Leaderboard

I had an old GK Neo 112 and aquired a new matching speaker, so after humming and hahing (?) I built a cab to hold them both. Just plugged in my Genz Benz Streamliner 900 and man, this thing slams. The difference between the 112 and this 212 is huge. It weighs 18kg ( I guess that's about 40lbs) and is only 150mm taller than the 112. I built in a tilt handle and recessed castors so it can be wheeled around easily. 600 watts of punch! Looking forward to a gig Friday night.

We're still fine tuning the shape of the headstock, but it is likely to be in the Firebird/Thunderbird ilk. The original Trini Deluxes seem to have had a number of variations but most appear to have had something like the Firebird. This will be fitted with the Steinberger banjo replacements so, within reason, the wood can be any shape. Also the neck carve is basically done. Jack took me some profiles from his favourite playing guitar and I've used those to try to gain a familiarity of feel with this build. I use a combination of spokeshave, micro-plane blade and cabinet scraper to creep up towards the shape: The chalk line along the spine is so that I never dig into the spine which would affect the neck depth. The neck carve is my favourite part but is often too quickly done and gone! And then the preparatory work on the finishing of the body. I use a rough version of the Tru-oil slurry and buff method early on to act as a: - grain fill / gap fill / sanding sealer - 'reveal coat' to show up any glue residue, sanding marks etc. To do this, I sand with some brutal 120 grit emery (with the grain always) used wet where the wet is lashings of Tru-oil. You end up with a slurry of wood dust that is then wiped off and allowed to dry. Even at this early stage, it's showing some promise

Three '71s...

Done - now I can get back to building basses as god intended. I find the final set up work quite tedious but I powered through and it plays very nicely. The lignum vitae nut seems to be doing the job fine. It might wear out, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. A few minor issues persist - most notably the horrendous miscalculation around the placement of the tuners and logo! The string pull is just about adequately straight, but the logo sitting right under the massive low B string is unforgivable! There was a bit of ground buzz when playing through my laptop interface which I wouldn't expect from EMGs, but I soldered the switch and jack myself so it might be something to do with that. I'll have another bash at it at some point. The front strap pin should either be higher up of in the back of the body. I thought the positioning might help with balance a bit (and I think it does), but the strap gets in the way a bit there. This is how we learn though, right? Other than that, I'm very happy with it.

These are lovely basses, here's mine:

Really enjoyed playing my Sandberg yesterday - never realised how meaty the MM pickup is! Just received an Xotic RC Bass Booster too so even more EQ options on tap.

I don't dispute this. I was just giving my opinion. Is that not what everyone is doing on this thread?

Judging by the number of YT videos, it seems that this really is a thing - why, I don't know.

Being a mediocre covers bass player, you'll need to please bear with my lack of an artist's perspective, but if what your audiences think has no bearing on your art, why "inflict" it on them? Why not just create something and enjoy the process and the outcome and keep your art to yourself? Or do you actually, deep down, want others to enjoy it too and you appreciate their reaction when one of your creations is positively received? What is your motivation for being a live musician? For me, the greatest artists throughout history from Leonardo to Shakespeare to Beethoven, and beyond, were all mindful of their patrons and their audiences. It didn't stop them creating some of the most beautiful art which will continue to echo down time - being appreciated not just by the audiences of their day but but also by each and every succeeding generation.

I wish my playing was as gash as Richard Bona's

Whereas I'd completely disagree. It's got flash and technique, but there is some nice phrasing and melodic lines in there because of how he's instantly playing what he's singing, and he throws in a couple of things for comedic effect. It's a really good, and relatively short, solo.

I saw this posted on Instagram recently and it was being lauded by the bass worshipping masses. I find it utterly ridiculous! It's like a bad comedy sketch. When I say I can't stand bass solo's, this is precisely what I my mean. It's utter gash. https://youtu.be/Uu-bjr1leM4

I think the great thing about a solo is it can be improvised and anything can happen. It's why I enjoy playing and listening to live music. Anything can, and usually does, happen. Wrong notes, going into the wrong sections, starting in the wrong key, drum kits gaining a life of their own and wandering down stage, amps catching fire, dodgy sound mixes. It's all part of the live experience. A lot of that has become very sterile and clinical now. I think a lack of real live music on TV, multitrack recording on protools and auto tune have spoiled people somewhat.

Over the years I've come to realise that solos in live performances are largely aimed at the non-musicians in the audience, who can just enjoy it for what it is & not indulge in an orgy of chin-stroking & dissection over every note/phrase/nuance.

True. When the next generation of engines were not so reliable I went Japanese. Buying something you know isn’t very good just to remain loyal to a brand is definitely cult like, irrational behaviour on that we agree.

This happened yesterday ☺️ It was a very lovely drive up to Bass Direct in Leamington Spa to drop off a bass for a commission sale, and to also pick up this masterpiece. I am in awe of this bass. I fell in love with Spector earlier this year, and that admiration for the brand convinced me to go for this beautiful USA, handmade Forte 4 in Nightshade, and now named “Stormbringer”. The quality and attention to detail, is second to none. The sound, the feel, the resonance, the playability and the comfort is something I have ever experienced, and I’ve owned a lot of basses in my time. I’ve never had a bass with EMG’s before, and there a real revelation. Also, simple things like having a master volume and pickup pan instead of 2 volumes, just makes me happy. I also love that is has no fretboard inlays. A real classy, clean look. It’s like going from a BMW to a Bentley. Thanks to Ash, and Mark, for all their help as usual. So good to see them both, at last. Cheers all ☺️

Tonewood threads...

I think it's fair to say that anyone who plays in a genre is having some thought about the audience. Just because the audience may not appreciate the minutiae of pickup impedance doesnt mean they don't have some shared appreciation of aspects of music. But art? In my experience art for arts sake tends towards intellectual masturbation. The fundamental purpose of art is either ritual or social. The aim is to create an emotional reaction in the recipient, whether deity, critic or the woman in the street. Ultimately to have any worth true art, and perhaps music most of all, is transactional.

I like the non-export model

I have one on board thanks.

The worst thing about any solo is when it is being played by someone with less ability than confidence.

Thanks! These EMGs are loads of fun - I assumed I'd just be chugging away on the bridge pickup but since I finished it I've been doing nothing but jamming Sleep-esque riffs on the neck one with the tone rolled off - it sounds immense I think little Barry Baritone and his big sister Betty BEAD are going to be a sludgy, doomy match made in hell 🤘

Im not generally a fan of bass solos or bass solo arrangements but I will make an exception for this [Youtube]

Has @Frank Blank seen this?

-

Just spoke to John & will have some new pics on the assembly bench soon...

No it's not. You might not be impressed, but it is very impressive bass playing.

Jimmy Nail polish, 'cos the left side looks like crocodile shoes 😆

I knew people would be eyeing this up, and if it went, I knew I would always regret not pulling the trigger. I think if I had pondered for another 24 hours, it would have definitely gone. It was a no brainer, and I’m just so flipping happy I did it. I genuinely love it. It plays, feels and looks like nothing I’ve ever owned ☺️

I'd be extremely happy to be fiercely, even violently, loyal to a brand if they would be so kind as to bung me free stuff and put me up as an edorsee on their publicity... And if another brand came and attempted to buy my loyalty with bigger and better free stuff (in much the same way as the first one did), there's absolutely no way I'd jump ship, oh no.

This is my only reason for doing anything musically. The reason why I stopped gigging was that I got absolutely nothing out of it. I'm not an "entertainer" by nature & have absolutely no desire to be one. I'm at my happiest when I'm just working on my own in my little music room seeing what I come up with. I enjoy the process far more than the end product.

I can grasp it. I know they are there to entertain and a long drawn out solo might be their idea of entertaining but it's not mine. As said, until being blue in the face, any instrument taking LEAD is great. It's when everyone else stops and said musician subjects the audience to minutes of twiddling and twaddling to show their expertise that I get bored.

I once walked onstage to a room full of work colleagues. They weren't regular gig goers and it was complete silence. It was horrible. I said down the mic, you can clap and it was almost like they were relived that they now knew how to behave at a gig. So I am going to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Nice theory but the reality was not good.

Drum Solo: usually band stops and drummer hits everything in sight that doesn't move quick enough to get out of the way. Can be any number of bars or any time signature, poly-rhythms with different time signatures on each limb gain extra applause. Everyone is pleased when it ends. Choral solo: singer sings with all other instruments still playing. At end of solo, rest of choir join in. Acapella solo: see also Freddie Mercury. Guitar solo: usually rest of band play verse while guitarist plays as many notes as possible in the given time. Except for Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and some other notable exceptions. In rare cases band gets bored, put down instruments and go for a beer. Keys solo: always playing solos even when not supposed to. Difficult to determine when solo starts and when it ends. Bass solo: usually, drums continue, guitar comps and bass plays something melodic rather than bass and harmony, except when the bass plays just the bass groove. Except notable exceptions where the band stops and the bass player pretends to be a drummer. See above. If the band has keys player, someone unplugs them at this point.

I don't see the point in brand loyalty. It's a bizarre concept. I know a guy who dresses only in SuperDry branded clothes. I don't understand that. Doing the same for instruments, only playing X or having multiples of the same model by the same manufacturer... I just find it quite tragic. I appreciate we're bombarded with marketing designed to manipulate and instil brand loyalty in our brains from the time we leave the womb, but we should be able to see past these things. We've never had it better, never had a greater choice, even with traditional designs. There are faithful recreations and creative reinterpretations of utterly magnificent quality, as well as the mass-produced mundane. There is so much out there to experience. To pay for the pleasure of allegiance because of the name of the parent company... I just don't understand it.

I've done a different tune in the EHB Short scale thread already but I thought I'd do another one, this time with just the bridge pickup for that sort of jazz bass bridge tone. As I'm playing in a big band and that's seems to be all I'm playing at the moment that's what you get - a big band arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "Don't you worry about a thing" All tones from a Line 6 Helix. Recorded live using OBS - none of that video then dub a track on top of it nonsense, I ain't got time for that! A green bass with a green screen gives some weird colour effects! Although now I'm wondering if I want the bass to be refinished in a chromaflair paint job!

The tributes are great, you get so much bass for the dosh. They've released a few new colours too, there's more on the G&L site, but here's my favourites..... I haven't seen them in stock anywhere though 😔 If it were me, I'd go for the SB2. It's got a slimmer neck than the LB100, a bit more versatility with the PJ setup and the MFD pups. What's not to love?!?

Harley Benton.

Personally I'd play one that lasted for about 40 minutes. That way I'd increase the chances of not being asked again.

@Al Krow even though I agree with much of what Mr 4000 says, I think that he has a different motivation to the likes of you and me. I like playing live with decent musicians and entertaining an audience. To be frank, I'm not too bothered if it is original music, a tribute or covers (and I've done all three recently) - if I'm playing music that I like with a decent band and there is an audience that appreciates it, then I'm happy.

Did I really?🤔 Of course it is perfectly to possible to bring your own thing to covers - many great artists have done exactly that, as per your examples - but most cover bands I’ve ever seen in my 58 years don’t, at least by design. And of course that’s perfectly valid, as most of their audiences may not thank them if they did. 😉 Regardless, playing covers wasn’t the issue I was commenting on in my initial posts, which I thought was pretty obvious. Again, there seems to be some implication that because I may have stated/implied that playing covers isn’t typically creative in the same way that writing, recording and performing original material is it’s in some way inferior, which I haven’t stated at any point. To me that smacks more of personal insecurities than anything else. I still get the impression that when you start talking ‘art’, some people immediately seem to start feeling like they’re being talked down to, which isn’t the case at all. But just like someone playing covers is perfectly entitled to their reasons for doing what they do, I’m equally entitled to have my reasons for doing what I do and I’ve already stated those several times. “Here Kate, I reckon the second side of Hounds of Love goes on a bit, and I don’t like the way it’s recorded, it’s a bit too reverb-y”. “No problem Ted from Wigan, I’ll re-write the 2nd side just for you - have you any specific suggestions? - and I’ll try and take a bit of reverb off when I re-record it”. Does that get my point across better?😉😂

Perhaps because you framed playing covers as a creativity-free process of mimicking someone else. If that's true neither Jacqueline du Pre or Paul Robeson were creative artists.

Just get the SB2.

Why? The audience are there voluntarily, because they are anticipating that the band are going to be good. The cheer when they come on is in anticipation, or even (hopefully) excitement. If the band are cr*p, then they can always walk out, boo, throw things, post cutting negative comments on internet forums, etc. But the reason that punters have paid money / gone to the trouble to go to the gig is in the hope that they are going to actually enjoy the band!

I've realised that over the years.

Bass taking a lead part in the song is to my mind different from a solo. The very word solo means alone. This is what sinks my boat. I don't want to hear drums, bass , guitar or keys on their own showing off.