GrammeFriday

Quite. And nobody is talking about music education instead of core subjects such as Maths and Literacy - it is not either or. And what exactly are these mysterious 'life skills' that keep being mentioned here? Is it stuff like how to open a bank account or how to use Microsoft Office? Is that really all there is to education? What a dreary prospect. BTW I would include the human voice as a musical instrument - and that doesn't cost anything.

3-band all the way for me. Want a scooped sound? Just cut the mids right back. Getting lost in the mix, or need a really fat bridge pup fingerstyle sound? Boost the mids, roll off the treble, and boom. I use the mid knob so much that I cannot imagine playing my Ray without it. And having a side-mounted jack is also a major plus IMO - I hate front mounted jacks, and can't imagine why anyone would want to have a big fat ugly jack plug sticking out the front of their bass when they can have it neatly tucked away at the side.

Thanks, pfretrock - I will certainly be signing this. Sorry, Kerley, but your view of education is both impoverished and naive.

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1410294297' post='2548003'] Oh no.....i just saw this thread.....is rock dead or isn't it? [/quote] Rather than rely on Gene Simmonds for an answer to this question, let's ask some young people. For my 11-year old, the answer is an emphatic no - I just asked him, and he gave me the following list of rock bands that he is currently listening to: What Comes To Life Bridge To Grace Arrows To Athens Heaven's Basement Blameshift The Atlantic Girl On Fire Skillet Ra Three Days' Grace. I have hardly heard of any of these bands, and have no idea whether they are making a living out of their music, but I agree with flyfisher that what really matters is that my son has access to new bands playing the kind of stuff he likes - and that these bands are finding an audience. How is that worse than the 'good old days'? I've also asked my 13-year old the same question. He listens almost exclusively to electronic dance music and dubstep, and has suggested to me on several occasions that it would be great if I sold all my basses and bought an Ableton Push instead. I assumed that his answer to this question would be 'yes', but he said 'no, I like some rock as well'. BTW, music means as much to them as it did to me when I was their age. The 13-year old is already an accomplished drummer (he mostly plays along to Chase and Status on his headphones but can do 'rock' as well) and the 11-y-o is learning guitar, and can already play better than some adults I have been in bands with.

Mmmm ... Eggy peggy ...

Fair 'nuff!

I was into Rock back in the day, and Kiss were the biggest disappointment ever. I saw pictures of them before I heard anything by them, and my imagination went wild thinking about how evil and extreme they would sound. My benchmark was (and largely remains) Motorhead - i.e. bands were either more or less loud/fast/aggressive than them. I thought Kiss must be off the scale. So imagine my surprise when I did finally get to hear them - boring MOR rock of the tamest kind. Things are much better now - kids now have bands that do sound like Kiss should have done. My own personal favourite in this vein is Nails. Note how they reverse the Kiss appearance/reality disjunction altogether - totally unassuming-looking, but proper scary music: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg5K42gfbh8[/media]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1410286700' post='2547881'] I'm not too sure that I understand your meaning of "democratised music scene". Music [b]is[/b], or [b]was[/b], as far as I'm concerned "democratised". Generally speaking, if you show/ed exceptional ability on your instrument, were able to write stand-out songs, or had something interesting to say musically, then you would get on further than someone who failed in all those... if you've got it, you'll get on! If you haven't, you won't! I certainly wouldn't call that undemocratic. [/quote] What, like Kiss? Did Kiss show exceptional ability on their instruments? Nope. Were they able to write stand-out songs? Can't think of a single song title. Did they have something interesting to say musically? Oh, please!

I think I'll pass and wait for the Sid Vicious sig P. Only a matter of time, trust me.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1410278110' post='2547757'] And no-one at all can make a full time living out of creating music unless they already had a foot in the door by the end of the 90s. [/quote] No-one at all? Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?

Spot on, Flyfisher. I'll have the democratised music scene where everyone can participate, thanks - sorry, Gene!

What a prat.

This vid gives a very good idea of what you can do with a looper and an eBow - essentially it is a process of layering: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQPzCerudiw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQPzCerudiw[/url] OK, that wasn't on bass, but this is (eBow and looping action starts about halfway through): [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxrUYvsmr9U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxrUYvsmr9U[/url] +1 for the Ditto, BTW - I'd recommend the newer Ditto X2 as this has two footswitches (which is more of a boon that you might think, as it means you can have [size=3]dedicated on and off switches[/size][size=4]). [/size]

About a year ago I started having classical piano lessons again after a very long hiatus. I wouldn't say I am finding it more interesting than the bass, but I am finding it a hell of a lot more of a challenge. The piano is a fiendishly difficult instrument. I had forgotten how much stuff you have to pay attention to all at the same time. Right now I am struggling with pieces where one hand plays legato and the other plays more 'lifted' (not quite staccato), and then it swaps over after a bar or two, so that the legato line (which carries the melody) constantly shifts between left and right hand. Bloody hell! I'm really enjoying the challenge, but I must admit that when I plug the bass in after a piano practice session it feels like putting on a pair of comfy slippers. Aaahhhhh, that's better .... It's all good! PS To the OP - not sure what you mean by being able to create colours on the piano but not on the bass, but I wonder whether your problem might be solved by investing in a six string bass. More colour than you can shake a stick at there, and you've got about two thirds of a standard piano keyboard under your fingers.

Pete bought my Sandberg TM4 fretless. Super nice guy, great comms, very flexible (he suggested we meet half way between Bristol and Brum for handover, which was great). A total pleasure to trade with from start to finish.

Sunbeams!

Yes, liking the look of Grinds too.

Stunning! Congratulations!

[b]Very[/b] happy owner of two Kingstons here - an Andrew Gouche 5 (bought new from Bass Direct) and a KZ6 (used, from eBay). I'm afraid I've never owned or even played an Artist, but I can offer some general comments on each of your categories based on the basses I do own, and on other Kingstons that I have tried out (specifically, the Saratoga and the CRB): [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Build quality: [/color][/font] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Excellent. Extremely solid construction, super-tight neck pockets, very nicely finished. QC is way better than, say, Fender - perhaps because they make in smaller volumes and can pay closer attention. Don't be put off by the fact that production shifted from Korea to China a few years ago - I'd say that the general fit and finish of my Gouche 5 (which was made in China) is even better than that of my KZ6 (which was manufactured in Korea). [/color][/font] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]B-string: [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]BOOM! Big, loud, very, very clear, and eminently usable even beyond the 12th fret. It probably helps that both of my Kingstons are 35" scale (as is the Artist, I think), but I was also very impressed by the Bs on the Saratoga and CRB, both of which are 34. I'd say the CRB is the best sounding 5-string P-style bass I've ever tried, and it's only £500 new! [/font][/color] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Neck: [/color][/font] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Sublime. All Kingstons have the MTD asymmetric neck shape, and words cannot express how nice this is. I instantly fell in love with the MTD neck shape the moment I tried it, and now really find anything else a bit of a let down or a compromise. As you probably know, the profile is fatter on the low strings and thinner on the thin strings. This has been a real revelation for me in terms of cleaning up my left hand technique - my thumb stays nicely on the back of the neck without wrapping round, without me ever having to think about it - it just happens naturally. And I no longer feel any strain or cramp or tiredness in my left hand, even after a long playing session. I really cannot overemphasise how nice MTD necks are. It's also worth noting that I recently acquired a secondhand USA MTD 535-24, and the neck feels exactly the same, so it's clear that the Kingstons are made to essentially the same spec - and the feel is pretty much indistinguishable between the two. [/color][/font] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Overall tone: [/font][/color][font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]Looking at the big fat exposed pole piece humbucker on the Artist, I guess the tone will be very different from my two Kingstons, which have soapbars. Both of mine have a really huge range of tones - in fact they can do pretty much any sound except for the Stingray sound, and I think only the Stingray can deliver that anyway - though it would be interesting to see how close the Artist gets to it - please give us a report if you do buy one! As for overall tone, mine are so varied and versatile that it's hard to say, except that they are both very clear and well defined instruments, if that makes any sense. I suppose that is what people mean when they say MTDs sound 'HiFi' - you can actually hear the notes properly! [/color][/font] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"] [/color][/font] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Versatility[/font][/color] [font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]The Gouche is the most versatile bass I have ever owned. It is a real swiss army knife instrument, and a real godsend for the covers band that I play in, which plays a very diverse range of stuff. Again, not so helpful re. your possible purchase of an Artist, but FWIW anyway! [/color][/font]

You're right - Peavey basses are criminally underrated. Been gassing for a Cirrus 6er for a while now...

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1409658612' post='2541895'] ... go into a big music shop like PMT or GuitarGuitar and let him choose! [/quote] +1. My son chose the Mustang after trying out a whole bunch of stuff in PMT Brum.

My 11-year old is learning on a Squier Vintage Modified Mustang: http://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier/series/vintage-modified/vintage-modified-mustang-rosewood-fingerboard-vintage-white/ He loves it and I love it too - in fact am currently finding it more fun to play than my own Les Paul! The neck in particular is really top notch - amazingly good for a sub £300 guitar. The only bad thing about it is the bridge saddles, which rattled like billy-o. I took it to our local luthier who swapped it out for a proper Fender Mustang bridge - only cost about £20, and elevated the guitar from a good cheapie to something really rather special. I am sure my son will be playing this one for many years to come - but if he ever decides to sell it, I will be first in the queue to buy it off him!

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1409674420' post='2542115'] buy a Japanese Fender. you will never look back. [/quote] Also good advice. My Japanese Fender Jazz was (and still is) a fantastic bass - only sold it cos I now only play 5/6 stringers.

As a long-term lower back pain sufferer, I say a thousand thank yous!