Chris2112

[quote name='Sonic_Groove' post='1330234' date='Aug 6 2011, 07:25 PM']It's a wonder no one else has commented yet. But Jaco had a JayDee deal just before his demise. (He played a Supernatural & Jazz type copy). There is one of the jazz types in the JayDee porn thread somewhere. B[/quote] Thanks for posting the video (one of my favourites). If you look at my post above, you'll see I mentioned both the Series II and the Jaydee Jazz basses above. That Series II sounds great.

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='1330304' date='Aug 6 2011, 08:25 PM']Dave Gilmours guitar tech has said that no matter what guitar Dave plays, he still sounds like Dave. It`s all in the fingers. If I played Marcus M jazz I would still sound sh*t Jez[/quote] This sort of cliche gets bandied about all the time, though I am sure there is some truth in it, Stuart Hamm playing a Kubicki still sounds like Stuart Hamm. Stuart Hamm playing an Urge II still sounds like Stuart Hamm even though the bass tone is different. If you took a '59 P Bass and gave it to Mark King and asked him to slap Mr. Pink out on it, I'm sure he could but the tone is never going to be right.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1329557' date='Aug 6 2011, 07:50 AM']Got to agree. Stanley and Wotten are fantastic players but tone wasn't their forte. MM has always had pretty much the same sound, so much so that he redefined the Jazz/sadowksy model, prety much. Clark had his Almebic tone at a time when the amp chain probably didn't cope as well with it. Other Alembic at that time guys really struggled with this live as well, IMO. But Wotten is ALL technique..and sound/tone is the least impressive part of it all. IMO.[/quote] Who is this 'Wotten' you speak of?

[quote name='henry norton' post='1330098' date='Aug 6 2011, 05:39 PM']I feel somewhat vindicated by your own admission that the later S2s have less carbon fibre in them, presumably because Rob Green has realised he dosesn't need as much![/quote] I suspect it's just as much due to the price of the material and the shrinking profit margin, really. Or will you be telling him he is wasting his time making the Stealth basses and the graphite Kingbass and S2 models?

[quote name='henry norton' post='1330066' date='Aug 6 2011, 05:00 PM']Yeah I've often wondered that... At the risk of being flamed, it makes me think most luthiers making guitars out of composites don't really understand the materials they're working with.[/quote] I think you're clearly the one who doesn't understand the materials, you say as much at the start of your post. With a graphite body or neck you get light weight, high structural rigidity and strength and tonal benefits. Take a graphite neck. It's stable because it's so tough, it's light because they're usually hollow and it imparts a wonderful tone. In fact, I remember Rob Green of Status Graphite saying that he believed graphite colours the sound less than wood, so you're actually getting a 'purer' tone! I used to have a Status Stealth bass which was a monocoque design, essentially a one piece carbon fibre bass. It was very light and it sounded fantastic. Consider that carbon fibre costs a lot more for luthiers to work with than wood - they are not choosing it to be different, they are choosing it because they consider it superior in it's application to wood. Hence why Status don't make wooden necks anymore. Hence why Zon's wooden neck range are their budget basses. etc etc. I currently have a Status Series II, a 1980's model with a proper graphite 'cricket bat' through neck. It sounds amazing; so clear, powerful and even. Even the new Status S2 basses don't sound like that because there is less carbon fibre in them now. I'll have a fretless bass coming soon with a woven graphite neck and I can't bloody wait!

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1328219' date='Aug 5 2011, 08:06 AM']Hey, that's an extended range hair cut. BTW it's not jazz, its pffy funk. FFWD to 1:15. I challenge anyone to convince me that the bassist doesn't go 'PFF' at the end of the run.[/quote] He does, he blows the hair out of his face at the end of the run.

They are awesome basses. The TRB6II's are as good as handmade instrument, they really are works of art. The TRBJP6 has always been my favourite model of the range (particularly the first generation models). Shame they had a bolt on neck.

[quote name='SisterAbdullahX' post='1327866' date='Aug 4 2011, 10:00 PM']Marcus doesn't have high standards of tone, you say? It doesn't take much effort for you to get a better tone than him, you say?? Go and dig out "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen, have a listen to "Maxine" and "The Goodbye Look" and reconsider those statements. Then post something you played on that demonstrates how you get a better tone.[/quote] Don't get your knickers in a twist, pet. Just because I don't like his tone doesn't mean you can like it. Different vinegar strokes for different folks. You might like that 'jazz on steroids' sound, for me it does absolutely nothing. Give me a Wal, Alembic or Status tone any day thanks!

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1329670' date='Aug 6 2011, 10:29 AM'][/quote] Read it a couple of years ago, quite an enjoyable read too. As for Jaco using the jazz bass, I suppose it was just the done thing at the time. By the time boutique basses were really taking off the in the early 80's Jaco was massively on the downward spiral and focused less and less on music (though still capable of some amazing performances, as Joe Zawinul testified to when discussing Weather Report's self titled 1982 album). Just before Jaco died, when it looked like he was getting back on track he was starting to favour handmade boutique basses. He was playing a Jaydee Series II in his last days (and also ordered some jazz basses from Jaydee, though I believe he died before he got them). I believe, had he still been alive, he'd have gone the way of many players and would be playing top end gear, probably a Fodera or something else like that! As for Jeff Berlin, he's an amazing player who can wind people up at times. I just wish he would go back to fusion and leave his dull bass led jazz album phase behind.

In a similar vein, who played bass on this track? Absolutely fantastic playing, especially in those verses. Great song overall!

When I was 13 I decided I wanted to learn to play bass, probably because Paul Gray of Slipknot looked like the man playing bass on stage. Stuck with it ever since and it just feels natural to me now. I've thought of learning guitar a few times, but when bass feels so natural and right to me I don't feel like changing! I've always loved the role of the bassist; providing support, rhythm, harmony and melody all in one go.

I suppose we're sort of seeing the effects of this already! Look at Status Graphite for instance. I don't know if it's supply issues oor cost issues, but a lot of Status basses made recently have had what I would call some pretty naff pieces of wood on top. On the other hand, my 1980's Series II has one of the nicest pieces of birdseye maple on I've ever seen. I suppose it's just getting harder to get some pieces of wood or more expensive to get them. I remember hearing Phil Kubicki saying a few years ago that it was getting difficult to get ebony blanks of sufficient size and quality to make Ex Factor basses!

Bass as in the fish, not the instrument.

[quote name='Linus27' post='1326493' date='Aug 4 2011, 09:03 AM']Do you not think the Streamer is pretty? I think its one of the prettiest basses ever made and what drew me to it.[/quote] They look good, but somehow Spector found a way to make that shape look just a little bit more elegant and appealing.

[quote name='brick' post='1326525' date='Aug 4 2011, 09:36 AM']its a 3 peice band doing jazzy/funky covers of pop songs, bass player uses a TRB6 with the piezo pick up i think [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV10C5wrajA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV10C5wrajA[/url][/quote] You'd be better off just listening rather than watching the videos. As soon as you see the bassist's haircut you'll be wanting to punch him in the face because of his stupid haircut! Nice tone though.

Marcus Miller has played a jazz bass as his main bass for years...reason to suspect he doesn't have the highest standards of tone...confirmed when you listen to him! Victor Wooten on the other hand, with his brace of Fodera basses has always sounded amazing. Mind you, Marcus has played enough boutique basses over the years to know what he likes and what he doesn't like. That said, it doesn't take much effort to get a better tone than he has so I suppose it's a case of horses for courses.

You might as well try a few out and see if it suits you. I've had a couple of 5 strings over the years and some nice ones at that too. No matter what, I've never been able to get away from the fact they're 5 strings and that I just don't get on with them as well as a 4 string or 6 string bass. Take my Alembic Epic for example. Easily the best fretless bass I'd ever played, bought for £600. It sounded great and it played beautifully and was a joy to own. I was even making good use of the B string too, on tunes like [i]|Night Of The Iguana[/i] by Joni Mitchell. But as time wore on, I was coming to terms with the fact that it was a 5 string and I was left comfortable with it. Eventually I sold it and since then I've nearly bought a couple of 5 strings but I've reigned myself in, knowing that I won't enjoy it for whatever reason it is that makes me not enjoy 5 strings and I'm content to wait for 4 and 6 string basses to come along.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='1325221' date='Aug 3 2011, 08:57 AM']err... a jazz bass?[/quote] I should hope they'd sound better than some boggo spec jazz bass at £2000!

The top woods look decent but the headstock shape looks fairly naff to me. I wonder what they sound like.

The 'Overkill' theme tune for The Bill is awesome. Classic fusion-y stuff.

I went there a few days ago to try one of their Lakland basses. Over £1000 worth of bass, and whilst it was very dull they didn't even ask me if I wanted to buy it when I handed it back.

[quote name='Linus27' post='1324675' date='Aug 2 2011, 06:47 PM']Not me for sure but yes, you have a very good point, £2.5k for a new bass is a bit mad.[/quote] Well, it's not in the world of custom basses but it is for an 'off the rack' Warwick.

Of course you're not going to see great gear down the Dog and Bollock public house, where a P bass will do and your amp is resting on a beer crate. But then, the good gear has to turn up somewhere right? When I worked at a hotel we'd get lots of bands coming in for functions and weddings (my department). Some of these were content to just turn up and slog it out with a P bass or a Jazz bass but there were many bands who took a lot of pride in their performance and brought better gear with them. Of the few I can remember quickly; there was a bloke who played for a jazz ensemble who had two 5 string Overwaters. An Asian bloke who played for a covers band with a Yamaha TRB. The bassist for the Newcastle University Jazz band used to play a green Warwick Streamer Jazzman. Another bassist who played for a covers band used a Warwick Thumb and a Trace Elliot amp - his tone was great. Another covers band bassist played a Pentabuzz and a 5 string Spector (which ended up for sale at Guitar Guitar). He was a real gent and let me try his basses too, how cool! And then there was one very professional band (with their own stage, lighting rig and soundboard) whose bassist played a Fodera Emperor through a Glockenklang amp. It's out there! When I used to play live I would take my first Kubicki among other things!

[quote name='dc2009' post='1322943' date='Aug 1 2011, 12:05 PM']Wow, that is one hell of a bargain, congrats Linus. Great bass too! Give us pics when it arrives.[/quote] It makes me wonder - who the hell buys these things new?