Sean

I know a bloke who swears by it - says it makes his front of house sound so much better, I think it sounds a bit rockabilly. I have one patch with it on with a certain sound for two songs but generally don't use it.

I found one for £75 delivered and ordered it. Should be here by the weekend. Is cooling OK with your SA450, Dave?

Great stuff. Really useful. I want to get my reading up to speed so I can do theatre and cruise ships and the like when I retire, this is a great help, thanks.

I've been looking at these Gigskinz rack bags. I think the website photos are pretty inadequate as they really don't show how the things work. Do they have rack fittings inside? Does anyone on here use these bags and if so are they any good? Are they practical to use as a rack or are they a huge compromise? I have a small gigskinz bag that I use for my LMK and it's pretty robust.

I've been looking at [url="http://www.gigskinz.com/products2.php??src=link2&cat=GS&minorcat=GSRB&sort=ordr&sdir=DESC"]these[/url] Gigskinz rack bags. I think the website photos are pretty inadequate as they really don't show how the things work. Do they have rack fittings inside? Also what's the difference between the Rack Bags and the Rack Bags with Euro Rack rails? Does anyone on here use these bags and if so are they any good? Are they practical to use as a rack or are they a huge compromise? I have a small gigskinz bag that I use for my LMK and it's pretty robust.

[quote name='krispn' post='709629' date='Jan 12 2010, 12:22 AM']Welcome and for fear of echoing already sound advice.... For a Jazz style I'd go Lakland Skyline DJ or JO for more vintage sound. Necks are fantastic and you can find them for good money 'pre loved'. They deserve attention! Do make some time to visit one store that has a good selection of basses. I know time can be tight but if a long drive will get you someplace to try out 6 or 7 different bass builders and whatever they have to offer its one day well spent and you will come home with a new bass that you a/b'ed through the same rig and you can be happy it wasn't too impulsive a purchase [/quote] Lakland are fab basses, I have two but some folk hate the bastard things. They're better than any Fender. Even though Fender have been trying for over 60 years, they still haven't managed to get anywhere near the build quality of Lakland. Crazy. You'd just think they'd give up and copy someone like Ibanez instead. If Fender got as close to Lakland as Warwick have managed to get to Spector then we'd have something to talk about... ...let the games begin...

I bought one of [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Mono_STRAPPS.html"]these MONO straps[/url] and then when it arrived, I bought another. They are the best made strap I've ever seen. The loops are anodised metal and not plastic and the whole is beautifully made and incredibly robust. I did a 2.5 hour gig on Friday and nearly 3 hours on Saturday with a 10.2lb Spector and didn't have any of the aches I get with a Comfort strapp.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='708805' date='Jan 11 2010, 01:44 PM']This is no fun unless you tell us which horrendous bass you bought.[/quote] See my sig, I've got three of 'em. Best instruments I've ever played.

Don't listen to anyone. Just go out into the retail world and play as many instruments as you can and make your own decision when you've found something that's comfortable and sounds right. If I'd have taken advice in this way I'd never have found my favourite instrument as they aren't popular and are definitely uncool (according to the masses here). Remember too that you might have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince (or princess, or dowager queen or prince consort or whatever it is you prefer). The amp you play it through has a big effect on how you perceive the sound; many of us have sold basses that we should have kept because we didn't like the way they sounded through a particular amp but have found out later that they sound glorious some other amp. A trip to a one of the BC bass basshes is a good idea too, you can play loads of instruments and get a feel for what's what. First instruments tend to be based on one of the standards like a Jazz, Precision, Stingray etc for a good reason, they are very good versatile instruments with huge (almost universal) appeal.

Session 2A very useful. Thanks for all these.

If you fancy posting and want ideas of underrated bassists have a look [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=729&hl=underrated"]here[/url]. If you fancy posting and want ideas of overrated bassists have a look [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18229&hl=overrated"]here[/url]. This thread is very eco-friendly - it takes up half the room of the previous two. You could even look upon it as a Greatest Hits edition of so many other thread(bare)s that we've had.

Jamerson-Kaye enigma? Pah, Jamerson and Kaye are the same shape shifting reptilian inter-dimensional being. Proof 1: No one ever saw them together at the same time. Like Big John, Little John (remember that?) Proof 2: The Jamerson incarnation had a "claw". Proof 3: A lot of people call one of them a mad old dragon. Proof 4: I have a big pile of hurriedly photocopied records of Motown studio logs that I received from Carol Kaye showing dates and times of sessions that she and/or Jamerson played on. If you order a plectrum from her website, she will send you the same photocopies. Proof 5: I once received an email from Carol Kaye on Christmas day telling me that she played the bass line to Bernadette.

Here's another live version of Suspicious Minds - this is the one that's on "Elvis Live". I love how high the bass is in the mix and how The Scheff goes from laying back a bit to just ripping away and then back again and then... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrRgZ6ReiWk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrRgZ6ReiWk[/url] The way it sort of changes gear at 2:40 gives me goose bumps. The high register phrases at 3.15 - 3.45 are just glorious

[quote name='SteveK' post='693848' date='Dec 26 2009, 05:39 PM']Ordered a SR 5: Candy red (matching head), Rosewood board, black scratchplate, HH, 3 eq, piezo, a couple of months ago. Haven't seen that configuration in the flesh, but hoping it looks a sexy as in my head. Hopefully take delivery in a couple of weeks [/quote] I'd like to see that. It would look even better (in my head) if the bassist had a black tuxedo with a colour co-ordinated red bow tie, black shirt (of course) and shiny black patent shoes. Oooh, suits you, sir. What? Me, dear? Gay, dear? No, dear! How very dare you

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='699088' date='Jan 2 2010, 09:01 PM']Thanks guys. 19mm is a bit wider than im used to but im sure it will be fine.[/quote] 19mm is what it is on most Laklands isn't it? It is on my DJs, just measured em and the bridge is the same on all of em. The 5s are 19mm too, I'm sure, I played one the other day and it felt like a gulf of space compared to my Spector 5s. Just checked: - it's 19.8mm on the Lakland 4s and 19.05 on the 5s, so that might just suit you, Dave.

[quote name='Sean' post='698280' date='Jan 1 2010, 07:20 PM']Spector have also released a range called the [url="http://www.spectorworld.com/forte.htm"]Forte[/url], which they say is a no frills US Spector in a black oiled finish, no inlays, no options. Very RAWK and for the snobs you get a US built instrument at Euro prices. :snob:[/quote] What did anyone make of the Forte stuff?

Look, enough of Spector trying to do a Lakland copy, Fender can't even manage that with all their money... Everyone makes mistakes, let's hope this isn't one [i]and[/i] they learn what we want from a Spector. ...let's have a picture of National Treasure, John East with my Euro 5LX. It should make Barrie all warm too cos it used to be his bass.

[quote name='maxrossell' post='699524' date='Jan 3 2010, 01:54 PM']If someone tells me they think that Pearl Jam are a load of sh*t I'm not going to get all shirty and spit my dummy,[/quote] You should, it's what YouTube's for.

[quote name='wotnwhy' post='699399' date='Jan 3 2010, 12:38 PM']i guess if you don't see a problem, you never will. just because you don't like something shouldn't warrent a rude, blunt and frankly condescending reply. it's obvious the original poster likes, so how do you think your response will make them feel? and was that the intention of your post? if not, and you were merely adding your opinion to a thread there are much more tacful and respectful ways to do it..[/quote] Guys, please use the PM system if you have issues with each other. This bickering doesn't do the forum any good. Just stoppit.

I've had back trouble since I was a kid and have managed to keep on top of it most of the time. Lightweight backline is a help, no doubt but if your bass weighs 10 lb or more and your strap isn't good, you're going to be in trouble playing 2 hour gigs twice a week. Get a light bass (7 lb is good) and get a good wide padded strap. I've always had help and trolleys with gear and, carefully handled, the rigs I've had have been far from an issue. It's the instruments that have done the damage. Check out some of the lighter makes.

[quote name='Machines' post='698283' date='Jan 1 2010, 07:24 PM']I'm sure it'll be fantastic quality, but what the world does not need is more Jazz copies. It's a saturated market and no-one has to scratch around finding a high quality Jazz- bass. I'd be more interested to see them coming out with something SOUNDING like a Jazz but with a less carbon copy design.[/quote] I agree. What I'd like to see Spector do is to come out with a new shape and also address the top fret access by making something with a deeper cutaway. I'm a little bit disappointed to see Spector doing a "me too" product. Hopefully there's something a bit more innovative round the corner.

Nothing radically new about this instrument and it seems like a bit of a retrograde step with product development but I suppose it says it all for the popularity of J basses. It'll have to be pretty special if it's going to compete with the other Super-J basses on the market but knowing Spector the build quality will be unbeatable. It's got an interesting headstock and the tangerine colour looks great. [url="http://www.spectorworld.com/Coda.htm"]http://www.spectorworld.com/Coda.htm[/url] Spector have also released a range called the [url="http://www.spectorworld.com/forte.htm"]Forte[/url], which they say is a no frills US Spector in a black oiled finish, no inlays, no options. Very RAWK and for the snobs you get a US built instrument at Euro prices. :snob:

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='697838' date='Jan 1 2010, 12:14 PM']They use the hairbands to stop excess ringing from the strings much like Carole Kaye uses masking tape at the bridge. [/quote] Carol Kaye invented masking tape.