EliasMooseblaster

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1500046219' post='3335358'] That is utterly gorgeous! [/quote] +1. If that were any pointier, I'd be all over it like weapons-grade herpes. Beautiful specimen!

This custom build thread might be one of the best-looking SG-style basses I've clapped eyes on...at least as far as I can tell from the photos http://basschat.co.uk/topic/289254-jack-bruce-ish-eb3-sg-bass/page__st__450__p__3222965__hl__sg__fromsearch__1#entry3222965

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1499886624' post='3334357'] My point, none of us should use this "punters can't tell the difference" as an excuse for "shoddy" performances. Blue [/quote] I don't think we do. At least, I would hope none of us do! I would say it's more a way of reassuring ourselves that, even if we did drop a few bum notes in one or two songs, or one song felt a little lacklustre, it didn't derail the set and the audience enjoyed it. For a single, individual gig, they are the bottom line, and a good audience response can make the difference when it comes to being booked again - judge, jury and executioner all in one, if you will - so if we dropped a few clangers, "but the punters didn't notice," then we probably don't need to beat ourselves up too much about any imperfections. ...which is different from "what's the point in practising/rehearsing? The punters don't know the difference." That, on the other hand, would be arrogant and bone-idle, and I think most groups would come unstuck if they tried to gig with that attitude. So I don't disagree with you, [i]per se[/i], but I would argue that it's maybe a little more nuanced than some of our day-to-day conversations on here might suggest!

So who among you lives in the vicinity of Brighton? Now keep your hand up if you enjoy some dark blues-rock with a bit of a prog leaning. If your hand is still raised, then we have just the thing for you: Cherry White are coming to The Revelator, a splendid new blues bar in the middle of Brighton. I do believe this one's free entry, but booking a table might be advisable - see http://revelator.pub for details. [attachment=248974:revelator5Augv1.jpg]

I am still terrible at updating this. Oh, well. Here's one of the best shots from last weekend, at the Dereham Blues Festival. This was taken at our second show of the weekend, in the beer garden of the George Hotel. [attachment=248973:DerehamGeorgeHotel.jpg]

[quote name='alembic1989' timestamp='1499552731' post='3332193'] Thing is..it's not a pj combination. The humbucker is a large Schaller vintage humbucker..similar to the Di marzios of the 70s..kind of mud bucker -ish [/quote] Is it a similar arrangement to a Gibson EB-3 type bass then? I usually find with those that your best bet is to bring in a bit of the smaller bridge pickup to clear up some of the muddiness of the neck pickup; or run the bridge on full and blend in the neck until you get an Andy Fraser-like tone.

Thanks for the heads-up! I must admit I'm not overly surprised - always felt it was a "when" rather than an "if," largely because I don't think I know of anybody who's felt it was worth paying for a premium account. Sounds like they're going the same way as Entertainment 7Twenty...

When I first started buying bass strings, the Rotosound 45-105 sets were labelled "standard gauge," so I assumed that was indeed the normal way! I have tried a hybrid set after I got it by accident (45-100, I think) but I couldn't really feel much difference. Even when I ventured into different string brands, 45-105 seems to have been the most common set to come by, so I've just stuck with what's familiar and easy to get hold of, I guess.

[quote name='James Nada' timestamp='1499628086' post='3332606'] I never understood why Fender would think the Thunderbird infringed on their designs. [/quote] The argument I heard was that the "non-reverse" model looked suspiciously similar to a Fender Jaguar. But then I'm fairly sure the more common "reverse" model was released first, which of course looks nothing like a Jaguar...so I'm not sure I quite understand it either, unless Fender only piped up after the NR model was released.

Perhaps I should report back: I've had one for just over a week now, and been very pleasantly surprised that not only did it work straight away, but the JACK server also recognises it as a Scarlett 2i2!

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1499243913' post='3330175'] every time I have the misfortune to here Macca sing live these days I do wonder why he doesn't drop down a tone he's obviously struggling to hit the notes and there's no shame in it, lots of singers voices go deeper with age, either he just doesn't listen to people or surrounds himself with yes men [/quote] Because there's always an exception: I believe John Fogerty's voice might have got slightly higher with age. When I saw him a few years ago, he appeared to be playing Proud Mary in E - either that, or he makes his entire band tune down a whole tone...

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1499177674' post='3329721'] I wouldn't have a problem with a singer wanting to go up or down a tone from the written key to suit their vocal range. You even get plenty of instrumentalists wanting a different key and I don't quite understand that. [/quote] Oh I don't know, you should see the faces on some of the guitarists at my local jam when a singer asks for a song in Eb or F!

Isn't it a little ironic that those of us playing instruments which are engineered to cover a three-octave range, and laid out in such a way that figures and melodies can be easily transposed by simply moving a pattern up or down the neck, should be unhappy that someone whose instrument's range is partly determined by their genes, and whose ability to transpose is dependent on a lot of ear training and muscle memory? [INSERT LOTS OF SMILIES] Obviously a dedicated singer can train to hit any note within a range that can also be expanded with training. But in the same way that you can change the timbre of a bassline by playing it up or down an octave, some of those notes are just going to sound "better" at certain points on a singer's register. Remember that in jazz, blues, rock, pop, the "character" of the vocal line is almost as important as its being technically correct. (I can provide a case study of two different singers, if you'd like.)

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1499098325' post='3329152'] No it isn't - it's cheaper, that's why Leo changed from stacked pots. [/quote] That reminds me - which is easier to wire, if I have two humbuckers on a bass and want to include a coil tap? Or are VVT and VBT much the same if I just put a push/pull for the tap in the tone control? (Edit: sorry, just to be clear: the bass currently has master vol, master tone, and a six-way switch; but I want more control over the blend of the pickups so I'm thinking of performing a bit of surgery!)

I think my own preference is that I know how to get a couple of specific sounds out of a VVT - namely that combination of neck on full and bridge around 80%, where you get a strong, bright midrange - and I just don't know how to get it on a VBT. Probably just down to a lack of experience with blend controls, I must admit...

Years ago, I took down the details of a customer called Penny Less. When she noticed me trying to suppress a smirk, she explained that "Less" was her husband's surname, and that apparently it could have been worse - before he met her, he nearly married a woman called Ruth. My sister also reported receiving an inquiry from somebody called Breezy Pleasance, which sounds like some kind of air freshener.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1498814384' post='3327200'] what gets me is that tape is now also considered cool... TAPE!!!!!!! [/quote] Allow me to join you in waving my walking stick at the sky! Seriously, I could understand the nostalgia for vinyl, especially for albums that were originally recorded during the decades when vinyl was the dominant medium...but tape really baffles me. It's almost like the hipsters were getting worried that their boutique vinyl collections were becoming far too mainstream, so they needed to find something more obscure to play their music on. "Who cares if the sound quality was crap from the off? I can look really unique and cool as I dust off my dad's old boombox and listen to this fuzzy recording of some band you wouldn't have heard of while I rub avocado oil into my beard." Roll up and place your bets on which comes back next: 1. 78rpm gramophone records 2. cartridges 3. wax cylinders

[quote name='BassAgent' timestamp='1498219436' post='3323201'] Have you ever had that experience with a band (not necessarily Radiohead)? [/quote] Oh, hell yes. It was Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for me. First exposure was a little sampler that came with my parents' newspaper and on the whole I didn't "get" it. I remember the CD contained Red Right Hand (which I loved) and Love Letter (which I hated). The other tracks left me cold. Initially I felt like my sister was trying to like it because he was one of those 'cult' artists that 'cool people' were supposed to 'get,' but fair play to her, she did buy a couple of albums and tried to get me into his stuff on several occasions after that - as did a couple of particularly insistent friends. But then shortly after meeting Mrs Mooseblaster, to whom I explained my bafflement at his popularity, she gave me a list of songs to try. A vastly different selection from what people had played to me previously, and it was a real lightbulb moment - suddenly, it all made perfect sense and was wonderful. Turns out I'd just been listening to the wrong tunes. There are still albums of theirs I don't get on with, though ironically one of my favourites at the moment is No More Shall We Part, from which Love Letter was taken...I no longer hate that one, but I often find myself skipping it. And speaking of Radiohead, and picking the "right" albums... [quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1498410767' post='3324383'] The first Radiohead album I truly enjoyed was, I'm afraid, Kid A. Loved them ever since. Never been that convinced by The Bends or OK Computer... [/quote] ...good to know I'm not alone! Give me anything from OK Computer onwards; the first couple of albums I really can take or leave!

My personal favourite is the guitarist on the right in this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M1H7mlslfk (NB sweary music in case you're watching at work/around children/with Jehovah's Witnesses at the door)

Warmest contrafibularatories to the both of you!

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1498424763' post='3324559'] I realise the whole acoustic guitar and looper thing is his thing, but I reckon he'd be better off with a band. And a grown up's guitar. [/quote] [quote name='ROConnell' timestamp='1498464797' post='3324697'] I don't think he was that great imho. Needs a band to fill out the sound. Also his guitar is horrible looking and sounding. [/quote] [quote name='bassace' timestamp='1498465886' post='3324708'] A street corner busker. With loops. [/quote] ^ all of this. I didn't watch his Glastonbury set, admittedly, but having heard some of his songs, I'm left genuinely wondering: [b]What exactly is he doing that KT Tunstall didn't already nail about ten years before?[/b]

A couple of thoughts: [quote name='musicbassman' timestamp='1498290197' post='3323630'] Mass manufacturers can’t keep on churning out millions of guitars a year into an already saturated market, no matter how cheap and well made they are, so maybe their days are numbered. [/quote] [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1498297071' post='3323667'] Two "Gibson fan" guitarists I played with a few years ago wouldn't buy Gibson any more because the quality was so bad. [/quote] [quote name='project_c' timestamp='1498297837' post='3323680'] Fender and Gibson will be tiny custom shops for niche audiences within a couple of generations. The current situation will change gradually, but steadily, as boomers start to dwindle in numbers over the next handful of years. Electric guitars will carry on, but they will be collected by a small core following and for most people they'll be remembered with fondness, a bit like film photography. [/quote] ^ My first thought on reading the article was that it was guilty of a massive selection bias. Fender, Gibson, and Guitar Centre - huge companies who depend on shifting thousands of old and rather generic designs each year while simultaneously competing with enormous second-hand and collectors' markets that they've helped to saturate in advance? I'm not surprised they're in a spot of bother. I would be interested to see whether someone like Adrian Marusczyk or Mike Lull is having the same problems. [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1498266290' post='3323572'] My niece is in her mid twenties and she would disagree. She and her friends love guitar, based, bands. She's now one of the 10 acts that have been shortlisted for the Scottish Album Of The Year awards 2017. [/quote] Without wishing to sound patronising, is it the ladies' turn to take over what's previously been a very male-dominated field? I rather enjoyed that song, and I'm also very aware that a lot of the big names in modern blues happen to be female guitarists. I know Joe Bonamassa seems to be one of the most well-known players at the moment, but there's no shortage of people who prefer Joanne Shaw Taylor or Chantel McGregor for blues-rock, Samantha Fish for country-blues, or Erja Lyytinnen and Ana Popovic for something a bit more soul-oriented.

[quote name='christhammer666' timestamp='1498058878' post='3322282'] I have recently just left a band because I cant just book x amount of time off at the drop of a hat to swan over into Europe. They had toured before in eastern Europe and admitted some nights they stopped playing after 2 songs where the places were empty, yet they were still rattling on about about lets pay £6000 to tour with so and so or lets go and play out the back end of the world to no one........nope not for me [/quote] I completely sympathise with your stance on this one. Coincidentally, we did recently receive an invitation to buy onto a tour with some American group who were booking dates in Europe. The deal worked out at something like two grand for a fortnight's worth of dates before we even considered any accommodation, and with clearly limited ways to claw that money back from ticket sales, so our guitarist and I decided to politely decline. Just as well our drummer doesn't look at the band's email address because I'm sure he'd have had an absolute s**tfit if he knew we'd turned down a tour...

[quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1498058260' post='3322277'] I do wonder if your drummer is thinking that "making it" will lead to the rewards that Kiss and Maiden got in the '70's & 80's. I know some people from bands that are household names that barely make ends meet and have to have jobs when they come back off tour. [/quote] Funny you should bring this up - a couple of years ago, he did ask us point blank what level of success we hoped to achieve from this outfit. I had a very similar outlook to blue at this point, i.e: [quote name='blue' timestamp='1498066476' post='3322340'] Being able to pay my bills at the end of the month without working for the man is my definition of making it. [/quote] ...but when I told him as much, he scoffed and declared that he wanted to be "rich and famous." I don't know if this is just the optimist's philosophy of aiming high, but I do wonder if he genuinely believes he can achieve that lifestyle from what we're doing. You've got to admire the continued optimism in the face of both his age (late 40s) and constant negativity around everything else, but I don't know if we've put enough emphasis on the fact that groups like, e.g., Mastodon apparently lay bricks between tours to keep their bank accounts in the black. Which is daft, given that our singer knows what it's like being a charting pop singer and told us quite openly that her income was pretty modest. But then I do wonder if he's actually listening to anything that contradicts his view...see what I mean about an ideology?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1497988673' post='3321862'] Tough story and circumstance. Unfortunately when you do this for a living and depend on the money your really locked in a box. You can't quit because things aren't going well for any reason. Not until something better comes along and your income stream isn't interested. Blue [/quote] Indeed, and I think if my hopes were still pinned entirely to the band then I would be more ready to dig in my heels and fight my corner. The difference now is that I quite like my current job, and I've a family to support. Sure, it would break my heart to walk away from six years' labour of love, but it won't kill me to be without a band for a little while. And admittedly, setting up something new, on my own terms (perhaps a bit like Steve's mate's "middle-aged-men tour" described above) is starting to sound appealing.