uk_lefty

I bought a Kramer five string fretless from musicyo for my eighteenth. I paid a third and my parents paid a third each. I wanted a quality bass to replace my tanglewood p that I had learned on. I was in a very good band (I was the weaker link by a long way) and just heard Pearl Jam Ten proving fretless can work in rock. The opportunity to buy a lefty five string fretless at a low price was just too good to turn down. I've been through loads of basses since but this one will always stay. Learned so much on that bass and it still surprises me every now and then

Have often fancied one but can't quite bring myself to it. I enjoy the Beatles but have not learned any of their songs on bass other than come together. Can't help feel it's only for tribute bands due to the distinctive looks, though I know the sound is distinctive and what should count more. I'm shallow. Most people don't even know what a bass is.

Rondo music do solid body uke basses at a typically low price. There's also loads of child size electric basses on eBay (New). Unfortunately no idea of quality on these, but hope you get something ideal soon.

Nice! Always secretly fancied one of these. How do you find the pickups? Quite an odd one to put flats on.

We're going more 80's with the new songs we're adding. I play a Hohner B2A (headless, naturally), and will be bringing out my fretless Kramer for some songs that need it and some that don't. Those are the 80's-ist basses I have. I use a Hartke VXL, Mooer thunderball, Jim Dunlop bass wah, need to add a chorus and an octaver. All goes in to either a Trace Elliot, an Ashdown or a Peavey depending. Typically we play bluesy rock stuff and my P-Bass covers that. We did a shortened set for an event recently and played an hour of "stuff to dance to" and covered it all with my jazz bass for the versatility without wasting time changing instruments between songs.

Radiohead or the Doors. Maybe the clash. Red hot chillis to an extent. Hard to pick a favourite.

Started on bass for usual reasons, all my mates at school played guitar, I could write lyrics but was no singer... So bass it was! Later took to guitar after a chance encounter with an ex pro guitarist who told me to learn guitar so that I understood chords, he was shocked I hadn't started on guitar. Bought an acoustic and have done some duo stuff where I have played guitar but always have and always will considered myself a bass player who owns a guitar, not a bass or guitar player.

Good tip! I think the plan is to create a page for the band where we can put out some "teasers" of twenty to thirty seconds of some songs so people can see/ hear what we are about. It's just whether anyone on our kind of local band level has found this successful, or is it best to use it to then embed tunes to a Facebook page and the actual soundcloud page isn't as important....?

Interesting thought came to me... My band uses sound cloud to share jams, good and bad so we can listen to them through the week and work on specific parts. We have a handful of random people listening to these and "liking" some songs. Probably with them being covers they're searched for a lot. Is this a good idea? People can hear some pretty ropey sessions this way! My main point is - is soundcloud a good way to promote the band? Any tips on getting the best from this? We are a local covers band who do festivals and parties, etc. Not looking for the big-time, but want to add a few new venues to our regular gig list. Thanks

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1472679405' post='3123322'] Also, a touch of Wishbass about it. One of the higher spec ones, obviously [/quote] Beat me to it. I expect actual workmanship went in to the wal though

My band is looking to cover some 80s songs which have nice synthy bass lines. I'm trying to get a "softer" synth or fuzz sound but struggling with the current set up. I have a mooer thunderball fuzz which is too harsh for the sound I want, also an old zoom 506 which has wacky synths I just can't get on with. Are there any budget recommendations for the softer 80s synth tones?

Yes and No. I am a big believer in changing strings to get something different out of the bass before looking to modify. Flats on a jazz sound very different to rounds. In the past I've played a Warwick bass, Warwick black label strings through a Warwick amp and that worked best for me. I like fender strings on a fender jazz (flats or rounds) for the low price but found they wore out quickly, then I tried EB slinkies and pyramid funk stainless and got something more fitting what I need. I also like la bellas and DRs. My headless bass has ghs strings... I guess it's the cheaper way to experiment with your bass. Next up one of my basses is going to be strung BEAD with old flats.

[quote name='josie' timestamp='1471550242' post='3113962'] my 3yo grandson insists on carefully playing all the guitars every time he comes round. [/quote] Yes!!! I wouldn't put my basses away when the nephews and niece visited and I won't have them out of bounds for my child either. I think if kids are told they're not allowed to pick them up and have a play they won't become interested in music.

My wife likes some guitars but five basses and an acoustic guitar in the living room has admittedly got too much. She has encouraged me to spend on nice instruments that will last and are visually striking as well as sounding good. I am trying to convince her that our first born will be a left handed bass player but she isn't getting that yet. Amusingly I have her my bass the other day and tried to teach her the basic riff from another one bites the dust. She took to it and at one point said "explain that again, I'm going to get really angry if I don't get this perfect!" Which was a lovely moment

You've given me a great idea!

Interesting topic. I think if the band is having a good time, is reasonably competent and is playing to its audience then the audience will enjoy it and will forgive or not notice a whole list of issues and 'could have been betters'. I watch a pub band for the "knees up" and I think there's a level of acceptance among audiences that you are getting entertained by someone who is likely doing this for fun as much as money

The back cover has sold me a copy, looking forward to it

If only there was a well stocked left handed bass shop, like a more exclusive Ned Flanders leftorium... In near twenty years of playing I only ever tried my first bass (didn't even know how to play or what to listen out for) and my most recent purchase where I tried one in a shop but bought a similar one online. It's brutal out there for us kack-handers.

Dings don't bother me... this is just a really long dull patch that spoils a quite attractive bass and looks like someone was wearing a punk spiky wristband while thrashing the living sh!t out of the bass with a grass rake for a pick! The natural dings and wear are part of what the bass is - a 20 yr old instrument that rarely gets treated to travel in a case

On Saturday "my" band is playing at Magnafest, a charity festival in aid of Help for Heroes which is on in the village of Walkern (near Stevenage) at the White Lion. We are on at 5pm on Saturday, but loads of other groups on all through the weekend.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1470433260' post='3106044'] Exactly. And mine's white. [/quote] White precisions look the absolute nuts!! Jazz basses with as much chrome on them as possible likewise.

You often see these with random makes coming up on eBay. There used to be a German outlet doing double neck fretted and fretless which looked cool. I'd go for one

Nice!

Yes looks are important. I had a period when my only bass was my very 80s hair metal Kramer fretless... Didn't get the jazz gig I went for and got some odd looks. I couldn't play a single-cut or coffee table bass with my current band. I use a "traditional" looking p bass, have whipped out the headless cricket bat bass which went down ok, and will play the next short gig with a jazz.

Agree on the partnership viewpoint. Having been on both sides of this fence it's frustrating when only one party is making the effort. Nowadays with social media it should be easier to get word out to your own followers but the venue needs to be making equal effort through their Facebook, Twitter, local paper and local radio - but being a late change I'm not sure they can get all of those in place in time. Do they usually have Sunday afternoon gigs? It's a nice idea but its not going to be a world beater unless they have an established Sunday afternoon drinking and listening to live bands regime. Can't imagine it would go down well at a carvery.