Prime_BASS

[quote name='basshead56' post='849285' date='May 27 2010, 11:41 AM']It is sort of strange. Most of the people I deal with over here are either people just looking for a change or, like the guy I bought my Oly White 78 P from- Don´t really know what they have. He was selling it as an 87 and was convinced he was right. Go it for a song, even though I told him once I´d met up to have a look at it. But the fact that it was the week before Christmas and I had travelled to the other side of the country (for a gig) obviously influenced his decision. The Trace Elliot/Boogie 400+ one was very weird. Had gotten this huge monster of a thing that I couldn´t bring to gigs and scared the sh*t out of the guitarists with, next to my old Fender 400 Pro rig. So decided to advertise it for sale in a nationwide ads paper. No luck shifting it for months and I had given up and then this guy from the other end of the country rings and said he needed a big bass amp for a studio he had built. He said he didn´t have any money but could offer me a few trades. I said sure and he left hs house within the hour. 5hours later he arrives (round 12 at night) with a van load of bass stuff. He had a pearl Vorg ric copy but the neck was wonky, a Gibson Sg bass (old) and a 400+-did a straight swap for that, despite the obvious difference in cost-value is a different matter! Didn´t get on with the 400+ at all, so shifted it rather quickly, for a tidy sum indeed-got an Ampeg and a few other bits with some decent money left over! Guess Ireland is just a rather lucky place to be when it comes to equipment [/quote] That's it. There is probably a lot less people with a lot less high end gear to trade with, or sell anything onto some one wants to pay a nic price for it. That guy with 78 P. What a fool. Probably just thought he was getting 2 basses for 1. If I could find someone selling fender 400 pro for 325 I would snap that up.

I'm quite sure there is a CIJ walnut satin jazz in the for sale section(try a search) it's fretted however but it would save you time to just defret the neck than huntfor a fretlezz one.

[quote name='oldslapper' post='848457' date='May 26 2010, 01:42 PM']To be unnoticed, but missed when you stop playing..........[/quote] +1, this is great. Our singer trys to say "we will be alright rehearsing without you" the next day I see him and he says "man, it's not the same with your driving bass there" in truth a lot of things make a great bassist. In my personal opinion it's simplistic playing, knowing what to play and when. Being versatile is important to, so you are able to adapt your self to the rest of the music. Not knowing you are good is probably best aswell.

I think we already decerned from the other thread about the show "I'm in a rock and roll band" that the public don't care about bass, and in reality they don't care about the guitar the lead guitarist uses or why he uses a certian OD than another, or why he uses a churos in a particular song. The program is for the masses, which we arnt. The masses want light entertainment. They want to hear about the one time the lead guitarist fell out with singer because he stole his sausage roll. Or that the singer is a huge drama queen and threw a fit becuase the ham was too big for the bread on his sandwhiches..... I think it's time to move on. You want to watch and hear about bass. There is here, bass guitar magazine, here, talkbass, guitargeek, YouTube oh and here.

Same really, my current bass rig cost me roughly £250. The epiphone JC only cost me £250. However I would still like to know where Basshead finds these people?

[quote name='Linus27' post='848964' date='May 26 2010, 09:55 PM']When signed, we would rehearse every week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for around 10 hours a day. This would be working on the set, especially if gigs coming up, writing and working on new songs, record company bussiness and the odd game of headers and volley. Friday, Saturday and Sundays would be for gigs and Monday we would have as our day off. Plus studio, promotion etc could be on any day it happens on. We did work very hard at it.[/quote] I wish I had this schedule.

[quote name='gjones' post='847980' date='May 25 2010, 10:00 PM']Hmmmmmm....a very interesting comment. I've been in the same situation where the sound of my bass out front is woolly rubbish but on stage is excellent. I've always wondered why all the sound guys/girls I've ever dealt with want a pre DI signal, into a DI box, when I've spent a lot of time getting a sound I like with the EQ on my amp. Guitarists get their sound and then a sound guy puts a mic in front of it to amplify THAT sound. Time to make a stand! Bassists unite! If they want a direct signal they can take it from the amp post EQ! Get that poxy wee DI box out of my sight![/quote] I've always ran the DI from the head post EQ, I like the way it sounds. TBH the sound guy/girl probably never noticed as the rest if the bands bassists use my amp. Surprising how many times other bassists in the bands and even some musos have given their appreciation on how good the bass sounds if I muck in. That said. It probably helps, mucking in I mean. Our band has always provided the drum kit and bass amp (the two heaviest and most awkward pieces) arrived early and helped set everything beyond the sound board mix desk thing. I've always soundchecked for a few seconds aswell however, but then again I've been happy with the sound. I always make sure to play a bit quieter too, as they tend to turn me down a bit if I go full on. And in my band it's the lead and bass that important, with rythm guitar filling out some lost sustain and mids during the leads solos.

I would try a few valve heads just to see what you and your bass could sound like, then get what ever is cheapest and recreates this sound the best. There is a lot of hybrid heads out there, but you can alway buy a cheap solid state amp with loads of power and then stick a bass driver or para driver in it for IMO the best valve emulation without valves. Things like the ashdown little giant 350 or superfly are dirt cheap used and the pedal won't cost loads used either, the only trouble with those 2 heads is no matter what cabs you buy you still need two to get the full power. +1 on searching the marketplace here, a lot of good deals to be had.

My Fender Jaguar, my second bass, 7th guitar, first real fender (I'm no longer cou nting my mex tele as a real fender it was a dog) I brought it on spur of the moment I was comparing prices for standard jazzes and precision and for an extra £100 I could get this deluxe jaguar MIJ. I love it to pieces, no matter what song I play on it me and it make it our own, I can't pickup anything else without comparing it to my jaguar. I also feel like one of those old men in a tweed coat "it's ok I have a jaaaag." I learned everything on it, it was my first introduction in to something truely 'versatile', with all it's sounds usuable. My first experience of active intrument. Probably first taste of a quality intrument aswell. It sounds stupid but I feel that when I play it, it makes me better than I am. I can also finger and slap her without any fight back. I know there are probably better basses out their but for me the jaguar is perfect.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='847211' date='May 25 2010, 09:34 AM']Quite strangely, on the Strictly Tour, I've been eq-ing as I always do, making sure I can hear every frequency of the bass & sending the DI signal "pre eq" from the amp. The sound where we are on the stage is great, but all I hear is thud and boom out front. This weekend however, I sent the signal "post eq" and the engineer commented, "Wow, your bass sounds amazing this week." Hmmm... [/quote] that's it. Every gig that's required DI, I've always gone post EQ, I've heard my jaquar pre-EG, it's not that great and just thuds, especially on the lower strings. Also the PAs I've used have always seemed to recreate the sound I usually hear from my cab. I've asked sound guys to turn it up before and that's it. My main issues have been monitors, they never give me a monitor with the overall sound in, and all I can hear is the bass and drums on stage. I may ask to start micing my amp though aswell as DI.

Anyone know the cause?

Probably what is irritating most people (including me) was the blatant lies involved around the ad they had for a bassist, too which Gareth replied. They claimed to be big, gigging regularly and getting paid for it. Non of which look to or have turned out to be true. It wasn't a case of them kicking him before he quit, he talked to them about the volume of rehearsals and they seemed to have thrown a strop, claiming he didn't turn up, wasn't commited, never had gear and only cared about getting paid. Well I'm afraid that if I was offered money to play bass for a big band that gigged regularly I would be a bit peed off if that after a good couple of months you spent all the time rehearsing the set you know backwards, watching them smoke an set up a proffessional setup for a rehearsal. It also seems the rehearsals were for the vocalists sake. I feel for Gareth a lot I've been duped countless times by 'pros' who arnt really pros. If I was in Gareth shoes I probably would have been a bit more forceful of gigging even doing free ones.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='846119' date='May 23 2010, 10:41 PM']Sometimes we get to lead and sometimes we get to follow - it's all good. I played in a country-esque band for about 5 minutes and while it was all root-fifth it was still surprisingly challenging to nail the feel absolutely spot on. If the line is basically simple then you get to concentrate on your feel and dynamics rather than packing 50 notes into the bar - something like that [/quote] lol. I guess it's different in my band, no one is a jack of all trades, the drummer claims to be able to play guitar, but he can't. And so I automatically assume any idea they have regarding the baseline will be aweful. I also like to think they trust me enough to play something that sounds good in mix, by the way of someone else telling me no implies a sense of mistrust in my ability. I guess it's fair enough if they do play guitar or bass, as when they write the dong they have their own interpretation of what it will sound like.

From the outset these guys lied. I don't think any points need to be reinterated. What's irritating is their behaviour after the fact, of treating Gareth like crap There's a blatant disregard for the truth. I believe what G says, and I also like to hear what the rest of the people involved had to say without the cover of a computer screen.

What kind of music is being played? Sorry if it's been said but I can't seem to find it. Also, that's not jamming is it? You won't get unless you ask. Just say simply: "I thought we was jamming" "yeah but I want you to play this instead." (boring root notes) "I see but I think it sounds better this way." if he pipes up you might be best to see what the guitarist says. Our guitarist loves me being able to keep up with literally whatever he plays, and is surprised sometimes since I'm 'missing' 2 strings. When I jam I go crazy and slap some crazy funk riffs, but alas no one can follow.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='845621' date='May 23 2010, 11:49 AM']Wayne has also joined up and asked some interesting questions of the drummer Cheers Wayne[/quote] I may join, I like to luagh at people being arrogant.

I joined a band late, an they had a 'plodder' before I joined. They were more than happy to have me basically solo through songs. Although I did start playing a small solo at the end of songs cause I was feeling it, but then our a'hole drummer started complaining saying it was annoying. So I did just to annoy him, Amd I know that's its because we are very bass driven anyway, an he hates not being the last one to be heard. Even on some songs where it was decided it would be me playing and that's it he can't resist tapping something. At the end of the day if it fits and sounds good, my policy is, don't tell me what to play and I won't tell you.

[quote name='bh2' post='845192' date='May 22 2010, 04:53 PM']Tell me more? You mean Fiesta red?[/quote] TBF it does look a bit salmon under bright White light.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='845719' date='May 23 2010, 01:26 PM']Ah, unfortunately it had some issues issues with the neck when it arrived. I decided against waiting for another as it put me off in a way. Big Al 5 and Ray 5 will be more than enough anyway [/quote] it's alright for some but indeed the video I watched on YouTube was some Ed Friesland guy (sp?) watching him going through 16 + sounds was a bit boring, but my god does it sound PHat. If these gain in popularity I'm hoping they'll be some more manufactures going for the 3 single coil.

[quote name='Commando Jack' post='845588' date='May 23 2010, 11:13 AM']Well thanks for the advice guys! As for me I have decided I'll take the plunge, and have ordered a new neck from CH guitars. Let me explain myself! This bass was given to me for free, and is a no name korean copy, so in other words, I can't devalue it! As it was my first, it would have been retired to the studio wall when a more professional instrument comes along (right beside my vintage electric guitar I got when I was 15), so resale value isn't a problem. At the end of the day I'm a tinkerer too, so the opportunity to take the thing apart ended up being too much for me![/quote] well thing about resale is once you buy all the nice shiny parts and put them on, the bass altogeter won't be worth too much, if it tins out not as planned or you still don't like it. Or even if you strip it of the nice parts and sell them on you won't get what you paid for them. Where to start.? Neck is a good place, personally I would have got a mighty mite maple jazz neck. But that's me, mines very fast and smooth, frets are done very well. Next I would see about bridges and tuners. Then sort of the electronics, wizard thumper pickup, cts pots and a switch craft jack. You should have a serious bass by the end.

Exactly currently I'm in the process of a bits a bass project. I have spent more money than I should but have some quality parts all I have to do is put it together. J black Johnson jazz body, on order. Maple mighty mite I think jazz neck(not chunky enough to be a P but it's not thin enough for j) Schaller open gear tunners plus a string tree black pickguard badass 2 bridge Electronics and control plate with series switch, varitons circuit(6 different tones) stacked volume/tone knobs Fender custom shop 60's jazz pickups (I think these are the same as the 50th aniversay jazz bass fender had at Namm) Fender embossed neckplate I'll probably buy some chrome covers too. But with the badass I don't think a bridge cover will fit. I did start with a squier jazz bass body, 3 piece soft maple, I intended to refinish it myself but I failed miserably. All still part of the enjoyment though. I also realise why a refinish can cost up £200, takes ages to strip and painting you have to be laser precise.

What happened to the classic ray G'? It's amazing how more vintage yours looks as well. I'd gas for that if the burst wasn't so dramatic, as in too much black. I think these share the same controls as the Relfex they just announced. But 4 band pre? Me like!!! Edit: just heard it. Now I really do have gas.