uk_lefty

I know nothing. But it looks awesome!

I sincerely hope he has not done any of these things, that he was just the innocent childlike person he portrayed. That would mean that no children were harmed.

No idea but there's an eBay seller has been trying for best part of six months to sell a five string Corvette (lefty) and has dropped to £400, I think he's now opened up to offers. It's a lot of bass for that money, sadly not one that I would play or have room to store just in case I suddenly start to get on with their necks.

It's an odd one and I really don't know which way to go on it. I don't think this new documentary changes my opinion that he more than likely did do all these things and probably a lot more. I have played Smooth Criminal and Billy Jean in the past while holding the same opinion of MJ. However there is this tendency for public outrage now more than ever and I don't want my band to be blacklisted or bad-mouthed for playing a good song written by a terrible person. All you need is a slow news day and an over ambitious local news reporter and all of a sudden a few bad Facebook comments become a story in the local rag distributed to thousands with your picture included. If we still had any MJ in our set we would be discussing dropping it, and I don't think Beat It will be back on the "to learn" list soon. So protecting myself and my band from an expected bad reaction takes away the need for me to make up my own mind on the issue - I still don't know where to go on it. Just the other day this whole "mute R Kelly" movement made me realise that Bump n Grind is probably a dodgy choice, as much as I like the sheer tackiness of the song that could make it a good cover for parties... the safest thing in my view is to stay away, regardless of how great some of MJ's tunes may have been.

There's a lot of chancers about. You'll get people selling a "rare" "custom" "handmade" bottom of the range Stagg bass asking for £300 next to the ad for a new one at £99. You'll get people who bought something for a price and want to recover that rather than take a big hit. Then you get chancers assuming someone is as stupid as them. It's not just guitars it's all kinds of stuff where people buy and sell. What skews things is when you see top quality German Warwick's struggling to sell for peanuts but bidding on shabby condition Westone Thunders go past £250 it just doesn't seem to stack up to me but I guess there are trends that go around. Link it to fashion, high street shops are selling 90's "look" clothes (they aren't exactly 90's style but inspired by I'd say). Then consider bass buyers, those with a few hundred quid to buy a third or fourth spare bass, are we mostly aged 35+ and so nostalgic about the great basses of the 70's and now 80's? Aria Superbass, headless basses, Precision Elites, etc. Just my opinion with no actual research except loo breaks spent trawling eBay.

Apologies I wasn't saying don't discuss it, thats not what I meant! Clumsy wording. Suppose what I should have said was if enough people don't think it's good value they won't buy it and then the line may change or end. I guess that it might not last very long, of it didn't have the support from those of us who buy, and discuss (!!), Basses.

Thanks everyone. Shortly after making this topic I got a promo email with big discounts on wireless systems. I've reached a bit further in to my pocket and got a Line 6 G75 on the way. My guitarist, who recently bought a G30 full price, is feeling a bit left out, bless him. I've got to the point with gear where I want to buy once and (stop laughing at the back) never again. Here's hoping!

For various reasons I'm looking for a wireless system. I can't seem to find anywhere good info on what the relative merits are for wireless systems around now for bassists. I've looked at the likes of Line 6 G30, the Samson bass unit... Then there's things like Xvive and others. I'm looking to spend around £100 and happy with second hand. Any recommendations very welcome. I play both active and passive basses so it needs to be able to take an active bass without creating hiss. I've seen all the very cheap stuff on eBay and I'm guessing they're a waste of money.

I get it! There could be so much else going on though. Whenever I rehearse through an Ampeg SVT with 8x10 I really, really struggle to hear myself at all! No volume or definition, yet it's a legendary amp. I think it's the rooms and the EQ'ing and my proximity to the amp. Am sure if I gigged one it would be a different situation. With regards active basses I never got on with 2 band actives but three bands make more sense to me.

Not sure what all the fuss is about. They aren't discontinuing the V3 and V7 for it and will probably only make a small number of V10s. If you don't think it's good value, don't buy one. I have had a Vintage V7 as my main gigging bass for a while and the bridge and tuners have held up fine. I admit they could be better but I haven't yet felt the need to upgrade.

The best drummer I ever played with was also the best all round musician I ever met. He didn't play loads of instruments, he was dedicated to his drums, but he thought in major detail about song structure and dynamics etc. We played in a three piece with an egotistical guitarist/ singer who had the ability on guitar to back up his arrogance. Me and the drummer were left to jam under his improvised solos and we got to a point where we could drop out for odd beats and come back in without even eye contact. It was magical stuff. He made me a much better bassist ... The guitarist did to, but the drummer wanted to make me betters the guitarist wanted me to keep up! What made him good? Dedication to his instrument but always in the context of the song.

What if the sound person just had a sudden bout of food poisoning? There's no contingency to run the night! Surely someone working there, or in one of the bands can run a PA? Understand you/ the other band don't want to deliberately offend someone. If the band had written something truly and directly offensive then I get it but this is a misunderstanding so surely the venue should have tried to soldier on? Bad venue I reckon if they didn't even try to check the facts or continue the night.

Second hand Hofner ignition or any of the copies of it. Harley Benton do a shorty p bass that lots of people like too. Ibanez do the Talman in lefty too. Rondo music often has some weird and wonderful stuff also

It won't make much difference. It's not the scale you're changing, just the length... If you follow. The distance between each and every fret is scaled down on a short scale, if you drop tune your long scale and just play a little bit further down then yes, you are playing the closer together frets but so what? I really can't see it making much difference apart from being a bit of a mind-fudge when the muscle memory wants to go one way but your ears are telling you something else and finally the brain catches up and you've missed the note anyway (well, that's what would happen to me!). I say just buy a cheap short scale to see if you like short scales and take it from there.

They look pretty good. A hint of Retrovibe about them. The Re:belle series that is... Some of the others don't look up to much at all, sadly

I've had a parcel force driver decide to sign for the delivery himself and leave a 3 foot long parcel at the doorway to a posh block of flats just off central Leicester. Needless to say the parcel was not there when I got back from work. A few days later the marketing reception (they handnt sold all the flats) had taken in the parcel and they eventually tracked me down - the flat was rented by the company I was working for so they didn't have the names of the occupants. I called parcelforce and pulled their leg saying it was irreplaceable family items of sentimental value, their £250 compo was nowhere near sufficient. After the poor girl on the end of the phone had sufficiently sh!t herself I came clean and said actually I have got it, through luck more than anything, but that driver needs firing... Out of a flipping cannon!

Depends. She could recover the cost if she divorces the relevant band member.

I just worry our fan might buy a ticket for the festival and end up disappointed.

Same has happened with us. We are on the promo video for a (paid) festival. We were the first band on, got excellent reviews on the festival Facebook page, haven't been asked back. But they use some shots of us including video. It annoys me that they haven't asked us, yet they use video of us... We can't play it anyway but you still want to be asked.

This is how revolutions start

A wipe down with a dry cloth before going in the case then a cleaning solution when I get home or the next day. I have an alcohol rub type thingy, might be planet waves. I bought it when I was at Uni so it's been going well over ten years. Probably 12 or 13 now I think about it. A few drops on a cloth, rub down the strings and you're sorted.

I use a dish sponge as a string mute on my P bass occasionally. Now I just have nylon coated strings. They last forever. Save money on effects pedals and all that paraphernalia by buying a decent multi and learning how to use it. I learned that a few months back. Made a profit on my old gear and have far more possible effects combos at the end of my toes. The excellent multi effect unit cost me just £100 on BC market place. Save your strings by cleaning them at the end of practice/ gigs. Of you like a bright sound this is a must. If you want a muddy, thuddy sound, and there's nothing wrong with that, then save on vintage amps/ pickups and basses by just never, ever cleaning your strings. Save loads more money by never going in to guitar shops. Ever. Especially if you've just had an unexpected tax rebate. You might end up with a brand new stingray. They ain't cheap.

I have always listed after Ibanez basses, they're bound to be excellently put together. I have got a Sire Vintage V7 though, and got it with options that you just can't find off the shelf in lefty basses under a grand. It was my main gigging bass from the day it arrived until the day a Stingray arrived... Excellent value basses, great feel, very versatile pre amp that's easy for someone like me who isn't great with active electronics. Still, feel is so much more important than any other factors. I'd say go for which one gave you the biggest grin when playing.