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Hey dudes, it finally uploaded... So, word of warning... this ended up a little (understatement) longer than I though it was gonna be, but I wanted to cover a few things. Things I hit upon that may be of interest: The reason why we're experimenting with longer form dripped courses outside of the SBL Academy What's actually included within the SBL Academy (for those of you who have no idea) The reason why my YouTube content has changed over the years (this will probably be of most interest to you, as it's likely not what you think) Am I the same in "real life"... or is it a show for the camera? And a bunch or other morning ramblings Ezzzzz

You dudes... recorded a quick vid for ya's as I thought it'd be easier than writing an essay... I'll upload it this morning and post in here... but in the meantime, fear not, I haven't gone insane, and for those that seem interested all is OK with my wife too. Gimme an hour, I'll be back with ya.

Can I just say that I love the fact Scott Devine took the time and trouble to do the video. And actually, it was not very Youtubey either so it truly is appreciated.

This is my current fave - anyone on the forum ?! RevDrGlover (Coventry) Sunday 24 Mar 2019, 7:26pm I'll turn-up to every practice, won't do tiresome bass solos, will syncopate between lead guitar and the kick-drum, fattening-up your sound, and will have no opinion about 'musical direction', just like bass players should. I've been playing with bands that are 'nearly ready to gig' for four years, without playing an actual gig. I bloody love making music with other people. Happy to carry-on doing that; thoroughly enjoying practice sessions, or actually practice to the point of actually playing an actual gig. I'm in my 50's with a mental age of 14 or so, and love what bass guitar can do to glue a band together. If that's what you're missing; I'm your man*. [*Or your gender-neutral bass-person who's cosplaying a fat lazy old bloke.] Blip me a DM, and I'll WhatsApp you on Instagram, or fax you a Telex at your Reddit PO Box number. Erm, bro.

Its good to have you back and on this forum!

Respect.

Not basses, but as somebody with a few hobby rooms / cupboards full of "stuff", I'll say this: 1) If it gives you pleasure - you're winning. (if it gives you more grief / stress / worry than pleasure - you're doing something wrong). 2) It's usually easier to acquire stuff than it is to, um, decquire stuff. 3) He who dies with the most toys - wins. 4) See #3 5) See #3

So have I, that’s why we’ve got 4 kids 😉

Is that polite for putting on weight. 😂🍺🍺🍺🍔🍟🍕🍖🍗🥩🥓🥞🥖🥨🧀🥚🍳🍞🥯🥐🥬🍪🌰🥜🍫🍰🎂🍧🍨🍧🍧🍧🍡🧁🍧🍘🍥

It's the British way or something. Build them up 👍, and when they seem to be doing well - knock 'em back down again. 👎 And lets be honest, once you've had your picture taken with @TheGreekyou're pretty much right up there! 😎

The JMB poster may be commended for their brevity if nothing else. Frankly, it looks a bit weird without the usual lengthy list of entirely incompatible influences: (Aerosmith, Jimmy Shand, Stockhausen, The Macc Lads, Englebert Humperdinck, Bootsy Collins).

Good talk Scott. Absolutely fascinating, watched from beginning to end. Thanks for being so candid re youtube, also for the clarity over what is SBL vs what is external. Perfect response to this thread.

I hope everyone's wives are OK, by the way* *Where applicable

110%... I was speaking to the team about her yesterday saying we need to get something set up. Joe Dart's at the top of the list at the mo though, just trying to figure some stuff out around that. Was supposed to be hooking up in LA a few weeks back but stuff didn't line up - I will make sure it does though. For me, Carol is at the top of that list too... Also, someone on here mentioned Pino... he's defo on the list of peeps I wanna land, it's a little complex because of his schedule and a few other moving parts. He's also a private dude too, so I'll have to do some serious sweet talking.

Perhaps he could give you some tips on your reggae / ska technique? Something like 'Aaaargh! Make it stop Ricky! Please god, make it stop!!! ' Something like that?

Doh... already recorded the vid mate, so I'll do it here... Ricky 4000... YOU ARE AWESOME!

Did once. To get married. The lady in question bought it back, hence why I married her...

I reckon this one's definitely worth going for. They seem a really talented and dedicated bunch.

I reserve the right to put so many double negatives in sentences that they make no sense to anyone!

When I started bass again after a couple of decades off, I clocked YouTube for a few freebie lessons and found most resonance with Scott Devine's videos (for bass guitar) and those of Geoff Chalmers (for DB). Clearly, the funk/jazz thing is where I belong, so this was the obvious site to hit. Anyway, I subscribed - lifetime - and I pick through the courses for what I want, rather than trying to do everything. However, sometimes I will find a course that I wasn't looking for but piques my interest anyway, so I will give it a go. Steve Lawson's Fretless course was essential viewing for me, and I watched Phil Mann's slap courses to get myself into that technique, because it was something I'd not done before. But...I also enjoyed courses by Jonathan Maron, Andrew Gouche and Bobby Vega without knowing too much about any of those guys before, so those were nice surprises. And that's why I like the Academy, I'm constantly finding stuff out that I didn't know before. I don't LIVE in the Academy site, but it's really helped me to get back into the swing of this. (Yes, literally.) And...at the first London Bass Guitar Show I attended, I went along to the SBL room and picked up a lot of stuff; though what I enjoyed the most was Scott playing live with Mike Outram and a BRILLIANT Brazilian drummer whose name escapes me (sorry @devinebass, you did tell us but I'm old and I forget.....sorry what was I saying?). I don't mind Scott's occasional "waffle" introduction to a vid - if I do get fed up at any time, hey I know how to use a fast forward. I just like to see the enthusiasm - better than some miserable person trying to lecture me on the intricacies of A Minor Demented Mode and making the whole thing seem too much like hard work. So no, I don't begrudge him anything - clearly he's worked damned hard on this and it's something that fills a need, my need in fact; so why not?

🙂 My brother keeps on encouraging me to buy a cheap 3/4 classical guitar and a 'ukelele bass conversion kit'. I saw the ideal guitar today in a charity shop for £15. Unfortunately I'd just dropped my car off for its post-MOT work and I just didn't have the balls to walk through town carrying a bright pink 'Barbie-style' guitar...

Why Me? asks washed up Radio DJ Simon Mayo pondering Teebs' nipples yesterday

SBL isn't for me (prefer face to face lessons), but if it works for you, great, and it's great for Scott that he can make a crust from this & reach so many bass players across the world. Why do people always want to knock others that make a success of something?

Setting up 9 months in advance does seem a bit excessive, but at least it gives you plenty of time to properly sound check.

This is well worth a watch. It's like a TED talk....

Sooo close now! Unfortunately one of the pickups is dead so just sorting out fixing that with Nordstrand, then it’s pretty much final neck carve and finishing I think

Since getting mine, I've been lucky enough to acquire beautiful (real) '73 and '63 P's. Technically I should now sell my Limelight, but I can't part with it. It's just too wonderful.

Lovely stuff! https://www.loudersound.com/news/last-flight-to-pluto-release-video-for-coverland

Thought that was a really honest response, it's nice to know the background info on SBL website production and much appreciated.

Love my BB735A! Mainly as a P bass i.e. passive, 100% neck pickup. Occasionally if I need more bite then active, 75% bridge, slightly boosted mids and highs. Strings are Dunlop flats.

So, you don't care about the money, you pay for everything but you don't own it, and at the same time if you pay for something you want to have it?

My title is a tribute to Scott's ones. Attracting like what I used to learn as a free journalist many many many many many many many many moons ago : the title must push the reader to go further. Job done. Now, I can go back to 😴

Just a quick mockup with the mirrored pickguard............ 😀

I think many of us are just swayed by wanton lust for basses, I know I certainly am. 🙄 Sometimes your tastes change, sometimes your body changes and what you hope will be the last bass you'll ever buy turns out to be just another bass. As other members have commented it's all good clean fun and if a buyer (of a new bass) goes into the purchase with their eyes wide open knowing that they're going to take a hit if it doesn't work out, fair play to them. If buying used, you can just move it on for the same price you paid for it. Happy days!

@The GroovyPlucker The becos comp looks great (I haven’t used it but I’m familiar with the ‘dbx 160’ style comp which this appears to share a lineage with) and if you’re new to or returning to compression IMHO ‘LED monitoring’ is really useful to connect what ‘you’re seeing’ to what ‘you’re hearing’ and by default what the comp is doing in terms of attack and release. The Spectracomp has been mentioned and it’s a good pedal but unless you’re editing via the TC app you may struggle to understand what’s happening due to the single controller knob on the pedal, no LED monitoring and no indication of what parameters of the compressor are being controlled via the single knob. Deep diving into app opens up about 40+ tweak-able parameters which can get a bit over involved and over whelming. That being said the ‘Tone Prints’ do offer various options of compression with minimal fuss but if it’s not quite what you want you’re back to some deep editing via the app. You might find a set it and forget it setting which does enough of what you need but if you wanna understand a bit about what’s happening I’d suggest a pedal with LED monitoring and attack and release knobs. If you’re not bothered about the ins and out’s there’s already been some solid recommendations above. As an aside... The difficulty with understanding compression is that it can be both a tool and an effect depending on how it’s used and often, as others have said, this can cause problems especially if the controls are not fully understood. If you can afford a pedal which ticks all your boxes, the Becos certainly looks well featured and affordable, then it may be as good an option as anything else out there. As ever ovnilabs.com is the place to check out reviews and info.

In their website blurb Mark says something along the lines of 'players who want the sound, feel and look of a vintage instrument'. I didnt know that he started out as a cheaper option to Nash.

Have they not returned to the old pitchfork logo recently? Pretty sure the new BBs have the pitchforks prominently on the headstock. https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/history/logo/

When it was first offered, ie, when it took it out a few years ago, it was a pretty cheap deal, so that probably wouldn't be sustainable.

IMO we should always be trying to learn and improve. If I can just learn 1 small thing from another player then the effort will have been worthwhile. I've seen a couple of SD suggestions on his Youtube videos that got me thinking and helped my bass playing along. IMO he is providing a great resource for bass players. Nothing is perfect so ignore the annoying stuff, it's not important. Do yourself a favour, filter out the good stuff and focus on that! Edit to make sense!

I have done the 26 week accelerator course which was an addition on top of my lifetime membership (which I don’t use much), I think it has been well worth the money and I have learned stuff and genuinely believe I have got better from it. yes, he can go on a bit but that is his style. I met him at the London bass show and he was friendly and pleasant. Good luck to the guy I say.

Posh metal Trace badge arrived which is replacing the worn plastic one, it’s not historically accurate but hey... £15 inc delivery from U.K. supplier. I tried it symmetrically top centred but but it didn’t look right, I tried it left in line with the border but again not right, so I shifted it right a couple of centimetres. Now it looks right. Weird but that’s my eyes... drilled 2.5mm holes and fixed with a bolster behind the sign/grille, some nail varnish as threadlock to hold the tiny screws from bass vibration loosening. I’m liking the flapper effect of rough paint/powder coat clearance... might just use a metal polyurethane metal sealer. I have time to decide on that. Stripped hardware one last time to put on three more coats of Tuff Cab because this is going to be my main rig so why not? Once the hardware is put back on this is pretty much a wrap. If you are just restoring one or two cabs the 1Lit tub of Tuff Cab is plenty. Seriously, it goes a long way.

My Wounded Paw Battering Ram EQ was only £150 and it slays this stuff. £250? For them?!! Ashdown have obviously had access to the "Markbass crack warehouse" before deciding on pricing structure.

I’ve been there! Have to admit. The less I have had to worry about cash, the less care I take in “trying stuff out”. I sometimes get it right, sometimes get it wrong but to me that is part of the “hobby”. The surprise for lack of a better word. Finding the next “best thing”, sometimes it is and if not I sell it again even at a loss. The reason things do not sell is because either the market is too niche, or the price too high. Avoid that and you will sell. All part of the game and I enjoy it. I mainly buy 2nd hand, but have also had stuff built for me. I have set myself some boundaries too as I do not need Foderas or such, but for the rest it is just fun and games not more wastful than going out on the p1ss every Friday and Saturday evening and certainly healthier. It is my money to spend, I have fun with it and it means I have been able to try many many brands and basses over the years, so can even give advice to others based on my experience with an instrument. Nothing wrong with that in my book.

Long time follower of SBL here, I had a chat with Scott over Instagram about him putting his Moolon neck on his Fender CS body and the reasoning why, if he liked it etc. In my honest opinion, it seemed he had attitude behind his very short replies, sort of “you don’t deserve the time it takes to type this” attitude. “lol” Maybe it’s just me but all the YouTube stuff etc is all smiles and nicey nicey for the camera but to a small time player like me, he seemed very egotistical and abit up himself. I never considered joining SBL because it always seemed abit of a con to me, although followed him on Instagram and Youtube, but now I unsubbed etc. I mean, sod $147, I wouldn’t pay £20 for 30 minutes of talking and 10 minutes of actual lesson.....plenty of other fantastic teachers around on YouTube and other platforms that teach for free, or there’s also the step above like Janek Gwizdala available for 1-1 Skype lessons etc. I followed SBL for a good few years, though I too was a victim of the many emails and after a while, got sick of the persistent “GIVE US YOUR MONEY!!” So thusly, unsubscribed.

Have you never got a bass thinking it would be one thing but turned out it wasn't, or even tried a bass that seemed ok but you didn't get on with it? I know I have. What is the difference between a 3k bass and a £300 bass? Simple answer, one persons lot of money is another persons not impulse purchase. Also if you have a designer bass you can't actually try it until you have it, because it isn't made yet. And obviously on a designer bass you are going to lose a lot, but if it is the thing you want, then that might not matter.