Spoombung

All of the above.

I put my Wal in a hiscox case with extra bubble wrap and paid 15 euro to put it in the hold on Ryanair. It arrived on the outsized baggage carousel with no problems.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1429870003' post='2755724'] I did a session once, the engineer looked at my bass and was amazed that I had EMGs in it. He said "I thought they were meant to be all zingy, bright and clinical. They were not. They sounded really good". A lot of internet hearsay tells us that EMGs have no soul. This is not true. [/quote] I also agree.

If you really want harrowing try this: https://youtu.be/l06ozEXOSaY

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1429439235' post='2751328'] Very much so Thumbs up from me and Mrs. Pook [/quote]

That's exactly the model I'd go for. Congrats!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1429436133' post='2751291'] Excellent in every way. Great playing and technique. The ghostliest of ghost notes. [/quote] thanks

[url="https://youtu.be/o4oHin_Gh6A"]http://youtu.be/o4oHin_Gh6A[/url]

I rotate between a fretless 34" and a fretted 31" at gigs and I must say it irritates the hell out of me as everything's in a different place. I must find a solution!

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1428180261' post='2738951'] Do you think you're maybe a frustrated guitarist ? [/quote] Well the bass guitar is a guitar, so we're all guitarists here! I have no frustrations though. I have no problem playing high up in a guitar range, if that's what you mean. I like a combination of high and low notes. Hahaha!

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1428178246' post='2738927'] Listen to some Anthony Jackson from this album - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4v4Zu-msnQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4v4Zu-msnQ[/url] Tell me that you honestly can't hear the notes that he play clearly. I did a lot of transcribing of his playing from this album last year, he loves the low Cs, C#s etc, they can clearly be heard. [/quote] Yes I can hear them especially when isolated. But in combination with the other instruments their effect is negligible and they tend to disappear. That was evident at the Hiromi gig last year.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1428177857' post='2738923'] What makes them wrong, and you right ? [/quote] Well nothing, obviously. It's an opinion. I do hear lots of people on here complaining about the diminished role of the bass player, however. Do you think there might be a connection...encouraging players to go lower rather than going up the neck? I honestly think a D played half way up the neck on an E string sounds a hell of a lot juicier than a D down on the B string. Yes, you can do it on a 5 string but given the option which direction will the player go? My bet is he'll go lower. So if there's more bassists playing down there might be more weight and fundemental but it'll be harder for the ear to pick out. You'll rely on the other instruments for it and you'll be reduced supplying 'feel' and 'width' and 'bulk! rather than harmonic content.

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1428164973' post='2738727'] You might want to go get your hearing checked out by a professional if you can't hear bass below the low E in standard bass tuning. [/quote] Well, I wonder if YOU can indentify the notes? I did a blindfold test at a bassbash a couple of years ago. I played a C then a Csharp and asked people to identify whether I'd moved up a tone or a semitone. Only half the people got the correct answer. The ability to hear notes that low is difficult unless you include harmonic resonance - something the bass guitar does not have. I'm making very straightforward points. You don't need to accuse me of deafness or throw other insults at me.

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1428160584' post='2738664'] Exactly - I'd love a top quality 4 as well as 5 but, for now, I'm limited to the 5 being where the £s got spent. It can do everything a 4 can plus has a number of tricks beyond the reach of a 4 - not just below the 5th fret on the B-String. As others have pointed out (maybe Spoonbung needs to read the preceding posts?) the ability to work in different parts of the neck is one of the most important features of a 5 and the criticism of inventiveness and tonality of a 5-string are just plain odd. The E-G on my Dingwall sound great, tighter and clearer than many 4s. The B is tonally in keeping with the progression of string thickness - but not too pronounced due to the added scale-length. [/quote] Okay, I should make this a bit clearer then -[i] it's not specifically 5 string basses I object to[/i]. It's bass lines played below the E because they a) contribute to the widespread cult of anonymous and boring bass playing are therefore pointless C) and largely inaudible

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1428160283' post='2738659'] I don't enjoy hearing players who overuse the lowest notes, but to blame that on them playing 5-string is akin to having a go at your keyboard player because they showed up with a 76 note keyboard instead of a 61. [/quote] Good point - but why in that case why play a 5 string (given all the disadvantages I mentioned above?)

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1428160050' post='2738656'] There is no down side. [/quote] How about increasing inaudibility the lower you go in pitch?

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1428159847' post='2738650'] Anything recorded by Nathan East in the last 30 years. From Anita Baker to Daft Punk. [/quote] C'mon then, post an example and we'll have a look.

My advice is super-straightforward and sensible: stick to 4 strings. Set you sound up bassy and move up the neck and play melodies so you can hear the instrument...JUST LIKE YOUR FAVOURITE BASS PLAYERS DO! Don't waste your time below an E.

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1428159630' post='2738645'] Fantastic trolling Spoony! Utter bunkum but top effort. [/quote] Oh good grief, this isn't trolling! I'm trying to help, honest. It's an uphill struggle pointing out the obvious to other bass players ;-)