bassbiscuits

"I know a good bluegrass version of that......"

There's a couple of things here: 1) Are old Fenders good? Certainly yes some old Fenders (and any make old enough to be vintage) are very good, and if that's the sort of spec/vibe/look/sound you are after (for the record, I am...) then you could certainly fall for a cool old vintage bass. I've lots of modern Fenders, and still own an old Fender, and there's no better/worse comparison - but I'd say a modern USA Standard (or current equivalent) is a different bass to a 60s/70s original. Either might be your dream bass. 2) Are vintage guitars worth mega bucks? That's down to the individual. They are comparatively rare, so can command high prices driven by the demand for them. Personally, i can't afford to spent £2k-£3k on a vintage Fender - the one i own was bought 25 years ago for a fraction of that price. It covers a lot about what I want from a bass, but if i didn't own it, would i spent £3k on buying it now? Probably not. 3) Are modern, high-end basses naturally better than these artificially high-priced oldies? Not necessarily. A couple of years ago I dabbled with buying a Sadowsky Metro, a recent Fender Custom Shop 1955 P bass, and a Mike Lull PJ4 (which i did buy in the end). All three were very very average (tho it took me to gig the Lull a few times before i ran out of patience with it's sterile dull tone). But then i also own a cheap nondescript Yamaha which sounds good, despite having no pedigree whatsoever. So 'are vintage Fenders any good?' is a very subjective question. They vary hugely like any other instrument. if you find one that you love, and can afford, then it's up to you if you think it's worth the money. For many people, the answer is yes.

It's gotta be worth a try to make Snow Patrol more interesting....

If Amazon has a translate function for user reviews, it was set to 'bonkers' on this day. I am none the wiser from this review that it is actually a Tanglewood acoustic guitar.

I left behind my desire to continue with a band once, after having a massive row with the guitarist outside the venue after the gig. Oops.

Good shout. I don't have a visual document but I do have a word document detailing each of my bits of kit. It was more cos I was bored one day rather than for any security issue tho! Your detailed one is a good idea I reckon.

Tier 1. I'm still on track. I play flatwounds too so there's a good chance i won't even buy strings this year either.... Tier 2. I was ahead of the game after selling my Epi Casino, but now i've got to put some of that cash towards a Strat refret (badly needed) and a pickup for one of my two remaining acoustics. I'll make sure I have no fun at all throughout February as my penance.

Nope. They never answer anyway.

I've got an MIJ Mustang bass and its brilliant. I'm mainly a P bass player, and this thing is like a smaller, shorter scale version. Very much in same ball park sonically, nicely built, and looks cool.

I've got a MIJ Mustang, after a lifetime of P bass use, and it's very good. It doesn't exactly do anything the P bass doesn't - in many ways its like a smaller version of it. The shorter scale does seem to focus the tone more in the midrange, so small fills and runs on higher notes that sometimes get lost on the P seem to be more prominent in the Mustang. It's still got plenty of low end too - i was worried it would lack oomph, but having recorded it A/B'd against my precision, they sound very similar and very much the same ball park tonally. I gigged it with a fulll loud band and it cut thru very nicely, and is stil small and comfortable enough for playing at home/rehearsing. Its obviously a fair bit lighter than a long scale, and the smaller/shorted neck is easier to play. Its very good for quite busy bass parts as moving around it easier. The string tension is less stiff than a long scale, which can take a bit of getting used to, but again doesn't cause any issues. Mine is strung with flatwounds, but even with rounds i don't think i'd choose it for slap or funk. Its more for rock, garage, pop and retro sounds. Short scales look cool and are a lot easier to wear for a whole gig. A lot of them are pretty retro styled (Gretsch, Mustangs, Ibanez Talmans etc) which look great if that's your thing.

I can vouch for the Fender Mustang basses. Im a lifelong P bass player but last year also started to use an MIJ Mustang bass. Very much in the same sonic territory and doesn't feel at all cramped. And they look v cool and distinctive while still being vintage styled (I'm not really into modern looking basses). Well worth a try.

Likewise. I was in a funk/metal band when i had the Charvel (my first real band that did more than one gig!) but once I started dabbling in old Fenders things changed rapidly... My wallet hasn't been the same since.

Do it! I bet that'll sound ace. I flogged mine back in the day for a Charvel with a pointy headstock which in turn got sold for a precision. They were cool basses tho. Loved the look of that massive pickup.

I played a white Westone Spectrum ST on my first gig! Yours looks like a DX....

Westone Spectrum bass too - I wish still had mine!

Aha now for me that's the other way round with that song - my old band used to play it all the time, but I tried to sing it once mid gig and it's in such a weird key for me that i sounded rubbish! Ill stick to doing the "I got soul...." bit and it'll be fine!

Nah not for me.

Yup I'm a lead singing bassist. As the others have said, try to learn the bass part and singing part separately first to get your head round it. Then just plenty of practising, so you know what the timings are etc. For originals, the same applies but you have the chance to write the singing accordingly. Some songs are nigh-on impossible where the bass and singing don't interact much (ie Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Billie Jean etc) but most songs are ok with a bit of practice.

Did a Saturday night city centre gig in Leicester, depping on bass with my old band. Proper busy rowdy one tho - some drunk bloke flossing and pole dancing, and a drunk bloke at some point was pushed/thrown/fell into the stage, destroying the singer's mic stand and splling everything. Oops. The new guitarist also has his own PA and live sound business on the side, so we had an awesome rig and FOH sound. Good gig.

Yup. I've done 15 years worth of gigs on a pretty basic Crafter acoustic guitar. And my cheapo Yamaha bass has outlived and outgigged all sorts of more expensive fantasy gear that just didn't play or sound as good. I do like expensive refined gear tho as long as it sounds great. Makes you feel cool too sometimes!

Ha ha don't mince your words fella!

I like Markbass amps (cabs not so much) and while those basses don't repulse me, they aren't awfully exciting. Like with every other instrument, it would be a case of playing one rather than prejudging it.

Really? Gigging is the best bit of being a musician surely. That's what made me take up bass in the first place.