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London Bass Show '12 - how was it for you?


visog
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Yes, slapping is a curse, like the vuvuzela at the SA World Cup.. deafened the beautiful singing of the ethnic African. What a waste.

I suggest two different shows: one for slappers, and one for musicians whose love is for music, not just ego.
Bass on YouTube is just as bad: not a lot to do with the important function of bass and in creating beautiful harmony as you go along, just ego.
I knocked teaching on the head because slapping became the main proccupation. Must be hundreds of guys out there who would be more than willing to take over - they're welcome! Sometimes some of the most simple basslines are the most challenging and the hardest to carry off! A single note standing on its own is very exposed and can reveal much expression. Why is this still such a mystery?

Agree with Hiram Hackenbacker: the gent in the cap (name withheld) at Rotosound was a valid circus act, but not a lot to do with music - he should pay more attention to his left hand.. It's the left hand that does the harmony.

Yah well, you can stand next to a jackhammer in the street only for so long..

Highlight of the show for me was meeting the ever courteous and charming Stuart Spector: the earliest collaborator of bass guitar design with the clever and pragmatic Ned Steinberger. Found his bass the easiest to play and eagerly look forward to adding one to my (small) collection one day..

Also on Show, the 'Innovation' double bass strings are serious and fantastic to play with, soft touch inviting new creativity on an otherwise and not always friendly instrument.

As a last word: "Put the 'music' back in the bass".. :)

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A good day out although that Nigel Clutterbuck was nothing short of a pain in the arse, Not only was he doing his usual percusive nonesence that was way to loud, that aint bass playing ,don't get me wrong I love a bit of slap but do it as it is intended, he didn't even stay on his own stool he tried other stuff on the other stools and was just generally polluting everybody elses space.
I bet if you sat him down and said I don't know er "play Dock of the bay" you would see a blank face.
Not a good ad for Rotosound.
I spoke to Jason on the Roto stand and said "why do you bring him?".
I wanted to get him a warwick t shirt with the big W on it, I thought it could stand for something else for the day.
Has anyone ever seen him play in a band or with anyone else, No well that says something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A great day ruined by a NOB!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[quote name='fluffo' timestamp='1330944643' post='1564975']
A good day out although that Nigel Clutterbuck was nothing short of a pain in the arse, Not only was he doing his usual percusive nonesence that was way to loud, that aint bass playing ,don't get me wrong I love a bit of slap but do it as it is intended, he didn't even stay on his own stool he tried other stuff on the other stools and was just generally polluting everybody elses space.
I bet if you sat him down and said I don't know er "play Dock of the bay" you would see a blank face.
Not a good ad for Rotosound.
I spoke to Jason on the Roto stand and said "why do you bring him?".
I wanted to get him a warwick t shirt with the big W on it, I thought it could stand for something else for the day.
Has anyone ever seen him play in a band or with anyone else, No well that says something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A great day ruined by a NOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]

And what was Jason's answer to your question?

Maybe next year the organisers could charge Rotosound a "Clutterbuck Tax" that could be used a subsidise exhibition costs for more innovative companies?

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[quote name='fluffo' timestamp='1330944643' post='1564975']
A good day out although that Nigel Clutterbuck was nothing short of a pain in the arse, Not only was he doing his usual percusive nonesence that was way to loud, that aint bass playing ,don't get me wrong I love a bit of slap but do it as it is intended, he didn't even stay on his own stool he tried other stuff on the other stools and was just generally polluting everybody elses space.
I bet if you sat him down and said I don't know er "play Dock of the bay" you would see a blank face.
Not a good ad for Rotosound.
I spoke to Jason on the Roto stand and said "why do you bring him?".
I wanted to get him a warwick t shirt with the big W on it, I thought it could stand for something else for the day.
Has anyone ever seen him play in a band or with anyone else, No well that says something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A great day ruined by a NOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]

I remember similar posts from other events. Apparently he's a very talented bassist and just does that kind of thing at shows because some people like it. Unfortunately any tight sweet bassline would be totally lost in the noise as previously mentioned so you're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't to some extent. But yeah, enough!

ped

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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1330938423' post='1564865']

* The Status stand was a blast. Lot's of shiny shiny. Paramatrix = Christmas list.

[/quote]

Ooh. Whats that then? The new parametric eq? Any more details?

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Lack of UK luthiers at the show?
Perhaps its the floor space rent that many can't afford. I've known this to be the case in the past
for several luthier friends. Selling maybe 2 or 3 basses/guitars doesn't clear any profit for them, considering
the cost of building an instrument in the first place so they stopped attending, which isn't good
all round.

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[quote name='sbasstraveller' timestamp='1330947791' post='1565040']
Suggestion to the Aministrators of BassChat: have a 'Like/Dislike' button - would add an interesting dimension giving members a simple opportunity of voting on a subject..
Or if FB have a patent on it (being American, I wouldn't put it past them..), an 'Agree/Disagree'
[/quote]

Hasn't that feature already been and gone?

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The only thing I bought during last year's show was custom ear plugs. After reading some months back that it was going to be a quieter there this year, I thought I might go again - after all, it's only 10 minutes walk from my flat to the venue.
After hearing that the noise issue hadn't changed, I'm glad I stayed at home playing my own gear in a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere not having to wear ear plugs ;)
Sound proof booths are the answer for all the exhibitors of amps/cabs, headphones for those exhibiting guitars only, and maybe a separate room entirely for those exhibitors without amps/basses?

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[quote name='ped' timestamp='1330945246' post='1564989']


I remember similar posts from other events. Apparently he's a very talented bassist and just does that kind of thing at shows because some people like it. Unfortunately any tight sweet bassline would be totally lost in the noise as previously mentioned so you're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't to some extent. But yeah, enough!

ped
[/quote]

Indeed. Naysayers should look up the comments from last years Bass Day where he apparently showed a bit more of what he can do. Anyone who thinks he can't play anything else is sorely mistaken. Oh, and FWIW he's a thoroughly nice guy; he used to be one of the sales guys in A1 music when I used to go there. Perfectly humble too.

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Went last year on sunday, had a cracking time.
So, this year as well, left home (near Huntingdon) about 8.30am and it took till nearly 2pm to get there - thanks to the trains, or 'no trains today, we're using buses for half the journey and the next one's more than an hour away then you have to get a train from there on, oh, and by the way, although it only affects you indirectly, half the underground's closed as well'. Public transport not for the weekend then, just mon-fri.
I'll drive next time. Right, rant over.

Got there in time to have a bite to eat and a good sniff around, still looking for a decent electric/acoustic 5-er, still haven't found one yet, joined the queue to see Yolanda having seen her vid about singing and playing at the same time because, in a thoroughly amateur way that's what i'm trying to do. I was blown away, as i was last year with TM Stevens, just by how easy these guys make it look. Ho Hum, I'll just keep plugging away.

Out, and straight in to see Mr Murray, and although have met him once before and seen him play half a dozen time in the last 30 years (last time in a tiny pub in Gt Gransden :D ) am still of the opinion that he's a one thoroughly nice chap.
IMHO, even if you don't want gear, spending the day in the masterclasses or live stages was worth the admin fee alone.

The main downer for me were, as has been mentioned here many times, the total tw*ts who played, slap or not, who were just plain deaf to the volume they were playing at. I just moved on, whatever stand they were playing at.
On the positive side, that purple sparkly job on the Simms stand made me smile, (the girls in my band - drummer and guitar) would have a fit over it and just visually it was the bass of the day for me, but there again I'd have quite happily stayed all day drooling around the Status stand, they are just sublime.
Oh, and I managed to say Hi! to Dood - for about 2 seconds - between Charles & Murray. Perhaps more of a chat next year.

All in all well worth the ag, and I'll probably go again in '13 (if only to get a day out on my own again. I mean, once a years' not enough now, is it?)

G

Edited by gicut58
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Yes slap was issue again, but I think the real problem was that it was slap without any harmonic content, just percussive slap and pop. Perhaps what's really required are lessons in how to make slap tuneful, hey Mark King does this with ease as does Flea, surely the first people most of us think of when discussing slap. The noiseniks at shows need to be encouraged to play something that means something, whatever style they employ. However, some sort of isolation for those genuinely interested in parting with cash needs to be organised so they can actually hear the product.

I don't know if what an illusion or reorganisation of the layout, but it seemed smaller to me this year, I certainly got round it very quickly.

I was disappointed with the singular lack of DBs to try/buy, i.e. none. The one on the Strings & Things stand was there solely promoting the strings fitted to it. I can't understand why JHS didn't have one as they certainly distribute a range of DBs.

Whether I go next year will depend on the live stage and masterclass line up.

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Yes it was noisy - I really couldn't hear what the P on the JHS/Vantage sounded like - and it is possibly a bit light on stands, but that said I left home at 07:45 to get there for around 10:00 and stayed 'til the bitter end avoiding the noise with my plugs, but more so by going to the various clinics.

As before I enjoyed the day, though my gear lapse at the end of the day whilst it got through the door at home with only a minor comment, I KNOW has been stored to be hurled ina row in the future :unsure:

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[quote name='4000' timestamp='1330952541' post='1565171']
Oh, and FWIW he's a thoroughly nice guy; he used to be one of the sales guys in A1 music when I used to go there. Perfectly humble too.
[/quote]

I chatted to Nigel a few weeks ago at the Brum Guitar Show and he was friendly and chatty - told me the story about how he sold his Overwater bass and bought it back years later.

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[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1330953795' post='1565208']
I don't know if what an illusion or reorganisation of the layout, but it seemed smaller to me this year, I certainly got round it very quickly.

I was disappointed with the singular lack of DBs to try/buy, i.e. none. The one on the Strings & Things stand was there solely promoting the strings fitted to it. I can't understand why JHS didn't have one as they certainly distribute a range of DBs.

Whether I go next year will depend on the live stage and masterclass line up.
[/quote]

Agree on all counts.

It did feel smaller than last year - in a sense, that may have been a good thing as there were more gigs and masterclasses to attend. If I had gone with the intention to buy something, I wouldn't have had the time to study all the gear at all the stands in addition to catching the masterclasses, and I would then have bought a ticket for the Sunday too.

Equally disappointed by the scarcity of DBs. There was one NS Design 5-string upright I drooled all over, and a yellow double bass, and that was it. No DB-related gear.

Anyway, I will go again next year, no matter what.

Edited by bluejay
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[quote name='G-77' timestamp='1330820496' post='1563541']
Yep the noise seem worse this year! here a link to my pic from today, I've made them pic public so you don't have to be a Facebook member to see ,

[url="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150586708976659.381878.554441658&type=1&l=c2d6fe15d8"]https://www.facebook...=1&l=c2d6fe15d8[/url]
[/quote]

<3 the orange desk :lol:

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