Leaderboard

Sometimes I walk into the room where I keep the basses and guitars and just grin.

Sunday afternoon gig, it was a two hour drive to get there so quite an early start for a sunday. We played outdoor with The Billy Joel Experience, yes we only play Billy Joel songs. We played well and it was a nice responsive crowd but it felt a bit strange because we where separated by water.

The key words are "decent sound engineer".

I have a hankering for a Jabba mini bass. I played one at a Bassbash. It was proper lush. I have a hankering for a Ritter Princess Isabella - sadly, finances say no. I have had a hankering to build an instrument for the past 30 years. I have very poor woodworking skills. I mean VERY poor. I could tell you all about woodwork classes in school, but I am not proud of it. At least I learnt to measure twice and cut once. Eventually. All these things are coming to a head and I am going in. I am documenting it so that I actually have to do it. Because I have a bad habit of dreaming and not doing. I will need a LOT of guidance. I want a convex front and a concave back. I have watched lots of videos on carving the front of a LP with a router and orbital sander and decided that I could not. On Sunday we went to a food fair and there was a guy selling large wood turned plates. It crossed my mind that a body blank could be "turned". Convex on front, concave on the back. Once that is done I could cut the body shape out of the big bowl. The circumference could be the bottom of the instrument. I would need to be very careful with center body depth so as to give the hardware somewhere to live. But the sides could be quite slim. I like that. I am aware that the geometry could be challenging. What are the reasons this way of carving would not work?

Before buying my Two10 I looked all over t'interweb for consumer reviews, but there's not a lot out there - lots of love for its little brother the One10, which was a good sign, but not much stuff about living with the Two10 day-to-day. The one question that I struggled to find the answer to was, "Can it replace my 4 x 10?" If you're in a similar position to me - keen amateur/semi-pro tired of lugging a "normal" - (i.e. not Barefaced) 4 x 10 to pub/club gigs every weekend, I can say, "Yes! It's plenty loud enough and more." What cab is the Two10 replacing? My old cab is a Genz Benz Focus LT 410. It's light for a 4 x 10 (64 lbs), it's well designed, plenty loud and has a nice tone. OK, it's not a top-of-the-range "Uber" cab, but it's done me proud for the last three years, and I love it's tone, volume and reliability. If the current cab's so great, Why replace it? It all comes down to weight. I sustained a back injury this year, and although now on the mend, I can't manage to lug a 4 x 10 about on my own. I've always used a sack-truck, so for a flat, level load-in I managed OK, but I still had to lift my cab into my car, and any venues with stairs, steps or raised stages were becoming a very literal pain. Preconceptions Before the Two10 arrived, I hoped that despite having half the cone area of the Genz Benz, if I really cranked my amp through the Two10, I should be just about able to squeeze enough volume out of it to keep up with my loud drummer. I expected a drop in performance, but hoped that the reduced handling effort would make up for a shortfall in SPL. First Impressions I was able to A-B the Two10 against the Focus 410 in my front room. First, I played through the Genz Benz, which sounded great as usual. Without changing the controls on the bass or the amp, I swapped the Speakon lead over to the Two10, set at 4 Ohms. Bloody hell! - I didn't have an SPL meter, but to my ears at least, the Two10 sounded louder than the 4 x 10. More bass, more mids, just more of everything! I was puzzled at how this could be possible, but I guess that the Two10's 4 Ohm load was allowing my Markbass LM3 to output its full 500W, as opposed to 300W through the 8 Ohm Genz Benz. I tentatively tried cranking the amp a bit beyond front-room levels, but was forced to stop when the ornaments on the mantlepiece started to jump into the fireplace. The door burst open, and I was confronted by a very angry Mrs TheBass wanting to know what exactly the f**k I thought I was doing. Verdict - IT'S LOUD! First Gig (Quiet band) The next day I was able to try out the Two10 in more appropriate surroundings. A gig with my originals band - two clean electric guitars and a refined drummer with an above average grasp of volume and dynamics, swapping between brushes, rods and sticks. We play an eclectic set ranging from quiet acoustic ballads to heavy dub-laden ska numbers. I'm playing a fretless EB MM Sterling through the Markbass LM3, and the Two10 doesn't miss a beat. The venue has its own PA, so my rig is for stage monitoring only. One of the guitarists uses a lot of phase and flange - think Cocteau Twins - which can sometimes bury my bass, but tonight it's easy to find a balance and sit nicely in the mix. The LM3 is barely at tickover. The load-in and out is a joy - I can lift the Two10 with one hand, and by back is thanking me almost as much as the drunk punter who we played "Happy Birthday" to. All in all, a very good night. First Rehearsal (Loud Band) The following night is rehearsal night with my loud punk/rock covers band. Two deaf overdriven guitarists playing through 4 x 12 Marshall half-stacks and a shed-building drummer who thinks that John Bonham played like a wuss. We're really loud, especially in a small rehearsal room, and I'm glad of the 18dB of volume-reduction from my Alpine earplugs. I'm running an SVT amp-sim through the Markbass to give me a bit of "Grrr", which sounds great through the Two10. With this band, I'm playing a fretted Sterling, for lots of bark and fret-clank. It's a small rehearsal room, and my rig keeps up easily without needing to be pushed. I notice that I've had to wind the master level anticlockwise from its usual setting with the Genz Benz, and cut some of the Lows and Low Mids. First Gig (Loud Band) This is the acid test - my loud band at full gig volume. The venue is a medium sized pub - the room is actually the ground floor of three terraced houses knocked together into one open plan space. I set up as normal, and DI into the PA. The bass drum and both guitars are miked up, and the guitarists are packing a Marshall 4 x 12, and a 2 x 12 respectively. We're fortunate to have an ex-pro soundman who knows how to get a good balanced mix, and manages to keep the volume to a realistic level. He's got a great pair of ears and a wealth of experience, and I trust his judgement. After the soundcheck, he beckons to me, and I walk over to the desk. He points down, and I notice to my amazement that the fader for my bass is at zero - my new little rig with its tiny Two10 cab is doing 100% of the work, with no reinforcement from the PA at all! Verdict My Two10 doesn't just keep up with the "ordinary" 4 x 10 it replaces, its louder. It's not just about volume though - the tone is great, and the sound fills the room better than my old cab. I originally thought that I'd end up getting a pair of Two10s, but that would be absolute overkill for my situation, even for my noisy covers band. At first I was skeptical of Barefaced's claim that the Two10 could replace a 4 x 10, but in my experience, that's absolutely the case.

Today I welcomed into my fold a brand new Fender Duff McKagan Signature Deluxe bass guitar. I’ve been thinking about getting a PJ configuration bass for a while. I had one a while back and it filled the gaps very nicely in my rock covers trio. I saw the Duff in a store last week and thought it looked awesome. Lots of online research, followed by a return visit to try it out and the deal was done. It’s a beauty, finished in a lovely pearlescent champagne colour. It’s not quite white, but it’s close enough to tick my Paul Simonon fanboy boxes. I’m not usually a fan of black hardware but it looks great on this bass. You can find all the specs online if you’re interested. The neck is substantial but not overly chunky. Nut width is 41mm I’d guess, it feels similar to my EBMM Stingray. Despite the Jazz Bass Special name on the headstock it’s definitely got more Precision DNA in it than Jazz. Despite being a Signature instrument there is no trace of Duff’s name anywhere on it, only a ‘skull’ motif pressed into the neck plate. It’s slightly neck heavy, more noticeable when playing seated but strapped on it balances well. I love the fact that I have master volume and master tone (that’s how I’ve always had my J basses re-wired) and a pickup selector. All three positions give very individual, useable tones. The secret weapon is the TBX tone control which I’m looking forward to experimenting with. Very useful to me is the factory fitted Hipshot D-tuner. It’s not properly set up though so it will need fine tuning, which I hear is a bit of a faff... The set up was ok: intonation and action all good, although the relaxed tension on the E when the Hipshot is engaged results in a lot of buzz, so that will need tweaking too. General fit and finish is excellent, as you’d expect from a £1000+ bass. It comes with a Fender gig bag which they describe as ‘deluxe’: it’s anything but - thin and fairly useless, so I’ll be using one of the excellent Mayones gig bags I own, which are very heavy duty. It’s definitely a ‘rock’ bass, and as the man himself plays almost exclusively with a pick it’s easy to get a punchy rock tone by doing likewise, with both pickups on. But I think the Duff is more versatile than that. The Seymour Duncan J pickup in isolation is honky and funky but not thin and weedy, and the P pickup in isolation is warm and full, especially played finger style. I like it very much. I’m looking forward to giving it a proper high volume workout tomorrow at rehearsal. Nice!

I've completed the build of a new bass. Unlike other Brooks basses that I've built this does not feature a mix of a classic Gibson bass with another non-Gibson classic. The Brooks EB-N is an original design that I came up with in an attempt to give it a bit of a classic vibe without referring to well known designs. BROOKS EB-N - One piece mahogany body - Smoked oak constrasting veneer in between layer - Bookmatched flamed maple top - Five ply quartersawn mahogany/American walnut neck - Ebony fretboard - Mother of Pearl position marker dots. 12th circle inlay - Jumbo frets - 34" scale - Zero fret and buffalo horn nut - Babicz FCH4 bridge - Spokewheel double action trussrod - Lace Alumitone Bass Bar - Gotoh GB 707 bass tuners - Push-pull volume pot for humbucking or single coil - CTS tone pot

Had to share this guidance to ensure we are all singing from same sheet. HOW TO REQUEST A SONG FROM THE BAND When requesting a song from the band, just say “Play my song.” We have chips implanted in our heads with an unlimited database of the favorite tunes of every patron who ever walked into a bar and all songs ever recorded so feel free to be vague, we love the challenge. If we say we really don’t remember that tune you want, we’re only kidding. Bands do know every song ever recorded, so keep humming. Hum harder if need be… it helps jog the memory, or just repeat your request over and over again. If a band tells you they do not know a song you want to hear, they either forgot they know the tune or they are just putting you on. Try singing a few words for the band, any words will do. It also helps to scream your request from across the room several times per set followed by the phrases, “AW, COME ON!” and “YOU SUCK!” Exaggerated hand gestures expressing disapproval from the dance floor are a big help as well, such as the thumbs down or your middle finger up. Put-downs are the best way to jog a band’s memory. This instantly promotes you to the status of “Personal Friend of the Band.” You can bet your request will be the next song we play. Entertainers are notorious fakers and jokesters and never really prepared for their shows. We simply walk on stage with no prior thought to what we will do once we arrive. We don’t actually make set lists or rehearse songs, we mostly just wait for you to yell something out, then fake it. An entertainer’s job is easy, even a monkey could do it, so don’t let them off the hook easily. Your request is all that matters. Once you’ve figured out what genre of music the band plays, please make your requests from a totally different genre, the more exaggerated the better. If it’s a blues band playing, yell for some Metallica, Black Sabbath or Motley Crue. If it’s a death-speed metal band be sure to request Brown Eyed Girl or some Grateful Dead. We musicians constantly need to broaden our horizons and it’s your job to see that it happens… immediately. TALKING WITH THE BAND The best time to discuss anything with the band in any meaningful way is at the middle of a song when all band members are singing at the same time. Our hearing is so advanced that we can pick out your tiny voice from the megawatt wall of sound blasting all around us. And we can converse with you in sign language while singing the song, so don’t worry that we’re in the middle of the chorus. Musicians are expert lip-readers too. If a musician does not reply to your question or comment during a tune, it’s because they didn’t get a good look at your mouth in order to read your lips. Simply continue to scream out your request and be sure to over emphasize the words with your lips. This helps immensely. Don’t be fooled. Singers have the innate ability to answer questions and sing at the same time. If the singer doesn’t answer your questions immediately, regardless of how stupid the question may seem, it’s because they are purposely ignoring you. If this happens, immediately cop an attitude. We love this. IMPORTANT TIP When an entertainer leans over to hear you better, grab his or her head in both hands and yell directly into their ear, while holding their head securely so they can’t pull away. This will be taken as an invitation to a friendly game of tug of war between their head and your hands. Don’t give up, hang on until the singer or guitar player submits. Drummers are often unavailable for this fun game since they usually sit at the back, protected by their drum kits. Keyboard players are protected by their instrument and only play the game when tricked into coming out from behind their instruments. Though difficult to get them to play, it’s not impossible, so keep trying. They’re especially vulnerable during the break between songs. HELPING THE BAND If you inform the band that you are a singer, the band will appreciate your help with the next few tunes, or however long you can remain standing on stage. If you’re too drunk to stand unassisted, simply lean on one of the band members or the most expensive piece of equipment you see. Just pretend you’re in a karaoke bar. Simply feel free to walk up on stage and join in the fun. By the way, the drunker you are, the better you sound, and the louder you should sing. If by chance you fall off the stage, be sure to crawl back up and attempt to sing harmony. Keep in mind that nothing assists the band more than outrageous dancing, fifth and sixth part harmonies or a tambourine played on one and three and out of tempo. Try the cowbell, they love the challenge. The band always needs the help and will take this as a compliment. Finally, the microphone and PA system are merely props, they don’t really amplify your voice, so when you grab the mic out of the singer’s hand, be sure to scream into it at the top of your lungs, otherwise nobody will hear what a great singer you are. Hearing is over-rated anyhow. The crowd and the sound tech will love you for it. BONUS TIP As a last resort, wait until the band takes a break and then get on stage and start playing their instruments. They love this. Even if you are ejected from the club, you can rest assured in the knowledge you have successfully completed your audition. The band will call you the following day to offer you a position.

I think mine is about six or seven, anyway, it's time for a new one soon. Oh wait, mistesss….I thought you said mattress

I just found the OFD did all its emulations well but none brilliantly so. Tool for the job eh? ...And seamlessly back on topic 😂

1) Hofner Club. 2) Carefully crafted EQ 3) Played with a pick. 4) Compression on 11 5) Tina Weymouth. 😊

I think the trick with subs is to use them sparingly and have them crossed over fairly low. We tend to get a good kick drum chest thump going and bass rumble, then back them off volume wise so they just fatten stuff up. Cranked sub live sound is annoyingly common with many big live venues imho.

There are many, but one colour or other kind of finish on a bass must be your favourite. Mine, for example, is Olympic White:

...to your basses? Just tools to do a job? Objects to be treasured, collected? Or somewhere in the middle? I get the p taken out of me by my band mates for the amount of bass guitars I get through. I’ll hanker after something, get one, play it for a while and then after a while I’ll see something else I fancy and sell the first bass to fund the next. I have a couple of ‘keepers’ but really I’m just not that sentimental about my basses. If I’m not playing it, I’ll move it on. Perhaps I’m chasing the perfect bass, maybe I get bored easily. I’m the same with cars. The guitarist in my band on the other hand has kept, and displays at home, every guitar he’s ever owned, even if he hasn’t played them in years. I love my basses; the way they sound, the way they look, playing them, but at the end of the day they’re just tools to do a job.

Just had my first rehearsal with my Stomp. Running it to the front of my BH800 amp (no effects loop). Sounded great, although the studio cab is crap and very boomy. Mainly used the B7k sim, both with and without Distortion I also had 70’s chorus on a few times, along with a phaser, but I need to tweak those as the effect is too strong. So far it’s all been on headphones at home so understandable. What I was surprised at, as were the band, was how well the Octave down worked. Just here and there, but it made a big difference to the overall mix. It was nice having that low D back for the end of songs, without needing a 5 string.

Good evening all. After a long wait this finally showed up today. A brand new Fender Deluxe Jazz Bass Special Duff McKagan signature bass in black! I've only had an hour or so play time but first impressions are it's bloody gorgeous! Out of the box it plays well but I will probably lower the action to my personal preference and the Hipshot D-tuner needs some adjustment. Neck pocket is tight with no visible gap, paintwork is flawless on both the body and back of the neck. Fretwork is superb with no sharp ends. The nut width is definitely P Bass width 42mm and the thickness of the neck front to back feels deeper than my (now sold) 2017 MIM P Bass. Soundwise, loving the pickup switch and TBX tone circuit. It seems very versatile and just has so much grunt when you push the tone past the centre detent and engage the TBX circuit. With my EBS Multicomp and Darkglass B7K V2 it's all I need to give me the bass sound that I had in my head for so long! The only downside is that whilst everything is black...the side input jack is chrome..but that's just nitpicking. So if you're still reading..here are a couple of pictures.

Driver manufacturers yes, speaker manufacturers, no. Your plot appears to be that of a raw driver mounted in a wall. What's seen will remain pretty much the same when mounted in an enclosure above roughly 200Hz, but below that where the enclosure is a much responsible for the result as the driver it will be completely different. That same driver in ten different enclosures will have ten different result in the lows. Even without the enclosure information one can tell that it won't do well in the lows, as the impedance plot shows a resonant frequency of 65Hz, which is at the upper end of useful for an electric bass driver. That's to be expected with a driver with that sensitivity.

As Jim says it's really easy stuff to work with as it stays workable for quite a decent time. If you don't like the texture you can brush if flat and redo it until you are happy. I use either a light pile roller which gives a kind of linen effect or an ordinary foam roller which gives a light stipple. I ordered the recommended open rollers from Blue Aran and they do give a great texture akin to the commercial cabs finish, which they get by spraying in all probability. I just prefer the 'linen' effect which I build up in layers. One flat coat and then usually four textured layers. Well done at getting this far, I'd have the speakers in as soon as they arrived so well done also for showing some restraint

My advice is don't. The £300 you spend now will be dwarfed by the obscene sums your new addiction will cost you. You'll have no time to watch sh_te on TV, your mind will buzz with future builds, you'll gaze furtively at the Axminster website, and (even more dangerously workshopheaven.com), you'll lose friends who will tire of talk of 'fret radius', and 'double action truss rods', you'll find that rather than having time to fill you'll have no time at all, as your guitar building obession slowly takes over your life.....😀🤣

Wait! You have a luthier's course close and you have not gone on it? Eh?

I'm in a similar situation (not that I have Christine living nearby) - I have great ideas for building basses but only very basic woodworking skills, no space and no tools.. Hence I've delegated three builds to @Andyjr1515....who, as we all know, makes very beautifully instruments. Poor excuse really as there is a Luthiers course available (on Saturdays) in Hertford - about 8 miles away. Cost is £300 for 10x 3 hour sessions - plenty of time, I'm told to get a bass finished. Very reasonable too, and I'd gain skills which would help me maintain my own equipment and will save me money in the long run. No brainer really. So why haven't I taken advantage??? I blame the likes of @Andyjr1515 and @Jabba_the_gut who make it all look so blooody easy - turning out magnificent instruments with seemingly little effort - it really can't be as easy as they make it look, surely. The fear of failure is a powerful thing, even when there is support available to make sure that mistakes aren't made and that you produce something you'll be happy with.....I'd probably enjoy the challenge. Thing is, this is what I preach to clients all day, every day - step outside your comfort zone, give yourself a challenge, do something to test yourself.... You know what??? I really should sign up for these classes.

I love olly white, sonic blue and shell pink, but at the minute it’s my indigo flip flop

Go on, you know you want to do it yourself.....just one, it can't do any harm....go on.....😀

Ahem, no, no one else saw that... Can't unsee it now, though!

For quite a while now I've not been following bass lines unless needed. Ive been following/learning vocals on the bass. Talk about a work out on bass.. Im aware a lot of bass players practice horn solo's etc Ive found that following vocal parts a real help and a great insight. This is one ive been learning among many others. Her vocals are so full of techniques like vibrato, hammer on/offs and a multitude of vocal expressions that I think are great on bass played at the right times. Its just great practice even if you just follow the root notes.But listen to her vocal techniques. OMG. Then when I have them down I go to the bass parts. What a revelation.!!! Im a massive Anita Baker fan so this record is where I started. One thing I will say. Its fxxxing hard.

After searching for a combo, I then went and read all 55 pages of this thread and finally, tonight’s the night that I take my Fender Downtown Express Pedal and QSC10.2 out to rehearsals. Depending on the outcome, I may even take it with me to the gig on Saturday. Not sure what to expect as far as PA quality / venue size, etc but my thinking is that it will either act as backline if the venue is not too big or as my monitor if I DI into the FoH. (Might keep my amp + cab in the car just in case until i get a little braver!

You can use the Midi Mongoose with an expression pedal for certain CC messages but it will depend on the device. It's not set up to be a full featured controller like the Voodoo Labs Ground Control etc.

There's one choice missing in the second vote; "I'm so old I can't remember". 😄

i like the tele shape that's why i wanted to have a go at building one i didn't know about all the issue's that arise just because of the shape of the body but i am determined to finish it, i am not to worried about neck dive because it will spend most of the time on the wall with the rest, as long as it makes a reasonable sound i will happy.

Listen to and transcribe Anthony Jackson, his albums with Hiromi are brilliant. The trio album with Michel Petrucciani is amazing. Don't just cop licks though, analyse what’s being played.

Chaps, I never thought I'd ever see this day, so I think a little celebration is in order. 50 years ago today (just after lunch) I walked into Maurice Plaquet's music shop in Acton, West London, with £22 10/- in my pocket and bought my first bass, a Framus small body Star Bass. 6 weeks of hard graft on my Grandfather's nursery in Kent paid for it. It was easy to play and I played it at home for a year before I could afford an amp. Everything I know today I started on that bass. Unfortunately it began falling apart almost from day one. With an ever increasing number of repairs and mods I played that bass for 2 years and only stopped using it when I joined a pro band. [url="http://s293.photobucket.com/user/chris_b_photo/media/CopyofFSBme2.jpg.html"][/url] I've been a pro bass player twice, made a few records, been to some interesting places, played some great gigs in great bands with some fantastic players. I've also played in places and in bands that weren't any of those things. Ho hum! I have no idea where the time has gone. Anyway, my life started with that bass. Here's to the next 50.

Tina Weymouth...another Veillette Citron user.

Ive been having a bit of trouble setting my Yamaha bass up to how i like it. Nothing wrong with it as such, just not comfortable. I read as many set up guides as i could, and i have been setting my own basses up for years. What i found strange was that the more relief i had, and going by most of the guides say more is better for harder playing, the more fret buzz i would get abve the 6th fret. I play with a pick so fret buzz can be a bit more obvious, and although dont dig in to hard i can get a bit heavy handed. Against my better judgment, i was going for .012 - .015 at he 8th fret, while trying to get the action down to 2.25(ish) at the 12th on the E. Most of the guides were saying this is needed if you play herder. In the past ive gone for .008 -.010 like in the Lakland video. In fact that video as been my reference point for years. Now i have the perfect set up for me, and its at the Lakland settings of .008, with just over 2.25mm action. My point of this long winded post, is that i was getting quite a bit of buzz when i was using the higher relief measurements, and although i dont go over the 12th most of the time it was in the upper part of the neck. I can now dig in a bit more and have a relatively low action. So yeah, tighten the truss rod beyond what you have it now and if the frets are fine i think its going to work. You have nothing to lose. I found this PDF to be quite interesting, although as i said, i went against the advice and used a tighter relief. https://www.dropbox.com/s/kos2qqse8q1vdj2/Truss_Rods_Made_Easy.pdf?dl=0

Just nice tools to me, I'm not sentimental about them. I don't like having instruments around that aren't being played regularly, so I'd never have a collection of any size.

This is very important! There are too many companies that use some marketing nonsense in their ads. If the measured charts would be available, the comparison of different units would be easier. But everybody is just talking about wattage and impedance that tells practically nothing about the sound or loudness or anything. Every measurement should be normalized. Then at least few numbers would be comparable. Frequency response should be within +/- 6 dB. Then these ridiculous "18 Hz to 13 kHz with a 12" driver" responses would disappear completely. But there is no such thing as an honest marketing manager when talking about comparable facts. It is so tempting to write 500 W / 4 ohms, when the amp can deliver 300 W / 8 ohms. Because 500 is just bigger number than 300. Then kids think that the cab should be 4 ohms "to deliver the most loudness" from that amp. Oh dear! The loudness difference between an 8 ohm and a 4 ohm cab would be nearly 2 dB that usually can not be heard. IF the cabs are similar - which they are not. So sorry to announce: Too many numbers in the music industry are meaningless. 1) It is impossible to tell user how many dBs the system can produce within the frequency band, if the system is not tested and measured. The reason for this is because some amps and cabs like each other while some do not. The cab may be hard for the amp. 2) It is impossible to tell what is the frequency range of the system if it is not tested and measured. The frequency range may be limited somehow because of the amp or the cab. 3) It is impossible to tell the difference between two systems if they are not tested and measured. Two sets of amps and cabs may give very different performance depending on the 1) and 2). When these two sets are mixed, you get a system #3 that again acts in a different way. Without trying a complete set in vivo, you are unable to predict the way the set, a system works. Period. It would be possible to measure the parts and the set in an acoustics lab, but who would pay the costs? Just because the amp says ampeg and the cab says 8x10" has nothing to do with loudness. The specifications only tell you that the system is heavy. Does the system go to 32 Hz within that +/- 6 dB, no one knows.

The Chuck Sher book is great! This one is a good primer too. This is really Useful to use alongside the Parker book (which is immense in its complexity and completeness). I was also advised that if you’re using the Parker real book to learn the solos in all keys. Seems like a lot of work to me, but it helped the player I was watching. He was immense! https://www.shermusic.com/0961470100.php

Marc Johnson has pretty tough book: https://www.amazon.com/Concepts-Bass-Soloing-Chuck-Sher/dp/1883217008

Any brand may or may not be a good one. Without testing several, you get no idea of a suitable bass for yourself. My preference may have nothing to do with your preferences. Take a walk to local and distant stores and try many different ones. Try higher price categories, too. Then think about the price again. Cost may limit your choices, but it is also reasonable to ask yourself if you need to spare a bit longer to get that first reasonable instrument. An instrument is not functional without a good quality silicone cable (3 meters / 10 feet should be fine), a wide strap, and if it is low impedance (active), buy a set of spare batteries. If you need to carry the bass around, a decent case or thick padded bag is in order, too. Last, but not least is the spare set of strings. If you are new with bass, you may consider a bit lighter 40 - 120, or a basic 45 - 130 set. The complete minimum set costs some more than you thought in the first place, but you need to be able to change a string or a battery in a hurry, when shops are not open or just too far.

Any of the Omnibooks - the Charlie Parker one is the most well-known and has all the bebop vocab.

Not exactly roughing it with the rest of us, then?😉 😄

I take care of my instruments and equipment. If I dont and they let me down at a gig then I cant blame anyone else. I look after them, they look after me, its a partnership.

One person's worn out is another's worn in.

Taped off the body to do some pore filling on the mahogany Next I stained the top a light brown colour to make the flame pop Sanded it back to get a bit of contrast After much deliberation I chose blue (other options were bright red and naturel) Stained the back the same colour. But oddly enough the colour simply disappeared after several layers of clear coat... Looks almost black now. Top after a few coats of clear lacquer

None. There are many factors that influence both sensitivity and frequency response. The magnet material is not one of them. By no means are neo magnet drivers or newer design drivers more sensitive. One of the highest sensitivity drivers ever made at 101dB/1watt was the original JBL D-130. It had an AlNico magnet, it was created in 1947, and it wasn't a musical instrument or PA driver, it was originally intended for hi-fi. It also had poor low frequency response, with a 100Hz F3 and 45Hz F10, but in 1947 that was sufficient for the program material that was available.

You never expected to get away with that did you. Please clarify 'nastier' and if it's a negative define nicer.