4-string-thing

I had a Stagg for a while, really enjoyed it. I was like you, had no idea at all, but I bought mine from Normans in Burton Upon Trent and was able to have a good play before I bought. I got on ok, enjoyed it and bought it. I reckon a couple of informal lessons with a BC'er would be a great idea, wish I had done it. Out of interest, I found the stock strings to be ok (at least for the time I owned the bass) I never had any problems with the battery usage or the rattling end pin either! I was in PMT in Birmingham the other day and they had an Eastwood (same bass, different name on headstock) and it looked nowhere near as well set up as the Stagg. Sadly, I didn't use my bass much and sold it on BC after about 18 months. I was toying with buying another one, but ended up buying a bargain DB from 4stringfortress a few weeks ago and am now going through the learning process all over again.

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1355510844' post='1899536'] Since no one else is having a bash I'll take a guess at: TheYoung Ones Bacon Sandwich Bambi goes crazy ape bonkers with his drill and sex Scumbag College and so on. I've watched that episode many times [/quote] Oh no, even the telephone hates me......

I can't comment on the short scale Ibanez, but I own a GSR190 and I can tell you the quality is better than the Squier Jaguars and Mustangs I tried last year. Not much in it really, the fretting on the Squiers just seemed a bit rough and the pickups seemed a bit lifeless.

Better too much than not enough, you can make a loud amp quiet but you can't make a quiet amp loud!

I don't really see much of an issue, plenty of people will buy a fender copy from anywhere. You can get them from all sorts of internet outlets, and for most of them musical instruments are just one line of many. Plenty of people on here rushed to a charity shop to buy a Sue Ryder P bass copy and nobody complained about that. I know we did it to help a charity, rather than a big retailer, but is it all that different? I used to work for a national charity and believe me, they are run just like any other big business. A "lower than affinity" P bass will still be an awful lot better than the 2nd hand Top Twenty I started on 35 years ago!

You have done the right thing. I left a band once because the two ham-fisted meatheads, or guitarists if you prefer, insisted on using a 200w Blackstar stack each! I was told "youre gonna HAVE to get a bigger amp" Obviously a 600w head into a 2x15 cab just wasn't enough. Someone on here said something at the time along the lines of: You'll be playing music a long time after they have stopped listening to music! My hearing thanked me for it.....

You could try 4StringFortress, he's in Cardiff, so a bit of a trek, but I bought a 3/4 bass from him the other day. He also had a hard case, which I declined, mainly because I felt guilty at getting his bass at such a good price! I opted for the padded gig bag and he said he would probably sell the case seperately. He's also a really nice guy to deal with!

From a couple of years ago....

Ah, thanks for the advice both! The bridge seemed to be about an inch or so closer to the neck than it should be (going by the f hole slots) so after laying it flat, I loosened all the strings, moved it and retuned. This seems to have lowered the action a bit too, is that likely? Or is that just wishful thinking? Incidentally, I know double basses have a soundpost and it needs to stay put, but can you tell me what it does, and how? Excuse the silly question, but I really am a complete novice! (Despite having played electric bass for well over 30 years)

Just bought a 3/4 bass from a fellow basschatter (hi ben) and whilst wiping the dust off and having a quick look around, I noticed some marks in the finish near the bridge which makes it look like the bridge may have been moved. As I'm a newcomer to double bass I was wondering what the scale length should be ? I don't want to start moving the bridge around without knowing what I'm doing. . .

What a thoroughly charming young man Ben is.... Great, hassle free deal, am already loving the bass he sold me. Wouldn't hesitate in dealing with him again!

[quote name='Stu-khag' timestamp='1351955492' post='1857282'] shameless plug, had the pleasure of working on fairport doc for beeb, it's being shown again this coming friday after Sandy Denny tribute concert. Dave is a fantastic bassist. I absolutely love his playing on Fullhouse, especially Dirty Linen. [/quote] They didn't do Dirty Linen last night, but his playing on the instrumentals was fantastic!

Saw Fairport Convention for the first time in about 25 years last night at Dave Peggs 65th birthday gig. What a brilliant bassist! Great basslines, great tone and a great bloke all round. Still the best player around as far as I'm concerned! Not sure what his bass or amp was, but it sounded awesome and its almost convinced me to go down the "small and lightweight" road, coz his amp looked about the size of a pet carrier! Anyone else there?

Missed it last night but do remember seeing this, there is apparently some guy called Eric in the audience (probably getting tips from Albert Lee) [url="http://youtu.be/kGU63KqXuZk"]http://youtu.be/kGU63KqXuZk[/url]

Guess I'm in a very small minority here, but I used the 1000w version at a rehearsal studio a couple of weeks ago and I didn't like it at all.... Incredibly loud, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get a sound I liked. Not so much the tone, but it just sounded distorted and buzzy. It could have been the cabs I suppose, but it was a big disappointment to me.

In july 1978, I started working as an apprentice electrician earning £22.50 a week. I saved most of that for a few months to buy a bass to replace the "Top Twenty" I'd had for a couple of years. As soon as I could I paid £85 for a new Hondo II Rickenfaker. I had that for about a year before I had enough to buy a s/h Fender Precison for £240, with a hardcase thrown in, at Humbucker music in Leicester. I still have the bass and its still in pretty good nick and all original. I've just joined a new country-rock band and they've pretty much insisted that I use it ahead of my Warwick or Ibanez! In 1980, I bought an Acoustic 220 head and 404 cab (£440 from Loughborough Music Centre) I've still got both of them too, both almost mint, and will be using them in my new band too! It goes to show how much easier it is for kids starting out today, I had to pay about 3 months wages to get a decent bass and the same again for an amp. Nowdays you can buy a really good starter bass for about £100 and a 100w combo for not much more! Also, can't remember where or why, but I heard Stephen Delft mentioned on the radio a couple of weeks ago!

Someone in my old band thought it was hilarious that there was a forum for bass players.... Til I told him it was where musicians went to slag off ham-fisted knuckle heads, or guitarists as they're more commonly known!

Best opener ever..... Prime Mover by Zodiac Mindwarp And The Love Reaction, Brilliant!

Here's another one. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiXmlvIYFWY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiXmlvIYFWY[/url] I met these once, and Salv (the bass player) told me that he did indeed start on a right handed bass flipped over and just got used to it.

King Rocker by Generation X We Love You (Cock Sparrer version) This Is Pop: XTC Psycho Killer: Talking Heads (Yes I know it's not a punk record, but hey, great tune)

[quote name='bigash' timestamp='1332003207' post='1582012'] One we do that always goes down well is Swords of a thousand men by tenpole tudor. [/quote] Oh yeah! Heard it the other day, first time in ages, what a great record! Not strictly a "punk" record but what about White Punks On Dope by The Tubes?

I played in a band called Punk & Disorderly for a while and these are the ones I remember doing of the top of my head! 999: Emergency. Sex Pistols: Silly Thing, Pretty Vacant. Joey Ramone: What a Wonderful World. Sham 69: Hurry Up Harry. UK Subs: Warhead. Stranglers: Straighten Out. Clash: London Calling. Only Ones: Another Girl, Another Planet. Undertones: Teenage Kicks. Buzzcocks: Harmony In My Head, Ever Fallen In Love. Damned: Rip It Up. None of these were too extreme or too difficult to learn, we had a set learnt, rehearsed and ready to go after just a few weeks of weekly rehearsals. Great fun, maybe I should start that band up again!

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1331846002' post='1579932'] I might qualify for a record! I've had my Boogie Bass 400 and Diesel 2x15 for 23 years and wouldn't dream of using anything else. As soon as I heard it I knew I needn't ever buy anything else. I notice Sting and Macca caught up with me after a few years! I started out with 2 cabs but just never needed the pair. I use a 2x18 for outdoor shows as you lose some bass outside and the 18's are just the job. [/quote] 23 years? Record? Not even close, had my Acoustic rig since 1980 and its still the best sounding amp/bass combination there is (imo)

[quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1331629360' post='1575975'] Yeah same here, A Marshall super lead for £30, and that was from a shop in Brum. New Marshall lookalike 4X12 from Green La Music in Leicester cost me £45. Solid state Vox Supreme from the same shop £15, but that was cos it was faulty ands they couldnt repair it. (A lot of engineers back then were not great with solid state gear) I bought a Viking, and a couple of FAL 50s from them as well, but thats another story. Once git offered a Bass AC 30 for £30, which is what one of my neighbours had been offered for it asa PX, and turned him down, it was a bit too small for what I wanted. My 4X12 sized 1X18 had a Goodmans speaker in it, 50W of raw power.. [/quote] Do you mean Humbucker Music of Green Lane Rd? Thats where I bought my Marshall Super lead and Moore & Stanworth 4x12 from. I also bought my s/h Precision from them for £240 in 1979.

I am massivley overrated.... A very good drummer friend once described me as "a solid player" Complete tosh, coz I am total crap! Incidentally, an ex girlfriend once described me as "adequate" I think she overrated me too