chris_b

I was just going to say that!!

Great song. We used to play it a lot. Time to dust it off, it's been rested for long enough.

There are average quality instruments at every level, but the best B strings I've played have been low volume run or "boutique" basses. The ones that weren't the best have been production line basses. So far I've never played a bad 35" B string. Sadowsky, Ken Smith and Wal are all 34" basses so my take on this is that build and material quality will be a key factor. A shorter scale might be just what you want but lower notes perform better on a longer string. That's backed up by orchestras, where the quality of the sound is critical. There is a reason why the lower an instrument has to play the longer/bigger it is.

The Dukes Of September. . . back in 1991 theses guys had a band called the New York Rock And Soul Review. There's a live CD, which I have.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1446213182' post='2897787'] I think I rather pay to see what makes Gilmour special rather than someone trying to just sound like Gilmour [/quote] There was something like an 8 or 9 year gap between Dave Gilmour's last tour and this one. At that rate he'll be nearly 80 when the next tour kicks off, so seeing the real thing can be rather problematic. I don't buy the "I'd only go to see the original" view. If you're a fan, or even not, then a good tribute is a very good thing indeed. Brian Wilson went to see a Beach Boys Tribute band in Las Vegas and they were so good he hired them to play with him, as the Beach Boys. That's got to be a feather in your cap as a musician. The Straits were a Dire Straits tribute band, which contained members of the Dire Straits touring band and Steve Ferrone on drums. That was a great band by any measure, and with their "Mark Knopfler", Terry Reiss, they obviously had Dire Straits down to a T.

You can even get make-up hints from the Korean cross-dressing bassist.

I just love the flow of the notes. BV generates a groove that you can just float on.

Markbass are neither louder nor quieter than any other similarly rated make on sale in the UK. To single them out for "getting the maximum bang for your buck" is a bit of marketing, IMO. I prefer a clean sound so my advice is to get an amp that will go a lot louder than you need and adjust the volume down. For me 500 watts is the "standard", and IME all 500 watt amps are in the same ball park. I have never had a 500 watt amp that has run out of steam. I also use an 800 watt amp, but that only gets used because it can run at 2 ohms, when I want to add more speaker cabs together. The cabs are the things that turn amp power into loudness. That's where the ratings and measurements can differ and so will your sound.

In reality the ex-drummer was already an ex. He just hadn't been told yet. The reasons for firing the first guy haven't changed. See what availability the other guy has. Maybe you can work the diaries out. If not find another drummer. At the end of the day, life's too short for "bad attitudes" in any sphere of life.

[quote name='IanA' timestamp='1446200378' post='2897622'] 2+2 does not equal 5 be careful putting words in people's mouths..... [/quote] I apologise. . . .having reread the post, a little slower, I see you did not say that at all. Sorry.

Deleted. . . . Incorrect information in post. Sorry Ian A

We've already binned a gig in Redhill that tried to get us on to this system. Apparently the brewery found a lot of their landlords were invoicing for gigs that hadn't happened, a pocketing the cash. This system is to control their dodgy pub managers and landlords and the bands are getting caught in the crossfire.

[quote name='Ruck' timestamp='1446153707' post='2897433'] Oh im hearing my sound fine with the GK 4x12 setup. Im just worried going back to a 2x12, I might not, [/quote] You will if the 212 is a Barefaced cab. I'd email Alex and put your questions to him. He'll explain it better than we can, make better recommendations and he won't sell you something that won't work.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1445793539' post='2894234'] Going back to a 4 would make no sense to me whatsoever... [/quote] Me neither. My cover band plays a lot of numbers which use notes below E. I play the B string on nearly every number in the blues and Americana band. The original bands I've been in have all used the low notes. I know experiences and preferences differ, but I haven't been in a band in the last 20 years where playing a 5 string bass wasn't a huge advantage to me.

There's a reason P basses as so common. . . . it's because of their unique sound. Non P basses can get close but never close enough, IMO. That's why most companies make at least 1 P bass. As long as you have the split pickup in the correct position I guess you'll get the P bass sound from any bass. I'd strongly suggest that you try flatwound strings on whatever bass you get.

You don't say which boxes your current rig doesn't tick, so my opinion is; the Barefaced is a level up from the GK's. You'll easily hear yourself and so will everyone else in the room. You might be surprised that your sound will be clearer and more defined and articulate than you're used to. These cabs put out exactly what you put in. When you get used to that you'll love it. I once asked a sound guy about my volume and mix out front, only using my Berg 212, and he said you're loud, we don't have you in the PA. You'll carry the room on your own with a Big Twin 2 and more often than my cab will. You also get a 1 month trial.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1445967194' post='2895783'] I'm sure that there are many former Wal owners who sold when they weren't "flavour of the month" and now see similar items selling for thousands - there's a lesson there... [/quote] I was in the Bass Centre one lunch time, about 20 years ago, and a guy came in trying to sell a Wal Pro-1. He only wanted £300 for it but they sent him away with a "can't sell those things these days"!! I wasn't playing 4's but why didn't I just buy the bloody thing and work out if it was a sensible move later!!

A better bass that wouldn't break the bank? IMO a Lakland 55-01 would fit the bill. It's a big bass but very easy to play. The neck and B strings are every bit as good as the USA models.

He starts playing at about 4 1/2 mins in. . . [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpnIl2WpR1U&feature=youtu.be&t=513"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpnIl2WpR1U&feature=youtu.be&t=513[/url]

It was a starting point and you stuck at it and got better. When you get to the point of noticing the limitations of your instrument you've got to get a better one to keep the momentum going. Time for a good 6 string bass.

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1399970615' post='2449370'] What drives folk to post videos of themselves playing bass covers, for all the world to see? [/quote] They're playing to an audience. What is there to understand about that?

The market is still screwed from the financial crash and people just don't want to spend any money. I've got 2 basses, 2 amps and a cab that I'd like to sell, but the market isn't good enough at the moment, so I'm in no hurry. Then again, sellers don't help themselves when they drop the price too quickly. That's a certain way to kill the sale. Everyone will just sit tight and wait for more price drops.

If I had unlimited funds I'd buy what I use at the moment. I haven't played anything that beats my current gear. On the other hand, I'm sitting here waiting for a call from the garage to say my car has failed its MOT and is a write-off, so I'd spend all my cash on another estate.

I like it. . . a lot. Very interesting take on a classic.