darkandrew

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1483350115' post='3206328'] There are many #1's. The better you do them the better you'll be as a bass player. [/quote] Well, looking through recent posts on BC, it seems that a great bass player has: A fender P bass Clean hands Good dance moves Tone in their fingers Their own bass, backline and PA A partner that's fine with having their house filled with band gear. Oh, and I almost forgot, you've got to be sexy and under 25. I think that's got it covered?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1483296073' post='3206005'] Strangely I thought ABC stole the show? [/quote] Is Nick Beggs still playing bass with them?

[quote name='Heathy' timestamp='1483275419' post='3205779'] I also noticed that bit of unfortunate editing! [/quote] I saw that too. I wondered if it was a bit of a cheeky "gag" on his behalf - especialy as he also seemed to be pulling a weird face at the same time.

[quote name='itsmedunc' timestamp='1483067508' post='3204540'] Unfortunately, the lead guitarist (who is a star really), appears to think he has to be trouser flapping loud. He doesn't like E kits either. He thinks he will just sound sh*t without valves and a cab. I don't think he has any faith in emulators etc. This is all without even trying it. [/quote] Billy Idol guitarist, Steve Stevens, posted this on Facebook a couple of days ago - might be an amp simulator that's worth checking out: Whenever I'm impressed by a music product, i try to spread the word. I am usually not a fan of guitar amp simulator plugins. I have tried most every one. I recently stumbled upon the Mercurial Audio Spark. To my ears it's the first that feels and sounds like the real deal. It's simple to use. I have not been paid or compensated by these guys in any way. They were surprised to know i had purchased their product. I just think this one's a winner. https://www.facebook.com/MercuriallAudioSoftware/?fref=ts

[quote name='ZilchWoolham' timestamp='1482950921' post='3203731'] Is there any song or video I could hear or watch that would give me a good idea of what makes them special? I'm a bit concerned about the lack of a mid control on the tone pump, since I'm very fond of toasty, nutty mids. [/quote] You could look up "Jet City Woman" by Queensryche - Ed's bass on that is very typically 'Spector'.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1482879428' post='3203346'] I used to be like this about bananas and plantains. Then one day someone bashed me over the head with a pineapple and I haven't looked back since! [/quote] As long as no one bashes me over the head with a double bass!

This might be a really stupid question but are the double bass and the cello the same instrument?

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1482741858' post='3202406'] Hang on a sec, so the sterling 4 has always had an alnico pickup, yet when they released the 5 they out a ceramic in it, and changed the stingray 5 which had a ceramic (as the stingray 4 always has) and changed it to alnico??? What are they doing over there??? [/quote] Just to clarify - I think we're making reference to the EBMM Sterling which is and always has been ceramic (edit - which Stingray Pete has just confirmed above), not the Sterling by. The Sterling by is Alnico I presume?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1482609372' post='3201921'] The one in the pic is really smart and the real deal, raid the piggy bank [/quote] Yes, that is a lovely example. If you decide to not go for it, put the details on here and I'm sure someone else will snap it up (possibly even me!).

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1482660456' post='3202108'] Are you saying it is not recorded live? Next you'll be saying there is no Father Christmas... [/quote] I wonder how the Queen's going to do her Christmas speech today with her stinking cold. It would be quite funny to see her doing it with a box of Kleenex in her hand.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1482518447' post='3201281'] Mark King gets a terrible panning on this board from some [/quote] I think the negative sentiment against Mark King rises from the impression that many have that he appears to see himself as being more important than the band. This may of course be completely misrepresentative of how he actually sees himself and is just a matter of perception. He's not alone in this, other artists that I can think of that have been similarly perceived (rightly or wrongly) are Midge Ure, Phil Collins and Sting for example. It's probably more a reflection of band management and how the band's been presented in the media, as by all accounts Mark King is a really nice guy who can't do enough for others.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1482518447' post='3201281'] Mark King gets a terrible panning on this board from some, but, he still has a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm, drive and energy. Especially after playing the same [strike]tunes[/strike] riff for years on end. [/quote] There, fixed.

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1482347424' post='3199825'] Can anyone shed light on active pickup/passive pots ? [/quote] Basically the problem that pickup designers have is that they need to juggle output, inductance and capacitance; generally the more winds of wire you put on a pickup, the higher the output will be but also it will have increased inductance and capacitance which will adversely affect its frequency response. Fewer winds will give a flatter response but at too low an output, so you have to build a preamp into the pickup to raise the level - this is essentially an active pickup. The output from this can then be shaped using a simple resistor/capacitor arrangement to short varying amounts of high frequencies to ground (passive tone control) or another preamp that actively boosts or reduces varying amounts of specific frequencies (active tone control). Some active tone control circuits can be bypassed with a switch to re-route the signal if the battery dies but an active pickup cannot be switched in a similar way.

[quote name='Yank' timestamp='1482313772' post='3199384'] Yeah, I had re-thought my position on only bringing one bass to a gig, and not wanting to haul two bass cases, I got a soft double bass case, so my spare will be at hand if needed. [/quote] Taking a double-bass to a gig as a spare? Will it fit in your boot?

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1482252794' post='3198925'] I doubt you'll find a more miserable song than this: [media]http://youtu.be/SzaflC73iTk[/media] Even more miserable these days than when Peter Steele wrote it, too. I guess it's what he would have wanted. [/quote] Somehow I've managed to go through my life so far without ever hearing any Type O Negative - just had a little hunt around YouTube and I quite like it. I might have to invest in a couple of CDs.

Most Christmas songs are miserable, aren't they? Eg. Merry Christmas, war is over if you want it (but you'll probably choose to carry on killing each other anyway); Feed the world (because loads of kids are starving to death all over it); and what's the line from Fairytale of New York? Merry Christmas, my arse, I pray to God it's our last. It is indeed the season to be jolly!

Following on from another thread about bands and artists with eponymous song titles, and inspired by Motorhead's "RAMONES", I was thinking of other bands / artists that have written songs about other bands / artists. The first one that sprang to mind was ABC's "When Smokey Sings" about Smokey Robinson.

Someone had a Yamaha SY85 synth for sale on here (think it might still be there actually) and although I really don't need one, I'm really tempted to buy it just because I used to have one about 20 years ago.

As I've posted on a couple of threads previously; it was a Spector Euro 5lx that saved me from giving up bass (having previously bought a Yamaha 5 string that I just couldn't get on with). Excellent basses in both tone and playability (and has also been mentioned, excellent customer service). I can't recommend Spector basses enough.

[quote name='anzoid' timestamp='1481739891' post='3194769'] Yeah, think that's fair enough, unless they want to come to some (paid?) arrangement. They're the ones that did the bridge burning... [/quote] Regardless of who owns the copyright of the songs, if you own the copyright of the recordings then these belong to you. When I was younger, I had turned my parents' attic into a recording studio and would regularly be asked to record demos by local bands; generally I would agree to do this on "at cost" but insist that the recording belonged to me afterward, hoping that one day one of the bands would become huge and I'd be able to sell their early recordings (but unfortunately none of them did!).

Favourite - Spector Euro 5LX Least favourite - A Yamaha 5 string (forgotten the model but was passive) which almost led to me giving up playing bass altogether. The Euro is so easy to play and despite its 35" scale doesn't require gorilla arms/hands to play it.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1480857262' post='3187562'] There's probably a reason for that - it was a really, really good bass. My only reason for letting it go was that my other bass was a Spector Euro 5lx with narrower string spacing at the bridge and I found that to suit me better. I've since bought a Warwick Custom Shop Streamer Stage 1 which although it too is a great bass and has a 3-way adjustable bridge (so that I can get the string spacing just how I like it) has a very different sound. [/quote] And here are some pictures of it ... [sharedmedia=core:attachments:134669] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:134670] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:134671] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:134672] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:134673] The black hardware and DR Black Beauties really suited it.

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1480867281' post='3187657'] Never actually worked with active circuitry but it sounds like a very easy mod to make. You could just remove the active preamp completely [/quote] I know a lot of people worry about active preamps' batteries going mid gig but in 25 years of playing bass I've never had that happen. It's a bit like running out of fuel on the motorway - over a similar period of driving, I've never run out of fuel on the motorway either. As long as you keep your bass well serviced, including regular battery changes, it really shouldn't be something to worry about.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1480869819' post='3187684'] Hmmm. It's here. Preamp swapped out. Nothing. Think dead SB pickup syndrome is the deal 😔 [/quote] Oh dear, they have a reputation for doing that. What happens to them?

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1480852500' post='3187513'] I was looking out for a JT too, but I think they are held onto by people who have them. [/quote] There's probably a reason for that - it was a really, really good bass. My only reason for letting it go was that my other bass was a Spector Euro 5lx with narrower string spacing at the bridge and I found that to suit me better. I've since bought a Warwick Custom Shop Streamer Stage 1 which although it too is a great bass and has a 3-way adjustable bridge (so that I can get the string spacing just how I like it) has a very different sound.