Pete Academy

I have actually had people try an instrument and then say they'd like to buy it, but don't want the one they've tried because it has been used.

This is the eternal dilemma music shops face. We often get kids wanting to try out expensive Gibsons etc, obviously because they want to know what the fuss is about and can also tell their mates they've tried one out. But does the shop risk a black finish Custom getting marked just to satisfy someone's curiosity? Then we have a guy that has been coming into our shop twice a week for two years just to have half an hour's practice on a Roland drum kit. Will he buy? Who knows? But in this case, I would say the shop was wrong to stop you trying that bass.

If you go to their YouTube vids, you'll see there's lots of hands-on work involved. That's what you're paying for.

I think it's crap. Doesn't really sound like a keyboard bass synth and you can't store sounds in it, so what's the point in a live situation, where you might need more than one setting? That's why the Akai SB-1 was so good...authentic and able to store presets. I've yet to try a Markbass one, though.

Wow. Who needs a Fodera when you get a beauty like this?

Great for how long you've been playing. Nice tone, too. Drummer needs to tighten up a bit, but otherwise fine effort.

We bought one of these limited editions for the shop when they first came out. We were asking £899, and I saw one shop advertising it at around £1500! We recently advertised it at £699, but still no takers. I think you need to find a die-hard Mark King fan to buy it.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1363278' date='Sep 5 2011, 07:13 PM']Smokin;, Pete. I feel a night at the computer coming on!![/quote] Yeah, we talked about this some time ago. I'm mostly chuffed with the sound he got me.

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1363221' date='Sep 5 2011, 06:35 PM']Cool. When I first played it (on my laptop) I couldn't hear any bass! Plugged in the headphones and 'voila' lovely bass beat [/quote] Cheers.

My version of a few bars of Good Times by Chic. Recorded at my mate's studio, 79 Jazz straight into the desk and through an Ampeg plug in. [url="https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526send_id%253D1215136085%2526email%253D8a57254254ab9c57ca57f3a69069e030"]https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app...a57f3a69069e030[/url]

Our shop recently had a sale whereby we sold off masses of Ashdown ex-demo gear. And we currently have 10% off Tanglewaters. But I'm not allowed to mention it.

I'm waiting to get a listen to this.

[quote name='dc2009' post='1362059' date='Sep 4 2011, 07:12 PM']What's the link?[/quote] www.theacademyofsound.co.uk

I run our bass department, which is decently stocked with the usual suspects, but we can't compete with the big boys and hold expensive basses. Might be worth a look, though.

Listen to it as much as possible.

[quote name='lojo' post='1359147' date='Sep 1 2011, 07:38 PM']Funny how these threads come back to reading being the benchmark, I started the bass clef YTS thread, and made some effort, only to figure out that what I do is what I do and the time I was devoting to it, was better spent on other things as it wont change what I do (play covers in a number of bands) Im not a pro, wont ever be, but earn from gigs, have fun and entertain others If I could go back in time, Id learn to read, but then Id also learn the cruyff turn instinctively along with loads of other skills, and Id have an arsenal of skills that would challenge batman[/quote] I'm exactly the same. Nothing more to add. Wish I'd learned more theory skills, but I was busy having fun instead. I have lost gigs through not being able to read, but what the hell. I can compose my own stuff by ear.

Nige, please don't desert me. You were my compatriot in the non-reading argument. Come on, please don't do this to me. Ditch those dots and come back to your senses. Now.

I see this all the time in our shop. Confidence = loud, proud, and WRONG.

I can understand where he's coming from, but Jaco, his playing and personality, was a massive part of WR.

[quote name='Stingray5' post='1356647' date='Aug 30 2011, 06:25 PM']Have you checked out the Funk and Groove thread [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=70165"]here[/url]? Currently up to 36 pages, so should keep you pretty busy! [/quote] That's the thread to go to.

I love VB, but what about that homage to Jaco, where he wrote lyrics to Continuum?

I beg to differ.

From a 2010 interview, he's obviously pissed off with being asked this question many times before: "How did it feel taking over for Jaco in Weather Report?" "It felt great! I don't know anything about 'taking over' for anybody. I am [u]the[/u] bass player of Weather Report. Period. I never thought of myself as being [u]after[/u] anybody. If you ever meet our drummer, Omar Hakim, ask him. He will tell you we didn't give a f*** about anybody who was in that band or anybody that came before us. My favourite bass player of all time is [u]me[/u]. The best band Weather Report ever had, and the best records they ever made, are the ones with me playing. So, I'm not quite sure what to say when I'm asked about 'taking over', as if I gave a f*** about Jaco. I was [u]the [/u] man out of all the bassists 'WR' ever had, so how else could that feel but good?"

[quote name='urb' post='1356022' date='Aug 30 2011, 10:26 AM']Don't worry my eye is very much on the ball - well more like I'm keeping my eye on you - I just don't mind a musician as talented as Vic having a bit of fun and musically that's a cool tune whether you agree with the philosophy or not, 'crap' is just your opinion of it and one which I respect but I've heard a lot worse... my earlier comment is based on the fact that AS SOON as a thread on Victor appears anywhere on the web what starts out as something positive soon turns negative - he either plays to fast and flashy and is perceived as a show off and nothing more - or his wisdom and musical abilities are flamed because he's so open and is prepared to write a song about an interesting subject - in terms of it being 'crap you might want to check out some African music - it's all good - but then I suspect not. Anyway - feel free to cary on hating - go for it if it makes you feel better - and as for implying Vic is er 'gay' - I think his wife and four kids might have something to say about that too [/quote] +1