Born 2B Mild

[quote name='mcgraham' post='333956' date='Nov 21 2008, 04:27 PM']Bargainous! I don't mind spending around 10 quid a month for an album per month anyway, so considering what it would allow me to download is great. I'll have to look into that. Are there any drawbacks? Does anyone know if iTunes do anything similar? Mark[/quote] Not every album ever recorded is on Napster, but in practice, it has 95% of what you look for. Occasionally, you come across an artist that doesn't allow downloads (like The Beatles) but it's pretty rare. There is one thing that some will consider is a drawback ...you have to use Napstet To Go compatible players. If you like Creative players, then that's easy, but there's a list of all makes and models. However, Apple ipods are completely out of the frame (which is an Apple thing). Critics will also point out that the downloads aren't for keeps. This is true, but here's how I see it. This is like having a subscription to a library ...stop subscribing and you take your books back. Meanwhile you can borrow as many tracks as you like. Plus, every now and then, we come across an album that we just [u]have [/u]to own. Sometimes I'll pay for them on Napster, but I'm more likely to route out an online bargain for a CD. I've been doing it for a year and a half and feel my musical knowledge and enjoyment has gone up leaps and bounds.

[quote name='mcgraham' post='333931' date='Nov 21 2008, 03:54 PM']How much does this service cost per month? Mark[/quote] £12.95 per month. You can download to three PCs and three mp3 players. My wife uses it within my subs, and she sings in a choir, and she finds it useful to download recordings of whatever her choral society is rehearsing. One of my lads used it for a while too, but his player broke.

I subcribe to [url="http://www.napster.co.uk/ntg.html"]Napster To Go[/url], which means I can legitimately download as many albums I like. I find this a great way of trying things out. This week I downloaded and am enjoying... Razorlight 'Slipway Fires' Status Quo 'Pictures: 40 years of hits' Ryan Adams 'Cardinology' Robert Wyatt 'Rock Bottom' Joey Ryan 'with its roots above and its branches below' Motown Legacy: The songs of Norman Whitfield' But I didn't like some others, such as Katey Melua, so I deleted them. As I type, I am downloading the new Dido and Girls Aloud albums.

On one of my multi-effects units, I'm enjoying the tremelo (based on a Vox AC15) effect. I'll be moving this unit on soon, but am interested in getting a stomp for keeping that nice vintage sound (works sooooo nice with flats ). So, forgive my ignorance, but can any old tremelo pedal work for bass, or what?

Can I suggest a few [u]principles[/u], rather than actual models? Forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know, but here goes... 1) [b]Buy used[/b]. Your budget will buy a bass that may have retailed at £800 to £1200, and if you find it doesn't turn out to be your dream axe, then you should get what you paid for it 2) Use your [b]research[/b] period wisely. You are already doing this by posting here, but watch various 5 stringers sell on eBay to get an idea of market price, plus go twang as many basses you can get your hands on (irrespective of price). 3) Be [b]open minded[/b]. Don't be swayed by brands or even price. I bought a spare 5 string for £100 recently, and it fits one band I'm in better than its more expensive rack-mates. 3) Determine [b]what spec[/b] is important. e.g. 34" or 35"? Humbucker style or single pole style? Active or Passive? Good luck, and tell us what you plumped for in the end!

So has anyone got some hands-on experience of these ALDEN creations yet? And if the eBay vendor is not recommended, is there an alternative source to buy?

Maybe it's time I put up my Behringher bass chorus pedal, then. If I time it right, it might go for more than the cost of the battery.

After having both wah pedals and auto-wah, I've come down decisively on the side of the later. Once your right hand gets used to it, you can have a lot of control of the wah effect, simply by varying how hard you pluck/pull. I like the Mu-Tron simulator on the Bass Pod XT for example.

[quote name='ped' post='326674' date='Nov 11 2008, 12:36 PM']Hi mate, Nice to meet you on Sunday and thanks for the ideas. I am going to discuss them with kiwi as I am sure they can be implemented easily. All the ideas so far have been great. I am not sure we need to do anything especially new other than keeping the forum running and maintained. Cheers ped[/quote] T'was good to meet with you & Machines, too. Now Bass Day is over for this year, can you [i]please [/i]remove the tortuous 'string winding' banner!!!!!

Two suggestions for improving things... 1] IMHO Basschat's prime plot is the "[b]View New Posts[/b]" As we get more popular , it takes a fair bit of time to scroll ...just to catch up on the last couple of hours. This can be potentially de-cluttered. I suggest postings of a more administrative nature to be automatically kept out of this zone. How it's done, I'm not sure, but Feedback postings are not newsworthy. Another is when an item is sold/withdrawn from the For Sale forums. A tick box that the OP can activate to indicate the thread is closed, could then take it out of the View New Posts window. 2] And then there's the [b]Feedback[/b] business. It is not being used consistently, so either it becomes more user-friendly/encouraged or we scrap it. Otherwise, I think Basschat is the best thing since roundwound strings, and all who are behind it deserve a massive pat on the back. ([i]cue applause and ...cut[/i])

[quote name='Thunderthumbs' post='324724' date='Nov 8 2008, 11:13 AM']So how's everyone going to recognise each other on the day then?[/quote] We should all buy and wear a BC tee off Ped, then go up to each other and introduce ourselves. Until I buy the shirt, I'll be wearing a Violent Femmes tee. It worked before, didn't it Yorks5stringer?

My Shuttle 6.0 is the (perceived) loudest amp I've had, though not the greatest RMS watts, so a more powerful version doesn't interest me. Also, I don't need anymore EQ adjustments, as the Shuttle sounds great as it is. Sure there could be future refinements (like better feet, built in dual compressor, L.E.D. Tuning, headphone cut out etc.) but if I were Genz-Benz, I'd be looking at taking on the small combo market that Phil Jones Bass and Mark Bass do well in, rather than getting bigger and heavier. It'll end up like hatchback cars ...the new Polos are bigger than earlier Golfs.

I can't believe you have all been taken in by the Bass Cellar. It's not a real shop. ([i]whispers a clue[/i]... Illya Kuryakin, Mr Waverley, Napoleon Solo ...comprendez?) :brow:

My Washburn AB10 went recently to Bergen, as it has now been adopted by BC's MrWalker.

Well, I hope the vendor gets a decent price. It's always an uphill struggle to realise a price that matches with the actual quality of the bass. For new(ish) luthiers, it must be a Catch-22 situation to become recognised, as commissions are not so easy to get from those who have half a mind on resale value. But the world of art is littered with those that persevered and didn't make it when in time. "Starry, Starry night..."

Is this a Basschatter's instrument [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130264294925&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting"]on eBay?[/url] Anyone know owt about these?

I'm loving all this GB porn. I've not noticed any block inlays yet. Any one know if Bernie will accomodate such a preference?

[quote name='Stingray5' post='311640' date='Oct 21 2008, 10:22 PM']Wishbone Ash / Focus / The Groundhogs @ Shepherds Bush Empire next week.[/quote] Me too, except on Friday in Harrogate. I'll go on my own as I don't know anyone else as old & sad as me!

Having read this thread, I wandered down to Specsavers this afternoon and sneaked an instant appointment whilst the audiologist was waiting for a late customer. The result is I've had moulds taken and a pair of clear ER15s ordered. £160 on delivery in a month. I don't need any help to keep me broke, but Basschat finds me new ways all the time!

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='309777' date='Oct 19 2008, 12:37 PM']Ringing in my ears after the last couple of gigs, so time to get some custom fit earplugs done I think. Anyone use [url="http://www.sensorcom.com/product.asp?P_ID=1298&PT_ID=271"]these ones[/url]? £99 inc getting the moulds done. Seems like a good deal - all the others seem to be £160.[/quote] No, but if you ever get them, please do us a review!

A big difference, I find, in car/bass transportation, is the use of gig bags instead of hard cases. I'll get cases in boots in gig bags where a hard case will not fit. I only use hard cases when my gear is in the band's trailer with all the other gear. In a car. a well padded gig bag is perfectly adequate. I notice in the latest issue of BGM a range of hybrid gig bags that look neat [url="http://www.monocase.com/mono-bass-guitar.asp"]http://www.monocase.com/mono-bass-guitar.asp[/url] I have a compact estate BUT I get my gig rig in the boot WITH the spring-loaded cover pulled across. This included two 35" neck bass guitars in gig bags, plus triple stand, two cabs & amp. But then, I have purposely chosen a lightweight rig (Shuttle & Bergantinos).

[quote name='ardi100' post='308067' date='Oct 16 2008, 06:44 PM']Has anyone else cut the extra string, thinking smugly to themselves how much more superior they are, then found out it doesn't wind even once and won't hold tune and therefore is entirely wasted and you need to go and buy another string but you're recording and you've only just got enough time so you leg it down to the local (overpriced) music shop and buy another single (overpriced and unmatching) string and ever since have a minor anxiety attack every time you go to cut the extra length? No? Me neither![/quote] I did that ONCE. Talk about 'once bitten' ...I'm too paranoid to let it happen again!

[quote name='andyonbass' post='307419' date='Oct 15 2008, 09:55 PM']Have you tried searching the [url="http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/spectorbassclub/"]Spector Bass club[/url]?[/quote] I didn't know about this either! Have now joined to see what it's like.