Maude

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1381079238' post='2234113'] Stop someone at random in the street and I bet they couldn't name even five bass players. [/quote] Hold up a guitar and bass and ask them to point at the bass and they'd probably fail . I typed general public but suppose I meant folks into music but not into playing but I know what you're saying. I'm so depressed now I'm going to sell all my basses, but nobody will want them anyway . I've been waiting for the next big game changing scene but it doesn't seem to be coming.

The trouble is it takes a while before a bass player is cemented into anyones psyche and held up as a 'god'. All the players in the OP are 70's or 80's, more recent additions would be Flea, Chris Wolstenholme, Matt Freeman, Fat Mike, all from 90's bands (yes they were around before but I wouldn't say mainstream then) but it's taken a while before the general public saw them as bass gods. So maybe todays most elite players will take another 10/20 years before they're considered gods. Maybe sadly music doesn't matter as much nowadays, it used be a defining trait of who you were growing up, if you were into one thing then that's pretty much who you were, you didn't get involved with other genres, it was an all encompassing scene, almost territorial . Now teenagers are into all sorts of music, the different genres are merged, this may be a good thing but I think it means people aren't as passionate about music so can be happy with bland dross were the bass isn't even noticed. And if you can make your fortune by playing bland bass in a band that's popular because marketing says it will be, then who can blame the players. I feel it's watered down because a band with a different style or sound come along and 'make it', then every other record label finds or creates a band that sounds the same so the originals don't stand out anymore, maybe it's always been that way but it never felt like it. I grew up in the 80's so I'll use some bands from then as examples, Madness were a band with an unmistakable sound of their own but other record companies didn't try to recreate them, Duran Duran, The Cure, were others, yes some sounded similar but not to the extent it is today. A band are popular and suddenly within six months there are a dozen others that sound the same. Obviously this doesn't mean there aren't youngsters who are passionate about music, my two are and I'm very proud of them for it, but it seems an awful lot of people are happy to buy music that doesn't stand out or move them. I'm a miserable sod !!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1381072872' post='2233992'] If they think it's going to improve things, then why not? Rather that than a guitar track. I'm sure they can afford him. [/quote] I'd certainly rather that than a guitar track but my point is if I was in a four piece band then I'd write music for a four piece band, if you need the fifth member then market yourself, including promo pics as a five piece. Not a big deal, it just slightly annoys me, but then a lot of stuff seems to nowadays .

This thread has cheered me up, just the tonic!

There's no right or wrong answer to this, just what different folks want to see. I'd rather always see live music played live, but a lot of folks are happy to see a one man band playing to backing tracks. What I do expect though is that the musicians that are there are actually playing their instruments or singing. A one man band with a guitar playing to backing tracks is fine, not my cup of tea but fine, as long as he's playing that guitar and singing, when it becomes deception I have a problem. Our band has a private gig where we've been asked to play 'Blockbuster' (the song not the video place ) and we have a loop of the opening siren, it's a backing track of sorts so where do you draw the line. On a similar note but the opposite end of the spectrum, I have issues with established bands bringing in non 'known' members to play live shows. Green day have always been a three piece punk band (don't get into the punk debate) but when I saw them on the American Idiot tour they had a fourth member, The Kings of Leon are a four piece right? So why was there a fifth member when they were on telly the other day. If you're an established act with 'famous' members then personally I feel you should write your music so you can play it live with the members you have. I mean KoL have two guitars, bass and drums, do they really need a third guitar to play live?

I expect a lot of you have seen this as it got sent to me via Facebook, but it made me chuckle . [attachment=145407:Blame Shifter.jpg]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1381001939' post='2233330'] How can you think about music when Susanna Reid is cavorting for your viewing pleasure? Some things are more important than bass , and Susanna is one of those things . [/quote] Oh I dunno, I always lower the tone when she's mentioned, it's all about the bottom end

Only a silly question really, but it's made me wonder. I have an Ashdown Perfect Ten mini rig, the one with the separate head and two 10" cabs, I really like it as it's just used for very small gigs and stage monitoring at bigger gigs. Having two small cabs makes it really flexible as a monitor and another added bonus is my DB sounds awesome through it and it doesn't mind a piezo straight in. Anyway, I digress, the metal grills on the cabs are perforated with interlocking Ashdown logo shaped cutouts to create the 'mesh', and I thought this was the norm. A bass player from another band used mine and ended up getting one for himself and I noticed that his only has a conventional criss cross diagonal metal grill. I've been on the lookout for a cheap one as a backup and have never seen another one with a 'Ashdown logo' grill, they are all conventional criss cross jobbies. Does anyone know why they are different, early or late, UK or Far East, I dunno. I like mine and would like the back up to be matching if poss so I could use all four cabs together if the need ever arose.

I really like my [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Ashdown James Lomenzo Hyperdrive, I'm probably going to sell all my pedals as I use a Line6 X3 Live now with a Variax, but I might just keep the Hyperdrive as it's too good for the money I'd get for it.[/font][/color]

I've ordered a ebay cheapy, if it's rubbish then hey ho, if it's ok then I've got 30 pints to go and drink

The UX1 is £100, the ebay cheapy is less than a fiver. If the cheapy is crap then I've lost a pint of lager and a packet of crisps, if it works then I've saved nearly 30 pints of lager ................. and lager is good!

It's cheap and probably poor quality but please lets not get into that debate, but something as simple as this I suppose would be my best option [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Promotions-Guitar-to-USB-Interface-Link-Audio-Cable-PC-MAC-Recording-Adapter/310707231400?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555003%26algo%3DPW.CAT%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D17233%26meid%3D1628186531065811607%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D8045%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D190705823610%26"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Promotions-Guitar-to-USB-Interface-Link-Audio-Cable-PC-MAC-Recording-Adapter/310707231400?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555003%26algo%3DPW.CAT%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D17233%26meid%3D1628186531065811607%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D8045%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D190705823610%26[/url] With this I presume I can just play along to whatever I've got running and if my stereos turned on it should all come through that, or plug headphones in to please my wife. I can just double sided tape it to the top of the PC tower.

I prefer blue

So if I get an interface of some sort then will it always be 'on' so to speak so that I can open up youtube or my music files and just play along? Or do I have to have a program that allows me to run youtube, etc with the bass interface?

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1380444779' post='2225186'] Erm I'm not familiar with the x3 live but you should be able to plug that into your PC, use Line 6's Gearbox software to amp & model your sounds and play along side YT, MP3s or your DAW - as I do but with a Line 6 Toneport in place of the x3? Or am I missing something here with yuor question? [/quote] Yes what I have works fine an I can just run another lead from the computer to the X3 to use youtube but that's just the problem, I don't want to be connecting leads and equipment all the time, it doesn't seem much but my life is very busy and practice doesn't happen as often as it should because I have to get the X3 out of it's case, then plug in the phone lead, computer lead, phone charger, bass lead, X3 power lead, headphones lead, so if I can only grab a 15 minute practice is isn't worth bothering with. If I can just plug a bass straight into the computer and play along to all the music stored on there and on the internet then it would be so much easier. I could get another external gadget but was hoping to just plug straight in, also that way I can play along without headphones through the stereo system that will be hooked up to the computer without having to run from the computer into the the external gadget and then from that into the stereo or computer as I'd have to keep swapping the inputs on the stereo. Ideal setup would be Bass>Computer>Stereo system/headphones with all sources be able to be heard simultaneously, without spending a load of dosh. I'll also add I'm not worried about amp modelling or effects, I just want to practice not play a live gig through it, although the possibility of a few effects would be nice

Thanks for all the replies, [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1380408656' post='2225010'] You can get low latency on the built in sound even on old machines if you install the ASIO4ALL driver. I got 10ms through my old Pentium 4 over 10 years ago! Also, if you're not bothered about applying amp models you should be able to live monitor the signal with zero latency. Again that will depend on your setup but it worked with the bog standard AC97 on board sound on my old machine, just by ticking the box in the mixer on Windows XP to pipe the line in straight through to the output. [/quote] I'll pull the tower out later and see what inputs and outputs I have on the back. It has a Pentium 4 running Windows 7 so it might possibly work as it is.

Evenin' , As a complete computer dullard I have a question which I'll get to in a mo. I usually practice along to recordings on my phone or to stuff on youtube, with my phone, bass and headphones all plugged into my Line6 x3 Live, it works fine but I can't be arsed to set it all up every time I practice. It may not seem much but phone charger, Line 6 power, bass lead, phone lead, headphones, etc, I end up tangled up with a load of leads and then the door goes, you get the picture. Now the question, and bear in mind I'm very handy once in the know but just not in the know at the mo (there's a lyric in there somewhere ). What would I need to enable me to plug my bass into my computer (desktop tower jobby) and play along to everything on there, youtube, downloads, CDs, etc. I've seen the VST effect thingies like this ([url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Guitar-VST-Multi-Effects-Plugins-Great-Bass-Sound-Digital-Download-Version-/130609697712?pt=US_Computer_Recording_Software&hash=item1e68f1d3b0"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Guitar-VST-Multi-Effects-Plugins-Great-Bass-Sound-Digital-Download-Version-/130609697712?pt=US_Computer_Recording_Software&hash=item1e68f1d3b0[/url]) and thought it would be ideal but don't really know. I could get some wireless headphones so it really would be just plug the bass in and away I go. Years ago I had a laptop and had to get an external soundcard with low latency so my playing didn't lag when we recorded some stuff but is that needed today as computers are more powerful, what figures should I be looking for on my PC. I'll also add I'm currently putting all my CDs onto the PC and will be hooking a decent stereo up to it so I can listen to my music collection and I could practice through that as well, I'm not massively worried about the quality of the bass, just simplicity. Your thoughts and knowledge will be gratefully received.

I just got outbid on a Danelectro 'dead on 58' Longhorn in 'copperburst' with a Dano case which had butterscotch lining, I couldn't see myself using it in the bands I'm in but it was so beautiful I just had to bid on it, I couldn't afford any more and got outbid 2 seconds before the end and I'm gutted. It wouldn't ever be worth much but it is a piece of art as far as I'm concerned.

I don't really like the look of single cut basses and then realised that my Yamaha Bex4, which I think is beautiful, is a single cut. Of course I always knew it was but because it's 'Les Paul' shaped (like the Gibby above)it doesn't look unusual, as I think the Fodera style do, and never struck me as being a 'single cut' so to speak, if you know what I mean . Trends come and go but everything will always have it's place .

Hi Jimmy, PM me your address and I'll get them sent off sometime in the week.

Anyone can shape a fingerboard ........................... wether it's the shape you need to make it playable is another matter

Yes, sorry I haven't replied. I haven't had time to swap them over yet but will hopefully get them on tomorrow.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1379367748' post='2211955'] BTW can someone give a definition of a "Pub Gig"? Is it simply a gig in a pub, or is there more to it than that? Because although I do most of my gigs in venues that are pubs they don't seem to have much in common with a lot of what gets described as a pub gig on here. [/quote] Depends on the pub I suppose, wether they think they're a 'trendy' wine bar type or just spread the sawdust a bit thicker and shoo the chickens into a corner for Saturday night. We have convinced a few pubs by saying we're confident enough that they'll be happy with us that we won't ask for a fee, just pay us what they see fit at the end of the night. As long as you get the punters in you will get a decent fee. A second booking will be properly negotiated once the foots in the door.

[quote name='five-string.co.uk' timestamp='1379361783' post='2211855'] For future reference (and cases where you turn up and find you caught in the situation mentioned above) grab a mat out of your car. They are usually waterproof / rubber one side, and carpet on the other. Works a treat! Greg [/quote] That's a good idea, could go in the 'top tips' thread that's somewhere on the forum. Re Fatbacks suction cup, you could just use a regular sink plunger instead of your endpin. Stick it to a window at waist height and play up and down the neck like a massive guitar

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1379330716' post='2211261'] No probs - just grateful to everyone who has been patiently waiting ( Maude in particular - I think I owe you a pint ...or come to think of it maybe a couple !) [/quote] You've got my address, just pop a pint in the post .