Wolverinebass

I think it depends on context. Are backing tracks wrong? Not if it's sitting in stuff like synths or backing vocals where there is only 1 singer. However, as much as I love Porcupine Tree, they've "done a Periphery" by replacing one of the core musicians with a backing track. They did that when Nolly decided to stop touring and at various times when Mark Holcomb had to bail on a tour after getting caught cheating on his wife and also when Jake's father was ill I believe. Margins for tours being as they are these days, it's not a surprise. Why pay for someone to play when you can just sample someone and play along to their performance. Hence not paying for another person on the tour. Music will soon be reduced to idiots like David Guetta who had a cancel a tour after he lost his set at an airport. It was on a USB stick. Turn up with a laptop, press play and pretend you're fiddling with things and rake the cash in. We're so in the wrong game here. Ian Brown doing a tour with a laptop was another new low even for him. I guess he should have just mimed totally as his vocals seemed to have hit an even more startling nadir. Steven Wilson is a tosser though and I think Colin Edwin doesn't want to work with him anymore which is why they haven't been in touch for years.

Maybe another thought is that has anyone noticed the prices on the Series 23's are all the same? Some don't have LEDs. Or composite fretboards either. So, what is the upcharge for them? In fact, those ones don't have the colour change finishes either. So why are they the same price as the ones which have all the bells and whistles? Curious.

The LH series are louder, but tonally very limited due to the way the EQ is. My old HA5500 was immensely flexible and just sounded better. I would go so far as to say Hartke are a dying company. All their lightweight amps are rubbish (I've tried most of them), the HA series is discontinued and I don't even think there's a distributor in the UK anymore. The only endorsee of any note is Victor Wooten and frankly, he'd sound great through anything and is totally getting paid to endorse them. Even Billy Sheehan is mainly using the helix for tone on tour. How many times can they say "Jaco played these!" with a straight face? He's been dead for more than 30 years. Jack Bruce has been gone for some time as well. Hartke didn't move with the times and they're now almost irrelevant.

Of course Rob recovering is the main thing and were he not to have continued in any way that would be understandable. Whilst I'm sure they'll be very well made, they're just not what I'd be looking for in a Status sadly. The main question is, how will they get by with no 11th version of the Kingbass?!! Just think of all the Mark King fans wailing into their handkerchiefs realising that they still can't get a new Kingbass (affects high pitched voice) "exactly like Mark has it to play Mr Pink on!"

Of course Gibsons are made in a garage. It explains their terrible quality control.

So, the other week, my band Terbium released our new single. For those of you who like progressive metal, enjoy! Playing my trusty Wal Mk2. Produced by myself. Let me know what you think! https://spotify.link/XJdE7ToDgBb

I'm long sighted in one eye and short sighted in the other. When I was younger I used to gauge how drunk I was by how long it took to pull focus. Then they both changed and got worse in each direction, so if I don't wear specs, I'll get a headache that would decapitate a rhino after about 15 minutes as no matter where anything is, without specs it's always half blurred.

Ashdown seem to be getting quite a lot of the YouTube type bods to do content for them. Daisy Pepper seems like another who seems to live at Ashdown HQ. Maybe they keep them all in a freezer and wheel them out of cryostasis when they need a new pedal or amp demo filmed. I guess it's a smart marketing move to get folk in who the kids know. After all, most of their original endorsees are either dead or well into their 60's.

Well, I'm getting a graphite neck off them for a warmoth build I'm putting together. So, I'll report back.

In truth, I'm still kicking myself as I waited for a week after I had the money for a Stealth and at the end of that week they in effect shut for reasons which became clear later. There is no way I'd buy one at those prices. I think the highest price stock 4 string was about £3500. I have no axe to grind about it as Rob has more than put his time in and given his health issues, he deserves to retire. Besides, I bought the last ever Buzzard which is an insane instrument, so I've always been more than happy with that. I do fear that were the business to be sold on in 3 years when he finally retires, the prices will double much like the way Wal prices have went up since 2008 when Paul Herman restarted the brand. I think in the almost 2 years waiting for mine to be built, there were 4 price rises. Again, no axe to grind there either as I've got a brilliant Mk2 which I had built in 2015 which is amazing.

In truth, I was being charitable. It was a dreadful DIY produced effort which in all honesty, even if the material was good (it was crap), it would have been brought down by the terrible production values.

I use the Vanderkley 2x12 in the diagonal configuration. It's very clear and articulate. For the most part I play progressive metal. With one band I play a Wal in drop D. Think Justin Chancellor. In another I play a Rick in C# standard with a more biamp setting through a Tech21 Dug pedal. I have other basses like Alembics and it just works. Really well. Plenty of crispness and cut if you want it.

I've got the fusion s 1200 which I use with my Vanderkley 2x12. It's devastatingly loud should you wish it to be so. The controls take a bit of getting used to, but once you do, the amp is a monster.

Gallien Krueger Fusion series. I have the 1200 version and it's brilliant.

In truth, they're terrible. Lars has sonically ruined the band with every album having terrible production. They'll never admit to a mistake, because they see themselves as infallible. Lyrically bland for some time, the band are a pale imitation of what they were. Could you imagine how good some of those albums might have been of they'd had decent mixes and mastering? Or in the case of St. Anger, any decent songs to start with. Unlike Rob Trujillo, there would be no amount of money on earth that would make me play bass for them.

I think Darkglass have well and truly jumped the shark. Whilst most of their products are great, the notable decline in concepts has been evident since Doug stepped away. The ADAM and Photon having functionality that "we'll add later." The Evolution being somewhat half baked as well. Now we get to the pointlessness of a 200W amp in this day and age. The TE Elf to me is a joke as you'd red line it all the way unless you were using an 8x10 which kind of defeats the purpose of having an amp the size of a matchbox. I'm sure the Darkglass faithfull will lap it up, but they're not going to top the AO ultra. The Photon and ADAM should have been the flagship products, but I feel they may have been rushed which is a massive pity as they could have been game changers rather than leaving users wondering when firmware updates will arrive. Whilst I think they'll do well for many years to come, I imagine that these recent misfires are the start of the company losing it's way and drifting from the values it was founded on. Which to me is a tragedy.

I think you'll find that Spector are 40mm and G&L's standard nut width is 38mm. Admittedly you can use options on the neck profile though I've no idea what they might cost.

I suppose you should Paul if you're going to fake your own death and go to Panama.

Alas, both myself and Mrs Wolverine have got covid so I'm afraid you'll all have to live without my effervescent personality, wit, sarcasm and sideburns this year. I hope its all good and I'll miss catching up with you all.

I appreciate that this might a fashion thing, but has anyone else how the default nut width of manufacturers of 4 string basses has got thinner over the last few years? I also appreciate that it's personal preference and that folk will say that you should be able to play any bass regardless, but certainly for me at least that's not true. Most manufacturers are going for 40mm. For example, I bought a 2nd hand Schecter Raiden a few years ago. Advertised as 42.5mm. Lies!! It's 40 and I find it a bit uncomfortable even though it sounds monstrous. So, discount Precisions, sterling ray 34s, Rickenbacker, Status (when they were still open) and what you have left? Not much from the new market if you discount custom instruments. Has anyone else noticed this? I appreciate if this is what is going to sell, then I may be behind the times. However, it's disappointing in some ways. Especially when Musicman slimmed the stingray neck back down a year ago. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed this.

This is not Vietnam! There are rules!! Do you think I watched all my friends die face down in the muck so that this guy can do a bad audition on a fretless and brag about it all over town?

You are JTUK and I claim my 5 pounds.

As well as Jamerson in his latter years.

"Better," is a subjective point of view. If you want to show off, join a djent band and do loads of tapping. The more you dig your heels in over this the less folk will take you on. I used to think like that until my late 20s. Throw everything in and it'll be fine. Some bands don't dig on that level of nutterdom and won't hire you because of it. What I've learned is that yes, I could (and can) play as flamboyantly as I want,but does it make anything better? Usually the answer is "no." It's all picking your moments in the context of the genre. I'm guessing the attitude is one born of frustration, but seriously, calm down. If they're not into it, you won't win anyone over, by just saying you're "technically superior." Quite the reverse.

For 5 and a half grand they can go and do one. The fact is it's not even a reissue. I hasten to say I have a 4003 and I actually do like Rickenbackers, but the price is laughable. You could buy a brand new Modulus for that!