mcgraham

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1317641298' post='1392526'] Affordable Rickenbackers... [/quote] I still wouldn't buy one

You'd need a balanced DI jack on your bass to do that, and that sounds like a lot more hassle than it would be worth particularly in relation to connecting said bass to amps and pedals.

Good advice, though I'd like to add (in the interest of reasoned discussion) that while we shouldn't rely exclusively on patterns that doesn't mean you are prohibited from using them, and they are very helpful to get to grips with different sounds and ideas... but they are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. For example, I see shapes on the fingerboard all the time, the frets I want to use 'light up' in my head so to speak, but I find that there is an awareness of the notes that I want before they are visualised as a shape/pattern on the 'board.

Yea a standard 4 string book would be a good shout - I think it'd be a happy medium between giving you enough information you can use to get started, but not so much info that you manage to escape having to think about it all. When I moved from 4 to 6 string I also spent a lot of time just repeatedly writing out the notes on the fretboard on paper again and again. I used to fill them in in a given scale (e.g. A major), then fill in all the blanks. I started just going through the scale in order, but then started moving to filling in the position of every possible 'A', then every possible 'B', etc etc so that I really started to learn where everything was on the fingerboard rather than just filling gaps like a purely intellectual exercise. I've since moved back down to 5 string, but it means I don't really get lost on 4 5 or 6 string basses

Do you have it tuned in straight 4ths (e.g. BEADGCF) or like a 7 string guitar (e.g. BEADGBE)? If the former, you may struggle to find many books or at least any decent ones dedicated to 7 string basses, but a chord/scale book for a standard 4 string one can easily be extrapolated across all the strings due to the symmetry of the notes across the fingerboard. There are also loads of books for 5 string and 6 string chords/scales. If the latter, then you may have more luck with getting tutorial books for 7 string guitar or even 6 string guitar for chords/scales.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1317632582' post='1392402'] Musicman basses (and guitars) are indeed factory produced but I think you maybe overestimate the scale of their operation. The phrase "mass produced" could perhaps be applied to their range over the years but they are still very much a "hands on" operation with subsequently greater overheads than truly mass produces pieces like Fender for example, hence the price. Quality not quantity. [/quote] Sure. Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying it's a soul-less factory per se, but... to put it into perspective... I got my totally custom Wood&tronics basses which have been praised over top-spec Alembic and Fodera basses for the same sort of coinage as a stock Ernie Ball bass, and W&T are genuinely a 2-3 man operation... if they can meet those sorts of price constraints and still churn out basses of that quality level then there are clearly ways to reduce the costs of basses produced to standard specs like Ernie Ball or Fender.

Indeed! I think the difficulty with ebay brands and Conklin is that... well... the ebay brands are prone to being crap without a damn good setup, but ebay basses (Conklin and crap) you just don't get to try beforehand, which means people will be disincentivised from buying them relative to wandering into a store and getting to try them. Plus, the more these things are in the public domain, the greater amount of market stimulation and competition there should be... but sadly the musical instrument market is a bit rubbish at the moment and if these 'other non-4-string ideas' weren't seen as a worthy investment in the boom times, then they certainly are unlikely to be seen as worth the investment in these difficult times.

charic, while my first response is to laugh at the marketability of 6/7 string basses... when I actually paused to think about it, I reckon that good quality 6/7 string basses at doable prices (even current Fender or Ernie Ball prices would be acceptable) WOULD get bought by people... myself included! If they're available to try then there's definitely a likelihood of people buying them.

Personally I think Musicman have taken onboard quite a lot of good opinions and directions on their instruments. They don't seem afraid to produce some natural progressions of their designs (e.g. the dual humbucker versions of their instruments) as well as create some funky looking (I have mixed opinions on them) but stellar sounding instruments (e.g. like the Bongo or Big Al). However, I think they could do with lowering their prices to make them slightly more accessible. For something mass produced it shouldn't be THAT expensive to get a totally stock bass. Warwick's pricing is also a bit laughable, particularly given the stuff they produce at the moment. I'm not saying the instruments are bad/not good, but given I can buy a totally custom designed and custom built bass, built by hand to the highest quality levels I've ever experienced for around the same price, I would like to see them revisit their pricing structure. Also, I'd say that Warwick (to some extent) seems to have a prerogative to create instruments that are unusual with exotic wood choices for the sake of it rather than because it's going to make an instrument that is any good, and relying on the customer base buying warwick because they did something different to a P/J/MM instrument. I should point out I do like many of Warwick's basses, this is just an observation and how I feel about it.

Sure. I was shooting more for the restyled but still traditional bodies that those basses had. Just re-re-re-releasing the EXACT same shapes with the EXACT same finishes and EXACT same pickup configurations every year just paints themselves into a corner. Seems like a waste, particularly when they have such a clearly talented design team that can produce great looking instruments that tick both the contemporary/modern AND traditional/vintage requirements at the same time...

Inspired by the Fender's 'Modern Players' thread, I want to know what other bassists would like to see mainstream bass manufacturers produce. I would like to see more bass manufacturers, like Fender, take lessons from the sorts of things that more boutique companies are producing. For example, Fender don't experiment much, but I think that some of their best basses have been those that just go a bit further than solid colour 20 fret 4 string J/P basses...[list] [*]Fender Jazz 24 fret - a GREAT modified Jazz body shape, with a tasteful but not OTT exotic wood top. If they produced a 4, 5 or even a 6 string version and you would have covered a [i]huge [/i]portion of the custom/boutique bass market... and suddenly made these things more accessible to more traditional minded players AND boutique minded players. [*]Stu Hamm Mk2 signature bass - wonderful piano like tone, and superb contemporary restyled body and pickguard. That bass brought (IMO) the 'traditional' look into the 21st century, but still very much Fender. Available in 4 and 5 string, but too expensive for most. Now Stu has gone to Washburn, bring it to the mainstream body shapes. [/list] Ultimately I'd like to see some more design work from the Fender team, cos they can clearly come up with comtemporary designs that don't ruin their traditional image. Other stuff I think would be good but these are things I like to see and not necessarily commercially beneficial...[list] [*]Preamps - Team up with a preamp manufacturer like Aguilar, or East, or something, and give the option of every model as passive or active/preamp equipped. Sure, not every shop would carry the preamp equipped and of course a tech-savvy person would be willing to install one themselves, but just having this as an orderable standard option would allow people the chance to get what they want off the shelf and not cause certain people to look elsewhere for the sake of just a preamp. [*]Ramps as an accessory - everything they make is standardised to some extent, it wouldn't be hard for them to offer these as an accessory for basses in the same way they offer pickguards. Yes it's a bit niche, but it's doable, and also brings their offerings a bit more up to date. [*]More frets - 24 or even 26 fret basses would bring a more boutique edge to their offerings, and the 24 fret body shape they came up with shows they can style a bass to cope with it. [/list] Oh and better quality control would help

Hey Scott, just wanted to say I think you're doing a stellar job with your videos. You've got a really warm approachable teaching manner on the videos, and I find that your explanations cut to the point very quickly but without being aggressive. Keep up the great work and I look forward to the next one! Mark

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1317307496' post='1389318'] I used to have to listen to Intermittent Flatulence by The Boss [/quote] That must be one of Springsteens' earlier tracks.

'Needless Wittering' by The Secretaries 'Relentless Whining' by Work Colleagues 'Whirr' by My Desk Fan

We could try and set one up. Though I think if we're going to do a jam room then we might want to push it back til sometime in the New Year and make it into a slightly better publicised event and get in people's diaries.

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1317135709' post='1387176'] Thats a very very long way.... When is is? [/quote] It's looking like it's going to be sometime in November. You can vote on the potential date in the event thread! It'd be good to have you along if you can make it. I'll even buy you a beverage of your choice. Be warned I will pick your brain on recording various instruments!

Sorry to disappoint! Fancy the drive to Notts for the Notts bass bash?.... maybe Brighton is a bit far to come from.

Only date I know I can't do is the last Saturday in October. Other than that, I'm up for it!

From recollection, I have only owned 7 basses. I sold 3, still own 3, and the other 1 (my first bass) died from a broken truss rod. Other than the odd 'y'kno that bass would've been nice to keep around' feeling we must all get occasionally, I have never regretted the sale of any of my basses.

I wish I'd brought (or had the space to bring) my Berg IP112 and EX112 stack to compare against some rigs. I used it in anger twice on Sunday and it was fantastic. I asked the FOH team if the rig was too loud and they said 'no, definitely not.... that said, it was VERY loud, but it sounded so good we couldn't bring ourselves to have you turn down' this = winning in my book. ...Next bass bash, it'll come along.

I too was impressed by the cabinet.

Just got back. Great day, but where did the time go? As has already been said, it was immense to meet so many BCers in person. Nik, Colin, Tom, it was a pleasure to meet and chat with you gents - I look forward to the next bash we catch each other at which I hope I might have the opportunity to buy you a beverage of your choice! Nik, if you are thinking about a Wood&tronics at any point or want to explore things further feel free to give me a shout. Anyone who attended the technique workshop who has questions about anything I might've said/not covered feel free to message me - I'm happy to field queries and the like. Roll on the next bash!

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1316717544' post='1381974'] My good lady is coming with me if that's OK? [/quote]