Cosmo Valdemar

Well in a nutshell - success! We played two 40 minute sets, and pretty much had them by the middle of the first. As expected, we laid on extra cheese and they went down a storm, with lots of singalongs and crowd participation. I even got two bass solos! One expected, one off the cuff. I took the Blazer in the end, it's my workhorse. Amp-wise, I borrowed a friend's Ashdown half stack as my GK is being repaired. THe venue was 'interesting', to say the least - a medieval banquet hall with comically high ceiling, suits of armour and wall-mounted deer heads. Sound check was less than promising, and the DB meter set to 97 was a worry but once the place was full we sounded much better. We also craftily turned up a bit and nobody complained. I'm still buzzing, can't wait for the next one!

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1345822643' post='1782059'] When it get's to the stage where you would rather stay at home than go out to play a gig, it's time to pack it up. [/quote] Precisely.

... And I'm really looking forward to it. It's actually a wedding, so we've got some extra pressure to be good, but it's the guitarist's friend so they shouldn't be too hostile a crowd. The setlist isn't too shoddy, there's a couple of stinkers on there that are painful to play but I know they get the crowd moving so they stay. We have dropped Brown Eyed Girl though. After playing in semi-pro originals bands for over a decade, it feels good to be able to get up and play songs that people wnat to hear for a change! The only question now is which bass to take. Wish me luck!

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1345658029' post='1780175'] Love my thru-neck NS2000. [/quote] I've owned many Spectors over the years, and the NS2000 is by far my favourite. I sold my first one and always regretted it. Luckily a friend of mine put his up for sale a few months back and now it's mine! In virtually perfect condition too. I will NOT let myself sell this one.

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1345574274' post='1779065'] I like the look of the rebop, I'm a bolt on sort of guy, but I don't understand why it has Hz pickups when the neck thru version has proper EMGs. For the price I'd expect the tidy pickups. [/quote] Nowt wrong with HZs!

As I reule I'm not really into active basses, but Spectors are the exception to the rule - they have a lot of character and their own distinctive tone. I've owned 7 over the past few years but have always had to get rid for various reasons. I have a Rex up for sale at the moment, I bought it to use for a particular project that is now over. I've owned Euros and the MIK professional series, and strangely I prefer the MIK lot. My fave Spector to date is my old NS2000, it just nails that classic Pantera sound. In fact I sold my last Euro as I preferred this one. Serious grunt and growl, and very addictive.

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1345468945' post='1777781'] Anyone remember Colin Hodgekinson? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX09gTaWhtY&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/media] [/quote] I'm not really into virtuoso solo bass players, but Colin is just incredible - and very musical.

[quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1345393068' post='1777005'] [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Alembic_Orion_4.html"]http://www.bassdirec...ic_Orion_4.html[/url] It's a lovely thing! [/quote] Lovely doesn't do it justice... If money were no object I would be placing my custom order with Alemnic as we speak. Even though it's one of the lower models, I think the Orion is one of their most attractive designs.

[quote name='noelk27' timestamp='1345420480' post='1777409'] But that just goes to show how the market views the "value" of Alembic, after you remove the "custom" aspect of the buyer equation. It's a good trick when it can convince the original buyer that "pretty" woods and 30-year-old technology are "worth" the prices it charges. And, that's all the Alembic USP these days seems to be how "pretty" the woods are. The shaping and styling is often a touch Marmite. Sure, when it first arrived on the scene it was doing some interesting, even unique, things with electronics, but nothing that run-of-the-mill manufacturers aren't also doing these days. All a bit Emperor's new clothes. [/quote] So there. And which run-of-the-mill manufacturers offer anything like Alembic's Series electronics?

Badly Drawn Boy once shot a video around some flats up the road from where I grew up...

The Vegas Job DVD is pretty dire, it should never have been released.

[quote name='Nicodemus17' timestamp='1345225814' post='1775301'] A neck through bass for less than what im looking at now is EXTREMELY tempting. [/quote] Don't fall into the trap of thinking a through-neck is better than a bolt-on. It's just a different method of construction.

I don't know why they didn't upload the whole track, his solo carries on after the vocal. In fact his playing is excellent throughout. I agree about his regular Status sound though, an over-processed, fizzy, artificial tone. And I'm a HUGE Entwistle nut.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1345123957' post='1773858'] IMO Thunderbirds don't look right unless they have chrome pickups and hardware. [/quote] They don't sound right either!

I would go for any of them and get it refinished. The current colours available on the US standard are very drab and uninspired IMHO. Fancy names won't fool me! As for the neck, it depends what colour you end up with.

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1345197509' post='1774780'] They don't want some whiney twit screeching 'yaa maa wanderwaaaaallll', for instance. [/quote] Unfortunately, record sales and concert attandance would suggest otherwise.

Black hardware. Why can't they go back to chrome like the proper ones? I bet they'll use the current TB pickups as well, to make things worse... Hardly a reissue at all! Of course I could be proved wrong, but this is Gibson 2012 we are talking about.