gjones

I overheard two cyclists talking to one another today. I heard one say to the other 'I've always got one less bike than I need'. It reminded me of myself, in regard to basses. I've had a lot of them over the years but however many I've owned, it was always one less than I needed.

Firstly, you're probably playing with too much treble in your sound. Secondly, try not to hit the strings too hard (turn your amp up and play softer instead). Thirdly, concentrate on damping with both hands. If you're not playing a string, you should have a finger damping it, and that can be from your left or your right hand. A rule of thumb would be, if you're playing the E and A strings, your left hand should be damping the D and G strings and if you're playing the D and G strings, your right hand should be damping the E and A strings.

I know many singers that, even when they have the evidence of a recording, can't hear that they're singing flat.

I had the same problem. A shim under the neck altered the angle of the neck enough to sort the action out. My particular shim was a cut up credit card which was thick enough to do the trick.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1430791103' post='2764618'] Call me old fashioned but I'd much rather listen to a bassist and guitarist working together than someone trying to do both. [/quote] Yes....and badly at that. Although I am open to the possibility, that the reason the guitar and bass part sounds so unimpressive, is because the big lump of a thing he is holding is so difficult to play for a human being with normal hands.

He's still going. This is him playing live in Italy where he now lives. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7wQFtYY_Sw[/media]

Not a huge fan of Rush but when I first decided I wanted a Jazz Bass, I heard so many great reviews of the Geddy Lee signature, that I went out and bought one. And I wasn't disappointed. They are lovely instruments. My one was Japanese and new, in 2009 when I bought mine, they cost around £800. The new ones are made in Mexico and you can get one from Thomann for under £700, which sounds like a great deal to me.

He's still going, living in Italy and knocking out some great tunes. He changed his name after he had a dream (or something) but he's still as talented as he ever was. This is his website [url="http://www.sanandamaitreya.com/thp/"]http://www.sanandamaitreya.com/thp/[/url] This is a track from Wildcard, which is a great album from 2003. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRLxQ49MeSM[/media]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1430650966' post='2763328'] Hmmmm ... helpful if you're a drummer, I'd guess. I found myself automatically listening to the bass player. [/quote] So did I. When I first watched it I thought it was the bass player who was playing ahead and behind the beat. Of course to make playing ahead or behind the beat effective, some instrument has to be playing right on the beat. The effect won't be noticeable if everyone is playing behind or in front of the beat. It will just sound like everybody is playing on the beat.

[quote name='OliverBlackman' timestamp='1430651311' post='2763338'] I have one of those new Sire Marcus Miller basses. I plugged it in for the first time this morning and the pre-amp is just making noise. It works fine when in passive mode so it must be something to do with the circuit. I've had a look under the control plate but can't see any obvious loose connections. Has anyone any idea's? [/quote] Battery?

Hmmmm.....I am always skeptical of newbies flogging stuff from anywhere east of Norwich.

[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1430581565' post='2762849'] If you want to get a handle on playing behind the beat play with a drummer that rushes all the time or speeds up when they do a fill - there's quite a few of the ***** about! [/quote] Yes, I can pass you on a few phone numbers

This is a pretty good explanation of playing behind, in front and right on the beat. http://www.netplaces.com/bass-guitar/the-role-of-the-bass/playing-behind-in-the-middle-and-ahead-of-the-beat.htm

This is behind the beat playing. You hear it a lot in blues. You also hear it in funk too. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7rv8pu-0z0[/media]

He probably assumed that, if you could only give him half an hour, you weren't very interested. It would take him ten minutes to set up and then you'd be showing him the door after twenty minutes of noodling. Try to see it from his perspective.

Ah another Tom Weir fan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-30623509

Very interesting. recently I built a precision out of parts I had. I've fitted 3 different pickups. A cheapo 'no name' pickup (possibly Squire), an old Seymour Duncan pickup (late 70s early 80s) and the latest Fender custom shop model (as fitted in USA standards). And, as your review found out, there's is not a huge difference between them. In fact, if I'm totally honest with myself, I have a bit of a soft spot for the no name pickup.

Gaffa tape a brick to the amp.

The worst band sound I ever heard, weirdly had the best bass sound. I went to see my brother in law playing guitar with Maggie bell at the Festival theatre in Edinburgh. The sound engineers were a couple of muppets and the band sound was atrocious. But the bass sounded great. Go figure.

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1429567033' post='2752778'] Recently traded my Fender jazz for a Musicman Sub stingray (MIA version). I finally enjoy the MM bass again. I had 2 high end MM bass in the bass and they were Stingray 3 band 4H and Bongo 4 HS. Sold the ray because didn;t get on with the sound and sold the bongo due to money problem. The MIA Sub sounded fantastic, altho is 2 band with no indent on the bass/treble control but it sounded completely different then the 3 band ray i had in the pass. The bass just sounded right to me. [/quote] They do sound great. I had two in the last few years and both sounded great. I particularly liked the real THUMP they had.....like a P bass but with a kick drum behind each note. I'll own one again, one day.

If you want to go crazy you could buy one of these. Supposedly they were fitted to all the early Precisions. [url="http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/1741/Fender-62-Precision-Bass-Pickguard-Shield/"]http://www.angela.com/62precisionbassthinaluminumpickguardshield.aspx[/url]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1429565975' post='2752769'] Would aluminium paint work? [/quote] I dunno? I believe the shielding paint is carbon based.

Raise the pickups nearer the strings. That usually gives a bass a bit of ooooomff!

I bought copper shielding foil from this guy on ebay. I shielded the scratchplate (I didn't bother shielding the cavity) and it got rid of any buzz from my Precision. I used conductive paint, rather than copper foil, to shield my Jazz and that did the trick. He sells both http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/jeremycharlest/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2654

I could get a really low action on my old Geddy Lee, but that really thin neck would mean that small temp changes could affect the neck and lead to choking. I had to make the action higher to compensate for movement in the neck, I would try making the action higher and see if it helps. It did for me.