Ancient Mariner

DR seems to go through patches of having fragile strings, though usually for guitar, every couple of years. They would also work-harden and fatigue around the machine heads, so that loosening a string would cause breakage at the fold point. Definitely worth complaining - I did this with stringbusters and got a free replacement pack.

Didn't GAFbass sell one of these last year?

Acoustic guitars don't sound too bad through bass amps & cabs, especially if they have a tweeter. However electric through a SS bass amp and cab is plain nasty - so much of electric guitar tone is shaped by the amp & cab that it is a very poor compromise. However if you have a decent valve head and a guitar cab with appropriate speakers then that can work well.

This mix of controlled improv is one of the things that I especially like about playing worship, whether bass or guitar. I find bands that are tightly rehearsed much less satisfying than playing with a bunch of guys who want to work together and have a basic chord structure and some words to follow. It all feels much more creative, and being open to the worship being a vehicle instead of a destination makes for enormous freedom and enjoyment. It also allows injection of things that make it fun - like doing a hymn reggae style or borrowing little quotes from well known songs and adding them into the backing.

[quote name='Earbrass' post='1252632' date='Jun 1 2011, 01:09 PM']You're right; that's pretty twisted. [/quote] At least you realised.

I started playing bass - the tuba! I'd really wanted to play French horn, but got the 2 mixed up when I was asked by the school which instrument I'd like to learn, and by the time I realised it was too late. Played in a Boys Brigade band from 11 until I was about 19. Around 16 I started playing guitar, and had a brief flirtation with bass before sticking with 6 strings. I picked up bass again around 18 months ago when I wasn't playing guitar much for various reasons, and now happily play both badly.

[quote name='tonybassplayer' post='1252320' date='Jun 1 2011, 07:12 AM']This takes me back a couple of years to when I put on the site a very innocent posting about my visit to the Abundant Life Centre in Bradford and how impressed I was with the band. I checked the day after assuming that it may have had a couple of comments.....how wrong could I have been [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30106"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30106[/url][/quote] Some people have axes to grind with Christians - sometimes with good reason (like those who have been hurt by others) and sometimes out of guilt or devilment. I read the first page, and there were many misconceptions about what it meant to be a Christian and why churches meet used to justify a hostile perspective. People with a worldview that says "let's get in the pastor's daughter's knickers while pretending it's cool to be in church" are not going to be able to understand the faith of others because their own personality is so twisted.

Are you talking about more or less gain? I've fiddled a bit, and like enough gain to get a little compression but so that it stays clean, rounded and punchy too. That's on a J-type with Geddy Lee pickups.

I've only ever once had a few drinks before a (guitar) gig. It was like playing the thing at arms length, and I can remember struggling to stay tight, all the while fighting the tone that I'd not been able to set up properly and a guitar that wouldn't respond like it should. Quite horrible.

[quote name='spongebob' post='1250378' date='May 30 2011, 03:14 PM']If your playing a pub/club with soggy carpet and flat beer, you can fiddle with the tone as much as you like, and it's still 'bass'! I think only bass players actually listen to what we do. Others probably just look at the headstock![/quote] Unless you're covering Another One Bites The Dust or Peaches then this is almost certainly true. There are plenty of records I can think of where, although the bass is playing an important part, the actual bass tone is relatively unimportant provided it fits with the music and the band. Yes, having a great bass tone can help make a record sound great, but most of the time a typical punter will not remember the subtle texturing your bass playing has provided. I remember reading an article about Dave Gilmour, and him being thanked by Roger Waters when Roger was given an aware for the bass parts Dave had actually recorded - I was a Floyd fan, but listening as a non-bass player, couldn't remember ever noticing a bass anywhere in their music. I'm sure this is a reason slapping is popular when people want to 'show how they can play' - it actually makes the bass noticeable to non-bass players So relax in the knowledge that the one you're actually serving with your careful tone sculpting is yourself, and just enjoy what you do for it's own sake.

Thanks guys. These are 'medium' gauge - sounds like they're behaving typically. I wonder if they're just a little dull for that bass.

I play in North Oxon. (in the old Upper Heyford airbase chapel) but I'm really a guitarist who pretends to play bass, rather than a bass player. Currently use a couple of cheap basses through a Laney 4X10 combo or a Hartke 3500 & Carlsbro 1X15, all bought through here.

How are you finding the less expensive flats (D'Addario & Roto) tension-wise? I popped some flats on my Ryder bass and found they had a [b]very[/b] high tension. They also lack sustain compared to the rounds I had previously: that's not often a problem, but sometimes it's just really nice to leave the note rumbling in the background instead of adding more percussion to the sound.

Sounded great - really punchy and growly - but weighs a ton since it appears to be made of solid maple. If anyone's interested I'll try to take some pics later.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1232095' date='May 15 2011, 03:28 PM']But,if you have chosen to study music and gained a degree from it,I think it's fair to say that there are some things you should be expected to know and/or do.If you can't,then I think there is something wrong.[/quote] It's not just music. I've interviewed graduates for biochemistry technician jobs over the years, and it's astonishing the number that don't know about the basic stuff. But as for teaching technique, often people need encouragement to press on when they find things difficult, and it's important that teachers find ways to compliment their students without entering unreality. Likewise it's not helpful to tell someone who has some competency (whether they gig or can run assays) that they know nothing and are incompetent. Never tell someone they suck, but do tell them if they're playing out of time or not grooving with the band.

I'm not sure why, but that minimal blob of a scratchplate is really growing on me.

I'm very impressed by the quality of Ou7shined's routing, but remembering how I was at school, I'm pretty sure my work wouldn't be like that. Good point about tool sharpness too. Most likely I'll use the dremel type then.

There's no reason either method won't work. However wood removal is irreversible, while wood compression could probably be steamed out, especially if fresh. I've done the spark plug socket technique on a couple of basses and been (continue to be) very pleased with the results. You do have to press surprisingly hard to create much of an effect.

I'm still thinking about adding a second (lipstick) PU to that Ryder. My inclination is to use a dremel/mini-craft type drill with a router bit on a flexible shaft and hand cut the PU slot. This worked well when I had to clean up someone else's messy routing in a strat, but I wondered if anyone had any better suggestions or technique tips. I'd like a 'real' router, but that's a GAS too far right now.

If that's not acceptable then I'd be interested in collection.

I've done a couple of bass necks - used a big spark plug socket pressed firmly against the edge of the fingerboard. Ran it up and down a few times, varying the angle each time and pressing quite hard. It turned a sharp-edged neck into a smooth & comfy one. Be aware you may have to smooth off fret ends. Also don't try this on a maple neck with lacquered fingerboard!