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[quote name='Osiris' timestamp='1505993541' post='3375707'] There's some interesting, and very valuable, points to be taken into consideration in the last few comments. For context, it doesn't need to carry the room as such as I only currently use the Mesa for rehearsals. (Although it has done a couple of small gigs but always with PA support). My line of reasoning, which in light of the above may not be totally sound, is that having just acquired a new back-up/rehearsal amp (350 watts at 4 ohm) I'd like to get the full power out of the amp into a single small cab. But with the new amp putting out 175 watts at 8 ohm according to the manufacturers specs, the chances are that it probably is more than capable for what I want it for anyway. It certainly won't be getting to anywhere near flat out [/quote] If you're not gonna require to be squeezing every last bit out of the amp, then why put the components on the unnecessary strain? An 8Ω cab would be kinder on your components as it's not pulling quite so much current through them.

The reason you should be getting a 5 string is for the extended low range and for the easier reach of notes when grooving (saves moving your hand about so often). It's just some extra notes, not a completely different instrument. But it is a lovely bass.

Pickup height has much more of an effect on tone than what the fretboard is made of. You can even try it for yourself. Take a note of your pickup height, then adjust the screws at the outer edges of the pickups (don't adjust the poles). You'll notice a change in tone and volume.

I'd go for 2 15s over a 4x10. I'd prefer a 2x12 or 2 2x10s. I've got a 4x10.

Why do you hate 5 string basses? Seems odd to hate an instrument that could be perfect for you.

Oooh err Rest stroke is where you play through the string & come to rest on the following string. Free stroke is where you freely go up & down like having a, erm, good ole strum (even if it's just on the one string). Most players use a free stroke, but if you're double thumbing, then you use a rest stroke. Hope that came out okay. Edit to say, that phrase about most players isn't 100% accurate. If you play with fingers, then there's a chance you may play the rest stroke.

I lowered my action a few years back. I can play a lot faster on a lower action as it requires a lighter touch. If you don't like the sound, try lowering the pickups a bit. I did & it made a huge difference to the sound. It's something to do with the air vibrations between the strings & the pickups. The distance from string to pickup changes the length of these waves. The further the string is from the pickup, the less bass & treble it will have. Though if you get too close, it can make your strings clank off the magnets. If you like your action high, you can still bring the strings closer to the pickups by simply adjusting the pickups. If you don't want to adjust the string distance but want a lower action, try putting a shim under the neck.

I'd see if you can get early into a venue with the sole purpose of playing with the pedalboard. Let your bandmates know what you want to do, after all, it's for the benefit of the songs. Failing a venue letting you set up a few hours before they open, get a rehearsal space for a few hours. It's all very well learning how to play songs, but it's also important to get the sounds too. Another option that I used to do, was to take the out from the pedalboard & into my computer, stick the headphones on, turn off all the pedals & get the volume right from there, then turn on the pedals. I often played along to some of the band's tracks (less the bass). Then when we met up, I'd only need to make some fine adjustments.

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1505465270' post='3372058'] It's in the player's hands/brain. That's why we are wasting our money buying instruments and kit trying to get 'that' sound. [/quote] I agree with the first part, but not 100% on the 2nd part. Listen to when the presenter tries slapping, it still has a good sound. If it were the case, why bother getting a Fender USA over a Squier or going for a better sounding bass rig? It's a mix of player & instrument. Yes, a great player can make just about any instrument sound good, but if the instrument's tone sounds crap to start with, then I believe they will struggle.

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1505162891' post='3369973'] More impressed with the fact that he was using one of his Sire cheapies... [/quote] Same here. & it sounded good.

Here's my entry. The melody I came up with on the bass, so I decided to keep it on bass. It was fun to play. https://soundcloud.com/gxmix/steam-fair

Oddly enough, I've not found this month's pic as easy to write for as the previous 2 months. Maybe it's because I already have songs written by other people that I associate with the pic. I'm trying to meld them all together. I've recorded some bass & laid down some organs (easy now). I've got some steam & now I'm working on the beats. Hopefully get it finished soon.

Stand it vertically against the side of the cab. Problem solved.

So far, the only ones I can agree with are Bruce Spunkstain & The Smiths. I don't get the mass appeal of either of them. Oh, & boy/girl bands. They're just there for the kids. The rest on the list have started with either a great set of songs in their early career (U2, Muse, Oasis, though I really can't stand Oasis, their first album was great back in the 90s) or went on to write some great or innovative songs. What you have to look at is what sort of music was out there before they came along & what impact they had on future songwriting. Come the 90s, I felt like a lot of the new bands wanted to sound like U2. Many of these bands went on to be quite big. Coldplay being one of them & I don't really get what the hype is with them. They're okay, but they're hardly innovative. How they ended up bigger than Keane, I'll never know. The biggest one to fit this for me is Jay-Z. I loved hiphop & rap up until about the mid 00s & I bought a double album of his which was getting hype. It was so crap that I took it back. Surely he's only famous due to his connections?

I used to do this with my MarkBass, mainly because it was in a 2x10 combo & it was built sideways. Always sounded good & had no trouble with it.

I'm still trying to get over the shock that you get paid for gigs, let alone overpaid!

If they're gonna have identical basses & look the same, you'd think they'd dress the same too!

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1505025674' post='3368859'] A lot of the content of the last four pages is repetitive of the first six so you're not missing anything. By many accounts this is a seasonal topic anyway. I am quite sure that someone will start yet another debate about whether TAB is good or bad again. The indications suggest that, love it or hate it, TAB is here to stay. I'm another one who found notation less than memorable. Like yourself, I use whatever makes sense to me. I can not think like a classically trained muso so these days I don't waste any effort on trying. Funny how that causes annoyance to a few members. [/quote] Tab & score are both literature to help you make music. Learning TAB isn't a bad thing if your main purpose of playing is for fun or playing in a covers band. If you want to learn score, I'd suggest learning the timings on score & using tab for the pitch, then once you've got the hang of that, try learning then pitch using score. the pic in Grangur's post [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/310501-is-tab-really-that-evil/page__view__findpost__p__3368028"]#276[/url] isn't a bad place to start for pitch reading. Then you can try different key signatures once you start to get comfortable.

[quote name='Kevsy71' timestamp='1504858626' post='3367778'] Ooh lovely! What is that..? [/quote] It's a Radiovox valve amp. 2 of them were made back in the 60s as part of a sound system, one for each channel. My brother has the other one. Sounds lovely with the bass, but it is 33.4kgs.

MiniMoogs were never a couple of hundred quid at any point. When the DX7 came out, I was crazy on synths. I was looking at getting a Moog Rogue or a Opus 3 roughly about 85-86 & they were both over £300.

[quote name='paul_c2' timestamp='1504699734' post='3366663'] There is a convention for notating harmonics in standard notation - no trial and error needed, can be read & played first time. [/quote] Yes, noting it as a diamond. But it's then accompanied by tab being written next to it. Without the number, then trial and error is needed.

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1504698077' post='3366642'] Because old amps are seen as heavy, inefficient and electrical goods aren't generally known for getting better with age. For that reason (and quite rightly imo) old amps aren't seen as being cool or better. It is however widely accepted that some guitars sound and feel better and look cooler with a degree of "mojo" and history. [/quote] Oh, I don't know about that... [url=https://flic.kr/p/RBGMAi][/url] It sounds the biz too.

Because new relics look rubbish?

Tablature can be better for understanding certain passages, such as harmonics played on certain frets. Try reading the score for "High speed on ice" by Talas (or probably any Talas score). Knowing how to play those harmonics is gonna take a lot of trial & error. Tab shows the string & where the hand should be. With harmonics, it can be written as 3 1/4, 3 3/4 etc. You get good TAB, just as you get good score. Anyone who only stays with either tab or score is holding themselves back & not making the most of their musical ability.

I can read both, I prefer score for the more accurate timing & notation, but I like tab for it's simpleness. Many of the books I have show score and tablature together, which makes things very easy & good for getting the right fingers on the right strings (I know, score has timrp, but that doesn't say which string). However, most internet tab... It is evil & often as accurate as a drunk trying to not pee on his leg. I don't use either score nor tab that often anymore. My band is an originals band & any songs we do cover are not carbon versions & the other band is the church band, I get emailed a bunch of songs via youtube links, some chord charts & that's me. Often I get the email on Friday or Saturday for playing on Sunday & I get to listen to each song once or twice. This is one place that score would be nice, especially as mid sermon the MD sends a message to the band saying "We'll end with xxxxxx" & it's usually a song that I've never heard before. Saying that, I've not struggled at all with it.