gjones

I'm sorry, I cracked, I just couldn't take it anymore. It's OK now, the lockdown Police arrived, gave me a sedative and removed my amp and bass, for my own safety.

I used to own a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass and always thought it would be my perfect bass if it had a John East pre amp fitted. But when I bought another one, about a year ago, I opened up the controls cavity and the soldering was so perfectly done (Japanese Fender alway do things properly), that I couldn't bring myself to vandalise that perfect wiring. So I ended up buying a black Fender Deluxe Jazz, which is a Geddy Lee lookalike and has the active electronics already fitted (it was a stupidly cheap price). The Geddy Lee now sits under the bed

I've only once bought a bass after trying it first. My most expensive online purchase was from Guitar Guitar, and I would have really like to try it beforehand but just didn't get the chance. It was slightly disappointing, when I got it, as it didn't live up to my initial preconceptions. But it's growing on me. All my other online purchases (mostly from basschat) have turned out fine and lived up to expectations.

Wot he said.... Also If you curl your pinkie and the finger next to your pinkie, into the palm of your hand, it will keep them out the way while you play.

No backup bass, although I bring tools with me which will sort any problem if something does go wrong. I do take a backup amp though, since my GK MB800 went a bit funny once. I bring it's little brother, my GK MB500 just in case. They're both pretty small and fit in one bag pretty easily.

He has a whole house full of secondhand Ibanez basses. He's a big fan (and probably has an endorsement).

Does she work out? It looks HEAVY.

Check this out. Slap bass on an upside down bass, by Stan Sargeant.

Smooooooth.......

Playing a gig in a bar next to BBC studio in Edinburgh, during The International Television Festival, sometime in the 90s. TV bigwigs all around us one of them comes up and asks to sing Eric Clapton's Cocaine (I suspect it was to be sung ironically). We told him to sling his hook and he spoke these classic words in response, 'Mark my words, you shall never, ever play on London Weekend Television, not while I am in charge!', and walked away. And Guess what? .........we never did.

This is me playing with my main band. I don't look anything like this anymore since I went 'Lockdown Crazy' and grew a beard and cut off all my hair. It's okay, I may look like a psycho but I don't like liver or fava beans

I think he's just using the basic groove and putting into a 12 bar format. Blues is all about improvisation.

Is there any room to tweak? If there is, give it a go. If that doesn't do the trick, then if it really bothers you, send it back. I've owned, and played regularly, a Squier with a G string that was worse than yours, but I only paid £95 secondhand for it, so wasn't too bothered.

The guy sells custom shop Fenders on ebay. I know my USA 75 reissue came with a reissue case. It's pretty beat up and looks like the real deal.

I'm the opposite, I like the look but just don't like the sound. Sting gets a woolly kind of sound out of his and if he can't get a decent sound out of it, I doubt I'd be able to.

I was at a jam night, a few years ago, and a singer/guitarist and a bassist got up to jam with the house drummer. They played three U2 songs, which the bassist proceeded to slap over the top of. I cannot begin to describe how awful it sounded.

I one bought a slap bass instructional DVD, by Ed Friedland. He's very good at it. But he admitted that he has never ever been asked to play slap bass with a band. And neither have I. The DVD is still in it's plastic wrapping.

I do like The Artic Monkeys but can't help picturing George Formby singing with them, when I hear them.

I have played expensive basses that were difficult to play and cheaper ones that were a dream to play. The difference in playability was due to the setup. Took me a long time to figure that out So if you get an expensive/not so expensive bass, make sure it's set up well (a decent set up won't cost you much). It makes a world of difference. Especially when you're starting out.

Although I still don't know if my bass is good for metal?

Thanks Basschat for showing me how to tweak my trussrod.

Bad hair day

If you want cream pickups, just change the cover, it's cheaper. Edit: ah...you've already figured that out.

The DI on your amp will be more than adequate if you ever have to be DI'd to a front of house PA. Be aware that your amp will probably have a post/pre EQ button. When it's set at Post, it means the signal going to the PA will include your EQ settings. When it's set at Pre, the signal will be totally unaltered by your EQ settings and will just be a clean signal from your bass, straight to the PA desk.