Rich

I used to use mine, but I can't anymore as it's become arthritic and painful. I'm starting to get occasional twinges of a similar pain in my ring finger too. Basically, my hands are doomed.

If they take it on board and actually do something about it, then it [i]will[/i] be doing them a favour, and they should bloody thank you for it. Unfortunately, I reckon they're more likely to react in a "So what? Fck 'em" way...

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='189621' date='May 1 2008, 11:59 AM']Next time I'm the area, I'm going to go in there and ask them if they realise what the perception of them is. I'm going to be polite, but I'll put them on the spot and ask them why they're son unfriendly. I will report back.[/quote] Heh, yeah do it! I'd love to know what they say. [size=1]Just don't mention the forum by name, OK? [/size]

I wouldn't pee on the Bass Cellar if it was on fire. I was treated like an inconvenience the last time I went in there, so I took my cash elsewhere. Never again.

In a similar vein to Dave: 1) Wal Pro. [i]My[/i] treasured companion, and like Dave's it'll be going up the chimney with me. Had it since 1986 and if it was badly damaged or destroyed I would be beside myself with grief. If it was stolen I would scour the globe to find it, and hospitalise the thief when I eventually tracked it down. 2) Shuker 5 string. I'd always wanted a good 5 string and had been working my way up to this one via the Yamaha and Status (see below). I use it at every gig. It is perfect. Love it. 3) Status 5 string. I'd always wanted a good 5 string and had been working my way up etc. etc. This is now my backup, and I also take it out to rehearsals. It's got a few dents and stuff, so a few more won't hurt. I'm not terribly precious about it. Great bass though. 4) Yamaha RBX 5 string. Since getting the Status and latterly the Shuke, this had been a bit redundant, so I got Jon Shuker to do a defret job for me. It's now a better fretless bass than it ever was a fretted one. I have no gig use for it at the moment, but at some point I do intend to play jazz/fusion again, when it'll come into its own. 5) Ibanez BTB 6 string. A real ebay cheapy. I like having a 6 to noodle about with, and again it'll come in handy when I eventually become a jazzer again. 6) SX Jazz build. Because everybody should have at least one Jazz Bass, right..?

The distinction between 'bassists' and 'musicians' is an interesting one. Whilst it is true really that the one is the other -- if you play bass, then you're playing music, ergo... -- there is also the aspect mentioned by bnt regarding Geddy Lee, i.e. his ability in other aspects. His keyboard skills, singing, composition, etc. This it could be said makes him an excellent [i]bassist[/i] but an extraordinary [i]musician[/i], although as we've said the one is the other and at this point the argument does an Oozelum Bird and goes round in circles before disappearing up its own arse. The point many people have made about Mark King is a good one, while he inspired thousands of players to pick up the bass in the 80s (myself and I think CK included), when you take a good look at his playing he's something of a one trick pony. HOWEVER... what a lot of people seem to forget is that he sings while he does it... have you ever tried singing a counter melody over the top of a complicated bassline? Exactly. Added to which, he is a drummer of no little ability and also plays guitar and keys -- exhibit A, his first solo album Influences -- and writes a bloody good tune. The vast majority of L42's back catalogue has the name 'King' as either the whole or part credit. So, overrated as a bassist perhaps, but as an all round musician? well I wish I could do all that lot. Sorry, I've drifted about a nautical mile from the OP here, but it's something that I've been thinking about.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='188597' date='Apr 30 2008, 06:34 AM']Some day, I may well sell most of them if I find a bass that can do the job of three (5 string/precision/stingray)[/quote] [size=1]coat->get[/size]

[quote name='Josh' post='186374' date='Apr 27 2008, 11:22 AM']Pino Palladino[/quote] *jaw hits floor with a very audible 'clang'*

I hope you got her phone number after all that

Give that man a coconut With my old blues/rock trio (god I miss that band), I played at a 10-pin bowling alley once. That's 'once' as in, 'never ever [i]ever[/i] [i][u]ever[/u][/i] again while I still have breath in my poor knackered old body'.

[quote name='dabootsy' post='184350' date='Apr 24 2008, 10:35 AM']In the band i am in the guitarist always tries to tell me how to play a basssline (i have only been playing for 25 years) which tends to do my head in as i do not tell him how to play things on his guitar. Is it because they follow the myth that a bass player is someone who wants to play a guitar but is not good enough which of course is a load of bo####s any views or am i being over sensitive[/quote] Over sensitive? Over lenient more like. Point out to him in a calm fashion that you have been playing for some considerable time and are perfectly capable of working out your own basslines thank you very much. Remind him politely that you never tell him how to play his bits and that perhaps he should reciprocate. In a serene and composed manner, inform him that if he does it again you will be only too pleased to introduce his Stratocaster to his rectal cavity.

No bias from me either... get anything BUT Ashdown Seriously though, BF is right. Try everything they've got in your price range. If you've got to buy online, try to get to a branch first for a try-out. Don't buy blind, it might end in tears.

Yup, there are quite a few good replacement bridges around... have a search on ebay. Let's face it, anything's better than Leo's bent bit of tin And +100000000 for the D-tuner. I've got them on all my fours.

True, they don't, and thank god for that (could somebody tell Mark King please?) However, the original was slapped and it was a killer. Just cos this guy didn't slap it, that doesn't automatically make it better, surely?

[quote name='foal30' post='183425' date='Apr 23 2008, 01:37 AM']not on stage... yeah sort of looks like my second line, you think? If you all use the same tuner the variations (if any) of the individual tuners is eliminated. how can it not be imperative to [b]be able to tune your instrument[/b]? really, it should be self-evident that we have the faculty to know our instrument is tunable to a performance level by ourselves. people forget sh*t, tuners, spare strings and 9v's must be at the top of the list! It, to me, is a tenant of respect to the audience, employers, bandmates, whoever that you actually can hear the tuning "vaguenesses" of your instrument. Ear Training in the age of TAB is a dying art and this will be bad news. The most basic place to start is the ritual / function of tuning your instrument. maybe.[/quote]Being able to tune your instrument is one thing, being able to tune it [i]completely by ear [/i]is another. Sure, we can all do the 5th fret/open string thing of the 7th fret/5th fret harmonics thing, as rough as they might be, but -- and here's the clincher -- where do you get your first reference note from? Do you go by ear, "yeah I think that's roughly an E"..? do you ask your keys man for a note..? or do you go to your friendly little tuner? I fail to see why it should be an absolute must to have what amounts to perfect pitch.

[quote name='foal30' post='182645' date='Apr 22 2008, 11:18 AM']you got to be able to tune your instrument by ear.[/quote] Why? It's a good thing to be able to do, but why should it be essential?

'Stuck On You', 'A-bra-cada-bra', etc etc... Or for a classical interlude, how about 'Her On A G String'

[quote name='molan' post='181302' date='Apr 20 2008, 08:20 PM']Isn't he over playing the Jazz Cafe soon?[/quote] Y'know, when I first glanced at that I was sure it said "Isn't he [i]overplaying at[/i] the Jazz Cafe soon?" :lol:

Mine... it's bloody marvellous, does low Bs and high Cs easily, in fact it does all the sharps and flats, everything. It even does that weird Buzz [s]Lightyear[/s] Feiten thing. I never leave home without it.

+1 for the MIDI Mouse.

Don't worry Jase, my son's just turned 16 and he's only just this month finally decided to have a bash at it. I've got him a wee Behringer combo (with headphone socket, so it doesn't p1ss his mum off ) and given him my old Squier Jazz to have a go with. If he shows promise and wants to carry on, I'll get him something decent of his own.

Now [i]that[/i]'s what I call 'making a joyful noise'... what an impeccable groove. Just fabulous. If the Church of England was a bit more like that and a bit less thou-thee-thine and pious, I reckon they'd get a lot more people through their doors on a Sunday