jonnybass

If everyone is lining up for Scott Thunes, I think I'd go for Tom Fowlers time with Zappa as I love Roxy and Elsewhere. Or Id want to be Tony Levin...Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel and King Crimson..yes please..

Fair enough, while in 30 years of gigging I have, or in the very early days of using multi effects at least I should have and not used a horrendous sweeping filter on a certain frequency. Thats one of the things isnt it? theres no hard and fast rules..soundscapes are all different. Jonny

Sorry Perhaps i should have been clearer, you may need to edit the sound depending on the room/stage/area sound of your gig. which is why the soundcheck (i think) becomes more important. Ideally all edits would take place in the comfort of your rehearsal space/studio, but unless you are in complete control of the sound at the venue, there is a chance some at the gig tweaking is required. At least thats what i have found. Jonny

I kinda agree with Bigredx, although I think with multi-effects being more difficult to edit on the fly soundchecks become more important. Currently I use separate pedals, but I keep looking at mulit-effects simply for the ease of programming and storing time and modulation based effects, then using my analogue filter/octaver/distortion effects. best of both worlds sonically I think. jonny

Amazing live sound and build quality, I’ve owned three (2 fives and a 4) find the body shape and size are not ergonomically good for me, but the sound live is fantastic. Only gone as my ACG is more suitable for me.

“People say the quality went down hill after this year/model/buyout”

I won’t comment on my ACG, as it’s a bit different with the filters. Passive PJ, P volume full, tone fully open, j pickup about 75%. Active jazz, both pickups on full, touch of bass boost, flat treble.

I still have my first bass...well its a bit of a 'triggers broom' its an 84 Japanese precision i picked up in 1990...its now got a new neck, pickup, an added jazz pickup, new wiring, a new bridge, tuners, strap buttons and a neck plate...covered in stickers. I love it. Had one of those H&H Bass Baby amps in 1991 too, what a sound lovely. But heavy, didnt learn though and replaced it with a Trace Elliot amp. Jonny

Is it not more around which rules (theories) you choose to use? When a guitarist plays an E minor chord, there isnt even just one rule (theory) on what notes you can/cant play, there are different rules (theories) depending on the context of the song. I always think note choice should be decided by taste and the harmony you are either highlighting, suggesting or supporting. Specific rules (theories) can help, but only in as much as a starting point for your options. Jonny

Been buying basses and stuff from the Gallery for over 20 years. Never had an issue, always been able to call or order online (although calling sometimes wasnt easy), as I live in Edinburgh. In all that time I have had one wrong order of a set of strings, was offered a refund and the actual strings i ordered, as well as keeping the ones that were sent. Website is very frustrating though. I will, at the moment continue to use both Bass Direct and the Bass Gallery, and I look at a few others too, as we need to keep as many bass specific retailers as possible.

Interesting, you are right, its not possible to fix what we dont know about, but, if its a staff member who is dis-interested/not giving you the service, and they are the only person in the shop who do you complain to? To my knowledge there isnt another bass forum which has such a UK based population, and there arent many bass specific stores in the UK. If I owned one, I'd be all over the forum checking what people were saying about my business. I'd think if Bass Direct are unaware of the feeling on here from some people its a major blunder on their part. Likewise if they are aware and not willing to do anything to remedy the issues, its not a great long term business model in my view. I'll still use them, but I do check other places before making a purchase. Jonny

I've had mixed dealings with Bass Direct over the years. Incorrect orders, lack of updates, mis-communication. Over the years I have ordered probably 20 things from them, with issues around 5 times. They have always been good enough when a mistake has happened, so I'll still use them, but only if I cant get what i want somewhere else first. Hate the website though, hopefully they'll fix that soon. Which would be a start.

A few points: Its the Sound of 2022, not young musician of the year. Hopefully the sound of 2022 isnt 70's rock, I'd rather listen to 70's rock but its not Jonny's sound of 2022 either... Just because she chooses to use samples as a medium how do you know she cant play an instrument? She could be the best viola player on the planet but just likes working with loops and samples, which has been done in some form since around the time Leo invented his P bass to be honest.

Peter, dont be disheartened, as others have said hes covering up for his shortcomings. I've been lucky, I've played in bands for around 30 years since i was 16. Unless he told you before he started the song, that hes changing the structure then its on him. The only exception would be tio shout or signal that hes adding /removing while playing. Even then its not really your fault if it goes wrong. I joined a jazz band a few years ago, I had never played jazz at that point. Pianist shouts out at the rehersal, ok guys, 6251 in F, Cal (the drummer) we will trade 8's after the solo, 32 bars then back in to the head. I sounded like a bass falling down the stairs. We stopped. The pianist then explained to me (and played examples) of each of the bits he mentioned. EVery week he'd spend at least 30 mins giving me a jazz music lesson and a listening list. Fast forward a year we are playing 2 hour gigs just calling out tunes from the real book, improving structure (with signals). I cant think highly enough of that pianist. He recognised my weaknesses and helped me fix them, to make a nice little jazz trio. If your guitarist was as good as he thought he was he would have done the same. He didnt, hes covering up. I havent heard you play, but you approach songs in the same way I do, and was taught to do at music college, so you are more competent than a few musicians I've encountered. I know who i'd rather play in a band with, and it isnt the guitarist. Good luck with the next venture man. Jonny

If they think its unimportant, but can notice the difference then whats the point of the band? is it to make money? is it to put out songs you are proud of? or is it just fun? Whichever way, it sucks, but like I say they may notice after the dep has done it, that its not the way forward in future for them. I've depped in bands (as a bass player, and I am one) and the point is making money so they dep with whoever is available and can reasonably play (its often a guitarist). I have also started depping in a band who havent had a bass dep in their 10 year history because they wont settle for just anyone. I know which band I'd book as a punter, or join as a full time member, and it wouldnt be option 1.

I compare bass players to goalies, teams can win football matches with an ok goalie or sometimes even someone else as a sub, but there are a couple of times in a football match a great goalie shows his worth, a good set of songs is the same, there are usually times a great bass player shows his worth (usually signified by enthusiastic dancing/moshing/chin stroking*). I have been in the audience where the bass player has been a dep guitarist and it doesnt sound good (often signified by a lack of dancers/moshers/strokers). Maybe after they play with the dep they will realise what you bring? Joni summed it up well "you dont know what you've got til its gone" *jazz only

I think its especially useful if its a small town with a small circle of musicians. It feels more professional to me, harder to bad mouth you if you are up front and offer them a chance to fix it. "I wouldnt use him, he thought the mix was wrong when we were too loud and looked for cues in songs where we changed the arrangement, when we wouldnt do it, he gave us notice and left when we had no gigs." said no band ever.

Been in many bands over the years and this isnt uncommon. Personally, I'd lay my cards on the table. Tell them how I feel, not in a way that makes the guitarist feel like hes in the wrong, but more "the band backline mix is wrong", "Im not getting these structures, can you give me a cue for the change" sort of thing. If they arent willing to fix it after that, I'd tell them that they need to find a new bass player, because its not working for me, but I'd offer to see out the gigs and leave either when the diary is empty or when a new player can take over.

Unlined. Still have it, just dont play jazz at the moment. I'd prefer lined these days though simply as it reduces the need to have great onstage monitoring.

Practice really, scales and intervals up the dusty end. When I used to play jazz on my fretless, I'd approach the melody like a singer. Judicious slides into certain notes, I not too much vibrato, lots of space, I also found that playing round about frets 7-12 were good for me for intonation, anything from the 14th fret up I'd struggle with my sausage fingers.

I have the Darkglass B7k ultra (v2). I use it almost always as a clean preamp. I find it adds a just the right amount of sheen to the live sound, the DI with cab sim is great for recording. I dont really do metal bass playing.

My CS is a custom classic, which comes with noiseless n3 pickups and 18v 3 band eq. To my ears the east pre and nordstrands sound better.

Agree, all in (bass, electronics, pickups, work) it comes in around half the price of a brand new one. Very much VFM..but if I paid over £3k and had to do this much work? Nah. To contrast I have an ACG recurve 5. Never felt the need to do anything but change the strings. Costs less than a brand new CS fender.