twowheeledwriter

Hello to you too! FWIW, I'm always interested in finding out a bit of background about people on this forum, so thanks for giving us the complete lowdown on your life history as a bassist!

Well, I'm not sure about yellow basses, but I have a lovely yellow Stratocaster, from 1989, which is very similar to this one...: [url="http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-american-deluxe-standard-stratocas-198"]Graffiti Yellow Strat[/url] ...but with locking tuners and roller nut. I think I paid about 400 pounds for it at the end of 1989 when I had my first job. Maybe I need a matching Precision or Jazz alongside it?

[quote name='lapaju' post='706382' date='Jan 9 2010, 12:00 PM']Salut twowheeledwriter. Tu es d'où exactement dans le Languedoc. A+[/quote] Pres de Pezenas, dans l'Herault. Il fait froid, mais il n'y a pas de neige

Hello! I like your style - I only have a bass, a combo and a tuner, and currently have no need for effects, but hey, horses for courses - some players love 'em. The covers band I've been recruited into plays mostly classics of the Stones, Hendrix and Beatles variety - no doubt someone can suggest an FX pedal or two that'd be good for particular songs.

Also playing my first "gig" tonight - I say "gig" because it's a last minute thing at the singer's surprise 40th birthday party (the party is the surprise, not the birthday...). The singer's husband persuaded us to do it - I just hope she's up for it! Actually, I have performed live before - last time was 18 years ago, as guitarist in a band. But I'm a bass virgin. Anyway, I just read through the advice in this topic - so I will try to follow some of it. It's very useful sutff. I know from experience that drinking and playing is a BAD idea, for me at least. It helps to have some others out there in cyberspace who have been through this before.

[quote name='leschirons' post='703599' date='Jan 6 2010, 11:38 PM']Hi, from La Creuse. Nice bass (and stonework)[/quote] Ta. The stonework looks good but the dust is a pain! Still, it gives me an excuse to clean the bass. Plus, I bashed it against the wall a couple of times so have taken off three small chunks of the white finish...

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='698488' date='Jan 2 2010, 01:28 AM']Generally, yes - wear your JapCrap with pride! Found this on the Matsumoku website: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/vantage/catalogs/atak-manhattan/pg5.html"]http://www.matsumoku.org/models/vantage/ca...hattan/pg5.html[/url] Seems that Quest was a sub-brand of Vantage who made some very fine instruments indeed. Pete.[/quote] Thanks for the link Pete. Interesting stuff. Tim (proud JapCrap/Quest owner!)

[quote]I've never used a capo on bass myself but [b]if it's OK to use frets[/b] I can't see why it's not OK to use a capo - or anything else.[/quote] Brilliant! I take the point of the original post, but really, anything goes and I'm sure there are plenty of fretless/double bass players who marvel at others' need for frets, amplification, effects pedals and so on. Although, having taken a look at the pedal board section on Basschat, are all those effects really necessary?

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='697864' date='Jan 1 2010, 01:34 PM']Nice looking bass you have there - There are plenty of "Jap-Crap" aficionados around these parts! [/quote] That's a term of affection, right? Cheers!

FlatEric, Telebass & BurritoBass: Thanks for the kind words. To be honest, the look of the bass was one of the main factors that led me to buy it. I think I paid about 120 pounds for it in 1986 and I don't remember having a whole of lot of choice at that price in Rose Morris on Denmark Street(?), (London). But, it sounded good and now sounds even better through an appropriate amplifier. As for now, I am slightly embarrassed by the look! However, I am convinced that a decent, basic bass such as this will sound good if well set up and played competently - a great bass doesn't make up for lack of talent. I have found very little information on the Web about Quest basses and guitars. And I haven't come across anyone on Basschat who has admitted to having one. Any owners or former owners out there?

Like many before me, I have lurked on Basschat for a while, enjoying the informative and general good-natured ambiance of the place. I have been a guitarist for 30 years, but six months ago I agreed to fill the role of bassist in a covers band. This meant pressing into action my Quest Atak 1B bought from the proceeds of a two-week hop picking jaunt in 1986. And, actually, it's been a lot of fun - more fun that I had playing the guitar in a couple of bands in my youth. I hadn't ever played much bass outside of my bedroom and really only purchased it to occasionally fill a track on my four-track cassette recorder. From this forum, I've learnt that my first electric guitar, a Westone Concord II, is a not-so-distant cousin of the Quest Atak 1B - both appear to be products of Matsumoku. The Atak 1B sounds decent (to my novice bass playing ears) through my newly-acquired Laney RB4 - it mixes well with the two guitars and drums of the band. Still, I expect I'll be expanding my collection of basses (by 100%) in due course. There seems to be some sort of addictively infectious effect from hanging around here admiring other people's gear. [attachment=39040:Quest_Atak_1B.JPG]

It looks lovely. It would have looked even better next to my Concord II guitar , which was my first guitar 25 years ago! If the bass is anything like my guitar, it'll be a decent budget Jap bass if well set up and cared for. My Concord II is still going strong, although it could do with some minor tweaks to the electrics.

[quote]If an amp (f'rinstance) has been in the cold for a while & becomes "well chilled" & then brought into the warm there's a risk (albeit small) of condensation forming within it - & water and electricity are well known for not getting on.[/quote] If a [b]Eurostar train[/b] (f'rinstance) has been in the cold for a while & becomes "well chilled" & then brought into the warm there's a risk (albeit small) of condensation forming within it - & water and electricity are well known for not getting on.

Bienvenue! Je suis aussi un "newbie" - anglais, mais en Languedoc, pas loin de Pezenas, dans l'Herault.