stewblack

Because of my Chronic Fatique, learning, and indeed thinking, is considerably harder than that to which I have been used. So playing this song (not learning it) while reading has taken me many weeks, working in small bursts. But however long it takes it is still a wonderful example of the craft. I am also using my questionable transcription skills to correct the interpretation in the book.

Well, I've joined the Jack & Danny club. Managed to score a green mini jazz for loose change and have played it for a couple of weeks now. I'm not a hugely demanding bassist. I have my preferences, but I'm fairly adaptable. Even so I found a couple of issues with this one, nothing major, and I judge it against similarly priced basses not something costing 10x the price. Good things first. Lovely finish, colour is a bit strong, some might say garish, but it's fine. Neck is straight and plays OK up to frets 15 - 16 then becomes too cramped to venture any further. The set up was non existent. Spoiled by Thomann, I was surprised at how far out it was in terms of intonation and neck relief. Not a difficult or time consuming fix but if you were a total beginner it would be very difficult to get a good sound out of it. Next problem was strings. Again the inevitable comparison is with Harley Benton. Like many bass players, I have long since discovered how good the Thomann brand strings are. These were flappy and listless, impossible to play cleanly on the lower frets of the E string. Again not a huge problem I have a few sets of round wounds kicking about so shortened a pack and presto problem solved. The tuners are tiny toy like versions of normal ones and feel a little flimsy as does the bridge. But both work so at thus price point nothing more or less than you'd expect. So a usable, striking little jazz with a couple of niggles. Not in the same league as some other affordable basses, but I imagine on a par with what most would expect.

Thank you all so much. Another valuable lesson. @jrixn1 I am very mildly autistic and struggle sometimes to separate the obvious (or most likely) interpretation of an instruction from all the other far less likely to be correct interpretations. So yes I read your post and thought I reckon probably he means I can please myself! This of course makes me a royal pain the bum to teach.

Great to meet you both. Hope you enjoy what I think is a special instrument

@dodge_bassif I understand correctly, the second bar, with rests combined and a clear demarcation of crotchets (only crossed by a tie) should look like this. (Purely rhythmically. I'm aware the notes are all the same in my scribble.)

I think someone said they would have chosen a different key, which kind of implied it was a matter of choice. Is that not right?

I recall one gig where we were extraordinarily short of room and time to set up. I bunged everyone through one of my RCF cabs (except vocals) and stuck it on a seat behind us. It happily coped with two acoustic guitars, a mandolin and a keyboard. In fact I believe that band would get a better sound if we all went into my pa instead of the ragtag pile of amps which generally produce a cacophony. Not sure if it would cope with the bass though.

Brilliant

I get it regardless of what I type. Smileys or otherwise

That's one thing you could never be. Especially with your pink organ giving us all so much pleasure.

Bought a splendid little combo here a while ago. RM series, really, really good little amp and speaker. But the pots had become a little dirty. And I kept on and on meaning to give them a wash and brush up, but just never got a round tuit. Until just now. Well done Ashdown! After using your knob puller of choice (mine is the shaved remains of the handle off a long since dead kitchen utensil) you will discover, adjacent to the shaft of the potentiometer, a little hole in the fascia, just about perfect to shove in the straw on your can of Servisol Super 10. Squirt squirt, wiggle wiggle, job done. All made easier by Ashdown's little hole. It's good news week.

Block inlays?

Speaking of stuff amps should have built in every time as well as a compressor. I was looking at those new HBs and they have a big easy to read tuner on the front panel. A 9v out for a pedal board alongside the effects loop please. Bluetooth receiver as an auxiliary input. Oh and a drone system to fly them in and out of the car please.

Absolutely spot on. Thank you.

Done

What's the best bit about a bass? What fills you with joy when you look at or pick up a favourite instrument? Or even a less favoured four string friend that might have one feature that makes you smile. My Bruce Thomas Profile makes me so happy every single time I pick it up. It feels as though the God of bass looked down upon me one day and said: This man deserves a bass which fitteth him so well verily it is as if it groweth from his body and he shall not feel its weight nor shall he suffereth from the slightest dive of the neck. It shall always be in tune never need fiddling to achieve the right action and his hands shall glide up and down its neck without even friction, thus shall it be. Oh and Bruce Thomas himself who sitteth at my right hand as a noble Prince of bass shall haveth a hand in the design and making of the bass And Stew looked at what the God of bass had created and he saw it was good.

I'm actually glad they delivered it and then sorted it out with me. Otherwise my buyer would have been put out. But as I said it was my mistake, no arguments I ticked a box saying I'd read the terms and condish, it just stung a bit.

I really appreciate everybody's input. Thank you both for taking the time. I literally couldn't do this to save my life this time last year, but now I write out every song I learn and a glance is enough to remind me how it goes. However, without guidance I'll just start creating my own musical language and that is not my aim!

I never kiss my bass if its actually on fire anyway.