mcnach

I've been using heavy duty double-sided sticky tape to fix metal and plastic thumbrests to basses for a few years now. It's strong enough that it won't come off during use, but if you want to remove it you can, with some effort and patience, and leave no marks whatsoever. This is one of the metal ones

I love stories involving low intelligence criminals... Jay Leno's show used to have a section on that on Monday nights, back in the late 90s when I was living in DC. There's a story I remember where a supermarket got raided one night. There was CCTV, but the thief (there was only one) was aware of that, and he used a paper bag to cover his face to avoid being recognised. Then we're shown some CCTV footage where the would be thief trips on something and hits himself against a shelf... because he had not made holes in the bag to see through. He learns from that, 'though, and is shown again, with holes in the bag so he is now able to see what he is doing. He was still caught. How? Well... he was still wearing his uniform, name tag and all. He was the security guard working at the store. Even if the name tag was not quite legible, he was extremely easy to recognise...

I would just look at it, and occasionally play it a few minutes at home and that's it. I love the looks but it's definitely not the right design for me, comfort-wise.

That's another thing... I was a couple of kilos over in my baggage allowance back in March and I had to go to the other side of the terminal, wait in a queue, pay... But, as I'm only 5ft 7" and about 74 Kg, I look at all those other people of... 'ample proportions', and feel ripped off. If weight is really an issue, RyanEasyJetAir, maybe set a combined weight threshold person+luggage

That is SERIOUSLY sexy... Black and maple, and that shape, very nice!

You can get them in any colour you like! It'll cost you £525 extra, but you can have that pink bass

Life is too short to *put up with* an instrument that doesn't feel just right when there's so many out there to choose from. I'm not one for posing and shouting "look at me" either, so while looks are definitely a factor, they are subordinate to sound and feel, by a long way.

They tried that with me once with my little laptop. So I opened my carry-on small suitcase, and put it inside. Ten metres later, after I got my passport checked, I stopped and took the laptop out again, in full view of the staff member who had tried to charge me earlier. Give a small minded person a few rules and a bit of power, and they'll be happy to ignore the fact they have a brain... I *hate* flying. Not because of the flight itself, but because of all the idiotic hoops we are made to jump through and we're supposed to smile. Like the first time I flew after they started restricting the volumes of fluids onboard. I had to throw away my shampoo. It was bigger than 100ml. I asked "if I carried my shampoo in two 100ml containers would it be ok?". She gave me a look that made me realise she already hated her life and didn't mind taking me down with her. Or what's with having to put those things in a transparent plastic bag? What is really the difference between them being loose or in a plastic bag? Yes, I asked that too, another time. At least this guy seemed human: he shrugged and just told me "I know, but that's the rules and if we don't enforce them we get in trouble". Ugh. I often think of the beginning of the Long Dark Tea Time of The Soul, by Douglas Adams... Thor in the queue to check-in at the airport... I know exactly just how he felt, and I wish I could do what he did too.

That's one possibility. But rest is not always the best way to get better, it depends on the nature of the problem. I endured months of pain, resting my arm as much as possible, and in the end what I needed to do was ensure that certain little forearm muscles were exercised carefully: resting was actually delaying my recovery. That's why I think going to a physio could be the best strategy. Modifying or selling instruments is an adaptation but it's better if you can actually fix the issue.

Go to a good physio and figure out what the problem really is. There's no guarantee, but I've had several occasions of weird pains (well, sometimes I knew the source, but not always), and was able to track it down to a specific muscle/tendon. From then, it was a matter of doing the right exercises to get back to normal. Hopefully your issues can also be sorted relatively easily (even if they may take a few weeks to go away) and you can continue to enjoy your favourite basses.

I thought that the "Original" and the 62 CS were different pickups? I am using both the Original and the Model P, and I'd agree that they're great pickups (different sounds). The Model P in particular is easy to find used and nost costing much at all.

At first I felt the same way. So I found a local teacher and went in for a couple of lessons. My bass made all the right sounds in his hands, so I knew it was just me, and he showed me how to start. Then I went home and practiced. Going for a lesson or two here and there could be very useful. You don't need to commit to a long series of lessons, just find someone who will teach you what you want to learn.

Not mine!

Indeed. Which is why this one remains a favourite of mine, and turned me on to the sound of a Precision slapped: and the bassline in detail by the guy himself:

Like most things, when abused it's a terrible thing, but slap bass can be done tastefully and it can be very nice in the right context. If your timing is failing you, I think it just means you need to practice it more. I think the key is to not try to put in more notes/percussive tones than we're able: make it sound good for the song first, simplify the line of you must, and once you get it grooving and you're comfortable, you can worry about adding more elements to it if you want to. I know that when I started to learn, my timing could be all over the place and I was far too tense, my arm would hurt sometimes and I needed to consciously relax it. Also, I'd move my hand/arm far more than is necessary, so I was very rough. By doing it again and again it gets easier and you relax more, and when you relax more it gets easier, and then you relax more, and then it gets easier, and then... you see the pattern, right?

:D !!!

If the sound is good, is the lower level a problem? If you change the preamp you may not prefer the new sound, and it doesn't guarantee the level will match the other bass anyway: a preamp does not give you a higher level necessarily. Some preamps are hot, some are not, some allow you to set the level... The John East MMSR I have in my Stingray is comparable to most passive basses I have, and a bit lower than some, for example (there may be a trim pot inside, I never checked because it doesn't bother me as I only use one bass at any given gig). If the signal is a bit low... turn up the amp up? If the issue is having to match another hotter bass when switching basses live you could probably use an EQ pedal set flat but with some boost (or use a clean boost pedal, there's a few of those too) to switch between them.

Great combination

A guitarist who is not a musician does that, maybe, yes. There are a lot of people who are not interested in showing off but rather care about 'music'. It's a tired stereotype that one, in my opinion and experience.

We're going to have to agree that we have different takes on what *simpler* means in this context

Is that really important? I see it as desirable, but... important? And what's with the "bass player I reckon"

Ask him if he'd like to move to Edinburgh, please?

Same here in that I prefer stage left, for the same reasons you mentioned. We have a new keyboard player who is very good at keeping off the lower registers, perhaps because he's a bass player himself (he used to be the bass player in this band a few years ago, but family life meant he had to quit). The problem I have with him is he doesn't seem to realise that I'm not made of ether and need some physical space. Every-single-time I need to go through a whole process of showing him my gear, showing him the space he is leaving, and showing him the much larger space he has farther along. He always seems surprised, and not happy to be asked to move. I thought that if I put my stuff in first he would get it, but no... he'd set up right against my amp. And I like to wait until the drummer is done, unless we have a big enough stage, before I set my stuff, to give him room to manoeuvre. Last weekend I arrive and the drummer is still setting up his kit. next to him, his monitor. And next, keyboard's monitor and himself. Literally no space for me. I said nothing, dumped my two cabs, head and bass case in front of him and went to get a beer, then sat there watching. - "You're not setting up?" - "I don't see where, so I thought I'd have a beer and watch you instead" Still didn't get it. I sat there for 5 more minutes, chatted with a few people for a bit, and then just had to go and do the usual routine. He moved to the left and angled himself a bit, I put my stuff in, and all was good. We have 2 weeks off now as we're going to be recording, and in two weeks we have a couple of gigs. If he learns the trick by the second one, then there's hope. If not, I am just going to either start moving things myself, or bringing a lot of extra equipment and take up all available space until he chooses to change sides :D

Speaking for myself, I find it harder to find a bass that feels just right than to make a bass sound just right. If I find a bass that feels great but the sound is not quite there, I can do a few *easy* things to help it get where I want it to be. I don't always succeed but most times I get where I want or even surpass expectations. Some people really hate messing about with the electronics and even have other people set up their instruments for them. Other people even enjoy doing that, electronics are relatively cheap if you know how to use a solder iron, and setting up an instrument is trivial if you have experience. So why not?

Indeed. Regardless of age. It's the only way men with my... physical characteristics, ahem, have a chance