Deep Thought

There's not a snowflake's chance in Hell of me ever owning one, but this is about the only thing I [i]really[/i] want these days. Have to say IMHO my Shuker JJ Burnel is pretty damn cool.

UK Subs, Warhead. And I bet I'm not alone.

The full-length version of Ram Jam's 'Black Betty' is a sod to play. Thankfully we only do the shortened version.

I own an acoustic, and can do a reasonable impression of being able to play it on about three songs. I bought it to give myself a better understanding of chord theory, which I suppose it has.

Bass-wise ever since I got the Shuker I've had next to no desire for another bass. I'm not even sure I like that, it's robbed me of all the fun of wanting something and ultimately, with a bit of luck, getting it, but apart from a bit of curiousity over a Rick, which I think I've cured myself of, I can't think of another bass I want. I've tried a couple of experiments outside the normal 4-string/fretted jobs (a 5-string and a 5-string fretless) but neither lasted long. Only thing I have a hankering for is an acoustic bass. Amp-wise I would like a LMII as a backup/alternative for my GB. My next purchase is likely to be PA gear.

[quote name='deanovw' post='1188123' date='Apr 4 2011, 06:52 PM']hi, yes, you are correct, I am that same Dean. Have we met? If so I apologise for not knowing who you are at the moment. If not, then hi. I have been window shopping in the for sale section already and could easily spend a small fortune in there.[/quote] PM sent

Hiya Dean, You are, I assume, the Dean that used to play with Chris C., Richard etc? I briefly attempted, unsuccessfully, to fill your shoes many years ago. Sadly, I was nowhere near as good. I also stopped playing, for about 15 years, until I started again 5 years ago. Welcome, also from St. Austell. I've been around here for a few years now, it's been invaluable. Beware the For sale section.

My main is the Shuker, backup is the Mex Fender P. I once saw a bloke break a bottom E on a Thunderbird and it took him ages to replace it, with a lot of embarrassed standing-around and thumb-twiddling by the rest of the band. Much quicker to just grab the backup and carry on. sh*t happens.

You could try these chaps:- [url="http://www.endlessknobbing.com/"]http://www.endlessknobbing.com/[/url]

I had a long chat with Jason a few years ago when I was at their stand at Manson's guitar show in Exeter, waiting for JJ Burnel to turn up for a poster signing. Really nice bloke, and when JJ did turn up, Jason offered to take a photo of me and him, and Emailed it to me. I was quite impressed when he told me he was their chief exec! I don't dislike their strings, except that I've found others that keep their 'zing' longer, but I have a lot of time for Jason.

I'm the frontman in our band, I've been doing it a while now and mostly it works OK. Often slower stuff with longer gaps between notes is harder than faster, more complex stuff, but it's mainly down to practice. One of these days I plan on having vocal lessons, when I have a few spare quid lying around.

I have the greatest respect for those who can do it well, but it just doesn't interest me. I can't think of a single song that has slap bass on it which I like. Very impressive, but I don't care. And I agree it seems pretty dated these days. Each, of course, to their own.

I dunno who does them, but ZZ Top have had a fair few custom jobs done-the furry ones, for instance.

[quote name='LiamPodmore' post='1158438' date='Mar 11 2011, 06:44 PM']Looking at that i have a high suspicion that that bass was the exact same after that song as it was before, a tech most likely caught it. Slash, Alex Gaskarth and Taylor Swift have all thrown guitars and had their tech catch them. Either way, he can afford it, and i would do that to a Fender. Liam[/quote] Yeah I've seen Mike Mills of REM do a similar thing. Fine as long as the tech catches it!

[quote name='Algae' post='1155867' date='Mar 9 2011, 09:21 PM']Sounds great , what is the neck like ? Typical P or thinner Jazz style ?[/quote] Typical P, as it's based on his green 60's Precision. I'd seen comments about the width of the neck and was expecting it to be huge, but being used to P's, I took to it immediately. Slightly rounder profile than my US, pretty much identical to the Mex.

[quote name='Algae' post='1154997' date='Mar 9 2011, 10:03 AM']Mmmm that Shuker would go nice with my JJ Burnel head , how does it compare to your Fender?[/quote] Piddles all over it. Lighter, more powerful, better sound, better made. Tone switch that actually does something. The Mex is, to be fair, my backup bass-before I got the Shuker my main bass was an '07 US Precision (in black, of course). I was perfectly happy with it, but the opportunity to get the Shuker happened, so the P had to go. I like the look of the JJ amp, but TBH, even if I was in a position to get one, I don't think I would. My GB Shuttle suits me so well, amd I think having JJ's signature bass [i]and[/i] amp is taking things a bit too far!

I suppose I have been quite remiss in not participating in this thread before, considering that I don't possess a bass that isn't black. I therefore give you:- My first bass, Westone Concord I, circa 1984-5. Still played on a daily basis Fender Mex Precision, rosewood board, Wizard Thumper Shuker JJ Burnel

I don't care how fantastic it sounds, I wouldn't touch most Warwicks with two barge poles tied together, with the possible exception of a Dolphin. You've got to feel good about what you're playing, for whatever reason. You've got to have the confidence to get up there on a stage and play in front of people, maybe quite few of them, and having a bass you're happy with is all part of that. I happen to agree with the idea of regarding an instrument as a tool to do a job, but on the other hand, playing live is a slightly different sort of job to using a screwdriver.

Stranglers-Tank Bill Withers-Lovely Day The Damned-Shadow of Love Ten City-That's the way love is Wilko Johnson-Barbed wire blues China Crisis-African and white Killing Joke-Pssyche Screaming Bue Messiahs-Tracking the Dog Moloko-The time is now The Cure-Charlotte sometimes Frank Zappa-Valley girl

All three of us are shift workers, getting all of us together in the same place is a nightmare-if we manage once a month we're lucky. We have to grab practice time when we can get it, but a lot relies on everybody doing their homework, so we're all prepared when we do get together. I don't think we do a bad job considering the amount of practice we get.

First bass-Westone Concord I Go to bass-Shuker JJ Burnel (unless it's a scabby pub we're playing, in which case Fender Mex Precison with Wizard Thumper) My Bass-Shuker JJ Burnel

Mine sit on top of my amp-my Precision has one tucked in behind the scratch plate, but I haven't been able to face doing that with the Shuker. I saw a leather wrist-mounted pick holder on Ebay a few years ago-was quite tempted, but didn't, and I've never seen them since.

I've owned two 5'ers, neither of which I kept for long. Just didn't feel comfortable with 'em.

And from another.

All depends on circumstances for me. I find it hard to envisage selling my Shuker JJ at the moment, it being a bass I'd long lusted after and never thought I'd be able to own. However I go through phases-I tend to alternate between music and collecting flying jackets (my other great obsession), and it depends what's in favour at the time-I'm currently in a bit of a jacket phase, the band isn't doing much and the weather's cold, so my thoughts are very much with big sheepskin flight jackets at present, and not much with basses and bass kit. My visits here, and number of posts have declined accordingly of late. However in a few months time, when it's too hot for a jacket and we've got more gigs, bass playing will come to the fore again, I'll be on the hunt for new gear and jackets may have to go to finance it. A couple of years ago one of my favourite jackets was sold to pay for my Mex Precision, which is a damn fine bass, but now I'm missing the jacket badly and trying to get my hands on another one. If something came along at the right time which I just had to have, there's no guarantee I could resist flogging the JJ to get it. The real clincher will be if the band folds-if I'm not gigging, I don't know how long I'll be able to justify hanging on to such an expensive bass, plus all the other stuff, when it's not getting any use..