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40hz

⭐Supporting Member⭐
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Posts posted by 40hz

  1. Just bought Steve's Ibanez EHB1000s.

     

    Item as described and a great price too!

     

    As I was in a rush to get a backup bass for a weekender with multiple gigs scheduled, he offered to meet me some of the distance to help me out with time saving - doesn't get nicer than that really!

     

    Deal with confidence.

     

    Cheers Steve!

    • Thanks 1
  2. For me, there are players I don't like, but it doesn't invalidate them at all. Lots of different bass players speak to different people in different ways.

     

    Saying that, for what it's worth, and to contradict myself immediately, I just don't get 'Julia Plays Groove' amongst others. Playing someone else's songs (well), but that's it. I've seen hundreds of bass players on YouTube do the *exact* same thing, often better, but don't receive this weird fawning (I suspect I know the reason). 

    • Like 4
  3. They aren't taking orders at the moment (haven't for about a year now, in an effort to bring down the wait time, which will just go straight back up as soon as they open up again). 

     

    Price-wise, the base MK2 was over £7000 at the time they closed orders.

  4. Not to sound like I'm criticizing anyone's personal choices of venues, or where their bands play, but this is precisely why I stopped doing pub gigs. Functions/weddings still have twits, but IME, you don't really get that menacing 'anything could happen' vibe with them.

    • Like 1
  5. 2 hours ago, AndyTravis said:


    yup. I’ve been walking around feeling like shite with a properly sore throat all day 🫤 - grim.

    Ahhh man, hope you get better soon!

     

    The worst thing about it is, the SAME thing happened last year at the Guitar show, and to amplify that even further it was my birthday today! So, I've spent two years in a row, lying in bed with the lurgy, on my Birthday! The things we do for Bass, huh?! :D

    • Like 1
  6. I was there working one of the stands opposite Yamaha/Ampeg, a really good event on the whole, although I've picked up Guitar Show lurgy. Bass Highlights of the weekend were without question @Manton CustomsParadigm bass with the twin Nordstrands. Don't think I've ever heard such a burpy, funky machine! An excellent thing at a really fair price. Then, the Reverend Triad Bass that was tucked away on their stand, which I fell in love with. So many tonal options, all of which were useful, surprisingly!

     

    On a plus note, despite being opposite Ampeg, I didn't hear any of the usual s*ite, obnoxious, attention seeking noodle slap until right at the death on the Sunday! 

     

    • Thanks 1
  7. 1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

     

    Interesting what is supposed to be the classic Wal sound. Kev's Wal is hardly a typical model and Mick Karn did most of his best known work using a Travis Bean.

    Power Windows by Rush. To me, Geddy gets the purest approximation of a Wal sound on record.

    • Like 3
  8. Hello all!

     

    I've had a fair few Warwicks over the years, but never an older (pre 00's) 5 String. The bridge on my 95 Streamer Bolt-On has narrower channels on the anchor points, but especially the B, which is proving very problematic, meaning I can't just slap any old strings on it. 

     

    Stopping short of filing it, or 'crimping' existing strings, does anyone know of have experience of what brands (aside from Warwick themselves) have tapered B's or would fit? It's weirdly proving quite difficult to find this info on bass shops, online.

     

    Thanks in advance!

  9. 5 hours ago, Belka said:

    I think this is mostly true. It's a bit sad that the ridiculous prices and closed order book/4 year wait means that there are no (at least that I can think of) young/up and coming players playing Wals. I mean you can see younger players out there playing USA Spectors, Foderas, MTDs, Alembics, Ken Smiths, etc., professionally, but most of the new Wals I see (admittedly on Instagram so not necessarily truly representative, but it is a good indication of younger players' trends at least) seem to be going to weekend warriors of a certain age (over 50 is quite accurate) who have waited the 4/5 years (nothing against weekend warriors of certain age of course - they keep the custom builders in business). 

     

    In the UK, Overwater seem to have the pro market pretty well sewn up, but go back a few years and there were plenty of players using Wals at the West End, on BBC sessions etc. (Rob Burns is one that springs to mind). Even Laurence Cottle seems to be using his GB more than his Wals these days (too valuable to play out perhaps?).

     

    This just all reinforces the stereotypes that Wals are collectors' items, antiquated etc., as you're not seeing them out there used for new music.

     

    Of course it's none of my business and Paul can do what he wants with his company, but he has really missed a trick in not finding a good quality manufacturer in Japan, South Korea or the Czech Republic (think Spector, Sadowsky, etc.) who can take up some of the manufacturing slack while still turning out a really high quality product which would get into players' hands and keep the brand alive, while keeping the UK operation as a smaller custom shop. 

    This is exactly how I feel about Wal. I was 'this' close to pulling the trigger on a MK1 order a couple of years ago, when they were under 5k. Now you can't order them, the wait time would be 4 years anyway and the prices are utterly astronomical.

     

    I know Wal can do what they like and they have their market, yadda yadda, but I can't deny it's infuriating to have a British bass design icon slowly move further and further out of reach of all but the most wealthy. 

     

    I also know they have zero 'need' to, but I'd love for them to license the design and produce a model built somewhere else for half the price, ala Spector and the Czech Euros.

     

    As it stands they have a (generally speaking) specific market of over 50's and Tool fans. When they're all gone, or the market falls on it's arse for them, who's interested in buying them next? 

    • Like 1
  10. 11 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

    I paid more than that for an Indonesian Ibanez Blue Floral Jem Steve Vai guitar about 5 years ago.

     

    It was an exceptionally good instrument.

    As I said, I have no issue whatsoever with where a Bass is made - CNC is CNC at the end of the day. It's more that they move production to these places due to the cheap labour, but continue to charge eye-watering amounts for the instrument (look at the SBMM Dark Ray). SBMM are by no means the only guilty ones here though.

    • Like 1
  11. You know what. I kinda like this in a weird way. Nice to see SBMM do some weird(ish) stuff. The short scale Ray in Fiesta Red they revealed at NAMM is absolutely glorious, and on my wish list for the next few months.

     

    Problems for me though are twofold;

     

    The price.

     

    A shade under £1100 for an alarmingly basic instrument that's made in Indonesia (no issue with country of origin, but we know labour costs will not be commensurate with the price).

     

    The naming convention SBMM use.

     

    Does anyone within the Sterling by Musicman company stop to think about how bad it's become? The Sterling By Musicman Sterling Bass. The ego involved in this is comical. 

  12. The community and behaviour on Basschat is top of the tree compared to anything else. People are 99.9% of the time helpful and friendly, whatever the discussion.

     

    I've only ever had a bad run in with a couple of people (one of which is now banned) who were the type that get weirdly aggressive off the bat to innocuous comments, but other than that, a totally flawless time on this fine site. In 13/14 years, that's actually quite astounding, and a testament to the mods too. 

     

    Particular shout out to the way people approach newbie questions here - on the 'other' site people, again, get weirdly aggressive over questions that may have been asked before. I detest the 'do a search' mentality - conversation is the lifeblood of forums and we on Basschat have the right attitude to newcomers and oldies alike.

     

    Good work all!

    • Like 9
  13. 8 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

    Mmm. SLO’s, but no HS configuration?

    That Brûlée finish looks 🤢. Talking of which; white pick-up covers on the Candyman also 🤢.

    In fact, the only one that looks remotely interesting (to me) is the BFR Moonbeam, but it’s not available as a 4 string.

    I dread to think what the RRP’s will be.

     

    The Brulee is probably my favourite finish of those (apart from Kiwi Green) 🤣🤣

     

    Good to see Ernie Ball are allowing customisation now, I suspect the extra cost for doing so to be astronomical.

    • Like 1
  14. I think the bass/guitar industry is seeing something the car industry is seeing. Once selling a classic, well known bass or car at a reasonable price, but, in the past few years prices have gone wildly out of control with little effort or will to counter this. In swoop the Far Eastern brands to take over the market.

     

    You're seeing it now with European and American manufacturers having their market share eaten away at an alarming rate, as they were too happy to rest on their laurels.

     

    Granted, the Bass industry is slightly different in that many manufacturers have their toe in budget lines. Which leads me onto my belief that it's not too far away until the budget lines are then repurposed/rebadged into the 'real thing'.

     

    Imo, YMMV, etc.

    • Like 2
  15. I love Mick Karn, reason being, he's the only bassist who I cannot fathom how he plays the way he does. He's like an Alien being with his phrasing and 'melodies' - try as I might, he's probably the only bass player I can't even muster up a facsimile of in terms of tone or playing. A true, true visionary and one of a kind.

    • Like 6
  16. Regardless of whether you do or don't like Joe Dart or his music, the bass is a hard 'no' from me. I kinda dig that he's got a vibe he goes for and is true to it (I'll always respect people for that) but for me, that bass is far too basic/simple to justify that price tag (Yes, I know Fender sell Custom Shop P-Basses for more, but I wouldn't spend 2k+ on a P-Bass either!)

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