Bassnut62

I've had a few others too and the big old tin EHX ones are nice, especially Q Tron and BassBalls.
The BB is a very different animal though, being a twin filter it is unusual and can sound a bit thin if you're not careful; but I have found some great bass sounds with the dial at about 10pm and the fuzz engaged.
Someone mentioned volume spookes on the Q Tron; but I think there are trim pots inside that enable you to control those for the strength of input from your instrument and possibly for the strength or stinkiness of the output signal too.

+1 for the Groove Regulator v.1 - I love it on bass, and putting fuzz and/or octave in the fx loop is loads of fun. I am now playing guitar and the GR1 still kicks arse.
It is never ever far from my board and often on it. I bought it when it first came out and it is probably my longest staying pedal now.
A friend has an original Lovetone Meatball too and te GR1 compares very favourably to it.

[quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1414430847' post='2589206']


Korg Pitchblack Poly sorts this out.
It gets my vote.....
£47 off Amazon when I picked one up
[/quote]

Aha, didn't know about those!

That doc he did about the Sound City board by Neave was great too.

I also love the LP by The Headhunters called Survival of The Fittest. There are two tracks on there that are SO tough...God Make Me Funky and If You've Got It, You'll Get It.

Yes, Thrust is good and Sunlight, and Mr Hands too; but my faves are obscure Japanese vinyl, tho they may be available on CD or as mp3s these days.
They are Flood (incredible live album with best version of Chameleon) and the other is an LP called Direct Step, which has one whole side that is just the best ever version of I Thought It Was You....that's how to use a vocoder!

Paul Jackson of The Headhunters - my bass hero!
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1i1RJeUw70[/media]

+ another for the TC Electronics Ploytune
I used a Korg Pitch Black for years and it is still great; but the TC Polytune is better IMO.
It is just as acurate as the Korg for tuning individual strings; but if you want to quickly check tuning of whole guitar, it does all six (or 4) at same time, so you can quickly zero in on which string/s are out.
Also the Micro Polytune is half size of Korg, so saves valuable real estate on board. It looks sexier too, especially the arctic white one.

Yes.

Not sure how to change price up top; but here's a bump with a reduced price for a little of what you fancy for the weekend, sir....new price is £45

some more feedback on how this G&L plays and sounds....this is from Andy, rather than myself, as I won't get my hands on the guitar for another fortnight....

[i][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]....plugged in she sounds exactly as an S500 should, which is awesome. I don't hear any of the supposed "Darker" sound, but it's definitely not a vintage sounding instrument like the legacy / strat, though with a little tweaking those sounds are there. What always impresses me most about S500's is their option to have just the neck and bridge or all 3 pups together. Some really nice rhythm sounds available there, from Tele type jangle to full sounding beef! Also, if you roll the bass off on the PTB system you even start getting an almost acoustic vibe. I'm not saying its an exact acoustic sound (that would be scientifically impossible) but it's pretty damn good considering there's not a piezo in sight.[/size][/font][/color][/i]

I found myself in a dilemma about which neck options to choose on this guitar, between old school [size=4]7.25" [/size][size=3]board [/size][size=3]radius [/size][size=4]with vintage frets or the standard 12" radius with medium jumbo frets; this was especially as I play more funk rhythm guitar than searing solos. In the end I chose standard 12" with medium jumbos, as that's what Leo chose for it and I am not trying to recreat a vintage Strat. Here's what Andy says about the neck option I chose.....[/size]

[i][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]Something really weird has happened to me concerning the neck profile. I think as I've played quite a few #1 necks (i.e. 12" radius) over the last year or so, I've gotten quite used to them (this is coming from a relatively small handed person), so it's not an issue for me anymore.[/size][/font][/color][/i][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]
[i]I think that vintage frets would have been wrong on this radius / neck. Medium jumbos are just right (for this particular combo) - you may have a little bit of readjustment to make, but I reckon you'll be in the groove in no time at all.[/i][/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]
[i]As for funky chops and rhythm picking - well, I'm not really a funk player so hard to say, but I see no reason why not.[/i][/size][/font][/color]

Hi all

I have just ordered a USA G&L S500 (Strat) from an English dealer for just £795 (inc customs and shipping).
The guitar is totally built to my requirements and choices and takes 8-12 weeks to arrive.

Check out the story under my post 'Ordered a G&L' in Guitars section of this very forum.

The dealer can get USA G&L basses too.

If you order by end of Nov you get a 5% discount too.

This is an opportunity nobody should miss, if you want a top end American Fender that is way better than Fender ever was for the price of a second-hand USA Fender.

OK...first pics....


and another pic from the warehouse...this guitar looks different under different lighting....

Also, Andy says yes, he can order basses too

Andy (the dealer) has now had a chance to test my S500 unplugged.....this is what he said:

[color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]I know I'm biased, and that I love S500's in particular, but wow, what an axe![/size][/font][/color]
[color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]I've not done any photos yet, but I have sat down and had a play and I swear I've never played a guitar with such amazing resonance as it has. If I didnt know better I'd almost swear it was semi hollow. You can feel it singing against your body. To top it all off, the rosewood board is beautifully dark, but still has flecks of lighter wood in it. It contrasts with the white so nicely.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]And I've not even plugged her in yet!![/size][/font][/color]
[color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]I really question why anyone would buy a Fender? These G&L's are sublime. The difference is like driving home in a brand new Mercedes (not that I'd actually know what that's like....) against buying a battered old banger and chugging that home.....[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]Lucky boy [/size][/font][/color]

As it happens I have owned a couple of nice old high spec E-class Merc coupes (bought at bottom of their value depreciation) and I can totally relate to what Andy says above about the sublime difference of sheer quality....especially as I now drive a 12year old Korean box with battle scars!

He's hoping to get some pics to me later and test plugged in too at first opporunity, so I'll feedback more then.

....not sure I will be able to wait until 7 or 8 nov to collect it......

[quote name='Bassnut62' timestamp='1410964648' post='2555128']
Apparently G&L have a 15% sale on in USA until November too and this dealer is passing on full discount. If anyone wants to know where, just drop me a PM.
[/quote]

Oops, it's 5% discount, not 15% and runs til end of Nov, so you might want to get your orders in soon.

Also delivery is usually 8 weeks from order, but safer to say 12 weeks and get nicely surprised. The dealer in US who is the UK dealer's partner has a special arrangement with G&L that takes his orders straight to top of list!

The S500 has cleared customs and is now with Andy (dealer) in St Albans.
I am going to collect it on 7 or 8 Nov, when I am going that way anyway.
Andy is going to send me pics and try it out later to make sure A is OK.
Will report back tomorrow.

throwoff - I am sure he would get you a bass too; but make sure you do it soon to get 15% discount that G&L are running to end of Nov.

Played The Approach In Nottingham last night, the place was rammed and we had them dancing from the off. Seems playing Disco and more recent dance classics goes down well every time!

The night was rounded off with a fight between four women in their forties, leaving one of them out cold. Unbelievable. Do people really never learn to grow up?

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1413376169' post='2577641']
My personal observation is the average directors wage at most charities is around £800 a day 7 days a week.
They never run out of money to pay the board members salaries, so they are not very hard up and my meagre contribution of buying my own fuel and putting in a nights graft wont make much difference and if it does, take a few quid out of the bar takings, the never mention the bar takings do they.
[/quote]

Speaking as someone who has worked for various charities over the last 20 years, including eight of them as specialist financial and accounting consultant to other charities.....I can tell that you do not know what you are talking about at all and your attitude would offend many honest, talented, considerate, hard-working Directors of charities. The average salary of most senior managers of charities is £28-38k pa. There are exceptions at large national charities; but even they top out at about £125k pa when responsible for 3,000 or more staff. Also, if you did know what you were talking about, you would know that under law board members of charities cannot get paid (with the odd very rare and justifiable exception).

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1413364406' post='2577441']
I started a thread a few Weeks ago about this very topic, I've declared to both of my bands and various jam night friends that my services are no longer available for charity gigs, the last one was for guide dogs for the blind, played for two hours, our lights,pa, dragged my double bass out too, didn't even get thanked by the guide dog trainers who attended it only the organiser, never again for me.
[/quote]

I have work for charities and have worked with the Guide Dogs. They have a reputation as having far too much money that they don't know what to do with; so that is particular sad to hear that they treat musicians in this way

just gearing up for the weekend and thought I haven't listened to this for a while

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE9__9pzr4Q[/media]

great album Rhythm of Life too, with plenty of other corking tracks

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1413541068' post='2579258']
I can't see how it can be your fault if some 'drunken whopper' knocks over your speakers. But personal responsibility seems to be a thing of the past these days so I guess insurance is increasingly necessary. Not that my band has any. Nor do we PAT test anything. Last of the rock n roll rebels us
[/quote]

what if the drunken whopper is in your band?!

cool us ph#7k

[quote name='Bassnut62' timestamp='1413203117' post='2575759']
first view of new USA G&L S500 here

[url="https://www.flickr.com/photos/70338297@N03/sets/72157648504721465/"]https://www.flickr.c...57648504721465/[/url]

This is the actual guitar made for me, in a warehouse in USA prior to shipping to UK. Light is not good so it looks different colour.
It is actually plain white with mint guard. It still looks sweet in these pics though...
[/quote]

I will post better pics when I get it that show colours more accurately....

Bumparoo for the guitars amongst us

Just got PL for my function band today.
Google AMPband for best deal.... £79 for membership and £10m PL for one year.
It's not compulsory, but is advisable and will reassure corporate clients and venues alike.
PAT testing all the bands gear is a good idea too. Get a bloke down to a rehearsal to do it and make sure band bring all their equipment; this should cost less than £100