stewblack

Played to a packed whizzed pub in Bath last night. Usual crammed in a corner set up nightmare, slow tide of dropped pints advancing on me throughout the night, angry guy insisting we play 'Oasis' storms off disgusted when we don't comply, landlord fancies himself a sound engineer, keyboard player has flu and I play with a cut finger on my fretting hand. It was awesome! Really great gig. My old Aria into SVT through two BF 15s. Warm and solid. Only downside, it was my wonderful singer's last gig for a while as she is having a baby next month. We will miss her, her deps have an impossible job. Here she is still finding the strength to crush the life out of her singing partner at last night's gig.

Two pots won't work they've disintegrated, why am I toying with this idea? As I mentioned I don't like active basses any more or at least I prefer passive ones. Madness to some sense to me.

But it sounds so feasible

Thank you all. I'm sorry the picture appears 'foggy' I must confess it looks fine on my phone perhaps it doesn't translate well to other devices. I'm aware of the broken connection and broken pots. As has been suggested maybe I should suck it and see

What a beautiful bass. Opinions will always differ but to me it's a beautiful instrument. I usually prefer either red or sunburst but that blue! Very very classy.

Thank you guys. I think I guessed my question was too vague and the only real answer would be it depends! At least I know it's feasible. I want to change as I have an active bass which is broken and rather than repair it I'd be happier to simplify it but only if it was an easy process. As to why? Just indulge me. I have issues with active basses which will seem silly to some but make sense to me.

Excuse my ignorance but can an active bass be easily converted to passive? Or are pick ups different in an active bass? Not really interested in replacing the pups just if it was a quick dab of solder here and there.

I bought one here and liked it a lot. It looked good to me, balanced and played well, really nice neck but reminded me of my Stingray in sound and was active. I have come to the conclusion I just don't really like active basses. I traded it here for a squier precision and afaik we're both content with the swap. But I agree that it was neither classic nor standout. Could easily grow a niche following though.

I shall bring my Bruce Thomas Profile bass because it's awesome. And a bass strung with those cheap flats we've discussed on these pages so people can try them in the flesh. Also the Behringer 150w mini monitor which folk have shown interest in. Actually while I'm at it the Bugera BV1001M excited a bit of interest on BC might bung that in too. So a cab too then, which one? TBC

Always sound advice TimR. I like to think I have the need of the bands I play for uppermost in my mind these days. When I was younger I was guilty of playing for the plaudits of the punters but not for many years now.

Sorry EMG wasn't a swipe at you at all. I just meant if the thread drifts in a different direction that's fine. And yes I always think everyone else plays better than I do, I'm a terrible judge of my own ability.

Absolutely it's not, nor was my original interpretation. As I say it's the feel, the way he drives the song forwards that improves the way I'd been playing it. I'm not slavishly recreating the original bass line rather trying yo breathe life into the way my band plays it. The post is really about starting over when one has already learned something in a particular way. The difficulty of unlearning muscle memory, the joys of perpetual discovery, embracing as wide a range of ideas and influences as possible and thereby enriching one's knowledge and skill set. Of course everyone is free to take the discussion in any direction they like.

Damn. That must have been a tough decision. Someone will be getting a great and inexpensive instrument.

Keep us posted. Lots of pics. We like pics!

Very very sound advice

The Specials fused old school ska lines with disco fills, if your mate wants Two Tone style I'd listen to their first album. Otherwise try some classic ska - the Trojan Ska box set would be a good place to start. If you're after the new more thrashy ska stuff I'm not sure what to recommend other than play Specials stuff faster!

Thank you, that's very kind. I do have the dots from a couple of sources and indeed from this version as the guy was kind enough to include a download. Whether true to the original or not this is such a great interpretation that this is the one I am learning.

I'm still working my way through it, I've found one bum note which I definitely will change but as I say it's the way he makes the bass line bounce along so joyfully, that's what I want to capture.

I learned partly from the dots partly from repeated listening but I just love this guy's feel.

I'm gonna get this on a T Shirt

Don't know if this ever happened to you, but I took some advice handed down on another thread. Not being near my bass, I thought, I can still listen to the set, listening is good subliminal practice. At least this is what @geoham said and it makes perfect sense. I needed to brush up on Wham's Wake Me Up as I've not played it for a while and there's a lot going on, subtle variations and all that. So I searched YT for a bass cover of said tune. At least the bass will be prominent I thought but look what came up Not heard this guys interpretation before and it kicks my lame version far into the long grass and out of sight. Such a great driving rhythm, it's bass played with a smile on its face. Even with no other instruments this guy sets toes a-tapping and heads a-bopping. So now I have to relearn the whole darn thing from scratch. I cannot pretend I haven't heard this now. It's in my brain. Can't decide if it's easier as I have already got the song roughly there or harder because of the subtle and sometimes not so subtle differences. Either way there will be some root note and smile bass parts to other songs as this is going to take time I'd allocated elsewhere.