Stub Mandrel

Thanks for the pointer! It came from the Czech Republic and curiously included a 13A plug to Euro plug adaptor...

Cripes! Mine arrived an hour ago. You weren't joking when you posted that. It's beautifully made with cool 'ambient lights', but the sounds are amazingly flexible. Most impressive is the multi-note tracking, it's lovely on two notes, but seems to hesitate a bit with if you play three or four strings that include an octave. I found the 'modulation' a bit odd, a small amount helps most sounds, but generally higher settings were a bit in your face. Then I put dry at about 1 o'clock and up at 3 o'clock with a tiny bit of sub, and dialled the mod to see what would happen. The note swells in and shimmers sounding like the 'vox humana' setting on an organ, ethereal and potentially very useful. I can see this being really useful for all sorts of organ/synth like effects.

A masterclass in songwriting.

I won a Tufty Hanky!

I've just put some flannel in the 'memorable gigs this year' thread, and it made me realise how important Basschat has been to me. I'm self employed and work from home, so having a few forums to share the day to day with helps keep me sane and cheerful (not an exaggeration), particularly in what's proven to be a challenging year from a personal perspective. For perhaps 10-12 year music and bass in particular was the main part of my life. Then it all went away for 23 years. Rediscovering the sheer joy of making music with others has been like finding myself again. I have to thank my brothers for their support and encouragement, and of course the musicians I've linked up with. But Basschat and more importantly basschatters have really made a huge difference to my enjoyment and commitment to the bass, helped me out of some holes, see when I'm talking trough my butt (sometimes). I've enjoyed meeting several of you, including at the Midlands Bass Bash. So I'd just like to say thanks to everyone whose paths I've crossed on Basschat, sorry to anyone I've offended by shooting from the hip or with my unusual sense of humour. This is a great community, thanks for welcoming me into it 🙂 Looking forwards to 2020!

1. Most memorable gig played (good reasons): Our 'weekend warrior' band's set at the Nottingham Boat Club, my first gig since 1996, well rehearsed (see 2) so it was a sheer joy 🙂 2. Most memorable gig played (bad reasons): Sister in Law's 60th birthday - mainly because with my brother, SIL and the drummer from my other brother's band. Minimal rehearsal, I sang, played guitar and mandolin in front of an audience all for first time ever, and played a song on bass I'd only ever played on mandolin before. Not that it was a disaster (although I could have been better) but it was so stressful! 3. Most memorable gig attended (good reasons): Phil Campbell in Cardiff. I just acted like a 20 year old... 4. Most memorable gig attended (bad reasons): Went to an open mike. Started OK, but half way through it was apparent that it was pretty much identikit performances... (Pachelbel Medley anyone?) But main thing from 2019, has been getting into playing bass seriously again. A covers band that should be going gigging in the new year, all experienced musicians and hoping to be really good. Plus teamed up with a local singer/songwriter who I'll be doing a first gig with in January, which will probably involve jamming some songs I've never played before...

I always turn up after plugging in. fewer nasty pops, you know. 🙂

Well, you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family...

Tufty says "Avoid the 4003, it tends to clog my chipper!"

Two that stand up as excellent songs in their genre, not withstanding the anti war/anti-nuke sentiments: Revolution in their minds, the children start to march Against the world in which they have to live and the hate that's in their hearts They're tired of being pushed around and told just what to do They'll fight the world until they've won and love comes flowing through - yeah! Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today Will the sun rise up tomorrow bringing peace in any way? Must the world live in the shadow of atomic fear? Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear? Yeah! So you children of the world listen to what I say If you want a better place to live in, spread the word today Show the world that love is still alive, you must be brave Or you children of today are children of the grave - yeah!

Whitey on the Moon seems more relevant today?

Ashdown amps are really bad for not being able to tell whether things are switched on or not.

Well. Finally did a rehearsal with the amp, no extension cabs. We got a bit louder towards the end of the sesh and I had to turn up to 3. 🙂

Interesting, I didn't have problems today, first time using it at a rehearsal, but I had some other minor irritations. The X3 seems to be low latency at only 1.5ms if you don't use it with anything else. At some point I'll set up mine with a dual trace scope and measure the latency accurately.

So from this, we can deduce that 5-strings are actually for nesh folks? 🙂

Anyone got a spare Riverhead banging about?

Listened to my Sabbath live at Hammersmith in the car. I in awe that I was there for a gig like that. Sabbath with Vinnie Appice coul kick the butt of any other band and Dio's voice is unmatchable.

LOL! The top one looks like it has 8 strings too... wonder why not 8 on top? I would play the 4-stringer more.

Same pickups, number of strings, frets... I have to ask, what's the point? Backup if a string breaks? Alternative to having a D-tuner or 5-string?

Well, I say this is the most lovely bass on Basschat, anyone who disagrees is sadly deluded. 🙂

"What's this? It's got a good beat!"

In the seventies I had the idea of a pickup split into six single coils to allow each string to generate a separate signal for extreme distortion without intermodulation.

Don't take me too seriously 🙂

Some nice bass here...