Frank Blank Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 29 minutes ago, Cato said: The standard Fender Strat style trem is is an intrinsically flawed design. ^ This. The luthier who sets up my guitars says he very rarely receives a Strat which I set up correctly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Love trems personally, great when set up..... Normally i play every day but as Christmas is my busiest time re- work i haven't picked up a bass in nearly a week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Right now I have the same problem I have this time every day. I've spent the day getting stuff done, made good progress on a song for our next setlist, then made myself some nice food and a glass of wine, and what I want to do now is fire up the drum machine and for an hour or so just relaxedly noodle around a few bass riffs with a random choice of five gorgeous basses and 150 drum machine tracks. The problem is that I live in a tiny flat with paper-thin walls, and I'm totally inhibited by worry of bothering the three guys in the neighbouring flats. Who are all good guys, and I've asked them all repeatedly to tell me if I ever disturb them, but I think they're all too polite to tell me. AfIk they're all either retired or unemployed, so they're at home almost all the time. So logically this would be equally a problem at any time of day, if it is at all, but by 9pm I just feel I shouldn't practice, and any earlier I can work on it but I'm not really in the mood to relax with it and enjoy it. One answer to this might be on my days off work to have a glass of wine with breakfast, but somehow I don't think that's a good idea 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 (edited) 19 minutes ago, josie said: Right now I have the same problem I have this time every day. I've spent the day getting stuff done, made good progress on a song for our next setlist, then made myself some nice food and a glass of wine, and what I want to do now is fire up the drum machine and for an hour or so just relaxedly noodle around a few bass riffs with a random choice of five gorgeous basses and 150 drum machine tracks. The problem is that I live in a tiny flat with paper-thin walls, and I'm totally inhibited by worry of bothering the three guys in the neighbouring flats. Who are all good guys, and I've asked them all repeatedly to tell me if I ever disturb them, but I think they're all too polite to tell me. AfIk they're all either retired or unemployed, so they're at home almost all the time. So logically this would be equally a problem at any time of day, if it is at all, but by 9pm I just feel I shouldn't practice, and any earlier I can work on it but I'm not really in the mood to relax with it and enjoy it. One answer to this might be on my days off work to have a glass of wine with breakfast, but somehow I don't think that's a good idea 😞 Zoom B1on + headphones = happy neighbours. Comes with with preset drum patterns, it won't give you as many options as a full on drum machine, but it does the job. The effects patches can be a lot of fun too. Edited December 27, 2018 by Cato 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Thanks Cato! I'm trying to get used to headphones through my little Marshall practice amp, or through an Apogee Jam to Garageband on my Mac. The Zoom looks like another good option which I didn't know about, and I should really work on getting comfortable with headphones altogether. There's something that just feels wrong about bass sound shut inside your head, but if the only other option is not practicing... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 7 hours ago, josie said: There's something that just feels wrong about bass sound shut inside your head, but if the only other option is not practicing... I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this. My sympathy for your restrictions. I never felt free to practice properly in the terraced house but I am now fortunate enough to be detached and with a practice space that is separated from the main living space by another room. Trouble is; now I can practice but I can't do anything with it because I am housebound and no-one wants to come and play. Actually, my step-grandson and I butchered played Dancing in the Moonlight with him on uke yesterday so it's not all that bad. He's getting a moped soon so he reckons he'll come to practice and visit his grandad more often. Cool. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SICbass Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 10 hours ago, John T said: Normally i play every day but as Christmas is my busiest time re- work i haven't picked up a bass in nearly a week! It’s a dead giveaway i’init? You are Santa 🎅 and I claim my five pounds. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 11 hours ago, SICbass said: It’s a dead giveaway i’init? You are Santa 🎅 and I claim my five pounds. Iv'e been caught out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 I use in ears quite a bit when i want to play bass....Something i always did as a drummer so i'm probably used to it and actually like the closed in feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el borracho Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 After playing pretty much every day for the last 35 years (I couldn't pass the bass without picking it up for a minute for a long time) I don't think I've picked up a bass since before I last went on holiday in early October. My band drifted into the ether after the last gig in April and I have gradually stopped playing. I'm still looking for another band but it seems that without the need to practice or learn songs I don't have the motivation to play. I think about buskers nights sometimes but they're always on school nights and I don't have much desire to play Mustang Sally or Rockin in the Free World! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 I picked up my bass guitar last night after a break of about 10 days. It played itself. I rarely have a session during which I make no mistakes at all, but this was one of them. It's as if both my brain and my fingers had quietly digested all I have learned and practiced in the last few weeks or even months, and were just ready and waiting. Good stuff. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el borracho Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 After my "doom & gloom" post yesterday I actually picked up a bass today and just played for a few minutes. Maybe writing about it made something click in my head - need to keep going with it 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 Just had a rehearsal and wrote the bridge to our latest song, it was just one of those rehearsals where it all clicks, bliss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted December 30, 2018 Author Share Posted December 30, 2018 Well, bass o'clock will come early today. Recording with three different bands first two weeks of January and depping New Year's Eve. So lots of stuff to get through. To think that a year ago I was bemoaning the lack of opportunities for a 50 something bass player and wondering if it was time to give up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SICbass Posted December 30, 2018 Share Posted December 30, 2018 59 minutes ago, stewblack said: Well, bass o'clock will come early today. Recording with three different bands first two weeks of January and depping New Year's Eve. So lots of stuff to get through. To think that a year ago I was bemoaning the lack of opportunities for a 50 something bass player and wondering if it was time to give up. That’s the spirit, fill yer boots! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted December 30, 2018 Author Share Posted December 30, 2018 45 minutes ago, SICbass said: That’s the spirit, fill yer boots! Yep, making hay while the set slowly sets! I actually came here a couple of years back to say it was impossible to get a gig as I was too old. Bunkum! I just wasn't trying hard enough, was way too fussy (snobby) about the music I would and wouldn't play and didn't trust my ability. I'm working harder now than ever before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 On 27/12/2018 at 19:42, Dad3353 said: It's the trem; it's always the trem..! ... No, really; tuners, even cheapish ones, are rarely that duff, but trems are a dark science from another dimension. If the recipient is not a 'Shadows' fan, I'd suggest 'hard-tailing' it; that, at least, will show up any failings in the tuners..! Cut a cork to suit and jam the trem at its stops; that'll make the guitar playable. Trems, eh..? Whoever thought they were a Good Idea..? Generous indeed, on your part too, I'd say. I think it's about 90% trem, with a small amount down to the tuners (the tuner for the G-string is obviously slipping when the string is subjected to a very hard bend). It's got much better since I tightened the springs, and is pretty stable as long as you don't actually use the trem. Basically, don't buy the cheapest Squier strat! Though I recall my mate having exactly the same trem problem on a MIJ strat, about 30 years ago. Good to know that Fender are honouring their old traditions. I'll see what the potential new owner wants to do - makes sense to me to block the trem, but she may be happy to accept a bit of re-tuning on the odd occasion when she does want to use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 6 hours ago, Monkey Steve said: ...she may be happy to accept a bit of re-tuning on the odd occasion when she does want to use it It does have the dubious advantage of obliging the player to learn how to tune the guitar often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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