Horrorhiker

Just now, BreadBin said:

I recently had to start wearing varifocals which are bigger and heavier than my old glasses. Positioning is critical for the focus to work so the arms are set to grip my head much tighter, uncomfortable at first but I have got used to it. The added bonus is that they don't slip down my nose.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that you may not need to buy anything, just a bit of frame adjustment required which most opticians will do for free.

Thanks. I am going to be lookimg for some new specs soon so will definately bear 'grippiness' in mind. I'm talking fairly energetic movement so I think that something extra will be required, but I get what you're saying. Any other type of gig, this would probably be enough. Cheers for the input. 

4 minutes ago, jposega said:

Put some heat shrink tubing around the arms. The rubberiness will help them grip better. 

Cheers, I did consider doing this for everyday use actually. 

54 minutes ago, arthurhenry said:

To the vast majority of a typical audience, this is not remotely important; at least, they don't know it's important. They have no concept of what instruments are making what sounds, of drums and bass working together, of what bass is and how it differs to guitar. They only know whether the band sounds good and in many cases (to them) this means whether or not the band are playing the songs they like because they've heard them on the radio a lot.

This is not in any way a snobby comment - it's ok and understandable that it's this way.

I agree. Most of the audience don't care how good you are at all. It's a bit like saying you have to be good at drawing to be a successful artist. 'Suiting the band' is more important to people I think. Two examples I can think of is people that love Sid Vicious in the Sex Pistols, and on the other side of it, Bob Rock playing with Metallica-which simply feels wrong, even though, I presume, he's a good bassist. 

6 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

In that case, if it's unavoidable, best embrace it as a 'feature', and take reassurance every time one's thumb feels it, by thinking 'Ah, yes, it's still there..! Good..!'. Make a 'positive' of it. 

Also, It's far easier to change the bass than make me a glass half full person I'm afraid. Just ask my wife. 

Just now, Dad3353 said:

In that case, if it's unavoidable, best embrace it as a 'feature', and take reassurance every time one's thumb feels it, by thinking 'Ah, yes, it's still there..! Good..!'. Make a 'positive' of it. 

I couldn't deal with it myself and took the bass back. Shop were fine with the return, even though I felt like I was making a fuss over nothing. I'm fine with dings and marks anywhere except the neck it seems ha ha. At least I know what to look for I guess. 

1 minute ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I've seen them quite badly protruding/recessed and not in a consistent fashion along its length. You'd certainly need a fresh lacquer coat applying and an expert to remove the excess timber first either from the stripe or the neck. 

Yes, by the time you've paid for that work, you may as well have bought a US bass I'd have thought. 

1 minute ago, Dad3353 said:

Wouldn't a bit of sandpaper fix any perceived issue..? 

The tech in the shop tried to do a fix. Filled where it was uneven with glue, then sanded it. It made it slightly better but couldn't get rid of it totally. Apparently it's the two woods expanding and contracting at different rates, so presumably there will always be a gap if one develops.

In the end, it was a psychological thing more than anything else. There's no getting away from it as it's exactly where your thumb travels up and down. 

30 minutes ago, seashell said:

Interesting. I’ve had a MIM Fender precision for nearly seven years now. I wasn’t aware of the term ‘skunk stripe’ and barely registered that my bass has this stripe down the back of the neck. I’ve played it nearly every day for seven years and not even noticed it! So obviously it’s not an issue for me.  Maybe it’s the luck of the drawer. Mine certainly isn’t raised or sunk. 

It’s not irrational if it’s an issue for you though. I guess you’d be better off buying a bass that you can try out first. 

Yeah I can't imagine buying a bass without playing it first. I did play the first one, but didn't notice the problem until I'd played it for about an hour at home. In the shop, it didn't register. Its a shame its put me off, as the MIMs seem superb usually. 

2 hours ago, James Nada said:

I remember this well, RAW magazine (the wannabe Kerrang). I was keen on getting the drumkit but my parents convinced me to get a bass (a Marlin Slammer)

I forgot all about RAW. I think Raw was the wannabe Kerrang, and Kerrang was the wannabe Metal Hammer 

Just lately I bought a MIM precision, that was amazing in every way, except for when I got it home and found that the skunk stripe had either raised, or sunk very sligthly on one edge causing a hairline bump or something along a big part of it. It was VERY subtle, but once felt, couldn't be unfelt. 

I went to look at another MIM P the other day, and this bass had exactly the same problem. 

I'm after a new bass soon and have always wanted a 'real' Fender P. Those skunk stripe issues have given me some sort of phobia about them all together, which  seems to be limiting my choice with mid priced Fenders somewhat. I must confess that when I check out a Fender bass at the moment, if it has a skunk stripe, I instantly dismiss it. Is that crazy? I realise that Mexican finishing won't be to the same standard as American, but does this happen on US basses too? 

Do you think this worrying about skunk stripes irrational? How widespread is the issue? Did a search about it and it seems quite common. 

Cheers.

About to PM.

5 hours ago, Skol303 said:

Yes! I remember that add from Kerrang (I think). A nice shot in the arm of nostalgia  

That'll be where I saw it I wager. 

I remember being in talks with my folks about the possibility of getting some kind of instrument, and then seeing this ad in some magazine and thinking..wow. I just found it online and it's one of those things that makes you go right back in time. 

I was 13 or so, going back and forward deciding between guitars and bass as my final request, sure that one of these would be mine. 

We ended up going to a shop and I got an Encore P-Bass (which was actually great). 

Here's to joint Christmas and birthday presents. 

27 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Excellent, Queen were quite formative for me too, even though I shouldn’t admit to that as a punk. Queen were a band my brother played me a lot of before the punk thing happened. Actually, thinking about it, They were one of the bands I just carried on listening to through the upheavals of punk.

I'm in an old school hardcore band funny enough. I went metal after Queen but have always loved them. I also like Floyd, and Roxy Music a lot. Brainy rich person music ftw. 

Just now, Frank Blank said:

I’m already in hot water. It’s funny how John Deacon never actually springs to mind but is such a vital part of that band, what a dude.

Yeah, It's not like he's underrated or anything but he does fly under the radar until it's his time to shine. Queen were the first actual 'guitar band' I was into as a kid and I spent all my time watching a couple of Queen live VHS's. For some unknown reason, Deacon stood out to me and is 100% the reason I play bass and not guitar all these years later.

Just now, Frank Blank said:

If you are playing Level 42 covers it’s probably time to shut a piano lid on your fingers.

Ha ha ha. Sound like you need a few lessons in love.

6 minutes ago, Huge Hands said:

Just to add, I started wearing glasses at 8, and as the school goalkeeper, the other team would gradually get closer and closer before I could start to see them, to a point in my early teens I had to start wearing glasses on the pitch. I used to use something similar to Frank Black's suggestion, and this was about 28 years ago, they're nothing new.  They used to keep my glegs on whilst jumping all over.  I  do remember not being happy unless they felt really secure, so used to end up digging the nose pieces into my face because I'd pull them so tight!

 

  

Cool. yeah I can live with them being pulled tight for the length of a gig, so thats no problem. Funny that I never considered this sort of thing. They would have come in handy for loads of things. 

I would argue that tone is hugely important when recording, and then when playing live, replicating that tone matters, if you play in a band where people know your stuff. It's one of those things that a real bad tone sticks out like a sore thumb, and an excellent or average tone are accepted with disinterest, equally by the majority of audience members. There's something to be said about, if you're being ignored, you're doing a good job to some extent maybe. 

John Deacon springs to mind. (Unless you play bass) he's relatively anonymous both visually and in terms of sound when playing live, until he gets a Killer Queen fill in, or Under Pressure starts, and at that point, everyone in the place appreciates bass tone, whether they know it or not. 

Also, if you're playing Level 42 covers, bass tone is more important than when playing Summer Of '69 (probably). 

7 minutes ago, Marc S said:

Frank Blank's suggestion looks good
I had a similar device, but it took quite a while, fitting it
That one Frank suggests, looks as though it should fit easily though

yeah ive pulled the trigger already. I'll have neckache by Sunday. 

1 minute ago, T-Bay said:

I used to fence at Uni (with an Epee, not selling stolen stuff) and tried a few types. The best ones were the sort with short elasticated sections. The full elastic ones always put too much pressure on and the non elastic ones didn’t work well.

I was thinking more the creosote kind tbh  

I think that's what I ordered. I'll get it through and do some kind of review maybe. 

Cheers!

1 minute ago, Frank Blank said:

They don't interfere with the huge range of wigs I don during gigs either...

I hope you're talking 'theatrical', as apposed to 'Forsythe'. 

1 minute ago, Frank Blank said:

Very. You can get all sorts of branded expensive versions but I'm good at losing these so at that price it's no biggie. Perfectly functional.

Brilliant, cheers for that. I'll give them a go. 

1 minute ago, Frank Blank said:

I use this...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIXES-Sunglasses-Neoprene-Stretchy-Spectacle/dp/B009AS1H4G/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_200_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Q0ARP3WW98GW6QXWPKYK

Superb, they work well? 

Thanks

1 minute ago, Marc S said:

Fellow Specs wearer here.... I know what you mean
I don't need them for bass playing myself - as I don't do head-banging these days

There are several types around. I used to use them for playing tennis. One type has a long "string" which you tighten with a little adjuster in the middle.
These work fine, and are pretty secure - but they leave the "excess string" flapping around at the back of your neck - this can get annoying when playing tennis,
and I'm sure even more annoying when head-banging!  On the plus side - they only take seconds to pop onto your specs - each end of the string has a soft rubber tube, which you jam the ends of your glasses' arms into
Sounds like it might be open to failure, but mine seemed really secure

Another type is a short, adjustable strap. This will not flap about and annoy you - but the strap is thicker / chunkier than the string type - if you can live with that...
.... or have enough hair left to hide the strap! lol They're also not so quick to slip onto your glasses as the string type.
I think I bought one set from eBay, and another from a sports shop (but can't recall which one came from where - it was some time back)
I'm sure there'll be something on eBay - or your local sports shop

 

Thanks! I think the thicker strap one sounds to be the best. I'll have a look. I did see the flappy ones you're talking about and I think that could get annoying. 

As for hair hiding the strap, I haven't even got enough hair to hide my head these days unfortunately! 

What with all these age related loss of things, I probably shouldn't be headbanging in the first place. Growing old disgracefully! 

Cheers again for the input. 

47 minutes ago, darwin said:

Thanks Neil.  Its a shame I'm not closer but I'll have a think (and more importantly a chat with the wife !) as this would go very nicely with my little collection of jazz basses  - natural, sunset orange and lake placid blue, all maple neck

Darren

This bass is about 2 months too early for me (damn you, month in hand overtime!) but love the look of it. If it were a P in that colour though, I'd be begging..I mean chatting with my wife right now! Anyway, thought I'd just say hello as I'm in Bury St Eds, so quite local to you. so er...hello!