Skybone

Still think Lady GaGa is Dee Snyder's love child...

"Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be..."

Venom inspired a lot of the thrash era bands, as did a lot of punk bands from the late 70's/early 80's. Pretty sure there were a few other NWOBHM bands that had a similar vocal style, but can't remember their names (old age).

Thrash was the start of the gruff/growly vocals, but that also inspired the next wave of Death Metal & hardcore punk in the mid to late 80's, which is where the style became de-rigeur (Napalm Death, Extreme Noise Terror, Doom, Carcass etc)

Love the look and potential of these, just never had the opportunity to try one out.

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1401109940' post='2460105']
That's done - I even listened to a few tracks!!!( and enjoyed the fact it actually sounds Scottish)
[/quote]

Scottish Hip Hop? Sounds very interesting indeed!

Seen Alan playing in both Hawkwind and with his own band (Bedouin era), awesome player for a diddy bloke.

Always remember the white Ric sounding thunderous.

Heaven knows, he's still miserable...

It is allowed AFAIK, just don't say it too loudly though...

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1398249347' post='2431999']The funny thing is... I can barely play guitar really [/quote]

That never stopped anyone buying a BC Rich...

Pickups-wise, guess a lot depends on what amp you're using, and what sort of sound you're after. If you're using a modeller, then "off the shelf" pickups sound fine, if you're using a decent valve amp, then something with a bit more "zing" might be needed. I always found machine made pickups (SD's/Gibson's/DiM's/etc) sounded a tad "life-less", even with amp modellers, and especially with valve amps.

Anyway, I'd say go for it, that STQ Mockingbird's a great looking guitar, and should be quite versatile if you can think beyond the brand reputation.

I had a BC Rich Classic Exotic Bich a while back, very nice guitar, very well made (MIK), stunning spalted maple veneer top & cloud inlays, but came with ceramic magnet humbuckers (BDSM?), which to my ears were somewhat harsh.

Bought a set of handmade Alnico V HotPAF's from Bulldog, which smoothed the sound out brilliantly, but ultimately, with a maple through neck, it lacked the "bite" of a mahogany neck/body. Plenty of initial "bark", which would be ideal in a 2 guitar lineup, paired with an LP/SG or similar mahogany bodied guitar. As the band I was in was a 3 piece, I needed a "fuller" sound, so I went back to the mahogany bodied guitar.

Would I have another? Like a shot (if I could afford it that is, and if it had a mahogany through neck).

The STQ looks excellent on paper, and if you can get it cheap enough, probably worth spending the extra cash on a pair of handmade pickups from one of the many excellent manufacturer's that have sprung up over the last few years.

Or you could get a humbucker in the bridge and an HB sized P90 in the neck position.

As BKP have been recommended already, I'd also throw Bulldog Pickups name into the mix... [url][url="http://www.bulldogpickups.com/"]http://www.bulldogpickups.com/[/url][/url], excellent pickups and an excellent service from a guy who really knows his stuff.

Check out Evil Blizzard... 4 bassists!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1396425401' post='2413304']Blimey. You don't own them mate. Show a bit of perspective.

Have they actually cancelled rehearsals for the gigging band yet? Do you actually need rehearsals if you are gigging regularly?

Many of us are in two or three bands and manage it quite well.

Why do you have to be bandless? If the gigging band is going well stick with it. If it starts to look like you're not gigging enough, join an additional band.

I assume that this 'university' band are playing originals and unlikely to be gigging regularly and will very probably be a flash in the pan.
[/quote]

But surely the perspective is that of "communication is key".

If the other band members want to continue with this band AND "have a bit of fun on the side" by reforming an old band, then surely it's not too much to ask that the other people involved in band A be informed of what's happening? Being in a band is all about communication IMO, it is after all a "team", you all come together for a common aim, ie, the music.

As for being in more than one band, yes, that's all well and good [b]if you have the time[/b]. Some of us simply don't have the time to be in 1 band, let alone 3, as life kind of has a habit of getting in the way. If you're in more than 1 band, then that's fantastic, but that's simply not practical for a lot of us with families & demanding jobs etc. In that instance, I would say that it may be you that would need to "show some perspective", rather than karlfer.

To quote an old BT ad, "It's good to talk".

Never tried a Zeke myself, but I managed to snag one for a friend of mine, who went on to produce a mahoosive sound from it.

Had quite a few D*A*M pedals over the years, brilliant bits of kit.

IIRC, before I bought the 90's IC300, I'd only ever literally seen about 3 or 4 of differeing vintages in shops, in around 10-15 years at that point. Since then, I have seen quite a few more, but they still tend to be quite a rare beastie (unless you have access to large shops with loads of varied stock). In fact, I believe I saw more Rickenbacker 480/481's for sale at that point than I saw versions of the Iceman (Icemen?).

Since the '04-'07(?) reissues, they have become more widespread, mainly thanks to System of a Down and the Dragonforce variants. There was an awful scaled down version made, the ICX120 that was reasonably priced, but you're better off trying to find a full scale version IMO.

Don't know much about the current IC500, apart from what I can see on the Ibanez site, it sounds as though it should "hit the mark" (set maple neck & mahogany body). As it's a current model, you should be able to find one at a larger Ibanez dealers, or maybe they could order one in for you to have a look at.

They are pretty much "Marmite" guitars, you either love them or hate them.

Depends on which model you're looking at...

Erm, currently own 2, but have owned about 5 or 6 over the years, including a 1978 IC200, an '81 IC50, and a '94 IC300.

The '78 was great, mahogany body, set maple neck with volute, brilliant strap balance (no neck dive), but the neck was a tad thin (kind of like a Gibson SG/LP "slim '60 taper").

The '81 IC50 was a good example of the low grade, bolt neck version with the "ply" body. Someone had "refinished" it trans red, and you could see it was made of "off-cuts". Still a decent weight, and a good strap balance (no neck dive). Refinished it and moved it on.

The '94 IC300 was frankly awful, even though it was an MIJ. Bolt on "Wizard" neck, Basswood body. Strap balance was awful because the body didn't have the weight of the old fashioned mahogany slab. Neck was far too skinny. There was another version built in the early/mid 90's, the IC500 (set neck & pearl binding) which was gorgeous, though I've never played one. There was also the ICJ1000 signature model with an Edge Pro (Ibanez Floyd Rose) trem.

Currently have an '04 & '05 IC400 reissue of the late 70's IC200 (like my old '78). Set maple neck on a slab mahogany body, excellent strap balance, volute on the back of the neck, and a neck profile that's more like a Gibson '59/late '70's Ibanez Artist. At the same time, they also made the bolt neck IC200, which was quite good too, far better than the previous IC300 from the 90's.

The latest version, the ICT (and Sam Trotman version) has a maple through neck, and won't give you the raucous mahogany tones that the IC's are reknown for, think a cross between a Gibson SG and a Firebird. It might be good for some situations, but does not cut the mustard in my book. I briefly owned a BC Rich Classic Exotic Bich (maple through neck), and although it was a superb guitar, and had plenty of bark, it just didn't have the bark AND bite of the IC400 Reissue.

Another thing to bear in mind, is that the strap buttons are on the rear of the body, so the guitar does tend to "lean forwards" a bit on the strap (kind of like the ES 335, SG & Firebirds). It can be a bit annoying, but you do get used to it. They also have long necks, but if you're used to playing bass, it shouldn't be as much of a problem as it seems to be "just guitarists".

There used to be an excellent website dedicated to the Iceman, but I don't have the URL.

Did I mention I was a bit of an Iceman anorak?

Do you need to eat food to survive or just want to eat?

"Need" vs "Want"

Do you NEED something or do you just WANT it?

Either that, or just rampant consumerism.

Companies make stuff and then need to sell it for them to (hopefully) make a profit and continue to make more stuff.
Consumers need to purchase stuff made by said companies, but if their old stuff still works or they can't afford new stuff, then the old stuff will have to make do until such a time as they can afford to buy more stuff.
Companies therefore employ Advertisers and Promoters to give their stuff a higher profile, and thus generate a "demand" for their stuff, so that they can sell more stuff and turn a profit. The more stuff you sell, the more profit you make, therefore the more profit you make, the more stuff you can make, therefore the increased need to advertise and promote new stuff as being "better" than the old stuff, therefore appealing to the Consumer's supposed "need" to acquire new stuff, because it's better than the old stuff.

Unfortunately, in the meantime, the old stuff that's been sold on to Consumer's who have less disposable income, but who still have the desire to own stuff, has now acquired "Vintage" status, and is now desired more highly than the new stuff, therefore driving up demand and therefore price. The Companies see this and decide to make and sell new stuff that is made to the same (or similar) specification to the old stuff, and can therefore charge a premium for it. Then they get some blokes in a workshop to knock the new stuff around for a bit, and then sell the new stuff as "Aged" stuff, and charge even more for it...

If it's Steel Panther... surely it should be "Butt Metal"?

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1395692485' post='2405228']So hopefully we'll see in Time and Space at some point :-)[/quote]

And Relativity?

Will you be getting a Stacia tribute dancer as well?

Celtic Frost are/were superb IMO, the first 3 records (Morbid Tales, Emperor's Return & To Mega Therion) were just raw slabs of intense metal, and all the better for it. Pandemonium was a bit more refined and a lot more experimental, but they also started to go a bit more "glam" as well. Shame. "Vanity Nemesis" wasn't too bad thankfully. I was deeply disappointed with the Apollyon Sun albums. "Monotheist" was a good comeback, but was diluted a bit too much IMO, and didn't capture the essential "Frost-y-ness". However, IMO, Tom's return in Triptykon saw an excellent return to form, and I am really looking forward to the new album coming out in April.

As for Twisted Sister, was never really a fan, though they were a bit of fun.

To this day, I am convinced that Lady GaGa is the offspring of Dee Snyder.

Lord of Light and Spiral Galaxy and.....

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1395249364' post='2400224']However recently and despite buying a new bass too, I've suffered from bass playing melancholy I love looking at the bass but am not In anyway enjoying playing or practicing. I've lately made a few short little bass tunes which is cool I guess and have felt more comfortable playing and made little advances in playing too. Interestingly I've also been not interested in music as I once was...

I don't want to give up. But frankly I don't want to waste my time if I just feel frustrated. I'm also extremely skint (again) and what little cash I would raise would come in handy.

I know someone who plays guitar they have for 30 years they spend a lot of time and money on it and frankly he is still rubbish. I don't want to be that guy.[/quote]

It sounds to me as though you've bought a bass with your eyes & heart rather than your fingers and head (believe me, anyone who plays guitar/bass will have been there, done that, bought the t-shirt etc.), I assume that your old bass was chopped in for the new one?

You don't say what bass you bought, or what your old bass was, but it could be that you'd got used to how your old one felt & played, and maybe the new one doesn't feel the same or is missing that certain "something" we all look for in an instrument, the "mojo" that makes you want to pick it up and play regardless. As I'm sure you're aware from perusing this site, not all basses are created equal, and even same brand models can be quite different too, having many different variations on a theme.

To share a recent experience, I bought a mid-price Fender Jazz Bass to replace an expensive US made brand bass (that shall remain nameless on these pages!), and even though I've owned & played various Jazz basses, I really didn't get on with this one. It was played a few times, but then spent most of it's time back in the case. I ended up selling it and buying something similar to the expensive US made brand bass (that shall remain nameless on these pages!). This one feels much better than the Jazz did, and I certainly want to play it more often, even if it is just picking it up for 5 minutes here & there.

The moral of the story is to stick with it, and welcome to GAS.