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The recent thread from @wateroftyne was looking for songs about specific bass players.................and it reminded me of a song I wrote/recorded over lockdown about being a bass player. In particular about bass players who didn't choose bass, but had it pushed on them. It's inspired by quite a few stories I read on BC and elsewhere saying that the rest of the band 'put them on bass' and especially the story of Spandau Ballet - the manager told Gary Kemp to get Martin (who didn't play bass) in as bassist (even though they already had a bassist) because they needed a 'pin-up' in the band. The song is called "You're Gonna Play Bass"... here's the Soundcloud: (I normally record solo, but to get into the whole lockdown sprit got some remote guests on this one: Terry: Lead Guitar, Chris: Bass)

That describes most of the bands I've been in over the years!

For anyone interested in this, replacement Stingray mute pads are available from Strings Direct, part number M05113 (for the four-string set) for £3.49 plus postage. It’s not listed on their website so you’ll need to email them. They also have the entire assembly with the springs and screws, which is listed on their site: https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/search/stingray-mute Enjoying the old school vibe now:

A couple of months back I hit on a Facebook advert which ended up with me chatting to the man who runs Impure Guitars. I really liked the inventiveness and imagination evident in his work, and so a seed was planted. I sent him pictures of basses I liked the look of, just randomly culled from a Google image search without too much thought. He came back with a sketch of an idea for a body shape. The seed sprouted! After a bit of back and forth we realised my original idea of a lump of old charred reclaimed timber and some hillbilly, rustic stylings were not compatible with the shape and style we were developing. So the idea now is more late 50s Atomic Age. The project has begun.

I think this was the thread Dave

Kate Rusby

I am very green to playing bass, I've only been learning seriously since July 23rd. I started learning on Jamplay, but started learning with my bass tutor on the 10th of October. My tutor is very happy with my progress. I'm sure he will teach me what has been mentioned by Dad3353 eventually. Every teacher has different ideas and approach to teaching, thats why I was told its best to find the teacher that suits an individual. One reason I picked mine, is because he walks the walk so to speak. I asked this question here, to see if there is anything I hadn't of thought of to try, and to see if some of my ideas are good ones or not. And I have got a wonderfully diverse collection of answers.

You'd have to hang a bass next to it in case your mates got the impression you actually like beer that smells like gorilla farts.

I like this. A lot. I didn't have bass pushed on me - I chose it. It just felt right - I'd tried one of those screechy things with too many strings but it never really resonated with me. Then, far too many years later, I picked up a bass and knew instantly that I'd found my instrument. What I find amusing is watching the guitarers shredding in the spotlight oblivious to the fact that their bassists are driving their performances...

It's Mark from Talkingbass! Today I'm pleased to announce the release of the all new Scales For Bass Guitar app for Iphone Learn to play any scale over the complete fretboard using this comprehensive Talkingbass design. The exclusive Scale Generator has been developed to provide a simple method for visualising any scale in all positions of the fretboard. Any of you taking the Scale Essentials course will be aware of the systems for approaching fretboard mapping. Now you can see those scales right there on your phone! Simply specify the root note and the scale in the selection menu and choose from a variety of different positions/fingerings and the generator will display the scale on a graphical fretboard and tab/sheet music. Press play and you'll hear the scale played along with a click at the specified tempo. Features Include: Huge database of scales including Major, All Minor's, Pentatonics, Major & Minor Modes, multiple exotic/synthetic scales Basic and Alternative one octave shapes or Complete Fingering Patterns across the fretboard in any position. Note Label Selection: Switch between notes, intervals and fingering for any scale Switch between Fretboard and Tab/Sheet Music views Tempo Select: 40 to 180bpm and choose between quarter and eight notes Quick Root Select: Quickly switch root notes for any selected scale Scale Info: Details of scale construction, history and application The app is currently only available for Iphone but will be released soon for Android and Tablets. Scales For Bass Guitar is available in the App Store right now at £2.99 just click here for the link: Click Here For The App Enjoy! Mark

Another free Waves FX. Oh Lordy, I must have loads of these Free Waves FX that I don't use... https://www.audiopluginguy.com/get-the-dbx-160-compressor-limiter-from-waves-for-free/

In my usual style I decided to refinish the bass as there was something I didn't like about it so I decided to fill in the MM pickup and spray it Matt Black with matching hardware

I've had a Maru (passive Jake 5L) and currently have a Sandberg (VM5). Both very, very good basses. For me the Sandberg shades it, possibly because I prefer the P/M pickup config over the P/J of the Maru. The necks were quite similar, quite shallow compared to other fivers I've played and super easy to play. Again, I'd probably say that the Sandberg is a fraction better for me. Of course YMMV.

Chas n Dave didn't have accents - they talk proper like wot I do.

him out of the Artic Monkeys, When I'm singing I try really hard not to slip into a mid Atlantic accent, hate myself when I do

Paul Smith - Maximo Park

Looking closely at the picture, does it have some mild ageing done? It's not my thing but their relicing options seem to be very well done.

Agree with this. They are Plek'd at the factory. Mine is the best playing guitar of any kind that I have owned. I had a problem with a bridge saddle, and Holger replied very apologetically and sent me two spare saddles.

Check this – I bought my copy from Daddy Kool way back in the 80s on my monthly sortie…

It's been a while since my last update, mainly due to Covid-related delays. Anyway, after some months waiting for the outstanding Hipshot order that my custom stuff was on, it finally turned. Can you spot the obvious mistake anyone? Anyone who answered 'they've only sent you 3 f**king tuners for your 4 string bass gets a gold star! Anyway, that was a few weeks ago so hopefully the missing one will show up before too much longer. Which gives me time to throw in some of the latest work on the headstock, which we're capping with a veneer to match the body wood. Here goes: I don't know yet if the capped head stock is going to look classy or simply 'a bit much'. Time, I think, will tell...

The lockdown guidelines state you can't meet up with anyone else from another household inside or outside, unless it's in an outdoor public space. So unless you all live together at your BL's house (what a thought!) then it's a no. Sounds like another example of someone interpreting the guidelines to suit their own purpose. You have all done the right thing.

Aha! I was just sending an email to the MU to ask for their guidance on this issue, and this popped up on their website: https://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/Home/News/2020/Nov/Guidance-on-Continuing-to-Rehearse-During-England The salient points are: "The guidance we’ve received from DCMS confirms that bands and individuals can still rehearse from Covid-secure venues, such as rehearsal studios, provided that they are a “working” band or individual, and that their “work” cannot be carried out at home. By a “working” band – we understand this to apply to both professionals and part-time professionals, provided they are meeting with the purpose of rehearsing towards potential or actual paid engagements." So looks like I was wrong! They don't show their working, however, so it would be helpful if they could share the DCMS advice so we know exactly what is and isn't permitted. Hopefully they'll reply to my query.

I haven't said anything at all about my bass tutor on this thread. He's a nice guy, and I'm sure if I ask, or if he see's I'm suffering he will teach me what is required, he is extremely knowledgable. But he is very very busy, and out of lessons hard to contact. As he is in an internationally famous metalcore band.

Jet Silver And The Dolls From Venus - BeBop Deluxe

Mmmmmmm..... Oops.... I've just crashed the yoghurt truck...!

All parts neck arrived today from the US looking like a good pairing.

A while back I picked up a very nice Harley Benton Tele with a Paisley finish which played quite nicely. A trip across Hertfordshire to @gary mac's where he installed a Bigsby-a-like trem, dressed the frets and installed a new set of strings and it now plays lovely, thanks very much. Geeetarist friends don't believe it's a budget model.

2010 -2008 -1990

A professional band can rehearse, because it's their livelihood. They cannot "work from home".

Fender bass bridges are near the end of the body and I remember talking about topic this years ago with another bass builder and tapping an unloaded Fender type body where the bridge is usually placed, it sounded 'lighter/hollow' as opposed to tapping the body more or less where the precision pickup would go, where it sounded quite different, more 'solid'. So possibly a Gibson guitar or (Les Paul type) bass has the bridge in the best 'area' of body wood while Fender type bridge placements dont take advantage of the best area to mount a bridge.......maybe leading to the idea of the high mass bridge to help overcome this.

Can't we claim to be key workers? Not always the right key in all cases mind you.. Seconded!

Finding a way to fully isolate an instrument from a mixed recording is nearly impossible and not worth the effort. Have a google for *song isolated bass track on youtube and then slow it down using youtubes playback and if it's a popular song, you might be lucky and find a video like the one that's been posted above for you! If you're as new to learning the instrument as you say, it could just be a time-served thing. I'd (controversially) say stick with the tab, and work on being able to play each section without looking at the tab. Practise each section and memorise the shapes and pay attention to patterns on the neck that you're playing. If you're brand new to the instrument, it might feel like you're hitting various frets with no rhyme or reason, but the bass guitar is a highly geometric instrument, and you'll pick these things up over time, the more songs you learn. Does the tab rarely have you playing frets right next to each other? Perhaps you play 5-7-9 (all odd numbers, all with dots on the fretboard) but not even numbers? There's a reason for this, so pay attention, and see what landmarks you can see on the fretboard. Frets have dots on so you know where you are. Don't be afraid to use them. Learning by ear is an AMAZING skill to be able to have and opens up a whole other world of improvisation later on, but it's a steep learning curve at the beginning, as there are several places to play the same note and only one will be right, depending on where you've just been playing, where you're going to play next, and the timbre (texture) of the note that you're looking for. It can be frustrating as hell, especially at the beginning - At the beginning of learning stringed instruments, I once spent 30 minutes figuring out the first 4 notes of Californication on guitar, and then immediately realised "Oh. That's just an A-minor arpeggio". If I'd have spotted the pattern sooner, it would have sped things up for me, and I could easily have got bored and given up at minute 25. I'm saying this to reduce barriers to your playing. When looking for solutions, it can be tempted to try things that seem logical, but are actually much more long-winded when the best advice is to keep doing what you're already doing. Some important questions I'd ask if you were my student are: Keep listening to the song. Do you know the words? Could you sing along to it on the radio? If you can, you know the order of the sections, it's just learning how the bassline sounds throughout. If not, it could be better to learn how the song ebbs and flows and what section bleeds into another. Can you sing the bassline throughout? If not, you'll have to commit that to memory first. Learning something on an intsrument without knowing how it SHOULD sound is essentially playing a game of bop-it (Google it) for 5 minutes, where you're just trying to commit random movements to memory with no rhyme or reason. That's a LOOOOOOOT more difficult than learning the positions for sounds you already know. Do you know what the common sections are called? intro/verse/pre-chorus/chorus/bridge/middle 8/outro? If you can answer these, we can probably help find what it is that's tripping you up. Also, don't stress yourself out by playing along with the song (If you are). It's more important to take the time to learn it at whatever speed works for you, then get it to the correct speed when you know what you're playing. That's a lot easier than working on each section and getting it up to speed, and will compound your memory of the song.

This "character" is exactly about the stiffness and uniformity of the wood. The shape plays a role because as I wrote earlier, the shape has a "character", too. This is one lovely video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLNFrxgMJ6E The "character" of the sound is directly related to the vibrations affected by the material. Shape of the neck is another. The connection (placement, tightness etc.) between that body and the neck is again one more thing that affects the tuning of the whole system. There are details that usually do not affect the complete picture, but they can ruin the overall sound, too. Just think about a loose bridge saddle. I do want to remind you all, that as the body is pretty thick and heavy (and hopefully stiff, too), it tends to play smaller role than that thin rod named as neck.

I could but i wont. I've never said a word to him in all this time. But this is how i proved to Ebay that i had never been aggressive. So they could see what a nasty childish piece of he work he is. A total liar He didnt like that i wouldnt post the item, and he started his campaign of not cancelling the auction like i asked and then deliberately marking the item ' paid for ' I maintained the higher ground up until i got pizzed off with his childish behaviour and bought one of his items .

I'm still using heavy old amps after trying a bunch of lightweight ones and not liking them. Only the cab is now light (Barefaced Big Twin II gen 3) Playing with IEM's does not inspire me to rock out at all. Rock & Roll just needs to be loud and sweaty. So to each his own I guess, My basses sound better through a real rig.

More Purple, this time in the Squier Classic Vibe range:

My lovely bitsa will be in the classifieds shortly, dagnammit. Only so I can fund something else though!

I'd be interested to look at the new Sadowsky basses when they appear. My real wish is for lots of gigs.

I can’t see any reason frank , I’ve got an ash/ ebony TT4 which I’m sure you’ve seen, they play very nicely , balance well and the necks are among the best I’ve played, you are also able to get a a really low action, which I like 🙂

The review section is a sadly abandoned ghost town though. Much more chance of the post being seen here IMO, even if it is the “wrong” part of the forum.