uncle psychosis

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1380621947' post='2227864'] Meet you half way Mr xilddx? Been trying to put myself off this one for months now... [/quote] that's really cool. What is it?

Got to be honest, I personally don't think that riding the GAS roundabout and trying yet another style of bass is going to help much (if at all). Sometimes the only solution with these kind of problems is a break. My mate had surgery on his knee and couldn't do any exercise for 18 months---he hated every minute of it but it was the only way to get himself sorted out. Another friend is a professional (double) bassist and had to take a break of 6 months to deal with RSI. Sometimes these things happen. See a good physio and take their advice, and if you do continue to play make absolutely certain that you are using good technique. I used to get horrible pain in my hands and literally two lessons with a good teacher made it go away as I changed my hand and wrist position completely.

As well as seeing a doctor and a physio, try seeing a good bass teacher for a few lessons too. If your technique isn't quite right that could explain a lot.

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1380135357' post='2221423'] How is it any different to any of the cheap Fender/Musicman/Gibson/Rickenbacker copies? [/quote] Thats why I said "a bit". If the thing doesn't break any copyright/trademark laws then I'm alright with it, so long as people are honest about who made it and where.

[quote name='TolerancEJ' timestamp='1380123617' post='2221187'] Yes, it's a fake. Those eBay ads have appeared a number of times. I forwarded them to Jens awhile back. He replied quickly that he was already aware the companies were producing fakes. If you've not already viewed it, there's a YouTube video from a recent NAMM show where Jens Ritter posed as a reporter and tried to ask questions of one of the fake-builders. He was quite classy. (I would not have reacted so reserved.) [/quote] Its not a "fake" though, is it? Its not trying to pass itself off as an actual Ritter. Not quite the same thing. Still a bit morally dubious though...

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1380104249' post='2220739'] So is it really rational to use gear costing a couple of hundred quid and use it for years on end, such that you probably spend more on your cars tyre wear getting to gigs over the long term than you do on the actual gear you play with ?. [/quote] Of course its rational, assuming the gear does what you need it to. If you want to get the accountant's handbook out, is it rational to take the risk of your £1000 bass depreciating massively in value rather than just using a much cheaper bass that gets the gig done?

I would do this: 1. Keep it on a stand, not in its case. See if you play it more. If you do, great. If you don't...proceed to step 2. 2. Put it in its case and then put the case somewhere thats fairly inaccessible---back of the wardrobe, a mates' spare room, etc. Leave it there for at least 6 months. If you don't find yourself missing it and wanting to play it in that time then sell it. If you do, then keep it. Now is a horrible time to be selling instruments so unless you have a pressing need for the cash there's no need to rush.

Yamaha BB414 or BB415

The single pickup version just looks wrong to me but the HH version is very tasty indeed. Shame it'll be so expensive

I like that a lot. £50? Bargain!

Can't help with its location but that's a really lovely colour combination.

People that think that playing bass with a pick is inferior to playing it with fingers are idiots. (and people who think that playing with fingers is inferior to playing with a pick are idiots too). Its just a different technique. It sounds great in many contexts and it doesn't work so well in others. Anyone who dismisses any technique without good reason needs their head examined.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1379591087' post='2214490'] Passive I've only ever owned one active bass, and that went through batteries like nobody's business. When your usual awesome tone has suddenly switched to sounding like a mouse fart a couple of times, it tends to put you off. It wouldn't be as bad if there was a gradual degradation as they ran flat. Decent batteries are not cheap when you're replacing them every couple of weeks, and woe be tied if you forget to change them... I've never been playing and thought "I wish this bass was active". Passive still kicks butt. [/quote] [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1379592056' post='2214526'] Norris - this is exactly what concerns me about active basses. I understand some run as passive basses when the battery runs out, but most just die completely? This is a REALLY bad design, surely? I don't fancy changing batteries every other week, and you dunno how long batteries are gonna last until you get the bass and find out the hard way, huh? [/quote] I've had my active bass for more than two years and I've changed the battery....once. If your bass is dying every fortnight then either you're playing it for 12 hours a day or there's something wrong with your wiring. Even if you accept that for some reason you need a new battery every fortnight, you can buy duracells in bulk for less than £1 each. Thats £26 a year. Compare that to the cost of a years' worth of strings...(or even plectrums if you're forever losing them like I do).

I can fluently sight read treble clef, but I've just never been able to make the switch to bass clef I really need to force myself to do it.

You can pick up a second hand Pitchblack for about £35, so its not like the "good" ones are all that expensive anyway. If you're on a tight budget I quite often just take my Snark clip-on tuner to gigs and rehearsals, that works absolutely brilliantly and is considerably cheaper than any pedal tuner (I think mine cost me a tenner).

Is there such a thing as a "fast neck"? Surely if there was we'd all be playing them...

I wouldn't bother replacing the bridge. is there actually anything wrong with it?

I've never made a bass-buying decision based on whether or not the bass was active or passive---so long as it sounds good I don't care either way (I have two basses---one active, one passive). With that said, I am very much a "find one good sound and leave it there" kind of guy, so the ability to change sounds quickly using just the controls on my bass just isn't an issue for me.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1379415481' post='2212315'] Am i the only one that thinks that a single switch unit defeats the purpose of a multifx pedal (being able to change between various fx during a song)? What were they thinking?!! [/quote] [list] [*]Multi-function foot switch can also be used to switch program memories [/list] Sounds like it may well be able to do that. To be honest, though, it seems that its being marketed as a practice aid, not as a multi-fx for live use.

I think its a bit weird how its cool for other brands to copy all of Fenders designs (but put their own take on it) but when Fender does it it suddenly becomes "oh, its just Fender copying a..."

[quote] Do you get your conversion fee back? [/quote] Currency conversion fees are the domain of your bank and I'd be absolutely astonished if they ever returned them to you. Of course, not all banks charge a conversion fee on all their accounts so if you really want to avoid this then you can. I'd suggest that anyone who is regularly spending money abroad checks out a specialised credit card---something like Halifax Clarity Card or Capital One Classic Extra.

Daft question, how *quiet* do they go? I've half a mind to get one for gigs where the backline isn't provided, but it would probably get used as a home practice amp quite a lot! Is that even remotely feasible?

Great stuff Stories like this are not helping my "must get a DB..." gas

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1378657533' post='2202857'] I've been using a Godlyke Powerall to power all except the Moog LPF (it won't share power with other pedals without making a noise about it). It's 1.7A & I got it from DV247 for @ £18. They don't seem to stock em anymore. [/quote] I also have a Godlyke. Never let me down.

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' timestamp='1379257854' post='2210422'] Which one is that (don't they have 2?). [/quote] The Ninety Orange.