Thunderthumbs

[quote name='gilmour' post='112953' date='Jan 3 2008, 03:12 PM']DR Bass Strings - Fat Beams - simply the best strnings I've ever used[/quote] I bought some shipped over from the USA, and was very dissappointed. First set I had on started deadening after only a couple of gigs. Reckon I could've just got a bad batch?

Drove down to Brighton from Manchester today to demo the EBS cabs I've been looking at in Bernie's basement. Spent all afternoon there, and came away with a couple of NEOs....4 x 10 and 2 x 12. Very happy bunny What a top bloke Bernie is. How lucky you lot down there are to have a guy like that on your doorsteps! Well worth the 8-9 hours driving for me.

About 16 years ago, I bought a Warwick Thumb 5 string. I picked it up, drove home, went to a gig and played it straightaway.......and I completely had to rethink the way I played as it was so strange. I practiced and gigged, got used to it, and it remained my number 1 bass for the majority of those years until recently. You'll be amazed how many times you'll drop to the low B once you get used to it (if you get one of course), but just keep practicing and it'll become second nature eventually.

Hi Mike, and welcome. Wow, a Cardiacs fan, eh? First saw them on The Tube I think it many years ago.....Tarred and Feathered video. Went to see them once at a small venue in Manchester, I think they were supporting It Bites when they first had Calling All The Heroes as a hit. The Cardiacs were mental. Cheers, Pete.

Pretty much a similar thing. 1. Bought myself a Marcus Miller Jazz back in April, and have had to change my playing style a little. It sits a little higher than my previous bass, and I'm trying to improve my hand and fingering technique on both hands. 2. Recently bought myself a new amp, and am in the process of buying new cab(s) to compliment it. My SWR cabs are old (but still kick it out), but it's time for new equipment, and maybe NEO cabs to help the old back out. 3. I saw Hadrien Feraud at the Bass Day, and he blew me away. He's the first bassist for many a year that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. He gave me inspiration to try and improve, so I practice more than I have for many years.

62 with the band, plus a couple with a mate's band, 1 with my old band, and a weekend in a studio.

[quote name='SMART' post='111281' date='Dec 31 2007, 02:28 AM']Just been 'a clearing and re-organising the loft this evening and grabbed an old CD I haven't played for years (was in a 70s frame of mind...had the 'Best of the Sweet' on before...'Hellraiser' 'twas the very first single [showing my age now!] I ever did buy, followed by 'Gonna Make you A Star' by David Essex [produced by none than Jeff Wayne of 'War Of The Worlds' fame, you can hear his distinctive synth sound pre-TWOTW], then a groovy number called 'Jive Talkin' by them Bee Gees pre-'Saturday Night Fever', then I fell for the theme from 'Van Der Valk' called 'Eye Level' [you young 'uns won't know what I'm rambling on about!] and that was the beginning of a very large TV and film sound track collection...). Getting back to the point of this new topic, the CD I grabbed was Wings 'Greatest Hits' and along came 'Silly Love Song' with a really great bass riff. Any of you out there tried it? It's great Macca bass playing! Just some thoughts. Ciao Ian[/quote] Ha ha.....being an old'un, I get every part of your ramblings! Silly Love Songs is a fantastic bass line. It just proves that underneath an awful lot of cheese, there's some real cream. (I'll get my coat!).

[quote name='MrBass123' post='112024' date='Jan 1 2008, 10:29 PM']This is my first time on this forum and this thread caught my eye. Sadly for bad reasons. I recently spent two weeks or so learning around forty or so Ska tunes (a lot of them were of course by Madness). I was supposed to be joining a well-known tribute act and actually rehersed with them twice after learning a mountain of material before they decided to tell me their old bass player had had a change of heart and re-joined the group! Still love Madness, however watching them last night on Jools Holland just reminded me of how annoyed I was during that whole fiasco! Sorry if my first post is too somber! lol[/quote] That must've been a real pain in a*se! Mine wasn't quite as bad as that. Auditioned, did well enough, but didn't get the job as I'd been honest enough to tell them I wasn't going to quit my day job, which they all wanted to do and go pro. Few weeks later, I get a call asking if I was fixed up, as the guy they hired just didn't fit in. I held no malice so I took the job. That was nearly two years ago, and everything's going fine. Needless to say, none of them have quit their day jobs either

Having watched Jools Holland's Hootenanny.....it's just reminded me what a fantastic bassist Bedders (Mark Bedford) of Madness is. Very, very understated, yet his basslines are very melodic and flowing. House of Fun is a prime example.

Don't think there's anyone I wouldn't attempt to learn. No matter how badly I'd play them, I improve slightly each time, and it's all a big learning curve for me....and that's after 30 years of playing. I know my limitations obviously, and would never claim to be a Pastorius, Patitucci, etc. But it doesn't stop me having a go, practicing, and doing a half decent job at some point. There are so many bassists I admire from all styles, there's just so much to learn that I don't think I'd brush anything under the carpet.

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='110997' date='Dec 30 2007, 03:17 PM']cheers mate thats an awesome idea!! i'll get on it right away!! [/quote] Just to pre-warn you....I'll have a couple of Peavey power amps up for sale on there soon, just so you know it's not me (ebay user name kingthumb2003). We've just bought a new HK PA rig, and all our old Peavey stuff (2x15 bass bins, 1 x 15 tops, power amps, etc.) is going to be up for sale. I'd seriously hate to be in your position, and like someone else said, it's a shame they weren't caught in the act. I really wish you all the luck in the world getting it back.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='110859' date='Dec 30 2007, 10:31 AM']Bernies showroom is still in the basement of Seven Dials Music - at Seven Dials. The main GB workshop and EBS warehouse has been moved to Peacehaven. Dont know what is going on at Sydney Street.[/quote] Do you know if there's a good selection of EBS amps and cabinets at Seven Dials?

[quote name='Mikey D' post='109297' date='Dec 25 2007, 06:28 PM']You might wanna ask Mr Gene Perez! [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=60340960"]http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=60340960[/url] Probably played more house tracks as bassist than most others![/quote] Man, that's some CV! And that bass sound on "Bottoms Up" is fantastic.....solid, funky, a bit bright but without losing bottom......beautiful.

Welcome youngie. The best is you say you love playing bass. Hopefully you'll still be saying the same thing in 30 years time, as I still do. All the best, and have fun. Cheers, Pete.

Mad as a box of frogs on a trampoline :wacko:

[quote name='ednaplate' post='110869' date='Dec 30 2007, 10:52 AM']This is a great store and one of the very few I have any faith in. I bought a Pedaltrain from them some time ago and have been very satisfied. The only downside, if there is one with this store, is that the bass selection is a little limited. They do have some decent second hand stuff as well as some some MarkBass equipment which I've never seen anywhere else. The staff are always helpful and polite and you do get the impression it's an independent family firm so custom is important. If you like acoustic guitars, which I do then upstairs is acoustic guitar heaven with some models from custom builders. I'm not on their payroll but it makes a refreshing change from the indifferent service you get at the likes of Sound Control.[/quote] Not bought anything from them for a few years, but I've been going on and off for the last 25 years. I can vouch for the service being of a family feel rather than a big corporate feel.

[quote name='BeLow' post='110399' date='Dec 28 2007, 11:31 PM']Have not got a decent picture of the rig at the moment, I am trying to keep the rig cheap, compact and small. Sadly this means that the band can now leave me to shift the PA as well so have decided to got for one of these. It's not that I can lift them I just want to cut down on the number for trips to and from the car. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-EASY-FOLDING-HAND-TRUCK-CART-SACK-TROLLEY-BARROW_W0QQitemZ160192935525QQihZ006QQcategoryZ64813QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-EASY-FOLDING-HAN...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote] Don't know how big your PA is, but we've got one of those trucks, and to be quite honest, they're pretty small and don't handle too well. For £25, we got one pretty much the same as this [url="http://www.sacktruckcity.com/product_info.php?products_id=3"]http://www.sacktruckcity.com/product_info.php?products_id=3[/url] from Costco (although you'd have to know someone with a membership card or get membership yourself - I was already a member anyway), and it's fantastic. Cuts loading the van down to half the time.

My current rig, although it'll all be up for sale pretty soon. Already replaced the Ampeg SVT III Pro with an EBS TD650, and replacing both SWR Goliath II 4 x 10s soon too. [attachment=4358:Current_rig.jpg]