White Cloud

[quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1390834612' post='2350040'] I am also of the opinion that a good bass guitar will always be better than me as I learn [/quote] Rich...always remember that the bass guitar is nothing without you. The name playing it matters...not the name on the headstock! It reminds me of the old Jaco story...an admirer stood listening to him burning up and down the neck and said "wow man, that bass sounds amazing!" - Jaco promptly put the bass of doom down and stepped away from it...he then looked at the fan and said "Yeah...how good does it sound now!".

Sigh, yet another signature model from our friends at Fender/Squier......

Well, in my opinion.....................

Must it be a vintage Fender? I never ever say never say never...ever - because if you do ever say never say never ever [i]you are limiting yourself. [/i]Does that make sense? There are plenty of [i]other builders[/i] who generally [i]make better Fenders[/i] than Fender. Have you tried them? If so why not try them before you spend your cash/

[quote name='MarkW' timestamp='1390689827' post='2348418'] So, having never owned (or even played) a fretless in my life, I bought one a few weeks ago out of curiosity. It's nothing fancy, just a basic Cort 4-string, but it has been nothing less than a revelation. I have played it exclusively for the last couple of months, and it's the most intuitive bass-playing experience I've ever had. The notes just seem to fall under my fingers, and the feel of flats is gorgeous! [/quote] This post should read "fretless dalliance has made everything better". You have woken up...welcome to the future my friend!

I admire Ibanez for putting this out there. In my opinion it isn't the prettiest single cut that I have seen - but beauty is in the the eye of the.........

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1390512269' post='2346350'] It's Patrice Mine is an '88 and it's certainly not moved in the 10 or so years I've owned it. [/quote] Whoops...sorry Mr Vigier.

[quote name='E sharp' timestamp='1390508415' post='2346279'] Patrick Vigier thinks a trussrod is detrimental to sound . [/quote] Mmmm...that is Patricks belief - but the vast majority of beliefs are emotionally based opinions. To be fair I owned a Vigier graphite necked Arpege back in the day, it had no truss rod and the neck was totally reliable and stable. It was an incredible instrument.

Lovely player is Steve...

For me the best Fender bass on the market by a mile. Not only one but two...congratulations!

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1390261873' post='2343449'] Problem is, i am left handed [/quote] Right, for you left is right and right is wrong...right?

[quote name='BassManGraham' timestamp='1373205559' post='2134656'] Ok Kiwi fair point. I have amended my post in light of your comments. It doesn't have the multiple layered exotic woods of the higher range Alembics, but it is beautifully put together and plays a quite a bit like one. [/quote] Rudy was inspired after playing a friends Alembic - this inspired the design of the Peavey Sarzo.

In my experience the joy of desire is usually spoiled by the reality of acquisition and ownership.

[quote name='marcus bell' timestamp='1390233089' post='2342909'] Look at that price tag [/quote] .................but it's Neil Murrays bass!

Yes I have that particular T-Shirt in various colours.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1390148932' post='2341943'] Would you pay it - or would it put you off going into shops that did such? [/quote] Eh, no and yes. Any shop implementing this would be sure to lose my custom

[quote name='Marc1t' timestamp='1390147481' post='2341925'] not sure I hope so as Iv already said I cant afford lessons at the moment Cheers all. [/quote] Marc, some of the most prominent players in rock have never had a lesson or can read music. You don't need someone to tell you how to do it...just pick it up and play it! If you need inspiration listen to your favourite players (or watch them) - and remember this...you don't need to be a shredder to be a great bassist. Don't be scared..[i].have fun. [/i]

Mick Karn was one of the [i]TRUE[/i] greats of the instrument....because he had vision, creativity and had the guts to put it out there. Music is art, there are no rules...and Mick Karn painted richly textured tapestries of sound on the bass that most can only aspire to.

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1390056524' post='2340976'] After all I should. I'm a 'rocker' and he ticks all the boxes. I grew up on stuff like this. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, AC/DC. And that was back in the day when they weren't just churning it out to pay off the ex wives. But, Alice Cooper's never seemed to float my boat and I could never quite pin down the reason. [/quote] Dude, if you don't know then I sure don't know....[i]you know![/i]

Without wishing to be controversial how good can a Bravewood be realistically? The Fender bass designs are so simplistic...how can any well built variant not be a great success. If you want the well worn look surely a Fender road worn will suffice?

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1390044032' post='2340777'] I'd certainly support the 'listen' sentiments above. That was what got me into bass in the first place from a very early age. For some reason I would always pick hour the bass lines to songs and hum along to that rather than the melody. No idea why. When my parents bought me my first guitar it was the inevitable six string acoustic and I used it to play along to the bass lines of my favourite songs. It was a long time before I got my first proper bass, which I also used to play along with my favourite songs, especially improvising my own walking baselines over blues songs. I used to play with school friends as well but looking back it was desperately amateur stuff, but great fun. My first 'proper' band didn't happen until I was in my 30s. So, listen to stuff and play along to stuff and have fun doing it. If you can find like-minded people to play with then all the better. [/quote] Superb post!

[quote name='Marc1t' timestamp='1390036763' post='2340673'] Hi All apart from my introduction this is my first post. I would say I'm a beginner bass player though I have some very limited experience playing with other musicians but that was a long time ago iv got most of the gear i need to get started but dont know any other musicians , I cant read music but do have some knowledge of scales a bit of theory & how music is arranged just what I learnt really, I really cant afford lessons & only have a few books for reference, seen few good tips on you tube, but most seem to be guys doing covers showboating how good they are some are! but that's no good to me. Forgive me if my questions are bassic no pun intended but I would like to at least get to a stage ware I can play along to a few songs with relative ease I'm not quite sure how to achieve this is it a case of learning note for note parrot fashion from tab or ear? Surly this would take forever. or learning the chords & making it up? would it sound right? I just don't know? Music seems like a bewildering world & I don't want to get frustrated by learning all the wrong stuff & have to undo the mistakes & start again. Any tips greatly appreciated no matter how small> Thanks Marc [/quote] Marc, here is my tuppence worth. The overriding thing that strikes me about your post is[i] Fear[/i] and [i]Apprehension.[/i]...[i]relax! [/i] Music is fun - just enjoy the journey. Listen to everything, watch every bassist that you see...play, play and play. It reminds me of a story - When I started I lived in a very small village in the middle of the highlands of Scotland...no computers, no youtube, no ipods...no colour tv - but I had vinyl and a little record player. I spent endless hours picking up the needle of it and listening over and over to songs to pick out the basslines in the most basic of ways. I was later told that this is transcribing...but the word that describes the experience is of no relevance. I thought I had arrived as a player until I saw Stan Clarke on the "old grey whistle test" - so I practiced and practiced. I thought I had it nailed then I saw Mark King on "the Tube" - so I practiced and practiced. a few years ago I thought I had it nailed until I saw Hadrien Feraud - so I still practice and practice. Practice makes perfect. Model the great players...of which there are thousands. [i]Have fun[/i]!

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1389991950' post='2340434'] I always wanted to try his Peavey Palladium. Apparently it was a great bass and a steal at circa £300 at the time? [/quote] I almost pulled the trigger on a couple over the years on fleabay..but was outbid on each occasion. They have a wonderful reputation. I owned one of the Czech made original Dean Jeff Berlin models, it sounded beautiful and played like a dream. It had the slimmest neck I have ever played - but suffered from "constant truss rod adjustment syndrome" as a consequence!

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1389963667' post='2340005'] Just be polite and decline, you'll never get started in music if your worrying about upsetting people. I've been to loads of auditions recently, turned some bands down, others have turned me down. I don't get upset or annoyed... just move on to the next one [/quote] This is great advice.