ARGH

To be honest good quality,driven and committed musicians are hard to find full stop. I know a fair few of the above,but they usually have some total b1tch or B@rstard of a partner that just DEMANDS they never leave the house.... "Why are you going out with them,when you SHOULD be with me..." Im not making the above up.

Thankyou for everything so far! Im trying to fill gaps,and praying my technique and taste are good enough for this band,They are educated..VERY competant,signed,and have big backing companywise. Ive even started exercising in the attempt to be physically fit for this. Ive found breaking down the timing helps so far into 2s and 3s..like 1-2-3-1-2 (as in 5/4) or 1-2-3-1-2-3-1 (for 7/4)....phonetic..or vocalizing it is the best as said by Mikey and Dan. Im hoping my staminas enough as well (2-3 1hr sets playing multiple styles of music vs 40mins-ish to an hour of just one..) will help. Just waiting for the audition cd now.

2 fretted 4s 1 fretless 4 2 fretless 5s 1 ERB later this month 1 Upright.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='58907' date='Sep 11 2007, 07:23 PM']Did not watch the Diana gig so can't comment but yes, even though I hate to say it, you need a 5 if you are wanting to pick up a lot of session work, recording or gigging, and Kylie's backing band, Spice Girls etc all use a 5. A four is only any use for second rate bands like Pink Floyd. But most of the guys playing bass in bands are still using 4 strings, and apart from Dave Swift who uses an SR5 most of the bands on Later, whatever music they play, use the humble 4 stringer - even the bloke in the White Stripes.[/quote] Considering Roger found playing on records a chore,and they have only played one gig in 20+ years.........if you think the great Floyd are 2nd rate... Cant help following where the moneys at.....Most of,if not all,the backing bands Bassists on 'Later...' are using 5s,6s. (I wouldnt actually mind playing for Kylie,or the Spice Girls.....Heard that the pays good,I bet my morgage would be paid off by the end of the year )

Back on topic. White stripes are a lo-fi band that write a catchy tune.

The 5+ and the standard....? Didnt the last half of the Diana gig have a backingshowstyle band with a bassist that played nothing other than a 5? When I watch Jools Holland and see an 'old' (forgive me..please I use it in the the descriptive term) artist (usually soul or reggae) Im seeing 5s and 6s backing them (usually Warwicks,Im sure Wilfer and co are creating a factory of guys and girls in suits playing 6 string thumbs) .The BBC3 Soul nation had a similer set of musicians,with a quantity (not totally sure of majority) using a 5+ stringed instrument Versitility surely...surely is our instruments means of survival. The 5 isnt limited to genres (ok in metal it does help to have that low because I see and hear 5s and 6s in fusion and Jazz and to reiterate Reggae,soul,funk,R and B (yes that modern 'urban' stuff too) Even C&W. This next line will come across as really snotty,no doubt,you will be inflamed and eager to burn me WITH SHARP WORDS!!!!!...please stop..remain calm...and reread what Ive typed again. The 5 (or more) seems to be the professionals choice,alot of the classic,recording/session, guys from the 60s/70s...4 stringers...aint gonna be here in 20 years time,because they will be passed on to the next world,and the guys who are taking their seats on the bandstand are taking 5s with them....taking 6s with them,I swear I caught a 7 on TV the other day. So dosent it make sense. It seems to me (ive just grabbed a 4 month old edition of Bassplayer magazine beside me) that if you stay in a strict genres boundary,doing one thing then yes the 4 is all you want and need ,set it up,downtune it (Justin Chancellor's on the cover..I think Tool are C sharp) or punk or a retroesqueband (Kings of Leon) its fine.But Ive Alain Caron (Fretless 6) and Richard Bona (Fretted 5) and Nathan East (Fretted 5) Adam Nitti (Fretted 5) and Claypool (kitchen sink) staring back at me too,legit session,or master musicians in touring/chops circles. (I also have Ron Carter here on the page too,one of the finest Bassists regardles of instrument on planet earth.) But if you have to do everything stylewise onstage or cover more...erm....bases...(sorry) i.e. Weddings,parties,everything,Sessions,recordings,jams,sit ins,gigs...please add more,to do it all,a 5 seems to...no..IS the logical choice,and thats increasingly so as time and music marches on. Surely,Im not the only one thinking this Tide & Broom comes to mind. (see Rich I put the sea thing in there......xxx) Please dont take a single line from this and twist it,read it as a full piece,and please answer as such. (Oldgit,Dood...I know you guys dont want to rock boats,but you have fivers and in Doods case more.....but hey what do you think,Im trying for a discussion here) Im not Dreaming John,Im just seeing it as it really is,some of us want to do this for a living,not just an on/off weekend.

[quote name='dood' post='58647' date='Sep 11 2007, 11:47 AM']I think that pretty much sums it up IMO![/quote] +2 Agreed

He tried flogging it on ebay The man is a sad joke,nice idea,but we can see the flaws in design,scale,construction,and material choice.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='57971' date='Sep 10 2007, 12:20 AM']aye like the double bass was made completely obsolete by Leo's electric bass? You never see a double bass anywhere these days. :S So you go down to the low B on a 5 string, then where? due to the physics of vibrating strings it gets impractical to go much lower, at that point a good synth bassline is way easier.[/quote] Totally different instruments linked only by their tunings,....I was talking about the 4 string Electric as we have it now,20+frets E-G...... And DoubleBass is on the 'endangered instrument' list at music Uni's (along with most of the Brass section). Due to better string making technology to go lower than B is easy (290+ is available),and in select musical genres is a needed thing. Bass wont die..It will just get BIGGER!

Ok,Ive the potential for a BIG audition,and I really wanna train up for this,I really need to get my oddtime playing right 7/4,10/8 etc...its quite a proggie band. I need help here,no access to any decent drummers to jam with,or other musicians competant to help me,so Im turning to you guys and girls.

Curveball. The Bass guitar as a '4' string instrument WILL be obsolete in 40-60 years. Diversification is the means for our instruments survival,Im not saying 'MULTISTRING ERB NOW!!' but alot more music or paid work is needing a low B (even lower in some cases) and to be honest if I feel they can cope,I recommend to young players,depending on their favourite style ATM,"Get a 5...trust me get used to it....your gonna need it". The 4s sonic limits are obvious,as are its faults,Great music is still being created on them,great players still use them AND great instruments are still being made by great makers,but to deny the progress and demands upon it in the last 10 years,and the eventual death of retroism (for every 7 theres a Hofner Beatle right now) and the need for cleaner,clearer signals and tone....or dirt and distortion in my case. The Bass guitar will IMHO not 'die' in my eyes,but in its present guise.......its end is visible.

Yeah thats a sign to move on.... If you feel the need to fiddle,somethings up.....or you are bored,I know Im getting bored or unchallenged when I start to bring a fretless to gigs. Buy a 6 string (or more) Its a challenge you will enjoy,and by the sounds of it...need.

Claims Worked with Roy Hudd (not music but hey...) Mate Paul is the Harrisons manager The Bassist from Curve has watched me at a birthday gig in the heart of the South Downs (His kids said I was cooler and better than Dad,coz I enjoyed myself more) Met the long suffering Pauline Prescott in Hull (Nice lady,warm smile)

NEVER PLAYED GUITAR NEVER WANTED A GUITAR NEVER FELT LOVE FOR GUITAR Bassist from getgo.......with the 9 THEIR RANGE IS MINE TO CONQUER!!!!

I think it looks nice! Singlecuts have a vibe of 'standoutness' in a world awash with Fenderesque doublecuts.

I have 3,I really like them. 2 are converted from fretted.

Just have fun. I sound like it will be!

What is the 'right' price?

I would take into account all the above and contact Jim Fleeting. Everything is,within reason and possible, done onsite,WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED....If it has strings Jim can make it,the only thing that limits you is your imagination,Even pickups are made to order,with custom coverings in woods of your choice,Jim is also quite quick regarding build times,though be warned christmas is coming up!!!.....and hes predominantly LOWER on cost than most UK based 'Custom' builders. Body shape no problem,neither is/are the woods by what I see,or the electronics.....nor the hardware or fret number. And he didnt recieve ANY damage after the floods and is a bloody good egg to talk too! Just phoned him for a quote,given what I see via the pictures.....pm me for it! [url="http://www.guitarrepairman.co.uk/"]http://www.guitarrepairman.co.uk/[/url] 07792457741 You cant ever regret contacting this man.....Why follow the herd,hes a walking woodworking god!

Mick Karns used them,might still do. I would love to try one,but Ive never found a dealer or shop with one.

[quote name='Cantdosleepy' post='51664' date='Aug 28 2007, 11:49 AM']Peter Hook and Mani are teaching at Berklee!? BIG LAFFS HERE.[/quote] Chris Leckie did state that Mani was the best White bassist he had ever worked with.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='51365' date='Aug 27 2007, 06:04 PM']That has got to be the most frustrating luthier web site ever! Stupid over-use of Flash with the designer just showing off the latest pointless effect they've mastered. I'm sure there are some really nice basses there but I couldn't be bothered to sit through the s l o w transitions from one screen to the next to get to them. I f someone can give me a URL for an HTML version of the site I'll have another look. (I couldn't see one)[/quote] Have patience...quality takes time!

Iturra's are Brazillian If I recall,It may have been me that put the link down months ago.....Somebody was selling a 6 string on Ebay and I just had a peek and liked what I saw. Jims making a Piccalo 6 as well,with various bits and pieces of woods hes got around the shop. They make VERY nice 7 strings,very futurelike in the body design as do [url="http://www.aries-basses.com"]http://www.aries-basses.com[/url] check out the Elmwood Senses VS

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='51298' date='Aug 27 2007, 02:48 PM']Not being funny - but the lass has studied bass at a world renowned music college so she jolly well should be good. When I were a lad, you could only have lessons in "proper" instruments at school and I can remember the fuss when I did the practical for my Music CSE on a banjo [/quote] Man,GCSE on Electric Bass in 1994 was a novelty,so much so that the county education board had to be doublechecked to see if it was acceptable as a primary instrument,the biggest stigma was that it was being marked by orchestral standards (Bass....as a solo instrument?....did I hear correctly?) Now children are encouraged to play electric instruments and grade on them as well,which as a reverse does mean there is a massive drought of DoubleBassist's and Brass players. I actually checked out the price for study at Berklee in the mid 90s,and without a shadow of doubt there are 2 ways of getting in 1,Be good...ASTOUNDINGLY good...as in 'really no questions asked' Scholarship. 2,Be loaded moneywise..... The roll of honour at Berklee,as the teaching staff,is...putting it mildly,the best on the planet re:Electric Bass that I feel you are going to get right now. I recall Rich Appleman was head of The Electric Bass dept for years. Most UK based study places are VERY money orientated,quik-fix,ready for fame places that really dont have 'Art' at the center of their core study programme,I know commercial playing is where the money is,but its got cookie-cutter,with alot of kids who can play and can speak like pros,but just dont have the exp or the nous to really do 'it' onstage. There are exceptions,there always is/are and will be. But 3 years of solid week in/out gigging taught me more than a few years of study. But then the 'study' gave me the right sound/attitude to get the gigs in the 1st place! Given thought to the way Scholarships are given out...If somebody IS THAT GOOD,why should they get the scholarship? They'll sail through anyway,with a free meal ticket? And what quantifiably are they going to gain...If they are that advanced in thier playing/reading etc....then isnt that a waste? When It could go to somebody that needs the monetary support?!

Its a chick,its playing Bass THERE,thats a sexist comment....now you have a foundation to moan about it! Bottom line:- She can play,looks cute,has a Berklee pedigree,has tasteful note choice,high quality gear endorsed or otherwise,and has the support of veterans of the music scene,and has been given a few killer gigs,out of her talent or favour regardless of how cynical you or I may be. move on.