Dingus

[quote name='thunderider' timestamp='1356799434' post='1913754'] dingus any attention is good attention for us bassests!! [/quote] [quote name='gub' timestamp='1356800507' post='1913764'] This sounds like the perfect gig for me , as my pout is better than my playing lol ! [/quote] Lets face it , anyone can learn how to play the bass but being beautiful is a gift from God . A bad player can have lessons , practise and improve but an ugly bastard will always be an ugly bastard .

[quote name='thunderider' timestamp='1356797995' post='1913730'] ok after watching totps xmas day,a lot of the singy birds seemed to have a "backing band"miming behind them,most seemed to be playing what looked tlike marcus miller fenders,or stingrays,410s or 810s..but just wondering what kind of heads the session bassests use?as for miming how does one get a gig doing this...as i am eyecandy!!! [/quote] I am eyecandy too , but only for women in receipt of Pension Credit nowadays . The miming musos are indeed proper players who are in the MU ect . This kind of TV and promotion miming is commonly referred to as "modelling work " in the industry . Good work if you can get it , and when you are as good looking as we are it would be a shame not to share that with the world .

I remember seeing this chap with Galliano back in the early nineties and thinking he was a wicked player . I seem to remember he was playing a Stingray . Similar to the above , I am not really into Incognito , but Ernie Mckone is a fantastic player .

[quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1356786221' post='1913568'] Bill Wyman is only going to be used for a "couple of songs" on the next Stones tour. Do Keef and Jagger think he's poor? Keef did record Sympathy's bassline whilst Bill played marracas... [/quote] Keef played quite a few bass parts on classic era Stones records , but I think that was mainly because of the erratic and often chaotic studio schedule the band had at the time - the band would be recording in the middle of the night when Bill wasn't there . Just as an aside , the beautiful sunburst Precision bass that Keith used on those tracks belongs to Dave Bronze now , given to him by Eric Clapton apparently .

I haven't encountered this situation myself - I have never owned a five string for a start - but I have met plenty of musos who see the five string bass as being emblematic of what they don't want in a bass guitarist i.e modern and adventurous and likely to play too much . Most musicians are traditionalists - their music harks back to a previous era , and unless that era is late 80s to turn of the millenium mainstream pop music then a five string is out of keeping with what they associate with the original music . I am not at all surprised , given the current trends towards retrospection and simplicity , that other musicians are looking askance at the five string bass , rightly or wrongly . Lots of pro gigs with signed bands nowadays would demand a four string , and probably a traditional - style one at that . I am not at all surprised that the o.p is encountering some degree of prejudice if he is turning up for auditions with a five string , I would be surprised if he wasn't . I have got a couple of friends who are successful pro players and they have worked with artists who not only dictated what kind of bass they use but also how high they adjust their strap - too high isn't rock and roll enough apparently . Plenty of gigs dictate what clothes you wear , so I would see dictating what bass you use merely as an extension of that kind of "styling" .

[quote name='mbellishment' timestamp='1356737331' post='1913181'] I think that was Stuart Copeland from The Police. I don't get why simple = poor? I like to riff and get busy, but I'm currently in a band that doesn't allow that, and to be honest it's quite tricky just staying in the pocket without putting runs in at every available opportunity. Cliff Williams is class! I think a poor bass player is a player who has no perspective for the song he/she's playing. One example, for anyone who likes a bit metal, is Opeth. They have a great bass player now, but on their first 2 albums they had this other guy who obviously had a lot of say in what went on. A lot of the quieter, more atmospheric moments of those albums are ruined by badly played slap bass and noodling which is also production wise, way up in the mix. Being busy and solid is great... being an egotistical fret w*nker is not... and that's what constitutes a poor player to me. [/quote] I totally agree that being a solid and uncomplicated player is just as important a skill as being an agile and flamboyant player on the bass guitar , probably more so , in fact . It is wrong however to equate all simplicity with virtue . Some bass players are straightforward , simple and brilliant like Cliff Williams - who as others have pointed out , is a big part of why that band have rocked so hard for so long- whereas some are not so much simple as just plain dull and idle . Having a career does not make you a good bass player , merely an employed one . You do not listen to someones career , you listen to their playing . Just because someone has a successful career as a bass player it does not mean in any way that they are neccesarilly a capable player .

I would look for a good condition used post 2008 American Standard , and the Basschat For Sale section is where I would look for it . Apart from being great basses , the added bonus would be that if for whatever reason you wanted rid , you could get your money back out of it with little or no depreciation .

To be fair to Nicky Wire , he has said himself on more than one occasion that he is a rubbish player . To me , there are far worse players out there than him , that's for sure .

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1356719113' post='1912939'] Let's not forget that this song is 16 years old so not that 'modern' [/quote] 16 years ago is still modern to me ! I have got shirts and underwear older than that ( no , really I have ) , and lets face it , not much has changed in that time - the Spice Girls are still crap and we have got a Conservative government . Paradoxically , the "modern " sound has been a bit old fashioned for a while now . To be contemporary nowadays you would probably favour a vintage Precisuion with flats on , or similar retro chic .

A whole host of modern hi tech hifi style basses will give you some approximation of this kind of sound . Something easily accessible like a decent Warwick would do fine if you wanted an affordable way to emulate this kind of tone . It sounds like a five string on the original track , and the extended range of a fiver is pretty much mandatory in modern RnB and neo- soul music nowadays .

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1356710163' post='1912775'] I'd agree about Noel Redding, though I heard that he was very reluctant to pick up bass. Mitch Mitchell though? no way - his playing has often spoilt the pleasure of listening to Hendrix for me, he sometimes plays as though he's not aware of being at the same gig. [/quote] I seem to remember that Hendrix was looking for a modern jazz -style drummer , so I think , for better or worse depending on your view , Mitch Mitchells style was intentionally busy .

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356710334' post='1912778'] I dont like any of the bands in question but disagree on all levels, the boring basslines were integral to the early Oasis and Coldplay. I cant beleive I am defending Cold Play [/quote] I am not a fan of any of those bands either Pete , but give me U2 over Oasis and Coldplay any day of the week . I honestly don't think I could discern ( and certainly not remember ) any bassline from any Oasis or Coldplay record . It's all a complete blank . I suppose that in itself is quite an achievement .

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356708811' post='1912747'] I guess if you look in a dictionary under contradiction they would of put this but it was too long? [/quote] I wouldn't put Adan Clayton in the same bracket as the other two because he makes so much more of a contribution to the sound of that band than the other two ( three ) have ever done to theirs . Show me a Coldplay or Oasis record where the bass is an integral part of the overall composition like it is on New Years Day , With Or Without You , Still Havent Found ect and several others I can't be bothered to name ,. It might be simple but it's memorable and often highly effective . The same cannot be said of the fellows out of Coldplay or Oasis , who have literally never played anything of any merit . Ever .

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1356706867' post='1912711'] Noel Redding was a guitarist who got lucky and joined Jimi Hendrix's band. His bass playing is duff. edit : and Mitch Mitchell was crap too. Supposedly Hendrix used to creep into the studio at 3 in the morning with other better musicians and record tracks - 'rainy day, dream away' being one of them where the bass is actually played on hammond organ by mike Finnigan and the drummer is Buddy Miles. [/quote] Cannot believe these comments about Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding . They were an integral part of the sound of Hendrixs records and made a huge contribution to the enduring legacy of Hendrixs music . Noel took to playing the bass like a natural and played better than most other bassists of the era , and Mitch Mitchells agile drumming style acted as a foil to Hendrixs histrionics on the guitar .

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1356646930' post='1912099'] ...is one of the most solid rock bassists out there and one hell of backing vocalist to boot. So, you're way off the mark there. [/quote] +1 on this comment on Michael Anthony of Van Halen . He's a superb hard rock bass player who is no slouch when the mood takes him . Listen to the first VH album and Michael plays some clever stuff throughout without ever cramping EVHs style or getting in the way . An underrated player in my estimation , and not poor by any stretch of the imagination .

It's a difficult call because I wouldn't call either them super bands in terms of their artistic achievement ( or lack thereof ) but special mention must firstly be given to the bass player out of Coldplay . He is desperately bad , and I think even he knows it . He looks like he is completly out of his depth and expects to be exposed as a fraud at any moment . The other notables are whoever occupied the bass chair in Oasis ( Giggsy and Andy Bell I suppose ) who similaly never played a worthwhile note , and didn't seem to care either . I always thought the bass player out of Pulp was awful too . In contrast to the bass players I have just mentioned who are genuinely reprehensible , I have to say that I think the criticisms of Adam Clayton are completley unwarranted . I think he is a very good bass player within the idiom in which he is working . He has played many memorable and inventive parts that serve U2s songs superbly well , he's got a great sound on a lot of those records and he knows how to come up with a great hook every now and again . He might not be Stanley Clarke, but his music ends up all the better for that .

From memory , the neck on the Aria is narrow but has some depth front to back . This excellent review gives the lowdown on this all - time classic bass : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6CxlKPi7-8&list=UUg1jR-OooZ8um3gAEvGYz7w&index=2

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1356700606' post='1912578'] Wal Custom fretless. Also not for sale I'm afraid. An old Ibanez from that period would be cool, similarly one of the Aria SB series. Oh and a Steinberger L2. Hen's teeth these days though and not cheap. P [/quote] +1 on Phils selection here . I remember 1983 vividly , and the Wal and the Steinberger were amongst the pantheon of "superbasses " that were well beyond my financial means at the time . You could add to that list a JD , an Ashley Pangbourn and a Status too . At the time , an Aria SB1000 or an Ibanez Musician bass were slightly more attainable - they had both in local music shops at the time - but still a bit beyond my own modest means . For what its worth , with the benefit of hindsight I actually think the Aria SB1000 is a better designed bass than many of the more exotic boutique basses of that time , and it's sound is equal to anything out there even in the present day in my opinion . Providing you dont mind the weight , if you see one in reasonable condition at a good price I would say that they are the best bang for your buck if you want a bass from 1983 that encapsulates the sound and spirit of the age . I got a JV Series Squier in 1983 and it was a lovely bass , but what I really wanted was an Aria SB1000 so I could tell the girls at school that I had the same bass as John Taylor out of Duran Duran . Anyone who was in their early teens at the time will know the power of that association .

That Kingbass is quite reminiscent of this :

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356533111' post='1910822'] David Hofstra is your man , Tracy did not join until 82 which is when the song became a hit but it was recorded and released in 81 a year before Hofstra left. [url="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waitresses"]http://en.m.wikipedi.../The_Waitresses[/url] [/quote] I remember this record when it came out , they used to play it on Radio 1 and I think it was a minor hit . It was indeed 1981 . Very abstract bassline . My favourite Christmas bassline is me playing Good King Wenceslas when I am pissed . The neighbours love it .

This is definitely an Alembic : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZelNczldEo

Funnilly enough , I thought it sounded very reminiscent of a Stingray when I posted it , but put it down to the mulled wine . Then I thought it must be an Alembic after all . I've just googled it and Flea says he thinks its a Stingray on the final track . Edit: The intro and the solo are the Alembic , the slap line is , as you quite rightly point out , a Stingray .

Any decent vintage-style Jazz Bass with hot pickups on is going to get you into the right territory to emulate this guys tone . Your amp setup looks to be more than apt to get a grindy but vintage sound . I've never heard of this lot before - its a bit too energetic for me - but this guy is a nifty and obviously very capable player . A PJ bass will sound a bit different to his Jazz setup , but not neccesarilly in a negative way ; the extra honk of the P pickup could give you your own version of this gritty modern rock tone thay seems so fashionable nowadays . To me this kind of tone owes a debt to Geddy Lee , but that's no bad thing . Just listened to some more - this fellow's a player ! Some very agile licks sneaking in in a very tasteful way . I can see why you would want him as a role model .

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1356407265' post='1910043'] Well, I'm a bit wary of Pre-CBS Fender snobs whipping up anti-Alembic sentiment too. Not to suggest you are the former at all but its always interesting to know where the information comes from. Can you cite any testimony from owners as evidence of more serious issues? I'm not aware of any Alembic owners mentioning neck laminations shifting apart from mistaken identity where the headstock laminations have been known to shrink at the joint with the neck producing a crack in the finish. This is nothing like a neck delaminating however. The bass continues to be perfectly robust and playable. I've had one like that. On the subject of electronics, the pickups have been known to crap out after 30 years and funnily enough, this is not unusual on any bass (including Fenders). The magnets just lose their strength. Nothing that can be done about that unfortunately, regardless of the quality of the bass. My Alembic has had the pickups replaced. The preamp can be serviced but Alembic owners tend to be fastidious...how much of that servicing has been to fix a specific fault and how much for normal stuff like pot cleaning just to keep the bass in tip top and noise free condition? [/quote] Come to think of it , the neck delamination thing [i]was [/i]something I read about on here during the heated debate about vintage Fenders , as you quite rightly point out . I certainly have no first hand experience of it myself , and I must have had my hands on at least a dozen 70s to early 80s Alembics with laminated necks in the last 20 years . Alembics are meticulously made basses , but thet are/ were also pioneering pieces of engineering , and so any long-term problems are not so much the fault of poor quality or shoddy workmanship , rather they would be as a result of a genuine lack of knowledge or forsight on what the long -term structural problems might be . Alembic might be master craftsmen , but expecting them to be able to see into the future might be a bit too much to ask . The shrinkage/cracking thing is certainly something I have encountered on other brands of basses with laminated necks and isn't exclusive to Alembic . Regarding the electronics , all electrics need some attention sooner or later , but the complexity of filter - based Alembics means that ideally that work would be done by Alembic or someone with some expertise with that brand . I haven't encountered an Alembic with clapped out pickups myself , but almost all of the pre -70s vintage Fenders I have played in recent times , particulaly the Jazz Basses , have had pickups that were well past their best just as you describe - microphonic , lacking bottom end and just plain knackered . I would anticipate that replacing the pickups on an Alembic ( with some more Alembic pickups ' of course ) would be relatively straightforward , just like any other bass . To me , Alembic is an truly iconic brand when it comes to basses , and I still get excited even just seeing one on t.v just like I did 30 odd years ago when I first became aware of them . I was crestfallen when I was forced to admit to myself that I would never be able to get along with one , short of getting a truly custom bass made to my specifications . I can still remember the first Alembics I ever saw in the flesh at the Bass Centre in Wapping in the mid 1980s , and playing a used Series 1 bass that had belonged to some famous player or other at one of the Shops on 38th Street when I first went to New York . Even if I don't own one , I'm glad basses like Alembic exist . I still might get one of the more modest modern models if the right deal came up . Even they sound great . I know Flea used the entry- level Epic on this track and it sounds ...like an Alembic ! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zgHGUfMQo[/media]