risingson

I've not tried the Blacksmith but it looks great. They're hand built in Demark too. I've got the RH750 which is the same to an extent, less power and made in Thailand. The sound of it truly is brilliant, an insane amount of power too.

You need to be running Mountain Lion, only works on certain laptops (more recent Pros, my Air) and more up to date iPads/iPhones.

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1379080072' post='2208468'] One important lesson I've learned over the years -- [b][i]"Work on your weak points, but concentrate on your strong points. " [/i][/b] [/quote] This is excellent advice. I'm at a position where I can appreciate my shortcomings. I play regularly dep for a band where their main bass player is insanely gospel orientated, listening to him can be truly mind boggling and inspiring, but the other lads in the band have commented on my economical way of playing and how much they love it when I dep. Trying to mirror the other guy's bass playing here would be the mistake because whilst I love gospel, it's not been the main focus of my learning over the years. I like the bass player I am now, but I also love the continuous learning as a bass player.

He's been on my radar for a while now. A phenomenal bass player, a great feel for the instrument.

I love my P-Bass and I love Stingrays as well. Very different sounding instruments (obviously) and I think a lot of people's ears are familiar with the tones that a P-Bass can offer due to it being probably the most recorded electric bass guitar of all time. A lot of people just gravitate towards the sound. Now that I have a P-Bass though I'm looking for a Stingray again. I did own a 5 stringer that I bought off Gust0o^^ but I'm after a pre-EB this time around.

It's actually pretty common. When I first got bought a bass my dad asked his left-handed guitar player if he should get my a right or left-hander (I'm a lefty). He said to get him a right, due to the fact that there would be many more options when it came to choosing instruments. So I got a right-handed instrument and that's the way I learnt, it's been 12 years now. Playing left handed is completely alien to me.

[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1378914628' post='2206457'] I don't particularly love the sound of TI's (which to me is very middy), but if I try ANY other strings I get immediate tendon problems in my left arm. I really liked the sound of LaBella 760FM but even at drop D they were too high tension. I'm cautious about throwing any more money at flats as it seems like TI's are lowest tension out there. I must agree with BigRedX though - they appear to be low tension (to press to the fret) but the actual twanginess (which I think is compliance) seems fairly high? [/quote] TI Flats are the lowest tension strings I've used period. Just not to my tastes. I don't have as much of an issue roundwounds being lower tension, in some cases I prefer it but with flats it seems unnatural. I get why people like the TI's though, they just don't sit with my more traditional taste in flats. Have you tried La Bella 760FL's? Lower tension than the FM's which are incredibly high, sound amazing. Still not great perhaps if you suffer from bad wrists though. Status Hotwires measure about the same too.

I'm also happy to admit I might have gotten a dud pack, but the tension alone was enough to put me off the strings.

A cautionary tale to those who are fans of flatwound strings but like the more traditional feel of La Bellas et al. Invested in a set a few weeks back. I'd played them before on a P and vaguely remembered being impressed but it was a while back, so I went in slightly blind on the expensive string purchase. The experience has been completely frustrating, the tension (compliance?) of the strings is lower than any [u]roundwound[/u] string I've ever used, very loose feeling due to the nature of the construction of the string. Unpleasant if you're into your classic flatwound feel, which generally speaking with flats I am. And the sound across the strings was hugely unbalanced. A mixture of bright on the A and D strings, dull on the G and E, very uneven sounding and because they're flatwounds they take some serious time to wear in to balance out the sound across the strings. Finally, the strings just didn't sound good IMO. Low mids weren't present and accounted for like a regular flatwound, no punchiness to speak of either. Overall the strings just aren't for me and didn't merit the price tag. I understand there are more than a few people here that like TI flats but I'd be weary of buying a set if you're into your traditional flatwound string because they don't deliver the goods. I'm amending the situation immediately by returning to good old La Bellas! On a sidenote, some of the most impressive flatwound strings I've come across have been the Status Hotwire Flats. Hugely affordable and excellent sounding strings for those who haven't tried them before.

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1378742732' post='2204053'] I quite badly want one of these. Shame I'm skint at the moment. [/quote] I'd love one of these too. They look bloody great.

One of the new Bergantino CN212's + the Aguilar TH500, tried one recently, what a rig. Apart from that, a new 5'er, I just don't know which one. And to be honest I'm on the slow quest for a pre-CBS P-Bass to be my prize instrument too. I just need a lot of cash!!

If this was me I would have got in touch to let them know how (in a polite, roundabout way) that they'd wasted my time, had acted less then professionally and had financially inconvenienced a soon to be father. You could invoice them but I doubt you'd get your money and to be perfectly honest I'm not sure it would be the right approach should you want to keep your options open for future dep work (if you're relying on the money that is). Again, personally if it was me they'd get crossed off of my dep list. I'm not up for being that badly inconvenienced.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1378461276' post='2200545'] I've always suspected that the elephant in the room might be the old green-eyed monster. I'm not sure I'd want a Fodera, but I can imagine that many bassists might like the opportunity or option to procure one, even if they then spent the money on something else. So, are we really rounding on the instruments? Or the individual, and the circumstances which have allowed them to indulge their passion to such an extent? [/quote] +1 this is definitely what it always boils down to.

Nothing completely wrong with playing any instrument in any way you'd like but I would recommend looking into developing what is considered a more 'standard' technique first. If you're keen on being a fingerstyle guitar player then maybe look into incorporating your first, second and ring fingers + thumb into plucking chords, and from there picking individual notes out of chords in repeating patterns to improve your dexterity. One guitar player who astounds me at how good his finger picking work can be is John Mayer. Try and ignore the fact that the guy is a complete douche. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesSAq6uY34

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1378333076' post='2198940'] I care even less now. [/quote] Yeh reading through some of this has reminded me why I don't know and don't care how my amp works, providing it works well and sounds good.

My TC RH750 is still up there with one of the best amps I've heard for its size. I really like the Aguilar TH500 too, paired with the new Berg CN212 sounded just brilliant.

There are plenty of Fender haters about but for me, I'm completely amazed at Leo Fender's achievements. I must admit to not knowing fully about the back history of Fender, especially in the early days and I think his instruments were as much adapted purely through luck as much as ingenuity and clever marketing, but i won't hold it against him. I've played all kinds of bass guitars, nothing stands up to the designs that Fender as a company put in place. Sonically great (for me, and many others) plus they feel perfect under my hands and fingers. I'll be happy playing Leo Fender's instruments for a long time to come.

Definitely a P-Bass. An old one, pre-CBS.

The annual X Factor thread. I don't like it, hate Simon Cowell, the influence he's had on younger musicians and their perceptions on music. But I also know where the off button is on my TV, which makes things easy dealing with stuff like this.

Only had one experience with him over the phone regarding a question about some TC gear he had in. Couldn't have been more enthusiastic, really helpful, seemed like he wanted to talk about TC stuff forever. Lovely guy, although the store is way too far away from me to drop in at the drop of a hat and I'm yet to meet the man in person.

It really is a good article, truthful and probably accounting for a large percentage of bass players who do make their hobby their vocation.

Seen this already but it really is great!

[quote name='andytoad' timestamp='1377727453' post='2191179'] My Christ, that is the worst thing I have ever seen. [/quote] It's definitely not great. I do wish that Tony Levin would put that bloody stick down.

Very cool!