lozkerr

That sounds like a superb idea! I presume it would need a normal gauge B string rather than just detuning the E, though?

Eww, nor can I. They look like something from Alien.

Absolutely this. I've had a five for a few weeks now and I find it much easier and more intuitive than the four. Having two full octaves over five frets anywhere on the fretboard has made it instinctive to root on the B string whenever I can. And it makes a huge difference to reading too - I'm trying to wean myself off tabs.

Works both ways... I was singing in a cathedral choir at fourteen in concerts that were broadcast on Radio 3. I also had a part in an opera directed by the Master of the Queen's Music. But you really don't want to hear me now, unless you have a fetish for bad karaoke

That sounds surprising, although I know everyone's different. But I'm female, with girl-size hands and I can play a five-string Fender just fine. Although I did have a bit of a wobble about that when I first tried it. Soon got the hang of it, though!

Disagree - I was 51 when I first picked up a bass and although I know I'm a long way behind the curve, I'm taking it very seriously indeed. It helps that I have played other instruments in the past and can read music, I mustard mitt. But IMHO attitude is more important than aptitude, in that if you practise regularly, play with and be willing to learn from other people and don't think you're awesome from day one, then you will get better. Might take a wee while, but effort will pay off, whether you're sixteen or sixty. But you have to put the effort in in the first place, and from reading the forums here, that seems to be a huge problem - fantasists thinking they're a lot better than they are. Age shouldn't be an issue. Just my 0.02.

Mine too. I have an Oasis tab book which has a big mugshot of Liam on the cover, and I use it to rest on when I'm writing out basslines. There's a certain satisfaction in poking the smug git in the eye

"pulled off on stage." Err, I think. But I've aye had a warped sense of humour.

Nah - just You Jeremy would be right. With lyrics like: You starve the poor while you line your nest You hide your smile when they're laid to rest You Jeremy etc

Yup, I get that completely. I have two metronomes - a silly bleeping box that lives in my gig bag for emergencies, plus a clockwork one that I keep in the music room. That gets used a lot. Even when I've got my cans on or am playing louder than usual, being able to follow the pendulum helps keep me in time, even when I'm playing off a score and watching it from the corner of my eye. I got used to that when I played the trumpet; inevitably the blare would drown the click, but following the movement soon became second nature. I used to put it on a shelf above my music stand, so I could see both at the same time. Clockwork metronomes rock!

Obvious, innit? They go in the floordrobe

What about the old Shredded Wheat factory in Welwyn Garden City? Or if you want to go further afield, Old Hall Mill in Leeds is falling to bits, or Temple Works, also in Leeds, is an iconic Grade I listed building that's crumbling away. I think you'd need to go via the council to get into Temple Works - it was supposed to be sold to Burberry, but the last I heard, that had fallen through. EDIT: pressed Submit too quickly - the main room in Temple Works was once the largest in the world. It's got an incredible light quality - on a sunny day, the light coming through the myriad of skylights seems to hang in the air without touching the walls. My old model railway club had their clubroom in there. I might have a few pics knocking about if you're interested?

And here. Hammer To Fall was what got me going.

Thanks ped. I'd better get writing :-)

You have 'WHO THE !!$%%"!! ARE YOU LOOKING AT ??" under your handle on forum posts - that's what I'm getting at. If I look at your profile, it appears under Rank. How do you set that up?

Hi folks, I notice that a lot of folks have a 'Rank' feature on their profiles but I can't seem to find it on mine. How does this work - do you need to have made a certain number of posts, been around for a bit or acquired a set number of watts? Many thanks, Laura

When will next year's dates be announced? I'm hoping to get more out of it next time, rather than wander round feeling like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

Well, I've gone for it! I've bought the Jazz I borrowed, and I'm rapidly falling in love with it, even though it's giving my fretting hand a different type of gyp. But the ability to just whizz across the fretboard rather than race up and down it is fantastic. And that lovely sustained tone... oh, it's gorgeous. The only downside is having to relearn all the starting points for the scales, but that's a small price to pay. Aye, it took a big chunk out of my bank balance but I thought that as I would graduate to a pro axe anyway it seemed sensible to go for broke rather than buy another cheap instrument. So, what two fives did you buy? And have you got a favourite?

Sound advice! I spent part of this evening trying to switch between the four and the five and eventually gave up. I put the Ibanez back in its case, grabbed the Fender and only stopped when my fretting hand and shoulder wouldn't stop complaining. The Fender weighs a ton! But it's such a gorgeous instrument. I made my mind up, put a big hole in my bank balance and now I'm sticking with the five.

That's got to be the best definition of GAS I've seen. You win!

Funny you should say that...

Thanks, everyone. Some good advice here, and I really appreciate it. I think my mind's made up - I'll go for the five. Time to go shopping!

Hello, all you lovely Basschatters! I'm in a bit of a quandry (no, not the new Toyota) and would appreciate people's views. I've been playing the bass for a couple of years, and thanks to a superb teacher (hi Jamie) I've successfully progressed from awful to not-as-awful-as-I-was. I'm still using my first bass - a four-string Ibanez - but I've borrowed a five-string Fender Jazz, just to see what a five-string axe is like. Apologies if this next bit sounds conceited - I'm not wanting to sound big-headed - but I've been playing it regularly for the last few days and it's lovely. No problems with positioning or not being able to find notes. I'm still hitting the odd wrong string but I'm sure more practice will sort that out. What's been really encouraging is to find that some phrases I struggle with on the Ibanez are easy on the Fender, as it's quicker to drop down to the B string than move up and down the fretboard. Being a girlie, I've got quite small hands so they have to move about a bit. So I guess the exam question is this - should I get a five now and carry on learning on that, or carry on with the four for a bit longer? I'd like to switch to a five now, but I can be more impatient than is good for me and I'd like to know what more experienced folks think. Many thanks, Laura