Mikey D

7 hours ago, Piers_Williamson said:

I really enjoyed the write-up and the gig sounded great.  Am I the only person on Basschatt who doesn't do Spotify though?

Thanks. And appreciate that not everyone does. I still prefer my CD collection and talked at length with Chris on the night about having something physical Vs the convenience of streaming. 

YouTube so you can enjoy them?

I think it's my first time posting in here..if not for a long time. First gig in about 10 years (stopped when my first kid came along and somehow didn't start again...)

Studied jazz at Birmingham conservatoire about 20 years ago and a guitarist on my course plays professionally and now lives fairly near. Always say we should do something. He messaged me a week ago saying his regular bassist wasn't available and did I want to do a gig at a pub in Adderbury. 2 country/blues sets. Mix of original's and their own tunes. About 30 to learn in total. Whilst trying to finish one work contract and prepare for another. Mild panic set in as I wondered if I still had the ears to learn that many so quick. Cur Spotify playlist on loop whilst I went about the week.

3 core band members (2 guitar/vocal and drummer) play together but keys were from a jam Jimmy the guitarist plays at and well, I was the random. 

Setup. Fairly small but nice size side room. Banging pub with loads of spaces all filled with families, solo drinkers, younger ones (people saying they don't drink...) and older groups. 

Extra bonus was Chris from Fairport Convention was going to sit in...turned up and did every song for both sets. Goes without saying he is an absolutely outstanding musician with big ears and chops.

Setup in minutes with those new iPad driven PA systems. No rehearsal or soundcheck just straight into it. 

I know they are players and heard their recordings but hearing ripping country blues licks from them both was a delight which makes you want to play even better. I remember laughing at one point at the licks being pulled out 

The new TRB6 from Bass Bros and Aguilar AG700 w/SL212 sounded so nice in the room. Maybe being right in the corner helped. Also had a couple of admirers in the audience as a friend at the back overheard them when they came in ogling it.

Bringing a 6 string to this felt a bit like bringing the whole Japanese army to a gun fight, but its what I feel more comfortable on.

Left the SL112 in the car as the ful stack would have been overkill. Many a compliment from Chris about the sound and feel, which made my day. He was like 10 inches in front of me and the cab. 

Audience liked it. The dogs liked it. Bar staff liked it. We liked it. Can't ask for more than that. 

Look forward to the next one in less than 10 years hopefully.

A sample of their regular band to give you an idea of you're into that sort of thing:

After reviewing pricing and considering the overall condition which is frankly excellent for a 30 year old instrument, I'm conscious the look of top horn impacts this. So lowering to £1350.

Sold

96er going up for sale.

3 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I used to play with a guy up in Ealing - we'd pop over to this guitar place locally (Peter Cook? Dunno).  One time we were perusing the stock, my mate latched onto a 12 string Stratocaster and one of the staff asked me whether I was man-enough to play a six string TRB.  He didn't know I'd depped on the Conklin stand one time.  

 

We had this acoustic song called 'Symphony to My Senses', guitarist was playing this up the back of the shop, so naturally I joined in at the front of the shop. It was a beautifully crafted song.  There were a few punters in and the place went silent.  We played for a couple of minutes and this spontaneous round of applause started up.  It was a beautiful moment and the last time I played a six string bass.

 

 

 

Lovely story. They really are just a pleasure to play and I'm sure you did it proud.

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

I remember one of my more knowledgable musician mates saying of my TRB6 ".....the sort of bass played by NYC session musicians". That pretty much says it all 👍

Nice. I can confirm it's also played by failed jazz musicians too now

2 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said:

Congrats Mikey. I had an identical TRB-6 II, probably the one you lost track of. It was a great bass, and the only 6-er I’ve ever got on with. Hope you enjoy the new one.  

If it was identical 94 but blue maybe...did you move it on to someone on here?

Definitely 2 of them...

Since selling my 1994 Blue TRB6 as a poor mature jazz student to someone on this site in the mid-2000s (that subsequently sold it on a few times and unable to trace), I still massively regret it to this day. I bought it from Chappells in Milton Keynes as a 16 year old after working and saving for a long time. 

Every so often I look for it, but I've accepted it's likely locked away in it's case somewhere but hope it's being enjoyed by a young bass player somewhere.

However after this one came up at Bass Bros I knew I had to try it. I've had many basses over the years but none have ever felt so natural to play. Maybe 10 years of formative learning on an instrument is ingrained in me. So this one was same year albeit different colour. Still, in immaculate condition. Think it was Cairobill's?

Although it seems to be like buses...a Black 96 TRB6 also came available. 

Tbh I wish I could keep both but reality is after losing job last year (FU tech industry) I recently also had to shift my KS Burl Burner which in any other circumstance I'd still have. But man, I got 3 kids to feed... So going to play both for a bit and decide which one stays and which one goes...

To this day I'm convinced there is no better value for money and sounding 6 string that these OG Japanese Yamaha's.

MFSB/Ojays/Soul Train band Jimmy Williams?

The headstock shape and 4 control layout with jack on the side makes it look like some form of Atelier Z like attached or linked: https://www.ikebe-gakki.com/Form/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?shop=0&pid=794063&bid=ec

Not sure though.

The bass I was selling this for went but I've found another way to source an almost identical one. So now £1200. 

The talman is amazing value for the money. I play it more than most of my basses. I upgraded it too with Aguilar. Not a small job but made a massive tone difference.

Dont forget the EHB range for short scales too. I had the 1505sms and only sold to fund another more expensive bass. Great basses. I played them both with low B and high V. I'd you can find used they are great value too.

They have a lot of confidence building and positive PR to do in a year if they want to do an event next year. 

19 hours ago, simonlittle said:

The flame top Hadrien Feraud signature. As soon as played it in the shop I knew I was in trouble…

I didn't see it but kept going back to the page more than is healthy. Especially since I just bought a buckeye burl one. Lovely looking bass! 

8 hours ago, simonlittle said:

I recently got hold of the Hadrien Feraud Burner that was up for sale at The Gallery and I love it. Been looking for a good five string with 17.5mm string spacing for a while now. It’s definitely the sweet spot for me having played Warwick fives for so long in the past. 
The Smith is a really good weight (just over 4kg) but it is a bit neck-divey; currently investigating wider straps to try to solve that little niggle. Just slapped some Dunlop Super Brights on it and it’s really singing.

I’d definitely recommend checking them out if you’re after a really clean and fat sounding five-string. 

Was it the recent flame top one or the older red one?

I've been extremely skeptical since it was first announced and how slow the information being shared was. Then when we got more detail the organisation on the day didn't seem to have any logic of clarity to it. Plus the shocking use of poor quality logos in the website just added to how unprofessional this was looking. 

The informal bass bashes organised by people voluntarily on here seem to have more thought into things. 

Ok. Who bought "my" seafoam burner before I could? 🥲

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bubby-lewis-performancejam-tickets-1291237158099

He's got a handful of gigs coming up including this one in Manchester which is a jam too.

I missed one recently in London right next to my office on a day I was in...so sharing this so more people know about it.

I regret every day selling my 1994 trb6. Lovely bass. 

Still available. Now open to trades. Six string ideally.

On 23/02/2025 at 12:28, Sean said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GNdAeRfSq/

 

I really liked this post I found. The keyboard layout and static root/tonic approach makes so much sense.

Yes. I also mentioned in my posts but I like taking it from brighter to darker. So it goes through majors to minors then augmented. This allows the ear to hear the relative changes between them too a bit easier.

1 hour ago, nekomatic said:

This is the way of thinking about modes that makes most sense to me, and I believe it’s the one George Russell describes in his legendary The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization. (I say ‘believe’ because I don’t have a copy, although I’d like to, because I’ve never seen it on sale for under a hundred quid). 
 

Having said that I don’t think about modes specifically in my current practice, which is mainly focused on getting better at walking jazz bass. When I get round to spending some time on soloing I might find a way of working them in. 

I have a copy. Well a copy of a copy. Back when I was studying at a Conservatoire me and a fellow mature student got VERY into it. It gets pretty heavy pretty quick, but if you're into that sort of thing...

4 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

These are super rare. What's the B string like on it? 

Tell me about it. Preference would be to never sell it but I can't justify it with the other bass I want.

B string has good tension on it and very playable. Good sound across length of neck. I have action fairly low too.

Increasingly hard to find (rare?), I've hunted one down for years as I think they are one of the best Ibanez Basses ever made, and finally bought it end of last year. Immaculate and case also in great condition with all the case candy. Not far from all new. However 'the' bass has come up for sale which I didn't expect and regrettably this is the only way to fund it. If that bass sells, I'll take this one down. Thus sensible offers if you can move quickly will be considered.

I can take more pictures if needed and you're more than welcome to come and try it. 

Made in Japan

Body: Alder w/ ash top and back

Finish: Transparent Orange

Bridge: Tight-End Bass 5 (18mm string spacing)

Knob style: B20 (volume & balancer) & B15 (3-way EQ) plastic knobs

Hardware color: Cosmo black

Neck: Grooveline-5

Neck material: 5-piece wenge/ bubinga w/ KTS titanium rods

Scale length: 34"

Fingerboard material: Rosewood

Frets: 22 / medium (Prestige edge treatment)

Nut: GraphTech Black TUSQ XL (45mm)

Machine heads: Gotoh GB530

Pickups: CAP Sonic Arch5 bridge and neck passive

Electronics:
Ibanez E5 3-band EQ w/EQ bypass switch

Controls: Master volume / balancer / EQ toggle / 3-way EQ: treble, mid, bass

The G105 was discontinued in 2015 along with the entire Grooveline series.