Bass setup revelation

[ead]

Whichever bass matches my outfit...................just kidding, normally it's the Overwater. Well black does go with everything

[thumperbob 2002]

I tend to only change basses ( from Low End Jazz 5 to Fender Jazz 4 ) if i am getting so bored with the set I need something else to make it more interesting. I use a sub octave effect for that low Eb with the 4.

The Warwick Thumb stays at home which is a real shame but now they are £3500 new no point gigging with it as the other basses do Soul / Funk / Motown so well.

A wide strap will sort any heavy bass.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1328552925' post='1529001']

I know what the person meant about the audience not listening. I think they meant that the tone of the bass is not foremost in most punters minds so probably isn't as big a deal as we might think.
[/quote]

You mean the cellulose finish 'letting the tone out' from an old or Highway 1 Fender isn't heard by the audience and so not a big deal? What about the bright sound of a light coloured maple fingerboard? No? Surely they can hear the gold plating on the plugs though.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1328556579' post='1529089']
Comfort?? That's not very punk, is it?
[/quote]

I know, it caused me great distress, going along the sensible route!!

[charic]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1328605816' post='1529701']
I know, it caused me great distress, going along the sensible route!!
[/quote]

Punter Pre-gig
"What style of music do you play?"

You
"Sensible punk "

[Paul S]

[quote name='thumperbob 2002' timestamp='1328603655' post='1529674']
A wide strap will sort any heavy bass.
[/quote]

No it doesn't.

You either don't have a back problem or are lucky enough to be able to 'sort' yours with a wide strap. If I wear a bass that is over 9lbs for more than an hour I pay dearly for it the next day. I have a wide leather strap and a Comfort Strapppp, both wide. Yes it helps, a bit, but it doesn't 'sort' it.

For gigs if my back is playing up I select one of my 7-8lb basses, if it is ok the I go for either my Fender Power Jazz Special, which is just under 9lbs, or my pimped Westone Thunder Jet, which is 8 and a bit lbs. For rehearsals I generally go sub-8lbs. Believe me, it makes all the difference in the world.

[dbass]

At the moment it's just my ABZ (which weights practically nothing but sounds huge, love it) and that seems to cope with a good variety of tones. I'm not one for having a bass for every situation and would rather let my fingers do the talking!

It looks sh*t hot too ^_^

[leftyhook]

Tone., and a good action. Being left handed i have played some monsters upside-down (BC Rich..ugh!) because ive had little choice, so anything above that I have to be grateful.
I suffer back problems from time to time. Ive stood on stage almost static to not cancel a gig. Played with fractured arms and feet.

Tone, and the chance to just play.

[originalfunkbrother]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1328549577' post='1528922']
What can i say. Fenders were designed in the days when men were MEN! (and easily pleased)
[/quote]

Amen brother!

[originalfunkbrother]

I have back problems but I wouldnt play my lightest bass (Victor Bailey Acoustic V) in essence I have only had one go-to bass and at this point in time its a Fender American Deluxe V.

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1328604601' post='1529687']
You mean the cellulose finish 'letting the tone out' from an old or Highway 1 Fender isn't heard by the audience and so not a big deal? What about the bright sound of a light coloured maple fingerboard? No? Surely they can hear the gold plating on the plugs though.
[/quote]Good one. It's all in the ear of the beholder!

[chrismuzz]

I have three basses, all very similar in spec (Peaveys with 2 passive humbuckers), in different tunings. So my choice of bass depends entirely on which tuning the band I'm currently playing with uses!

[discreet]

From what I've read on BC about the seemingly common problems of back pain being caused by/exacerbated by playing bass, I think I must have been very lucky (for a change) to avoid it... I do have a recurring ass-bone problem, but not when standing up.

That's not a euphemism btw, 'standing-up ass-bone problem'. Or is it?

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1328606708' post='1529717']


No it doesn't.

You either don't have a back problem or are lucky enough to be able to 'sort' yours with a wide strap. If I wear a bass that is over 9lbs for more than an hour I pay dearly for it the next day. I have a wide leather strap and a Comfort Strapppp, both wide. Yes it helps, a bit, but it doesn't 'sort' it.

For gigs if my back is playing up I select one of my 7-8lb basses, if it is ok the I go for either my Fender Power Jazz Special, which is just under 9lbs, or my pimped Westone Thunder Jet, which is 8 and a bit lbs. For rehearsals I generally go sub-8lbs. Believe me, it makes all the difference in the world.
[/quote]
+1000000

[Prime_BASS]

There is no choice.

I have one bass.

Everything else is subdefuge, and if you cant/wont gig it you have to ask yourself.

What's the point.

There are still a few basses I'd like to try but I know ill still be spanking the same plank eventually.

[lowdown]

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1328549577' post='1528922']
What can i say. Fenders were designed in the days when men were MEN! (and easily pleased)
[/quote]

That's why that Carol Kay woman sat down all the time then...


Garry

[Norris]

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1328552925' post='1529001']
I know what the person meant about the audience not listening. I think they meant that the tone of the bass is not foremost in most punters minds so probably isn't as big a deal as we might think.
[/quote]
The punters probably feel the bass more than hear it, and only really notice it when it's not there. However the tone does have an effect on the rest of the band - who are (hopefully) listening to it, and that can affect the performance - making the difference between a good gig and a cracking one.

Oh, and I choose my favourite bass of the moment - currently my Squier PJ. My Jazz is wondering if it's ever going to see daylight again, and the Thunderbird is wondering what the hell happened! Both are more comfortable to play than the Squier, but the compliments about the tone from the other band members will keep it as my gigging bass for some time.

[guildbass]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1328550213' post='1528939']
Circumstances!



Tone? Gave up on that a long time ago ... what I hear isn't what the audience hears, and they're not listening anyway.
[/quote]


While that's true to a certain degree ( personally I think bolt neck basses have a generic sound, set necks have another generic sound and through necks ...or at least NS type throughnecks like Warwicks and Spectors have their own sound, I also think the way the 'shape' of the sound is different according to the type of construction.
Both my Streamer and my Spector throughnecks will make a big note just ring and ring with a lot less 'spike' at the front of the note and a very gentle decay. To put that into perspective we've done two recording sessions recently where the Streamer was D.I'd into the desk and had absolutely NO processing at all (apart from 1db of compression) and sounded just great...Deep, rolling smooth almost keyboardy chords under the vocal. In fact the moment the proddy guy nailed an amp onto the sound...Just to see... the sonics were...Less.

Although the tone changes through a P.A or indeed through an amp on stage, in my opinion the way the instrument delivers it's note is different according to the guitar's build so that for me determines the choice of instrument.

My Warwick weighs 9lbs, my Spector weighs 12lbs. The Spector hurts after an hour or so but it looks great and it's more emphasised brighter toppier sound (within the tonal family of similar throughnecks) makes it useful in some live environments...Although I actually use both in the studio, with the Warwick providing the warm bottom chords and the Spector doing the arpeggio'd stuff above

[dmccombe7]

Mainly the tone that suits the music style. Fender Jazz seems to fit my classic rock band far better.
My Warwick i love using for blues rock styles and music that needs a little more mid-range growl.
My Overwater 6 fretless i love playing and its great for messing around with.
My Overwater J4 can cover almost any style.

All in all i tend to favour my Jazz - at the moment - could all change by Friday

Dave

[discreet]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1328613289' post='1529879']
There are still a few basses I'd like to try but I know ill still be spanking the same plank eventually.
[/quote]

If you didn't spank the plank so much, you'd have more time to try other basses.

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1328549380' post='1528916']
What makes your decisions on gigging a particular bass?
[/quote]



How cool it looks,obviously.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1328621424' post='1530093']
If you didn't spank the plank so much, you'd have more time to try other basses.


[/quote]

That's where I've been going wrong all these years?

[ThomBassmonkey]

Playability for me. I've only ever heard one bass sound bad through my amp and it was a dog of a bass anyway.

Ultimately when we play we're hanging a plank of wood around our necks, lighter is better but a plank of wood is a plank of wood. As long as it's not like a lump of stone, it's ok.

[thumperbob 2002]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1328606708' post='1529717']
No it doesn't.

You either don't have a back problem or are lucky enough to be able to 'sort' yours with a wide strap. If I wear a bass that is over 9lbs for more than an hour I pay dearly for it the next day. I have a wide leather strap and a Comfort Strapppp, both wide. Yes it helps, a bit, but it doesn't 'sort' it.

For gigs if my back is playing up I select one of my 7-8lb basses, if it is ok the I go for either my Fender Power Jazz Special, which is just under 9lbs, or my pimped Westone Thunder Jet, which is 8 and a bit lbs. For rehearsals I generally go sub-8lbs. Believe me, it makes all the difference in the world.
[/quote]

I understand what you mean pal- I have had a bad back ( but only a pinched nerve which lasted a few months )- obviously for any serious problem any weight will make this worse. But for most of us without real long lasting back problems- a wide strap and good posture will sort the discomfort of a heavy instrument- I have found that if I stand straight and do not look at my instrument but at the crowd ( which is more interesting anyway ) I feel fine- even after a long gig.

[discreet]

[quote name='thumperbob 2002' timestamp='1328698243' post='1531202']
...a wide strap and good posture will sort the discomfort of a heavy instrument - I have found that if I stand up straight and do not look at my instrument but at the crowd (which is more interesting anyway) I feel fine - even after a long gig.
[/quote]

+1 This is excellent advice, and has stood me in good stead. So to speak.