thisnameistaken

I usually start out with bass parts that are really easy to play, probably because I'm often trying to sing at the same time. Usually my bass parts get more detailed once everybody else has settled into their parts, once I notice hooks that I can play around or places where something interesting needs to happen and nobody's stepping up.

If the last 50 years of popular music have taught us anything it's that nobody needs a £2000 bass guitar, but since when did anyone ever make rational gear-buying decisions? For some people they're pretty enough to justify the price, for others maybe their ego needs a fancier-than-thou bass, I suspect a tiny fraction of players can actually feel/hear the benefit of all that craftsmanship, and no doubt a good proportion pretend they can in an Emperor's New Bass kind of way. But ultimately if the buyer's happy and the band sounds good it doesn't really matter does it. Personally I'm too scruffy to have a boutique bass, but it is nice to see something other than a Fender/Musicman/Warwick sometimes.

I've got a pack of blue ones. They're in my box of stuff that I shouldn't forget when I take my bass out of the house, along with all the other stuff I never need. I think they're 1mm, they're blue anyway, it's a nice blue. Powder blue -ish.

You could also look at the GigRig Virtual Battery, which effectively isolates an output on a daisy chain. If you've got plenty of available current left on your 1-Spot and would rather avoid having another PSU to plug in, it might be a better idea than a second power supply. Probably more expensive though - typical.

I used Interparcel last month to send a bass to Spain, was fairly cheap (£50-ish, and about £25 on packing materials) and got there in one piece, within a week.

The Line 6 pedals really need isolated power or they do get noisy. Are you running it on a daisy chain?

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='533122' date='Jul 5 2009, 04:33 PM']Ill stick to my Modulus Flea[/quote] I get the feeling you're not their target market. But then again their target market must be bassists with not a lot of money and not enough brains to spend what little they do have on a Yamaha.

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='528791' date='Jun 30 2009, 04:30 PM']The Warwick ones are pretty good. Decent straps that have a clip connection rather than the usual weak stitching. Good padding too[/quote] I've had one of those metal clip things break on me before. I always carry that bag by the handle now, I don't trust the remaining strap.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='532148' date='Jul 3 2009, 11:30 PM']I'll forgive Boon for 'White with no Sugar'[/quote] I still listen to that first CBX album.

I tend to run rehearsals, and organise them, but the band "belongs" to the guitarist and drummer really. I have a broader understanding of how bands (and music) work though, and I'm picky, so it makes sense for me to do that stuff rather than them. It was awkward at first though, given that they approached me about joining their band, to start telling them what to do.

[quote name='RussFM' post='531681' date='Jul 3 2009, 01:59 PM']Anything by Pixies! Debaser, Gigantic, Where Is My Mind, Hey, all great simple bass lines.[/quote] Kim Deal's a brilliant bass player, she came up with some really effective, simple parts.

[quote name='jakesbass' post='530964' date='Jul 2 2009, 07:18 PM']I can play songs that I have only heard (never played before) because my ear-finger relationship has over the years become very quick.[/quote] I got the theme from The Munsters the other day on my first attempt. In front of the band too so I was all "Yeah, y'all know I can play The Munsters". But stick dots infront of me and I'll pretend I forgot my glasses...

[quote name='Stingray5' post='531304' date='Jul 3 2009, 01:07 AM']'With Or Without You' (U2). Reeeaaally simple... [/quote] So is Desire, probably all their songs are. I think he went to the Def Leppard school of bass playing.

[quote name='YouMa' post='531191' date='Jul 2 2009, 10:37 PM']Omar,theres nothing like this,simple and beautiful.[/quote] I was absent-mindedly playing that in rehearsals last week and nobody knew what it was. Bloody kids! There was a time when every mkII Fiesta's glove compartment had a tape with some Omar on it in there somewhere!

I prefer to buy used instruments. I want somebody else to have to go through the disappointment of putting the first ding in it.

[quote name='Silent Fly' post='529769' date='Jul 1 2009, 05:18 PM']Further evidence that it is impossible make everybody happy [/quote] Dunno... It's like the Barge Concepts naming scheme - to me it's just confusing, do I want a DVB or a VB or a BV or a VFB or... er... I suppose it's all very well for a couple of products but I think if you added a few more the names would quickly become indistinct.

[quote name='neilmiddlemass' post='528837' date='Jun 30 2009, 05:12 PM']I'm looking at a Thumb5 with a maple body and neck+fingerboard and Indian apple wood top. Mainly because I want something unique which is really mine. I've chosen these woods for weight and asthetics mainly (the 'Tineo' looks lovely) - not too au fait with the sound characteristics. Anyone got any advice with this sort of thing? Also, Thumb owners - is it worth getting the 3 band EQ option or is this a waste of time? I use all 3 bands on the FNA and like to be able to control the mid from the guitar. Having said this, presumably there's a reason it comes with a 2-band?[/quote] I think some of the Thumb sound comes from the dense body woods they use, although I never tried their limited edition maple ones. But yeah my Thumb is smaller than any 4-string (headed) bass I've ever seen but weighs more than my mate's Stingray 5, so I don't know if a lighter body wood will give you the same results. As for the 3-band EQ it might be useful if you want a mid cut (you'll never need a mid boost!), but generally if I'm going for a scooped sound I just solo the front pup on mine and leave the 2-band EQ flat, works pretty well.

[quote name='SteveO' post='529256' date='Jul 1 2009, 12:11 AM']1) get hold of a double bass (not very practical for campfires). Or 2) try out a Mariachi bass (one of those huge jobbies usually seen in mexican combo's) Has anyone tried one of these Mariachi's? is it likely to be loud enough? I know I could search the interweb, but I'd rather hear of any experiences of you lot - i.e. people who's opinion I trust (well, a bit more than the stuff on the interweb in general) [/quote] TBH a 3/4 scale DB would have trouble keeping up with an enthusiastically-thrashed acoustic guitar. DBs aren't terribly loud in the grand scheme of things (unless I've only played examples that are terribly quiet). The main problem, I think, is that at typical social gatherings the people with acoustic guitars tend not to be "ensemble" guitarists, so they don't generally have any thought for whoever might be accompanying them - they are used to being their own accompaniment, so they thrash the crap out of them in order to sing at full volume (usually results in the best sound a non-professional singer makes).

[quote name='cheddatom' post='528761' date='Jun 30 2009, 04:07 PM']If you want feedback... I looked at the site, and it looks great, as does the gear. However, I have no idea what the m:system is.[/quote] TBH I think the whole letter-colon naming scheme isn't going to do you any favours generally. It's a bit confusing, given that the names aren't distinct from eachother. Might be better to give your products some character rather than an initial. Not that I'm advocating ridiculous names either, it's just that single letters aren't that emotive for most people.

I find the bodies on acoustic basses are too big to get your forearm over comfortably. I like the sound (although they're never loud enough to keep up with an acoustic guitar), but hate playing them. I think your missus will be more put off by that than she is plugging in her electric bass.