wintoid

There's this idea around that 10000 hours of doing anything gets you to complete mastery. I'm playing about an hour a day at the moment, so that would take about 27 years in total. During my teenage years, I reckon I played about an hour a day for maybe 5 years, and then just dribs and drabs through my 20s/30s. So perhaps 22 years to go. How about you? Does anyone feel like they've pretty much mastered it in much less time? Just interested as I seem to be making good progress, but nowhere near being able to say I'm a master.

Through gritted teeth, I did in fact sign up for this. So far, I've found it absolutely excellent. I can sort of see a justification for limiting it so that you have to spend a week on each lesson. That structure is really good and helpful and stops you tearing ahead. I think I'll make it to the 26 week mark no problem, and I'm sure my playing will have changed quite a lot by then. The live Q&A stuff I haven't really found useful so far. I guess that is his justification for "opening" and "closing" the course, but it seems unnecessary to me. Too many people sharing one hour with Scott, it's just never going to be that helpful. Apart from the overall structure being so beneficial, the sheer amount of focus you end up putting on tiny things has yielded surprising results. Some weeks have been easy. Others have shown me very clearly where areas of my technique are falling down, and given me exercises to improve those areas. I don't see how this could have been done any better, to be honest. I'm sure some people won't like the boring repetition of the exercises, but I find it quite therapeutic. So this grumpy grouch is actually quite impressed. I feel like even 8 weeks in, I've already got value for my money.

Well expressed, I feel like that too

Wow, good old Morley College. When I was a kid, my mum and I used to sign up for courses during the summer holidays, a good 45 years ago! I've got a black belt in enamelled badge making.

Thanks, that's kind of how I'm thinking too. I'm not enormously handy, so really don't want to mess it up. I guess once the nut is sorted for a particular gauge of string, it's sorted for good, so long as you stick to that gauge.

Yesterday I made my first ever attempt to set up my own bass, aided by the various Youtube videos there are. I adjusted the truss rod, lowered the bridge saddles and got the intonation just about perfect. Quite chuffed! But I wimped out on the nut. I don't have the necessary files, and it seems like something that is irreversible if you get it wrong. I was wondering whether other people skip the nut setup, or whether I should consider fitting just-a-nuts to my basses. Interested to hear any opinions.

I bought a Modern Vintage P-bass from Si. Really good clear communication, friendly. Nice bass, sent promptly. No issues!

Yeah that's terrible news

Thanks Will

My feedback is that I've no idea where they're based, and it doesn't say on the website. Anyone know?

And balance was restored in the universe

I learned to play bass in the early 1980s when I was a teenager. In those days, the only good bass (to me) was active with multiple pickups and preferably headless. My right hand would always have been close to the bridge, and I was chasing "the honk" as much as possible. I've returned to the bass in recent years, and through GAS ended up with a Jazz, a P, and a PJ. The P, in particular, has encouraged me to rest my thumb on the single pickup, further from the bridge than I was used to. What a revelation! I really feel the feedback I get from the less rigid string at this position makes me enjoy playing more. Much more. And the tone seems better there too. I can't imagine heading back to the bridge now, except on the Jazz, and that makes me want to play the Jazz less. I think I've been seduced by the P. Teenage me would have turned his nose up at a single pickup passive bass. Anyone else been through this?

Looks like it’s open now, and only for a week. I don’t have the readies. Oh well, his loss.

Fantastic, sounds so good. I've never liked Mark King's voice (sorry Mark!), so even better than the originals, and a female vocal replacing Lindup just works brilliantly.

Very groovy!

I buggered up a single TI jazz flat in a headless bass but managed to replace it as a single string from Amazon. I did have to wait a couple of weeks though.

TIL about witness points!

If only enrolment was possible. What a crazy system.

Thanks so much @BillyBass

So did you get hum problems with the Elixirs at all?