neepheid

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1418903408' post='2634619'] I am and I will. That's the thing with these conversations though isn't it, yay and nay sayers and frankly unlikely much more than a few will change their mind [/quote] BC would be pretty content free if that weren't the case. I'm off to stare up the nose of someone who's looking down it at me for not taking a second bass to my gigs...

Let's say you could exactly copy the Heinz beans recipe, cook it yourself and can it - would it be right to put the Heinz beans label on the can? I can only speak for myself but I'd be so damn proud of myself that it'd be labelled as neepheid's super awesome mega baked beans, you can bet on that If you're comfortable with passing off a replica/tribute (however accurate and well made) as the genuine article, that's your call. I'm not, so I don't and I won't.

A decent year. 22 gigs played (by far my busiest year to date), and a couple of them were double gigs (playing with 2 different bands on the same night). Highlights - Playing Oxjam, 2 gigs in 2 different venues in one night, The Inevitable Teaspoons and FaR's first appearances at The Moorings Bar in Aberdeen (something of a local rite of passage), and playing in a couple of places (Edinburgh, Perth) for the first time. Did some recording, released an EP with FaR. Left FaR a couple of months ago to focus on the The Inevitable Teaspoons, because that's the band I'm writing with. Pleased with how my songwriting is going considering this is my first concerted effort to do so. 2 finished songs, 1 joint venture and 2 more in the pipeline along with various fragments which may become useful at some point. Next year I'd really like to get some recording done with the 'Spoons, write more songs and get more gigs, pretty much in that order of priority.

I sold my first bass. It's just stuff

Wish I could tell you - I was born a bass virtuoso. As a baby I would play the bass lying down, fretting notes with my toes as I lacked the arm span to be able to do it the regular way. Only kidding. As a beginner, I bought a bass because it looked pretty, puddled about with it infrequently for 5 years while being way more interested in how they work than how to actually play the damn things. Then my fiancee (now wife) basically dragged me up on stage to play bass in a ska/2 tone covers band hastily cobbled together for a birthday party. Only 3 rehearsals before, 1 on the afternoon before the gig. Talk about doing your homework on the school bus on the way in. Got stuck into being in bands after that, which taught me a lot, playing alongside people you respect and feel know a bit more than you really raises your game. Had setbacks of course - nearly jacked it all in when someone way better than me had a shot of my bass for the first time. Definite turning point for me was having some lessons. It put names and gave reason to the things I did and didn't know why I did them. Tightened up technique. Since then, I think I'm nae bad on bass and I've started songwriting in the last year, which I'm pleased to say I think is going well.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1418690078' post='2632464'] 1 mm relief is alot of relief!. often 0.5mm relief is a bit too much. I have been anal about setting the bass up, its set up really nicely no buzzing etc, you just have to be more gentle with it. Which im hoping will refine my technique. At the moment i hate the way i play, to much effort wasted. [/quote] Like I said, I'm guessing, don't quote me on that, basses are upstairs and I'm comfy downstairs, trying to visualise them in my mind's eye - never the most reliable ruler or feeler gauge I'm pretty happy with how I play, the only thing I've got half a mind on is how much effort is spent on lateral movement - trying to stick to one finger per fret where possible and all that. That's wasted effort to me. When I started, it was a desperate case of get to the right fret on time, regardless of how I did it. Now that I've been playing for a few years I've tuned a lot of that out, but there's still a ways to go yet.

I'm not saying anyone's wrong for it but I don't understand this attention to detail with regard to action and to a lesser extent, relief. When I set up my bass I wind the saddles down until I start to get rattle/fret buzz when I pluck how I do, then I raise them until that goes away. I don't know if I have high action or low action, I've got the action which is appropriate for how I play bass. Regarding relief, bass strings need some room to oscillate. So I give 'em some. The neck isn't flat, and it isn't a banana either. If I had to guess it was about a mm, maybe slightly over.

I can see it OK. http://www.purple-chili.com/ , yes?

[quote name='five-string.co.uk' timestamp='1418409025' post='2630048'] Hi Neepheid, do you still have that email address you used to hand? [/quote] I just made contact via their web page and someone got back to me within a couple of days: http://www.schaller-electronic.com/hp306/Contact.htm

[quote name='BeardyBob' timestamp='1418304359' post='2628960'] wow. and again, wow. insecure, much? "WE, THE GREATER, HAVE COMPLETED A FINE RENDITION OF OUR MUSICAL ABILITY UNTO YOU, THE LESSER. LAVISH US WITH YOUR LOVE AND MONIES." [/quote] That's a bit of a harsh assessment.

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1418132383' post='2627147'] On all of the basses I've owned, the one thing that makes the biggest difference to tone is the control next to the volume knob. [/quote] Actual real life "HA!" at that one. I approve

I contacted Schaller about a broken screw in a Gibson branded M4S. Offered to pay and everything. They took no money from me and sent me not one but [i]four[/i] capstans, pinions and screws for M4S. Legends! Definitely worth an email.

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1418029926' post='2626023'] What does selling out really mean? Is it that people want to keep bands a secret so they have the cool factor of being in the know? I guess bands want to reach new audiences, so that is why they do it. [/quote] Their songs, their opportunities, their rewards and no-one else's business. Some people seem to think because they bought a 99p download they're on the board of directors.

I play lines from my band's own songs when trying out a bass. It's not as if I don't need the practice

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1417774299' post='2623840'] Commodore 64 every time. Spectrums are rubbish. [/quote] I'll smack 'em both out of the park with my Amstrad CPC464 - easily the most bat-shaped of the 8 bit computers with that built in cassette recorder

[quote name='Romeo2' timestamp='1417703620' post='2623234'] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Thanks gents, extremely helpful.[/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Does anyone know if [/font][color=#323232][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Hipshot A style bridge, .718/18.24mm string spacing will fit with no mods? Asking because there is one on sale here but could not find anything online to be sure of it.[/font][/color] [font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#323232]Thanks in advance.[/color][/font] [/quote] With no mods it HAS to be the specific Fender Mount model: http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=306 Otherwise, you'll be filling and drilling, as the standard A style is a 4 screw mount which doesn't line up at all with the holes a standard Fender type bridge has.

It's a shame, the Telestrat is actually not a bad idea, got that right blend of WTF going on. Shame it has to look like it's been at the bottom of a swamp since the Precambrian era and looks like you'd catch something nasty if you touched it.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1417691827' post='2623049'] Ah roasted neck as well - that's also not available except on special runs I think. [/quote] Sorted

Yup, so basically, you should drill a pilot hole before you try to screw a screw into hardwood. Any wood really.

Tackling the simple question in the subject - "Creativity - is it overrated?" - No, absolutely not. Yes, I am actively gigging, I played a gig last weekend. Eligibility to contribute to the debate established - I've been playing in originals bands my whole live career, save for a couple of times for birthday party/special occasion. I don't mind playing the occasional interesting cover when the mood takes me, but I wouldn't want to be in a band that didn't create new stuff. You want to talk about money? I think it's a bloody disgrace what we get paid for providing an hour or so of entertainment, and that's when we get paid at all. We are creating the new stuff, if we're lucky enough to go down in history our songs will become the songs that other people play. I realise that only a tiny percentage of songs become the stuff of hit singles, legends and cover band staples, but if everyone just gave up there'd be no supply of new music to refresh and update the canon. I want to be at that forefront, that frontier, despite the crappy monetary gains to be had - unless you "make it" in the commercial sense of the word. I won't lie - the prospect of that happening half scares me to death as I am in the fortunate, stable position of having wife, house, career etc. and I am quite a risk averse person. But if it happens, it'll happen because of the music we are creating - goodness knows it won't be about how much noise I can make about how great I am. I suck at that part Did that help? It's late here, so sorry if that was a bunch of ranty nonsense.

[quote name='taunton-hobbit' timestamp='1417636652' post='2622588'] This repost is not aimed at anyone specific, before I get (more) hate mail....just sayin'....... Love the link - I'm in retail, at the sharp end (think Leases, Business rates, wages, holiday pay (them, not me),Lighting and heating expenses,local trade association memberships,company transport, accountants, solicitors, bank charges) ....I could go on, but I won't...and some pr*ck has the nerve to grizzle about Radio Shack trying to make a buck? Buy it on the Bay if it's cheaper....off you go and good riddance....just don't winge when your local dealership (which you never bought f-all from) ceases to trade - because, yes, it IS your fault bro........... [/quote] Umm, is this about cables? I'm confused.

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1417289398' post='2618916'] True , but it's still Aberdeen ffs etc, etc... I went there once for a night out and got chased along the street by about 30 "Casuals". Not sure if you still get " Casuals", or are they just Football Hooligans?? [/quote] You're pretty safe these days. Happy to act as intermediary if anyone wants to go for this.

28th November: Drummonds again (we do play other places, honest!). Pictures taken by Chris Bissett.