Conan

Having played Elites for many years, I decided to try some other brands about five years ago. Having tried DRs, D'Addarios, Fenders, Laklands, Newtones, LaBellas and Ernie Balls (I change my strings fairly frequently!), and liked (and disliked) aspects of all of them - I finally decided to go back to the strings that I used as a teenager, over 30 years ago - Rotosound RS66s. And I really like them!! Strangely though, I don't like then straight out of the pack. I prefer them after a few hours in alcohol/IMS/methylated spirits... After this treatment they sound more zingy (which is my preference) and last much longer before going dull. They can then be resoaked and refitted a couple of times before being consigned to my school's music department and their cheap basses! At around £16 a set, I find that they also make far better sense than some of the sets I used to use which cost nearly three times that amount! Totally agree with the comments about different basses working better with different strings though...

Thirty all. Skychaserhigh to serve.

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1395995011' post='2408664'] Don't get sucked into the flat eq thing , It's nonsense.[/quote] Really? In what way is it "nonsense"?

[quote name='Noisyjon' timestamp='1395995504' post='2408684'] Why can't you just turn the P bass volume pot down a touch to compensate? [/quote] Maybe it's just me (and I have no idea of the science behind this, if there is any!) but when I reduce the volume on any passive bass (and especially a P-type bass) there appears to be a loss of tone too... Completely subjective of course!

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1395994877' post='2408660'] The BDI21 does change the tone of my streamer. But, that's a good thing in my case. [/quote] You need to be careful using one with a Jazz bass though, especially if (like me) you favour using both pickups on full. The BDI21 tends to suck mids, and the J doesn't have a lot to start with...

[quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1395785820' post='2406408']I'm not going to even think about changing the original pups in a '68, that would be sacrilege. [/quote] I can see your point, if you have one eye on re-sale value. But even then, you could pop the original pickups back in. Are you sure that it even [i][b]is[/b][/i] all original? Unless you've owned it from new, it can be very hard to tell what modifications previous owners have made... Surely a better definition of "sacrilege" is to have a lovely old bass, that was made to be played, and you don't play it because the sound is too weak! Just nudge up the volume or gain on your amp a smidge when you switch from the P to the J

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1395928672' post='2408064'] I was excited when Geddy resurrected that black/maple bass for Counterparts and it sounds nice and meaty on that album, as you would expect considering it is essentially the sound of an old Fender cranked through a vintage Ampeg SVT, but after that album his tone went downhill , to my taste at least. [/quote] Yeah. I see where you are coming from. I think the gnarly, clanky Jazz tone worked well with the stripped-back, raunchy sound of that particular album. It sounds a lot more conspicuous and attention-seeking amid the more lush production of subsequent releases. I wonder how much of it is linked to some kind of contract with Fender? I believe the Geddy Lee sig J bass is one of the most popular J models ever made. The fact that Geddy himself has played one (or something similar) pretty much exclusively for the past 20 years must keep the model in the public eye to some extent...

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1395916295' post='2407846'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACwy0u91B-g&feature=share&list=PL48067D9D830037A8&index=1[/media] [/quote] I could do that! That's dead easy! No problem at all. Not sure about the bass playing though...

[quote name='Colonel36' timestamp='1395915733' post='2407838'] Maybe I'm just too subtle. Stoney ground n'that. [/quote] It's OK, I got your reference! Not sure others would though... it was a bit on the subtle side for people who've never heard of the band.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1395914496' post='2407807'] I think that track is either Stubenhaus or Freddie W... [/quote] I usually find both of those session players have a much fuller sound and a more tasteful touch... According to Wiki, it was someone called John Siegler. Never heard of him, but he apparently also played with Todd Rundgen.

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1395914527' post='2407808'] More than just the room changing, even your mood can change. I remember (back when I used to get to play the bass!) I would leave my amp and pedals all set the same for every practise. Sometimes it would sound amazing, sometimes it would sound rubbish. I guess sometimes you're just in the mood for it? [/quote] Totally! If I have a bit of a cold, or hay fever symptoms I find that I have to boost the top end significantly to be able to hear it. I wouldn't do this at a gig, as it would obviously affect the out-front sound (we rarely play through a big PA) but at a rehearsal it helps me to be able to hear myself clearly.

[quote name='Colonel36' timestamp='1395900700' post='2407683']Great for an early morning dance, to get you movin' around. [/quote] Especially this one: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6IUUWzI7vg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6IUUWzI7vg[/url] [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1395911867' post='2407776']do you you know you can show the vid/pic by deleting the S in the https in the start of the web address.[/quote] For some reason, that doesn't work for me either...

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1395912103' post='2407781'] If you've ever tried more than one amp without adjusting the EQ you would know [/quote] Or used more than one cab with the same amp. I noticed this particularly when changing from a Barefaced Compact (which, to my ears, has quite a "middly" sound) to a TKS H115, which sounds a lot more "scooped" in comparison. More mid-boost needed from the bass and/or amp and/or graphic pedal. Next cab = Barefaced Big One, which is kind of half way between the two. Hey presto - graphic pedal no longer required. Sound is a funny thing...

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1395781403' post='2406318'] Just because the amp has an EQ bypass or no EQ controls at all doesn't mean the circuitry in it isn't adding some"colour" to your sound. And anyone who thinks it isn't is somewhat naïve. [/quote] I'm not sure "naive" is fair. Before I joined Basschat, I didn't know this - and there are lots of gigging and non-gigging bassists who are not members here. How would they know? There are lots of things I don't know, but that doesn't make me "naive". I set my Hartke LH500 at what is supposed to be a fairly flat response (bass at 2, mids on full and treble at 2), which doesn't leave me any room to boost mids. So I bought an EQ pedal to add the mids that a J bass seems to need when both pickups are on full (my prefered setting). But I don't fiddle with my EQ much, to be honest.

Funnily enough, for weeks I've been trying to think of inappropriate examples of slap... And then I listened to this album this morning, and it is riddled with them! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NZ25jEfWEg

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1395761917' post='2405931'] that crappy Jazz Bass/Sans Amp tone he favours nowadays...[/quote] I like his tone with that combination! Now if you want to talk about awful, let's discuss superclean Wal and Superwound [s]elastic bands[/s] strings!!

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1395702425' post='2405407'] The sour note was the two spray on t shirted, roided up, meathead Welshmen next to me - who threatened to 'do me' if I spilled the 4 pints each they had stacked on the floor in front of them, [/quote] Typical Rush fans. I bet they were only there because of the orchestra....

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1395673352' post='2404886'] Those stadium gigs are a real turn off, aren't they? [/quote] Well, I think they are... but I can't tell if you are trying to be ironic or sarcastic there!

I wonder if they need a support band for the UK leg (assuming there is going to be one...)?

That was news to me, so thanks! I love Rush. They are my favourite band by quite a long way. I have been seriously into them since 1979. But I didn't see them on the CA tour. A combination of logistical issues and the outrageous ticket prices This sounds interesting... but would be even more "fan oriented" if they played some smaller venues where the sound was actually worth listening to!

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1395517478' post='2403348'] I do 'Break Down' in one band and it is a joy to play. Just get in the groove and enjoy! [/quote] I love that track! We already do versions of "Running down a Dream" and "I won't back down", but I really want to get Breakdown into the set! Typical of the musical economy of the band. Petty stuff is perfect for cover bands - it is generally easy to play but sounds great. Most people know a lot more Petty material than they think they do too! The Classic Albums episode on Damn the Torpedoes is a great watch too... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U82BvObCdKM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U82BvObCdKM[/url]

Status basses (the original headless ones) were popular for a short time in the mid-to-late 1980s. Just around the time when I bought mine, in fact!