4 Strings

Whoops, loads of good stuff there!

We all listen to the bass and I'm sure we all know things that other people don't.

I'll start off

1. - Tears of a Clown

Bob Babbitt drops it on the entry to the last verse, about 2.08 in, after the words 'Just like..'. Keeps it going in time but is a tone out. (Check the 'UK' version of this otherwise you'' get Henderson's US version, such messy playing when compared)

Come on, let's hear all those clangers you know about. I have some more.

1973 Precision, black, maple neck. Traded in + some cash for an Aria SB.

oh well.

Bought it in '79 and had it 2-3 of years. Wanted to be a bit more modern, modern sound and the Arias looked fab.

I was young.

[quote name='NJE' post='760448' date='Mar 1 2010, 09:23 AM']I remeber staying with my best friend who is a guitarist at his Uni house. We had a bit of a jam one night and had a few beers and then slumped over in drunkeness and he forgot to turn off his epiphone 335 and marshall.

At about 3 in morning for some reason unknown to either of us his 335 suddenly decided to pick up radio clear as a bell. Now I have to mention at this point neither of us knew guitars could pick up radio and had never even heard of this happening. Unfortunately the guitar didn't pick up chill out music or radio 1, it was some American preacher screaming about debauchery, overindulgence and burning in hell for your sins etc. Basically we both sh*t ourselves as it was so loud and thought god was talking to us through his amplifier. Not fun after a night on the stella, but good times none the less.[/quote]


Perhaps he was!

[quote name='pete.young' post='374605' date='Jan 8 2009, 11:13 PM']There's a scurrilous rumour going the rounds that the great Norm did indeed tune his bass up a semitone to play this. Anyone want to confirm? Personally I can't see it because it's as easy to play in Fm as it is in Em tuned up.[/quote]


Get yourself to the Standard in London tonight and ask him!

[quote name='Doddy' post='757790' date='Feb 26 2010, 01:37 AM']Marcus Miller didn't play on Aja...... Walter Becker played on 'Deacon Blues' and the rest was Chuck Rainey. In
fact,I don't think he played on any Steely Dan album-although he played on a few tracks on Donald Fagan's
awesome 'Nightfly' album[/quote]

As did one of my other faves, the joyous Abraham Laboriel. Love that man!

[quote name='MythSte' post='756543' date='Feb 24 2010, 09:56 PM']Im not bad at slapping in general, Its just a really odd rhythm in that section. We cover the song occasionally for fun and i can get through it without to much hassle but it'd be nice to play it right! I think doddy was right, i need to control my thumb bouncing perhaps![/quote]

This might be of use: [url="http://www.lucaspickford.com/transpegbass.htm"]http://www.lucaspickford.com/transpegbass.htm[/url]

I've heard the story about turning his back so no-one could see him slap from himself, Youtube I think.

Wilko Johnson is at the Standard in NE London on the 5th of March. Great chance to see Norman Watt-Roy.

Am I allowed to recommend gigs like this? If so, worth it. If not, apologies.

I think MK is great, of course there's always an argument of the musical value of being machine gunned (similarly to shredding Les Pauls). But I regard him like an F1 racing car, lots of extreme technology etc some of which filters down to benefit 'normal' cars. Regardless of how talented Pop Powell is, it was MK who inspired me and kept the bar high. MK did plenty of other, more worthy stuff and loved the whole bass thing.

(Despite seeing L42 plenty of times in the 80s the most memorable was a latter day version in a small club in Essex (with Gary Husband - worth the ticket price alone) where things were less serious and more up close. The guy is amazing!

Being an ancient bass player I was slapping before I realised anyone was any good at it and saw how to do it properly, so I'm thumb down and paying for the bad habit. In my opinion, its better to be thumbs parallel Larry Graham style. Next best is Mark King style (have to have a short strap for that though).

Parallel eases the double thumb think I struggle with but also makes the 'pop' easiest. Thumb down has its limitations which, for me at least, are way short of those who wisely chose to go parallel or up.

Here's a good example of parallel with double, or upward at least, thumb strokes.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMSq__vg7Gs&feature=fvw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMSq__vg7Gs&feature=fvw[/url]

<Gasp> Teale Green!

Bump for one of the nicest looking basses there are.

Here's another, Sam Benjamin, playing at the moment with a gospel singer, Helen Yousaf. Absolute class. You know, that restrained, disciplined manner that lights up with the occasional firework. Inspiring. Band has a red hot guitarist too!

Boiling was the only alternative for me years ago, to the mirth of the other band members. Still do, still is. And, yes, no substitute for new strings but saves a fortune.

There's a move to rediscover flats, with much worship of sounds used by Jamerson, McCartney which I remember trying avoid. (More of an Entwhistle sound for me) and so dull strings may be more relevant nowadays.

However, you are braver than I in taking steel wool to the frets, even in your innovative manner. I just use a bit of metal polish (very little, they are, after all, very thin!) to take the muck off without scratching them. Its only aesthetic so I rarely bother.

Good choice not to make enemies, if the 'experienced' guy defaults in some way you're likely to be the first call (by which time they might have found a decent guitarist)

All positive responses, thanks all, Hipshot order on the way.

"Presumably all made at the same factory on the same jig with different electrics stuffed in depending on whose name's on the headstock/body that day"
[/quote]


Not quite, I believe this to be true of the Tanglewood and Hudson basses but the Cort basses are proper Curbow designs made from synthetic materials (for example, luthite for the body, whatever that is). The Tanglewood is completely redesigned to be of exotic woods (even an ebony fingerboard) with the resulting different manufacturing processes.

They are honestly great basses, keep an eye on the dreaded ebay for cheap ones or make offers as they don't seem to be selling (I have no links!)

A low C-sharp for part of a song would be great, Hipshot would be brilliant, but can they extend more than the tone from E to D?

If anyone has one, would you mind trying it out for me, please?

(Also, are they accurate enough to snap down and up during a single song?)

Very grateful,


Greg

Don't know if anyone else has tried or even bought one of these Canyons, comments invited. A friend of mine has extremely expensive tastes and is very knowledgeable about feel, sound, construction etc, and he loved it. My lad is becoming obsessive with the thing, playing at every opportunity and becoming more and protective about it, he truly loves it.

I can understand they aren't everyones cup of tea and are completely unfashionable and, as a result, can be seen going for a song but sound great and a real pleasure to play. Anyone else have any experiences?

This is a wonderful project, the neck look beautiful. You made it sound so easy!

Is it wider than the usual Precision at the nut or is it just the way it looks without frets?

It will be interesting to see how the surface survives round wounds over a period.

Saw the Hamsters a couple of years ago, in London somewhere, the Half Moon in Putney I think.

As I understand it the bass player has a problem with his right hand which makes it difficult to play. If he makes it look effortless then he is all the more a Geezer!

The Hamsters are just the sort of band, cheap and easy to go and see but top notch players. Great call, Hamster

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='557404' date='Jul 31 2009, 07:23 PM']James Jamerson's style, technique and creativity might might have come from his brain and his fingers but his tone was all '62 Precision with sky high action, never changed flatwounds and Ampeg Portabass.[/quote]


Let's not forget the Tamla recordings were all DI (the Ampeg came out for his live performances) and he went through more than one 'Funk Machine', although I understand there was one which was around for by far the longest. Those dead strings and high action would have sounded absolutely dreadful under my fingers.

Love the 'wall of death' tom positions from those heady days!

But these two guitars aren't the same. The one on its own has lost more finish than the one Jaco is playing and so could be a later photo. However, if you look at the top of the body, underneath the divine forearm, you see that there is more wear on guitar His Jolly Self is playing. Can't be both.

Interesting question, Bruce's sound was distinctive in the earlier days. Lots of treble, but then Ricky's do that. You'll also get that from your Precision with nice new Swing Bass strings.

Try this: [url="http://www.thejam.org.uk/equipment.html"]http://www.thejam.org.uk/equipment.html[/url]

Seems Marshalls and 4x12s are the order of the day.

For my tuppence worth try Rotosound Swing bass strings, as heavy as you feel comfortable.

These were used on Live at Leeds (along with Hiwatt valve amps and 4x12s) to give, perhaps, the benchmark for Precision growl. While I love progress in bass amplification if you want an old fashioned sound its best to use old fashioned equipment.

I don't have that old equipment but, to me, Swing Bass strings seem to be made for Fender Precisions and make a big step to that sound. I don't know the gauges preferred by JE but the heavier gauges add weight to the sound.