mcnach

Nice review, thanks Ped! I've been using a Fusion F1 for 3 years now. Still going strong and it's a fantastic bag/case. I was a bit disappointed when I heard the F1 was discontinued and the closest new model would be the Urban, as it seemed to me that they reduced the peripheral protection but I guess it's because of the new inserts that hug the body. Eude, how do they compare, the Urban and the F1? I'm thinking about having a second case and I'd love another F1, but I guess the Urban will have to do. One thing I enjoy about the F1 is that between sets etc my bass is in the case, upright. Often between bass cabs and a guitar cab with a wall behind. To get my bass in/out all I do is unzip the case about half way and slide the bass in/out. It looked to me the Urban makes this harder. Am I right?

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1480672676' post='3186231'] I went to see The Cure again last night. Simon Gallup has the poses...he also skips about the stage in fits and starts....i have no idea how he manages to not miss a beat (other than the fact his basslines are simple)...the way he looks like he's trying to push his bass into the floor all the time impresses me. just saying [/quote] probably the fact he's played them 10,000 times is a factor

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1480604856' post='3185784'] You can get a bass with FIVE strings now? [/quote]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1480589612' post='3185627'] I'll learn slap when I can remember all of the scales and modes.... that'll be never then. I can't even play with a pick. All this technique stuff is a matter of priorities unless you really do have 12 hours a day to work on your bass playing. It always looks like a great deal of pain and effort just to look like a smart-ass 14 year old. [/quote] will you wait to try 5 strings until you get all that mentioned in a 4 string first?

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1480337618' post='3183427'] Yesterday i took some time to try repairing the tweeter in my cab. Removed the grill to gain access to the cab and mrs G_B calls me to help her out with something. I return to my work and find these two little helpers: Fortunately tragedy avoided, the drivers got out of it unharmed, except for some bashed in dust caps. Out comes the vaccum cleaner and a kitchen funnel and they popped out again, like new. I couldn't bring myself to be mad at them as it was my fault for letting the door open and they looked so cute in there. But it could have been a lot worse... lesson learned, if it fits they really sits! [/quote] what is it with cats??? you draw a circle on the ground... and they'll sit in it.

the 10-15 week wait for a Maruszczyk suddenly feels so much bearable

Two identical basses? Why not? If you gig... you have a backup/ If you dismantle one for maintenance or tikering of any kind, you're not under pressure to finish the job, as you still have a working bass. You can try different strings on each! If you don't need the cash... I'd keep both.

[quote name='WalMan' timestamp='1480423510' post='3184213'] Happy days. We're supposed to be recording a new album across the continents this year, though it's hard work herding the cats to get it all together. In the meantime a load of old live videos are being dripped out on a weekly basis. Can't remember what amp I had at the time. I have a sneaking suspicion that it was a Peavey Megabass biamped into a Peavey 1516 cab (2x8 +15). All things considered for a video from 26 years ago and the sound rescued as best as possible it doesn't sound too bad. We had some bloody good fun [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl4ys-zeYkI[/media] [/quote] love it!!!

The right bass/set up is also very important especially at first. My first attempts were very frustrating... until I tried another bass and it actually sounded good. Clumsy but good sound. As JTUK said, make sure the strings are responsive... flats work and are beautiful but not the best to start with, same with dead rounds. Use something reasonably fresh. Low action. With high action you'll have to work harder at getting the right bounce and it'll feel a lot harder than it has to be. Sound... if you're practicing by yourself... a slightly scooped sound would probably sound more pleasant. Both pickups? Try both full or back off the bridge one a little to get a bit more presence. Try just the neck alone for fun and see what you think, for a more "70s" type of sound... Also... mind where you hit the strings. Some basses, in particular P/J type, have a pickup right in the way. A Stingray is perfect... but a Jazz also has a good space to do your popping with ease. And try to relax! When I started I found it exhausting and often my shoulder and/or arm would feel tight. I was just tensing up too much and I was probably leaving my whole arm rigid and moving the whole thing, flapping the hand a great distance away from the strings too. That meant: tiring, very imprecise, noisy... As I got better, my movement started to get restricted more and more to my hand alone, to the wrist. I'm still nowhere as economic and smooth with my wrist action (shut up, you in the back) as I should... but it's a lot better and the sooner you focus on that, the faster you'll get better at it.

[quote name='mr zed' timestamp='1480376963' post='3183961'] Anyone got any tips as to the best eq settings? Also neck or bridge pickup or a combination? Whenever I try the technique it just sounds awful. Ta very muchly. [/quote] Pretty much whatever your normal tone is. I see many suggesting a scooped sound. That sounds good alone, but in a band context it'll just get a succession of bangs and clanks with no substance. You *may* reduce mids a bit if you're using a very mids rich sound, but be careful.

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1480351691' post='3183612'] I had to turn down a suggestion of Can't Stop which got me thinking. I think the reason I haven't perservered is because it does't bother me that much, but its a bitch having to say "sorry I cant play it"! [/quote] and that's a good reason to learn, I think. It's a technique that features in a lot of 'popular' songs, so it's good to be able to pull it off, even if you won't use it much. That's why I learnt, and Can't Stop was the first song I had to do It was satisfying to be able to do it and to realise that a lot of slap in many songs is not hard at all. I would not say Flea is the best example to follow regarding slap, for he has done a LOT of fast punky slap that I don't particularly rate. But he has also a good amount of cool slapped basslines, like Can't stop. I ended up playing in a RHCP covers band and it was a bitch going to some of their old stuff like Get up and jump and Black eyed blonde, which are not difficult, only fast... so just a matter of practicing a little. But there were some fun more modern stuff. The thing about those fast slap basslines is... they sound so much better and funkier if you play them more slowly! I love the bassline in "Forget me nots" (Patricia Rushen) which is played, I believe, by Freddie Washington (I think!). It's a lovely mid pace bassline and shows how good a Precision can sound slapped. In fact it's probably the song that turned me onto Precisions. It's a beautiful bassline that is surprisingly hard to get *just right*. It's not fast. There are no complicated fingering issues. It's just the right timing and right feel... That's often my example of a tastefully played slapped bassline. More flashy lines have their place too, but I'd start with something like that to build technique and confidence. In my originals band I use a little slap in a couple of songs, purely for dynamics. They're mostly fingerstyle but one in particular is a bit of a build-up... starts with a moody couple of bars of pulled guitar chords by itself, then another guitar joins in and hi-hats... and it keeps building up, you get some bass drum... eventually the song picks up some pace, the drums become a bit more busy and snare comes in, and finally bass comes in... It's still mid tempo and it keeps going, changing melodically to something a bit more upbeat, and for the chorus I add some slap, and I think it fits very well and adds contrast, especially when it stops and goes back to a calmer verse,, with bass played fingerstyle. I am not a huge fan of slap, nor am I a great slap player, but I think it can be a very cool sound to have in your palette of options. Just don't try to show off... it rarely works unless you really have something special going on. Most people realise you're trying to show off, and they'll call you names and you'll look ridiculous to the musicians in the audience... which reminds me... I need to do something about one song we often end up our gigs with... in the live version we add a long ending that has a lot of slap. It just came up one night, and I only slapped because that's what the singer asked for and I didn't come up with anything interesting... almost just straight octave slap pop changing chords as the progression changes. Which is not necessarily bad... BUT he often has the habit of bringing people's attention to me while I play that as if I were some virtuoso bass player, and it deeply embarrasses me . I have to a) come up with something more interesting and ask him to stop doing that... I am a bass player, don't put the spotlight on me, damn it!

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1480344075' post='3183529'] I've heard plenty of slapping n 'popping outside funk & jazz funk and in most cases I'd have said it was inadvisable, especially in rock genres like metal. [/quote] The guy in Mudvayne didn't get the memo (and I'm glad, as he sounds great)

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1480337163' post='3183422'] This is the only coping mechanism that works, believe me... [/quote] Indeed! I didn't even ask Adrian for an estimate... I don't want to know if it's 10 or 15 weeks or 20!. He's got all the important details, and made me smile with his attention to detail incorporating certain aspects in the order form that I had only mentioned on my first email (and there's been a few). I know my bass order is in good hands. When it's ready it's ready. This time I went for a chambered body, inspired by you Tic... Tac...

[quote name='andyonbass' timestamp='1480337663' post='3183429'] Did you use "Transfer wise" to pay? Is it easy to use? I'm a couple hours behind you.... [/quote] Oh, what an idiot!!! I did a direct transfer from my Natwest account as all the info was already in file and it was just a couple of clicks... BUT do use Transferwise! I used it a few months ago for something I bought from Hungary and it's dead simple and cheaper. How could I forget? I blame the excitement about the new bass

Final specs sorted, order form revised and submitted, go-ahead received, deposit paid... YAY! It's happening!!! Now... to forget all about it until *that email* with the sofa picture arrives

[quote name='N64Lover' timestamp='1478780831' post='3171557'] My John East J-Retro has always sounded very weak when I switch it to passive, a very low output and very thin tone especially in the higher registers. It has never been a problem because I always use it active but last night the battery finally packed in on a gig, I flicked the switch and suddenly I was playing a ukulele. I use Aguilar hum cancelling pickups right now, but I had the same issue with my previous Bartolinis. Surely the passive switch should just bypass the preamp and the pickups should sound as normal, but I am quite sure that the wiring is sucking out all the tone. Has anyone else had this issue? [/quote] The J Retro has internal trimpots to allow you to set the level. If it's high (and it can be very high!) then your passive level will be low by comparison. Not that the pickups are poor, just that the preamp is hot. Try to turn the level of the preamp down so that it matches the passive volume. Depending on your pickups you may achieve that easily, or the preamp may still be a bit hotter.. but it will hopefully not be by much. If your normal active tone boosts bass a lot (the bass control is boost only, so anything other than fully anticlockwise is boosting bass) then you will always feel a bit 'meh' when switching to passive, 'though.

[quote name='Quatschmacher' timestamp='1480282403' post='3183102'] Gutted to find, when I can finally (almost) afford to custom order a Stingray Slo Special, that they've discontinued one of the very best finishes. Grr! [/quote] If I really wanted that finish... I'd go for a natural one, with nice grain, then contact David Wilson for a refinish. He does a great job and it may not cost quite as much as you're fearing. It sucks having to pay extra, but if you *really* want it... what price is a smile on the face?

[quote name='Basscabman' timestamp='1479339993' post='3175869'] Worth Upgrading or are they OK as standard? [/quote] if you want a different sound... change the pickup. Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the stock pickup, it's pretty good. But your personal preference may make you try other pickups, and that's ok of course I just don't think it's *necessary*. Some Squiers of old had uninspiring pickups and replacing them improved the instrument a lot. It's not the case with the CV series, they're pretty damn good stock.

Hmmm... I can't really help much here as I can't say I have an answer for your issues. I do have a Classic 50 Precision that I love (see avatar, I replaced the pickguard 'though). I found it fantastic stock. I like to tinker and change things... but my Stingray and this Precision are the two basses I don't see myself modifying. The pickup is great, I think. I does lack a bit of 'oomph' perhaps compared to some other other premium pickups... but the sound is good, balanced, classic... there's nothing that makes me change it. I have a bunch of pickups in my drawer, Seymour Duncan SPB1, a Wizard Thumper, a Fender 'Original' and some Delanos... I don't feel the need to use any of those. How close are the poles to the strings? To me it sounds better when they're not very close. My pickups are also angled with a slope on both sides... I use DR Fat Beams (stainless steel) on that bass 45-105.

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1480202375' post='3182549'] My two'penneth I bought a pair of Pro 17's about three years ago. At first I really struggled with the isolation and the unnatural detached feeling, but the upside was hearing every note you play, anywhere on the neck despite the cacophony going on around you. When I started running FOH sound from the side of the stage, I became so paranoid about what the audience was hearing that I stopped using the plugs (big mistake I know). After a year or so, I noticed that my hearing was definitely suffering (could be age related) so I dug the plugs out and tried to persevere with them, but by then I was back to the isolated feeling again. So I did a bit more research on the ACS website and decided that the 10's might be more suitable for my application so I ordered some replacement filters and hey presto, what a difference. I certainly do not feel isolated and the whole sound is more 'dynamic' with the added bonus of hearing everything I play (including the bum notes!). If you compare the graphs, there isn't a whole lotta difference between the 10's and the 17's but the 17's are rated for longer exposure. Given that for most gigs we do two sets and normally no more than 2 hours in total. the 10's work out just fine. The difference is so big for me that I am now back to using them on every gig. [/quote] Thank you, that's useful info

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1480163831' post='3182118'] You download the voucher and take it to the audiologist. Check first though, because some don't accept the voucher. The ACS website has a list of places that do accept. [/quote] Yup. Got the voucher and there's a Boots in their list just 5 minutes from my house. Just need to call them now to make an appointment.

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1480165209' post='3182135'] Sometimes it's the most simple things, I've set up before now with no sound and spent a good ten minutes swapping out leads etc before realise I hadn't plugged the damned speaker in!! [/quote] I have done that too! cable plugged in at the amp hanging there but not connected... it took me a few minutes to realise that one. So yesterday it was probably the second thing I checked.

I love glossy. I specified glossy on my Maruszczyk basses and had my 2002 Stingray neck refinished with glossy lacquer for the same reason. I don't find them sticky. I love the feel.