molan

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='311011' date='Oct 21 2008, 08:58 AM']P-bass previously owned by Sid Vicious. I went in and queried the provenance, but they seemed pretty damned sure about it. What does it look like?[/quote] I spotted this last week - I think 'totally f##ked' describes it quite well - didn't look playable to me and the controls looked completely knackered.

I know you mentioned the guitarist's acoustic but if it's horrible then I have a Status Electro you could borrow. It's very playable, feels like a 'proper' bass but sounds very acoustic like. Piezo only version and a single soundhole so looks kinda like an acoustic as well Looks like the one on the left in this shot:

How about something high end & American: Roscoe MTD Zon Pedulla etc. Some of these wouldn't be available new for your budget but they do pop up on the used market from time to time

Slightly before my time (but not much!) - always thought he looked like a great bass man:

[quote name='ianwild16' post='309665' date='Oct 19 2008, 09:26 AM']Fancied a change last night and decided on the spot to use a plectrum all night and change the tone settings on my amp. Made the gig more interesting...! I usually use my index and middle fingers to pluck the strings. I normally have my bass tone set with extra bass and no treble. Last night turned down the bass and boosted the treble. I was suprised to find a liked the results, especially when all the band was playing. I found I could hear myself better. My plucking hand got a bit tired half way through the 2nd set, but mainly because a couldn't decide if i was going to just use downstrokes, or alternate up & down strokes. Nobody else in the band noticed a change....![/quote] Sounds like fun - I love it when you change loads of stuff & think it makes a real difference and no-one else in the band notices a thing

[quote name='steantval' post='308853' date='Oct 17 2008, 06:59 PM']The reason why a lot of the big live acts from way back (Toto, Foreigner, Tod Rundgren, Uriah Heep) are touring again is because people are becoming sick of the same old dross being played by the current crop of over hyped bands, and want to see seasoned musicians/vocalists who can actually play live.[/quote] I hadn't spotted that Todd was over, thanks for that Last tour was great - didn't play a single one of his 'hits' from what I remember which upset a few people but we thought he was really good.

Squier have been making in Korea for a while I think. In fact I have a vague memory that some early Squiers had a Fender logo on the headstock with a smaller Squier one as well (but maybe I'm just imagining that!). Korean made Laklands are great, I'd rate them ahead of some US made Fenders in terms of consistency. £760 sounds like a lot of money for a non USA Fender unless it's up to Lakland spec in terms of parts and build quality?

I think the combos go for silly money to guitarists, not sure they are that great for modern day bass use. Heads are a different matter of course.

Just got home from the Propaganda in Fleet, Hants. Fun gig really, dragged the Roscoe out & got a surprising amount of comments about how 'pretty' it looked Ran it through the MarkBass 121 & 1x15 and sound on stage was really good. Haven't gigged any of these before so very happy all round really. Singer away for a month and a couple of sloppy intros but not anything really nasty

My valve tech called me last night and said that he removed each valve. cleaned all the contacts and put some sort of contact grease stuff on them & says it sounds much better just doing this - he's testing to make sure there's nothing else wrong but is recommending I try it again with just the overall clean up & service carried out. Worth trying anyway

[quote name='OldGit' post='306886' date='Oct 15 2008, 10:00 AM']Ah, silly me! I was looking for a track called "Breakfast with Alice" [/quote] Sorry that was my fault - Planet Rock's breakfast DJ is Alice Cooper & his show is called "Breakfast with Alice". To be honest he gets on my tits & is seriously unfunny, some of his supposed jokes & puns are awful but he plays some good stuff at times, bit repetitive & obvious choices but better than Capital or Radio 1! Woke up to SAHB's Faith Healer the other day, now there's a great lead guitar sound, I love Zal Cleminson's SG tone from that era

Studio version here: [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OGzwNdTVHJo"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OGzwNdTVHJo[/url] Bass fill with that sound I was on about around 1:20 & then through chorus

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='306862' date='Oct 15 2008, 09:38 AM']Sigh!! I bet you think Guns N Roses are good too? (Clue: they're not!)[/quote] As it happens I do like Duff's bass sound - again, not anything I'd use personally but I like on a lot of Use Your Illusion Intro to You Could Be Mine is a favourite. . .

Ok, so this is not exactly either my favourite song ever or my favourite bass sound but I heard this on the radio (good old 'breakfast with Alice') and wondered how they got that distinctive bass sound that appears higher in the mix every now and then? I found this about Ross Valory who's their main bass man: "Ross Lamont Valory (born February 2, 1949 in San Francisco, California) is Journey's noted bass player. Along with Neal Schon, he is the only original member of the band still performing with the group. Aside from his termination from the group during the "Raised on Radio" album sessions (and subsequent tour) in 1986, Ross has played on all of Journey's albums. He was replaced on bass in the studio by Bob Glaub and for the "Raised on Radio" tour by famed American Idol judge Randy Jackson. In a band that creates its vibe with haunting bass lines and bass and chord contrasts, he plays an essential role. One of the innovations that Ross Valory uses (it is not known if he is the inventor) is to string a four-string bass with the bottom four strings of a 5-string set. Thus, instead of the usual 4-string arrangement--E-A-D-G--his bass is strung as B-E-A-D. This adds the five string depth to the songs, while allowing the quick fingering of a four-string neck."

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120317671109&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...ME:B:SS:GB:1123[/url] Don't see many of these around!

But at least I'm planning to go to the Bull & Butcher

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='305584' date='Oct 13 2008, 04:09 PM']Nice shirt You'd only have squandered the money on food and drink. Thinking about it, if you mistook our horn section for a string section, isn't that something of an indictment of our sound guy? [/quote] More likely the house PA - I've run that desk before & it was full of dodgy wiring. I seem to remember an odd 3 monitor system on one channel & a single one on the other side. i was always afraid of the nasty mis-matched impedances!

Easy - less strings Shame my favourite bands when I started playing were Yes & Genesis, that put paid to my 'bass is easier to learn' thoughts pretty rapidly

I just found some pics from a gig when we played at the Torrington, didn't even know I had these! It was my 40th birthday I think (which is why I was allowed to wear a different coloured shirt than the usual 'all black' gear, lol). I think we were a 9-10 piece at the time so no money for us either