Thunderthumbs

PM'd you Rob.

....but OMG.....if I could only win the lottery.....I could have a field day!!! Just browsing their site, and came across [url="http://www.warmoth.com/showcase/sc_guitar_bodies.cfm?itemNumber=BP436&type=bass"]this beauty[/url]. Oh Lord, please help me stop my GAS

Mmmm......sunburst and tort.....mmmm......lovely combination. So where you from with an opening such as "T'alreet"? Even though I'm from Manchester, I have a habit of signing off messages to my mates with "Si thi"

I have the "box" room in our house. Basically, a 3 bed semi with the smallest bedroom used for the PC and my gear. I try stand more, rather than sit, as standing is my position when playing live. But when I do sit, my problem is that my chair, although comfortable, has arms which means I have to sit almost side saddle. I did see a video on YouTube where the person sat on one of those gym balls (almost like a Space Hopper without the handles!) as he said it was much better for his posture, plus no restrictions. Can't be doing with trying to practice sat on a sofa, etc. as the position is so unnatural.

[quote name='Jase' post='130464' date='Jan 30 2008, 09:31 AM']Good points, I don't think you have to grow up with something to be inspired though [/quote] Too right. The latest person I saw and was blown away with was Hadrien Feraud. Not a "bass hero" in the sense of this thread, but I was watching a 24 year old who made everything look and sound so effortless. He's the first bassist in many a year that's seriously made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And being 41, I think I've "grown up" .... or have I?

PM'd

[quote name='Pedro1020' post='130021' date='Jan 29 2008, 02:24 PM']I'm gassing for another bass..[/quote] The Thumb NT 5's still up for grabs

[quote name='Pedro1020' post='130003' date='Jan 29 2008, 01:44 PM']...Might even change the current faded hardware to some new ones...[/quote] Yeah, that's exactly what I was going to do.....new pots, bridge, tuners, etc. Then the Marcus Miller Jazz caught my eye .....the rest is history!

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='129877' date='Jan 29 2008, 11:12 AM']I used to go out every weekend to see live bands in small venues...[/quote] Yeah, I think back to years ago at venues such as The International and International 2, The Gallery, The Boardwalk, etc. etc. in Manchester. I saw many bands in these little venues. I even saw Duran Duran at the International 2 when I went with a mate who was a fan, as it was a "secret" gig that he found out about. They weren't one of my fav bands, but I really enjoyed it purely because of the venue. I saw The Icicle Works, It Bites, Ellis Beggs & Howard, The Cardiacs and more at The International. I saw Roachford at The Boardwalk when there were only about 50 people in the place before "Cuddly Toy" was released. I saw The Smiths at The Hacienda the night they did their first Top Of The Pops performance, and had to travel back by train, so they didn't go on til after midnight. I've seen Marcus Miller at Sankeys Soap, and Manchester University. And I've seen plenty of bands like The Jam, Madness, Limp Bizkit, etc. etc. at The Apollo which was the main place for gigs back in the 70s/80s, but even now is probably classed as a smaller venue. It saddens me to think that you rarely get to see decent bands at places like The Apollo now, as their management/record companies pretty much dictate that they do one night at the MEN Arena to 20,000 people rather than a string of nights at a smaller venue like the Apollo with 2000 people a night in. Sadly, it's all about the cash. Back in the 70s/80s, The Jam would've done 2-3 nights there. Hell, I even saw Stanley Clarke & George Duke at The Apollo!!

[quote name='Pedro1020' post='129770' date='Jan 29 2008, 08:44 AM']Woa thats a great restoration....you'd hardly notice it was ever broken before... I'm trying to see if my uncle can score me a lift downthere, I believe its only a 20 min like job but this is a Warwick & I want the best Thanks for the advise evilLordJuju, I may consider that book... Cheers[/quote] Hey mate, if you do decide to go the whole hog, and get a full repair job done too, then keep me posted....I'd love to see that beauty in it's full glory like I planned at some point. At least I know it's gone to a good home Cheers, Pete.

The Jam were my favourite band when I was a kid. Not the first band I listened to, but the first one I [b]really[/b] latched onto. I could relate to them, they wrote and sang songs about the likes of me, for me. I was inspired by them. I was "Saturdays Kids", etc. Bruce Foxton was the one person I wanted to emulate as a bass player. I've moved on an awful lot now and listen to lots of different styles. But without The Jam/Bruce Foxton, who knows whether I'd be playing these days? So I really couldn't have put all your words any better myself. I don't think recording contracts with todays bands are based around longevity. I think it's all the "production line pop" ethic that's just about seeing how much money can be made out of a band as quick as possible, and when the light fades, just move onto "the next big thing".

I got told by Bernie Goodfellow the shop had shut down. I never actually went to the London shop, as I'm in Manchester. But I can honestly say the branch that was opened in Manchester a few years ago was doomed to failure. The site for the shop itself was right out of the way, couldn't be seen from a street, no parking, was the size of a broom cupboard, etc. etc. etc. So if the Manchester one was anything to go by, it's hardly surprising the London one's gone the same way.

[quote name='Absolute-beginner' post='129513' date='Jan 28 2008, 07:22 PM']Yup, thats me...have owned a bass for years, not a very good one, but finally, i picked it up. I sound rubbish, but ill get there! Ha Absolute beginner[/quote] At least you've picked it up again Keep at it and you'll improve no end. Lots of good tips and advice on here. Cheers, Pete.

[quote name='Wil' post='129103' date='Jan 28 2008, 09:27 AM']Hugh Quarshie (Dr Ric Griffin from Holby City) bought a bike from me when I worked at Halfords Cribbs Causeway... is that tenuous enough?[/quote] Ideal

[quote name='sk8' post='129231' date='Jan 28 2008, 12:59 PM']I bought an Eden N8 to use as a practice amp and left the eq flat. Prior to this i had been using an Ashdown MAG300 2x10 combo. I had all sorts of issues with the sound of the MAG initially until i pushed the Deep and Bright buttons in. I played with the eq and got a sound i liked with every knob tweaked somehow. After playing the N8 for a month or so i went back to the mag and hated the sound; the soultion, i turned the eq off so its basically flat. I use my bass to control the tone, even though it is passive. Anyone else do this?[/quote] I used to use Warwick basses through an Ampeg SVT III Pro and SWR cabs, and always had some sort of EQ setting. Then I bought a Marcus Miller Jazz and for some reason, could not get a sound I liked and/or volume issues. I ended up on an Ampeg forum and found really good advice about setting everything flat, except the +/-db control on the EQ, which they advised to set to maximum. Then I used the controls on the jazz, and actually found that 99% of the time after that, I very rarely tweeked the EQ. I've now got an EBS TD650 with EBS Neo cabs, and do exactly the same with that. I'm very happy with all the tonality coming from the bass, and only adjust bass/mid/treble, etc. on the amp to suit certain stages/rooms.

Andy, If I could get some stills I did when doing a TV programme some years ago, I'd certainly have some to beat you hands down. One wearing a 70s suit that was [b]clearly[/b] too small for me if you get me! You don't look cringeworthy at all, just a guy playing a beautiful bass (and I'm the lucky one that knows what it sounds like too!), going about his business. I think "Elvis" has more to worry about than you

[quote name='ped' post='128659' date='Jan 27 2008, 01:13 PM']Very scary but cool avatar!![/quote] I thought that too.....not ashamed to admit it freaked me out a little

Oh....a couple more..... 1. I once overheard Eric Faulkner (Bay City Rollers!) telling someone else at a bar that he thought we were a great band. 2. I was behind Matt Lucas on the escalator going to baggage reclaim from a flight back from New York. Shame I couldn't say I was sat with him in First Class