dclaassen

Very easy to do that random stuff…we have all been there.

Sounds like members of the tinfoil hat club to me. It would be pretty hard to sell gun confiscation in the part of the US I grew up in (midwest farm country).

Would love to hear more about your health care/communism concept. After spending the first 50+ years of my life in the US, I don't think I am familiar. Now, if you want to talk about Federally-funded health care, we might achieve common ground. Love the NHS, but it would never work in a nation as diverse as the US. Maybe state-run health care, but then you run into "haves" in more prosperous or less populated states (think North Dakota) and "have nots" in the opposite end of the spectrum. It's a harder nut to crack over there, but still not linked to communism....

Nope, but thanks for the sweeping generalization......:)

Ouch! I'd use a Les Paul...why waste a wonderful bass?

I'm better looking, but he can play rings around me...:)

Got to see them live in the 80’s…worlds ugliest bass player

I don’t find TB as interesting or enlightening as this site. I’m a Yank who has lived in Cambridgeshire for 23 years and just started gigging this past year after decades off. The differences between the band culture here vs the American midwest are subtle but important to know. The freewheeling discussions on this site have been invaluable for helping me fit in.It’s a great community. I also own a Hartke kickback 12. Brilliant practice amp…adequate for jazz with the fretless…rubbish for anything else.

Bass solo from ARS Champagne Jam….covers lots of notes up to the 12th retail…

This is the same as what I use. It took me about 10 minutes to get used to. Cracking bass…run with cash in hand!

Yup…I use it quite a bit. That is a good playing P bass

Feeling bad about letting it go?

I’m not sure why you would want to use rounds on a fretless. Could someone tell me?

Buy 4 fretless basses…lined 4, unlined 4, lined 5, unlined 5 give me the ones you don’t want….

I’d recommend a 5 string. It it’s down on the number of shifts needed, which is a bit bigger deal for me on fretless.

To me, the most disappointing thing is that there are some really thoughtful replies that had to take a backseat to the op’s issues. I’d love to revisit this topic. There’s lots of meat left on the bone…

Close to me, but not my groove….

Mods, do we controls against trolling? Asking for a friend…:)

Who developed proper technique? If proper technique is only and exclusively based on physiology, then you also need a floating thumb on your plucking hand...period. Technique based on physiology exists to avoid injury, but it still happens. If you play enough, even with "perfect" technique, you can develop RSD, or even stress fractures. Even with that, I challenge you to come up with a list of universally approved "correct" techniques that are espoused by all teachers and bassists....not going to happen though. Otherwise, I'm thinking you are quite young, like to define your terms ("skinny") to suit your view of the world, and don't yet know what you don't know. If you can manage to open your mind up to alternatives, then maybe you might learn more than you think you know right now. If not, then have fun sitting in a corner being "right".

Yup.....brilliant!

Okay...I'll take a whack at this.... I've been teaching music students for over 40 years. I have both a BFA and my MMued (from University of North Texas). I have taken bass lessons from some pretty good players, and also been playing electric fretted, fretless and DB for a long, long time. Bottom line, there is a "right way" to play any instrument...it's how we teach beginners. But..the "right way" is always up for discussion. How high do you set a flute embouchure? How bad is having a brass player puff their cheeks? (I see you, Dizzy), What's the right way to teach a young guitarist a barre chord? What i would say to this particular discussion, however, is that, once you cross a certain level of experience or technical ability, the "right way" is only defined as the way you get the desired results. You have got to balance your technical and pedagogical knowledge with what you are actually seeing and hearing from the player. I wish I had a nickel for every great player I've seen and/or heard with "bad technique". Every single musician plays in a way that is physically unique to them. If they are well trained, they have enough of the "right stuff" to reach whatever goals they desire. If not, then something (also maybe to include gear) can be nudged toward the direction of the goal. I spent some time playing both my Jazz bass (very thin neck by the nut) and my MPV-5 (wider neck, but pretty thin for a 5er) and my thumb floats and also rotates a bit depending on position on the string or fretboard. My fretting fingers are pretty consistent, however. I'll be I could find a teacher who would tell me my technique is all wrong, but they would also need to convince me of the need to change, as I really enjoy playing in the manner I currently do. Now, about the "marketing gimmick" statement.....would you consider a Jazz Bass to be a marketing gimmick? Are you going to tell Lee Sklar, Duck Dunn, or about a thousand other bassists that they need to practice more a get a fatter neck? Is the first, original P Bass profile the only "correct one"? What are the approved dimensions of a non-gimmicky neck? Profile" How about fretboard material? String height? Where does this end? Your "Facts" are, at the end of the day, informed opinions. You are fundamentally right, and practically wrong. I think that is called Hubris. Just my opinion....

Everyone is different, but I like a Jazz neck. I don’t feel as confident with a p bass neck, and couldn’t get on at all with a G&L L2000 tribute, or a really pretty Yamaha Nathan East 5. I like both my 5’s and neither one has a chunky neck. On the other hand, I also can’t do a Rick neck….horses for courses, I guess.

Conventional wisdom for me is to never make a significant change before a big gig. If it’s not broke… but, bring the new ones along as a plan B.

Nice helpful comments…thanks! My Jazz also has the plug position, but it doesn’t seem to be as much of an issue. The specter is passive, but has a 9v for the piezo system. I’m sure this could drain the battery over time. I just never leave any bass plugged in out of habit…been playing active basses since 1978.