Leaderboard

Why are you being rude? What an odd reply. Literally an opinion, a point of view - my 2p. The concept of a cheaper (‘kiddy’) Flea bass in itself was acknowledged by Flea when he brought out the “fleabass” range of instruments and further addressed by the introduction of a lower price point Fleabass (street bass). I was just pointing out that Fender may have missed a trick by only having the one price point which would be out of reach for younger/less affluent fans when they’ve done broader attempts to previously... Mike Dirnt has/had a Fender and a Squier model simultaneously BB King had a Gibson and Epiphone version of Lucille (there are plenty more examples) It just broadens their buying audience somewhat and more buyers means more money. Makes more business sense. And having left the guitar/bass retail industry after 12 years in 2015 - I might have an idea of what people buy into. As a point, the cheap fleabass instruments weren’t that great - but we sold 100’s of them because people bought into the Flea name/image. But what would I know, I’m only a child.

There are a billion better bassists in London than me. No way would I get through auditions and get hired. To get around that small hurdle I've formed my own bands. Am just about to start my third in the new year: gigs in the diary, 2 hour set list sorted and talented 5 piece line-up on board. We just need to start rehearsing My advice FWIW: why look to jump on someone else's coat tails? Be bold, believe in yourself and make it happen. Age is just a number.

-

@The59Sound do you need to take a break?! How about it, or do you think you can behave like a grown up for a bit? Calm down.

Finally I can announce the arrival of my new amp. After a false start last week, (it had a fault) and unbelievable customer service from Ashdown themselves (the shop I bought it from didn't have any to exchange) It turned up today. Ashdown actually sent me the replacement BEFORE they had received the faulty one back. Anyway, what a great amp. I dialled in my sound in about 30 seconds. Bass up to 3 o'clock, mid to 9 o.clock and treble up to 2 o'clock. The compressor is actually brilliant I think. It adds some thickness and evens out the slight string imbalance on my Fender Flea bass. The drive circuit adds that little bit of fuzz to the sound. I'll probably use a little live. It's not often I change bass amps but my last change was 6 1/2 years ago to ampeg and I loved it but I wanted to play British. (I know it's made in China but it's still an Ashdown) First gigs are next week, one with my Police tribute and one with my pub rock band

Having been a performing guitarist for the last 20+ years, last Friday I did my first ever gig on Bass Guitar with my new band; a 45 minute support slot. Using my own Ibanez bass into the headline band's Hartke backline. There was no disasters, a few moments of "I can't quite hear myself" when playing some low end notes on the "A" string, and I'm still mixing it up between fingers and plectrum, depending on the speed of the song. It felt "cool".

I kept getting drawn back to drool over Derek's Stingray 5 stealth on the for sale boards so last weekend (after a couple of beers) I sent him a PM. Now it's mine! It's heavier than my other fiver (a Maruszcyzk with a chambered body) and the neck is significantly chunkier but it's subjectively 'tighter' in all areas, to play, in tone and particularly on the low B. Given that I'm in an 80s covers band I ordered a set of DR neons and, well, look at it! Happy boy. Not sure if the Maruszcyzk is going to go as it does a very different thing, but the ray instantly fit the band sound at rehearsal this week.

.

Quickly. That went quickly. Please remember the suffix on adverbs.

Stephen here from the Black Country. Exiled out to Brummagem for the last few years but the passport's good to get back in when the need takes. Being from the same part of the world as Ian Hill, heavy metal is pretty much in the DNA. I tried guitar when I was around 20, failed and spent the next decade uhmming and ahhing over whether I'd find four strings easier... ... So I bought a ukulele. A few years of playing with my local ukulele group I finally got inspired to give bass a try and have never looked back. I've been playing for three years, accompany the uke group at our twice-monthly pub meets, plus the occasional gig, and have had a couple of failed attempts to get a band going. Gigging in a real band remains my main motivation for learning a proper instrument. Hi there!

These short days. I emerged from the cellar after doing the Jazz rout and it's dark! Ignore the artificial light but that's both pickups routed. That might be the last scariest bit. Pleasingly, there's no daylight showing through the back ...although that might be because it's night now...

One of the challenging things about a through neck is that you can't fettle a neck pocket to correct any build, er-hum, 'vagaries'. So neck angle for bridge height has to be pretty spot on as does the sideways straightness to make sure that the strings all line up with the fretboard and the pickup poles. This is particularly important for a P pickup because any misalignment is very obvious. As such, if is a case of 'check ten times, cut once. On a PJ, I always start with the P and then double check the J position once those chambers have been cut. Also, as described in more detail in the Len_Derby thread, I just don't trust router templates. Instead I: Drill a hole for each pickup corner, 1mm greater dia than the actual corner radius Forstner a hole for each lug - again using a bit 1mm greater dia than the lug Forstner out the bulk Clean up the top edges with some careful chisel work Check the fit against one of the pickup covers Clean up the sides and chamber bottom with a short bearing-guided trimmer router bit - which is now captive and therefore can't go on a holiday through the nicely carved top! The result is this: Which is then double checked with the two covers: And then checked against each of the string positions: You can see on the pencil marked position of the J pickup where I've moved it across 1mm from the original position...which is exactly why I do it this way round and always use the actual bridge and the actual pickup covers and some strings in the nut position. It's a bit old fashioned, maybe, but it is less often now that I end up saying 'Well, it was right when I measured it against the drawing in the first place!'

I play in a reggae band and I my experience when people start to play reggae on whatever instrument, the main reason it does not sound authentic is because they do not listen enough to what it ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE and what is being played. They have an idea in their head of what reggae sound like and play what they think it sounds like and that can be way off. (closer to calypso than reggae). That is not to say you need to be note perfect on a cover it is good to add your own take as long as you remember that in a lot of reggae the bass line is what makes the track work and if you move too far off it becomes a different song. Try not to get academic about it, the feel is what you are aiming to capture in the genre. To the OP, just listen carefully what is being played and what is not being played and how the rhythm sits. Remember the spaces are also a part of what is being played. Try to determine where the notes are being played on the bass as there are tonal and feel reasons why notes are played in a reggae bass line in a particular place on the neck. I would say that Sheriff is not the place to start if you are new to reggae bass playing. Try something really basic first to get the feel remember less is more. The busier reggae bass lines are great though easier to get lose the feel. (A great busy bass line is ‘now that we’ve found love’ by third world. Lots of good stuff going on there that can go unnoticed on first hearing) I think these two tracks are a great place to start. Crazy Ballhead Natural mystic. Let us know how you get on. 👍🏿

Could’ve been so much better. And being USA - alienates younger players, I mean they did the dimension and Jaguar basses in Squier, MIM and US. in all honesty, a £600-£700 Version would’ve been bought by me as a long time fan, but at £1200+ they can jog on

Hey gang Yep, I've been bleating on about these fantastic heads for a while now (more here), but I've finally got around to doing a video review. Hopefully I don't ramble on too much... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLyBAFiJRJY

I’ve tried lots of straps now and each has had something which spoilt it. I took a punt on this Ibanez strap I saw for £30 and I’m pretty chuffed. My bass isn’t heavy but I do like the feel of wider straps. This one is really grippy and looks to be well made. One thing I like is that the strap itself is really thin. I’ve tried Mono straps before and they’re too thick for me. Anyway just putting it out there as a potential for those of you looking for an alternative to leather or the usual Mono or Comfort strap options. Excuse poor pics but it’s called an Ibanez BWS90 they do a more Mono style thick version too. Cheers

Very few have the time, ability, patience, money or other resources to start their own band Blue

You're too fussy. I do understand but go out and play in some crap bands. Or sub-optimal anyway. What's the worst that can happen? But some of these iffy bands turn out to have a decent drummer who knows someone whose looking for a bass player and so on. Put yourself out there. Join Facebook. I'm not massively younger than you but I find it a PITA dealing with musicians who can't work social media. It's where bands live these days - it just is.

There is a basic error in your policy.

Hi all! We’ve moved the London Bass Guitar Show from its customary slot in March - but never fear, the event will remain the essential show of the year for bass players! Although co-located with the UK Guitar Show, it will remain as its own, bass-specific show. Expect the same world-renowned artists, features and educational areas – such as the super-popular Bass Workshop with Scott’s Bass Lessons – as normal, across a two-day schedule. When we know the exact date in September, you will be the first to know so that you can get it in the diary and make sure you don't miss out! Best wishes from The LBGS Team

Here's a bit more sanding with a quick wipe of tinted Danish oil 😀

For best effect, (1) play the whole song, (2) play it loud, (3) try to keep a straight face. And yes, this is the actual single as released in 1961, unaltered.

Not sure either of my kidney's is worth £1500. It was the bass on Joan Armatrading's "Willow" that first got me interested in fretless. I guess there's a good chance it was this very instrument.

It’s like looking for a new girlfriend or wife. Bloody nightmare lol

I must admit, I did see the film and enjoyed it. But then again I'm not the biggest fan of Queen, and only really know the big hits, which is what the film is based on. When asked my opinion the next day at work, I said it was "Mamma Mia" for blokes. Incidentally my daughter has just asked for Mamma Mia II for Christmas, which is fine, but she wants the two disc set, which contains the film, along with a singalong DVD. I got looked at with quite the disdain when I suggested to my wife that la daughter could simply put on the Abba Greatest Hits album and singalong to that!

Musical circles can sometimes look like closed shops by those who are on the outside. They can be cliquey and are often difficult to penetrate. In my experience the better bands rarely advertise. They work by word of mouth. So keep doing what you're doing , but start going to jam nights, sit in, chat and network. Make sure you are recognised and remembered (for good reasons!). Go to gigs and say hi, circulate and meet people. Get business cards printed and chuck them around like confetti.

That 1006 looks absolutely lovely; I find neck through design just the best on any bass, so I have to fess to being sorely tempted to take it off your hands (as we discussed yesterday!) and "trade up" to my first Ibby Prestige... But for the same weight reason (plus loving the Nord big singles in the SR Premiums) I'm going to hold on to my SR 1206 too. I'm kinda interested that you don't sense much of a difference between the 506 and the 1206 though? That Nord growl on the 1206 does it for me Had we both known of a possible trade, I suspect you might have been able to persuade me otherwise! Gratuitous Ibby pics of my herd...

Sorry but I've never found a decent opportunity/position in a band using JMB, Party Sounds and the like. Word of mouth, getting out there has always been the best route for myself.

Mozart was only 8 when he wrote his first symphony. I was 48 when I first picked up the bass guitar. No idea at all where this particular post of mine is going...😂

Another great one to really get the feel for a reggae bass line is this, from my early days just starting out on bass in 1977 aged 14 😀

A Mosrite twin-neck and a Bigsby twin-neck. Gnarly!

What ya doing on this site. Should be on Trumpetchat 😀

Hello BCers, So, I live on the South Coast, I’m 66, and I’m having a real problem sourcing a bass vacancy in a quality well established covers/functions band anywhere in Sussex, Hampshire or Surrey. I’ve been looking for over a year now, and have only chosen to do one audition – this was the only gig on offer I’d come across which had the decent level of playing ability and professionalism I would expect. I didn’t get the gig - I don’t think there were any problems musically, but the rest of the band (and the two other auditionees I saw) were about 25 years younger than me, and maybe who really wants their Dad on stage with them? I’m not expecting to find a Vulfpeck or a Natalie Williams Soul Family, but surely I should have been able to find more than one suitable vacancy worth auditioning for in the last 15 months. Am I looking in the wrong places? I use Bandmix, JMB, Find a Musician, Gumtree and Starnow. Maybe I should use the dreaded Facebook ? – I’ve avoided signing up to this for reasons many will understand – but is this worth selling my soul for now? I’ve been lucky to have found two long term dep gigs over the last 12 months, the second of these finishes after this NYE, so I’m hoping I’m not about to enter a gig desert and still be looking for something in 12 months’ time. Any reasonably polite suggestions welcome, apart from “Why don’t you just pack it in, Grandad?”

I'm 65, I don't have time for iffy bands.For most of us deep into our 60s don't have time for iffy anything. Blue

Form your own band. it’s the only way.

I'm not sure ped, all I found was if the bridge pup was only used then pulling the tone pot cancelled the volume entirely. Using only the neck pup with the tone pot pulled up boosted that pup. I thought it kind of a strange set up. I just found this on VSN Guitars site so your thoughts were correct. "The push-pull tone pot works as a 'Turbo Switch' function. When pulled up, the 2 pickups are then connected in series and will produce a more powerful sound. WL-001 inherits the craftsmanship philosophy and high quality standards of the original Woodline, as well as its appearance. Nothing is more important than precise handcrafting and great attention to detail when making an instrument with ideal tone."

Yeah it is, so is/was the silver grey one too!

You're very welcome!

I have actually managed to join a couple of decent bands through JMB, although its probably easier in London. Its a bit frustrating when all the ads specify age 20-25, or when the band have ambitions even though they have no songs/talent. Patience is the key, although given your age.......

Jeez, Tony going straight in old skool and wired. What is happening to the world?

Funny how often it's me! While it was nice to know every punter walking past my stand was a bassist, it's probably a good idea. Certainly if it helps contain costs and keeps the event growing/surviving it's good with me. I feel for guys like you who will have to split their presence over two floors/sections though.

Idle boast but I’ve done sessions with the engineer on the Montserrat sessions for that album- I think they had 2 tape machines each and he used 32 mics on the kit.

So what to say about Marco’s bass? Well, for the two or three weeks I had it staying with me I loved having it around. It’s lovely, beautifully built for effectively a home-make and sounds great. Stunning looks too. When I pulled it out of the case at worship band rehearsal everyone stopped and gathered round to have a look, wondering if I’d bought myself a new one. The girl singers said I should just keep it as they loved the look and the woods so much. And the Delano pickups sounded great too - very flexible and some great sounds. Though I still think a three way pickup switch and a three way humbucker coil switch would give you all the functionality in a much more intuitive package. The immediate question from the others was “How much did it cost?” I explained its story but said that I reckoned that to go out to a builder and get something similar spec and design would easily cost a couple of grand or more. Thru neck, hand built, quality woods, lots of unique design features... which got me thinking about how to review it. I think that Marco has the ability to become a proper luthier is he puts his mind and effort to it. So I asked myself, what would need to change to justify paying £2k for a bass like this? So that’s my benchmark. What would he need to do to lift his output to the Shuker , ACG stakes...? Mostly I think it’s just attention to detail. So that’s what I’m going to focus on... where does the QA need tightening up etc. I like the design even though I’ve never really been a fan of Warwick Dolphins or Alembic style random cut outs. That said, I think that the curves of the cut out behind the bridge still need some fine honing to get the flow just right - just some more or less flare on the main part of the body to properly frame the cut out. we’re just talking half a mm but it could flow a touch better. Similarly the ends of the upper and lower horn. Their shapes don’t quite match. Pure nuance but important aesthetics nonetheless. I compared them to my Aria SB where the horns hook similarly and, though different do match in width and profile. Headstock. I like the elongated shape, branded logo and little cut out. I think it’s neat and looks cool. The adjustable nut is cool too and very easy to tweak. And it’s wenge or stripy ebony or very dark rosewood (or similar)! Cool! Wonder what the durability will be? However the cool little maple wooden trussrod cover needs a wider base... its thin enough that when the locating screw loosens it can rotate and leave the truss rod cavity uncovered. And the tuners... I think they’re put on back to front! The shaft should be nearer the neck than the tuning head. As they are pushing with your thumb on the E and A string tuners loosens rather than tightens the string. That just feels wrong. Plus their position on the headstock could be adjusted by a mm or so to even the shafts of the tuner a tiny bit. See. I said it was all about tiny detail. Neck It has its own feeling! Very deep and square D shaped, esp near the headstock. A bassist chum and I decided it was kinda Warwick Squared. I got used to it as I played it but I’d love to play Marco’s take on more traditional neck shapes. The carve is so nice and the Matt finish is lovely to play. And don’t forget, the customer is always right, even if they want a dull, standard J or P bass profile! Lol! I like the matt maple fingerboard too. Can’t stand heavy gloss fingerboards. I’m not sure that the chevron carve at the end of the fingerboard completely works for me but it’s a lovely touch as the board seems to flow into the body. Maybe a different shape might work a tiny bit better? Or not. There’s also a tiny measuring error as a touch of the walnut body/stringer peeks through. But the carve through on the back is lovely! Body Love the shape and it is sooooo light compare to my Wals and Aria!!!!! Very comfy to wear. I’ve commented on a couple of things already to do with the finer points of the aesthetics. But overall it’s a lovely, characterful design. It would definitely be a candidate for a standard model body shape if Marco released a range of basses. The small headstock, extended horn and offset bottom strap button means it hangs really well and it was a pleasure to play. Finishing This is where I think this is where Marco has the main scope to hone his craft. When you look at brands like Shuker, Overwater, Goodfellow, Wal etc the finish is completely perfect and, at the type of level Marco should be aiming for is expected. This is also where a lot of the hidden cost of a custom bass is. Time and care. The funny thing is you sort of can’t really tell when it’s done perfectly over and above the minimum necessary and you can’t always see the time that has gone in to achieve this sort of perfection. But every time you don’t achieve this standard it’s a glaring error. Especially if you’re shelling out £2-3 grand for a bass. On Marco’s bass there are a couple of spots where it looks like a plane blade has caught or chisel slipped and some filler has been needed. On the back of the neck there seem to be some circular sanding marks still present. A little longer with some finer grit sandpaper and wire wool would have sorted that. It looks like the pickup screws haven’t had guide holes properly drilled and the screws are a bit higgledy piggledy in the pickups. One has completely reamed out - no slight pickup height happening any time soon. There is dark filler around the abalone side dots which kinda spoils their circular shape. In fact, with small dots I wonder if a more uniform pearloid, plain white or black might work slightly better, giving a more defined circle. But none of this detail stops the bass being lovely to play, stunning looking or nicely designed. It’s a fab bass and I loved having it around. However, these are the finishing details that set it above the average . From home built/self built into the lofty heights of custom built/luthier built. From what I’ve seen I reckon that Marco could have the capability of making that jump. So in summary, I’d say that Marco should keep honing his skills and he will soon be producing even more droolsome basses than this one. However, the magic, silver bullet is all in that attention to the finest detail. Thank you so much, Marco for letting your lovely bass out for its grand tour of the UK. I so enjoyed pretending it was mine for a little while!

I’m liking them! I should respond with a recommendation too, Samsara from Brighton, great reggae with a kind of subtle Klezmer overtone sometimes, why this band aren’t huge escapes me...

Supporting The Dualers in Glasgow on Saturday... lots of fun.