neil___lien

Yeah! Seville is beautiful (most of it). Then there is Córdoba & Granada & Cádiz & a bunch of other smaller villages that are really worth visiting! 

One thing i will complain about though is: the bass used market is crap here 🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, thank U all for the warm welcome! Good night!

3 hours ago, Jus Lukin said:

Hi Neil,

    Sorry to hear of your current situation- I was technically homeless for a time a couple of years ago or so, always stayed at a house, although the last three months of that time sleeping at my Mum's was the most uncomfortable! 😄 Best of luck as things hopefully begin to settle down on the Covid front.

    Quick question to an expert- is it Anda-loo-see-a or Anda-loo-sha? I've heard both in English, but not sure I've ever come across the Spanish pronunciation!

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

@Jus Lukin: it's Anda-loo-see-ya, with the strong sillable beeing the "see" 😊

And yeah i am homeless but i have a very nice boss that allows me to stay in class 5 of our school lol. It's weird but it's fine. I have 16m² for a bed, 3 basses & a combo. My clothes in a big suitcase. Don't need much more for now.

U guys should visit the region, when possible. There are so many beautiful things to be seen here...

37 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Good morning, Neil, and ...

Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.
 

Yeah i have been a reader for a looong time but rarely do i write, most of the time because someone has already said the same thing in better words before, but yeah, been here a while! Just wanted to say hi!

Dear Fellaz & Fellazettes!

How is everyone doing ? 

Am good, here, procrastinating. Realised i have been a member of this forum for a while but had never taken the time to introduce myself to the community. Another excuse to procrastinate even further...

So here it goes: my name is neil, i am 37 years old, currently living in Dos Hermanas, right outside of Seville. I teach English here. Also i am currently homeless due to Covid affecting the number of students we have, & my wage, so i sleep in a classroom. Been there for the last six months.

Music CV: I started playing bass when i was 21 or 22, then had a 4 year depression during which i sold off my gear, & came back to music when i was 32 i believe. I am completely self-taught on guitar, bass, beatbox, singing & drawing. Guitar was my main instrument, but bass is my true love & i don't even own a guitar anymore (sold off my Ibanez AS83-STE to pay for car repairs).

I released an album in 2010 ("Introducing the Raggedy Zirkus"), right before i burned out, and another one in 2016 ("Cityzens Were Here", the typo is intentional), right after that hiatus. i composed, arranged & performed all the instruments on both, while the respective female singers of those projects brought their lyrics & voices.m to the table. 

Gear i own: after years of buying & selling, trying different things, being limited by tight budgets & low income jobs (cuz i wanted time for music), i have finally reached a decent point in terms of gear:

- RMI Quantum Dominic di Piazza Signature 6

- Ibanez BTB846SC-DTL 

- Fame Baphomet IV fretless.

All three active, neck-through basses. The first two are single-cuts. The RMI & Baphomet are strung with flats. I only own an Eden Ec10 combo in terms of amps.

G.A.S.: I am currently GASsing for a Rockbass Starbass 5... really bad. Can't afford it. I guess i am pretty frustrated with my life & that translates into browsing through second-hand pages & online retailers' catalogues.

Current projects: i play in a soul cover band of music veterans here in Seville. Haven't gigged yet as we started building a repertoir in July & have gone through a number of successive lockdowns.

Then there is this other covers project where we modify heavily spanish pop songs into something different. Not really my cup of tea, but it's the only project that landed me gigs last year.

& i write & compose for an actress here who has recently decided she wanted to put out an EP before the summer. So we'll see how that goes. 

Anyway this was me. Should U be interested, U can find me on social media as @neilelliottbeisson...

Hope U have a great day! It's time for me to stop procrastinating 😊

Basses (& guitars) i've owned:

Over the years, and including also the instruments i owned before a three years hiatus away from music, i've owned these:

Pre-hiatus:
Cort Action Bass (first bass, sold)
RavenWest RWG 7-Strings (sold 2011)
Harley Benton Acoustic Fretless 5 (sold)
Washburn Taurus T25 (sold 2012)
Rockbass Corvette 5 (recorded "Raggedy Zirkus", sold 2012)

Post-hiatus:
Yamaha RBX 270 FL (Sold 2015)
Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass NT (recorded "Cityzens Were Here", traded away 2017)
Warwick Corvette Std (Sold 2016)
ESP-LTD B205SMFL (Sold 2017)
Fame Baphomet 6 (Sold 2018)
Squier Vintage Modified Precision 5 (recorded Laure Lucas' "Loveletters & apologies", sold 2018)
Ibanez BTB1206e Prestige (Sold 2018)
Warwick Rockbass Starbass 32" (Sold February 2019)
Sire V7 Alder 5ST-BK (returned 2018)
Warwick Rockbass Corvette 5 Active (Sold December 2018)
Squier Vintage Modified PJ Lake Placid Blue (Sold May 2019)
Cort C6 Plus ZBMH OTAB (Sold June 2019)
Ibanez SR306EB-WK (Sold July 2019)
Ibanez TMB30 Mint Green (Sold January 2020)
Squier Classic Vibe Precision '50s Lake Placid Blue (Sold March 2020)
Vintage V74MRJP Fretless (sold May 2020)
Harley Benton BZ-6000, (sold June 2020),
Harley Benton E-1335 II sunburst (given away to a young soul who needed it),
ESP-LTD B-206SM (sold September 2020)
Harley Benton JB-75MN Black Vintage Series (sold October 2020)
Ibanez AGBV205A (sold December 2020)
Sire P7 5-string Swamp Ash 1st Gen (swapped for BTB846SC, December 2020)
Ibanez ASV10A (also swapped for BTB846SC-DTL, December 2020)
Ibanez SR506 (traded for the defretted Fame Baphomet IV, February 2021)
Ibanez AS83-STE Artcore Expressionist (sold March 2021)

Some of them were acquired new, others second hand. Nothing wrong with any of them, some of them were actually really good & i have, at times, regretted selling them... The one i regret selling the most is the medium scale Starbass..

So, right now, i own:

- an Ibanez BTB846SC-DTL 

- RMI Quantum Dominic Di Piazza Signature 6 fretted

- Fame Baphomet IV fretless.

And i heavily GAS for a Warwick Rockbass Starbass 5 (in Cream White preferably). I am surprised so see that bass is pretty absent from the lists i have read here!

I love them!!

RMI are the best & wish i could own others. Here is my NBD post i did like a year ago:

Still own & love the bass, & it's the only one of the three i own i wouldn't sell!

Hope that helps!

On 28/02/2021 at 03:25, alembic1989 said:

RMI make some stunning basses.

I second that statement!

I own a Quantum Dominic di Piazza Signature & i adore the bass... if i could i would also get this one.

Mustapha, i assume swapping for a BTB846SC in mint condition is out of the question ?

Mine! 

An Ibanez BTB846SC & the RMI Quantum Dominic di Piazza Signature 

Here are mine 😊

On 27/02/2021 at 21:12, pantherairsoft said:

Thanks!

Is the EMG a factory install, or modded later? This is the first one I’ve seen that doesn’t have the pickup hidden under a full size ramp. Also, no piezo on this one?

Thanks!

Yeah am curious about that too!

On 14/02/2021 at 16:39, JohnFitzgerald said:

They're fantastic basses. 

My fretless 4 string is a neck through.

The one i am about to recieve is also a neck through. Which means i will soon own three basses, all neck through, all with flats 🤣🤣

Oh maaaan! 

I used to have a Fame Baphomet 6 string 5 years ago & it's the only bass i regret selling.. well maybe that Rockbass Starbass too... but i am swapping my SR506 for a defretted neck-through Baphomet this week.. 

The basses i have & would never sell are basically the two i own:

- RMI Quantum Dominic di Piazza Signature 6-string by Mark Ramsay

- Ibanez BTB846SC 

On 19/06/2020 at 11:02, akabane said:

That is a sweet looking instrument, congratulations!

I do admit I like some of Ramsay's designs, keen on putting my hands on one and try them out - it might be a great good quality and not so expensive way to get that modern sound perfect for soloing and chordal work.

If you record anything with it, please let me know! Keen to hear its tone!

I post videos on my instagram, @neilelliottbeisson, but they are phone quality & so far i have only posted one video (the day job has been keeping me busy), but i will keep posting!

Thanks for Ur comments guys!!

Dear Fellas & Fellazettes, Homies & Homelettes,

Here is my review of the Quantum Dominic DiPiazza signature bass by RMI!

Those instruments are designed & styled in England, then crafted in South Korea with CNC machinery, & then set up & quality assured in England again.

Here are the specs (copied from http://www.ramsay-bass.co.uk😞

• Width at nut: 50mm | String spacing at bridge: 16mm
• Neck-thru-body construction
• Ebonol - mini line-dot markers with offset side dots
• 7-piece maple/swamp ash laminated neck
• Layered body with solid exotic top - chambered
• Active 3-band EQ with volume (pull for passive) and balance
• Dual-coil humbucking pickups - floating ramp enclosure
• Hi-mass brass hardtail bridge

What a pleasure it is to play this thing!

The active pre-amp offers quite a large variety of possibilities, really versatile. i’ve had the bass for a almost a couple of weeks now & i haven’t touched the knobs on my amp since then. Solid, well defined, low end & really clear higher register, ideal for chordal fun! The scale is 34 inches and the body is chambered: much lighter and easier to play than the Harley Benton BZ-6000. Even the passive mode sounds rich & beautiful. Also let me mention: it still has the strings it came with, i don’t know what they are, but apparently they’ve been there a while (thinking about going LaBella Flats on this beauty).

As U’ll see below, the instrument looks gorgeous, elegant! i had always wanted a single-cut design (my dream basses up until i crossed paths with this one were the Ibanez SRSC806 & the Ibanez BTB846SC DTL) & i had never played with a ramp before either. Love both features. There is also a 0 fret, not mentioned on the specs on the website. There is an additional part of the ramp that fits between the one U can see in the pics & the neck.

The ergonomics & balance of the bass are perfect playing both sitting and standing with a strap. The neck felt like home as soon as i was done with the set up & the cleaning. It says on their website that they are musicians/artists, and the craftsmanship & ergonomics of the bass are a clear reflection of that. i have never built a bass myself, but i have been very tempted for the past 5 years or so (when i started playing bass seriously), but every time i start reading about it, researching woods, watching videos of time-lapse bass builds, i just realise i do not have neither the tools nor the money to even get started. But what i mean by that is that it is OBVIOUS that a lot of research, trial & error & hours of thinking & planning must’ve gone into this instrument.

I must admit i didn’t know who RMI were. U might not know either, so i would encourage U to check out their website as this Quantum model is not even the most spectacular design they have! And apparently, all the technical details of Ur dream instrument can be achieved. It’s all explained in the « About Us » section!

http://www.ramsay-bass.co.uk/about.php

Well, this was my first review ever, i think. i hope i haven’t forgotten anything & i hope U will find this review helpful as there is not much to be read about RMI.

Have a brilliant day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA71d2gDQu0&feature=em-uploademail

i've posted his Jazz Bass & Precision Bass "Short History" videos here before... i just love the tone and content of those videos! Take a moment to watch!

Thanks @binky_bass!

I was specifically looking for a BTB single cut 6 string, either one of the two available finishes.

They're super rare on the second hand market... but yeah U're right, patience & keepin an eye open are essential! Thanks again and congrats on that Yamaha!!! Enjoy!!

Okay well apparently he sold the bass last night to someone else. Thanks a lot for Ur answers though...

Hello! Thanks for Ur reply!

Here's my situation: i live in Spain now, but used to live in Paris, so i still receive notifications from the second hand market there. i'm visiting my family there over Xmas & that bass is like 3/4 hours away from Paris (i know in which region the seller lives, but not the exact city). i don't have a car there, which means i would have to borrow a car, and drive there & back in the same day. So if i go there, i want to make sure that it's worth it. 

i've found a couple of videos about the Delano Sonar 3MS/E, so that's good. I don't think it is a huge improvement over the stock thing, but whatever. And yeah, i will definitely go back to the original knobs, and the seller is including them with the bass. 

Also, on another forum which shall remain nameless, another bassist brought up things i hadn't seen: the elbow corner of the bass has been levelled away, & it's true that it doesn't even look like the BTB846SC-DTL version of the bass, or the other BTBs, it just looks weird. The person thinks that for this woodwork job they had to sand the rest of the finish of the bass (hence the vanishing of the decal thing) to refinish it. 

Here is a photo reference sent to me by that bassist on the other forum. 

Haha thanks! That's exactly why i turn to U guys! i know U know things i don't know!

i hadn't thought about the weight! But i already play a Harley Benton BZ-6000. Is there anything heavier than that?

Thanks guys!

i have never played with ramp. I don't think they look ugly in general, but it's true that the fact that it has been drilled into the body of the bass, the fact that i covers the lower horn and also the fact that i just noticed they drilled another hole in the back to put a strap knob... i guess i could use all those elements to bring the price into my budget (which is 500€, the asking price is 590€) but i don't know anything about those changes they've also made on the electronics. Or even if a decal can just fall from a headstock as he claims happened..

i don't think i'll ever find one of these for this price, so i could live with those flaws in my only "expensive" bass. But i was scanning the lovely crowd of basschat to see if U knew anything about the electronics he mentioned and the decal thing. 

Please let me know if U do! Thanks for the replies so far: U guys would've managed to talk me out of it, if only i could afford the next one on the second hand market lol... 

Dear Fellaz & Felazettes of the BassChat World!

i have my eyes on one of those BTB basses on the second hand market here, but i have a couple of questions before i pull the trigger. i was wondering if maybe U bass-savvy guys could help me. 
- The logo on the bass head is gone. Seller blames it on the fact that those BTBs are made in Indonesia,
- He replaced the knobs with Jazz bass knobs,
- He says he replaced the electronics with Electronic DELANO Active/Passive with Sonar 3MS/E EQ (the PUs are the original Bartolinis,
- The ramp has been custom made & drilled into the body by a "luthier", what do U think of that? 

Here are the pictures:

Do U think i should get it? The price is a bit above what my budget & the drilled ramp is a bit of a disappointment, but other i don't get to see them pop up on my radar that often... 

Whaddya think? Thanks for Ur help!

On 21/10/2019 at 16:47, Gareth Hughes said:

I don’t have any experience with the GT-1B, but I get my Rhodes kick from cranking up the speed on a chorus pedal, with the depth at 50%. No it doesn’t sound like a convincing Rhodes on its own, but on gigs it allows me to keep a solid low-end and have a warbly, Leslie-rotating, kind of sound that keeps me happy. Two chorus pedals I use are an MXR Analog Chorus and a TC Electronic AfterGlow. So maybe a chorus patch on the GT-1B might be worth twiddling with?

Hey Gareth! i did try what U suggested & it does the trick very well indeed! Then i added a little more reverb & another patch & this sounds good! Not exactly a Fender Rhodes, but close enough, with its own flavour... Thanks a ton!

Am watching the Key9 video right now & it's incredible... But i really can't afford it... for now.. 

Oh whoa thanks man! i'll try that tomorrow!! Good idea!