Muzz

More greetings from the People's Republic of Mancunia...

In my current band, we have our sh*t together to the level that we rehearse DI'd into our desk, with the kit miked up. We can get a good, flexible and above all [i]quiet[/i] mix through the cans, and even tailor it to the individuals. The first thing I noticed when we moved to this system (even tho we never rehearsed particularly loudly) was that I was less tired at the end of a long rehearsal evening. The second thing I noticed was that I tightened my playing up a good deal (bit like going into the studio), because a good mix gave me nowhere to hide in the general din... Gig-volume-wise, we play to the drummer, and he's good enough to be powerful without necessarily beating the crap out of the kit. It can be done, but it takes a particularly type of drummer. Although, being a drummer, he does get carried away occasionally... A good sound is always better than a louder sound, IMNSHO.

[quote name='martthebass' post='595028' date='Sep 10 2009, 07:11 PM']Just picked up a mint condition Overwater Perception Fretless Deluxe for less than £550 from the bay........good deal?[/quote] Goddammit, that was one I was watching - it had listed before, and didn't make its reserve at about £520, so I wasn't taking it seriously at £500 or so when I looked away... If I'd known it'd go for that sort of money, you'd have had a duel on your hands...in a gentlemanly BC-sort of way, naturally... Great bargain!

The Goodfellow, is, as far as I can tell, a Lowden-era one, made in NI in the 90s. Not sure of the name, and I'm having trouble getting hold of anyone at Lowden to check. Looks like mahogany and flamed maple with an ebony board, 34" scale, 1.5" nut, bolt-on. It's very nice. Not sure about value on this one, though, as, like the BB, there doesn't seem to be enough around to establish a market price. The Jazz is a belter - it's got one small thro-lacqer ding, but other than that it's pristine. It was in a spare room in its case for 15 years, and it looks it. The only non-original parts are the pots, but other than that it's time-machine stuff. Plays really, really nicely, and sounds like chocolate. Weighs a ton, mind - they obviously built basses for the more sturdy gent back in the 70s... I think I'll be putting some more pics of it up in the For Sale thread soon. And yes, the sofa's getting to look like a bit of a relic itself... Do sofas have mojo? The Mrs doesn't seem to think so...

Thanks for the comments chaps. The BB is the only one I've had from new, but somewhat perversely for such a great bass it's probably not worth me selling it, although I have to say I've no idea what the going rate (if indeed there is one) might be for a white (well, cream) BB, because I haven't seen one for sale for such a long time. I'm more inclined to sell the Jazz and the Goodfellow first, because I play them the least, and they'd be more significant in terms of cash return. Over recent months, I can't put the Ray and the Overwater down, although they're nothing like each other: a proper Jeckyll and Hyde situation. The Overwater for when I'm feeling* talented and noodly, and then on the other hand nothing holds down a straight A like a Ray... I use em both for gigging and recording. The Cort's a surprisingly good bass for the money, but that's strictly a bang-it-onto-EBay-for-£250-when-I-can-be-bothered sort of thing. Hey, this is good - I'm actually thinking straighter about these basses than I have done for months. Blimey. M * 'Feeling', rather than 'being', you'll note...

Finally got round to getting the camera out and all the basses lined up for a Usual Suspects group shot... The sofa isn't up to much, but there's some nice basses: [attachment=31477:lineup1.gif] [attachment=31478:lineup2.gif] [attachment=31480:lineup3.gif] [attachment=31481:lineup4.gif] mid-90s Goodfellow mid-00s Overwater Perception Deluxe 05 'Ray 78 Jazz 88 Yamaha BB3000A mid-00s Cort Artisan A4 Oh, and I forgot the Michael Kelly Dragonfly Acoustic. Doh! Sadly, I think this may be a high water mark in the collection size, as it's looking increasingly like I may have to downsize and get rid of two or three. Which to lose, though?... It's not gonna be easy... Muzz

[quote name='BassBunny' post='527526' date='Jun 29 2009, 10:57 AM']That explains a lot. Good luck.[/quote] Glad to elucidate And thanks to all for the warm welcome. Coming on here with a bit of GAS running is like holding an AA meeting in a free bar, but it's fun, anyway...

[quote name='BassBunny' post='527145' date='Jun 28 2009, 10:01 PM']Welcome from a fellow Mancunian. How's Dean?????[/quote] Never even met Dean - he left along with John the bassist, so there were two of us joining at the same time. Mind you, I've played in a least four bands over at least twenty five years with the others, so it wasn't too much of a shock to the system.

Thought I'd best introduce myself - I'm Muzz from Manchester. Recently returned at the grand old age of 45 to band membership after 15 years off for a family - I'd promised myself I'd start looking again when the boy was a bit older (he's 4), but a couple of months ago I got a phone call from a friend in a band that went "Have you still got your bass? Have you got an amp? Can you help us out and do the Montrose Music Festival in a month?" Had a ball up in Scotland, and and it's gone on from there. The band is The Worry Beads - www.theworrybeads.com . Ignore the photos, I'm not on any of them Gear-wise, I've still got my 88 BB3000A (which is just a fantastic bass), but all the other kit went for distressingly small amounts of money back in the early 90s (£250 for a mint jetglo 4001 anyone? £150 for a 78 Precision? Yeah, I know...), and I've picked up a Line6 LD300 combo and a Bass pod. I've got a Michael Kelly Dragonfly acoustic, and a black/maple USA Jazz, although I'm not altogether convinced I'm a Jazz man. GAS running at critical levels at the moment, too. Anyhoo, enough of my yakkin...