Huw Foster

'Sunshine of Your Love' by Cream.

You sir, are a bad man. That is one pimped bass. I doubt there's much more you could do to it without rendering it unrecognisable!

[quote name='Changles' post='702137' date='Jan 5 2010, 09:12 PM']I'll tell you what, the jaguar is a masterpiece of marketing. It looks cool, and if you plug it in in the store the active eq sounds amazing. However if you buy one, which I did, you'll almost certainly find that on the active setting it won't fair well in a mix. I really hated the EQ on mine and started using it on passive. It was a slight improvement. It was still very muddy. To answer your question on "parallel" it sounds unbelievably thin and will not cut through, and series will help you to cut through, but don't expect a lovely sound from it, as it's pretty muddy on that. The jaguar was my second bass and I played it for a year. I found it very heavy, a real pain to do a long gig with it on my shoulder. About 6 months after buying when I really learnt the bass' limitations I was really frustrated with it. Also you may find that the cutaway isn't that good if you want to play in the upper register. When I finally got another bass I was so relieved. In fact I picked up my jag for the first time in a while the other day and it felt like such a clumsily made bass compared to the one I use now. Also to get the jaguar anywhere near playable I had to pay out for a bad ass bridge. I would have bought new pickups too had I not concluded that it was a lost cause. Oh! And I almost forgot to mention the numerous dead and buzzing frets, even with high action!! Sorry to be a downer, just felt I had to contribute my (largely painful) experiences with the jaguar. It seems to me a lot of people buy guitars and basses in a shop when they're not set up & the playing experience in the shop with just the instrument on its own is different to how it is when you actually have the instrument in a band situation, on a gig, in a mix, where it's really a whole different kettle of fish. Mmm, fish. And it really takes a long time to get "into" a bass (in my experience) and really see its flaws and, occasionally, what's good about it. A half hour or less in a shop really tells us little. -C.[/quote] Don't apologise - it's interesting to hear a mostly negative review of the Jaguar for once! It might be blind optimism on my part, but perhaps you had a dud instrument? I'm fairly sure Fender isn't always renowned for its quality control! Of course,when I'm next trying one out (hopefully with a mind to buy something, funds permitting), I will make sure to not only scrutinise it, but also have a go at comparing to similarly priced basses.

I'm such a cynic. I had to try really hard to suspend my disbelief when the long-lost brother started posting. Here's hoping for a positive outcome!

[quote name='Moos3h' post='702579' date='Jan 6 2010, 10:50 AM']It's really not too hard - there's a couple of youtube vids to get you started (not exactly correct, but it's ballpark). It helped us that we played it in Eb (not sure if that's the original key), so it just required a quick detune to get that monster low note. Cheers, James[/quote] I agree, it shouldn't be too hard once you know what's going on. It took me ages to realise that Tony Levin plays the line on a fretless Stingray with an octave pedal. Once I knew that, I could transcribe it a lot easier. It is in fact in Eb, although the tonality switches a fair bit between Eb Mixolydian (essentially major scale with a flattened seventh) and Eb Aeolian (natural minor). No detuning required though - the octave pedal provides all the fatness.

[quote name='Paul S' post='698612' date='Jan 2 2010, 11:16 AM']It is what swung it for me, if I am honest, in a play-off between a USA jazz and the jag. The idea that I have a good quality fender bass that looked a little different from the herd is quite appealing. Mine is black and, with a black pick guard on it, looks even cooler - my Panther! [attachment=39160:jaguarblacksp2.jpg] [attachment=39161:jaguarblacksp3.jpg] [attachment=39159:jaguarblacksp1.jpg][/quote] Nice! I think I might have to get a tortoiseshell pickguard if/when I get one. I did a (bad) mock-up to illustrate it: [attachment=39415:jag.jpg] Not sure though. It's definitely not the 'classic' colour combination for a Jag, but I think I like it, and it'd stand out from the countless other red and white ones.

D'oh, IMDb doesn't list that info, it's 4oD. Silly me!

Tried using Shazam? It's the number you ring that tells you the name of a tune, or if you've got an iPhone (or a friend with one), an app which I use at every opportunity, haha. Not sure of the actual number though - I think it's 2580 (right down the middle of the keypad). It might also be worth looking up the episode on IMDb, as music is sometimes listed somewhere in the episode information.

Thanks Jimmy. You should hear the demo we did the year before - we've come a long way since then! Thankfully we had a very much needed line-up reshuffle and everything's much better now - we got a drummer that actually grooves, haha.

Only a tenner?! Fakkin' hell. Might just have to see that!

[quote name='Paul S' post='697193' date='Dec 31 2009, 01:56 PM']My only concerns about it are how much of the value of the beast goes into the slightly substandard electronics. Given that I now use it only passively, would I have done better spending the extra on a simple passive guitar? But that's just me. I love the looks and the way it plays and sounds, so I suppose it matters not at the end of the day.[/quote] I think I know what you mean - when I was trying it out I loved the array of passive tones so much, the active switch seemed a little unnecessary. However, I reckon the active preamp is still good enough for slap tones, particularly that Marcus Miller-type sound if I want it. It would also be ideal for the rare occasion when a bass solo is required of me and I need to jump out of the mix a little, haha. I don't know enough about similar basses in that price range to really assess value for money though. I do know, however, that I [i]love[/i] the way it looks, and a shallow part of my mind would never, ever allow me to buy an aesthetic disaster, no matter how amazing it is in all other aspects. I hope I'm not alone in feeling this! I'm certain 80-90% (well, a lot anyway) of an instrument's desirability is down to looks alone.

Cheers for the replies. I did think it sounded a little bit meatier, but like I said, the combo it was going through made it hard to differentiate. Still don't know how it works though. I'm going to assume 'magic'. [quote name='BurritoBass' post='697126' date='Dec 31 2009, 12:34 PM']You also know (I assume) that the top switch switches from passive to active?[/quote] Yup, I knew that. Actually, I have another question about that - are the bass and treble dials boost only? I got that impression, but I wasn't sure.

I'm not entirely sure why, but over the course of the last week or so I've had a real craving for one of these. It must be a combination of things. The red finish with the matching headstock is one, the block inlays are another... but it's not just aesthetic. I had a chance to play one for half-an-hour or so in my local PMT today, and although the action wasn't amazing, it pretty much sealed the deal for me. I want one. I want it now. Unfortunately, that will be nigh on impossible unless I get some work over the next couple of months, as gigs are far and few between until the spring. However, while I'm gathering funds I thought I might as well ask some questions about it. Actually, just the one: can someone explain to me what the series/parallel switch does, in simple enough terms for my brain to understand? I did some quick research on the matter, but my knowledge of electronics is almost entirely derived from GCSE Physics lessons where I wasn't really paying that much attention most of the time. I noticed a subtle difference in the tone when the switch was activated, but it was difficult to decipher through the Roland Cube it was going through (which, surprisingly, didn't sound too bad overall). Sorry if this has been asked many times before! Huw

Yeah he's defnitely a very accomplished composer too IMO. Beep Street from Hard Normal Daddy is one of my favourite tracks - I think it's beautiful. Some good stuff on his debut (Feed Me Weird Things) and some of the later stuff from Ultravisitor and Budokan Mindphone. No sure about his recent output, but all credit to him that he's always developing his sound. Very versatile!

Nice! I presume you mean all the switches? Something like this will probably help you out:

[quote name='JonnyB' post='693087' date='Dec 24 2009, 05:39 PM']Chaka Khan was touring the UK recently with Lulu and someone else, can't remember, I wanted to go to the Liverpool showing but it was sold out. I wonder if Mr Gooch was on for that? If he was then, damn and blast - missed it! [/quote] It was Chaka, Lulu and Anastacia. Some friends went, and I'll ask them, but I'm fairly certain it was to a backing track. Well, if it's anything like the performance they did on the Royal Variety Show recently, then it's almost definitely to a track. I'll just keep telling myself that. IT WAS TO A TRACK. Anyway, back on topic - that video is pure gospel filth.

I've also just been informed that the tracks sent to us for the demo aren't actually the finished product just yet, haha.

HI GUYSSSSS. The function band I'm in have just uploaded a new demo. Not particularly exciting I know, it's only other people's songs... but anyway, it's available for your ears here: [url="http://www.myspace.com/thewhitekeysuk"]http://www.myspace.com/thewhitekeysuk[/url] Dare I say I reckon it's very well produced, thanks to a very good friend of ours. I also have a few other recordings on [url="http://www.myspace.com/huwfoster"]my own myspace[/url] which I don't think I've posted here before, despite them getting on a bit. Enjoy, let me know what you think etc.

1. Born 2B Mild 2. yorks5stringer 3. Al Heeley 4. Wonderhorse 5. simon1964 6. Tait 7. Mikey R 8. budget bassist 9. Jake_tenfloors 10. Soopercrip 11. timloudon 12. Kirky 13. Huwberry If I'm free, of course. Might end up with a gig by then.

Good stuff! Prince next, you say? If you can fit Alphabet St in there somewhere that would be AMAZING.

I've had to learn All I Want For Christmas for my function band... Really fun to play, basically all about the feel. ALMOST makes me like the song. ALMOST. (I just learned it on ukulele... IT'S EVEN MORE FUN!!)

[quote name='Platypus' post='691119' date='Dec 21 2009, 11:31 PM']I know its been here posted before, however for anyone whose never seen it ... [url="http://mediaweb.musicradio.com/Show.asx?Episode=1492"]http://mediaweb.musicradio.com/Show.asx?Episode=1492[/url][/quote] Haha, I'd forgotten how ridiculously high the bass is mixed on that. Just as well, some disgustingly tasteful (a contradiction if I ever saw one) playing.

He did a workshop at LCM in the summer - I got to sit right next to his amp (an AG500 running through a DB112 in this instance) and it sounded incredible. It was even more impressive considering the horrible acoustics of the room. He'd brought his entire touring pedalboard too. I got serious GAS. Made me want a vintage, passive jazz sooooo much! (I think he was playing the one in the rack in the above picture.) I also echo Higgie's sentiments - very nice bloke too. Just wished my mind hadn't gone blank when he (repeatedly) asked if I had any questions. Duhhhh.

Been looking at the Focusrite stuff. There's a new one out, pretty good price. Anyone had any experience with it? [url="http://www.focusrite.com/products/saffire/saffire_6_usb/"]http://www.focusrite.com/products/saffire/saffire_6_usb/[/url]