BenTunnicliffe

For a change I'm not commenting with a video of myself playing but thought I'd just chime in how great it is that everyone's able to be posting completely different videos from a range of venues, entirely different genres, different gear, playing levels and most importantly a rich variety of facial hair and that we in the bass world seem to have nothing but good feedback to give each other. Well done us and nice one to all the recent videos there's some really cracking stuff here lately.

Sounds like there is a lot of arguments for just having what you're comfortable with and we seem to all agree that the playability and inspiration that comes from the slick hand-built designs is second to none, which i agree with. As someone mentioned on here it does seem that, however 'dull', 'boring' or 'retro' we think the Fender design is it is still somewhat expected and needs to be a part of a session player's arsenal. Someone said as well that you COULD get a luthier to build up a carbon copy, but extended range version of an old Fender..... I hope I get to hear that happen someday! GAS.

New video up again a bit sooner than I normally plan to. The Weeknd - The Zone's sub line off the Thursday album. http://youtu.be/5soK0rGIlHU Feedback always really appreciated. B

New video with another live bass take on an electronic track again. The Weeknd - The Zone. http://youtu.be/5soK0rGIlHU

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1376242102' post='2171217'] Excellent tone and playing, love the tune as well. [/quote] Thanks mate really appreciated, it goes a long way! I enjoy the challenge of trying to get sub sounds and lines to sit well in a mix, it's much harder than I thought before I ever tried it. Cheers!

Hi guys! http://youtu.be/2nezoStxugk New video of me playing the sub line from Dpat's tune off the Blurry EP using my Overwater Perception 5 through a Moogerfooger Low Pass straight into my Avalon U5. It's been great getting the odd look-in with feedback from different people as these videos have been coming along and it really does go a long way I promise you. Feedback appreciated as always! B

[media]http://youtu.be/2nezoStxugk[/media] New video this week playing with the line from Dpat - Touch off the Blurry EP. Overwater at it again but through the Moog MF101 Low Pass filter to get that hefty sub thing going on. Feedback always appreciated!

All good points and strangely ones I agree with! (i was expecting a lot of animosity with 'it ain't broke...' popping up). I must admit that the looks of a bass has become more important to me recently when I started researching branding and all that side of things. A musical director I worked with backed up your point, Peteb who said that when he sees people arrive to work in his band and they pull out a 4 string he instantly predicts they're not incredibly versatile and that if a 6 string comes out that they're going to overplay.... His words not mine! On that note then surely aesthetically suped-up old designs are a perfect balance for us because people can see and hear something relatable but we have the benefit of an enhanced design and flexibility etc? Janek Gwizdala said that he has forced himself to take his old P bass to any pop auditions rather than his Fodera because producers want to see whatever guitars were flavour of the month in MTV videos that particular month.... With all these arguments FOR the custom J + Ps I definitely still think that in what I see top flight session guys and gals using and in general at shows there does still seem to be far more people playing either straight ahead relic Fenders and boutique, super modern custom designs (Like my Overwater perception) and much less people going out there with the kind of classic-bass-updated designs we're talking about.

Aright everyone how we doing? I was wondering in general what people's thoughts are on how it has been available (though not cheap at all) for a long time to be able to buy boutique/custom/luthier made versions of what are by now very well established designs that came from the Fender train of thought. I do all of my playing on professional gigs on my Overwater Perception 5 which is decidedly modern sounding in lots of ways (active pickups, 3 band EQ, body shape, 24 frets etc) and although it is astoundingly flexible there is always a call for session players to have to pull out Precision's and Jazz bases because their sound is so ingrained in what so many people expect a bass to sound like for particular jobs. I've talked to Chris May from Overwater about putting together a 5 string Precision for me with no particularly complex preamp design or anything but just a modern take on that classic sound but with a playability and range that I've trained myself to be able to use fluently; by now. There's a lot of people on here who are advocates for sticking to the classic designs that have been around for so long by now (Rick's, Ps, Js, the Stringrays, Gibson's etc) and also a lot of people who preach the 'it's the 21st century let's get with the times and do away with looking back and move forward' kind of mentality. Just food for thought on what people think of these basses (beyond them often looking absolutely astounding!) mainly on the basis that the investment in getting that extra 5th string and an upgraded preamp and playability might be a case of flogging a dead horse purely on the undeniable fact that it isn't as simple as these basses sounding like a carbon copy of a vintage Fender but just with extended range. Interested to see what people think!

Thanks mate that's really good of you. There's a lot about that tune that I really liked so it didn't feel like any kind of work putting it all together. B