Chris2112

I've long followed Jeff Berlin's advice of turning your volume up, and playing with a light touch. It is absolutely the way I like to play. I suffer less fatigue in my hands, I have more control over dynamic and I my playing is smoother, faster and more consistent. I do sometimes dig in for the odd note or phrase to really add a flourish but my playing was really improved immeasurably by playing lighter.

Where has the video gone?

I have heard of Carl being a bit of a law unto himself. Being charitable, one night say he is perhaps prone to being taken by some muse. Being honest, his working practices sometimes sound downright careless. This bass would be a fine example, a once-in-a-lifetime build for an adoring fan delivered without the frets as specified. I've read of other people who've specified certain things to Carl only to have him go another way on the build and when challenged, he replies that he knows best and the buyer had best just take his word that the instrument should be accepted as is. I don't mind his instruments but this one doesn't look as nice as the original rainbow bass. I wonder why it's for sale.

I had always wanted one of the Steve Bailey fretless models but there was never one around when I had cash to burn. I was never that fond of the sound he got from his but that was probably due to his constant overuse of harmonics.

I've always preferred his fretless playing to his fretted playing. He's a very talented fretless player but the bombast of his slapping is seen as his party trick.

Marcus Miller is such a humble master. Always seems like such a top guy in his interviews.

Sustain is one of those things that comes up time and time again in bass guitar discussion. I've never known a bass that couldn't sustain a note longer than I'd ever reasonably want to play it for. I've known some cheaper instruments have a particular decay of certain harmonics that made it sound 'weak' or as if the fundamental fades quickly, but they have been few and far between.

I use DR DDT .40's. I would never have thought to try them out as they're primarily meant for detuning, (drop down tuning, hence the name, for anyone that doesn't know). I tried them after seeing that Jeff Berlin used them and I've always liked a lighter gauge string. They're absolutely excellent, great tone and a very good feel and response. I don't detune them at all. They're worth the cash. Price isn't everything. Elites are cheap, as strings go, but they're really good. I've tried some expensive strings that were awful - Steve Harris Roto flats come to mind. flipping horrible strings!

I don't know how anyone can listen to Lana Del Ray, she sounds as though she's about to fall asleep at the microphone. Just awful.

Those Linndrum sounds aren't great but it looks like a beautifully crafted product.

Favourite: I adore the sound of the harpsichord. Least favourite: the Hammond organ. It makes everything sound dreadful. That awful warbling sound evokes bad church music and baseball announcers.

I've never been much a fan of his music though I enjoyed the 'Love Devotion Surrender' record he did with John McLaughlin. I thought it might have been a door into more complex music for him but he didn't really have the harmonic chops to really fly there.

I've never been much a fan of his music though I enjoyed the 'Love Devotion Surrender' record he did with John McLaughlin. I thought it might have been a door into more complex music for him but he didn't really have the harmonic chops to really fly there.

People say that Facebook groups will be the death of forums. Not without substantial work and refinement they won't, the format doesn't lend itself to conversation and the tone of the discourse is usually pitiable.

Important ones for me: Jeff Berlin - Pump It! Jeff Berlin - Taking Notes Bruford - Gradually Going Tornado UZEB - Noisy Nights Rush - Hold Your Fire Joni Mitchell - Shadows and Light Victor Wooten - a show of hands Stuart Hamm - Show Me What You Can Do

It reminds me of when Metallica were entered into the rock hall of fame (or wherever) and had to watch a load of dire covers of their material. Avril Lavigne covering 'fuel' just abhorrent. Lars Ulrich seemed desperate to convince himself he was into it but it really was awful.

This was mine, many moons ago. I bought it from Greeneking, who was IIRC, funding another ACG at the time. It's a hugely impressive instrument and as finely crafted as any boutique bass I've ever played. My one regret is that I should have played it out more. In fact, I should have spent less time faffing on with the controls and more time just playing! I will have another ACG some day, and I may well order new to my specification.

'Champion' by Jeff Berlin is a good shout. It's an amazing record. 'Pump it!' is arguably even better. Two of my absolute favourites.

Sting should be forced to listen to rubbish like this for eternity, for all the awful tunes he has inflicted on us.

I've had my Markbass Jeff Berlin since March or April this year. I absolutely love it. If you had told me ten years ago that there would be a 15" combo that sounded this rich and musical I would have laughed until I had died. But the proof really is in the pudding. For my tastes, the amp must sound great first, and any other consideration is secondary. The JB has a tremendous tone, but it's also loud and light, two big plus points.