risingson

I'm a massive fan of the original tune but love Amy's version of it. You can look on it as a blatant robbery or you can look at it as her ode to a classic era of 20th century music, I think for her it was definitely about the latter.

A lot of people who think they know about instruments often hear with their eyes. I've had a lot of compliments about a 90's MIJ Squier P that I own that I've taken abroad with me to gig for fear of taking one of my more expensive instruments, even though I value its sound just the same.

I'd get a Pensa NYC over both of them, certainly wouldn't spend that much on a new Fender if resale price were an issue for the buyer.

The problem I've noticed is that the super Jazz style models of anything do seem to be depreciating more than they ever were, although I'd guess that the current market for second hand instruments on the whole is not good at the moment which is the major factor for this. I'm not convinced by the overall look of the Suhr but having played quite a few of the NYC based Pensa instruments I would say that of all the preamps available on the super Jazz style market, the Pensa has sounded to my ears to be the best. A Sadowsky would be great too but I'm fairly convinced I can't get on with the sound of them anymore, that's purely my preference though. I'd look at Mike Lull too.

I'm pretty certain I've played the bass in this clip below, if it wasn't then it was an identical instrument that sounded as good

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgmYcaDJqIU[/media]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1384605641' post='2278595']


Originality is not celebrated. Anything 'original' and different is usually slated too isn't it. There's plenty of 'original' music out there. All music draws from the past as well as the present.
[/quote]

I agree, it's just that this is only drawing from the past and isn't furthering anything. It's nostalgia for the sake of it. If I wanted to listen to Joy Division then I'd put on Joy Division, whereas if I wanted to listen to a band that have taken Joy Division as an influence and melded it with their own music then I'd listen to Radiohead.

[quote name='marcus bell' timestamp='1384470016' post='2277221']
Doesn't bother me too much. You can all say what you want, at least me and my old man share an interest and get on really well, that means me to me than all the bass guitars on the planet.
[/quote]

Nice one Marcus, enjoy your new bass. Hold on to it too, if it's your dream one then getting rid of it will be a decision you'll always regret.

Don't understand lifting the Joy Division blueprint and reapplying it 34 years later really, in fact I find it kind of depressing that originality in music is becoming something that no longer has to apply.

The reason I'd always use a 5 if I were doing musical theatre gigs all the time is that you don't have to worry about position playing, whereas with a drop D or C you'd constantly be adjusting unnaturally to the lower string. For me personally the practicality of the low string would be lost on the fact that my position playing had been thrown.

It would be difficult if you were reading away only to encounter a run that would find you jumping up and down the first 5 frets of your instrument. My advice would be to seek out a new instrument if you're not keen on your Lakland DJ, it's a 35" scale so if it feels at all too long then maybe look to picking up a Sadowsky 5 or alike that use 34" scale. Either way I'd be sticking with 5.

I count myself incredibly fortunate that all of the musicians I play with are aware of the power that the bass can hold over the rest of an ensemble. It's not an ego thing, they respect me as much as I respect the fact that I can be made to sound good by what they all play on their respective instruments. As a bass player, I'll always need a band to sound great and I get a kick out of supporting other musicians.

I've got a '78 too, it's a great playing instrument and this one really is a beauty. Best of luck, the colour scheme on this one is a real killer!

The fretless sounded just fine this evening mate! Great job, nice and prominent out front, not overpowering at all either.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1384101869' post='2272756']
What we also can't be sure of is if a bass made today will change in in the same way as the old ones did. Pickups are made differently today. So the break-down in the materials will be different. So it's very possible a bass made today will sound exactly the same in 50 years as it does today. So, sorry guys, but if you're looking at keeping your new Fender for 50 years it may well totally fail as an investment.
[/quote]

All true apart from if the functionality of the instrument becomes a redundant feature to a collector, which is entirely possible. The inherent value of the instrument to someone like me on the other hand would be zero as I'd never own an instrument that I wouldn't play.

I've not played enough vintage examples of Fender guitars (played plenty of basses) to really have any idea of whether this is true or not, although some of my guitarist friends have vintage Fender guitars and to be honest I can't hear the difference when they play live.

My opinion as a vintage Fender fan isn't that it's so much that the sound gets 'better' over time, rather I love the feel, appearance and comfort of a well used Fender bass guitar. It fascinates me, I love it. I do think the sound of Fender basses change over time, this is something I have no honest or scientific explanation for but something I've just noted having used and played both new and old Fenders before. The crux of the sound is always the same though, and there are more variables involved than just age in it.

The first one is a mime job obviously. I don't think fans would have been overly picky about the parts not being live. The second one appears more live and Jermaine could certainly play, although props should go to Stevie Wonder for writing the tune and for Nate Watts's insanely good slap part on the original record. Monstrous playing.

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1384027227' post='2272154']
I find DR Sunbeams to be far better than D'Addario's, but they are twice the price. They are lower tension, smoother, and if like me, you like the sound of a played-in string (which I suspect you don't if you change strings every two gigs), they just stay in that sweet spot for ages before dying. I seem to get a bit more punch from my amp when I use them. I usually only use Sunbeams, Fender Nickels, or D'Addario Nickels depending on how desperately I need them and how skint I am.

I have just bought a set of the balanced tension nickel D'Addario's that I'm looking forward to trying- the floppy E-string problem is no more I hope!

I heard Fender Nickels and D'Addario's are basically the same string? The local music shop tells me both are made on the same production line in the same factory. No idea if it's true, but would be interesting considering some on the thread seem to like D'Addario and not Fender. I've always found them to sound fairly similar.

I once bought a set of Stagg strings because I was desperate, and took them off after one rehearsal- I could hear and feel the core rattling around inside the winding. Never again.
[/quote]

Cool, I'll give Sunbeams a punt! It was mentioned earlier in the thread that D'Addario make Fender strings but they aren't just repackaged D'Addario strings. I bought a set of the new Fender strings over the summer and the difference was there for someone who's been a longtime D'Addario user. I guess if you are too you might find the same. Still not terrible strings by any stretch of the imagination, just not the same IMO.

Brilliance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-0JZlrk4xA

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1384012803' post='2271916']
What do those D'Addario XL's feel like in terms of tension /compliance? I seem to remember that they are meant to feel pretty tight . Do they last a fair while?
[/quote]

It's been a while since I've used the standard XL's as my local music store has had the balanced tension XL's in for dirt cheap, I can say that the balanced tensions feel tighter than the regular XL's though with some certainty which means that the XL's are probably middle of the road. The balanced tension ones are somewhat tougher if you prefer a higher action and I found them to be a little slower speaking than the standard XL's unless you prefer a lower action. It didn't take me long to get acclimatised to them though, YMMV and all that.

XL's are lovely strings but like all round wounds apart from coated ones they never last as long as I want them to!

Thomastik flats, I really can't stand them. Everything I'd want about a flat wound string just isn't there and I found them 'uneven' sounding across the strings too. I know I'm in a minority with this one! I think a lot of other people can get on with them because of their lower tension but it's something I really didn't like about them. La Bella 760FL's are what I like in flats.

I never got on with DR's. Lowriders I found a little on the dull side and High Beams were okay, but not worth the price. I'm yet to try Sunbeams yet but unless they completely trounce D'Addario Nickels then they won't be worth it either. D'Addarios are still my favourite round but they just don't last for more than 2 gigs with me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfsH3MkRgE0

It's going to happen sooner or later, the more you try and prevent the more inevitable it ends up becoming. Your instrument should show to an extent its journey with you otherwise it's just another guitar off of the shelf in a music store.

I do this thing where I take sharp intakes of breath through my nose when I'm really concentrating. Fine in the studio when I'm doing bass takes but if I'm recording acoustic guitar like I do a lot I drive the engineer crazy when I'm mic'ed up! It's totally subconscious of course

His bass tone is awesome, but I can understand why this might not exactly please a lot of NIN fans. Nice and groovy for us bass players, way off the mark for fans of Reznor.
Reminds me of Nile Rodgers with Daft Punk recently. Nice on paper, but a disappointment for me as a lifelong fan of DP and Nile Rodgers.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1383943570' post='2271210']
That`s a shame Liam, still your observations have now removed these from my GAS list.
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I'd still recommend trying them out Lozz as they might well be your thing but unfortunately they didn't suit me at all for a variety of reasons. A shame but you live and learn!

Okay, the condensed story is this: I received the bass on Tuesday morning, and it got returned today.

Looked nice, played fine, sounded completely lacklustre to my ears. A shame but I'm glad I took a punt, it was completely uninspiring for me to play. It's the quickest turnaround of an instrument I've ever owned!

[quote name='bh2' timestamp='1383686589' post='2267770']
I found a Rembrandt and a Stradivarius in the loft the other day...

Unfortunately Rembrandt was crap at making violins and Stradivarius couldn't paint for toffee.








Apologies to Mr Cooper.
[/quote]

Love it!

I've not played one but I think the look of them leaves a lot to be desired. Not inspired! Having said that I do love Lakland as a company, I just often wish they'd offer a few more finishes on some of their cheaper products.