Dingus

You should start your own band , Milty. You're young enough , you've got plenty of energy and lots of ideas . And being from Northern Ireland will help get you on Radio 1 . They love to go out of their way to be "minority regional" at every oppotunity , so take advantage. I fully expect next years Radio 1 Big Weekend to be held in cow shed on the Outer Hebrides while Radio 1 DJs wax lyricalk about how vital and vibrant the local music scene is and thousands of teenage music fans try and stave off hypothermia whilst raving to the latest and hippest bands . You could be playing bass in one of them .

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1383181704' post='2261383'] Milty's Irish..? [/quote] He claims to be , but may be using it purely for comic effect in his videos .

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1383240006' post='2262038'] My guess is Warwick think the Rock Bass is the answer. But the RB is not in the same league by a mile. [/quote] If you want a Warwick , you want the real deal . They are exceptionally good-sounding basses in certain instances , but the nice ones are so stratospherically priced in the U.K now that it really makes no sense to buy one . You could get a Wal or even a Fodera for the kind of money they are asking for some of the upmarket models . It's too much to pay for a ( very good) mass production, factory-made bass like that . Add in the poor resale value of the new ones and you can see why they aren't on many people's buying list anymore .

[quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1382909997' post='2258004'] This is 2013 - not 1913. [/quote] But women are drinking like they did in the gin palaces of 1813, and suffering terrible consequences as a result . As well as being annoying . That is my point . I have the welfare of Britain's women at heart.

[quote name='erisu' timestamp='1383238003' post='2262003'] Getting very interested in Warwick basses now, especially for their tone! Has anyone successfully bought a new German made Warwick from UK over this past year? I know there's a lot of stock problems with Warwicks. Emailed GAK the other day but they said they don't stock them any more even though they were listed as one of the dealers. I've emailed Playawayguitars.co.uk just now so just waiting for them to get back to me regards to availability and prices. Thanks all! [/quote] Warwick have essentially priced themselves out of the U.K market and alienated a lot if not all of their existing dealers in the process, going by what I have read on Basschat . Shame, because I would love to buy a German-made Warwick myself, and if and when they slash their prices by half I will probably do so.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1383239074' post='2262023'] The long blonde hair and sunglasses, lame, I'll pass. [/quote] Maybe he's a visually impared Swedish transexual . There are plenty of them out there.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1383212435' post='2261502'] There seems to be a shocking lack of bass representation in schools if this thred is anything to go by... Think I might donate one to my local school... [/quote] Why do you think this country is going down the toilet ? Because kids don't learn the value of bass at school , that's why , and subsequently have no foundation in life . If the National Cirriculum had a bit of Sly and Robbie on it and if every pupil who went out into the World at sixteen could at least knock out a couple of rudimentary reggae basslines then we would be far better equipped as a nation to cope with the challenges of the 21st Century. At my school we had an Ibanez Blazer , but that got nicked one night and was replaced with a Westone Thunder 1. The amp was an HH guitar amp. I remember every week in music lessons the teacher would focus on a different instrument and ask if anyone played it . When we got to the bass one week my mates cajoled me to get up and play , and I played some basslines from chart songs of the day and it went down a storm . Happy memories . Where did it all go wrong ?

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383229034' post='2261843'] Regarding playing in a classic rock covers band goes, I thought pretty my the same as you. It's the music I grew up to loads of fantastic songs that 30 years on I am still enjoying. All the really hard work has been done for us so we can spend the time really working on the other aspects of being in a band. The reality wasn't quite the same and ultimately I found it to be a somewhat depressing experience. There was little of the drive that most originals bands have, and some of my favourite songs have been ruined forever to point where I can't enjoy listening to the originals any more. Maybe your experience would be different and you'd have a great time, Mine wasn't and it has made me value what I get out of being in a band where I have a major creative input all the more. Secondly why do you think your chance at being a rock star has gone forever? Is it because you have different priorities in your life now and the amount of work you need to put in to being in an originals band is simply incompatible with the other things you want to do with your life, or is it just because you are in your 40s? From what I can see these days the music business has changed so much that the small amount of opportunities that used to exist in the 60s 70s and 80s are massively diminished no matter what age you are. [/quote] I wholeheartedly agree that learning songs you love is a very good way to fall out of love with them to the extent that you never want to hear them again , but by the same token , learning songs note -for -note like the original by ear has helped me improve my skills on the bass and as a musician immeasurably , so it's a price I am prepared to pay . ( Having said that, though , one I have learned the original I often play my own version of the line , depending on how integral the original bassline is to the song) . At the same time , the last thing I want to do is be prescriptive for anybody else , and if it makes someone unhappy to play covers then , of course, don't do it. The thing about playing original music is that in most instances , the culture surrounding pop music is such that it is the domain of younger people . Not exclusively, of course, and there are plenty of older sidemen in backing bands , but in terms of new and original bands , there are not many that become established acts who are much older than their early thirties , unless they are made up mainly of musicians who have already become successful earlier in their careers. If you want to make original music then you can do that with like-minded people at any age and in any circumstances , but if your ambition for an original band includes getting a record deal, doing tours and gaining an widespread audience then age can be an insurmountable barrier . It shouldn't be that way, not least of all because rock music is an increasingly middle-aged art form ( it's actually drawing its' pension , and so is a large proportion of its' audience) , but all kind of reasons , it is still an age-obsessed industry that excludes and discriminates on that basis. It's crazy , but that's the way it is.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1383162467' post='2261104'] Fender strings are made by D'Addario, but Fender strings are not merely repackaged D'Addarios, i.e. Fender flats are not Chromes. [/quote] I have some recollection that Fender strings were made by D'Addario until very recently , but Fender have subsequently changed their supplier in the last couple of years and the more recent strings are much less to the liking of many people who had previously been fans of Fender strings. Widespread consensus seems to be that Fender roundwounds are definitely changed beyond all recognition from what they were.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1383221538' post='2261676'] They're very good, but are they any match for the original in terms of the energy produced on the stage? . [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMUJkauJ-mM[/media] Can't understand why some of the posts here are so deferential, they are very good at what they do but any good musician should be able to do that. It's the singer who's the rare one. I have nothing against covers and tribute bands, but I do find it depressing when people think that it's something to aspire to. It's not the same as classical orchestras and jazz bands playing others' compositions because they are keeping the music alive and bringing it to new audiences, it's more often out of love and duty I think. Cover bands are often doing it for kicks and money from what I can tell, more taking than giving, an easy way to play at being the rock star without the creativity, effort and uncertainty of going out there with original music. There's a sad emptiness to it in some respects. Tribute bands seem to be more born from obsession so I feel better disposed towards them than cover bands. [/quote] Covers bands and tribute bands are something to aspire to if you want to and enjoy playing that music. I don't find that at all depressing myself. I certainly don't want to go see a tribute band myself , but if I got offered the chance to play the part of Geezer Butler in the Kossovo Albanian Black Sabbath or similar and they were a competent outfit then I would jump at the chance. I 've played in covers bands in the past and enjoyed it tremendously, on the whole. Playing other artist's songs presents a whole other set of challenges as a musician . There is nothing demeaning about that. I might not want to watch a classic rock covers band , but I would love to be playing in one, and probably soon will be again . Is that wrong? It's exciting and interesting for most folks to see a live band when they go out for an evening , especially compared to music from a jukebox or D.J . What could possibly be wrong with that ? There will always be a place for that , and it's a perfectly respectable creative avenue for any musician . What I can say with absolute certainty is that playing covers for an audience forced me to improve my playing in all kinds of ways , so it was great practice in that respect. I'm certainly not playing at being a rock star , exactly the opposite in fact. I'm accepting the unavoidable truth that I am in my fourties and that that chance is gone forever, but I still need to play music and so need to find a suitable outlet . Time conquers us all. And as for sad emptiness , I see plenty of that in original artists and their music , quite a lot of which gains mass acceptance and even acclaim , so I wouldn't get too hung up about that .

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1383211784' post='2261486'] I take you mean Little Feat? Unless there's another similarly named band I'm not au fait with. And yeah, a brilliant band in terms of ability and creativity. [/quote] No, this was Little Feet . They sound just like Little Feat but their feet are smaller.

That doesn't surprise me at all . It's just the latest in a long line of similar blind comparisons we have heard on Basschat that show how - depending on how they are recorded ( Trevor Horn at Abbey Road might have got slightly different results) - expensive basses and less expensive basses don't sound that different .

All three sound very similar to me.

[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1383179252' post='2261365'] Some years ago I, together with a group of friends went to see Little Feet at BB Kings Blues club and Grill in New York and were very impressed. Afterwards went to the bar downstairs and there was a little known local funk band playing a mixture of covers and originals and they were totally sensational. Crazy I know, but we all agreed that they were a much more enjoyable act than Little Feet. They were smoking hot. [/quote] A lot of these guys are also on or are veterans of the professional gospel music cricuit , and the standard of musicianship is on a whole other level . A lot of them are as good as big-name session musicians . (I still love Little Feet, though)

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1383179678' post='2261370'] Er - yes.... yes, of course. [/quote] I can tell that you know women .

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1383177652' post='2261354'] You're probably right. I'm sure there were far better people for the job... and they got it! Oh well, as you say - Onwards and upwards [/quote] Are you sure they didn't discriminate against you because you're Irish, Milton?

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1383173391' post='2261300'] Never mind, they didn't deserve you anyway. Onwards and upwards! :-) [/quote] Mrs Dingus often looks upwards and mutters to herself about what did she ever do to deserve me. Does that mean she is really grateful?

It's easy watch these kids and see it as yet another indiictment of that totalitarian regime, but In North Korea they probably watch videos of Coldplay and think it's all a bit sinister. They might have a point .

I can see both sides of the argument on originals versus covers , and I too cannot envisage myself going out of my way to see even a very good classic rock covers band , but if , as occasionally happens, I happen to come across a covers band then I would rather see a good one than a bad one. (I have played in covers bands in the past, and thoroughly enjoyed it , and plan to do so again in the near future. Does that make me a hypocrite? Probably. ) Regarding this mob , they are pretty good , but they are American and in the States covers bands of various kinds are very much part of their culture , and lots of guys ( and gals) make a respectable living on the bar/restaurant/club circuit . As a consequence, the standard is generally much higher , and I have seen covers bands in bars in America that are easily the equal of their big-name pro counterparts. The musicians in the better covers bands in the States can and sometimes do get jobs playing with major artists , such is the expected standard. This lot are doing classic covers quite well , especially by U.K standards, , but in the U.S.A I have seen some bands of predominantly black musicians playing funk/soul/R&B ect covers that were jaw - droppingly good and who I would pay to see any day of the week .

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1383150193' post='2260837'] Thanks Dingus and everyone else., The service, ironically, is called Global Priority, and the parcel is coming from Texas [/quote] I don't want to speak too soon or be alarmist, but Global Priority is the express airmail service , and if the item was dispatched on or around the notification date then it should be with you by now , or at least well on its' way . Global Priority items are supposed to get priority preference both in the U.S.A and on arrival in the U.K .

Tort. Black on sunburst looks wrong in so much as it refers back tho post -1974 Fenders , a great many of which were , well, crap, for want of a better term , or at least not as good as the ones from the era that had preceded them . The Bass Doc does a fantastic tort plate that is practically identical in hue to that which was very carefully chosen by Lakland to be vintage- correct to go on their U.S.A - made basses . How can anyone knock sunburst/rosewood /tort? It's like knocking bacon , eggs and baked beans or my current Strictly Come Dancing - based fantasy involving Susanna Reid , Rachael Riley and Vanessa Feltz . Some things are just right , and sunburst /rosewood /tort is very much one of them .

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1383066235' post='2259782'] I've had an item sent from the States on the 17th October. The tracking number, when entered into the USPS site, comes up with the following: Date & Time: October 19, 2013 Status of Item: Electronic Shipping Info Received Location: Their elaboration of this status is as follows: "Electronic Shipping Info Received: The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on October 19, 2013 to expect your package for mailing. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. Delivery status information will be provided if/when available. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later." So it reads to me like they haven't even received the physical item! The sender assures me it has been sent. Anyone know about this system, or how long these things usually take? [/quote] Hi Roland, I ship stuff regulaly USPS to the U.K, so maybe I can help . A lot depends on what service the sender has signed up for . I always use Priority Mail Express International , but I am shipping fairly large high value items that I don't want hanging about . A small package sent as cheaply as possible might go via a slower service . Does it say on the notification which service the package is coming via? USPS is by far the cheapest way to ship U.S to U.K that I have ever found and I have been at this game a long time , so if the seller in the States has been too tight to fork out a little more for air freight on a small item then that is regrettable because the airmail prices are so cheap that it doesn't seem worth even considering the alternative. . In every instance using the Express service , I get the electronic notification you mention from the person shipping ( it's probably generated when they notify USPS that they want to ship an item and arrange collection ) , and then usually two to three days later the next notification I get is that the item is ready for international despatch . The next notification after that is usually 48-72 hours later that the item is in the U.K and then entering into Customs . All in all , one way or another , it almost always takes exactly ten days from the initial electronic notification to the item arriving at its' final destination in the U.K . There can be slight variation in that timescale depending on whereabouts in the U.S.A the item originates, but from most major urban centres, about ten to twelve days, though .

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1383132792' post='2260518'] I don't think anyone has said that the more you spend the better something gets? All I'm doing is pointing out that there is a significant difference between 'overpriced' as an adjective and 'expensive'. In simple terms my understanding of overpriced is that something has been deliberately marked/sold at a price well beyond both its intrinsic worth and its functional or aesthetic value. Expensive is a much more subjective term and open to a far wider interpretation. My thoughts are that there are quite a few expensive instruments out there but, in most cases, I can understand why they are priced at a high level because of materials and manufacturing costs. Meanwhile there are way more overpriced instruments on the market that have been produced cheaply and then marked up by a significantly higher margin because of 'perceived' value / brand heritage / clever marketing / dealer incentives etc. etc. [/quote] [quote name='pierreganseman' timestamp='1383133816' post='2260530'] And another senseless thread about Fodera being worth it or not bla bla bla..... They sell every basses available within hours.. And the standards all sold out within hours too..... bla bla bla... must be doing something right...... I owned 4, not for me in the end.... maybe one day a full on custom tailored for me.... but not quite yet ;-) [/quote] Yes, there are a lot of people who get very confused with the relative rhetorical standpoints of" expensive" versus "costs too much ". Some people might think that Foderas cost too much - that is their prerogative- but that is never based on a genuine understanding of what it actually takes to manufacture one of these basses. One of the beauties of Fodera as a company is that you can go to them and describe what you want in terms of performance and sound and more than likely they will be able to build that abstract concept into an actual finished bass for you . That is a major reason why so many top players favour them as builders . Knowledge and experience like that never comes cheap , especially when it is committed to working with top class materials and the best possible construction techniques. With musical instruments choices and preferences being so subjective , it's not surprising their basses will suit some people better than others, and the results of someone else's custom build may be the antithesis of what the next player envisages as his or her ideal . None of that equates to Fodera being overpriced , though . If Lowender says he was dissatisfied with his Fodera then I believe him . I would be dissatisfied with one ,too, , not least of because I don't want one . It sounds like he didn't want one either and made an error in purchasing one in the first place, but it's a huge leap of the imagination to extrapolate from his dissatisfaction and apparent sense of dissillusionment that Foderas and, by implication, other expensive basses are not "worth it". Worth to whom in what circumstances? It depends what you like and what you want , and if you like certain things done in a certain way then you are going to have to pay a lot of money for that . The revelation that if you plug in a very expensive bass and play it that it doesn't actually sound that different to certain mass-produced basses is not much of a revelation at all to anyone with much experience of these things . A decent Fender Jazz , for example, sounds as good as a Fodera , and might even be preferable depending on the sound you are after in any given situation . But does that mean that Foderas are a con trick, or for the naive , gullable or inexperienced ? No it does not . If you have certain specific relatively esoteric requirements then Fodera can fulfill those for you . If you don't have those requirements then a Fodera may well not be for you.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1382890662' post='2257613'] I remember going to an embryonic version of the bass centre in Romford - fantastic as you say - they had a wall of Trace Elliott stacks/combos. My Ray came from one of five or so shops in Birmingham - I had a choice of that one or one at another shop - both were sunburst when the go to was natural - still I was happy enough with it! I'd say the Thomastik flats are on a par, tension wise with EB group 3s. Both are virtually the same as standard guage roundwounds in that context. They are quite pricey but I love the tone. The group 3s are also v good though - still get bags of mwah from the 3 band fretless with them. I think flats on a Reflex would be great - they certainly are on a Ray and I've heard they are on a Bongo. [/quote] That shop in Romford must have been Soundwave . I never went there , but I remember perusing their advert amongst the gear reviews in the back pages of Sounds magazine and wishing that I could go there and buy all sorts of things that were beyond my pocket . They had things like Steinbergers that were brand new in those days and cost the astronomical sum of £999 . In 1982 that was [u][i]a lot [/i][/u]of money for most people . The Thomastics sound like a good bet , but I will look at the available gauges in the Group 3's , too .

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1382890355' post='2257612'] Keep it as a dream, mate - there is no rural idyll in modern Britain. There are no jobs, no shops, no public transport, no affordable housing and poverty is rampant. You'll become isolated and mentally ill. It's cold. You'll be forced into slave labour tending a cannabis farm in a shipping container buried underground, and your eastern European taskmaster will have his way with you nightly. Eeurgh! [/quote] You have described here what I think will be the future for most of us after the increasingly inevitable second election victory for David Cameron and the Conservatives . Let's face it though , life in London for a lot of us nowadays is not that dissimilar to your dystopian vision of Britain's countryside , and at least I'd be guaranteed a bit of action from the Eastern Europen overseer. I would make a joke here about the equivalence between a fired-up Mrs Dingus without her makeup on and and being despoiled by a Slavic tyrant but that would be wrong and so I'm not going to do that .