paul h

My latest acquisition, a 1996 Squier Affinity Strat. Nicely mojo'd and with that "strat" tone in buckets! [attachment=45184:squier_strat.jpg]

Funnily enough I am thinking of tarting up a combo and was considering asking advice on the same subject. Right now I am torn between a liberal application of shoe polish or some kind of Krylon paint, which I am sure I saw suggested on a forum somewhere.

That so does not qualify a shameful! It's rather awesome.

All basses should have three single coils. Except precisions, for indeed they are cool.

All basses should three single coils.

+1 Now stop circling like vultures. Nothing to see here. Telecaster???? Like this one? [attachment=44471:tele.jpg]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='767542' date='Mar 8 2010, 08:03 AM']I think its an interesting idea but it should be separate from Basschat. Give me the weekend to figure something out.[/quote] As long as it's not too far to walk in the rain.

I liked it. I liked the bit when the car crashed off the cliff. I might have drifted off a bit.

Calm down, calm down! There is certainly no need to get heated! First of all let me apologise if I sounded superior, it wasn't my intention at all. Of course I learn from other people, I learn from other people every day. In all walks of life. But I stand by my statement that for me, personally, I find no value in copying other musicians. I absorb, reinterpret and am influenced by other musicians of course, but for me, learning somebody else's work holds no creative value. Technical exercise yes, but sitting down and trying work out some guy's technique or bass lines leaves me cold. I have never done it. Even when I played in covers bands I used to learn the chord structure and improvise the bass line on the night. That's my whole raison d'être for music. I want it to come from me as much as possible. Spontaneity and freshness are what I love about (my) music most. And as for why I started the thread? I just wanted to share. I was not looking for a solution although I am very touched that people have taken the time to offer theirs. If I have done something wrong by starting a thread without a clear purpose then maybe we should just let it die.

[quote name='silddx' post='767732' date='Mar 8 2010, 11:27 AM']You are bored of yourself, not of the bass. I know how it feels. Your imagination is where the problem lies. What I have just done is listen to Scott Thunes playing some difficult and beautiful arpeggios in some Zappa numbers and tried to learn them. It's hard, it has challenged me and now I want to learn loads of arpeggio movements and understand some of the theory behind them. The thing is, I have bands to which I can apply this new-found inspiration, so I have an outlet for it. If you haven't, then I understand the "what's the point" attitude. By all means flog your gear and get a Strat.[/quote] Ahh, I can't agree with this I'm afraid. Firstly my imagination is fine thank you very much. I have plenty of creative outlets that are not bass related. In fact many members of this forum wear them! Musically I still write, program and record stuff, although admittedly not with the voracity I used to. And on a personal note, I have never found anything even slightly creative or imaginative in trying to learn other peoples music. I find far more satisfaction in writing a simple, original, riff than I ever would being able to play some widdly widdly stuff by *insert name here. But that's just me. I appreciate everybody's advice and good will but I think we are reading a bit too much into it. I have been playing bass for 25 years and I am currently a bit bored with it. Think of me as The Roots...going on tour with a tuba player instead of a bass player.

Well, I am far from being a master, unless of course you want to add a couple of syllables after that! All I have ever wanted from bass is to be able to write and play the bass lines I hear in my head. Which I generally can do, so I don't feel compelled to "work" at the instrument at all. For me it's just one element of music anyway. For years now I have spent far more time programming with Reason than playing live instruments. I do however think I could work at my guitar playing a lot. I have played guitar in a couple of bands but never with any degree of "ability". More important for me is to be passionate about music. Which is something I have lacked for a while. Maybe changing things up for a bit will rekindle the flames. Not literal flames. That would be dangerous.

I am currently leaning towards selling my gear (I don't really like it anyway) and getting a strat.

I haven't played in a band in years. Toyed with the idea of putting one together a few weeks ago. I had a jam with a talented singer/songwriter/guitarist but ultimately it left me cold. I think I'm done.

Thanks for all the advice people. I am totally happy with what I can, and do play. I am not interested in bass for bass sake. To me it's always just been a rather cool and subversive way of adding something to music. Trying to learn something new at this late stage would actually kill it completely for me! I think a break would be good. Does that mean I will get banned from BC?

Yeah, wouldn't be the first time I have felt like this. I gave it up altogether for a couple of years in my late teens. That's why I recently got rid of my Fender alikes and went all short scale, hoping to feel inspired a bit. It worked for about a week. I have started to pick up my tele a lot more though. I might well switch to the darkside for a spell.

Will I get a permanent loan of £130 in return then?

As per title. Can't really be bothered anymore. Message ends.

[quote name='henry norton' post='750893' date='Feb 19 2010, 01:46 PM']I've only recently broken of my 23 year affair with Leo Fender's basses, (with an Epiphone EB-0)[/quote] I've just done exactly the same thing. Although I am sorting of missing a p bass already! Nice body shapes!

I can "taste" food.

Thank god you don't see any purple. I hate purple. If E was purple I would be in real trouble. I would never play it. And it's the only note I know.

[quote name='elliswasp' post='748917' date='Feb 17 2010, 08:45 PM']yeah i apriciate that but if it was the tweeter then it wouldnt get wprsre when i am not touching the guitar would it?[/quote] Very true. As for bridges, Badass or Gotoh are the ones usually mentioned. Just a quick disclaimer to say I have never actually bothered to change a bridge so this is all second hand advice! To be honest I was hoping that somebody who knows what they are talking about would have popped in by now!

More sustain usually means a new bridge of some kind and shielding your cavities should sort out the hum. Do consider that some tweeters hiss anyway...so may not have been the bass in that instance.

Very generous OP. Don't fancy it myself but mucho kudos for the offer.

What is the Brice like? I am a recovering Rondo music addict!

I'll take the bottom one...I think it's rather tasty.