Linus27

I put a set of Bartolini's in my ESP Jazz and so far to date, I have not heard a better sounding Jazz bass. Awsome tone and attack. Probably going to get a set for my next Jazz.

[quote name='Platypus' post='496022' date='May 23 2009, 01:39 PM']Linus27 did a vid of this bassline on YouTube and got the approvial of Talk talk bassist Paul Webb!: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=41813&hl=paul+webb"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;hl=paul+webb[/url][/quote] HEHEHE cool, thanks for the heads up. Still smiling from Paul Webbs comment

I bought the Stagg rack case in the end and its pretty good actually. A little flimsy but very well made and as I tend to look after my stuff, it should do me for now. Thanks for the help everyone.

[quote name='phatbass787' post='495429' date='May 22 2009, 06:00 PM']Ooo, you gassed on an ABM then? Good work, how do you like it compared to your MAG?[/quote] Yeah, I ended up getting an ABM EVO III 575 rack mount head and the ABM 4 x 10. Not got the ABM 4 x 10 yet as that will be coming at the end of May. The ABM head though through my MAG speakers so far sounds yummy. I have only had it for 1 night now but its very very warm sounding and not so clean as the MAG. I can understand why some think the ABM is woolier than the MAG but its easy to dial that out. I'm still playing with the settings but my Stingray sounds really full and punchy. Need to try the Lakland Duck Dunn later. I also bet my ESP Jazz will sound incredible. Really looking forward to getting the ABM 4 x 10 and trying the full setup. The only downside is the weight. Its 14kg and it feels it. I am also playing fretless in an acoustic band so I might end up keeping my MAG 2 x 10 and getting the Little Giant 350 so I got a lightweight rig also. Not overly impressed with the Little Giant I was kindly allowed to trial but it will do for the fretless and its light. Just need to find a cheap Little Giant 350 now

Luck 7 here

Looking to get a 2u rack case for my Ashdown ABM EVO III rack amp head. Has anyone done the same and can recommend what they are using or suggest any. My local shop has the Stagg one but not sure if its any good. Need it in a bit of a hurry as in this Saturday if possible Thanks

I guess success is based on ones own measure or expectation. For me, success in music would be to be making a living out of it. So that would have to cover my cost of living (mortage, bills etc) plus any other outlays like kids, car insurance, food etc. It's possible to have success, for example, sell a bunch of songs on Itunes and have packed out gigs, but come Monday morning, if you need to be in work for 8am working your day job then personally, thats not success, but to others, it might be. So its all based on ones own measure or expectations.

[quote name='largo' post='492195' date='May 19 2009, 10:50 AM']My maths must be wrong. £4K - £2K resale = £2K it's cost. £10 week * 52 weeks * 4 years = £2080[/quote] Ah, you see I went by your end comment of "Wow! Maybe I have £4K to spend on a new bass too :0)" which would be 7.6 years. Now if your going to be a tight arse and only spend £2k then yes 4 years it is but why spend £2k when you can spend £4

[quote name='largo' post='492182' date='May 19 2009, 10:30 AM']Why are most of you obsessed with getting maximum reasle value on a bass? It might seem like a lot of money, but £4K isn't that much these days. I guess it's all relative but I know a lot of people who will spend £10K on a car and loose half the value in 2-3 years. Let's say he loses £2K over 4 years on the bass, i.e. he buys at £4K and resells at £2K then the bass has cost him £10 a week. Wow! Maybe I have £4K to spend on a new bass too :0)[/quote] In about 7.6 years time roughly at £10 a week

[quote name='chris_b' post='492147' date='May 19 2009, 09:52 AM']I know I've not seen many contracts like this but the ones I have seen have never been "written off". In my experience no one makes a present of 150K, especially in the Music Business! The signed guy (the rest of us weren't signed) in one of my bands was still playing off the advance, in instalments, 5 years later! That’s why my advice is to get this contract checked out by YOUR own lawyer before you take the money.[/quote] Have to agree with this 100%. We spent about £6000 on lawyers fees looking over our contracts. Took 3 months going back and forth ironing out all the issues. Funny thing is, we knew the contacts so well by then that 5 years down the line, we sued the record company for breach of contract and walked away scott free whilst retaining everything including £15k worth of musical equipment which was part of the advance. So it really does pay to get it checked out and know what your getting into.

[quote name='OldGit' post='491494' date='May 18 2009, 03:55 PM']Not changed at all. Used to be Opportunity Knocks, now it's X factor and Britain' got some talent, really. These are lrgely different markets to bands that get signed through building a following and proving they can do it on a stage in a pub rather than on telly. It's just different ways to get noticed and for someone to reckon they can make money out of you. Today it's Simon Cowell, back then it was Paul McCartney or Micky Most or Stock, Aitkinson and Waterman, or Chas Chandler or Brian Epstein Bobby Crush and Mary Hopkin both converted Op Knocks winnings into one hit wonders and pretty good pensions .. millions of others auditioned and got nowhere. Ever since the Rock Island Line and the skiffle groups in the 50's showed that it was easy to make a song that topped the charts, and you no longer had to play as well as the jazz bands, kids have been strapping on guitars and thinking that will make them Elvis, or Lonnie or whomever.. The problem I can see here is that people are still thinking that signing to a big label is the only way to be a success. That's clearly rubbish and the alternative ways are much better now.[/quote] I was of the understanding that Indie labels all pretty much died out some years ago and all thats left is the Major's who are struggling. Is this not the case. Is the indie label scene pretty strong still?

Blimey, £4K on a bass. I can't imagine spending that on a bass. You aleady own my dream bass which is your Fender American 1975 re-issue. I would not want anything else after that.

[quote name='maxrossell' post='491429' date='May 18 2009, 02:53 PM']Yeah, all the smart-arses who started stealing music ten years ago and swearing blind that it wouldn't have any effect can go shove it. Labels won't sign bands on a standard recording contract anymore because the minute a record is released it gets pirated and everyone has access to it for free. Record labels are now trying out other tacks to keep the cashflow happening, like with their existing roster drawing up new contracts where in exchange for more royalties and marketing support, the label gets to take percentage on things they normally wouldn't get, like merchandising and endorsements. But because they're having to put more work into bigger acts, they're putting far less into smaller acts. We all understood a few years ago that labels would drop anyone who didn't score a direct hit with their first record. Now it's plausible that labels will only sign people in the first place if they've already proven they can actually shift numbers. Anyone who picks up a guitar today better understand that he has a better chance of winning the lottery than making it big as a recording artist.[/quote] Surely, if an artist uses his noodle, works hard and comes up with a good business model and shows its a success by showing sales, packed gigs, website hits etc, then they have a good chance of getting backing from a label?? Is it like cutting out the old fashioned A & R man where instead of them trying to work with you and convince the label to sign you, your basically doign it yourself or via a manager.

[quote name='OldGit' post='491424' date='May 18 2009, 02:51 PM']All of those points assume that signing to a major is the way to go. The fact that the charts and concert halls and festivals are full of bands suggests that being signed by a major isn't the way to be "successful" these days - of course it depends on what you call success.[/quote] How true is that? How many bands playing at festivals and in the charts are actually not signed to a major and are making a living or success at what they are doing? Would be interesting to see.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='491416' date='May 18 2009, 02:46 PM']If what your friend says is true, then the music industry is in even worse condition that I thought. Once upon a time they would put a lot of effort into promoting bands, and take all the profit for themselves. But what your friend has described suggests that they still want the profit, but they want the band to do all the hard work themselves. I don't know why anyone would even want to be signed to a major any more. S.P.[/quote] The impression I get is there are lots of different business models, ranging from the artist being more like a product with their name on foods, cars, phones, bikes etc right down to the band doing everything apart from manufacture, distribution and some marketing. Lots of different models inbetween though.

Been talking to a few friends recently who are in the music industry about the current state of play and what seems to be going on at the moment with signing bands etc. In my day, back in the 90's when we signed, we basically gigged everywhere up and down the country, recorded a CD, promoted it, got some interest from record companies, did another 101 gigs and finally got a deal. It was hard work but the main objective was to gig like hell and build a fan base. It all seems to be very different these days. One friend told me that a few years ago, the majors signed 200 bands, the following year 100 and last year only 8. They seem to be more interested in your business model and if it can work rather than, is this band good, have a following, good song etc. I've been told that labels won't touch bands unless they have proved their product works. So they are looking for artists who are doing it for themselves and they will then act as business development managers rather than labels. I was also told that nobody listens to CD's sent on from bands anymore. The route in is via showing that your business model works or if really lucky you have a label approved artist manager on board who can convince the label to take them on early (very rare at the moment) So, with bands having to do everything for themselves, I have been told that they need to spend at least £15k on their business model. This is the minimum to get on the radar. This breaks down to around to 7K minimum on an album (13 tracks), a Video 4K (and needs to be good for that), Photoshoot £500 (needs full makeup and clothing and location - you can see when things are done cheap and it doesn't work) plus PR £1500 a month for three months. Now to me, this is pretty shocking as where do unsigned bands find that sort of money. As said to me though, you need to invest in this business model and show you are serious or accept you are just doing it for fun. With regards to the album, You need to have a half decent studio and engineer/producer on board to get anyone interested. There are currently only about ten people with genuine inroads into labels at the moment, 7 are producers and 3 are managers. I then questioned about these home studios and the increase in modern technology but I was told that home recording is a complete load of crap. Fine if you are a DJ but no artist is actually signed on the fact they did the album in their bedroom or garage. That material never gets released to the point where it can achieve anything. It's hype pure and simple and it's been used twice so it will no longer get anybody a deal or a inch of press space. Now I am sure that some bands will be able to have a percetage of success by doing stuff themselves, home recording, promoting, gigging etc but to what level I don't know. I'm sure some very clever people will be able to put the time and effort in to really promoting themselves but taking it to the next level might involve bigger investment. However, if they can show that their business model works, then they may be onto a winner. I then asked about is gigging still as important. I was told yes and no. You have a better chance at getting seen at events if you are there but in reality to get to the ones where the people that matter are you need to have been on the circuit for a year slogging away until you have a two to three thousand strong following. Then the right people will turn up. You'll meet lots of 'industry' people along the way at gigs but they are the bottom feeders who actually can't do alot for you and work in the admin dept looking for a band that might get them noticed internally. Labels don't really have A & R guys travelling the country looking for bands these days. So, not really sure what to make of it all. In some ways, it does make lots of sense. The band has a proven business model, then why not invest in it as both artist and label should come out good. However, there must be so much missed opportunities and spending a minimum of £15k must be impossible for most artists/bands. Anyone have any experience of this or found things to be different??

I have a Lakland Duck Dunn Precision and all I can say is its amazing.

If I make my current jazz into a fretless, then I would like to get a new fretted Jazz. I love the Fender American 75 re-issue in natural with maple neck and black block inlays. However, I prefer rosewood on a jazz so I may have to go with a Lakland Darryl Jones as I think the natural fender looks yuck with rosewood neck Shame as I don't have a Fender in my collection and quite fancy one at some point.

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='486809' date='May 13 2009, 12:14 PM']Confession time. I must admit that any expensive bass guitar makes me think 'This guy is serious'. I'm embarrassed about it because that's totaly wrong on many levels and my better self doffs my cap to all of you with cheaper basses who are both hugely dedicated and bright enough not to think like me. I'm afraid too that if a guy picks up any bass - hangs it chest high , tucks his arm round the end and extends his thumb parallel to the strings I think 'here we f**king go' and do a runner to the bar. That's wrong too. I'm a dinosaur. Don't know why half of you put up with me.[/quote] I really do not think you are alone on those thoughts.

I think what I would like to do is convert my ESP Jazz to fretless.