JTUK

As you say, you want to pre-try one out and that is a good idea. What fits your fantasy and what fits you in reality may be miles apart. I really wanted one when growing up and was MAJORLY disappointed when I finally got to try them.. ALL wrong for me a 100 times over. and I'd moved on a million miles as well in terms of what I was doing. So ..that was me cured then .. You have to try one to know. Good call.

Depends on what Wizards you have. I think the reason Barts excel in some situations is that they have an inherrent thinner sound which is easy to embellish with a pre. The old case of being able to add but not subtract things like bass easily, if at all. Martin should have a take on this as Barts are gernerally his preferred option, IMO. But I would have also thought that KA or Wizard could make you what you want... ask them.. as they know what makes a very good pickup and its bias and nuances, IMO. It is what they do...... When I had KA make me custom winds, the only problem was what pickup case we needed to use as that had to fit the cavity.

Thing is..some basses excel at one thing and you just have to go with that and not try and go after something else, sound-wise. The moment you start fighting kit for sounds is the moment you lose, IMO. amps, cabs or basses..all the same.

You can see why he always use top notch keys and piano players now... Richard Tee...genius..!! Don Grolnik ( sic ).. Victor Feldman,. As Becker said...you can easily be way out of your depth playing with those guys.... But yes, both Becker and Fagen were very articulate in knowing what they wanted..and getting it.

[quote name='slazman' timestamp='1329637768' post='1545025'] I'm a pretty average player. Got a good sense of rhythm, understand some theory and can learn average difficulty bass lines from tabs. Improvisation isn't really my thing. I don't have the time or application these days to go back to the basics and build from there - I just want to continue play live within the scope of may abilities. I love looking at basses in shops but have a bit of a challenge when I want to try one out - I know I am the man paying the money, but feel a bit inadequate that I cannot just pick up an instrument and play something that sounds sufficiently impressive to make the seller think I am a player ... I worry that I don't come across as a serious buyer and am dismissed as a time waster. Same applies when or trying out before buying off a fellow 'Chatter - I bought a Ric a couple of years ago and knew the seller was a top notch player (I had seen his clips on You Tube) ... after playing a few pentatonic runs I handed the bass to him to show me what it could do. Anybody got any suggestions how I can address my concerns? Who knows - if I get more confident I may be a buyer for your bass one day! [/quote] Who are you trying to impress and why ..? I thought you were trying to buy a bass..?? For me, I just like to see how the bass sounds across the range..I then KNOW I am going to have to set it up as I am very picky about this. Some basses, I know I can't play so why should I huff and puff to no end. If they want to know what I can do..come see a gig or book a lesson or something. I have no interest in trying to impress in a shop or somewhere...I am more interested in seeing if the bass will work for me... People who can blaze away in ashop mean not a whole lot. I have seen many who do this and really stink on a gig..it means nothing..!!

We had Dury's 'stick' down to do...so I knew I had to really get the part to a point I was happy with it. The band then junked it..and that part can be a lot of work...as it didn't feel right which was supposedly down to me. hmm..the keys and gtr couldn't get their parts down , but that was my fault..!! With diefintive parts like that or Hysteria or Sex machine...you have to really NAIL it or not bother. I wont do half cocked versions..they either stand up on their own or we bin it. the latter being the best thing a band can do, IMO. Thankfully, the drummer came to the rescue and said it wasn't our sort of track anyway... and that was the most sense talked about re that song..!!

Depends if he is charging for the kit in-house. Places round here charge for drum kits but not backline. I'd put an old TE unit in there..and if that isn't good enough for clients then they can lug their own. I'd also have no more than 50 decent watts for a gtr combo and it would all be second hand so as to take a fair bit of abuse...supposedly.

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1329615936' post='1544980'] I went to see a friend's band tonight which was full of 'seasoned' pros who have been playing covers for a very long time indeed. I was listening to the bass parts (as I'm sure we all do at gigs!) and couldn't believe how far away from some of the original lines he was playing. I'm not talking about wildly over-playing or just sticking to simple root notes. He was literally playing bass parts that were 'wrong' compared to the originals. They were in tune and timing was fine but some really well known parts were simply ignored. I'm talking about some lines that, for a bass player, almost define some songs - stuff like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye etc. The rest of the band were obviously striving to cover the original parts so it wasn't like they'd chosen to rearrange each song. It really irritated me and I wanted to grab him by the lapels and give him a good shake, lol. I mentioned this to a fellow muso in the audience, a keys player, and he hadn't noticed anything untoward. Am I wrong in thinking that if you're covering a classic you should aim to be faithful to the original as possible or am I just being a 'bass snob'? [/quote] I don't pay much notice to the original part, I'm more interested in getting a part that works with what everyone else is doing and prefer a spin on things rather than a clone part..but you have to exercise good taste about where and how far you go with this. Some parts are defintive as well so you just have to be aware. No 1 rule..if it ain't working and you don't realise, you are a tool or crap... or words to that effect

Got to say, that having a look at your gear, I guess they would dictate what you play if image is important. I think you would have gotten away with it..possibly..if you'd already had a P-bass and Ampeg stack. But now..?? they get the bill for lumbering you with a Thunderbird and the rest, I hope they earn very well....

These things generally have festered and built up over a period of time and then one thing breaks the whole thing. I wouldn't do anything rashly..and would always sleep on it when dealing with idiots...or rather someone with a different agenda. Must remember that myself All the best.

I think it is a case of if you have to ask, then it doesn't make a lot of difference to you. I've gone back to 21 after 24...and either isn't a deal breaker, IMV.

Sympathise entirely. Things can get hijacked and distorted and little cliques can form and drive things in a way not envisaged, discussed or agreed upon. Take stock and think about the next move. If you have been at it for a long time, then a step back is not a bad idea.

[quote name='grimbeaver' timestamp='1327665820' post='1514971'] I have Just been offered a gig with a band (cant say yet until it is official) and have to play a Gibson Thunderbird, Its a must with no other option. What Amp and speakers sit best with them? I have some nice Eden gear but it's not good together. I have an Orange terror 500 and barefaced 2x12 that rips with an active bass but is a bit mushy with the T bird played fingerstyle I do like a bright crunchy sound, has anyone got any experience with this IE SVT or the likes, I think 1x115 and 4x10 or maybe a 6x10 is the way to go as the 8x10s are monsters. Any serious advice gratefully recieved, budget within reason is not an issue [/quote] I would expect that a T-bird bass would be really hard work and you'll have to live with it. I can't say that I would be thrilled at having to work with one..so the gig better pay .. A LOT. It would have to be a major career move Sorry, can't be any more help than that

Our gtr looked into them...and I thought it was very promising, but at £2600, it wasn't really the whole deal. Plus they wouldn't give him the part exchange deal that he wanted..or could accept on a gr bought from the same shop 4 or so weeks earlier. so.... close, but no cigar.

No, not easily, but not impossible. I often think about replacing the other guys...and I think I could do it quite easily... you loose something, for sure...but I'd also be able to gain something. It is not something I would seek to do...but I wouldn't shy away from doing it either. Things move on............... and my main goal would be to go one better.

Its funny..when people talk about punk they think of London. I think they pretty much ripped of the NY Dolls and brought it home.

Plug in and play. Always get a sound but can't be arsed to go to the amp... just might have trim a pot or so. Sounding good at low volume is easy..it is how that amp can handle that sound up through the volume ranges that is the hard part. Which...IME..is not something the cheaper amps do well, generally, so what you get at low volume and pretty high volume can be completely thrown out.

Nope..don't get this at all. Sometimes I can't wait to get into a warm bed.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1329296372' post='1540068'] The pickups will possibly have even more effect on your tone than the amp though. They are effectively the sound source afterall. [/quote] I agree they would... and I would rather have the character from the pickup and then turn up more..than have a more powerful pickup which, IME, can blat the sound. More akin to turning up the bass boost on a pre...when you can have so much bass it is un-useable. For this reason I like single coils. Too hot a pickup does not equate to better sound..more often than not, just louder..!! and bassier..IMO.

sure....but why go to that effort for someone else...?? I like the idea of me being the sole responsibility for any sort of damage to my kit...and on my head be it. Nothing more annoying than someone else bombing a set-up that you have painstakingly looked after... I prefer not to be in that positon and don't do gigs where it is expected to amp-share. I find I would be far more open to actually doing it from a convenience POV as opposed to it being helpful to the promoter...and don't even get me started on doing all this for no fee..!! I did in fact offer my rig to a support band recently, but they were perfectly happy with their stuff... Just as well..as I found out that they didn't own a tuner between them... ha ha !! or even use one..!! Old news, I know.

Only had time to skim this.. but Punk passed me by. I can relate to the aggresiveness but not the inability to play..and the fact it didn't supposedly matter to some. The class acts lasted and the dross/bandwagon didn't. A useful period, overall, but better viewed in retrospect, IMO. It did take the mic out a few things and that was a good thing but then it also disappeared up its own ar$e doing so, IMO.

[sup][size=5]I certainly don't mind german gear... played through some very nice Dynacord stuff more than a few times.[/size][/sup] [sup][size=5]I am not so keen on the chunky look myself which is typical of, Glockenglang, for example, but then Boogie[/size][/sup] [sup][size=5]were a fan of this as well.[/size][/sup] [sup][size=5]Some nice looking cabs in that link. tho......[/size][/sup]

I do think that these cabs look as though they can deliver. I've not heard them, tho, but get the feeling that these are are a well thought-out and sorted concept with no skimps or shortcuts...or bodges..!! I note the large front panel logo has gone... too intrusive..?? It will be interesting to see what longevity they have.. which is something you could level at most new makers. of course.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1329220546' post='1538907'] As much as I've been looking at a small neo 1x12, I still think a single DB112 would tick a lot of boxes. [/quote] My thinking entirely.... plus I have a spare chassis which I can use as a backup. I will pair them up though