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The "Groove" isn't a genre or style of music, it fits in many genres & styles. You get a fast groove, a funky groove, a slow groove & so on. The groove is what makes people move. It's about the locking together & making the listener feel the rhythm. The first song that came to my mind when I read the title was this... http://youtu.be/RDxSXvL9ZFs But tomorrow it might be something different.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1415004025' post='2595408'] Just out of interest, and using the Dingwall price list from last year, I spec'ed up an ABZ 4-string to as close as I could get to my ACG custom fretless. The Dingwall came in at just over £4k (inc. VAT and import duty) whilst my admittedly 'straight' ACG fretless was just under £1.7k. ACG will do fanned frets for a couple of hundred pounds more. The only thing I couldn't quite replicate was the preamp. The ACG has a dual filter preamp compared to 3-band Glock item available on Dingwalls. I do understand that these are not everybody's cup of tea, but to be fair cost pretty much the same as a John East U Retro. I genuinely can't see where the extra £2.3k goes. For the price of the Dingwall I could buy an ACG custom fretless, an ACG Standard fretless and an ACG Graft fretless bass and still have about £50 left. [/quote] I think it's a "currency bump" thing. Import duties & the government rip offs are included. I nearly bought a Dingwall ABZ 8 years ago when I was in the US. It was $2700, which at the time would have been @ £1300.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1414967030' post='2595236'] They have lines [/quote] True. But I'm sure if you wanted, they'd make an unlined one.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1414947773' post='2594944'] I've had both, although as a player of absolutely average ability it took me more than the standard 27 seconds to get used to them. That having been said once I got my head around it transition between the two (when the basses were fretted) was OK. Personally I do enjoy playing fretless and the transition between a Dingwall and a "straight" fretless was trickier which is why I'm back on straight frets. I also have an issue with the value for money on DIngwalls. When you think what you could buy for the £2k plus that passive Dingwall ABZs and AB1s cost without many extras, there is a lot of choice out there for a lot less money albeit with straight frets. I would only ever buy secondhand were I to go down that road again. [/quote] Simple solution... Get a fretless Dingwall.

You get Smoothrite too, which is just like Hammerite, but without the hammered finish. Any oil based paint would be fine for painting your pedals with. Car spray paints are a good option too & you can laquer over whatever you do to make it more durable.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1414782841' post='2593344'] Changing from a BBOT to a high mass bridge WILL make a difference to your sound. You will get noticeably more sustain and send a stronger signal to the amp / desk with a slightly fuller tone. You will also get a tighter feel to the instrument (which I prefer) and it will be easier to adjust. [/quote] Stronger signal?

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1414761534' post='2593040'] Try a Floyd Rose equipped guitar! The bridge is connected to the springs which allow it to move relatively easily up or down. It's not so bad it kills all sustain, but it's easy to tell the difference if you have a floating bridge (I refuse to call it "tremolo"!) that can be locked in position, like the Wilkinson one. If some string energy is used to make the bridge vibrate, that's energy lost from the strings, reducing sustain. As HowieBass says, rigidity is the main factor. Of course, a massive bridge tends to be rigid... [/quote] You make a good point, but that's the difference between a bridge that is floated on some springs & rubber gromits & a bridge that's fastened to the body, which in turn I suppose saves having to try out my foam test. Now, not being a geetarist (I play an electro acoustic, so different bridge (made of wood & plastic/bone), if you get high mass & bent tin floaters, is there any difference between them re: sound?

For a bridge to make a difference to the sound you hear, I think it comes down to how much you spend on it. Obviously an ABM bridge must sound awesome, why else would they be so expensive? I changed the high mass bridge on my Ibby to one similar to the Fender ones & other than looking different, it sounds no different at all. Sustain is the same too. I know this, because one of a previous band's songs required long single notes & they fade on the same beat. I was going to put a Babicz on it, but that would just be for looks & adjustability (should I have ever have needed it). ET's theory is good, but I can't help think that to dampen a string, you put something against the string, not the bridge. It might be worth trying a test using a bit of foam between the bridge & the bass to see if there's any noticeable difference.

I was going to add a sub to my rig, but never did. I did use one a couple of times. If you're wanting to get those low rumbles, then try some out & see if it's going to fit with your band. My bands that I tried it in were an electronica band (the last band), a dubstep/rock band & a folk/americana/jazz/acoustic band. Had I still played, I would have built myself a BFM Tuba, the extra low end fitted well with my bands' sounds.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1414707209' post='2592614'] Markbass has been fitting Chinese copies of B&C drivers for some time. [/quote] I didn't know that. The B&C drivers are a fine bit of kit & they certainly can move some.

That's actually a good price for 2 covers. I bought mine from Roqsolid for my combo. It was £40 6 years ago. Customer service was excellent (from ordering to delivery I was kept updated & they even phoned to double check which piping I wanted) & it's still in excellent condition.

I've had it with one or 2 songs in the past. One of which was the intro to a 90s techno song.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1414537103' post='2590540'] I'd suggest that was something we called jazz funk in the late 80s. Wikipedia claims it's 'neo soul' or 'funk'. It's ok for a minute or two. [/quote] Most modern RnB is probably better described as Neo Soul as it's more a mix of Soul & Funk, a small amount of Blues & plenty of Rhythm.

You can always turn the volume down on the bass & increase the input gain on the amp.

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1414492014' post='2589712'] A bit like classical music? [/quote] My fave electronic classical musician is J M Jarre, though I'd class a lot of stuff like Tangerine Dream & Vangelis as classical score. It's just not played on traditional classical instruments. A bit of Bach on bass is fun, even if you're not into classical music.

I think Simon Cowell is a clever business man. As for the music, many of the talent show winners go on to nothingness. Elliot Yamin was a fine example. Excellent singer & sounded great covering other folks songs. Released an album of stuff written for him & it was dire. The music did sod all for his voice.

You could get any decent combo that you like & add a sansamp or similar.

I like both the old & the new RnB For all who haven't taken time to listen to decent modern RnB, may I suggest this... http://youtu.be/m4XI6LXCsH8

I'll try & clear up what I'm defining as music snobbery (which most of you have gotten spot on). Where the listener will not listen to a specific genre(s) of music & dismiss it. An example of this could be Hip Hop (I love this genre, but not very keen on gangsta rap). To say you don't like Hip Hop without listening to a couple of good tracks & finding the musical worth in them is snobbery to that genre. It could be House music (another genre I adore) & thinking it's all just electronic push button stuff (it's not, there's some truly amazing basslines in there). Something I must make clear, there's nothing wrong with being a music snob & sticking to the style(s) that you know & like, there's nothing wrong with liking every genre too. So don't take offense, this is just for fun.

Being musicians, there's songs & genres we do & don't like to play. But when it comes to listening, how much of a snob are you? Do you like just the one or two genres, do you like loads of genres, but a couple you dislike or will you listen to anything & give it a chance? Do you turn your nose up at certain genres, like pop or RnB? I try not to be a snob & will happily listen to any genre of music. I'll listen to Steve Earl, then some Chopin, some Ultraista, some Kurt Elling, then some Primus, Coldplay & then Gungor. There's songs that I don't like, but I don't think I've found a genre that I don't like.

Compressors are meant to be an effect that you don't know when it's on, but do know when you turn it off. Getting that right usually requires a meter. Some folk use the compressor to squish their sound, making it more synthetic. Me, I couldn't get on with the compressors that I tried (EH White Finger & Boss CS-? ). The Boss raised the noise floor significantly too.

Enjoy your rig. Try both your cabs on their own & see if you prefer one over the other (place your 2x10 vertically, makes it higher & improves the audio spread). You might even find the one cab is loud enough on its own. We might see you in the fx section soon.

It depends on many things. What amp, what cab, what bass & what venue are starters. Then there's the band to take into account. Play about with your eq until you get the sounds that you like & sit with the rest of the band.

Good choice of amp. 1. Ignore the watts. If you're planning on playing as loud as you can, use your ears & not some irrelevant figures. 2. There is no difference on how you connect. Do what you prefer. 3. You're missing an obvious point. Find a cab that you like the sound of & if you need more volume for big venues, buy a 2nd identical cab. 4. They're not. The only time a 4x10 & 1x15 are suited to any head is when it's Wembley or similar & the PA & foldback are doing all the work, with the rig just being for show.