Deep Thought

[quote name='The Funk' post='168721' date='Apr 2 2008, 08:14 PM']I just bought an old bass amp of his.[/quote] Be interested to know what that was.

I have to confess that after seeing the pic of Sophie Taylor playing one on the 'Babe of the day' thread, I've developed a hankering for a Gothic T-bird. Never been much for that body shape but I really like it all in black-was a big Sisters of Mercy fan in my youth...

That's an S-1. Note the blue arrow-shaped sticker on the scratchplate. Same as mine-I had the white scratchplate off pronto, replaced with a black one (note avatar). The S-1 circuit is going soon too-it's a waste of time, turns the sound from full and loud to thin and weedy. I hear it makes a difference on a J-bass, but on a P it's like a handbrake on a canoe. I love the bass to bits, but don't go losing any sleep over the S-1 gubbins, it's not worth having. You definitely haven't bought a pup.

Thanks all, especially Musky (you were great in Deputy Dawg, BTW ). Now I understand-I naively assumed that because it said 'minimum 4 ohms' on the back, that I should use a 4 ohm cab, but the bit about the 8 ohm cab makes sense now. Also that's good news because there several 8 ohm cabs around in my price range. The BFM's are a great idea, but I have just bought a bass I wish I hadn't, and need to go back to the same shop to swop it for a new cab (and perhaps a decent mike as well). Much encouraged, thanks Folks.

OK, I've got a Trace 7215SMC 1x15 300 watt combo, which by Saturday night's performance I reckon could do with a bit more top end-not so much volume, just ability to cut through-I play a P-bass pretty much exclusively. I'd like to get a 2x10 cab for it-it says minimum impedance 4 ohms-and I understand that at present I'm only getting 200watts of the 300 without the 4 ohm cab. I have my eye on a Peavey 210 TVX which is 4ohm but rated at 175 watts RMS-is this enough wattage or do I need minimum 300? I'm assuming that the 200 the internal speaker's running at at present, plus the 175 should be enough, but am I right in this? It seems 4 ohm 2x10's are a bit hard to come by in my price range-second hand isn't really an option because I have a bass I want to part ex. Alternatively, how much difference will it make if I use an 8ohm cab, which seem a bit more plentiful? After much studying of sticky's and previous threads I've not been able to come up with a definitive answer to this one, so I must throw myself on the mercy of you splendid fellows. Ta.

Have you tried any other basses? Go down to your local music shop and try a few. If they all do it, it's you and you need to get your technique sorted. If they don't, buy another bass or take yours to someone who knows what they're doing and get the bass sorted. Do not, whatever you do, pack it in because of noisy frets. And no, converting it to fretless is not the answer.

Can't get enough of mine-I just bought a beautiful, as new Ibanez AGB-200 semi acoustic, it's gorgeous, but I played a gig on Saturday and didn't even take the Ibanez with me-played the P all night. The wide neck and the finish on the 2007 maple neck just does it for me-only thing I am seriously considering is a sticking a new pickup in it-the Wizard Thumper has definitely caught my eye.

I'm no expert either but I'd've thought if you could get another nut it should just screw back on-provided the threads aren't too badly damaged?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alembic-Stanley-Clarke-Series-Two-Fretless-Bass_W0QQitemZ200207588580QQihZ010QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alembic-Stanley-Clar...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] Even if I could afford it, which I certainly can't. No doubt many will think it the most gorgeous thing since sliced bread, just not my thang, man. Each to his own.

[quote name='Longmayyourun' post='160452' date='Mar 19 2008, 08:00 PM']Browsing your forum has confirmed my long held belief that most of the wit and wisdom, and pretty much all the sanity in a band resides with the bass player, so if there's room in your ranks:- Count Me IN Me: 50 something, have played for 35 years, currently in loud covers/function/party band with attitude. My gear: Westone Thunder 1 and Precision Special through Trace AH 300 SMC. Fender acoustic for back porch noodling (is that just me?) Polytone Mini Brute for 'polite' gigs On the CD player: John Mayer's Continuum and Robert Plant/Alison Krauss Raising Sand. Thanks for having me. Look forward to sharing the brother/sisterhood[/quote] Welcome-how deep in the South-West are you?

I think you know the answer.....

Sisters fan, I presume? Saw 'em live 4 times in the early 80's. Awesome live band. Welcome.

No one here gets out alive-Jim Morrison and the Doors Hammer of the Gods-Led Zeppelin-just finished it, excellent and very entertaining-a fiver from Virgin/whatever they're called beginning with Z these days, at the moment. A very good book I picked up second hand a while ago is A Promoter's Tale by a chap called Geoff Docherty, who promoted a lot of acts in the North East back in the late 60's and early 70's after starting off as a bouncer. Don't know if it's still in print. Passion is a fashion-The Clash-Pat Gilbert

First gig on Saturday night since October-our drummer fell off his motorbike in January and made a right mess of his left forearm-broken in 5 places, major surgery to have it pinned, skin grafts, luckily no nerve damage and he should get full use of the hand back. Recovery was going well and he'd done a fair bit of work at home with his practice kit. However about a fortnight ago his consultant told him he wasn't to put any load on it for another month. This gig has been in the offing ever since we started gigging-a birthday party for a work colleague (we're all ambulance staff) who wanted us to play her 30th birthday party ever since she saw our first gig 18 months ago. Looked like we were knackered. We were going to do it without the drummer-I was gonna stomp on a box with a microphone in it, Seasick Steve-style, but our drummer reckoned he could do it one-handed so that's what we did. A bit of hassle in the afternoon rushing round to get the kit into the venue before it filled up with rugby fans watching the final (venue is a rugby club), but all sorted and our best gig to date, drummer performed admirably, usual cock-ups made by all but didn't detract, sound good and well received, much dancing and enjoyment, the bits where I do lead vocals went down well (and was even requested to do one again!) and requests from audience members to be informed when we're playing again! Much satisfaction-although I think I need a 2x10 cab to go with my Trace 1x15 combo, which performed admirably, but I need a bit more punch.

Bit of guitar, bit of harmonica.

Jake 'Bakesnake' Byers of Hayseed Dixie-saw 'em live in Falmouth last night (third time) and them beggars can play! Also JJ Burnel is still going strong in 2008!

That's virtually identical to mine-my decal is a [i]tiny[/i] bit further from the edge than that, but only by a few mm. Same neck plate, only difference I can see is that the string tree on that on has a raised rim, mine is flat. If it's a fake, I'd've said it was a pretty good one-but I am also no expert, I must confess.

Stuart Morrow (New Model Army) Chris Thompson (Screaming Blue Messiahs) Greg Norton (Husker Du) Paul Raven (KIlling Joke) Stan Stammers(Theatre of Hate/Spear of Destiny) Les Pattinson (Echo and the Bunnymen-met him backstage at York festival-nice chap!)

1.Jean-Jacques Burnel (Stranglers) 2.Norman Watt-Roy (Ian Dury and the Blockheads) 3.John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) 4.Paul Simenon (The Clash) 5.Peter Hook (Joy Division)

I've been eyeing up a cheap fretless lately-just intrigued, don't want to spend a fortune-and recall somebody saying back along somewhere that it's a good idea to get a fretless version of what you already play. Try and find a fretless P-bass though! The only one Fender currently do, as far as I can see is the Tony Franklin-no other fretless P's at all, and the TF is big bucks. No shortage of fretless J-basses, and I've looked into a VM fretless, which looks great value, but I've had J basses before and didn't get on with them-I don't like the offset waist or the narrow neck. How come the fretless P is so uncommon? Is there something about a P that doesn't lend itself to fretless? I was in Manson's in Exeter back along, they had a black 70's fretless P with a maple neck-now that would have done me fine, but at £1300 that's a bit much for an experimental dabble! BTW, please no 'I've got one for sale' replies-I had a few bob spare a couple of weeks ago, but that had to go on something far more boring, so I'm not actually in the market right now-just interested as to why fretless P's seem so hard to come by-and looking for a few ideas for when I've next got a few quid spare.

I used to own a black export version (no scratchplate, not the Japan-only with scratchplates which are nicer IMHO). Didn't keep it long-as Finn says, the arched top and bound edges aren't terribly comfortable, I didn't get on with the shape either-but that applies to Jazz basses in general. Mine I admit was a not-too-pristine Ebay example but it just didn't give me the horn. They do look nice, but I'd prefer it without the binding.

Had not the faintest idea that such a thing existed. Will now investigate.

Yes, they definitely are any good. G & L is the company founded by Leo Fender after he sold the original company. Many rate their stuff higher than Fender-including Leo himself. Observe:- [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%26L"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%26L[/url] Although personally I don't like the headstock.

I've got a 2007, with the maple neck, and I love it. Also has the S-1 switching, which is about as much use as a handbrake on a canoe, so the 2008 model should be a good choice.