Huge Hands

I remember that when I was first learning to play bass, I had a home-made useless thing so I went out to buy a "proper" bass. I told a bass player I knew I had seen a 5-string in the shop for ok money, he said "It's up to you, choose one way or the other, you won't be able to do both" (or words to that effect). I believed him, and played exclusively four strings for years. I then started working as a sound engineer and met loads of bass players who told me that actually, "it was a piece of p*ss to swap between the two", so I decided to go out and buy a 5. I was conscious of not forgetting how to play a four, which is why I've probably developed my RH technique of still resting my thumb on the E string (when not playing it), as I would if playing a four. This way my hand has learned it needs to shift upwards to play the B string. I presume someone will decimate me for that technique, but hey, it works for me. I'm not playing 32 notes at 1,000 BPM metal! What I'm trying to say is, I don't think it's as hard as it sounds. I stick only to my 5 strings when gigging because having the low notes and ability to keep to scale shapes when playing in keys such as Eb is preferable for me. I still have my old JV Jazz and my upright which are four stringers to keep me reminded of where it all started though!

I enjoyed it until the Italian Kenny G joined in...

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='451499' date='Apr 1 2009, 02:07 PM']I don't get the whole fixation on the beginners aspect of bass playing. The beginners market is small compared to the established players out there. Yes, it's important to keep things interesting for new players... but not to the point where you end up with, to the majority of the audience, a bit of a dull magazine.[/quote] I think you may be misunderstanding people, as I felt you did me yesterday. I don't believe Absolute Beginner is asking for it to purely be for beginners, but to cater for them as well. Yesterday, I was trying to example looking at reader's custom builts as an extra to the expensive stuff. The more niche the magazine, the more niche the market, whether its beginners or experienced. If I was s**t hot, I'd be happy to flick past the "How to play Michael Row the Boat Ashore" as long as I knew there'd be some stuff in there to interest me at my level. I'm not, and therefore I look forward to the tutorial.

I have a MAG300 combo and even with my high output Wizard pups I struggle to get the VU meter to move much unless I have the input gain set pretty high. If these are passive pups I'm surprised they'd be able to throw out any crazy high level signal. You haven't got an active preamp hidden under the scratchplate have you?

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='450735' date='Mar 31 2009, 06:17 PM']But you are looking at a very small niche market to whom that would appeal. Remember, BGM is a business... and BGMs plan is to maximise sales. If it became a DIY bass mag, I think it would lose a lot more readers than those who would be put off by exotic tree falling to make pickup covers.[/quote] What I meant was "as well as", not just home-made DIY stuff. Apologies, but to use the Top Gear analogy again, we all like to look at Ferrari's, but we also find racing across Africa in knackered old bangers funny as well. I'm surprised that those buying expensive custom jobbies is not just as much a niche market as DIY?

Rather than custom basses all the time, what if they reviewed reader's own Frankenbasses and how they did it? I find Neepheid's exploits with a biscuit tin more exciting to read than which exotic tree has been culled to make the pickup covers.

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='450633' date='Mar 31 2009, 04:11 PM'][On the Line 6 Lowdown LD400 Pro combo] It sounds like Barry White eating wasps.[/quote] That's better! I understand that sound a lot more than the example silddx gave of "thorough"!

I have read a few copies of BGM myself. I do think it's close, but no cigar. I agree with the OP and tBBC amongst the rest, it almost needs a Jeremy Clarkson "I don't give a s**t" style of reporting (not that I'd want it to be a Bass clone of Top Gear). The few star player reviews left me feeling like I had just read the transcript of their preamble before the interview started and wanting more. A lot more. I'm not trying to say I could do any better, but would love to see it improved. Would also be good to find it in more places that WHSmith as well.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='443622' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:10 PM']Try Delano's mate.[/quote] Thanks OHM. I have just checked them out on Google, but can't find any UK stockists for an idea of price. Where are you getting them from? Any other ideas appreciated.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='443643' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:23 PM']Teach them the lyrics, get them to sing along in their head. The results are almost magical.[/quote] In my experience, this is a bad strategy, as they then feel capable of being a Don Henley clone, p*** the singer off til he/she quits, and then the timing gets a lot [b][i]worse[/i][/b]........

[quote name='AM1' post='443692' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:50 PM']Pah, bunch of girls. A REAL man would play til they bled. /Sexist off [/quote] I did, that's what got me into trouble in the first place! I'd try a feeble attempt at flexing my biceps in a sexist way to prove my manliness, but I think the creaking and groaning would put everyone off.

I thought it might be worth referring you to [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=19929&hl=superglue"]this thread[/url] I posted a while ago. The superglue tip certainly got me through a gig!

Dear all, long story, but here goes: I recently bought a second hand Squier Precision V with the intention of stripping and modding it, painting it etc. However, after a bit of messing about with Andy at Wizard, and a set of flatwounds, I found it to be an excellent bass (for my budget). I became too scared to do any more to it in case I messed it up. With this in mind, I decided to buy another one to mod, the theory being that if I messed it up, I still had the first one to go back to. Now that I am a bit more blaze with this one, I have decided to try and fit a proper 5-string P pickup and full length J to it and rout the body to fit (the Squier originally had 2x 4-string neck J casings). However, after saving up a bit, I spoke to Andy at Wizard who says he can't help as he can't get proper 5 string casings. Therefore I'm now on the lookout for someone else that makes "off the shelf" 5 string Pups. I am after a nice deep mellow tone with a decent output, similar to the Wizards. Active would be considered, as I was thinking of adding a battery box in case I want to fit a preamp in the future. Any ideas?

I find, and this is from experience being a former drummer, that being able to hear the rest of the band is everything. Our drummer can be amazing in rehearsal, but on a gig night can (very occasionally) be shocking. I have realised this coincides with nights where we can't hear too well on stage. His usual problems are the speed up/slow down things or he gets excited in a fill and comes in half a bar out. It's scary when that happens, but some good reggae grooves sometimes come out of it My theory is that there are drummers that are leaders (as most would expect), but quite a few who are followers (as I believe I was when I first started as a drummer). I believe this comes from years of playing along to recorded music - you are constantly trying to keep up rather than drive the band. If something goes wrong, this kind of drummer is not listening to their own "internal clock", so things go wrong. I believe our drummer is like this as I have to count in a lot of songs and drive stops/starts etc. I also found that my timing got much better once I'd sorted out my seating position at the kit. The more comfortable I was, the better I played. All obvious stuff when read on paper, but it took me years to twig some of it myself! P.S. I'm not really complaining about our drummer, he's a top bloke and I'm used to working with him now!

Regardless of the fact that she is a very attractive lady, and the fact that after listening to a few of her You Tube clips the musicianess gets a little self-indulgent for my liking in places, I really like this - my kind of music. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I'm off to find ways to enjoy it without alerting the "sexist-ometers" (or the local police). Ta muchly.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='440020' date='Mar 20 2009, 09:20 AM']One thing I have noticed with Jamerson, he is always looking at his fingers at what he is playing. All the pictures show this and the live clip of him playing with Marvin.[/quote] I have seen that live clip and thought he was looking at music on a music stand roughly at waist height, next to Marvin's piano.

I have an Ashdown MAG 210T combo and a 115T bin. My normal sound is quite low end only (tone mainly rolled off on the bass itself, amp EQ is set fairly flat). I find that with both cabs added together, I start to notice the sound loses definition and at higher volumes it starts to feel like there is a big "hole" in the sound. I am ashamed to say, as a supposed audiophile, this is the best way I can describe it, having never measured anything. I have always put this down to cone filtering/phasing as Bill/Alex regularly describe a lot more clearly than I can. I have not tried 2x 15 cabs, but I would imagine this would be the better sound. However, as 90% of my gigs are small clubs and bars, the 2x10 combo is usually more than enough. I love it, so rarely use the 115 bin. It may also be worth adding that I only really tend to use both cabs in larger venues, which coincidentally tend to be acoustic nightmares, so this could be adding to what I'm hearing. Maybe I've just never done a proper A/B in the same room.

Alex, I guess I should add comment here that I visited Merton's flat last weekend to have a look at the loaned Big One. I believe this is pre-crossover modifications. Anyway, just wanted to say that I was very impressed. The low end sounded lovely (especially with the rumbly B string going through it). I'd have love to have had it at gig volumes, but I think we were in danger of p***ing Merton's neighbours off! If I had the spare cash, I must admit I'd be tussling to get a good space in the queue. I think the biggest surprise for me was the look. I have to admit they had an air of "homemade PA cab" about them in the pictures on this thread, but in the flesh they are much easier on the eye. I think a few touches such as company badge will more than finish them off anyway. Good luck with it all, and maybe in a year's time I'll be knocking on your door! All the best, Stew (Huge Hands)

I've seen a regular on here with that headstock in their avatar. Can't remember who though... EDIT: Remembered! - bnt

[quote name='andyjingram' post='387322' date='Jan 21 2009, 11:29 AM']I hear everything you're saying there. For the record I own a £600 bass and a bass that must have cost £800 when new- but the bass I grab for all but gigs where I need the 5-strings cost me £100 [i]including[/i] a new pickup! And I'm sort of proud of that fact. I'm sure that as you say, a bass that cost a grand will be 'better' but I would be far less happy to drag it 'round London, exposing it to all matter of temperature and humidity changes, other peoples food, drink and flailing limbs, and the occasional low/narrow doorway. I guess I'm still having trouble getting my head around the fact that a bass that cost £1000 barely registers on some peoples scale of useability, when £600 is the most I [i]ever[/i] spent on an electric, but thanks for your answers- it gives me bit more to chew over whilst weighing up all the other size/weight/fragility issues![/quote] I am waiting for a PM from the original poster RE: meeting up at our workshop one evening in Canary Wharf for him to have a blast on it. I'd be happy for another attendee if you want to pop along as well. Just send me a PM.

[quote name='artisan' post='386373' date='Jan 20 2009, 04:37 PM']....Dennis was a total arrogant prick.[/quote] I have worked with them as a FOH soundman a couple of times and found him to be very difficult. Not particularly towards me, but seemed to have the Liam/Noel Gallagher "f**k you I'm too cool" type "atitood". Ok on stage, but not with the crew IMO.

[quote name='andyjingram' post='384089' date='Jan 18 2009, 03:53 PM']Hi Huge Hands, Can I ask which bass you bought? I am currently looking to buy a double bass, but have been surprised by the huge cost of them compared to electrics and complete slating of 'cheap' intruments all over the place! I was hoping the 111BR from Thomann would be worth a shot ( [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111.htm[/url] ) but I'm starting to lose hope that it is even worth bothering. I do hope it is just bass-snobbery that's going on, but you are one of the very few I've seen sticking up for a cheap bass. Do you gig or record with yours, or is it just for learning and enjoying? Cheers, Andy[/quote] Andy, Please understand that I am not doubting that a £1000+ bass will be better than mine. What I am saying is, if you just fancy a shot at upright, without worry every time you knock it off a doorway (and believe me you will!) then these may be worth a look. I bought the Gear4Music 3/4 about 4 years ago for about £375. Warning - the "hard case" is massive!!! I put mine in the loft and use the "gig bag" it also came with instead. It came unstrung with the bridge off (was actually missing and had to get them to send another) so it won't play straight out of the case. I have had to mess about quite a bit to get a decent action on the strings and had to glue the side seam back together when it split after 2 years (I think someone knocked it over and didn't tell me). No problem though, as I wasn't worried about luthiers I used wood glue not hide glue - messing about with it to me is half the fun. I originally wanted to get an acoustic bass guitar because I wanted something I could just pick up if a good tune came on the telly, but was heavily into Jamerson at the time and thought that if I could play an upright, it would help my electric playing no end. I believe it has, although I have a long way to go! I consider myself a bassist who owns an upright, rather than an upright bass player! Knowing it was cheap meant I didn't mind Tippex-ing fret dots onto it! I have gigged it a few times, but it has been a nightmare. I attribute this more to our loud band/drummer refusing to turn down and the fact that I've never had the chance to set up my pickup preamp EQ/gain stucture properly rather blaming than the bass itself. One day..... I have taken it to 2 demo recording sessions with the intention of recording electric with the band and then ovedubbing the upright but unfortunately in both cases we ran out of time for the overdub. I have spoken to Merton about taking it to the next SE bash as I mentioned on this thread, and I'm also considering having a visit to the homeland to tie in with Warwickhunt/Wot's NE one on 1st March. I could take it there too so that people can make their own minds up as to what they think of them rather than assume or take my word for it. I realise £375 is still a lot of money to most of us. I play Squier basses, not Fender ones, and I'm happy to display that on the headstocks!

[quote name='Maxcat' post='385132' date='Jan 19 2009, 04:35 PM']The only thing that works for me is to know the song inside out on the bass so that I dont have to think about what Im playing, then I can concentrate on the vocals.[/quote] +1 from me. Still haven't fully got the hang of it on most of our songs (only backing vocals!)