iconic

[b]Strings Scale 34" (864 mm)
BodyType Alder
Pick Up System Spilit Single Coil x 2, Ceramic Bar Single Coil x 1
MaterialNeck Maple
Finger Board Rosewood
Bridge Vintage Style
FunctionsOverall Controls Other Control Pickup Balancer, Master Volume, Balancer, 3-Band EQ [/b][i][/i]

Been looking on and off for a BB-614, it's the BB 4 string but with active picks ups, 3 off them...god knows why I don't need another bass but seen one for sale at a good price and in the colour I want too, obviously very important

any thoughts on them very welcome

better in black, but I'd still give it a home

I never knew that Yamaha made a headless bass BX-1, what a looker, any headless bass floats my boat looks wise, but there must be some reason why they never seem to catch on, which makes it even more bizzare that the those old proper Steinberger's make such big money?

Seems these BX-1's were deleted after maybe 2/3 years....such a cool looking bass to my shallow, easily impressed eyes






...and I like that pink Yamaha bass from the same 1985 catalog too

Update:

It turns out my friend bass is a Fender Squier Jazz of some sort, or 'Square' as he always calls it..we are out tonight for an indian, I hope his reading is better there, he may get an unwanted surprise!

...not knowing much is this simply a budget Fender Jazz?

also found this on pick-ups:

[i]Pickups consist of a magnet around which a copper wire is coiled. When the vibrations of a bass string disturb the magnetic field of the magnet, small voltage fluctuations in the copper coil are produced. These fluctuations are then transmitted to the bass amp, amplified and translated into sound.

There are two prominent pickup designs based on the number of coils used in a pickup’s construction – single-coil and double-coil.

Single-Coil Pickups
Single-coil pickups have one coil wrapped around the pickup’s magnet. Single-coil pickups are often bright and clear sounding. A drawback is they can pickup external noise and give off a humming sound. Radio waves, computer monitors, and florescent lighting can all cause this humming/buzzing. If two single-coil pickups are used (as on a Fender Jazz bass) and the pickup volumes are set equally, the noise will get cancelled out. If you just use one of the pickups, you may pickup some noise.

Double-Coil - Humbuckers
Just as two single-coil pickups can be put together to cancel hum, a double-coil pickup can be created to cancel the hum within one pickup. These pickups are often called humbuckers or humbucking pickups for their hum-reducing qualities.

Humbuckers tend to roll off some of the tonal highs when they cancel the hum and they usually have more output than single-coils.

Split-Coil Pickups
Split-coil pickups are basically double coil pickups split apart. This is what you see on Fender Precision basses. Instead of one double-coil underneath all 4 strings, the pickups are split in two — each under one pair of strings.

Piezo Pickups
Piezo pickups are less common on electric basses, but you may run into them. A piezo pickup senses the actual vibration of the string through contact with the string at the bridge contact point. These are often found in acoustic bass guitars. Since piezos don’t rely on magnets it is possible to use non-metal strings such as nylon strings. Piezos, without the right kind of pre-amp, can sound brittle and thin.

Optical Pickups
The newest kind of pickup available is the optical pickup. Optical pickups use light to sense the vibrations of the strings instead of magnets. These are still very uncommon, but may catch on.

Other Pickup Terminology:
Soapbar pickups refers to the shape of the pickup housing. They look like bars of black soap. Often found on 5- and 6-string bass guitars.
An MM-style pickup refers to pickups created by and used on MusicMan basses.[/i][b][/b]

cheers guys

I'll have to get that book for christmas, he is also one of the reasons I love bass, the noises that guy can get out of bass amazes me...

[b]ohh, and he can play and dance....sideways[/b][i][/i]


see 4:30 onwards from Oil on Canvas ,Live - The Hammersmith Odeon - 1983

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYPntP1sIAc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYPntP1sIAc[/url]

[quote name='Hot Tub' post='690915' date='Dec 21 2009, 07:24 PM']Been doing Neil Young's [i]Heart Of Gold[/i] - gawd it's a lovely song! Also Metallica's [i]Nothing Else Matters[/i] - dead easy and very satisfying.

Is it just me, or is it "normal" to really love playing something which involves no effort or challenge whatsoever?

What does it for you?

[/quote]


Die Krupps did such a great cover of Nothing Else Matters...with some real deeeep bass

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIsdOH_ualg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIsdOH_ualg[/url]

I reckon bass playing must be the best value of any past time and for some it's a living, my lawnmower cost more than my bass but to be honest, every other toy I own bleeds me dry of my folding.....

...strangely my only [b]keeper[/b][i][/i] car is a Corvette Stingray both of which are also basses

[quote name='Shockwave' post='690269' date='Dec 20 2009, 11:22 PM']Mate, you dont even want to know about the interesting queries i have had about my Ampeg, and it still aint sold!

Seems to me, the more a bargain something seems to be, the more picky and arsey and tirekicking the potential buyers become.[/quote]

tis true

[b]the better the value, the bigger the messor[/b][i][/i]

Great thread, and it's clear to everyone you know your stuff, aand you like what you do, it's what pays for the roof over your head afterall!!!

.....I'm fairly sure anyone who works with the [b]public at large [/b][i][/i]could transpose their own occupation here. I sell s/h cars and never sell crap, I couldn't be asked with the phone calls, I'm far too soft and even a little problem keeps me up at night worrying and thinking.

.....but......I sometimes wonder how some of the people that turn up to view my cars manage to dress themselves in the morning..........even now after 10 years of my own business, and 20 years in automotive R&D before that, I'm still amazed sometimes at how brazen,know alls, ignorant, rude, know the cost of everything but the value of nothing, or simply IQ challanged, some people are, now it doesn't get me down, I just laugh it off, and dig my bass out

And I'm sure you have had [b]the messor guy [/b][i][/i]at your shop, suck 2 hours out your life, kick the fretboards around of 4 basses, bid you a ridiculous offer on the 1st one you recommended as there is "one down the road cheaper", walk away only to come back a week later with a problem guitar they bought down the road, then it's quite amusing

[quote name='Sean' post='689611' date='Dec 20 2009, 11:21 AM']There's some good TAB and notation here if anyone's interested. It's from BC's own Simon Merrick.[/quote]


where?

[quote name='JPS' post='689575' date='Dec 20 2009, 10:41 AM']I think some players also play a 3rd and a 7th (flattened) on the D and G strings (or a 7th and a 3rd) especially when using an open E or A string. For example an open E string with the D at the 12th fret on the D string and the G# on the 13th fret on the G string. Might also slide into the two higher notes from a fret below as well i.e. 11th and 12th fret into 12th and 13th fret.[/quote]


I must be doing this combo wrong..... open E string with D sting + D sounds like a very 'sudden and worried' tone on my bass....if that makes the slightest sense

..........where would you drop you this into a riff?

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='689517' date='Dec 20 2009, 08:58 AM']BTW, where did you read that quote? Mark Adams is one of my favourite players.[/quote]


follow this thread...it's got some amazing name dropping in here

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198273&page=2"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...8273&page=2[/url]

Been reading up on some of the old school funk players and came across this, forgive me if it's obvious:-


[b]Getting back to Slave, I dug Mark Adams style of using effects, slides and double stops!! Snapshot had one of the simplest basslines but when he threw in that doublestop, I was like 'Oh s**t, no he didn't just do that'!! That's the true meaning of funk! Not so much how skilled you are in the slapping dept. or regular playing but in where you lay down those inflections! You either got the funk or you don't!
__________________[/b][i][/i]

Is a [b]doublestop[/b], simply playing two strings at the same time at the end of a bar...hence the [i]double stop [/i]maybe playing a C and an octave higher C?

again, many thanks for the help guys

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='689189' date='Dec 19 2009, 04:39 PM']It's a tricky song that involves a bit of ghosting - i.e. playing dead notes. Start by practicing slowly and build up. There's a neat bit of software called the Amazing Slow Downer which'll help. Google will find it for you.[/quote]


many thanks for the tip...that would be a real handy bit of software for Level 42 43!

[quote name='Higgie' post='689185' date='Dec 19 2009, 04:36 PM']Play the C on the E string with your index finger, then use your little finger for the for the D#, 3rd finger for the high D, index finger for the C and little finger for the A#.

That's how I play it anyway [/quote]


well with an avatar like that I'm sure you play a lot of Jamiraquai ....I have been just been trying this combo...


the low C on the E then D# on the G, and D on the G string, then D string for C and A#, which seems to work OK.....also tried starting the low C on the A string but it's a fast shift needed to go up the neck!


thanks for the advice, I will try your combo now

If ya bored try this Aurra track by [b]Mark Adams[/b]....I'm pretty sure it's Mark Adams not Buddy Henderson or Steve Washington himself, although things changed a lot with Slave/Aurra and I see that one comment has the bassline down to Washington, but I will opt for Mark Adams?

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl4WcPqtVG4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl4WcPqtVG4[/url]


Edit:- ohh, hang on found the LP credits.....it has Steve Washington mentioned but no Mark Adams!

In that case Andy Rourke of Smiths....say Bigmouth Strikes again, maybe not known too well for the bassline, but great fun to play!

I'm a rookie and have run up against a bit of a wall with this song, I can not nail it!

G|-----8-7--5----------------------------------------8---------------------|x8
D|------------8-------------------------3----------------------------------
A|-----------------------3-------------------------6-----------------------
E|-8---------------0-3-4---4-4--3-----1------------------------------------|

I having real problems playing this clean, it's the verse start that's giving me agro', just how to play the combination of the low C to high d#, then the quick run down of high d, high c, high a#....

Obviously there are lot of combinations of strings and fingers, and I'm a beginner to bass, had a look on you tube and there are few combo's too...it's my fingers they just seem all thumbs!

examples:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5S725UQLdE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5S725UQLdE[/url] nice Sting Ray 4, mine makes a deeper sound though being '79

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYcDbqI22_g"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYcDbqI22_g[/url]

Any tips real welcome, I love this song and want to play it [i]reasonably[/i]

ohh, the bass influence thing....

Mark King...well I loved Level 42 until running the family!
John Taylor....wow I never really never knew just how talented this guy is!
Bernard Edwards...makes everything he plays seem so effortless!
Buddy "Hanks" Hankerson...when I can play that Aurra track Nasty Disposition, I will have arrived!
Mark Antone Adams

So playing since March and my bass favorites after a glass of vino I play very badly:

[b]Le Freak, Good times, He's the greatest dancer, We are family, I want your love

Girls on film night version, New Religion, Some like it hot

Canned heat, Foolsophy, Cosmic girl,

We got the funk, Make that move, Just a touch of love

no L 42 yet![/b][i][/i]

that's it I can post freely now

Appologies gentlemen, I suppose the correct form should be to introduce myself, then start posting!

OK, why bass: I have always loved the bass sound and most of favorite songs always have a great bass sound, grew up loving Level 42 and saw them in Gillingham Kent in the days when Love Games was 1st released, and then a2nd time down at Margate when True colours had just been released...come to think of it I also saw Rose Royce there as well and that bass player was the nuts too

I tried the piano when I was only 8 years old, my first teacher was a complete ass, and I used to hate going, then I had an old dear who was an proper alcoholic...so after 2 year I gave up, my ma wasn't too pleased as I sure she thought I would be next Liberace...... but I think bass always fasinated me from very early on, but only when played as the lead or as real strong upfront sound, no [b]da dum, da dum [/b]stuff

Then what finally pushed me into getting a bass was quite perverse....

1/ I used to be really into my motorbikes and MX but sold up after my best friend died, whilst racing on the road in 2001.

2/ I have a car sales and my original mechanic let me down too many times, I get a new mechanic via a friend in 2005 who is into bikes and I get back into enduro trail bikes.

3/ My new mechanics friends have enduro bikes, are a great bunch of guys and we ride together and become muckers.

4/ And low and behold a chance comment by one of the the guys I ride with, is that he wants a new guitar "why" I ask "do you play" ...well he has his own studio and they all bar the mechanic play or are learning to play instruments.....lead, bass, sax and an acoustic, well bugger me I never knew that

5/ Buy a bass early this year and can't put it down.

But, I really am tone deaf (and colour blind too!) and have real trouble with notes being higher and lower, will never be able to sight read music, am ever thankful for tabs, but I'm getting my ear 'tuned in' ohh, I can't sing to save my life, have the first start of arthritis so everything is a struggle for me, but I simply love my music and can't belive that I can play a tune of sorts on a bass...it's so very satisfying

so there you are, short storey, long.

+1...bought a Yamaha acoustic for our eldest, cheapest around, and IN STOCK and got a few freebies thrown in and, also bought my Ernie Ball flatwounds from them too, which were also cheapest, and IN STOCK....I emphasize the [b]in stock [/b]as I had trouble with both items from other suppliers advertising stuff that was really a case, of I order first then they will order from their supplier and then send to you adding days to the order.

Oh, dear, so I know even less about bass guitars than I thought I did, so just how many bass variations are there then and what is the difference in tone, or is this just big a question to ask?

This is what I think I understand:-

J bass has a brighter, thinner sound
P bass has a duller, fatter sound
Double Buck...has a fatter richer sound going to a brighter but not so bright as a jazz with pup mix right over to bridge pup.

Just to let you guys know I did google before I posted and couldn't realy find anything that made me feel confident as to know what was what, please enlighten me

And thanks for your patience guys on what must seem a real rookie question.

wow, thanks for the prompt and knowledgable replies guys.....and I thought there was only P or J to choose from...maybe there should be a another definition, but can't think of a short name for [b]side-by-side dual-coil humbuckers[/b][i][/i]

SBSDCH's is a bit of a mouthful!

A bit of background:



[b]Description of the Yamaha RBX374
What ever your style, what ever your stage, the Yamaha RBX374 has the versatility and looks to fit what you’re doing.

Unique, progressive looks and effortless playability make the RBX series Yamaha's best selling basses and the RBX374 features high-end spec including the heavily contoured 3D RBX body, black pro-spec hardware, twin humbucking pickups and active 2-band EQ that makes sure the looks, sound and feel all add up to a serious bass experience.

Features of the Yamaha RBX374
Custom Pickups
Twin humbucking pickups feature oversized pole pieces to produce a thicker low-end tone with increased bass response. The pickup covers feature built-in finger rests that are discrete and convenient.

RBX Bridge
The heavy diecast bridge transmits string vibration directly to the body for enhanced sustain. Easy adjustability makes the perfect setup easy to achieve.

RBX Body
The deeply contoured bodylines incredible comfort, easy access to high frets and stunning looks.

Active Electronics
The 4-control active EQ system features Master Volume, Pickup Balance, and a 2-band equalizer for massive tonal variation.

Controls
1: Pickup Balancer 2: Master Volume 3: Bass 4: Treble

Specifications of the Yamaha RBX374
■Construction: Bolt-on
■Scale Length: 34" (864mm)
■Fingerboard: Rosewood
■Radius: 10" (250mm)
■Frets: 24
■Body: Alder
■Neck: Maple(Bolt on)
■Bridge: Diecast
■Pickups: Newly designed Hum-Cancelled Pickup X 2
■Controls: Master Volume 1, Pan-Pot and 2-Band EQ
■Colors: Black, Flat Silver, Red Metallic[/b][i][/i]



I'm still very knew to bass, only started in April this year...bought myself a Yamaha RBX-374 as they rarely get a slating, mostly praise for what you get for you money and I seem to always be impressed by anything Yamaha, be it my hi-fi, my enduro bike , ohh, and I had piano lessons on a Yamaha when I was 8 years old so thought, may as well go for a yamaha bass too, if for no other sound technical reason!

I know I like this bass, does everything I want for first bass and it's certainly way better than me! I sell cars for a living and sold a car to a guy, whom, whilst I was doing the paperwork picked up the RBX and asked if he could have a go, "of course" I said, telling him I thought it was broken as I couldn't a decent sound from it and wow, simply amazing.....that guy could play, turns out he is a session musician.....so I know the bass is far far better than my talents!

Anyway, to the point....my friend who is also learning bass...... he plays a Fender jazz, don't know anymore about it bar that he paid £150 for it s/h and it's passive. He had a go on my RBX and he liked it straight off so much he wants to buy one now, I asked why and he likes the slim neck, light feel and the EQ's and simply found it easy to play...may just mean a RBX is simply easier to play than a Fender for us 2 beginners, I don't know I'm just thinking out loud?

[color="#0000FF"]The question he asked the other day was, is the RBX-374 a jazz or a precision bass, um I don't know.....I think that having two pick-ups with adjustment for varying the sound from each pick-up & bass treble control sort of makes it both...I'm really not too sure, can anyone help?[/color]

[quote name='phil.i.stein' post='686685' date='Dec 16 2009, 07:11 PM']oh yeah, forgot to ask, what size speaker do you have ? i would presume that larger cones will produce lower octaves more efficiently (depending on quality, of course..) but i may have opened a can of worms as i am not sure about that theory at all, maybe someone else could clarify..[/quote]


My Orange Crush has only a 8" but it's more the action of the BOSS tht is letting me down, if my PC speakers can sound OK on these low tones I'm sure the amp could handle it...I think!?!

Your description of the 'delay' is better than mine, I tried playing Jamiroquai 'canned heat' using the BOSS and it just can't keep up and the sound is simply aweful