Leaderboard

Meet the new range, same as the old range...

Adrian Maruszczyk must laugh his socks off whenever Fender come out with an updated range & price list...

F**k Rock, F**k Roll

So... skimming through today's threads we learn that you're probably best off with an old Peavey TNT combo and a used Fender bass. Hooray! Ten years of membership to find the best gear was totally worth It!

Boring.

Okay, okay so plenty of head shaking from the experts and the knowledgeable, but I just discovered Chuck Rainey. I'm learning Rock Steady by Aretha for an audition and have steadily fallen in love with the extraordinarily splendid bass line. So I do a little research and discover that I probably haven't just discovered him as he has played on so much. I have actually been listening to him for quite some time, notably with King Curtis. I just didn't know who he was. The riff to the song is a joyous thing, rhythmically perfect, and perfectly repetitive with some little unexpected flashes. He then breaks into a few bars of pure inspiration before settling back onto the groove. Yum. It's beautiful. A little more research and I find he played with Steely Dan who were of course one of Bruce Thomas favourite bands and Bruce has always been my biggest influence. So there we go. Anyone familiar with Chuck's work who'd care to point me at other of his gems would render me eternally grateful.

As a bass player, I don't give anyone playing solo bass a second thought, either.

Fender really need to start looking at what other builders are doing. The likes of Maruszczyk, Sandberg, Lull, Sadowsky, Moolon...the list of builders who seem to make better Fenders than Fender themselves at competitive price points is as long as my arm. There’s little incentive for many of us to buy a brand new Fender and the sale of used models obviously brings no new revenue in for the company. Out of interest, anyone know how Fender are doing, financially?

Today's word is 'grandmotherable'. You win the internet.

If the title wasn't "new range" you could be forgiven for not realising

Lake Placid Blue! Yay! ..and tort. Wut?

Judging by the video I don't think he is!

-

You could look at it another way... I'm assuming that you and the guitarist don't sing. Find a singer or maybe a singer songwriter and be their backing. Get some gigs doing acoustic sets. If you do sing, don't look for a singer, but do the acoustic sets! Then get a drummer. Then do bigger gigs. Open mic nights can be good to polish things and inject some momentum and urgency to rehearsal, if there's something to aim for people pull their socks up. Did it myself where there was a singer and guitarist who were flatmates, I played bass for them and we did some open mics while looking for a drummer. A good drummer will want to know you're moving in some direction and not being yet another load of dreamers, so it helps.

I understand your smugness. I was getting remarks along the same lines after a bee-sting to the scrote at a naturist campsite years ago.

That's the Spirit. Oh teehee back at you.

I'm no fan of theirs, only ever bought their records as nostalgic presents for my brother who now lives abroad, but the documentary is a good watch. If you hate their personalities, and I can't blame you for that, you still can't help but admire the hard work, determination, song writing and seizing of the moment. It really shows the band as a group of mates who tried to start a band and just stuck their neck out for one gig where a chance encounter got them a record deal. It's in BBC iPlayer at the moment, worth an hour and a half. Some great 90's pop songs from the days before the internet ruined everything

I used micromesh pads, cut them into strips as thin as I needed with scissors and didn't worry too much about sanding across the grain. It would have been nigh on impossible otherwise. Then a good polish with Meguillar's ultimate compound (T-cut would probably work just as well) and I have a nice shiny fretboard. It's not a bass though, which is why there's no build thread on here

You get asked to play and get well paid. The food and drink is usually free. I love them. The audience may not love what you play but the people who are paying would have to take any flack for liking and booking the band. Whats not to like?

Fascinating Steve ... but what do you actually use the spirit level for at a gig?

The noise floor in all its glory:

I couldn't watch it - I found the red knob too upsetting.

As a lady of grandmotherable age, I find it quaint when gentlemen apologise to me for swearing (this happens quite frequently in a new band situation). My stock response is 'Don't mind me, I lived with a drummer for 11 years'

Thick end of 2k for a mass produced precision is taking the fosters. and what is going on with the mismatched lacquer on the 70s jazz?

Nothing particularly new there, more like concentrating on their strengths which to me seems pretty sensible. And even though I no longer play guitar I just love that 50s Tele.

The incident is one that I will never forget. The site of the sting was right on my glans! I modified the story slightly for laughs to compensate for the days of agony that I suffered. I'll let you imagine what sort of ribbing I got from the other campers. That was the last time I swung a leg over a motorbike whilst naked without checking the saddle first. Talk about motorcycle helmets... mine was a beaut for a while.

I was hoping to find something that seperates but lifts. A wonderbra perhaps Seriously thos something that doesn't end up being the pit of doom where all things can get lost in a black hole. The Lugville shown earlier would be ideal but its a bit expensive and don't see any for sale in UK. I like the idea of my leads being secured individually and compartments for other bits and bobs incl smaller pedals like my TC Polytune. The toolbag sounds promising. Will need to look into them a bit more.

Not a fan of her in the slightest (a voice like nails on a blackboard), but a shock nonetheless. A mate told me she'd died...46. It's no age. Certainly makes you question your own pending mortality.

Reusable shopping bag - one of the orange sainsburys ones with an elephant on the side. Does the job for 60p. Incidentally the smaller version of the bag is a perfect fit for a Roland micro cube bass RX.

I adore my Ampeg 6x10. I also prefer it over my Ampeg 8x10. Sounds 'grittier' and has more than enough power handling. I usually run my 4 PRO through it mono bridged and it's a real trouser-flapper. Can be picked up second hand pretty cheap these days

The pound shop.

FRFRap.

Tone foam is tricky stuff. If you can't get pre-CBS foam then modern foam that has employed wax-based products gives the best results. Be sure never to wash it though!

It doesn't get any better than that lot. Terrific musicians !! But, you would have trouble selling their recordings at a UK Boot sale. Not sure is you have seen this rare footage. Wes sitting in with an (excellent) Dutch trio back in the mid 60's.

Amazon UK when DR strings are marked really low. Bass Specialities on eBay is good.

I went into the bank last weekend, the cashier mentioned the fact that I had money in there that was not earning any interest and that there were other places they could happily move it for me, I agreed in principal so ordered the Mesa Boogie Subway cabs from Bass Direct I had been lusting after recently....job done!

At last my "stealth Jack Casady" is complete. I bought another in white and swapped things around. I love em both. Think the cream on white looks great. Hope you approve. Thx to The Greek and MB1 of this parish for their help in getting me the white one. Great forum guys. Andy

TI flats. They just seem to improve with age and I love the floppy feeling that many others hate. Frank.

Fender flats are the horridest flats I've ever tried. Got them off my Corvette after two days. Stiffer than a doornail. TIs and Chromes are my favourite, much more compliant; I'd like to try the new low tension Labellas if I manage to find a set.

Me too, mine kept asking about my tax arrangements.

Amazon

I'm lucky with my neighbours. Technically we are detached, but due to various extensions built over the years there's about 1 inch between. A few years ago Neighbour 1 was having trouble with his teenage daughter. He was embarrassed about the music noise. She had her window open and was blasting Cypress Hill out. I said I reckon I could stop it with 1 conversation with her. I saw her later. Told her I approved of her music. She was surprised I had heard of Cypress Hill (!) I told her they were one of my favourites. And then I started to rap Insane in the Membrane at full volume in the street. With dance moves. 10 seconds later she was running away from the greying middle aged man rapping outside her house. Job done.