Leaderboard

Dear Mr / Mrs Myspace, I would like to apply for the senior position of IT Manager that has just become available. I am fully versed in the latest Spectrum and Commodore computing systems and have built my own Olivetti PC from parts. I believe that along with these skills and experience I have a novel concept to offer in the minimisation of business risk. I have named this philosophy and practical execution "Backup 101" and know that once I have explained the concept to you it will be embraced by yourselves with the possibility of selling it to other computer users. Best regards, Ivor Bacupavyoo

Warning: Football reference alert!!! When J Cruyff did his now famous “turn” at the 1974 World Cup and made an eejit of the Swedish defender, he was hailed as an innovator and genius. Now it’s rather passé and even goalkeepers do it, and the “so what generation” is created. Historical context is important in this and PM’s case. Listening to music and judging it to be “good or not” “better or worse than” must be exhausting. It’s just music and I’m sure Macca is following this thread with great interest 🤪

I know his music and have heard loads of it but it doesn't really interest me. Other people rave about it but it doesn't float my boat. He's been a prolific writer and is often hailed as a genius but I don't get it or understand what the fuss is about. He must be overrated. I'm not talking about Paul McCartney. I'm talking about Mozart.

Some on here say he was not a "Technical" bassist. Who cares? I take inventive and musical over technical every time. There are loads of technical bedroom hero's on youtube who dont have an original line in them. Thats why we will never hear of them again.

Hey guys, I posted on here a while go but since then my guestlist has grown quite a bit I thought I'd start a new thread in case some of you might like to know about a Podcast/YouTube channel I publish called Bass Lessons Melbourne - Player Profiles. I interview local and touring bassists and publish the discussion as a youtube video and an audio only podcast episode. You can find the videos here: And the podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Podomatic Stitcher In the meantime check out this episode with the legendary Leland Sklar

Popped in to Dawson Altrincham to see if I could find a flight case for my Portaflex. This branch is unfortunately one of the ones closing down, which is a real shame as the staff in there have always been really nice and helpful. Wandering round I spied this. Never seen one before but picked it up for a go. Great chunky neck, great hardware- sounded good and a great bass platform to mod on. I think I'm going to give it a go at practice first before modding, as the pickups sound really quite good. Super buy for £130!! I've just joined a new band (punky/Rocky/Garage type sounds) and figured this would look great on stage, maybe a leopard print strap etc. Whaddya reckon. My wife hates it!

The F112 goes lower than the BB2, but it is really so low you may not need it. Both can very happily cover a 5 string, low end stomp fx, etc. (By the way, 'proper low end' for me does not mean significant reproduction of the fundamental of B at 30 Hz; it means proper reproduction of the first harmonic at 60Hz and going upwards. I owned an Acme B2 and B1 way back when and both could reproduce 30Hz fundamental. Sounded fantastic but were hugely ridiculously inefficient and once I realised I didn't need the fundamental - heck, I was high-passing it out in many scenarios - I sold them and got louder solutions. My experience now is that I perceive a cab as big in the low end now when it reproduces a fair bit of 50Hz signal and upwards. Not many do that, though...). The F112 is a good bit heavier, even in okoume plywood. But a very good form factor, tilt backable, etc. The high end out of both is very good, although I like the BB2 high end a little better than the F112. Just barely. Both cover the mids evenly and have excellent dispersion. I concluded the F112 needs huge power to get the absolute best out of it. 500W into the cab and it will barely break a sweat. It's very loud with 500W, but edged out for loudness by some other cabs I have tried - BB2 included. The BB2, as I said before, is lighter on the low end, but since it's a single 12" in a correctly sized box it will take EQ for the low end very well, and is louder than the F112 with the same power applied. The F112 looks 100% better than the BB2. It's unfair to Alex, but I have always disliked that paint finish. The Barefaced tolexed cabs look a million times better than the 12" series, in my opinion, and I think Alex would sell even more if he tolexed the 12" cabs. These are both very much FRFR type solutions, also; if you are used to baked-in voicing in cabs you will get a huge shock. Then you need to be able to carry solutions to colouring your sound if you wish it; some people get away with very little, and others go for Zoom/Helix/exotic preamps/etc. An adjustable high pass filter for the low end does make a difference in some scenarios with the F112, less for the BB2 as it's not quite so huge there. Given these are FRFR type solutions....then the next question is....lol...should you just buy a powered FRFR PA cab? Lol. See other threads for discussion.... Just my thoughts of an afternoon. Pete (Background. I sold everything a while back because of young kids and being busy, but am looking at 12s again myself.)

OK, I like the Beatles - especially their early albums up to Revolver and Rubber Soul (forget Sgt.Pepper). My first name is Paul, I'm left handed and I have a cheap version of the Hofner violin bass in my collection! Paul Mc. was and is one of the best bass players for popular music. As has already been said, he played to the song and, unless you are a bass player and listen out for his lines, his playing can go unnoticed. To me, that is the whole point of bass playing even in driving dance tracks. Most punters don't realise that it is the bass that makes dance tracks so good. I suspect that to many Beatles fans the songs are the main 'thing' and the instrumentation is secondary. I have watched many videos of "great" bass players and could never play like them with sparks flying off my fingers. However, I do not enjoy their music as, rather than being part of the song, their playing becomes a self important "Hey, look at me" performance that adds nothing to the event. Players like Joe Osborne on the Carpenters and 5th Dimension tracks knew when and how to use the bass. Paul Mc. was/is a master at finding just the right balance without detracting from the song.

He isn’t a seriously good drummer. It isn’t all about ability, if he isn’t present he’s a crap drummer. Sack him, quickly.

Just bought one from Amazon, great amp really pleased and great value currently at £220. I had an audition last week and needed a new amp having stupidly sold of my TC BG500 a year or so ago. Read some reviews and ummed and ahhed around whether to get the 500w version I decided on the 350w -Reason being The TC was super loud at 500w, never had it past 3 on volume and never felt it was properly utilising the drivers at low volume so I figured that 350 would be ample. Wanted a standard rock tone and that exactly what I go using the BB614 and Bass Attack preamp. Ran it at 8ohms through a Laney 410 at half volume and it sounded immense during the audition! ...and I got the gig! Yay.

Have to agree re: quality. I just can’t get on board with MM charging over £2k for a non-custom non-handmade bass. I know it’s because they’re made in the US but I digress... Back on topic, just spotted this absolute beauty at Bass Direct: Bloody gorgeous!

Not sure about today’s music Jack, it’s so safe and insipid I think my great grandparents invented it.

Charge the drummer the full cancellation fee of the rehearsal rooms if he cancels last minute, that’ll focus him on committing properly or letting new blood in. Obviously, let him know this in advance and soon.

Ok, to many these will be just another two copy basses. To me (having played them) they are just so much better. SVL Guitars are the work of Simon Law, guitar tech for Matt Schofield, Robben Ford and Pete Townsend. In fact he is with the Who recording at the moment (and, with these, I got a set of Pino |Palladino's strings). Hugely resonant and nice and light. They feature 5% overwound Lindy Fralin Vintage pickups, lightweight reverse tuners and Gotoh bridges. Absolutely awesomer work and they will be my constant companions from now on.

There is a slight possibility of that Mick 🤣 My recommendation - providing you like a chunky neck @dmccombe7 - is for the US Standards 2012-15 Series. I’ve had Precisions from many ranges/decades/countries of manufacture and these ones imo knock all the others out of the water. They play and sound amazing. Pick up a black or white one with a maple neck, stick a black scratch plate on and you have a vision of the 70s. Dont know where you’re based but if it’s down south way you’re more than welcome to check my Precisions out.

If you are going for a Fender then I don't think that you can go wrong with an American Standard from about 2012 to a couple of years ago - CS p/ups and graphite rods in the neck, etc Personally, I would avoid those made in the 80s and be very careful with 70s models - some great, some complete dogs (I've had one of each)!

Based on tone i'd be going for the maple neck 77 bass. What about the feel of the necks tho.

I actually prefer the new shape to the more Fender looking old ones. I reckon my VS4 is right up there quality wise with a Musicman costing a grand more.

Sleaford Mods, excellent, unsafe, sipid and almost old enough to be grandparents.

There's all sorts of unsafe and sipid music produced by every generation... You may not like it, but that's the point, isn't it? Try these for a start: http://girlband.ie/

With a nod to the McCartney thread. . . . check out 14:30. . . . . "I found the Beatles, and boom, everything changed overnight!" Lee Sklar is one of the more inspirational bassists out there. I first noticed him with James Taylor and I wore my Mud Slide Slim album out trying to get those bass runs into my head.

Oh dear. Did their IT tech spill coffee over the ZIP Disk?

Finally sorted myself out, this time I can spend the whole day there so at last I get to try the “scrumptiousness”. Will be bringing Jabba’s original semi hollow fretless so you can all see how it has faired over the past year, Mike B.

Passe and indeed not very intelligent. But you're right, I hear a lot of younger people sneering at pioneering technology, film, music etc from the past or comparing with some current equivalent. The other day we were watching summat with Ray Harryhausen effects and my 14 year old daughter was being quite sneery about it so I reminded her it was done around 50 years ago using stop motion techniques, long before 3D CGI became the norm.

Exactly right. He is to modern bass playing what other groundbreaking types were to their fields/ It's terribly passe and of the moment to look down on people like Macca, or early sci-fi writers (Mary Shelley, anyone?), or pioneering scientists - but they had no back catalogue of research, similar ideas or general awareness of form to work with: they were there at the start. For the record: I do not like The Beatles, but there were some nice basslines, usually with a nice bouncy tone: and you've got to respect someone who played, sang, wrote and created some of the most lasting tunes of the last (crikey) almost 60 years. He might be a scouser and have questionable taste in instruments, but he's a legend.

I've just spent three years with a group of good musicians who were rubbish at rehearsals and who had disorganised over-committed lives. When everyone was there both physically and metaphorically it was the best sounding band I've been in. We did six gigs in three years. I wish I'd faced up to the issues way back and I could have those years again. the drummist was our biggest problem. It's probably too late now but my experience is that whoever brings the conflict into the light is the one who loses out, usually me It might have been better to have suggested a 'dep' for when he couldn't make it. The new drummer would either slot in and you could at least rehearse or the threat would make the old drummer focus more and he'd show a bit more commitment. I've rarely come across a drummer who understands rehearsal. Most of them think they can learn a song in minimal time and a setlist in a couple of days, and up to a point they usually can get through a set pretty much straight out of the box; if you don't mind the odd fill in the wrong place or the drums going on for a bar or two at the end of the song. I'm not saying drums are easy, as someone who struggles to move their hands independently but that it is different if you have no notes to worry about. I've yet to come across a drummer who truly enjoys rehearsal or who understands the need to repeat bits that didn't work, their bit did.

More exotica here! 😊

Not true when it comes to the 3 band only Stingray Special - the 18 v electronics with Neo magnet pick ups, result in a bass EQ with much more bass potential than the 2 band - more reminiscent at the upper end of the Bongo bass or low mid EQ controls. The pre 2018 3 band has a HPF. I suspect the new one does and is a component of the clever revoicing of the Stingray. Nice playing on that video - my favourites - Stingray, Fodera, CS Precision and did I miss it - Where was the Rickenbacker. 😯

Simple: take a dump or get off the pot You can't have the rest of the band hanging around wondering if he'll turn up or not. It's wasting your time and money. If he's too busy, say so. If he's not into the band, say so. If you're waiting around for him you risk losing the rest of the band. Time for cards on the table (Sorry to put it so bluntly, but if you want to gig you can't have people that are not committed)

You haven't really got a drummer.

I did a late download of this. Great interview. The market place segment was more interesting than I thought it might be. Some interesting tips from Si on understanding Lakland model numbers. Bo's enthusiastic delivery, as always, is a joy to listen to. Cheers chaps.

And we respect Paul because he didn't have 50 years of Rock & Roll bass playing and hundreds of bass players to look back on and draw from. Paul was pioneer. Blue

I'm not a big fan of either The Beatles, Wings or his solo stuff but I far prefer his way of playing to all the bass shredders out there. IMO if you don't have the tunes then all that technical stinky poo isn't worth cr@p. I've heard Stanley Clarke, Geddy Lee, Jeff Berlin, Vic Wootten etc etc but none of the guys can hold a tune in a bucket IMO even though they are masters of technique.

Liking this a lot. Way more work involved than just buying a pop-up unit, but a great way to disguise the sheer ugliness of a big tripod stand!

John Deacon liked sunburst?! Well if it's good enough for him... 😄 Congrats on the new basses.

Good lad! Get ‘em in, get ‘em working

I can verify that. I got a set of five with a tapered B for my Steinberger Spirit XT25 from Newtone. He looked at the bass and noted the bridge/saddle tolerances then did me a light/intermediate set of roundwounds.

If they come to the door with the pizza, and don't know when to come ion - you know they're a drummer 😉 Rather than falling out with him, tell him you all appreciate he's trying to keep it up for the sake of the band, but it's become obvious he's struggling to keep up the commitment and you don't think it's fair on him, so if he wants to walk after the May gig there won't be any hard feelings... Oh... you've tried that. How rhythmic is your wall-head-banging? Do you have drummer potential? I'll get my coat.

you can see they are different sizes but I couldn't easily find the actual dimensions online but should be standard Fender size

Is it a bass? A harp? Some funky hipster furniture?🤔 It's a no from me

I can see why those with more "modern" tastes might wonder why PM is so respected, but what he played was always musical, even if it wasn't technically impressive. That's what is really important (imho of course). There's a reason why so many prominent bass players rate his playing.

I admire any guy who can stand on stage and play one of those butt ugly Hofners for all these years when there are loads more sexy basses out there to strut one`s stuff on