Peavey, & Laney is usually sturdy gear but at the other end of the scale, Markbass, EBS, Eden, Epifani, Accugroove & Schroeder is lighter but more expensive. It really depends on how much you want to spend & how much gear you need for the gigs....

Hope this helps a little bit - take care.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

Hiya,
Apologies or the delay in getting pics up - had a rubbish weekend. Not sure if the pic of the front of the headstock will show, but it's in very good condition.

I have got one interested buyer so far:


Cheers,
iamthewalrus

Hiya,
Due to the recent acquisition of a very nice Aria IGB68/5 (courtesy of my good lady wife), I've now arrived at the point where one of my 5 string basses has now become redundant (Have now got 6 basses & need to make some room).

I've got a 1996 Yamaha BBN5 up for sale, here's the spec:

Colour: Gloss Black (same finish on headstock).
Neck: Maple with a Rosewood board (34" scale)
Hardware: Usual Yamaha hardware in Chrome.
P/ups: Two Jazz.
Extras: EMG BTC circuit fitted by The Bass Centre, control layout is front pickup/master volume (push active/pull passive), rear pickup, & dual concentric Bass/Treble. Also has Schaller Straplocks.
Nut: Bone, recently fitted by Guitar Works in Reading.

There are some small nicks on the headstock & on the rear body, but the paintwork is still intact. This has been my main gigging bass over the last 12 years, so it has been well used but it's still a good bass for anyone thinking of having a backup 5 or just starting out using a 5.

Will post some pics up over the next week or so. Am looking at selling for £125 if anyone's interested?

Any queries, please PM me.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

The 80's was the decade I started playing (seems like a very long time ago now), but these are my standout bassists from that era:

1) Mark King - I've been a big Level 42 fan since I saw them in concert at Wembley Arena in '86. Can't play like him though....
2) Pino Palladino - IMO one of the vey few fretless basists to develop his own sound on the instrument.
3) Joe Hubbard - Really great US bassist. Had a couple of his Hubbard's Cubbard LP's & the playing was superb. Shame he's given it up.
4) John Pattitucci - Saw him at the RFH in London in '89 with Chick Corea (using a Yammy 6 string). Superb Jazz bassist on both electric & upright.
5) Ewan Vernal - Deacon Blue were one of my favourite bands towards the end of the 80's. Another underrated bassist.

Honourable mentions - Dick Nolan (It Bites) & Marcus Miller.

Cheers,
iamthewlarus.

Here's my 5:

1) Jaco Pastorius
2) Chuck Rainey
3) Bruce Foxton
4) Bruce Thomas
5) Chris Squire

Cheers,
iamthewalrus

Hiya,
Being the (very) proud owner of an Overwater Jazz, I'd say go for it.

I got in touch with Chris & Laurence in Sept 2003 & once we'd sorted out the spec, it took them 6 months to build. At the end of Feb 2004 the guys confirmed the bass was complete & after a long train ride & an overnight stay in a hotel the bass was in my hands. I spent about 2-3 hours in the shop with Chris & Laurence, & can honestly say it was a blast.

Pros - excellent quality build, the John East (if you go that way) has plenty of tonal variation. Definitely not a heavy bass to wear if you've got one of their excellent straps. Fingerboard is wide but comfy (21 frets). It definitely sounds like Uncle Leo's finest.

Cons - Can't think of any, but maybe I'm being biased. I've never played another custom jazz (i.e. Nordy, Sadowsky, GB, Sei, Alleva Coppollo) to compare it with. I've got a slight problem with a bit of a crackle on the John East at the moment, but having been in touch with the man himself, that should be rectified soon.

I know it's not good form to quote exact pricing on the boards out of common courtesy, but you're in the general area.

Feel free to PM me if you need any more info.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

My missus bought me a Crafter 5 ABG for my birthday last year - has really come in handy for practicing when making a lot of noise isn't an option. Am dreading the strings going dead, as I think I might be stuffed when it comes to trying to find 32" scale Bronze strings.

Have only played it through an amp once or twice but it sounds good. Can reccommend that & the old Washburn AB20 (with the diagonal slots) that was a nice ABG too.

I think it's just a matter of trying out different ones & seeing what you like the best.

Good luck.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

[quote name='yamahabass' post='132555' date='Feb 2 2008, 01:48 PM']I wouldnt get either basses, they are just 'parts' basses, sadowsky just screws the body and the neck plus hardware together.
the parts come completely made and finished from places like Warmoth and Guitar Parts, so its a question of screwing a neck onto a body plus some fret work. Many will argue that he sets it up like a magician but you're paying 1000 dollars for the parts and 2000 dollars for the setup. Id rather pay 3000 dollars to Celinder or Sei to build me something by hand. Just my Opinion by the way.[/quote]

There is a statement from Roger Sadowsky himself on one of the (many) Sadowsky threads on Talkbass regarding the Warmoth parts issue.

Having read it, I can understand where he's coming from & even though I've never played one, still have respect for the guy as a custom builder. I'd still buy one if money was no object.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

Have got my tickets for Oxford on order for the missus & me.

This will be the 7th time I've seen the band since '86, Mark's still an awesome bass player & it's great that Mike's back in the fold again.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

[quote name='Dazzlovski' post='127325' date='Jan 24 2008, 09:24 PM']Darn It
My camera skills stink guys !

......but you get the general idea.
I'm gonna take some pics when the sun comes up and post 'em in the Porn section , the crappy lighting at this time of day makes it look orange.

My latest arrival ! :wub:

[attachment=5179:Sad1.jpg][attachment=5180:Sad2.jpg][attachment=5181:Sad3.jpg][/quote]

Dazzlovski....that is one very tasty piece of kit!!!!

When I decided to go for a custom job, I'd thought about a Sadowsky - at the time they were about £3-4k for an NYC. I finally settled on an Overwater J5 (which is my baby), but if the lottery comes up, it's Sadowsky time!

I bet you thoroughly enjoy playing that baby!

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='130371' date='Jan 29 2008, 11:28 PM']+1

The original Wapping shop when Barry Moorhouse was there in the late 80s & early 90s was fantastic.. Wall to Wall full of great gear, exotic and traditional basses and you could spend all day in there if you wanted to and could afford to!

Seems that a customer-friendly retail shop with an online presence that's founded or run by a real specialist, such as a great luthier like Bernie Goodfellow in Brighton or Martin Petersen at The Gallery etc, etc, is the way forward..[/quote]

+1 To this post - I remember the old Bass Centre with a lot of good memories. I used to visit the place at least 6 times a year (was like a kid in a sweet shop), & the staff there were great. Chris repaired my Peavey BW15 a couple of times, as well as putting the EMG BTC circuit in my Yammy BBN5.

I think The Gallery has now taken it's place - long may it continue!

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

Hiya,
The main sellers out there at the moment are Fodera, Shuker & Sei. There is another US custom builder who makes these, but I can't remember who it is....

I don't own one myself, but just out of curiosity - do these instruments balance well? (it's a bass design that has grown on me over the last year or so - particularly like Tom Kennedy's Fodera 5).

Over to the Dood & 7 String for this one?

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

Hiya,
Another vote for Overwater & also Roger at Bootleg Music in Epsom. Quality fellas all!

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='126255' date='Jan 23 2008, 04:33 PM']I've got a couple of TRBs at the moment and have no problems but, at the risk of being bleedin' cheeky, you are putting each winding on the post UNDER the 1st and not over it aren't you?

Peter[/quote]

Hiya,
Definitely putting it under. It's the way the string sits slightly proud of the to of the machine head after putting the end of the string in.

Cheers,
iamthewalrus.