drewm

For my birthday yesterday, the missus very kindly gave me a Digitech JamMan Stereo looper. It's great fun and I've been getting started with some simple patterns, percussive noises and chords. Are there any particularly good resources for learning how to make the best use of looping techniques, or even just inspiration?

The last band I played in, both the guitarists tuned down a tone to D. I've no idea why, but it seamed to please them. Maybe they wanted flappy strings or something. I switched to a 5 string to give me access to a low D and all was well. The most annoying thing was that they'd refer to all their chords as if they hadn't dropped the tuning. So they'd say "this one's in G" because they were playing a G shape chord, when really it was in F. As you may have gathered, the band didn't last long

I've just shimmed the neck on my Low Ryder, dropped the saddles and little and tightened the truss rod a smidge. It's playing nicely. Picking up my Streamer, the difference is marked, obviously. That said, the last time I played anything other than a Warwick was 1997, so I can't really tell you how it compares to a proper US Precision.

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1132227' date='Feb 18 2011, 01:58 PM']That's my favourite setting too, on both the Corvette and Fortress.[/quote] Same here for my Fortress and Streamer. However, that's listening solo. In my last band I found my tone slotted into the mix better if I rocked back towards the bridge - 3/4 bridge, 1/4 neck.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1131872' date='Feb 18 2011, 09:35 AM']I must admit i cant see why people are buying so many. I bet no one here will gig them that much. I can understand buying them as a project bass but even so, to what end? spend money and/or time on them and then what?[/quote] For me it's just a bit of a fun project (I've switched the scratch plate, added straplocks, and next plan to shim the neck) for stuff I wouldn't mess around with on my good basses. Because I'm incompetent. Also, my daughter (nearly 14) has shown a bit of an interest at times, and having a cheap bass in the house means there's something she can mess around on if she fancies. If it gets knocked and bashed a bit, no worries. Plus, charity shop. I don't actually like P basses that much - it feels like an enormous unwieldy plank of wood compared to my Streamer. But I guess that's just personal taste.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1130978' date='Feb 17 2011, 01:23 PM']For right handed players it makes sense actually. Cable from the guitar falls... on your right.[/quote] That does make sense in lab conditions, but in practise cables would have to be pretty short to make a difference. Most people have some slack cable sat on the floor, surely? Could it be as simple as one early manufacturer doing it that way without giving it much thought, and everyone else copying? If, in a hypothetical situation, the only pedals that existed today were Boss and you were building a new pedal to market, it'd make sense to copy their right-to-left path so that Boss' existing customers could use your pedals without ending up in a cabling mess. I only have one pedal, a Trace Elliot SMX dual band compressor. That runs left-to-right because it's AWESOME.

[quote name='xZNHYPERx' post='1129881' date='Feb 16 2011, 04:54 PM']I'm looking at buying a Trace Elliot 715 after just starting to playing again after over five years of not. Its £579.00 inc VAT, is there a better option for the price? I'd appreciate to pros and cons people.[/quote] I have a old pre-Gibson 715, and it's lovely. Albeit chunky (which you struggle to get away from for a 15" combo). It's a great format if you can cope with it. For my money, I'm not enamoured with the new TE stuff... all the charm has gone.

As far as I'm aware, the time-honored convention is for audio signal flow to be depicted as going left-to-right, top-to-bottom. An example would be a regular mixing desk, which has the channel inputs on the left (with each strip refining the signal top-to-bottom) and the master outputs bottom right. Similarly any regular bass amp has the input on the left, followed by gain, EQ etc and the outputs and output levels on the right. Send and Return jacks are left-to-right, never Return and Send. There are always subtle exceptions, but that's the general convention. (right?) So why oh why oh why do so many effects pedals (like the entire Boss range) have their input on the right and output on the left? Unless you then get crazy with cabling to correct it, the signal through your pedalboard has to flow right to left. Backwards. It drives me loopy. I may be a little OCD. But - is there a reason for this? My first thought was ergonomics. The lead comes out the right hand side of your guitar, so it can go to the right hand end of your pedalboard without crossing in front of your feet. But that doesn't stack up, as the output then has to cross your feet to get to the input on your amp behind you. Any ideas?

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1128193' date='Feb 15 2011, 12:06 PM']Plus, if you go as far as the Steinberger, you have a bass the size of a cricket bat, which would be so much easier to cart about.[/quote] I had a Hohner B2A when I was at school (12+ years ago). School was a 15 minute walk from home, and as I played bass in one band, orchestra, choir or whatever almost every day of the week the B2A was great for carrying back and forth. Else I would've needed a lift every day, and that simply wasn't an option.

Advantages: no danger of swinging round and clouting someone/something with the headstock More seriously, the Steinberger tuning system that most seem to have is good. The strings are fixed at the nut and you tune at the bridge. There's no coil of string, and I found that this made the tuning exceptionally stable. Not to mention that changing a string takes about 10 seconds.

[quote name='danny-79' post='1124596' date='Feb 12 2011, 03:59 AM']Just been looking through ebay an came across these pick guards, don't no what there like but available in lots of different colors, an at £12 a pop ??? who knows, could be fun Heres the link. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Precision-Bass-scratch-plate-pick-guard-/140386030429?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20afa8d35d"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Precision-Bass-s...=item20afa8d35d[/url][/quote] That's the seller I got my tort pick guard from... needed some cutting down around the neck, but otherwise fine.

[quote name='zzaass' post='1123216' date='Feb 10 2011, 09:10 PM']Has anybody strung it through the body. If so what strings did you use ?[/quote] Nope. I used Elites Players and the balls were too big. (That's what she said.)

Or use Tipp-ex! (Ok, don't use Tipp-ex.)

I think I'm done with my Low Ryder for now. Got some screws off eBay, new Elites on, and she's sounding good. Crappy phone photo - must do some proper ones at some point. [attachment=71805:photo__1_.jpg]

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='1120636' date='Feb 8 2011, 08:58 PM']Where did you get your scratchplate form? Is that a mexican style plate?[/quote] The plate came from [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140386030429"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140386030429[/url] The neck part took quite a bit of working, and the fit isn't perfect, but it's ok. Will check ebay for the screws - don't know why I didn't think of there first!

My Low Ryder is coming together. Fitted the tortoise shell plate (inexpertly, but that's the point of messing with a cheap bass!) and added some Warwick straplocks. Currently seasick steved with one string while I debug an electrical buzz. I think it's earthing, as the buzz stops as soon as I touch the strings or bridge. Also: need some more screws for the plate. Looked in Homebase but they had nothing that matched. Any suggestions?

I've got a new set of Elites, a torti scratch plate, strap locks and some adhesive copper tape ready to go... and no time at all to spend on it this weekend Hopefully on Monday!

[quote name='Rasta' post='1111322' date='Feb 1 2011, 05:34 PM']Am thinking of getting a tort plate if anyone can recommend one that fits?[/quote] I've got one here from ebay... will let you know how it goes.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1111075' date='Feb 1 2011, 02:49 PM']edit: got the reply. The answer is no. They are just wanting to get rid off those guitars hence the sale. Tempted to buy anotehr in any colour with maple neck just to swap... if they're any good.[/quote] It's a shame the line obviously hasn't worked out for them and they're just selling them off to clear stock. Hopefully our rush on the basses will help SR balance the books. You have to applaud their trying something new - beats selling dusty second hand books and clothes.

[quote name='mcnach' post='1111032' date='Feb 1 2011, 02:17 PM']Well, the white one I ordered is not available with maple board, they tell me, so rosewood it'll be.[/quote] Mine's white and the rosewood board looks good!

[quote name='sjohns' post='1110763' date='Feb 1 2011, 10:55 AM']Who are they shipping these with, out of interest?[/quote] Mine just arrived via Parcel Farce. Came with a case, strap, lead and two allen keys. Really impressed - it's very playable out of the box. The last P-bass I played was an Encore plank that kicked around our school music room 15 years ago. I'd forgotten how BIG they are. This is a really nice bass for 59 notes. Also just received a tortoise shell scratch plate from ebay, so some light modding is in my future.

We need to start a gear porn thread for pimped out Sue Ryder basses... or, dare I coin the phrase Low Ryders?

For my money, second-hand prices are only relevant to buying. Warwicks are keepers