drTStingray

I tend not to agree and get the feeling that some people will slag things off if they do not contain their personal favourite hits, as it were. You have overlooked that I clearly said my objection was to the general negativity of the thread - I don't generally have a problem with anything you've said so there was no need to respond specifically (the guy playing thumb muted style in a band whose name I can't remember, on a natural finished Jazz Bass was audible on my TV though - that style in that setting does possibly require more volume than given - however someone earlier on in the thread dissed the whole show partially on the basis that guy was miming - clearly they've never come across that style of playing before - certainly looked and sounded fine to me!!)

I don't think straightforward P Bass with flatwounds answers how the bass player gets that over driven sound on the fill before the start of the verse. I would suggest he's playing pretty hard and it almost sounds like playing with a pick but could be very hard with fingers. As for the bass, could be anything I would suggest but may be a Precision.

I'm pleased to see we are almost in agreement on this. I disagree in some of your analysis regarding taste - but we'll have to agree to disagree. My general frustration with this thread (along with several others on the forum, including previous Jools Holland threads) has been the general level of negativity shown towards a live music show. Even if one doesn't like the music, slagging off the musicianship in most cases is really somewhat crass.

Ah, so my points were not valid (in your opinion) - I thought you were complaining about 'thought Police'. Really you just don't agree with me 😉 (which is, of course, ok). The basic format of many shows doesn't change much for many years - how about X Factor; I'm a Celebrity etc etc etc. I'm afraid I just don't watch them if I don't like them.

I'm sure the Beeb could come up with something better, but I really don't mind Jools and the orchestra running through some classic R and B with some singer or several. Led Zeppelin it ain't but then again 1970 it ain't (that was 50 yrs ago)!! Your suggestions are played out on late night BBC4 regularly (without Auld Lang Syne). Anyone know what the other terrestrial channels did, or that bastion of art (and capitalism), Sky?

It's rarely very useful arguing about taste so I'm not going to bother. However apart from Melanie (who was clearly struggling and helped by an exceptional band), the artists all performed well, Jools and his orchestra were excellent and the sound was excellent - in fact it was all very positive, which is what you want for a New Year's Eve show. As I have said a couple of times in this thread, the bass was very audible in a TV mix without the need to put it through some hifi arrangement. None of the drum sounds were mixed so loud they sounded like their own orchestra accompanied by everything else (as so much music is these days). So for bass players, I don't see what's not to like, unless your musical taste only runs to punk or heavy rock, for instance, of which there was none. So I don't see the point of all the moaning - if you didn't like it move on. But for goodness sake, this forum is full of threads full of negativity, usually from the same bunch of people - be it Rickenbacker basses, Jools or whatever. Im afraid that trying to express the moaning in a more academic way doesn't cut it for me - it just becomes an argument about taste 😬 clearly mine is a bit broader than many in this forum and I'm willing to accept compromise more willingly - I must say that if I hadn't, I wouldn't have played half of the live music I have over the years.

Ageism is actually illegal. I'm actually older than that but would identify my taste for live music as broader than demonstrated by most in this thread. Perhaps I was clutching at straws as there must be some logical reason for such negativism about live music - I just find it surprising to encounter amongst musicians....perhaps people don't like R and B 😧

@mikel you're absolutely right - I thought it was all very cheerful and pleasant. You really have to remember that the average demographic on this forum is well over 55, and many moan about absolutely anything (that is except mediocre basses) - the vast majority appear to want to return to the 60s, that era of basses 'sitting in the mix' (a euphemism for being inaudible). Notable that most of the basses on the Hootenanny were not of the make beginning with an F and were extremely audible. Ive noticed that coffee table(ish) basses always have this quality be they in the Fatback Band, Dave Swift or even Hosier - Interesting, that! 🤔

Happy New Year everyone. The mix on the orchestra seems pretty good on my television - Dave Swift sounds particularly good. Loved his bass parts on Ric Astley Never Gonna Give You Up. And you could actually hear them - great!!

Thank you @skankdelvar (not) for reminding me of the childhood horror of The White Heather Club on the tele on New Years Eve. We should surely be truly thankful for Jools and his wonderful orchestra (I've seen them live and they are fabulous) 👍😀 However you have reminded me of Jazz rockers/ funkers Back Door's version of The Dashing White Sergeant - here are Messrs Hodgkinson, Asprey and Hicks running through it. http://youtu.be/Hqypc6iA1jM

Yes definitely - great fun and sounds fabulous 👍

I have found with most active basses that using the passive input is best - however an 18 volt active may well start clipping if you play hard - even a 9 volt might when playing hard. This was something I found when I used an Ashdown. However I always tried to use the passive input as it sounded better somehow, and controlled it from the input volume on the amp and controls on the bass. However, my Mark Bass doesn't have a choice so you just adjust the input gain control accordingly. The original Stingray manual from the 70s refers to the bass having a hotter output than many passive basses and thus needing potentially amp control adjustment to compensate - as people often play a two band Stingray with the tone controls cranked this is possibly true. Outboard powered pedals and preamps do indeed convert the signal to active.

I seem to recall Aston 'Family Man' Barrett of the Wailers played one - and to confound another internet theory - through an Acoustic 371 rig (yes - a solid state amp!!).

And how many instruments end up being dismantled for spares?

You should have been around in the 60s - some cars would barely last 4 yrs before they rusted to oblivion. It was only when Japanese production techniques and approach to providing all 'extras' in the price started to wreck traditional industries in the 70s (like the British car and motor cycle industries which were firmly rooted in the 'we'll give them what we want to give them' approach) that all makers had to bring themselves into the real world. Consumer products these days are light years ahead of 50 yrs ago and last a lot longer - when did you last see a seriously rusty car? De rigeur in the 60s - catastophically so for some makes - eg Vauxhall. As for basses, well there are a fraction of those compared to guitars, but makers are and have for years been struggling to sell new product against the vast amount in circulation. There are probably fewer 'kids' taking up the instrument than say in the 90s so the market may be shrinking anyway. I too am curious about the vintage thing. Back in the day, people in name bands were differentiated from the masses (who had copy instruments) by having name guitars - eg Fender or Gibson. These days the differentiator is the rarity of the vintage instruments they use. That said I wouldn't mind a vintage P and J!!

Fender once thought it was a good idea to produce a bass with 15 frets and a high C string. And what a bizarre, peculiar shaped instrument that was - longer than a P bass but much shorter neck. As a rare as rocking horse s@@t bass that is, I count myself blessed to have encountered one brand new in a shop around 1970 when I went to try out a new Precision (had the late 60s TV headstock). Needless to say I didn't play the bass V!!!

I even bought a bass from them a few years back - I got it out to photograph the headstock for another Basschat thread a few days back and was astonished the strings still sound fresh. Seriously though it's got a good stock and certainly had friendly staff last time I went - as with all places of this sort (eg Andertons), the best time to go to try instruments is when they are not busy (eg weekday morning - never Saturday!!).

I got a herringbone tweed flat cap - lots of people, especially of advancing years (like me) always perform in a hat - so I can now join in. Next step, a Persian rug to stand my rig and myself on - appears to be becoming de rigeur amongst many bands these days 😬😂👍

This is refreshing to hear. A 5 string is very useful for that - I once watched in awe Dave Marks playing jazz solos on a Stingray 5.

Haha!! This is true and Im sorry, i misread what you'd said!! 😀 I have to say Sir Duke is the ONLY tine I've needed to use top Eb - although the same player uses the top Db slid as part of an almost double stop upper part of Eb7 in I Wish (Jazz through an Alembic studio pre amp).

+1 It never ceases to amaze me how some of the @rseholes manage to retain their front teeth or avoid occassional black eyes!! Or perhaps they don't sack the more volatile personalities!! Seriously though, you've been treated pretty badly there. Move on to something better and definitely make use of the contacts you've made (such as gigs or even suitable musicians) in the future 👍

What a great looking Bass. Looks great - love the body figuring. What I'm wondering is how you managed to persuade Mrs H you really do need some more basses again! From your description this has come up used - where did you come across it?

You've clearly never had to play Sir Duke in its original key!! Until I played that song I could not see any sense in Fender basses having 20 frets!! The unison riff uses the top note (played brilliantly by Nate Watts - Precison through an Alembic pre amp). Top E flat is an unusual top note choice, particular since guitar-based music is often in E and A. Of course, the standard Fender scale was introduced way before guitar based music had taken over from keyboard or brass based music, they are that old!!! 😧 E flat is useful for the afore mentioned song, and a number of other Stevie Wonder songs. Of course, the Fender does also permit playing a high F7 triad or slid double stop, if you're so inclined. The 22 fret Sterlings, Stingray 5s (and now Stingray Specials) can be useful dependent on the key you're playing in - the Stingray with 21 seemed perfect to me in 1979 or so, especially play songs in E. I've always found the Bongo 5 with 24 frets a little more tricky - probably because of playing it less often - I find I can get a bit confused exactly where I am when playing above 12th/14th fret - as I say - entirely my fault - lack of practice. I'm sure 24 frets is great for soloing as well. 😬👍

That looks like a very bad replacement logo to me on a pre EB Stingray!! The 'Stingray Bass' bit looks hand scribed!!!

Congratulations @Lozz196 I hope you're enjoying that beauty. A good tip for the EQ on the 3 band is to cut the mid quite a bit, and boost the bass and treble a bit - gets close to the 2 band sound. Then use the Mid as a tone control - it cuts through more/ becomes more prominent as you increase the mid. Best of luck anyway.