Gust0o

[quote name='Clarky72' timestamp='1326967697' post='1504324'] Are you doing the group course or the one-on-one? Have you got any pics of your build? I'd love to see what you're building and how it's coming along. [/quote] It's the five-day course. I had the first two one-on-one, then the guitar tech from Bring Me the Horizon joined in (Deano!) - it's all very laidback, and you get a lot of time with John. I'm building a passive jazz, with reversed headstock. Maple neck and bound fretboard. Just something kitsch. I don't think people realise how much work even the basic stuff takes! I think I spent an entire day sanding the body!

I picked this up in a trade last year. It's a stunning bass, easily one of the most accomplised players I've owned or played - typical Spector neck, brilliant build quality, BadAss II and active EMG J-pickups. It's one of a limited run, I understand, to celebrate the original NS2 - available in three colours, with 82 in each. This being the natural model. Sadly, it's a bit of a 'unicorn' bass - it's nice, very nice. And seemingly limited edition. So I don't want to take it out of the box, which rather defeats the point in having an instrument. Was considering a trade, or a sale, but am totally blind to current values - I think they were $2,200 new, but that position will have moved on, and I don't know enough about Spectors to take a stab. Thoughts? I'm happy to be told I'm being an idiot, too.

I'm mid-course at the moment, going back next week to finish my bass. I think the only advice I'd offer, is be reasonable about what you can achieve - you'll be spending a lot of time sanding and learning the tricks of the trade, so a little modesty in design is probably advisable, if you're hoping to finish before you leave! Happy to be PM'ed or talk here, if you have questions. Long and short is I've been loving it.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1326781786' post='1501785'] My Dad was a lovely guy but I never booked him as a drummer..... You can't compromise your music to protect the feelings of a weak link. He is clearly not as commtted as the rest of you. ALl you need to do is to say 'Hey bud. We love you and value your friendship but, as far as the band is concerned, you aren't cutting it. We need the music to be as good as it can be and your approach to your instrument and to the band is undermining its credibility. So you need to know that we are loking to replace you.....etc. [/quote] Yup. And, if he really is a friend, he should be able to understand why you need to do it - either that, or you could let the music go sour and take the friendship with it. Just move him on. Nicely.

Friends are more important than music, and thus it might be best to get him out of the band before the music ruins the friendship That's the flipside to some of the comments above. If it's genuinely not working, I don't buy persevering for the sake of it - put a stop on it before it does start to dig into any of the friendships.

Nice Grabber Rob - they are very lovely basses, a lot more so than people give them credit for

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1326659944' post='1500186'] And your link to the Urban Surf Kings is...? (Interested, not a joke!) Just followed the link. Love the "bone rattling..." [/quote] Sorry lah, I might have missed something with the Urban Surf Kings; have I goofed? I'm happy to take the plaudits; to be honest, at the time if my bones were rattling it was probably the nerves! Could get quite the habit for this playing live.

Thanks chief, high fives!

As the above says, we played our second gig as the [i]Horse[/i] on Black Friday, headlining a local bands showcase at The Duchess in York. Some of the gilt came off the evening when ourselves and the [i]Young Minds[/i] turned up to find that, of the four bands on the bill, we were the only two showing - surely bad form? The promoter was not best pleased, to say the least. The [i]Young Minds[/i] impressed me, and I enjoyed the warm up. They looked a little shocked at our complete lack of effects - the stage went from being covered with pedals and wires, to Ikea-sparsity when we got on to plug in. But that's how we're trying to do it. The set went pretty well... the singer managed to forget an entire verse in the second song, already a slow number; but confidence came back with the more established numbers, and we rattled through our faster numbers at a fair old gallop. The venue said we had 73 in for the show, and we got a good reception. Better yet, we got a bloody good write-up: http://www.oneandother.com/articles/review-wild-stallions-at-the-duchess/ A decent start, though we do look and sound nervous in the vid - that'll come with time, but looking forward to lots more.

I think it sounds like no one else wanted it - which suggests a mixed bag on a murky bill; no one other than our guitarist knows the details. I reckon it'll definitely be "playing last", as so many of you say. As for the six songs... Well, it's as many lyrics as we've managed to get past the new singer. But yeah, I'd be happier with more... Just in case, as I suspect we'll be making up slack at the end of the night. I'd do it in a blink, just not in that slot.

Yeah, I thought we tipped the headliners before Xmas - they're mates, so it wasn't a contest, but we got some grudging admiration. But that doesn't translate into friendly faces and more proficiency, you're right. Thanks for the input JT. I often find this forum useful for throwing stuff out to see what other people would do.

Just thinking out loud, chaps. Looking for your thoughts and feedback. Having played our first gig with the new line-up just before Xmas, we've been pretty pleased with the feedback to-date - the time and effort in writing, rehearsing and finding the right singer have paid off! Or, more modestly, are now starting to do so. Thus the plan was to play some more smaller venues, bring more people along, and start to build a following and vibe. However, we've now been booked to play a larger venue, through a contact the guitarist has - brilliant! Go on early with some bigger bands, let more people have a look at us, etc, etc. We've now been told we're headlining, since no one else wanted to do it. On a Friday night. Isn't that great, guys, our guitarist wanted to know. I'll be honest, it feels like a recipe for disaster. We've maybe six songs we're comfortable with on the new line-up, and only one gig; there will be the usual gear woes; and it's all booked through a 'friend-of-a-friend' who no one but the guitarist has access to. A few thoughts from me, which define the spectrum of options I think I have: [list] [*]Man up and play it - you're headling, it's great! You can show-off [*]Put foot down - band isn't ready; no point showing off with half a set-list [*]Volunteer for every awful work trip possible - can't play if you're not there, right? [/list] I'll need to opt for one in the next week. Thoughts?

[quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1324529778' post='1475247'] +1 I had a Kingston Heir 5 and had a Bartolini 3 Band Pre-Amp put in it. Very light Bass and awesome sound. Agree with comments on the neck, really nice. Not as nice as a Marleaux, but close. [/quote] I think this is the one I ended up with - real bright flame on it, pearlescent / white pickguard? I'd echo all of the above, it felt a very light bass. A true regret moving it on.

Do what's right for the music. Having both techniques in your kitbag will make you a more versatile player, etc, etc.

Sounds like excellent news

I think we're all experiencing a bit of fatigue, to be honest. Times are tough, and - whilst we used to come here to talk about bass and the odd bit of interest we'd dug up - other things are wending their way here through our fingers. We just all need to understand what's going on, where some of the other points are coming from. Something I'm trying to learn; as not doing so just leaves you with the sensation of utter aggravation, and it's not worth the hassle. Of course, is someone really is talking sh*te feel free to call them on it. They're your legs, and all that I still can't believe Out7hined has a thing for cats. The utter deviant

[quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1322480316' post='1451201'] Sure someone has a right to make a profit, but FWIW I think Basschat should be more like a socialist enclave and I will not be silenced by your decadent greed. [/quote] We do keep going circles on this debate about pricing, and commenting on said pricing - on the one hands, there are some written and unwritten rules about behaviour; on the other, it's the sellers to state the price he or she wants, and the market will decide if they get it. I think the latter trumps it. Stating a "too high" price has it's own rewards - we can all take a stab at a personal estimatation, and feel embarassed for the seller or whatever. It's not necessarily for us to argue the toss with the seller (primarily as value is subjective), unless we'd like BC to actively manage the For Sale sections (and thus add a notionally objective sense of value to the proceedings); and I'm not sure they could or would. I think, if you're selling and get a price you're happy with, you just need to take it on the chin if someone else asks for or gets more - it might be aggrieving, but it's been sold. In large measure they can do whatever they wish with it, which includes a whole gamut of sins large and small, from dropping the thing to attempting to make a little profit. As Lozz said, it will teach us all to write a better advert next time! I don't think we need to comment. We should look, have a giggle, and let the stunning silence of a neglected For Sales thread do all the talking that the For Sale section needs if we all disagree on the price. People treating a community service as a shop window for quasi-business activities is another issue, I think... and I would take a more dim view of that. This is a forum, first and foremost; we run our For Sale sections on those lines; it's not your shop window, this side of you becoming an affiliate and contributing.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1321975954' post='1445027'] ...but all might are too thick to go in the hole. [/quote] That's what she said, boom boom! I'll get my coat... As for the quality on the BC Riches. Ignoring the more modern tat, finding a decent US or custom bass will open some eyes - they really are superb.

Love it

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1321633054' post='1441486'] I was asked to play pick in a metal band after using fingers. He was right, it worked better, he preferred it, and I used pick from then on. It's about that, whether it sounds better or not. But unfortunately that can be subjective. Just try not to let ego get in the way. [/quote] Spot on. Why not give it a try and add another string to the bow? You're not sacrificing your finger technique to do this, of course, and can swap about as you wish. I change techniques in the middle of sets, it's all about what works... and not letting egos be a barrier to that.

We do a cover of the Black Spiders - Stay Down. Very straightforward, fast rock song. Totally self-indulgent!