Evil Undead

I like my Protec Contego very much, great case. [quote name='pantherairsoft' timestamp='1380721113' post='2229503'] ...including a fall from about 12'. [/quote] There's a story there and I'd love to hear it. How on earth did your bass fall 12 feet?!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1380524584' post='2226411'] I was thinking of this thread - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/215212-i-need-to-mod-my-nut-help-required/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url] ...where you said; "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]So, my new bass needs to have the nut modded, as I need to use fatter strings (135 90 56 50). "[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]At the time I thought it would need some tough handling.[/font][/color] [/quote] Ohhhhh yeah! Yes, those are pretty epic strings. I used those for tuning drop B, so the tension was about the same as 45-105 in standard tuning. That's some pretty good remembering though!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1380485316' post='2226080'] I seem to remember from another thread, you use amazingly fat strings. The fatter the strings; the harder you need to press down on the frets to bend the strings. Sorry to say this Mel, but this too could cause you problems. You'd do well to try to use thinner strings. Good luck Richard [/quote] I usually use 45-105 (elixirs). Are they considered heavy gauge?

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1380484914' post='2226066'] Stroke it, don't strangle it. [/quote] That's what he said

I'm wondering if the extreme skinniness of my Ibanez neck isn't causing me so trouble as well. As the neck does tend to make my hand cramp up a bit after a little while. Are there any necks out there that are a jazz width, but deeper profile than the Ibanez? How's the mustang neck profile? I don't know why but I feel a little reluctant to go short scale. Are they not terribly cramped up the top end?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1380472372' post='2225777'] And I finally realised your quote is from 'Psychoville'. [/quote]

My Ibanez is very lightweight at just over 7lbs, and the neck is very thin and easy to move about. I've got a doctors appointment next Saturday, but I guess I should start thinking about moving to short scale. I'm gonna be selling off most of my gear so will have some cash from that. What do you lot think of these two? There aren't any music shops around here that stock short scales so I'd have to purchase "blind" http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=05071310103518 http://www.thomann.de/gb/warwick_corvette_short_scale_bk_aktive.htm

I've been having trouble with my hands and wrists for a few years now, recurring tendonitis, ligament strains, a ganglion, etc. I have over the last couple of months started to lose feeling in my pinky on my fretting hand. Can't play on wide necks, can't play on huge necks, and can barely fret the notes properly unless the action is around 1-1.2mm. In addition to this, my back is knackered, I have a shoulder than crunches ominously, and a hip that still plays up from a bone marrow biopsy about 20 years ago. So I find that I can't play as much as I used to. Left my band back in Jan/Feb, took a break for a while and sold my lovely Fender Precision because I got wrist pain when playing on the E string due to the wide nut. Picked up an Ibanez soundgear 4 string. Which is a nice bass, super low action, but I'm still having trouble playing without either pain or numbness. I joined another band quite recently but 4 or 5 practices in and I had to give it up again. I don't want to stop playing altogether as I love playing bass more than anything.... should I just persevere and hope my physical problems don't worsen? Would switching to a Mustang bass help? Nice short scale and thin but but deeper profile. Would love to hear any advice or other peoples experiences.

Thomann - obviously they're not in the U.K. but they ship here. That's where I got mine from.

Thanks for all the replies most grateful. I've been working on it today, and there's an improvement. Not much yet, granted, but slowly. I shall get there. Thanks again

I'm horrible with a pick. Awful

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1379181277' post='2209607'] I find it's best to start with a click at a very slow tempo, however slow it needs to be that you can play the figure consistently then once your brain and your fingers know what they are doing, up the tempo by say, 5bpm and only moving up when you can play that consistently too etc. Personally I would hit that lick with 1st finger then 2nd and 1st for the 2 16ths, raking back with that first to begin again. Hope that makes sense. If you start very very slow you will probably find what suits you best. Any good with a pick? Could be easier that way. [/quote] Maybe that's where I've gone wrong - diving in to playing it at full tempo straight away. Does this starting off slowly thing actually work well? I've never tried it, but willing to give it a whirl. I've been trying to rake it back but just hitting the string in the middle on the way. So annoying!

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1379180036' post='2209592'] hot stuff ? [/quote] Naw (although I want to learn that one). It's (don't) give hate a chance (Jamiroquai)

I've tried that as well, but I keep having to shuffle back round to fingers for the next song, and it just feels weird. Thanks for the suggestion though! I've also tried 1st finger on the low F# and fingers 2 and 3 on the other, can't make that work at all :/

I'm trying to learn a song, inspired by a fellow BC'er, and I knew it was a hard song but this is silly! How on earth do I play this? My fingers just don't move fast enough, and they just fall over each other, and the other strings. Playing a normal octave is fine, but with the extra bit... yikes. And argh. Is there a special technique? Something I'm doing wrong? Particular fingering that should be used? Grateful for your help ladies and gents EDIT I should mention that one set (like, the first 3 notes) is fine, but it's repeating it that's the trouble, I hit all the strings on the way back down to the low F# [IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/6377f960f0a7cbbc9482adccb5881f79_zpsf41a099e.jpg[/IMG] P.S. it's in 4/4, which is probably obvious but it doesn't say on it so thought I should mention