uk_lefty

Depends on which models and when from I guess? As a right hander you've got a lot more options, but my simple way of looking at it is this: I've got a 2019 MiM precision neck on my Bitsa and it's lovely, very very good. I tried out a new MIA Jazz in a shop a few months back and it was light years ahead. It feels like there's no finish on it, and I think from looking at the woodgrain it must be this "quarter-sawn" business that gets spoken about. It felt like there was no finish on it at all, nice and thin, very fast. The MiM neck is a huge improvement on the rubbish they made in the 90s but the MIA feels premium. Hope that helps

We need a thread of recordings of good settings....

It's great isn't it? Speeding up and slowing down the sequencer, altering the pitch, it's great. I used a few settings with the band the other night and it was great. The synth sits really nicely under the guitars, it's not in-your-face, and the bass guitar sound still pushes through very clearly and nicely. I'm impressed. Going to use it on my next gig on Fri, hopefully can record it and see how it goes.

So far I've not found that sort of thing but I've been digging into the strings synth bits. But this is a synth pedal and not an envelope filter so a dedicated envelope filter might be better for what you need? The SY1 is sensitive to playing dynamics, it behaves differently in different settings but I'm yet to work it out.

Hi there, I went for the MarkBass wedge thingy. It's worked out pretty well. I've only used it in rehearsal so far but my gig on Friday has good PA support so I may use it there so I've only got to take one cab. I wasn't to sure about some of the amp stands, taking the weight and handling the vibrations.

Yowzer. Sold for over £1,400. I know it's old and you don't see many but seriously?! Can you imagine a Squier Bronco you can get for £200 now going for over a grand in 30 years?

Jeez the previous two posts have made me try to find a vomit and crying reaction thingy...

Hi Gaz. Only had mine a while but I like it a lot. Used it with the band first time last night. I think putting a driven signal through it helps on some settings, just roughs up the sound a bit. My signal chain has a Helix Stomp, followed by a Full Boost, then a bass Wah, then the SY1. It is happy at the end of the chain. A bit of chorus going in to it is good on some settings but not all. I've not yet tried the SY1 at the start of the chain.

My bands of recent years have done Weddings and Functions for good fees but also do the pubs because playing two sets in a pub is a doddle in comparison. You play for less time, set up is quick and easy, you can test out new songs, it's fun, you take a lot less money but if you're good people remember you and ask you to do their 50th birthdays, Weddings, etc. Unless they're turning away functions paying fantastic money every week then I don't see why they'd turn their nose up at pub gigs.

I saw Tankus the Henge in the centre of Kingston back when I lived there 2012ish. They were amazing. I've seen lots of originals bands live but they are one that grab your attention and are memorable still 10years later.

Suppose I shouldn't ever mention on Facebook that the only times I've ever depped (3 in total) it's always been for £0. Can't recall even being bought a pint, actually. Still, I enjoyed it and it helped out some friends, and that's why I did it.

That's brilliant.

Yeah that's a bit sad. Surely it's easier to ignore it rather than be rude to the guy, he's just trying to get a dep in.

The real issue I suppose is would you as a dep either be experienced enough to just turn up and play (v experienced player), or have the time to put in to learning a set (different keys, song endings, etc. Time spent depends on experience as a player and of the set list) just for £50?

No, £250-£300 for pubs in Hertfordshire IME.

All pedals are "right handed"... Wait! Let me explain. You input on the right side of the pedal, output to the left so the signal flows right to left, the opposite to how you *should* be reading this. It's just wrong. Also, it means I have to do my wah pedal with the wrong foot. Unless o want lengths and lengths of cable to wire it up so I can lay it out in a way that feels right to me. I think this is because I'm left handed, it seems backwards, though right handers may feel the same? I dunno.

They can't be accused of a Fender rip off... Interesting designs, would be interesting to play one.

I've just hooked up an abandoned expression pedal..... Holy moly. This is fun.

The Desert Penguins play The George in Hoddesdon on Friday 21st January. Expect guitar driven pop, big drum noises, a fantastic singer and frontman, and a left handed bassist.

Interesting one here.... Why do some basses sound much clearer playing harmonics? What is it that REALLY influences good, clear, bell-like harmonics ringing out long loud and clear? Obviously fresh round wound strings help, but I'm hearing big differences between my basses. The clearest of all is my five string fretless. It's wearing stainless steel round wounds but it always sounds good for harmonics even with old flats. Is it the massive rosewood fretboard with no speedbumps, the very stiff maple neck (dual truss rod), the swamp ash body? If P basses don't usually produce good harmonics why did my MIJ Fender P sound so good for them? Alder body, massive thick maple neck, Steve Harris signature SD pickup? Curious as to thoughts on this. Not that I do more than mess about with harmonics but when I play my fretless I just can't help but throw in harmonics a lot because they sound so good on that bass. On my Jack Casady, no chance. My Stingray is just ok for harmonics, it doesn't inspire me to throw them in when I go off on one despite it being my "best built" bass.

Your hat is very much safe.

I pre ordered a case on Gear4music before Xmas and it got delivered on NYE, so it's now able to leave the house. I gigged the bass for the first half on Friday. We had some PA and feedback issues and I occasionally felt some feedback coming through but I had to have my amp up high. I wore a sweatband on my forearm which helped me avoid the edge of the body digging into my arm, I was wearing the bass high on the strap. Next up is to get it fully set up with some new flatwounds and lower the strap slightly. It is such a comfortable bass to play and so uncomplicated with its single pup and three way switch, but just so effective. A really fun bass to take out!

Fender Musicmaster on fleabay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fender-musicmaster-bass-/175102386921?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Well, I took the plunge. I got one of these for a good deal on eBay just before Christmas. I've not had a lot of chance to fully explore the unit but I've fiddled with most of the presets to find something I will use in my set. So far it's been very promising. Good stuff straight off: It's so simple to use. Choose one of the synth settings like Bass, or Strings, then number 1-11 for which variant, fiddle with the tone and depth to get it where you want it. Of you like the sound take a photo on your phone and label it! Couldn't be easier. A lot of the sounds are usable, not squelchy weird mess, but usable synth sounds from recognisable pop records. You can make them weird if you want. There's also some weird stuff I'd never use too, but others might love. So what am I going to do? Well, it's already inspired one addition to the band set list with one of the sounds. It's also going to let me add some stuff for passages in songs that will just lift things up. For example, locked out of heaven by Bruno Mars has a slower pre chorus but with a synth sound that I would call a "soft fuzz", I'm going to do something on this unit that's soft fuzz with a bit of octave up, it will just elevate things from "guitar sound" and keep things interesting. Will try it with the band on Weds and then possibly a gig a week on Fri if all goes well. This is how I see the pedal being used, for me at least, elevating some passages of pop songs that need a synth sound to prevent it feeling empty in quieter or slower sections. This can often happen with pop covers, something feels missing and if you really listen there's often a synth somewhere hidden in the track that holds everything together. This pedal won't give me that subtlety, far from it, but it should do enough to keep things lively and interesting. I'll try to record some bits with it and share in here.

Have you tidied them all away as best as possible? If you're still tripping over one, check the bass is ok, don't worry about your foot pointing the wrong way. If you're tripping over one and damaging the bass you have too many.