ambient

Abersold play a long?

That's what I do every time. I've been all over the country collecting and delivering instruments. Trains are cheap if you book ahead and maybe don't mind an early start.

I just wouldn't send an expensive and delicate instrument by courier. I'm going to have my Sei refinished later this year by Martin Simms, but there's no way I'm sending it by courier.

Seriously?

You could maybe do an arrangement of it, rather than just start at the beginning. That would show arrangement skills. My piece was my own arrangement of 'when I fall in love'.

It's better to get something right, than try and do something ambitious and mess up. When I auditioned for my UG course I did a chord/melody arrangement of the jazz standard 'when I fall in love'. Not at all flashy but I'd been playing it for ages and knew it inside and out, plus it leant itself to a bit of expressive playing, sliding the odd chord about and such.

An hour isn’t actually that long, especially if it’s a piece that’s technically challenging. Just stick at it, one bar/section at a time. Gradually build up the tempo and use a metronome.

So I've had a lovely email from Martin giving some information on the history of this beautiful instrument. It's one of Martin's very early instruments, dating from about 1991. So it's somewhere around 27 years old. The woods used are Thuya root for the facings, and Wenge/Maple for the neck with an ebony fretboard. He hasn't seen it for about 20 years, and would love to see it again. I might pop down sometime and show it to him. I'd really like to know where it's been for the last 20 years or so.

Did you get the 7 string that you were talking about?

Stick with your 6. Anything you can do on a 4 you can do on a 6, but not the other way around, at least not without de-tuners. To me a 6 makes perfect sense.

I think they look amazing. Do a search on here because I'm sure there are other threads about them.

Have a look at Ibanez. A couple of my students use them. One has a brilliant 6 string that he got for a stupid price. MTD also make some great instruments.

I’ve just bought a headless 6 string bass and love it. It’s a Sei, I’m not sure what make the tuning system is, I think Martin Petersen has them built for him. The concept is brilliant, it literally takes just a few minutes to fit a set of strings. No more holding the string tight so it doesn’t pop off whilst turning the tuner for what seems like ages.

Ibanez. best to go to a shop and just try as many as possible. What one person likes someone else will hate.

What sort of music do you play? How loud is your band? I've gigged with a 7 piece jazz band with drums and horns using a tiny 75w PJB Double four combo.I've also used the same amp with a very loud experimental improv group.

I’ve only ever heard good things from people I know. My new bass was made there 😊.

Accidents happen I guess. Is there any need to point it out here in public?

Does Stuart Clayton do online courses?

This is how I had mine when I travelled with them. It gets a little uncomfortable after a while, but there was no way I was allowing it to ho in the luggage hold underneath.

They charge for luggage now? I had the misfortune to travel with them a few times when I first started at uni. I always took my bass on with me and had it in front of me. There was no way it was going in the luggage underneath the coach, not the way they drive. The only time I’ve ever been to a guitar show I was going straight to a gig afterward. I wasn’t allowed to take my bass in, I had to check it in.

What a bizarre place to find such an exquisite instrument. It did need a re-fret, apparently the (is it called the tang?), doesn't go to the edge of the fretboard because of the binding, so if the fretboard dries out at all then the ends can lift. The guy who did the re-fret glued the ends in place. It's now got a Bartolini preamp that works well. I will get it re-finished later in the year. I've approached Martin Sims to do it, then it will be like new again. I know what you mean about the size. The Overwater never looked right on me, it always looked way too big. Not to mention the weight. I do all of my travelling by train. I gig all over the country, and carrying a 7kg bass in bag on your back can get more than a little wearying. I carried the Overwater to Paris for two gigs last April, then all across Paris. The Sei looks so much better, and plays wonderfully.

I’ve not watched it yet. A friend on Facebook posted a link to it last night, being a huge fan of AJ, and knowing a few on here were I thought I’d share it. It doesn’t sound too good though 😊

Probably my favourite 'normal' bass player, and quite an influence on me a few years ago.