JTUK

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1360677774' post='1974412'] Could be, though I was thinking of Adam Clayton. Same principle though. But we'd best not digress or we'll be arguing about Mustang Sally or Brown Eyed Girl again. In fact, perhaps the mods should consider adding the Beatles and Mustang Sally to politics, religion and sexism as topics to be avoided lest it all descends into name calling. [/quote] I hear Clayton mentioned on here quite a lot and I don't get it. It doesn't matter if they spend EONS in the studio getting the bass down, as long as that is Clayton playing, then he does a pretty decent job. U2..for all their faults ..have some decent grooves going on and this is down to that section. If you wanted to pull apart U2, I wouldn't start at AC. just my 2p.. Same as Williams in AC/DC... you try playing straight 8's rock steady all night...?? AC/DC are REALLY not my thing, but these guys are decent professionals and as such someone has seen fit to pay them a LOT of money over a LOT of years when they pretty much could have afforded anyone else.. They do a good enough job and do the basics pretty well. Back to U2.. the hardest thing about doing their songs is nailing a decent enough groove on some of the tracks. The drum programmer must be pretty damn good

Post a video of his 'bad' playing From what I can recall, he is pretty precise and made a style pretty much his own. I was never that convinced with his Acoustic amp set-up through a big 18" but that apart, he sounded good...and certainly better than a whole host of his contempories. It is like a lot of things... he was a standard of his day..it might not be so very great now as things move on but in context back then, there weren't many who could get close.... IMO. IIRC, it was either Stanley or Jaco in the electric camp in the mid 70's.. Ditto Hendrix, etc etc etc

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1360614062' post='1973514'] It seems an obvious comment but be sure to try the neo loaded cabs before you buy. They are/can be significantly lighter in weight but I 'personally' have not found one that I like the tone of over my slightly weightier traditional drivers (I'm talking x2 1x12 cabs). [/quote] I'd go with this.... I use NEO's as 2x112 ( but my no 1 rig is Ceramic 2x210's ) and they are highly regarded but I'd trade them if I could.

I have to say I've dealt with Alex and Martin enough. I will always give them a ring and see if they can help me find what I am looking for. I don't have to be wowed with a world class personality ( not saying they don't have them ) so am not at all put off. Both have been more than helpful in the past and if they can't help me then no problem. The fact that they will always be almost the first port of call as far as I am concerned is because they are very very good, IME. If I was working in a manic shop..and I've seen the shop/workshop manic and for good reason, I can understand the shop saying, can we help..if not I am rather busy elsewhere and will leave you to it, but if you need any help, just shout. Nothing wrong with that. It isn't like they aren't interested or bothered, you just have to talk to Martin for a few mins to know he breathes his craft. They are a very busy shop and can't sit all day with a customer without that impacting elsewhere. To my knowledge, there are only 3 of them doing EVERYTHING.. I, for one, appluad Martin keeping his op small, but they are downsides with the time the shop has. If it were in a shop...and I was very busy... all I would be trying to do is make sure the 'customer/browser' knew I would be about if required. I am not sure what else you would realistically expect. Also, I would call the shop and say I would be around and do they have such and such in stock...and could I try it. This works well in smaller ops..where man-power is critical and they might suggest a quieter time... I am glad the Galley is busy..that means that things are going ok..?? and they can be around for a long time.

[quote name='aende' timestamp='1360586583' post='1972672'] Anyone using both active and passive bases on their rig? Do you encounter gain problems when swapping over? i.e. When you change bass during a gig you have to modify amp setting to cope? [/quote] I use both actives on a gig and the output is different on both. I use the volume control on the amp which is no biggie...it is what the soundcheck is for. Plus I can get a huge variance of volume by attacking the strings differently..and this is a short term fix until I can return to the amp if I can't compensate with on-board controls. I have 15bd of boost on the basses but nobody would run that as anything but a fudge.. I think +15bd is totally unusable, myself.

[size=5][sub]Gotta say that the musicianship of the Beatles was just about par and adequate at the time..IMO... but they had a lot more than that going for them.[/sub][/size]

What always struck me about the Beatles was the truly remarkable output of great pop songs by ..mostly.. Lennon and Mcartney..and the mostly drivel that those two put out as solo artists. Now, either they were burnt out by the time of the split or someone else had input as well.. No, seriously, who can the combined parts be SO much greater..IMO..than the 2 sums..?? If you didn't know the history, you'd be hard pressed to believe the same guys were involved. To be truly great..you have to cross and tear down so many boundaries...and they did that, IMO.

Good post, Phil Starr. I think the point with all the choices is that nothing is for nothing. If you go for one set of attributes over and above what the chasis will give, you will have to trade for another set. Sometimes you might make the cab build too complicated and ultimately flawed ...it all depends if you can live with your 'flaws'..??

Get some decent monitors or cabs... as if you intend to gig, you'll need them at some point. Can't see the Hi-fi speakers lasting 5 miniutes, myself. Pet hate... crap PA cabs with no clarity or ragged higher end. Spend wisely, but deffo spend.

Yes...for the most part but then most of my amps have 4 band para and enhance/tinmbre mappings. so whilst you can say the EQ is 'falt' as far as that amp is concerned, you have a LOT of control with the other two dials. My sound is clean and most gigs I just turn up to the required volume with both basses. Where I get any problems is if I have gunky strings ...so I very rarely let the sound get that bad. Gunky means unresponsive, dull and inarticulate and whilst many can get that to work, it isn't for me. The one thing I try and avoid is a fight with EQ..just makes everything so much harder If yoir sound gets lost, then you have to respond to that.... but if the guy have cloth ears, then there isn't much hope.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1360571949' post='1972326'] Sorry Luke, you are missing the point, which is very unusual for you. They advertise price match. They advertised the bass was in stock. They still advertise price match. They still advertise the bass is in stock. In fact none of the adverts have changed, it just seemed that the only time they didn't have that bass in stock was when I asked about price match. It doesn't matter what field and wether big or small retailer, there are advertising codes. If you have no intention of doing something, do not advertise to the contrary. If you advertise to the contrary, you may have to at least take some criticism. Karl. [/quote] They have priced-macthed for me... and I asked them outright. I have no idea why they would say stuff is in stock if it isn't.. that just will not work.. and it would soon come apart. Their website used to be out of date..or not updated often enough and that is a simple admin thing...but as a rule, I assume all websites to be unreliable so specifically ask. That is the downside of online.. you can't ask direct questions often enough. The conversations goes that I will pay X if they can deliver Y... now if that was the deal and it was 100% understood then any shop not complying would get me annoyed. My two fave shops in the SE are The Gallery and Bass Gear and both have given me excellent personal service. My experience with GAK is good as well... altho they are more mainstream and not bass specialists, but good nevertheless. IME.

Always been great to me but can understand such a small operation can get fraught days. Lot of pressure to be mr Smiley all the time, day-in day-out. I would guess fawning over customers is hard ..so the customer needs to connect more as well and embrace them in conversation/questions. AFAIK, there are onl;y 3 max..to do EVERYTHING...and that includes making ALL the basses and repairs. I would cut them slack if anything but rude.... myself.

I wouldn't approach with adverts myself..I'd get out there and tap the guys that I thought might work. The advantages are that you know what they can do...and they actually do work, rather than talk about it and most players out playing need or want more work. they may be oo busy of course, which bring other problems. The other downside is that just as you don't really want to be bugged by everyone and anyone without credentials, then they may see your approach to them as the same. Depends how well you can sell yourself....but I would stay away from adverts for dreamers.. If a player is any good... likley you'll have heard of them or their ex-bands. If they don't have that..( credentials, reputation ) it is up to them to get it pretty quick. It is now the first thing they teach at bandschool

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1360526310' post='1971847'] +1 to this. If I want to play any melodic stuff I have to roll off a little bit of treble and midrange so that I don't sound sloppy with my aggressive right hand technique, whereas for the majority of my playing the harshness really works! [/quote] I play very light so it is easier to be clean... the down side to that is that I lose volume and some character/tone ..possibly. There are certains sounds that sounds great with an aggressive technique..so we have limits on the one hand and bonuses on the other. On balance, light works for me...and the plus is that I haven't beaten my hands to crap over 35 plus years of playing with RSI and the like.. Roundabouts and swings...???

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1360523473' post='1971761'] Do you not mean sound dependant on technique? [/quote] No..both apply. Some players have to have a certain sound to play certain things... generally as their technique is quite one-dimensional. or can only play with a certain sound.

I take both out 99% of the time.... and I start with a favoured bass, and my EQ works well on both so they are balanced in that regard. I might think one or the other bass works better at any choosen gig but my thinking is I'll start with the White RW bass

They either catch my ear or they don't.... not really concerned what influences they draw on as long as the tracks are good. Hackneyed tunes and bands from my perspective wouldn't get a nod anyway..

This is why I take care of my monitor sound with MY backline. At least then, I start with a degree of control. Far easier to hand control back than to get it in the first place. So, anything less than my backline monitor system and I have to KNOW the crew pretty well AND trust them. I don't think your gig was that unusual but you left yourself with no escape route So, that is a big fat no for a pocket DI/pre amp with no backline for me.

I must admit I don't use Belringer as everytime we have come across them, the channel seperation is not good. You can get ok sounds per channel but the interference between others seems to get intrusive.

You wouldn't want it to add any bias if set flat...that would be rather crap, IMO... but people like them to notch the P.A and I see this as the primary use otherwise you are second guessing the desk...which is NOT good So. you would use it to get the general room and P.A sound in harmony..and then use channel EQ for the instruments. You EQ the P.A to the room first and then shouldn't want to touch it again...

It may also be that some have to play with the sound EQ'd a certain way and can't adapt if that sound doesn't work. What do you put first...good sound or the sound you have/want to use...?? I find I tweak my sound over the weeks and then have to adjust my playing to that.... but I always start from a 'clean' sound so the adjustments aren't any sort of pain, and then embellish it as per my whims Depends how much your technique is dependent on sound ..

[quote name='tonybassplayer' timestamp='1360487226' post='1970985'] Until you get really established you will probably need to do this and in my previous band we got lots of good paying weddings etc from people who saw us playing a relatively low paid pub gig. It's the best shop window going. [/quote] But they don't get it when the fee goes up 4-fold or so.. FWIW, we don't take cold calls on weddings as we wont play a wedding set or do the hours. They need to have seen us before ...

You in Ashford again, James... I will be up the music shop today.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1360262310' post='1967754'] One of the worst basses I have ever tried (didn't own it) was a MusicMan Stingray. Incidentally, one of the best was a MusicMan Stingray The bad one... was just in such poor condition, you would have never guess it was once a decent bass. The neck had lots of gouges, the body had gone to war... and lost, by the looks of it. The strings were some kind of rusty wire... it sounded and felt like crap. So much of people's impressions are forged by the set up in a particular instrument, eh? [/quote] I always have to set the bass up for me.... but tere is only so much you can do. But sure...I just do not get some people's bass, and that appiies to shops as well. A local music shop has a bass up for a commiosn sale... it is in hideous shape.and has been FS for ages.. I have a good mind to give it a good working over...but even a change of strings will improve in ten fold, IMO The guy who owns it must be clueless....

If they are going to come at all..they come very quickly. I mostlly improvise my lines in all the bands I play in. If I am not getting the track/feel/groove then it all gets a bit slow and painful. I need the spark...