Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 22/06/21 in all areas

  1. And that is fine, we are all entitled to our own opinions. Personally I don't like showboating when it is terrible, indulgent drivel (like many bass solos I've seen live over the past 40 years!), but when it is musical, when it has groove etc, yes, I really like that sort of thing. A bass player that I really enjoy is Charles Berthoud, he plays solo stuff on Youtube etc, and he has a mindblowing level of technique, but he keeps musicality at the centre, and gets a great groove going. To that end I really enjoyed this cover of Uptown funk. If you don't want his preamble, playing starts at 40 seconds.
    9 points
  2. So, new bass day for me, a Fender Precision in black/black/maple. So what’s new I hear you say? Well it’s a five-string Precision, that’s what’s new. I’d seen this on here for a while and although never had a fiver before it’s my preferred brand/model/colour scheme, and as I’m not in a gigging band at present should I join one and then need a fiver it made sense to be prepared. Plus it would have really irritated me if that happened and I’d passed on this one and had to get a fiver that didn’t match the rest of my basses (CDO is a terrible thing, I even have to arrange the letters properly/alphabetically). Here it is, currently strung with flats and they just really work, more than likely I’ll keep them.
    8 points
  3. PSA - due to an admin error, subscriptions to this thread got deleted. If you want to follow the thread, please re-subscribe by clicking “follow”. @SICbass, @CameronJ, @HazBeen, @Dood, @mxm, @bartelby, @Richard R, @MacDaddy, @GisserD, @Al Krow, @Leonard Smalls, @andybassdoyle, @MrTea, @lee650, @Bass-Face, @Andras Szalay, @AxelF, @reesource, @Dubs, @krispn, @toneknob, @owen, @cosmicevan, @Higgie, @AinsleyWalker, @Kiwi, @prowla, @burno70, @Illinformed, @itu, @dodge_bass, @hiram.k.hackenbacker, @stewblack, @Ruck, @ped, @Gradenko, @Rustybass Belgium, @Cuzzie, @Barsky, @Paul Sale, @PurpleBert, @gorandelac, @knicknack, @MOXYBASS
    7 points
  4. Posting for my son who has inherited my bass habit. Over the past few months he has developed a hankering for a US Musicman Stingray but after forecasting his financial income (pocket money) realises he needs to do a 3-into-1 trade type arrangement. So ideally the following 3 basses would go in a single straight trade for a US Musicman Stingray (4 string, single pickup models only). We reckon the three basses would land at the price of a secondhand Stingray (£1350ish). Details follow: Ibanez SR506 : usual SR series fast neck and a great way to get an affordable and easy playing six stringer. Has a couple of small dings on edge of body but really clean otherwise. No gig bag unfortunately. Status Energy : Ash body and fitted with hipshot detuner (original tuner included). Also comes with a Hiscox Status branded case. Bit of thumbnail grazing above the pickup but otherwise in great overall condition. Status The Groove : this is the bass that has given him the taste for a Stingray. Awesome sounding bass from the triple coil pickup (I seem to recall one is a dummy coil?). Excellent condition. Includes generic gig bag. Soooo.....ideally the world would be nice and neat and someone out there is willing to part with a US 4 string single pickup Stingray in straight exchange for these three. We realise the world often isn't that perfect but let's give it a shot.... More pics available upon request. Ideally meet up for trade (edinburgh and central belt) rather than trying to post.
    5 points
  5. Bought new from Bass Direct, it arrived this evening. I did not expect it to be so good - I don't why I thought that - but it is really an incredible bass for the money: £1300. I swapped the steel strings for La Bella Deep Talking black nylon tapes, and they fit perfectly. Everything about this bass reeks of quality. The hardware is all very good, and the setup could not be bettered. Superb fingerboard, best I've had on a fretless. I did wonder if a 30" string length would provide a good fretless sound, but it most certainly does. One dislike: described as "faded red", but turns out be more pink-red. I might consider changing that, though it's a big hassle to do so. But I'll definitely be keeping it. Full name: Sandberg California II V84 Lionel Candy Apple Red "Soft Core Aged" - quite a mouthful. Pictured next to my theorbo...😎
    4 points
  6. Well didn't think i'd be selling this but just fell in love with a CIJ P Bass and it's one in one out with me. I may regret it. This as others here will attest, a lovely bass based on the famous 64 Bruce Thomas was famous for, there has obviously been a lot of love and care gone into crafting this bass. One of the nicest necks i've played, custom designed to Bruce Thomas' high standards, it's a 40mm nut width and as it has a satin finish, it is a joy to play with rolled edges so no fret sprout. The orange body (salmon pink officially but looks orange to me) looks amazing and looks different in different lights but always wow. The pups are very hot, custom wound for Bruce and the response from hi to low is great. Has old school roller bridge saddles for custom string spacing, which is about 19mm on this bass. Freshly strung with brand new light gauge EB roundwounds for super ZING! No dead spots and intonation good - i've added the ashtray cover can remove if you prefer No dings or scratches that i know of, never gigged but seeing as bought last summer that's no surprise. Also comes with brand new Fender gig bag. If this had a Fender logo on it it would be over 1k easy Can post for £20 to UK only im afraid as Brexit has messed up buying/selling abroad big time (took 45 days to return an amp to Germany this year) but if the bass doesn’t sell - I’ll take that as a sign that I need 2 p basses Plus a signed copy of BT’s Rough Notes book - a must read for bassists
    4 points
  7. Selling this as I’ve recently acquired a JMJ mustang Excellent condition with no marks or dings Bridge is now a Gotoh 201 and a black pickguard, the original white pickguard and fender bridge are included Will also included a soft gig bag (it never came with one originally) Price includes U.K. postage
    4 points
  8. So boards changed again,as I've got rid of a few pedals, to buy another bass (as you do) had a change around of some and have a slightly different layout. EBS Microbass 2 - this is the third one of these I've had, and I'd forgotten how brilliant they are. Works as an A/B box for 2 basses, or two channels for one, and an OD, DI, headphone amp it also has a loop with a control for parallel to series operation. I've put all my effects into the loop, so I can use them with the headphone amp and set the dial to 100% effect as I don't need any clean blended in. first in the loop Cali76 CB - I've tried most of them and love this for versatility while still being intuitive to use. It has fantastic natural tone,which just makes you sound better. (Although I've seriously got my eye on an FEA optifet 🤣) This then goes into the main input of a Boss LS2,so all channels are massaged by the Cali76. This then goes back to the EBS, this is my main clean sound, I can switch effects in/out using the Ls2 Ls2 Loop A - Analog Channel Cog T70 triple Octave - 3 channel octaves with its own loop. Two separated T65 octaves which ive set 1 for a clean smooth octave and another for a synthy octave up sound, utilising the filters. It has a third "sub" channel which has no clean just octave. The filters can get this fairly close to the OC2 sound. The loop on this enables "parallel" octave so any effects used have the octave clean underneath, in this loop I have Zvex Mastatron fuzz- gated spitty funky fuzz! An absolute fuzzy classic and is must on any board. It adds to the synthy channel on the T70 to create an massive fuzzed octave. In series to The T70 MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe - fantastic warm chorus/Flanger. I have it set to affect only the high end,so subtle but a lovely sound. I particularly love the Flanger setting. EBS Dphaser - fabulously funky multi stage phaser, with lots of control and sounds very deep and cool Ls2 Loop B - digital Synth Channel Source Audio C4 synth- this has so many sounds and I'm finding it's able to replace more and more of my board. Loads of octaves/filters/phasers/bit crushers/fuzzes and synths. I have the Disaster Area Micro DMC so I can access 128 sounds from the C4. So versatile. These to channels can be mixed via the LS2 (the most useful pedal in existance)
    4 points
  9. You are of course entitled to your opinion, and your feelings are valid. For me, I don't really believe Elton John thinks it's alright to fight on a Saturday night, or that The Proclaimers really would walk 1,000 miles, or that Sting really thought every little thing she did was magic. I think it's possible for a lyricist/author/screenwriter to write a story about characters, without necessarily sharing the opinions of those characters. I don't think it's necessary to agree with the sentiment of a song to perform it. Musical theatre is on my side here 🙂
    4 points
  10. Pearl Blue Sterling which I picked up today. Been ten years since I last had one but enjoying the neck on this which was what I always liked so much about these basses.
    4 points
  11. And neck done. While @Matt P 's final whisper coats of Tru-oil were drying I go back to this. The brass nut needed slimming down and thinning down: Then the fret recrowning and polishing: And finally a last tidy up of the rosewood: So all ready to return to @AndyTravis
    4 points
  12. A couple of incidental shots from Alan's workshop blog, control and battery cavities being routed.
    4 points
  13. What have I always said about preamps? Stay at least a field away from them! Good luck Jack and well done Gary!
    4 points
  14. If you've never heard the song before, it's a bit much to suggest the OP is overthinking it. It's a classic bassline and if I was learning how to play it I'd want to get it right for me, not for anyone else. Listen to the song.
    4 points
  15. I am definitely the least talented member in my band, the other members have been playing since they were kids totalling around 150 years between them, they are all very good musicians with plenty of experience, and when they talk in musical terms, I struggle to know what they are on about sometimes because I am self-taught and only starting playing about ten years ago, but when it comes to rehearsals, they turn to me to lead them through any new songs because I know the arrangements and structures because I put the work in, whereas, they don't. Yes, they are much better musicians than me, but I think that I am probably a better team player, and it sounds like you are too!
    4 points
  16. Selling my beautiful Suhr "Classic J", purchased in 2021. Alder body, rosewood board. Lightweight USA Hipshot Tuner, 20 stainless steel frets and an amazing satin neck feel. For more specs, please check the certificate images. Comes with a very sturdy deluxe gigbag. Weight is 3,9 kg on the bathroom scales. Willing to ship across EU, and UK. Please ask for quotes. Kindly do not ask for trades. I am only letting go since I need the money for some home repairs. Thanks.
    3 points
  17. My goodness.. if that's how you feel, don't ever join a folk band. The lyrics to half of those tunes will give you nightmares.
    3 points
  18. .......just when I thought that I could put this behind me and get back to repairing well behaved basses and guitars. Ok. After Jack left it with me, I cleared my bench and set about having a look at the electronics. It looked like someone who shouldn't be left alone with tools had been at it. I tried to test it out with a multi meter and make sense of what should have gone where but it soon became obvious that it was too far gone to be able to save. As Jack mentioned, the bridge was a horrid thing, like something you would find on Fred Flintstone's bass, if he had one. So a more standard Fender style replacement was found and installed in the correct position. I then ordered a set of graph tech saddles with the built in pickups, a graph tech preamp and battery box etc. The saddles arrived within a couple of days, the preamp didn't. It was coming from Canada and eventually turned up about twelve weeks later. I set about installing it and although a fiddly job, it went smoothly enough. I restrung the bass, made all the necessary adjustments and plugged it in to my little combo. It sounded lovely, for all of five minutes and then the sound just fizzled out and died.😕 After checking and rechecking all the connections, it still wasn't working. At this point I contacted, via email, Graph Tech's technical department in Canada. A very helpful chap then started offering advice and attempting a diagnosis. This was a painfully slow process, due to the different time zones. We went back and forth over a couple of weeks, until he could not come up with anything else for me to try. At this point he offered to send out a complete replacement FOC. The replacement turned up very much more quickly than the previous one and I set about installing it. I was almost dreading plugging in, as this bass had now been through four preamps. Anyway, I nervously plugged in a cable, turned up the volume and it worked, just as importantly it stayed working and I was finally able to phone Jack with some good news. I had spent a ridiculous amount of time on this job and had actually given up on keeping track of the hours spent. I was just happy that Jack would finally have the bass in his possession and be able to play and hear it. I'm now enjoying a very similar experience with the preamp in a Sire bass.....happy days.
    3 points
  19. I've transcribe which is pretty decent as well
    3 points
  20. Onboard FX are a bit silly. Have to stop playing to make a change. That's what my feet are for!
    3 points
  21. A lot of those 70s Kiss basslines are really good. I know it's Paul Stanley / Ace Frehley on a couple but Gene generally was really on it back when he was still interested.
    3 points
  22. Play it at half speed. Repeat until it's perfect. Then increase a little, rinse and repeat. Soon you'll be playing it at slightly faster than the original; you can then play it perfectly at the normal speed. It can't fail.
    3 points
  23. Season 1 review: short on character expansion, predictable set up for season 2. If this gets cancelled i’m shutting my Disney+ account!
    3 points
  24. I only use flats, but have done this on rounds also - before fitting new strings soak a cotton wool pad in IPA or Surgical Spirit or Methylated spirit and scrub the new strings down until clean. It's amazing how much black shyte comes off them - machining oil mostly. I would never use steel wool of any grade, especially not while on a bass, imagine bits of steel wool all over your pick-up magnets 😃
    3 points
  25. I'd be feeling frustrated for about 10 mins, then go and look for the receipt so I can do a chargeback via my credit card (Credit card section 75 protection I think its called. But there might be a time limit on the claim).
    3 points
  26. Some breaks/fills from the Master ...
    3 points
  27. The problem is, they don’t and they won’t. It’s all changed. Almost every casual punter I talk to these days just does not get that that’s how it should be. They think music should be free, or as near as.
    3 points
  28. Bought this - it’s ace, but doesn’t see use as all the projects I had in mind for it have died their death and I hate seeing it sat on the stand. Less than 12 months old. I need to realise I’ll play the same 3 basses all the time and I have some other projects in the offing. So - a limited jack Casady in Pelham blue. babicz 3 point bridge (original included) Ibanez padded bag. nowt much really to say other than it’s lovely. Postage would be risky due to construction of the bass - but man and van insured would be about £50. wearing worn in sadowsky rounds. Nice and light at 8.1lbs. Will listen to trades if it’s a Yamaha BB. Other than that - just send me a message 😉
    3 points
  29. I think the means of consumption, measures of success, and routes to get there have shifted massively. In the 90s, you had BBC radio stations, and a limited number of commercial stations. You had the early days of satellite/cable with a handful of music channels. You had NME, the chart on a Sunday, Top Of The Pops. The majority of the public consumed music through a very small number of sources, and they tuned in to them regularly. When an artist broke big enough to hit these platforms, they were in front of everyone. Our eyes and ears are no longer pointed en masse at such a small number of sources. Everything is way more fragmented, the big music publications have nowhere near the power and influence they held, there are a million more distractions, and music audiences are fragmented. You can be huge within a niche genre, have a rabid fanbase, and fill large venues in a way that would have put you in all the big spots a few decades ago and pushed you to wider prominence, but doesn't register in the same way now - you can still do well, but it'll be in a bubble. There are still arena-filling, Radio 1 playlisted rock bands from the last couple of decades that have made a big impact through bold fashioned hard graft. A fair few have been mentioned already. Really though, there's not that many that have made it to that level and sustained it long term, even looking back to the days of RHCP.
    3 points
  30. 3 points
  31. Banging (oh yes!!) and what language is yodelling classed as??
    2 points
  32. All sorted guitar guitar were brilliant and offered a replacement JMJ when they come back into stock or an alternative bass. I was really impressed with their response. I have decided to get a BB734 as I've had really good experiences with Yamaha's in the past.
    2 points
  33. First NBD in ages today, following my 18 month lay-off from playing. Didn't turn out permanent as it turned out..... Grabbed a lovely Miami Blue P-bass. I was wanting class, and simplicity - and this is just the job. One issue - it's got a blemish under the lacquer of the third fret. Nothing over the lacquer, so it's a wood thing, I spoke to Guitar Guitar straight away. They were very helpful - their explanation is that due to the current environmental laws in the US, when a tree is felled for manufacturing purposes, they have to use every part of the wood. Years ago, they'd use the best bits, and chuck the rest....nowadays, not the case. He did offer to get pictures of all of the other in stock, and I could have it replaced. However, this being a factor in modern production, others could have similar flaws, if not more. The chap said even the Fender press shots have them at times! He's going to send details to Fender for their take, but I can guess what will come back.... It doesn't really bother me - it plays like a dream, it's faultless. Quarter turn of the truss rod, and the action is just where I like it. Just looking for thoughts on this - anyone had similar experience? The shop seemed genuine and helpful - I guess I'm just looking for validation from the BC community! It looks worse in the picture than in the flesh.....am I being over-anal here?
    2 points
  34. I paid this for mine on this forum. I nearly offered him more. I feel guilty about it still.
    2 points
  35. Darkglass innit. There'll be the Ultra version in a month for an extra 20%.
    2 points
  36. Let's be honest in the 70's & 80's it was common place for session musicians to record the albums instead of the band. The band could play it live but when the red light was on they couldn't nail it.
    2 points
  37. I take it you have your bass tuned down a half step?
    2 points
  38. 2 points
  39. Thanks for the video lesson last night Andy .. even after 6 pints and a curry you can still bring the funk!
    2 points
  40. I've solved the mystery... it floated away! In all seriousness I hope you get sorted and get the bass rather than get a refund.
    2 points
  41. Great fun bassline. Here's a quick youtube vid I uploaded a while back, may help? As with anything it's about playing it over and over again and building up speed. Good luck!
    2 points
  42. The new Mac Minis with the Apple Silicon chips are audio monsters, quicker than my 6 core Mac Pro, they run Logic brilliantly well, so much DSP... Cheap too, for Apple. I'm a ProTools user, I have Logic for project work, but I'm not keen, Reaper is very good but doesn't offer anything more than PT other than the price. Once Universal Audio sort controller support for Luna (if they ever do), I'll probably switch to Luna. In 25 years of running computers for audio my take is that you'll spend a good 20% more time administrating Windows than on MacOS, I run a 2015 Mac Pro, never gets above 30% DSP and I record and mix some massive productions. In the 3 years its been in the studio, it's not been touched but for updates to OS, PT and plug-ins. One piece of advice, get more RAM, 32Gb is good, 64GB is better. RAM is good. I'd go with Logic on an M1 Mini were I you.
    2 points
  43. Definitely not, you would never get rid of the tiny metal fibres , I wouldn’t put wire wool anywhere near any of my basses
    2 points
  44. When I scroll through the likes of Instagram, a lot of what I see is various players up at the dusty end, noodling away through various modes, or some noisy slappity, poppity nonsense (the kind of thing you hear at bass shows). That kind of soloing leaves me cold. This, however, is great because, although all the elements mentioned before are present and correct, he’s actually playing a tune. Proper structure, melodic ideas and rhythm, interspersed with some tasty fills. That’s how it should be done. Any solo that doesn’t reference the actual song, or isn’t a tune within the tune is pointless willy waggling. Thanks for sharing.
    2 points
  45. I get all the points and concerns here...... except one. Who cares if there is not a new wave of bands who can fills stadiums and headline mega-festivals? I'd much rather have a healthy range of smaller, diverse artists who have enough income to self-sustain. Anyway stadium gigs are not great, and festival-wise I lean more towards the so-called boutique festivals (not keen on the name boutique mind you!)
    2 points
  46. Thanks Bill. In that case I'm especially glad I added the Lpad, and that in all real world situations my dirt pedals all have some kind of LPF / cab sim. I have to say I'm surprised at how bad it the dirt sounds up in the tweeter territory. I'd read alot about distortion sounding nasty with a tweeter without LPF but this was far worse than I expected. Im happy to report that in all but those extreme tests the combo is now doing great.
    2 points
  47. Some good points @mike257 Personally I think the major stumbling blocks for bands now is financial. Lack of venues willing to book new music, “pay to play”, revenue streams lost like selling tapes and CD’s at gigs and little in the way of squats and affordable accommodation being some factors. Even when bands are signed and getting some recognition revenue from streaming and physical sales is fairly paltry compared with the cost of living. Surviving long enough to break through must be very tricky for a band compared to a solo artist.
    2 points
×
×
  • Create New...