4 Strings

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1329299788' post='1540124'] Yeah, part of me feels that way. But then the generous side of me takes over and it is the reason I kept hold of my old Peavey/Laney set up. Also, fortunately the drummer, lives around the corner from the pub and, knows the pub manager pretty well so we can leave the amps and cabs in a safe room. He'll then collect everything and bring it back to us the next day. Of course if the 2 touring bands turn up in a massive van I'll not be best pleased. [/quote] This is all fair comment. Sometimes the organiser will be trying to make life as easy as possible for himself so if you agree to take the stuff he doesn't have to phone round the other bands. Only share what you're happy to, the other bands need to take a turn too. Pantherairsoft is not in a position to share his amp, so someone else will have to supply an amp. I think the comments regarding pre-arrangement and courtesy are apt, nobody should be turning up to a gig expecting to just plug and play. If you do and are as disrespectful as the '3 String Wonder' in the OP you will quickly gain a reputation and end up with all jack sockets closed - a possibly the deserved punch up the throat!

[quote name='pantherairsoft' timestamp='1329294401' post='1540036'] I'm always cool with the bass cab, as long as people are polite enough to ask in advance and treat it with respect. You are right if no one ever wanted to share gear then gig logistics would be a nightmare. There are limits though. The main reason my amp is off limits to others is that it's a 1400w PA power amp which has be tuned by computer to the gain structure of my slightly unique effects set up. Clipping an amp at 1400w is not good for my cab and as I can't just flick a switch and it be tuned perfectly for the input gain of other bassists I don't allow the risk. Our drummer is in a similar position. His kit is a hybrid. 3 snares. No Toms. No kick (a floor tom on a side mount). The entire kit is tuned up so it sits well above the bass. Other drummers don't want to play it... And we sound a bit naff if we use another ('regular') kit, as we have invested an awful lot of time and money in creating a sound. Basically if we play a show we need to do a full back line swap with exception of bass cab. We are a 2-piece though so that balances it out ;-) [/quote] I'd love to hear this!

Hmm genius. Different to the definition, if you accept it, as applied to Jamerson but probably more apt here if you take away 'influence' from its definition. That hipshot stuff, almost like those amazing abilities from sufferers of autism, beyond what you would expect from a mind (how could he possibly keep up with it all those tuning adjustments and make music at the same time). I suppose its a little geeky for my clumsy tastes to enjoy. To me, it's like using just three tubes of paint to knock colours up on the fly while creating a beautifully shaded picture at the speed of Rolf Harris, or those people who use spray paints and pieces of plastic and card. The painting becomes amazing because that's how he did it, even if few would like it for its own sake. I wonder if he made lines with his toy cars as a toddler.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1329302866' post='1540180'] Jeff Beck is one of those guys who plays great, great guitar and who can play some of the most moving rock guitar music ever heard but he can also play some absolute tasteless cack! If I had Tal's gig, I know me and JB would have a falling out every day about his choice of material. I'd have to sack him..... [/quote] I know exactly what you mean- about the first bit anyway. If I had Tal's gig the reference to cack would relate more to my trousers. Yes, its Rainbow etc, so if there's an alternative reason then I'm a little happier. His technique is one of the examples of there being no right or wrong technique for these 'popular' instruments. His left hand wouldn't pass Grade 1, yet would you prefer to listen to a Grade 8 guitar student? Clapton is the same - although I'd take JB anyday. My opinion is that standards have risen immeasurably over the years, playing which made you 'God' in the 60s is now surpassed by teenagers in pub bands. Young Tal's technique is certainly an example for any student (and also those who spend time building up their finger and hand muscles!)

Yep, all good, very nice people all and pleasurable experiences meeting and dealing with them. (Although, I have to say, I've only had good experiences on the dreaded ebay too.)

Jeff is a master of the guitar, I always take opportunities to watch him. Thanks for the links. Who could help a soft spot for Tal and that smile! Its a wonderful gig to have, not the easiest by any means, and she does nothing less than fill it admirably. I'm sure she's a pleasure to have around too. Aussie and 26. I've been playing longer than she's been alive and still working towards that standard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf-J_sJB29Q Refreshing.

Sharing gear is always tricky. Not sure what gigs people do on here, for me its mostly stuff where I need my own gear (ie no other bands playing) and so not a problem, but both my lads play in bands which play in pubs and bars regularly with 3-4 bands and there is ALWAYS gear sharing. Not because people don't have gear, there's just not the space nor time for everyone to have the luxury of their own rig. Its usually the headline band gear but arranged beforehand so people know what to bring. Its just the way it is. Its never 'posh' gear but I find it refreshing the respect the different bands give each other and their gear and lack of pre-madonna attitudes about sound and always grateful. Bass playing son has an old, s\h Hartke head and cab, nothing worth much, and it gets used all night if he's last on. In what much be well over a hundred gigs between them only problem has been someone's bass cab blew while my son was playing. An issue at the time, wasn't his fault (he knows what he's doing) and they came to an amicable arrangement about its repair (son didn't need to pay in the end). Not sure how things would work if everyone said 'not using my gear'.

It's clearly an amazing achievement (never seen a Hipshot solo before!) and I'm sure I don't understand what he's doing enough to appreciate it fully but I'm not warmed by it nor wanting to play like it. I wouldn't buy an album of his. Perhaps its like looking at Bugatti sports car or a 60"tv, amazing but I can't think of a use for it.

Maybe all this will be sorted by the new Matamp - for which I'm still waiting. They said 2-3 weeks for it to be available 1-2 weeks back and I'm an impatient sort.

Definitely not. EBO copy, nothing more than dreadful in every way. Don't miss my second bass either, Hondo Precision. Looked great in natural but weighed a ton. Regret selling my third though, black/black/maple '73 Precision.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1329069952' post='1536770'] John changed the pickups in my first JD no questions asked too. Unfortunately I hadn't asked him to and I preferred the originals! I sold it soon after. So what was MK's action like then John? And how heavy was the bass (it was walnut instead of mahogany)? [/quote] Yes, regardless of different neck experiences mahogany basses are not the lightest.

Horrible story about the bad Jaydee. Real shame it wasn't sorted and I can understand why wombatboter would have a poor regard for the basses. Would like to think John would have made more of an effort. I suppose there's always likely to be a rogue one every now and then, especially with the basses being hand made. No excuse though and I'm sorry to read about your experience.

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1328987899' post='1535805'] Changing the preamp didn't change anything about the sound apart from making it sound more sparkly. Sound definitely comes from the wood and more specifically the neck wood. [/quote] So changing the preamp changed nothing but the sound. Have to disagree about the contribution to the sound made by wood and pickups.

[quote name='Mylkinut' timestamp='1328933784' post='1535063'] In this economic climate we probably are more worried about resale than we normally would be. That said, the case for my '97 Precision has '8 Ball Joe' sprayed on it. The chap I bought it from said it was done by the guy who owned it before him. It's an excellent band name and it's now my Precision's name. Looks awesome. [/quote] Character! We all want our stuff to be individual, yours clearly is. I think the relative cost of gear (ie as a % of typical income) is a fraction of what it used to be in the 60s-70s, well good gear anyway. Things have changed.

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1328943325' post='1535075'] I had Series II for 12 years but sold it after someone in the Netherlands offered me 1300 quid for it and it simply wasn't giving me the warmth I wanted for a main bass. I loved the body and neck on mine, the necks shift because of the mahogany and walnut in them. Neither are rigid woods but they are also responsible for the distinct sound of the instruments although the ebony fingerboard helps to some degree. [/quote] I haven't heard they had a reputation for necks moving. Sound is from the preamp and pickups. Ebony just lasts a long time and the mahogany sandwich neck doesn't have the dead spots you find in solid maple necks (around the 5th fret on the G string).

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1328878268' post='1534189'] Resale value only matters if you're actually going to sell the bass. Unless you've bought the instrument purely for investment purposes, surely it's more important than your bass functions in the way that you want than any hypothetical value for selling it on. In which case you should probably get rid of it and use the money to buy something that is exactly what you want. [/quote] Absolutely, Fenders are not sacred, even if mass produced in the US as opposed to anywhere else. They really are not valuable enough for you to not make them be what YOU want them to be. I have a '76 Precision with a wonderful history, which dearly I love and would hate the tiniest mark being made on it. However, its there to serve me, its a tool for my Motown band and it has to do the job. It has straplocks, for example. If I needed to change anything else, I would. Its valuable, in great nick but its there for me. If I change something it may affect the resale value to some extent, but even that small amount of money is not sacred either. It seems to be only the old days when people sprayed the name of their band on their gear, now no-one would dare deface their wooden boxes. Are we now too materialistic, too worried about resale?

[quote name='yorick' timestamp='1328772470' post='1532325'] Still have mine after 18 years... Nuff said [/quote] Bought my Roadie 1A new in 1985, still have it, will be in my will. No bendy necks, had to adjust it once since I had it when it spent a week in a cold basement. Well, twice, adjusted it back again after I got home. Neck is sooooper fast!

2nd hand Hartke amp and cab. Great sound, valve preamp, loads of power and should get change for a set of strings.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1328822772' post='1533396'] Funny innit. I'm the opposite. Give me a chord chart and I will become the most uncreative player you can imagine. Let me learn a song by ear and all sorts of ideas pop into my head and a nice bassline emerges, usually [/quote] Yes, exactly the same here. And, I can't learn songs with chord charts, always need them whereas by ear its in first time round usually. Bit like driving somewhere and being driven. BUT, depending on the music, this doesn't always work best. We do a dinner jazz set, I applied the ear method and was getting nowhere fast. It needed walking bass lines mostly and to do those properly you need to know what the chords are so you don't clash with the others with all the added notes and altereds. I pinched them from the pianist and it sped the process no end.

Thanks, Bilbo, great work! Especially G

[quote name='phatbass787' timestamp='1328803883' post='1532930'] One word.... headroom! :-) [/quote] Goodness, how much do you normally take along? Anything remotely punchy I get told to turn down. And I do so everyone else doesn't turn up.

Sounds great, thanks. Why would a 550W amp be for small gigs? I'm still waiting for the Matamp amp to be ready before the plunge. (have to be patient!)

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1328552925' post='1529001'] I know what the person meant about the audience not listening. I think they meant that the tone of the bass is not foremost in most punters minds so probably isn't as big a deal as we might think. [/quote] You mean the cellulose finish 'letting the tone out' from an old or Highway 1 Fender isn't heard by the audience and so not a big deal? What about the bright sound of a light coloured maple fingerboard? No? Surely they can hear the gold plating on the plugs though.

But we don't know what your bass is. Well I don't anyway.

Heh, this is also developing into the most crap thread too. Have faith! Either me or someone else will put up another little competition.