neepheid

You could follow G&L Musical Instruments on Facebook - I think you'd be partial to their blueburst. They're always posting up pictures of guitars and basses with lovely (and sometimes completely ridiculous) finishes. https://www.facebook.com/GnLguitars I don't think shops are the place to look for the inspiration you seek - shops don't tend to take in "weird" stuff because it's harder to sell.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1397131302' post='2420961'] Hello all, I've been looking around at basses and generally in terms of looks they all look the same with a boring solid colour in either black, red, sunburst and sometimes blue. Why are basses designed to look so boring? I've not seen a bass ever that I look at and go 'Wow now I want to play that!'. I've only ever picked up and tried guitars that I've been told are 'the ones to play' and picked whatever boring finish I prefered. PRS for example make some absolutely stunning looking guitars. [size=2][i](I know they've made that Grainger Bass but I've heard nothing but terrible things about it)[/i][/size] So does anyone know of any 'mass production' bass guitars that look 'sexy' out there? [/quote] Where have you been looking? How hard have you been looking?

I enjoy variety. I've sold basses I really like simply because I've had them the longest and they're currently produced so easy to obtain again if it turns out I miss them. I'm not looking for "the one" - I'd dislike having just one - I maintain a constant collection of 10-12 and swap around within those parameters. The number has grown over time because I have either found basses that are "keepers" (and would be a pain to replace, financially or searchwise) or I'm personally invested too much in them (rescue projects).

You can use the BTS Control with any pickups. The BTS System has a blend control which only works with EMG pickups. If you use the BTS Control then you use your own pots to handle the volume/blending then feed the results of that to the BTS Control.

Yup, I concur with all of that - I am enjoying my Bullion Gold 2014 EB very much. I'm still not 100% enamoured with the finish (and I don't suppose I ever will be), but it stays and continues to charm me because of how good it sounds and how good it feels to play. Bit of a downer about the wiring on yours though - glad you got it sorted OK. That would have been very irritating for me, being up in Aberdeen and buying at distance. Thankfully, mine arrived with no such issues. No neck dive here - just like all my other Gibson basses, ahpook

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1396714808' post='2416719'] Perhaps we might erect a sign to this effect over the doors to Off-Topic. [/quote] You might as well fit that sign over the main door to the building

It's OK, Robocop sorted out all the street violence. We're good, ta

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1396448581' post='2413778'] I've never had a problem with gig nerves in my life, I just absolutely hate gigging. I have absolutely no want, need or desire to provide entertainment for strangers, I hate all the hassle of loading in & out, I hate the hanging around for hours before playing & more than anything I hate the enforced pseudo-camaraderie that being in a band [b]always[/b] entails. I love playing, writing & recording but gigging is, for me, just one big negative experience. [/quote] Whoa, slow down there chief. Not all bands are the same. I have had the great fortune to be in bands with people I genuinely count as friends, and remain friends with most of the people I've to be in bands with - in fact, there's only one person I used to be in a band with that I'd rather have nothing to do with. That's in 6 years. No faux-camaraderie here, and I wouldn't stick around in a band where I felt that was going on. Your other grumbles are on the money though

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1396605501' post='2415563'] Hmm. Bit disappointed with the lack of tolerance being expressed regarding gigging being the only point of playing music. I can understand why some people live for it but why be so condescending to those who have no desire to gig? I'm sure plenty of people derive loads of pleasure by playing just for their own challenge and enjoyment. What next - no point in reading a book unless it's done out loud in front of an audience? [/quote] Agreed. I do gig, BTW, and I am of the opinion that the most fun (and challenge) that can be derived from playing bass is through playing with others (be it gigging or rehearsing/jamming in private) but it's only my experience and only a personal opinion.

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1396445046' post='2413709'] GAAAAAAH! Does Hypnofrog think this is £900-worth of bass? [url="http://www.wunjoguitars.com/shop/bass-guitars/gibson-sb-400-bass-1971"]http://www.wunjoguit...b-400-bass-1971[/url] I'm actually in two minds the more I look at it. But I've no idea how it sounds... [/quote] Ahh, so it's an SB. Slightly different proposition to the EB. I personally don't think it's worth £900, at least not of my money. The original plastic bridge saddles look broken to me for one thing, in fact it's mentioned in the blurb. More info here (including sounds): http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/1971gibsonSB400.php - you'll see that this one had its bridge saddles replaced with metal ones. They are pretty rare, but not particularly desirable IMO, and especially not a ratty one like this.

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1396438508' post='2413560'] DON'T ENCOURAGE ME. I HAVE BILLS TO PAY. [/quote] I didn't think I'd have to wheel out the big gun but Hypnofrog says DO IT

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1396436055' post='2413485'] You probably don't want to hear this, but I did walk past a 34" original '70s SG bass in one of the windows along Denmark St a couple of weeks ago. Very few things have given me GAS since I got my Thunderbird, but this was one of them. Probably just as well I didn't go in and ask "just to try it," else I think temptation would have got the better of my credit card. Practically chewing a knuckle off just thinking about it now... [/quote] DO IT

[quote name='cclowend' timestamp='1396374661' post='2412885'] Sorted!!! What's a bump?? [/quote] When you post in your own thread to bring it to the top of the pile. There are rules about how frequently you can do this in the marketplace.

I don't think you can change the initial value once set. Just make the change clear in your edited post and maybe in your next bump.

G&L L-1505? Depends if you think the two switches are cheating or not http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/basses/L1505/index.asp

The Inevitable Teaspoons will be making their debut in the "big smoke" of Aberdeen (hey, Aberdeen's big to us country loons) on Saturday April 12th. Venue is Cafe Drummond on Belmont Street. Doors at 8pm and I believe it's free entry. We're on the bill with a band from Inverness called Silver Coast and possibly as yet unknown other support. As it's our first "big" gig, it'd be great to see some support. Come and see the results of what we've been up to for the last few months!

I've had a BB614, a BB300 and I have today a BB350F and a BB450. My current two are both mid 80s (BB450 is 1985 and BB350F is 1986) and both were made in Taiwan. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you a Japanese one, I suspect you're going to have to aim earlier than that. All I can say about the ones I've had is that I've had no worries gigging any of them (apart from the fretless, and that's my fault, not the bass's ). My BB450 is my least expensive bass (and a rescue job at that - it had been parted out, truss rod maxed out, no nut - got it all back together and fixed all the issues) but I'm happy to pick it up and play it any time. I find the neck has a nice inbetweeny profile - not as fat as a P, not as skinny as a J. Me and my BB450 at Belladrum (Tartan Heart) Festival last year: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bs4gJsM660[/media]

For a while now, I've been recording The Inevitable Teaspoons rehearsals on a Zoom H2N. It does remarkably well considering its size, but the PA in the room isn't the best and the vocals were just about distinguishable at best. So I decided to leverage the flexibility of the H2N and use a separate microphone for the singer and put it into the H2N as well. 4ch surround mode means that you get internal stereo mid-side microphones of the Zoom plus a stereo external feed. Trouble is, the gain control isn't independent, and it needs to be set to zero for the ambient room stuff, so I needed to employ a separate mic preamp between the Zoom and the vocal microphone. No biggie, a bit of mucking about with levels and a couple of ruined clippy ones but apart from that got some usable stuff. Anyway, long story short, I only have two stems (is that the right word?) to work with - one with the singer (plus a little bleed from the room) and one with the rest of the band (and a little bit of the singer). I applied some quick and dirty reverb to the vocals (50/50 dry/wet mix so it's not a reverbfest then panned the wet/dry out about +- 20% - I don't really know why, seemed like a good idea. Once I mix them wet/dry vocals down to a single stereo track, I find myself constantly tweaking the relative levels of the rest of the band and the vocals. I never know if I'm happy with it or not - I want to be able to make out the words, but I don't want the band to seem drowned out by them either. After what seems like an eternity, I come to and realise that it's only a rehearsal reference recording and say "that'll do". Hats off to you proper sound producers/mixers, where you have to tackle the relative levels of every piece of the drum kit and each individual player. I think my head would explode. This is why you pay experts for their expertise

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1396026987' post='2409231'] Having previously owned and loved my original Promethean Combo, I was amazed at just how good your Red Sub clone sounded mate. It's not nearly as elegant in design as the Ibanez but it was very solid and built to last, a bit bigger than the Ibanez and a bit too carpety for my liking, but in a blindfold test I don't think you could tell the difference. If I'm in the market for a Promethean again, I'd happily go for a clone having now managed to audition one Eude [/quote] Ahh man, I'm gutted that you had moved on your Promethean pre bash, it was supposed to be the great A/B test. Bummer. Still, I'm glad you got to have a go of it and glad to hear that you thought it sounded good, as a former owner of the "real deal". Aye, it may not be the bonniest amp ever made, I'll grant you that, but it's been two years now and I haven't caught myself wishing that I had a nifty pull down stand thing when I'm screwing in the extra "foot" in my RedSub to tilt it Surprised that the fundamental difference in cab design (Promethean - front ported, RedSub/HB - rear ported) didn't seem to make any difference. I guess they're equally tuned to the driver which apart from the cone colour appears to be identical to both.

The only concession I might make is taking one of my semi-acoustic basses to an acoustic gig. Apart from that, I'll play what I like. I'm the bass player.

Yet another thread which looks like it's heading for an ending wrapped in knotted pedantic knickers then...

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1396002786' post='2408817'] Surely the neck would be finished in a clear coat over the top of the colour? That's how all my basses are done. [/quote] There is a clear coat over the top of the colour on the body, but it's super thin over metallic so it isn't smooth to the touch, or at least not as smooth as I'd like a neck to be.

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1396004360' post='2408843'] Partly true. It is a 2014 model but doesn't feature the 120th anniversary bits because it was carried over from last years production due to delays. The serial indicates it is a 2014 model :-) [/quote] I really should know by now never to talk about Gibson in absolutes, those crazy, contradictory eejits To satisfy my curiosity would you be so kind as to tell me if the serial number is the usual coded one (YDDDY(N)NNN) which Gibson normally use, or is it the "special" 2014 scheme (14 + sequential number)?

It really depends upon what's on. I think I favour the smaller venues, putting on weird bands but that might be because I worked behind the bar for many years in a small (<300 cap) music venue. I have been an Iron Maiden fan for many years, and finally got to see them live at Download 2007. I can't really remember much about it, and that's not because of alcohol. The main thing I remember is one of my mates getting an unintentional kick in the face from a crowd surfer and had to be lifted out the front of the crowd to go to the first aid. So he got right up to the front, but for the wrong reasons I don't even remember which songs Maiden played. Why was I there? To be able to say I was there? Because frankly, that's about all I've taken away from the experience. Sorry if that seems cynical. Having said that, at Belladrum last year I saw MacFloyd perform the entirety of Dark Side of the Moon. Even though I was at the back (barely got in the tent), I had a pint of Black Isle Brewery Blonde in one hand and a nip of Tomatin in the other and was singing along like a bloody fool. Fantastic. Loved it. I guess it depends on the gig. I don't do well with big crowds anyway, I'm a country boy and I'm used to having room to spin around with my arms stretched out if the mood takes me. I also don't care for too much chatter around me at gigs - far be it from me to dictate to people what they do with their spare time but if you're not interested in the music, then WHY ARE YOU HERE?