muttley

Nice. Is this one of the first after the name change?

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1370436802' post='2100791'] I think its the transitional 1988 Roadstar RB800, I think Ibanez were forced to change the headstock as it was too close to an existing design It does look very Soundgear like. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amL90leO8SU"]https://www.youtube....h?v=amL90leO8SU[/url] I did message the seller about it and he isn't too sure what model it is. [/quote] Thanks for the info and the link. The reason I wrote that the body looks right for a Soundgear was because I wondered if someone had just fitted another truss rod cover as all the Roadstar basses I looked up were different (ie what I expected them to look like). What threw me was the headstock. Not because it's a different shape but because it looks like an amateur job (except the finish) in that the strings don't take a straight path to the tuners and there's no logo. This isn't the sort of thing I would have excepted from Ibanez; their other models are a bit more elegant in this respect. It's still a cool bass though. Shame it's red.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBANEZ-ROADSTAR-ACTIVE-BASS-/330933895043?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4d0d327f83"]clicky[/url] Body looks right for a Soundgear, as does neck pocket. But what's going on with that neck???

[quote name='Green Alsatian' timestamp='1368196596' post='2074370'] I had a problem with a twisted neck in a Vintage fretless Jazz I bought for spares/repair and got in touch with JHS to query a new neck. They were pretty unhelpful to be honest, just told me that I'd have to go through a dealer (didn't tell me where) and it probably would cost £60. [/quote] That's not unusual and not really a bad mark against JHS. Retailers don't like it when a distributor is in direct competition for a retail customer so to avoid this a distributor may have a policy to direct all retail and service enquiries out to their dealer network. That said, they should have suggested someone locally but, daft though it may seem, there may be another policy to not make recommendations to avoid favouritism! Anyway, glad you got it sorted in the end.

When I got back into playing a couple of years ago I bought a Vintage V1004 fretless for £notmuch on eBay. The styling isn't quite to my taste but it's an awesome instrument. I've also tried a V940 and although this was also excellent but the V1004 is in the next league (to be fair, some of this was down to a poor setup on the 940). As a comparison, a while later I inherited a USA-built Fender Jazz fretless which many would regard as the benchmark for this type of instrument. The Vintage is better balanced, lighter and offers a wider range of sounds.

It won't do any harm to learn the Emaj scale from various positions. Generally speaking, a I/IV/V chord progression covers all the notes of the key scale...

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1358104203' post='1933220'] honestly, bit respect to pianists to be able to read both simultaneously [/quote] I know. I was forced to learn piano as a child. I was crap.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1358099474' post='1933126'] Yes I just tried it on Tablet does not work as it needs flash player 7 Try and try again, you dont need to work or sleep or eat or any of that stuff just keep at it [/quote] I did a similar test a while ago for treble clef. My daughter (who was probably 11 at the time) totally wiped the floor with me. I've been reading treble clef since I was 10 and achieved grade 8 on violin so you could say I know my way around it. I guess I'll just never be that quick .

No matter how fast I click I can't get beyond Wizard level .

I don't (can't, actually) play a bass that low, but I do play my violin that high

I'm not female but I'm of quite build small for a bloke (178cm, 66kg). I find the Ibanez Soundgear size, shape and weight suits me. I have a Fender Jazz but this is not as comfortable as the Ibanez (the Jazz is also heavier but I think the different specs of Fender basses gives quite a bit of choice here).

You mean some basses have [i]frets[/i]? Like a [i]guitar[/i]? Interesting concept....

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356086707' post='1906562'] Well there you go [/quote] Indeed, each to his/her own .

A quick Q: I assume the Stagg just has a piezo pickup in the bridge? The Aria I had a go on had both magnetic and piezo pickups, the mag one sounding much better.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356024682' post='1905970'] I have gone from curios idea to here in a week! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/194276-just-ordered-my-first-eub-total-noob-what-have-i-done/"]http://basschat.co.u...at-have-i-done/[/url] Thomanns delivered super fast but you could get overnight from PMT if you are really desperate to have it before christmas, they list it as an eastwood but its the same, even has Stagg on the headstock. Unless you are thinking full on Aria or NS design etc? The mods done to my Stagg this morning have already made it go from a £350 model to a £500 IMO and took no time at all I believe the Stagg is a rip off of the Aria too so you may well like it. [/quote] I've just read your thread. Good luck with your new EUB . One of the LMSs has what I think is a Stagg EUB (I noticed it in there yesterday while buying a stocking filler. This prompted me to have the try-out at my lesson). I may have to go and give it a test run .

Am I doomed? My teacher offered me a go on his today (an Aria). I sight-read some short parts (some blues, some reggae and "[i]L'éléphant[/i]") and it went much better than expected. So, I have GAS for an EUB. Where do I go from here?

The Smiths Joy Division / New Order Weather Report Japan Parliament / Funkadelic / Bootsy's Rubber Band

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1354778358' post='1890202'] I'd actually recommend going for unlined, it's not that much harder to get about on imo, as with any fretless you have to use your ears a lot more when playing. Get a good one and enjoy it! [/quote] I would agree with this. With lines, you'll be forever using them as a crutch. Without lines, you will rely on your ears and develop muscle memory. Much better in the long term. If it doesn't work out, you can always get a lined bass later, but at least give it a go first off .

It's back .

Although I've never seen or played one*, I'd go for the Ibanez GSR206. Ibanez basses are [i]inexpensive[/i], but they are not [i]cheap[/i] (IMO, of course). Mind you, RATM's CH 6er looks like it could be a bargain. * I've played other Ibbys and all have been excellent instruments.

Also learn some scales! I know they're boring but they'll help you with fretboard navigation and improvisation as you'll get to learn useful "patterns". Start with a Major scale and learn it's pattern. You can then pick a note at random and play the scale in that key, perhaps even calling out the notes as you play them to learn those positions on the fretboard. Progress to (for example) Dorian, the various minors and pentatonic etc and learn their sounds. Ditto arpeggios. A book might help here, eg [url="http://www.basslinepublishing.com/the-bass-player-s-guide-to-scales-and-modes.html"]The Bass Player's Guide to Scales and Modes[/url]. Also consider this: if you are just starting to learn the instrument, think about learning to read music in parallel. Not essential of course, but it could be a valuable skill .

[quote name='hollywoodrox' timestamp='1352332935' post='1861983'] I see them with 2 3 or 4 leger lines above or below and I have to go ' if that's a c that's a d etc' Arghh [/quote] You should see some violin parts. I often have to count! At least a lot of upper register bass lines are written [i]8va[/i] (an octave lower than played).

[quote name='leroybasslines' timestamp='1352156634' post='1859598'] Also, I don't think that Western Classical notation suits a lot of music guys on here might be playing. If you write down some funk/soul lines, they look real complicated; if you learn them by ear they just make sense. Syncopation, ghost notes, etc just don't translate that well onto the page. But if you're playing straighter stuff it makes more sense. [/quote] The two are not mutually exclusive . IME, rhythm is harder to read than pitch/notes but you can always find a recording to help you. Take in a couple of phrases by ear first and you've got the rhythm and feel of the piece, then read the dots and you've got the rest.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1351067059' post='1846768'] So a J is single coil. A P is humbucking. Could a J have two coils (I have seen these so know they exist) but with a kind of coil tap so that I had access to the correct J windings and the correct P windings? I am aware that there is an element of compromise about all this. Perhaps I should just S1 it and get over myself. I am now getting into dangerous territory that I only 20% understand so forgive me for any crass stupidity [/quote] I refer m'learned friend to this previous post : [quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1351013387' post='1846246'] Just replace the stock pups with DiMarzio Model J's wired internally in series - or put a mini switch on them & get parallel too - they sound great in both modes. G. [/quote]