Saul Panzer

I don't know anyone and doubt the council does anything ceremonial like hold a service or play songs for a random corpse when a government worker finds one.

I'd like to be listening to something by Sentenced when I die, maybe 'Lower the flags' or 'Luxury of a grave'.

Maybe I'm just getting tight-fisted frugal as I age, but I can mangle my fingers for free.

Wonder if it's somehow related to the Eastcoast brand, seems to be some similarities...perhaps an ex employee doing their interpretation.

Same font seems to be used for the logo, similar oval pearl inlays from some of their models, similar giant semi-circle electronics cover, similar pickup covers and knobs on some of the models, neck-thru models, both been around in the 90s and so on.

Might be worth shooting them a mail and asking if they know of any relationship between the brands.

I'll second ffmpeg, it'll change pretty much anything into anything via. the commandline, strip stuff from video or audio etc.

Loads of documentation out there, works on Linux and Windows and a quick google will probably give you a working script off the bat.

15 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said:

Or give them the address of a dodgy block of flats, and meet them on the stairwell with a couple of mates, and a lump of wood....

Used a similar tactic some years back with a scammer looking to "buy" a classic Rolex...no lump of wood required though.

Doesn't seem to be shortage of young bassists online, I'm voting on sphere thing.

Better chance of finding a mass produced model to test in a store so at least you'd get to figure out whether you feel it's worth the money.

With a custom you're banking on it being worth the extra money without ever touching it until the money is spent and it survives shipping.

28 minutes ago, RikiB said:

Tone all the way off sounds odd to me on my Basses. Like when you talk with your hands over your mouth,muffled sort of

In general I'd agree yeah, should've qualified it with that's what works on my setup and I'm more often playing reggae, motown, soul type bass so a more muted/muffled bass is my vibe.

The reason I go for cobalts is that they seem to hold clarity better than a lot of the other flats I've tried, even with the tone off the notes are distinct enough...plus I play a P/J so adding a little of that J tightens the sound.

Cranking the tone up is where I go for my rock type vibes.

I love flats, specifically cobalt ones...their sound has a bit more bite to my ear, kind of 85% flats with a 15% rounds edge to them so playing with the tone has more range in terms of making an older flatwound sound (reggae, motown etc.) and a more modern sound (pop, rock, metal etc.).

Can't comment on gigging as I don't, but for home playing I'm a fan. They go through a "sticky" phase in my experience, where the strings are quite sticky for fingerstyle playing on the right hand, after that they feel good.

I don't play a huge amount of rock but I've always liked the finger sound of mine for things like Queen, Outfield, Meatloaf and with a pick for the harder stuff like G'n'R up to metal bands.

Typically I'd go with the treble all the way down on an amp, up the bass and mid 10% from neutral and the tone all the way down on my bass. Then just roll up the tone on the bass as the songs get heavier.

On a personal level I "draw the line" at the same place I do with everything else, is it going to keep me up at night? aka. can I still look at myself in the mirror without feeling like s##t?.

I don't credit a song with influencing the actions or opinions of the creator/s, if the music is good I'm okay with listening to it or playing it...crediting that creator might be getting closer to my line of feeling scummy.

The bigger issue these days is always the "social" line, offending the wrong social element can lead to very real backlash from people who have way too much free time on their hands.

On the personal level, couldn't care less what they think or do...performing publicly would likely bring in a whole load of other factors.

Are people relying on this gig for income? better tow the line, kowtow to the mob or have a backup plan ready.

11 minutes ago, Jackroadkill said:

 

I've never played with anything other than roundswound strings, so it could be.  Are they known for being harder on the fingers than flats?

I don't know, that's why I was curious...I'd assume so with flats being a flat surface and rounds being ridged but I'm sure the more knowledgeable members will chime in.

I had a think about it when I read the post, I play at a slight angle so it wouldn't be a flush contact across roundwounds, I'd be doing a bit of a diagonal technique which might be more grating on someones skin.

Could also make no difference and I'm just not doing long enough sessions for flatwounds to build calluses.

Out of curiosity, is this a roundwounds thing?

I play flats 95% of the time and haven't noticed noticed anything in the way of callus buildup so far.

My dads old red and white Fender P bass with all the old chrome hardware covers on it, probably from around the 70's.

I guess it was never technically mine, he gave it to me to keep safe when he got kicked out by my mum but asked for it back a few years later...if I was into playing bass at the time I would've tried to keep it.

Just had my second physio appointment on Monday, glad to see the world doesn't entirely end with a back injury.

Feels like it does, kind of humbling when a 1km walk is an achievement.

Super short journey for me, both time wise and gear wise.

RockJam 20

Fender Rumble 15

Not a fan of that pickguard, but it sounds nice for a dinky bass and I was thinking that would be some bad neck diving but it sounds like they put some thought into mitigating that with light tuners.

Adding to my fascination with the Finnish language and the band Sentenced, found a cool cover song.

Queen

Iron Maiden

Meatloaf

My dad always listened to a lot of Bad Manners and George Thorogood & the Destroyers, both of those stuck too.

Interesting, I had no idea that was even a thing.

Personally I'd go with the sponge mute while they aged through playing but mine have been on over a year now so I doubt I'd see much change from trying this.

Guy Pratt was on SBL chatting away recently and mentioned Lee Sklar telling him about slapping some gaffer tape over the bridge to deaden harmonics...wonder if that'd have the same effect as moisturiser or a sponge, one I'll try when I get some new strings.

That's just sad, my Cruiser jazz is about as bad as that but wasn't even 1/13 the price.

Health issues trimmed down my collection of stuff and why I spend less time on here, though I was never exactly prolific.

Having a rack of basses I couldn't play was depressing.

Like a lot of others I went the FB marketplace route, Ebay has gone so far downhill I don't use it anymore.

I used the cut end of a G to tie my beard for a while until one of the ends stabbed me.

Apart from that I usually take the string change as a reason to clean out under my nails.

I mostly love my Sire P7, the only thing I'm not entirely sold on is the shape of the headstock.

In terms of sound, looks minus the headstock and play-ability I love it.

If I had a magic wand I'd add a switch that instantly changed between flats and rounds and drop the weight by 50%.

32 minutes ago, joe_geezer said:

What's going on with the secondhand market? There's no decent high end bassists for sale?

I was recently checking out basses I'd previously brought new and they've all gone up in price...both new and in some cases the second hand ones now cost more than I paid for new.

Not really a buyers market unless you're desperate for the bass and/or have the coin to throw around.

I guess it's down to confidence in the market...do people think those prices are going to come back down or keep climbing. I considered selling a bass and now think I'll hold onto it.

Can't really speak for the high end but I'm assuming it's the same but amplified.

52 minutes ago, Lw. said:

Remember to include the additional cost of sorting that headstock out! 

I've come to terms with the headstock on my Sire, either of those are improvements to my eye.