risingson

I want to downsize my rig a little, currently running an Eden WT-800 + 410XLT but the weight of the rig is astronomical and I need something a bit more portable, so I'm going to look into buying the Tone Hammer 500 when it comes out and probably two 112 cabs, the idea being I can split the rig for smaller gigs and also studio use. I was wondering if anyone had used two DB112's (with tweeters) in conjunction with a similar setup and what results you've had live, are they loud enough, what the tones are like etc. Any help on the matter would be greatly appreciated, I of course intend to try them out before I buy but I just wanted some feedback from you lovely BC'ers if you've had any experience before I went and sold my entire rig off! Love to hear some feedback on this! Cheers

[quote name='chris_b' post='1130066' date='Feb 16 2011, 07:00 PM']You can't buy talent but I think it's right that every musician will want to sound as good as they can, and that's what better or different gear can do for you.[/quote] I think it's fine for a bass player to want to feel as happy as possible on stage and I think that's what good gear can do for you, it's a big morale boost. But I see some players on some forums selling off basses, amps, cabs on an almost weekly basis in order for them to get the newest thing. It's their choice of course, and I wouldn't want to argue with them being allowed to buy whatever they want, but I do wonder what some people hope to achieve by doing this as in the end, they're still going to sound like the bass player in the band. I do think that some people put too much stock into searching for some elusive tone that will forever escape them until they realise that it's what they do musically that counts most of all.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1129320' date='Feb 16 2011, 10:19 AM']I think there is an argument that some players (not all by any means) are trying to 'buy' talent and, rather than working on legitimate, tried and tested methods of musical learning, try and adress their shortcomings by buying gear. I heard even Guy Pratt talking about a bass with a 'fast neck'. I don't care how fast the neck is, if a player has no musical knolwedge and lacks core competences like time etc, a 'fast neck' ain't going to solve the problem. I make no secret of the fact that most of the talk on here about gear is irrelevant nonsense - there is a thread on here about the best material to make a nut out of (walnut, obviously). What possible difference can that make to anything? I get that you get more sustain from this or that material but how many times a night do you hit a note that sustains long enough for that to matter? In fact, you are as likely to NOT want it to sustain. I think its all smoke and mirrors. I can't tell the difference in sound between a Jazz and a Precision or a Ken Smith or a Fodera. I [i]can[/i] tell the difference between a Dorian minor and a Phrygian minor. [i]That[/i] matters. But an ebony vs plastic nut? As important as the colour of your lead, methinks.[/quote] I completely agree with this post. I would add that even the difference between playing a Squier and a Fodera is also very small for me, as most of the audience aren't going to notice the £5000 price difference in the looks, playability and sound of the basses. What new gear does do is give a player a brief surge of wellbeing which is great, but gear should only ever augment you skills as a player and not the other way round.

I'm not a big fan of the looks of headless basses, but that's definitely something to split people's opinions anyway. I've played a few, had a chance to have a quick go on Steve Soar's Status (that's alliteration for you!!) and although it was a lefty and I play right handed, it sounded really great.

Anyone tried one of these yet? Was looking (and have been for a time) at the AG500 but this looks more up my street.

Twitter is alight tonight with the fury of a million and one Justin Beiber fans screaming for her blood. I'm glad she won it, she's got a lot of substance as opposed to none at all in the case of Beiber.

I keep my picks in that pocket in my jeans that doesn't really fit any purpose (fact of the day: Levi Strauss apparently made these pockets for watches on chains). Sometimes keep them behind my pickguard also.

I used to do this, very rarely I still do it but I much prefer playing with a pick now. Like someone mentioned, Chuck Rainey used to do it.

Bass is bass, I'm a firm believer in thinking that most bass guitars sound more or less the same. That may sound a bit ridiculous but to a wider audience without a discerning ear, this is for the most part a universal truth. Yes a jazz bass is going to sound different to a P bass or a Stingray, and yes certain pickups/preamps will sound different than others etc. but who's going to notice? Not as many people as you'd like to think. I choose bass guitars on how they make me feel when I play them, closely followed by how well they're going to sound in live and studio applications. If you've got a great sounding bass then it's a huge morale boost and that's important as a performing musician, but for the most part and as controversial as this is, most basses sound fundamentally the same.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1122152' date='Feb 9 2011, 11:55 PM']But these are sounds and techniques from the 70's. I don't see how one band I have never heard of would influence worldwide pop acts with slap bass from the 70's and 80's. I'm guessing your a Justice fan? I have to endure radio one everyday too most of it's awful maybe I'm getting old? [/quote] I appreciate that slap long predates all of these songs we're talking about, but the production methods and the way the slap part is quantised and spliced together via electronic means are the attributes of a much more recent development in music. There isn't a particularly 'live' feel to the bass in the Katy Perry tune, and it's something that was very synonymous with Justice's (and a few other people's) style of bass production. That's all I was saying really, and I don't believe it to be coincidence I liked Justice, but to be honest I take great interest in hearing a lot of top 40 artists 'borrowing' production methods that have evolved from other artists. In relation to the original question, slap bass isn't going to make a comeback just because it's been used in one Katy Perry tune. Like you say, slap has already happened, it's already been a big thing in the 70's and 80's L.A and N.Y.C recording studios largely thanks to a lot of session greats who used it to great effect on a lot of records, i.e. Marcus Miller, Louis Johnson, Freddie Washington, etc. the list is exhaustive. Bass needs to evolve by other means rather than repeating what's already happened. Radio one is awful for most of the time, but I listen because it's in my interest to know what's happening with popular music right now, and I like to keep abreast of what music might be popular, regardless if it's good or complete crap (usually it's the latter )!

Love it Burritobass! I've got a bit of a thing for Hofners afer I used an friend's old '67 to do some recording... have used the chinese made ones and they sound very good. Just make sure you string it with flats

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1120656' date='Feb 8 2011, 09:25 PM']But I have never heard of Justice? Katy Perry happens to be an international act with millions of sales. For all the KP fans (perverts!) search for her on YouTube having her breasts covered in paper mâché and that's not a euphemism![/quote] Pete, whether you've heard of them or not is a different story (in fact if you don't follow that type of music it's likely you won't have), the producers of this world have heard their music and incorporated it into what they do. Justice actually did achieve small commercial success but were otherwise quite underground. The point being is that the music that begins underground eventually influences what's in the charts very heavily. You'll notice the same is true of dubstep right now, again you may or may not have heard of this type of music but 5 or 6 years ago the genre spawned from garage and drum and bass in South East London and was very exclusive and very British, and very underground indeed. Nowadays it's everywhere, Tinie Tempah, La Roux, Snoop Dog, Britney Spears and Rihanna have all incorporated it into their most recent work, despite the big producers of dubstep like Skream or Shackleton remaining well away from the limelight. I tune into radio one everyday and hear it in 40-50% of prime time output. So whilst you might not have heard of these artists, they are the ones that are currently shaping music production and sensibilities more than you could even possibly imagine. Popular music producers are lazy, they'll go with what's getting big and then profiteer from it until it's not popular anymore and then move on.

[quote name='Huwberry' post='1121381' date='Feb 9 2011, 02:08 PM']One of my biggest inspirations, both as a bass player (even if I'll never be able to match his technique) and a musician/composer. If push came to shove, I'd say my favourite tune is this: [/quote] I can't describe how much I love that particular tune.

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1120509' date='Feb 8 2011, 07:57 PM']This song by Katie Perry is incredibly catchy, features a ridiculously auto-tuned vocal, and a crap rap in the middle by Snoop Dogg. It epitomises the state of pop music in this day and age. But it also features a slap bass part. Could this be the return of slap? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jTdXPenx_8&feature=fvst"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jTdXPenx_8&feature=fvst[/url][/quote] I doubt it will hail too much of a return. The heavy sampled/chopped up slap bass part is 'nout new, Justice were doing this a few years back and their sound has heavily influenced current styles of popular music production (fast forward to 3:20 to see what I mean):

I really like music from Warp records, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, The Boards of Canada, etc. I really love Squarepusher, but not really for his bass playing as much as his music that he produces. That said he's clearly a good player!

I'll help as best I can on this one!

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1119087' date='Feb 7 2011, 04:50 PM']This is what I mean about the Jeff Berlin thread. Bona makes this happen in most players, JB rarely achieves that level of inspiration, even though his notes per second ratio is probably greater.[/quote] Also Jeff Berlin tucks his t-shirt into his jeans and has a beer gut, Richard Bona conversely does not.

Where's the piano/keys in all of this?? Anyway. They all rely on each other, I could probably hash together an argument for why the bass is the most important but it would only be as valid as someone else's argument that the guitar is more important. Realistically I'd require most of the choices to place together a good band (including the triangle), and what's more, good players behind the instruments (including the triangle).

[quote name='Faithless' post='1115869' date='Feb 4 2011, 08:33 PM']Musicians? Well, I'd like to think so too, but... they don't have to practice everything in 12 keys, do they? [/quote] Depends if you're playing pitched percussion I suppose

I've played with some great drummers in the past, our drummer right now is solid, great player.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1115369' date='Feb 4 2011, 02:43 PM']Maybe a little harsh, less directed at Jeff himself than the sycophants that frequent that site.[/quote] I think your right as a musician to be absolved from any criticism on an online forum is effectively rescinded as soon as you've joined up and started posting. I'm not saying it's right to go about criticising someone without considerable forethought (if at all really), in fact for the most part whilst I thought your post was funny, it probably was badly worded for those that don't know you well enough to know that at times you can be tongue in cheek. However, if you join a site and assume you're safe from being called out by forumites that are unable to conduct themselves with any decorum then you've made a mistake. It's the internet, people have a habit of saying what they want because more often than not they won't suffer the repercussions in regular life. Everyone's an armchair critic when they want to be.

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='1115077' date='Feb 4 2011, 11:17 AM']Not terrible musicians, just small minded and lazy, apart from the drummer who was very good. One guitard couldn't improvise a solo, so spent months learning every song note for note (12 songs in as many months) The other guitard didn't learn anything alone, just waited til the first one knew it and could then teach him. The singer was a good frontman, but only an average singer and had an ego the size of Wales and was a patronising t**t.[/quote] The things you just described to me unfortunately spells out bad musicianship! You may as well invest the time into playing with a group of musicians that aren't so close minded and are happy to keep their minds open to all kinds of possibilities IMO. Hope you find something soon anyway.

Anyone that unprofessional are probably terrible musicians as well (small minded people make for the worst musicians) so I'm guessing you did the right thing.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1114527' date='Feb 3 2011, 09:09 PM']another thread... im starting to see a picture of Jeff Berlin [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=737610"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=737610[/url][/quote] I loved Wayne's comment buried halfway down page 3 in this thread, completely hilarious

[quote name='phil.i.stein' post='1114455' date='Feb 3 2011, 08:27 PM']is jeff berlin famous ? and why the f*** is 'famous' intersting. x-factor dicks are famous. doesn't mean they are worthy of discussion.[/quote] + to the 1