krispn

An understanding that many people don't pay that much attention to the bass doesn't really bother me that much as I'm happy to play and not get approached by the drunks asking for Don't Look Back IN Anger! Don't get me wrong I love gigging, I thoroughly enjoy it, I'll chat with punters who approach and have a wee groove to myself on stage, reacting to and with the crowd. I don't personally think folks are heading to see a band and gleefully hoping the bass player uses a fuzz or tremolo or that they'll bust out a future impact or compression. I was simply replying that the 9 points in the initial post all those years ago were about stuff that the 'average non-playing punter (ANPP)' may not notice. I recall seeing a wedding band and the bassist had a 6 string Spector - I'm sure there were a fe folks who noticed and a whole lot more who could see three guitarists. He played the songs pretty straight and kept it tasteful. He played for the band, the songs and the occasion. I bet he was a tremendous player but from that gig he proved he was a great musician. Dead time and the colour of your bass are the two things the "ANPP' might notice. The drummer and I may find a groove hiding in a pub standard to make it more fun for the whole room but often just for the band - if they're dancing then they've noticed on sme level. We'll rework a song to suit our line-up and the venue or again just cause we want to play something different and unexpected - the sing along parts have the audience singing along either to the fiddle parts or the chorus - they're noticing something! I understand the weight a Low D or C can add to a tune, I've played funky little runs which may or may not get heard but it keeps us grooving! I not saying your original post contained the wrong question(s) but it feels like you've noticed a difference when you're interacting with the audience and employing stage craft - you're getting a better overall experience, as do the crowd because they feel the band have engaged with them, be that the songs, the singer or the guy in shades playing the funny looking guitar dancing while playing. Irrespective of the amount of strings or the brand of bass, the effects used or not, people want the experience even if they're too drunk to remember it.

😢 beautiful.

My singer and I went out to try and scope out a new fiddle player a few years back. In a local folk bar he bumped into a friend and a regular at our gigs. “You’ll know Gav!” he says to her. “Naw don’t recognise him. Where would I know him from?” she replied. Gav! He’s been our bass player for two years. I knew I was doing something right and haven’t looked back since.

I don’t think the audience wants anything from a bass player in a regular gigging pub band/covers band. I think an audience would want a band to be tight and play songs that they like/expect of the venue. I think they want a few surprises I.e. a few covers in a different style to the original - something they recognise but is a nice sonic surprise. The point relating to which pedal or bass or amp etc. will likely not be something the punters care for especially the more booze they’ve had. In fact I propose they certainly won’t understand why you insist they get off your stage, don’t touch your tuning pegs or spill their pint on your pedal board or why you won’t let them sing. What this post does is in a roundabout way is suggest we celebrate what we do and why people may love us for doing it. The reality is most people won’t really know what we’re doing but they’re enjoying what the band are doing as a unit. If there is a sing along bass line of course they’re gonna sing along. Play Chelsea Dagger and they’ll sing along. Play Brown Eyed Girl and they might sing along. Play Ring of Fire....they won’t sing the bass. Play Sweet Home Alabama... they won’t sing the bass. However play Ring of Fire and the reason they’re stomping or dancing is the steady pulse. Play Sweet Home and if you put some stank on it, walk the bass about a bit and thrown in some tasty locked in accents with the drummer they’re gonna be dancing and thinking it’s the best version they’ve heard in years but still might not know why. Maybe it’s the booze. We know it was us grooving hard and we know we’re doing it for us and making the band sound good and not for some spotty geek who wants to know what strings we’re using. I’m off to play a gig now after a 5:30 wake up call and a 13 hour day in a pretty busy and stressful environment. I’m gonna move about and see if my bass lines get more attention than my shaking booty. I’ll update about 01:30 if anyone’s still reading.

Hey Tim you’ll be hearing from me real soon too. Need a plain black p bass pick guard cut for a Tbird pick up.

Good to know.

If you weren’t needing the drive feature it’s still a solid DI for the money. Hopefully the noisy headphones out was an early batch issue.

I like the drive on the AO. The X appears to have some hpf and lpf, a comp and a high and low drive. Those features on an AO with the AO mix would appeal to me. AOUX?

AOX would be even better. We’re never happy are we 🤭

Sounds good on the lower gain settings.

Cool!!

Contact Sandberg and ask them which university they've worked with. They use the 'Sandberg process' as part of their teaching. I can't recall which university it was Brunswick perhaps or maybe Hanover.

Especially for metal!

The guys at both companies will tell you it makes a difference and you’ll find employees sticking their instruments in the vibration machines - it’s not gonna do any harm right and if it makes your instrument ‘better’...!

Yamaha do this too. It’s basically they subject the finished bodies to vibrations which simulates ‘ X hours of playing’ and the thermal treatment is a process of drying to wood to recreate aging. Sandberg have worked with some local university’s to look at optimising the two processes. Yamaha unfortunately calls it I.R.A.

Like most ‘debates’ on Internet forums it’s a case of If you like it buy it if you don’t don’t. We can rationalise opinion or choice but ultimately the chat was about cost. We’ve had the Warwick price hike chat, the EBMM price chat, the new Fender Pro price chat. Sandberg are pretty market appropriate in their ‘regular’ range price before heat and vibration treatment, relic’ing etc. They make as strong and reliable a product as EBMM or other non fender brands. Have the detractors played one? Compared one to their fav brand? Had some actual time playing one of just decided they don’t like it? The internet eh! Proper ball ache!

What about a BEAD tuned 4 string?

Solid tubeness brah

Yeah it does sound great - not too zingy but like it would be useful across the range of tones on offer.

Ed Friedland(who else right) has a great demo of the 5er....