stewblack

Great ideas - thank you. I have yet to do Bob B, I certainly will.

Thanks guys. I have done Norman, Bruce Thomas, Macca, started of course with James Jamerson. Covered Tina Weymouth, Jean Jacques Burnel and given air time to Phil Lynott, John Entwhistle, Sir Horace and Bruce Foxton. All other suggestions will be gratefully received. if nothing else it's fun to discover new stuff I'd not heard. If you have any little interesting snippets about the bassist that would be good too.

Thanks guys, it's a shame as I've been invited to do a slot on a local radio show called 'Bass Corner' Basically I get to pick a song and waffle about the bass player each week. Once you've done the obvious you naturally look further afield, and there are a couple of stunning bass lines on that album. Maybe I'll never know. I did Barry Adamson from Magazine/The Bad Seeds today, he wrote some great stuff. Maybe you folks have other ideas? Great tracks from a bass perspective and who played on them? Just a thought.

Anyone know who played bass on Scott Walker's 1970 album 'Til The Band Comes In' ? Ta.

I'm starting to like it. At first there was too much noise as I eased off the strings a funny twanging zing which I eliminate by being more 'bold', more 'definite' as I take my finger off if that makes sense. This exercise has made me look more closely at the instrument in question. I've never been wholly comfy with it and along with the action I'm altering the strap length and eliminating a bit of neck dive with cunning and cable ties. Minor tweaks but it's coming together.

Thanks guys. I am trying to contact him but maybe email is the way.

Hmm. Can't raise them on the phone, - does anyone know how much the fabric relaxes with use? This is stupidly tight. Takes about 20 minutes to drag it on inch by inch.

Cover just turned up for my nemesis 8X10 combo. It is very well made but a very snug fit. Took a lot to get it all the way down - I'm guessing it'll ease with use.

Thanks guys - all makes a lot of sense. I'm going to do some work on a new song tonight and I'm leaving the action as it is to see how it feels (and sounds)

[quote name='charic' post='316483' date='Oct 28 2008, 11:04 AM']i personally like a nice high action on my fender p [/quote] Why though, charic? That's what interests me. I've always seen action as a no brainer, low as possible = easier to play well. However I am open to new ideas at all times.

[quote name='sgt-pluck' post='316425' date='Oct 28 2008, 11:13 AM']In my not very experienced experience, I've always got more/better tone with a slightly higher action. Every bass I get, I always set it up as low as I can get it ( which usually equates to medium-low ), and then up it marginally. For me that's about the sweet spot for tone/playability. Pluck[/quote] It's a trade off from what I've noticed. More lively tone for harder playability.

Since my better half got central heating installed (much against my wishes - I'm a jumper and woolly hat man through and through) all of my basses have to a greater or lesser degree suffered. I picked one up to play last night and the action was a little higher than I like but it's a nice bass so I soldiered on. I noticed that the sound was different. Substantially different and highly variable too. I've always been aware that one can change ones sound by playing closer and further from the bridge, stroking softly or plucking hard etc, but these are all right hand techniques (for a right hander). What I'm discovering is that with a high action there is potential to alter the sound of the instrument with the left too. It seemed somehow more dynamic. Not sure I like it but it is 'twangier' What do people think? Is it worth persevering? Or should I get the action set 'properly' again? What are, if any, the advantages of a high action? Cheers.

Bruce Thomas Jamerson Norman Watt-Roy

I've spoken to the guy at Silverstone (my 8X10 comes with two different handle arrangements - potential disaster!) and he was really on the ball, great comms now awaiting the cover.

[quote name='TJ72' post='305968' date='Oct 14 2008, 08:03 AM']love the weight of the body and feel of the neck. Really easy to play. Think Im on a winner for once [/quote] I bought a Peavey from their e-bay shop and play it out of choice over other supposedly better makes. There is a great range of tones and the comment you made about loving the feel of the thing is for the me the single most important aspect of any instrument. Nothing makes up for an instrument that doesn't feel comfortable. Not the price tag, label, strings, amazing sound or output - none of it matters if you don't feel right holding it.

Just ordered one - never had cover gas before, thanks Jase.

[quote name='bassbloke' post='303512' date='Oct 10 2008, 07:08 AM']I'm chuffed that c**tish passes the languae filter.[/quote] So did languae ! Seriously though, it's sadly familiar. We used to organise and run a small festival out in the sticks (not Glastonbury but 5000 punters so not too shabby) and we would carry gear from the vehicles, help set up, had guys side stage ready with spare strings and leads, carry all kit on and off stage - we loved doing it and everyone appreciated it. Then one year this guy who was nothing special announced that the band name had just changed (as he's about to go on) to the Andy West Band (yep - his name) and he then proceeded to wander on stage and stand there waiting for someone to pass him his guitar. Then waited for it to be plugged in. He's in a field in Midsomer Norton for f***s sake!! Our chosen hobby/profession attracts people of a fragile ego.

[quote name='bassatnight' post='302508' date='Oct 8 2008, 08:21 PM']Hi, I have always had a soft spot for the early eighties range of Aria Basses particularly the flagship SB1000. I was lucky enough to purchase an SB1000 after e-mailing every guitar shop I could find on line and eventually paid £495 for a 1980 version which plays like a dream the neck is in almost mint condition and barely has a surface scratch on it! I am just starting out as a player having been an armchair Bass fan since seeing the likes of Pino Palladino and Mick Karn play in the early eighties. Anyone out there own an SB1000 or other models of the Aria - what do you think of their qualities? Cheers, Steve.[/quote] You will find a lot of support here mate! I bought my Aria pro2 back in '83 and although battered and now with a new pick up it is still the one I'd save from the fire. Beautiful instruments.

[quote name='KevB' post='302146' date='Oct 8 2008, 01:36 PM']I sometimes do Sunday afternoon jam sessions and the guys in the house band there stagger me with an almost encyclopedic mental back catalog of songs. They may be far from note perfect but perfectly recognisable. I'd probably struggle to play half the songs I was doing regularly with my last band which only split up about a year ago. I'm OK with songs I'm performing or practicing regularly at the time but ask me to play something from a set a couple of years back and I'm hopeless, yet some people seem to have instant recall. Having said that I've read interviews with famous players who have hinted that if they introduce a song into the set they havent done in afew years they usually have to go back to the albums and learn it again![/quote] Kev - you are not alone. I played a wedding two weeks ago, learned a few songs for it, tried to play one yesterday and it had gone completely, not a note. Stuff I'm gigging regularly will stay right up until I stop gigging it, then it seems to slip quietly away. I've met up with old friends who can, at the drop of a hat, play original songs we wrote together 15 years ago - it astonishes me too!

Whilst wasting an idle hour idling on the world wide web I found an old ex band member has started a myspace page with some recordings of songs upon which my bass can be clearly heard! Funny how our styles change as we get older but I must confess my older (current) self could learn a lot from the younger incarnation. Listen if you will to the track Thugs - I don't know if I'd be bothered to put the work in these days. I'm such a lazy sod. [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=389763524"]Here is the site in question.[/url]

[quote name='molan' post='301367' date='Oct 7 2008, 02:25 PM']Only problem with this tactic is that stuff gets so ingrained that i wake up in the middle of the night with whatever my latest song is stuck going round & round and can't get rid of it![/quote] Me too! I've been walking around work with Jamerson's bassline to the Gladys Knight version of Grapevine going around and around (I did play it this morning and when I went home for lunch) but I actually think this is a vital part of the learning process as the melody of the bass part is getting imprinted withgout the need for hearing cues from the rest of the band.

[quote name='Rich' post='301362' date='Oct 7 2008, 02:17 PM']Exactly what I do! Had brainfade once too often for comfort [/quote] It works - puts me in the right part of the fret board and within a beat or two I'm away. Tip: Capital letter = low note, lower case = higher - I don't play anything that starts in the third octave up so that sorts it!

[quote name='Thunderthumbs' post='300967' date='Oct 7 2008, 12:50 AM']In the "Standing in the shadows" book, it says that apart from the opening few bars, no other bar is repeated throughout the song. Incredible.[/quote] It's one of the challenges I find in learning songs from that fine book; the lack of repetition. It's as if he was jamming around a theme and each time is subtly different from the last. Either that or he was so good he deliberately found as many variations as he could. Either way I have Basschat (and Bassworld before it) to thank for introducing me to the great man.

I assume everyone and his drummer is familiar with [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uCrO3iVWZE8"]this[/url]? I wasn't until now so here you go.

I would like to add to the chorus of praise being heaped on Jim! Top bloke, bought a splendid Eden 8 X 10 combo from him, he drove to meet me half way and was a fine person, the amp is superb and was in really good condition. Would recommend anyone to do business with him. Stew