Chris2112

I'm really not sure which one to go for, saying as I've had a bit of both over the years! I had an Electric Blue Ashdown amp which I thought was good at the time but it didn't seem to hot when I got a Trace Elliot head and 4x10" cab. That amp is still in my cupboard, on hold pending sale because I bought an Ashdown MK500 Mark King combo. Thats also an incredible amp and has really raised my estimation of Ashdown - it is as good as any combo I have ever played. So in short, I can't really help! I've had good experiences with both!

I always thought the configuration on some Warrior basses was pretty good. A big MM style humbucker with a jazz bar at the bridge beneath it. As a Warrior owner once said to me "just think, when do you ever solo the neck pickup on a jazz bass?". Made perfect sense to me and I'm surprised more people don't use this configuration!

[quote name='Mark Latimour' post='965686' date='Sep 23 2010, 03:18 PM']We disagree with your general that Sadwosky basses are some kind of untouchable sacred cow that are imune from criticism. That assertion was, IMO, hyperbole.[/quote] And I think I at least agree with you on that one Mark! They are of course, open to criticism! Hence I shall wade in and be honest and truthful! They're overrated, under performing basses that are very middle of the road. They're not the best basses around, nor are they the worst. They are of course very popular, which if anything gives great insight on just how conservative bassists as a whole are, sticking with "old school" stuff like the jazz bass. Of course, they're a hit with session players, probably because session players are asked to constantly recreate a very small palette of overdone tones. I guess this is conservatism and stagnation at large in the American pop music world, which I'm sure we all agree has been in a state of relentless degradation for some time now. Quite frankly though, if you like playing what you play, then good. It keeps the great basses on the market for me !

Two Humbuckers does the trick for me. As long as there is something at the bridge to give the bass some cut and some honk then I'm happy!

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='965413' date='Sep 23 2010, 11:19 AM']Mine is for sale. nuff said. Bongo 5 HHP (Piezo option) It's mint, not a scratch to it as with all my basses, orginal MM case, pm me now.[/quote] Price? I quite like the Bongo. Having played a couple they've sounded great and played nicely. The looks are much better in person too; they look miles better strapped on! Probably my favourite bass in the Musicman range, although I do seriously question the use of basswood in the body, it seems like a bit of a cheapo option! I remember seeing Joe Satriani live being supported by some guy called Johnny A. Johnny's bassist played a white Bongo 5 HH and sounded absolutely dreadful, like he was behind a wall of pillows. The Dave LaRue came onstage with Joe playing a variety of Bongos which sounded consistently great! So the player has a lot to answer for!

[quote name='Musicman20' post='965594' date='Sep 23 2010, 01:51 PM']Im going to ring Soundslive in a bit. GuitarGuitar said they charge £5 for a used tatty box. No thanks.[/quote] That really is a poor show. However, I've known people to ring Sounds Live and ask for boxes and get a negative reply. Said caller, suspicious that the sales assistant didn't actually check the stock room crosses the road and goes to shop and gets a box! If you're going to cycle shops check Steel's Cycles in Gosforth or Edinburgh Cycles at the top of Shields Road, Byker, they're usually good for boxes!

[quote name='bubinga5' post='965750' date='Sep 23 2010, 04:06 PM']i guess im being a snob and its just fun after all? i just like what i like...[/quote] I couldn't say much about loudness that hasn't already been said, but dear me there were a lot of ellipses in that initial post...

I just any standard length string, even though the D string ends up with 36" scale a normal sized string fits into the bridge and is secured easily enough. I just avoid the ones with tapered ends and silk wrapped ends!

But what happened to the last thread?

[quote name='Faithless' post='965386' date='Sep 23 2010, 10:54 AM']I think that there are a lot[i] much-harder-to-get [/i]players than Jeff, actually..[/quote] Harder to "get" maybe, but not harder to copy!

Talkbass suffers badly from the "flavour of the month". I recall when Warwicks were all the rage there near the year 2000! The real problem there is that as soon as someone states that they don't like something or someone gets upset, posts are deleted and "infractions" are handed out. Pretty sad really but I guess they just can't get on like we do here! Even though we've got disagreements over basses the discussion continues to be meaningful and there is no heavy handed and unneccesary intervention.

I think there is also something to be said for Jeff's unique identity as a player. We've all seen the bad Jaco clones etc etc. Even those dedicated enough can become a sloppy Wooten Wannabe! But Michael Manring and Jeff Berlin are about the only two players I've seen who just seem impossible to copy. Michael is an easy case because of the technology he employs, we just couldn't copy him if we wanted to! But Jeff just sits there with a 4 string tuned EADG and a touch of chorus and does things that just seem untouchable! Even if you can get inside the phrases and patterns he creates with his hand, how do you even go about looking at his brain and the way he gets those crazy phrases working!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='964836' date='Sep 22 2010, 07:52 PM']What you on about they all sound the same? The Status ones sound way worse and a lot thinner than all his others! (Running away from the usual Status suspects!)[/quote] His Status collection should certainly be rescued by someone who can put it to good use (Eg, someone who will let the basses shine and be heard). Leave Chris Walthamstowe or whatever his name is with a P bass, it'll sound just the same through his rig!

Even still, it had some good discussion in it, particularly from Urb. If there is one thing I like about Jeff's music it is his tone. Always nicely chorused and played with such a delicate touch. I recall someone on TB talking about playing Jeff's bass and how they couldn't get a note out of it. They said it choked constantly because the action was so low and that Jeff plays with the most delicate touch. Watch his left and right hands next time you watch a Jeff Berlin video, he has the most superb control of what he's doing. I guess this set up and low action is what allows him to pull of those amazing legato phrases he has. I should also state that Jeff is a master of phrasing IMO, he comes at his lines like a horn player. Much like Jaco did, but to me Jaco was more like a stacatto trumpet and Jeff is a jazz saxophone!

I think sitting down with a metronome on a slow click and getting the basics nailed before trying to syncopate the left hand and right hand is really the place to start, as many have said. It makes me think of when Stuart Hamm said that some things are much harder to play slow than fast, and to demonstrate he played one of the tapping parts from "Country Music" slow and showed just how much more difficult that was! So in the end, excessive speed just covers up how sloppy you are and disguises your lack of timing and pace. You've got to go back to basics and build it up slowly. Learning things at a slow pace helps too; get to grips with the notes and the space between them and when you play it at full speed it will feel like second nature. I've done this with a lot of Level 42 tunes, for example. Mark can have so many ghost notes and clicks in his lines that you have to slow them right down and work out exactly where they are coming from and get the timing right. Especially if you've got a drummer going at it like Gary Husband!

At the end of the day, it's just a band. No point in getting yourself wound up or causing a load of grief over it. Just tell the other guys you're not happy with the singer and you're moving on. If you're friendly and mature about it you'll probably end up playing together again future.

[quote name='Toasted' post='965059' date='Sep 22 2010, 10:14 PM']This thread is hilarious. A bunch of people who don't own Sadowsky basses telling those who do and gig them regularly that they're poor sounding basses.[/quote] You make it sound as if those parties are at fault for voicing their opinions, even if they've played numerous Sadowsky basses and found them lacking! Basschat gold for all the right reasons, bucking the trend and being forward thinking as usual!

Yeah, what did happen to the last thread? I went looking for it a few days ago but couldn't find it!