Dingus

Has anybody else noticed that stainless steel Elites don't seem to be as good as they used to be back in the day ? They used to stay bright for ages , and were a real bargain for the very reasonable money they cost . I started using other strings and then went back to them after a few years and now they seem totally different - they seem to die off really quickly compared to what they used to , and don't sound as good even when they are new .I know GHS used to make them for the Bass Centre , I wonder if that is still the case or if they are now from a different supplier , or else from the same supplier but to an inferior spec . Is it just me or has anybody else noticed it ?

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1363543735' post='2013897'] PS big hair (as in permed) and spandex - nooo way, with Metallica and Megadeth. We're not talking Poison or Motley Crue or Van Halen here - we're talking Thrash!! [/quote] You're talking Northern California in the 80's / early 90's there , rather than the Sunset Strip , so that would explain the difference . They pride themselves on being a bit more sensible up there , so no spandex . I am not a fan of Metallica or Megadeath myself - to me it always just sounded like a bloody racket for 14 year old boys to punish their parents with - but it certainly takes some serious skills to play that relentlessly , so good luck to them .

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1363542588' post='2013870'] LOOL! I don't care much about long hair, honest, or I would sport a long, luscious mane myself (my gym/pool routine put paid to it long ago). It's David's metal god status that sets him aside, combover or no combover . Time flies for all of us... He's been one of my bass idols since - well - forever. As a heavy metal fan in the 80s, you had Metallica with Cliff and then Jason, and Megadeth with David. All others, from Maiden's Steve and even Sabbath's Geezer to everybody else in the genre, were a tiny little bit less god-like to me. \m/ \m/ [/quote] No! You've got it all the wrong way round ! The Seventies was when metal really rocked , before Americans with big hair and spandex ruined it . Geezer is .. the geezer when it comes to metal bass playing , and Steve Harris is a colossus too . To be fair , Dave Ellefson is an excellent player , but as a sex symbol he is substantially far behind someone likes James Lomenzo , or myself .

[quote name='BassPimp66' timestamp='1363542360' post='2013863'] This looks like any jazz bass deluxe with extra leds by Sims. It does not look anything special, and I bet it does not sound anything special. Pure rip off, trying to squeeze something off MK's talent. [/quote] I seem to remember Mark King afficionado and authority Nick Smith AKA. Doctor Of The Bass saying around that time that MK had abandoned the Fenders because they were literally falling to bits by the time he had finished playing them . Admittedly , MK looks to be pretty hard on his basses , but nevertheless , it doesn't bode well . I can personally confirm that there is absolutely nothing special about the sound of these basses .

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1362860898' post='2005557'] Nice blog, Sylvia. Looking closley at that pic of you with David Ellefson....do you think he has the beginnings of a combover going on there? Aaargh! :-0 [/quote] Definite combover . I honestly don't know what you girls see in him .

[quote name='Shockwave' timestamp='1362334240' post='1998540'] Here it is! Brubaker Brute MJXSC4. The new Singlecut import. Lovely electronics and fit and finish overall. The action is pretty damn low, though might have to shim it to get any noticeably lower. The MM pup really sings in this. An excellent Musicman alternative. The hardware is rock solid. Either way its a nice entry into the Singlecut world, will I keep it? Who knows! Tom Richards (Who was the guy selling them on the Bassdirect stand) Was a lovely chap and I hope he enjoyed his stay in blighty! The neck join is a real deep bolt on. Very interesting. This could be one of the first Brute SC's sold in the UK though I would have to get confirmation from Tom about that. R [/quote] [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1362334597' post='1998544'] Ask your wife not to damage it too much as she beats you to death with it..JOOI what type of case will it come in if you bequeath it to me?? [/quote] That deep-set neck joint was actually designed with spousal abuse in mind - Shockwave's wife can beat him with it as hard as she likes and the bass should be fine .

In the early 2000s the ones Fender U.K had left over that hadn't sold were offered to dealers at a knock -down price to get rid of them . Anyone who pays £4075 of your English pounds ( yes , that's £4075 ! ) or anything close to that for one of these either doesn't know much or needs their head examining

Just had a look at the Ebay link - HOW MUCH ?!!!! Someone is taking the piss . I would give you maybe £750 for it ( and that's over the odds because of the rarity value ) for one if I wanted one , which I don't .

I remember these , I've played one at the time , let me see what I can remember ! If I recall correctly , these were a special run of blue American Deluxe Jazz Basses that Fender U.K arranged to have customised to the same spec as Mark King's basses by SIMS , who added LEDs and shaved down the neck a bit . MK had just relaunched his solo career ( Bitter Moon ? ) and was sporting a more back-to-basics setup with a blue Fender as his main bass and Ashdown amps . There was some dissatisfaction from some people who bought them at the time over the usual Fender quality control foibles , but the one I played was just a perfectly decent but ordinary American Deluxe Jazz Bass , but nothing special except for the skinnier neck and the LEDs , which myself personally I couldn't care less about , and the same for any association with Mark King . I got offered this one I played at a hefty discount from a friend in the trade about a year or so after the initial release , and I remeber one or two others cropping up with money off them around that time after the initial rush of interest . Presumably not all of the limited run were snapped up by eager punters , and after MK moved on to his next bass ( GB? ) public interest will have waned even further . I wouldn't pay any premium for one of these as a collectors item myself .

[quote name='Funkslut' timestamp='1363498188' post='2013352'] Thanks for everyones input It is much appreciated...Does anyone have thoughts on the different pick up configurations ? I am leaning towards the H mainly because it wont take me too far out of my comfort zone & I am not sure that the HH won't get a bit overcrowded with options ! [/quote] The H is fantastic , but sounds more similar to a Stingray than the other configurations . It's not exactly the same , but the HH and HS are far more different to a 'Ray , let me put it like that . The H only has a three band E.Q , whereas the two pickup models have a four band , so that is also something to consider if you are desperate for a four band E.Q - I think the three band on the H is fine on that bass , but the four band helps give a nice midrange edge to the sound of the HH and HS. I like the HH Bongo best , but all of them ,including the single H , sound wicked . You really can't go wrong in terms of sound whichever you choose .

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1363480227' post='2013313'] I struggle to think of any better bass player to have ever lived than Anthony Jackson. There's plenty of other bass players I really prefer listening to in most other contexts but for me the definition of virtuoso belongs to him so much more than any other player to have been mentioned in this thread so far, nothing constrains him technically or musically, he is in my mind the kind of bass player that [i]could[/i] be classed as the greatest of all time. Tom Jenkinson's bass playing bores me so much, but his music is some of my absolute favourite music of all time, I wouldn't care if he ever picked up a bass guitar ever again because he doesn't need it to translate his ideas and musicality. He is a genius. [/quote] +1 on those sentiments about Anthony Jackson . He's the guv'nor in my book , a kind of Pope for bass players . He thinks differently than anyone else , and he thinks better than anyone else . A true master , easily equal in stature and importance to Stanley Clarke or Jaco Pastorius , who are far more widely celebrated than Anthony . I'm not just talking about his work on the six string contrabass either - I love his work in the 1970s when he just played a Fender but with a sound and a style that was all his own : [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbD0gvaVGWI[/media] Also interesting that you don't like Tom Jenkinson's bass playing but you do like Squarepusher's music . I think his bass playing is o.k and he is obviously a very capable player at what he does but at the same time I don't think he is anything special in the scheme of things . I wouldn't describe him as a virtuoso . Squarepusher, on the other hand , is not my cup of tea at all . I've tried hard to like it , but it's just not my thing .

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1363506180' post='2013368'] Has anyone mentioned the large haired one? [media]http://youtu.be/vl9OKddQBRg[/media] [/quote] That mullet that Tony Franklin is rocking in this video is currently under investegation by the U.N's War Crimes Comission .

[quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1363512948' post='2013417'] Listening to some of this it quickly becomes apparent that one mans ripe banana's is another mans lemon. For me it's Buckethead, evern breaks a string halfway through and still carries on.......true Gunsligeeeeeeee. [media]http://youtu.be/m8C8fD6zWXM[/media] [/quote] Wow , he calls himself Buckethead ... and he's got a bucket on his head !

And this man isn't exactly lacking in self-confidence either : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm3JKrv_Rak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZelNczldEo

This guy is definitely a gunslinger : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KalvRr4FMn0

Those songs are a lot of fun to play . Hope you enjoy yourself .

Here's one of them . This fellow seems to do a reasonable job : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF59AFRPW3g

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1363447403' post='2012861'] How in god's name did I forget Tony!! Total gunslinger virtuoso! [/quote] He's even more of an inspiration to me since I f***ed my hair up !

And then there's the mighty Anthony Jackson : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rxYw7Y45Eo

Is Tony Levin a gunslinger ? He's got the skill , confidence and true style in his understatement , so I would say he is , albeit in his own unique way : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i037HTohUhw

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1363444324' post='2012816'] No love for Nathan East? He's one of the best. There's also Willie Weeks. I wouldn't describe him as a virtuoso, just a really great player. Just been watching Zev Katz on Daryl's House. A new name to me but a perfect player. Nate Watts, Reggie McBride, Michael Rhodes and Travis Carlton.... there's no end to the list....! [/quote] Well here you've hit on a bit of a snag , Chris . What about players like the ones you mention - not neccesarilly flashy soloists or attention grabbers but fantastically tasteful and skilled players ? Their virtuosity lies in their subtlety , but I don't know how that fits with Nige's criteria .

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1363443150' post='2012789'] IMO, Claypool should not be included, he's not a virtuoso schooled player, neither is Flea. [/quote] I would have to agree with you on both counts , but I think they might just scrape in some peoples estimation by virtue of their up-and-at-em attitude to playing .Similaly with Squarepusher , he plays a lot of notes and has ability , but a virtuoso ? Not in a million years . The thing that divides those players and those who have a higher level of ability is musical knowledge , and by that term " knowledge " I would include the taste and judgement to know what to do with what they know for the best effect . Great chops and great feel , in other words .

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1363439797' post='2012721'] Totally agree with all of the above. For me Jeff Berlin was my main inspiration in my formative years back in the 80's...and he is still a master of the electric 4 string. Most overlook him because of his truculence and outspoken views - but he is a monster. My favorite fretless player is Percy Jones, another totally overlooked (and British) monster player! Why all of the UK based bass guitar publications constantly ignore him is beyond me, he should be celebrated. [/quote] Jeff Berlin's playing with Bruford had real fire to it - he's a phenomenal player - and he is a great sideman , but his solo albums are a bit of a dissappointment to me . Percy Jones is great , too . The problem with so many brilliant bass players is that they fail to find a suitable environment to best showcase their skills . Both Jeff Berlin and Percy Jones have suffered because of this , in my opinion .

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1363439871' post='2012724'] Japanese, women's clothing. [/quote] Big Red X ?