Chris2112

[quote name='sime17' post='1269208' date='Jun 14 2011, 08:58 PM']Was it p.o.d? or p.o.a? I'd never have heard of them if it wasn't for the endless warwick ads in mags like bass player full of other endorsees I'd never heard of.[/quote] That was it, they were crap. In any event, I started playing bass as a young lad at that time, and whilst I wasn't a nu metal fan [i]per se[/i] I was listening to a lot of metal, though I tended to gravitate towards death metal and thrash metal. Still, I was convinced that Warwick made the ultimate bass guitars and I was intent on owning one. I don't know what gave me that idea, as I knew very little about bass guitars when I first started being the first musician in my family. Still, if I were just playing metal a Warwick, a Spector and Modulus Quantum would about do it for me. I still think that if you only have one bass for metal, it has to be a Warwick thumb. Mind you, I've been there and done that and my Thumb was an amazing bass. Great up front in the mix of a fusion band or played along to my Big Country records!

[quote name='bottlebassman' post='1263000' date='Jun 9 2011, 05:58 PM']Lol! I really love DT, everything they have ever done. Especially with Jordan in the band. Gotta laugh at some of the above ^ comments about him. Everyone entitled to their opinion, but there is just no way you can criticise his talent, just no way! I have seen them live countless times and he is a truly amazing musician. [/quote] ] He is 'talented', in as much as he has a working knowledge of the piano and clearly knows his theory. But his actual 'voice' on the instrument is dire, and his ego controls his playing. I think this is something echoed by a lot of DT fans. They love Petrucci's pyrotechnics but they aren't willing to entertain Ruddess and his awful soloing. He really is a monster out of control in that band. They were much better with a keys player like Derek who added colour and showed restraint instead of endlessly trampling over everything the band was trying to create.

Dave Weckl, as distinctive and as great as ever!

EBMM always have been impossible crooked and difficult to deal with. It doesn't surprise me that they'd put out some rubbish and let their 'attack dog' forums and customer services defend them!

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1268915' date='Jun 14 2011, 05:30 PM']but as someone pointed out none of the major players in the numetal scene used warwick.[/quote] err...yes they did! Dirk Lance of Incubus, P-Nut of 311, Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit, Paul Gray of Slipknot etc etc. They had loads of exposure and not just the big names but loads of crap players from crap bands like Traa Daniels of...that band he used to play for. The name escapes me but they sucked.

The thing with those 'all graphite' instruments is they can be extremely harsh and bright. A little wood and graphite softens the sound ever so slightly and seems to give it a more characterful midrange.

Quite frankly this all just sounds very shoddy!

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1267897' date='Jun 13 2011, 09:10 PM']early 2000's numetal - they sold lots but screwed up their brand.... who knows what they're up to now- but i like my old warwick- but wouldn't dream of getting a new one[/quote] I think Warwick have always had a core customer and the nu metal fans who ended up buying them bolstered them. But they'd been doing very well for well over a decade at that point with their own niche fans. Warwick saw it as an opportunity to cash in and the advertising was swept up with nu metal stuff. Now that genre is long dead they seem to have returned to what they were before, trying to look like a specialist marque but they haven't managed it terribly well. I remember when you could walk into Sound Control in Manchester and see a wall filled with different Warwicks. I suppose its as much a sign of the times as anything else to note that Sound Control isn't there anymore! The ever spiralling prices haven't helped because I can remember years ago laughing at the price of a Thumb bolt on 4 string, the RRP was well in excess of £1000 and dealers couldn't talk down much on the price because Warwick changed them so much for the basses in the first place. The used prices have also collapsed, even a couple of years ago I got my Thumb for £590, and that was a 90's model with a slim wenge neck that looked brand new.

I haven't got it yet, I am expecting delivery on friday (I had to pay by cheque). When I get it I'll see what I can do about getting some video clips.

[quote name='stenobass' post='1267354' date='Jun 13 2011, 02:50 PM']Very nice Series II, congrats Chris![/quote] Stenobass, if I recall correctly you have the Series II with the lacewood top? If so, that comment is very much appreciated as that Series II is one of the best I've seen so I see my bass is attracting compliments from those in a position of knowledge and taste! I am listening to my Level 42 records in time for it arriving on friday and I think I will give it a good playing when it gets here. It hasn't been played since it last went to Status so it should be cleaned to perfection and set up excellently, as the last keeper has merely held the bass and not played it. All I have to do now is hide the Kubicki, because if my lass spots three basses on the landing she'll know I've bought another one!

[quote name='witterth' post='1265767' date='Jun 12 2011, 09:25 AM']What the hell is that? its been giving me nightmares!?!!?[/quote] It's a badly photoshopped picture, intended to look like Bin Laden.

Which one would be easier to replace. Alternatively I just sit things out for a couple of paycheques and then all is right with the world!

My ultimate Lee Ritenour track...super funky! Abe Laboriel here too, I believe. He is in the video of the live versions.

[quote name='Machines' post='1266308' date='Jun 12 2011, 04:57 PM'][url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/SMITH_bass_guitars.html"]http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_sp...ss_guitars.html[/url][/quote] They're good but I'd only buy one second hand. The new prices are outrageous.

[quote name='AndroWal' post='1265173' date='Jun 11 2011, 06:08 PM']Great Wal Growl! Seems you'll be keeping it....nothing else sounds like them![/quote] I have to say that didn't sound particularly Wal like, and I don't think it was the 'Argos catalogue advert" song choice either! The Thumb in the Incognito video sounded better, and I never thought I'd say that! But the Wal could have been anything, I just wasn't hearing that characteristic sound there.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1264848' date='Jun 11 2011, 12:48 PM']You know that line could be used to describe Rickenbacker too.[/quote] I don't know about that, I've always thought Rickenbackers were crap and Ken Smith instruments were excellent. I am now GAS'ing for a Smith bass, shame they're so hard to find on these shores!

The best tip for making an acoustic bass useable at gigs would probably be leaving it in it's case and getting out a good electric bass.

Yes, the Camera Eye does have that Ric sound to it, a little thinner sounding and breaks up a little more in the top end with less of a midrange punch. Still doesn't sound as good as the Wal!

[quote name='Conan' post='1264187' date='Jun 10 2011, 05:42 PM']I think he was using a Steinberger on Signals and maybe on P/G too? I personally have stopped caring which instrument he used and just started to enjoy his playing. Too much hearsay and guesswork! Actually, I'd never really noticed before just how much grit/grind/distortion he has used over the years. And the fact that even our practiced ears can't tell whether he is playing a Rick, J, P, Steinberger or Wal (well, actually the Wal is the easiest one to pick out) says a lot about the mantra of the tone being in the fingers![/quote] Signals was recorded on a Ric and a Jazz IIRC. The jazz was used on a couple of tracks like New World Man, the Ric was notable in other tunes like The Analogue Kid.

Why such a short time?

[quote name='bassbluestew' post='1262634' date='Jun 9 2011, 01:23 PM']From a purely business perspective I think he really needs to adress this issue with a degree of urgency otherwise his business will suffer which would be a very real shame.[/quote] Sadly, that is just not true. Ken's basses are so good and have no trouble selling, so despite him being a total tosser he has always sold basses. No real incentive to have a good website,his order books were filled well before the internet! I remember him being on Talkbass and being involved in frequent fallouts over upright basses, of which he claimed to be some authority. I was surprised Talkbass banned him as they tend to side with anyone who can offer them cash for advertising or other sly benefits. This is true with their arse kissing 'pro player' rules, in which criticising a pro player who uses the forum is not on, mainly because they don't want to upset anyone who might end up promoting the site.