ambient

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1385857214' post='2293028'] That's amazing that you can trace it back to all it's owners. I salute you sir! The only bass i have that i know the history of is my 1963 Vox Bassmaster which when i bought it a couple of years ago had only had one previous owner! [/quote] I did the same with another bass that I was offered in a trade. I discovered that it too had had quite e few previous owners, it had also been a fretted bass, then a fretless and had then been converted back to fretted, also and more importantly not once had it been sold for anywhere near what I was selling the bass for that the guy wanted to trade off me, you're talking £400 difference !

I read the joe Zawinul one recently, that's very good if you're a fan of weather report.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1385854052' post='2292992'] Does it have a logbook or some other registration document? How on earth would anyone know how many owners a baas guitar has had? [/quote] I did a search on here in the sale section . Probably not an easy thing to do for the average P bass I guess, but when it's a one off bass it's quite easy. I found one posting on talkbass for what could be the 2nd owner, a guy in France, he later sold it on here.

[quote name='OliverBlackman' timestamp='1385843870' post='2292854'] Its not just 6 strings though. My Overwater which I am also selling has had a few owners, and its mostly been sold for one of two reasons: 1) They had money when they bought it but desperately needed it down the line or 2) They decided not to do the 5 string thing anymore. I'm selling it for the first reason, if I could keep it I would! Ps. Steve Lawson uses Modulus Quantum 6's and he can make them sound REALLY good. [/quote] That's one reason why I bought the modulus, I used to have lessons off him, and fell in live with his bass It's my mayones 6 string that I just bought that's had so many owners, I think my modulus has maybe only had one previous owner.

I just put my D'Addario set on my new 6 string, and love them. They really seem to compliment the bass. They were sticky to start with, but that didn't last long. Tonally they're very different to flats, they have a lit more brightness, and way less thud than flats.

Ron Carter and John Patitucci both brilliant .

While others have so few ? I recently took possession of a rather nice 6 string bass. Can you have too many 6 string basses, I don't think so. Anyway, the bass is 8 years old, and has had at least 6 previous owners, making me the 7th, which seems rather a lot in just 8 years. I'm puzzled as to why, because there is really nothing wrong with the bass, it play great, has a nice low action, the pickups and electronics are amazing, and very uncoloured. She also looks great, so why has she been through so many hands ?

[quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1385758126' post='2292004'] Quick question for people that use a ramp or play over a pickup raised high - after you pluck the string does your fingers tips follow through into the ramp which is how it stops you digging in? [/quote] No, have a look on YouTube for Gary Willis or Matthew garrison to see what they do.

[quote name='rk7' timestamp='1385629538' post='2290333'] Here's a pic of the Marmite, sorry - Ramp, on the Perception. And yes, it is Ziricote/Walnut, to match the body of the bass. [url="http://i49.tinypic.com/xmn8lg.jpg"]http://i49.tinypic.com/xmn8lg.jpg[/url] RK [/quote] Very nice .

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1385675598' post='2291121'] So is the only purpose for a ramp is to anchor your thumb any where between the PUPs or does it serve another purpose also? I just wondered as ramps seem to be getting more common place now. [/quote] If you watch yourself play, or pretty much anyone, most people tend to play over a pickup. This prevents you digging in too much during faster passages. Having a ramp between the pickups, or over any other area of exposed body enables the same thing. It just smooths out your playing, there's a tendency when not playing over something for the finger tips to get more attack, and accent the notes. Obviously sometimes this is something that you want, so in that case a ramp may get in the way, without modifying your technique anyway If I'm playing jazz for example, I like to play closer to the neck for a warmer sound.

I want to make ramps to fit on a couple of my basses. I was hoping to get my brother to do it for me, but he's really busy, so I'm gonna have a go myself. I bought 2 pieces of ebony from eBay, but they're a little too thick, and I messed up sawing the one to the right size, I have the DIY skills of a frog I was thinking maybe of balsa wood, that's pretty cheap, and I believe quite easy to sand down etc, and I could paint it black. Is there anything else anyone could suggest I use, bearing in mind my total lack of practical skills

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1385557917' post='2289578'] As a new convert to 5 strings can I please add to Bob's questions with one of my own? Do folk generally find a B or a C string most useful? And for what genres of music? (Apologies to Bob if you object to adding this) [/quote] A low B would be of most use to the average bassist. You'd use it for everything really, don't forget that while yes you have the new lower notes, if also shifts the notes that are normally the lowest F, F#, G etc up onto the 6 fret onwards on the B string, so you can play in one position and cover everything from low E up to high E on the 9th fret of the G string easily. That's primarily my main thing, great if you're reading or following charts, you don't need to keep looking away from your music.

I was lucky enough to get a lesson off Michael last year, he's a visiting tutor at my college, they recorded a track in our studio too.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1385381835' post='2287488'] Can't of bugged you that much, the 3.0 hasn't got one [/quote] Used to have when they first came out, this is maybe 3 or 4 years ago .

I had a Shuttle 3 and traded it for a Shuttle 6, both reminded me of wasps trapped inside a bottle. I had an EA micro 550 that I sold recently, that was really nice. People sometimes comment on EA's lack of volume, but they use a different kind of volume control to other manufacturers, the control acts all the way through its turn so it'll keep getting louder, most other manufacturers use controls that act for the first half turn or something, then nothing much happens after that. The cooling fans on the Shuttles bugged me too, way too loud for at home practicing.

I had the same problem with schaller strap locks, I couldn't work out what it was to start with My dunlops don't squeak, they do rattle though, or more accurately they vibrate, only one my one bass and only when I play an A

Lots of cool prog here https://www.burningshed.com

There's also a subtle difference between being a bass player or guitarist, and being a musician. I can paint a room but I'm not a decorator, I once put a plug on an amp, but I'm certainly not an electrician. Being a musician encompasses so much more than being able to play a given bass line or guitar part.

[quote name='Chooglin stu' timestamp='1385320443' post='2286901'] Wel am 28 and av been playing from the age of 15 ... I can't read any music and if you asked me to play a scale I wouldn't know where the hell to start lol but there's nothing I can't play ! I just need to hear a song and I pick it out and I always play the songs properly and miss nothing , my brothers the same , he plays guitar and together we play in a David bowie tribute band , so in my opinion you just need to have a good ear to be a good musician [/quote] But you may have a problem if you don't get to hear the song before hand, or if the band says "nah, that didn't work let's try it in Bb instead of C" I don't remember the last time I had a rehearsal before a gig. Most of mine are either reading scores or playing from a real book or other chart. I don't get to hear the song beforehand, I doubt the audience would be too pleased if the band announced "we're just gonna run through this song so's the bass player can hear his part".

There is actually 2 Paul McCartneys someone I know was recording in a studio where he was also recording. McCartney was stood talking to someone when McCartney arrived - he uses a body double as security. The double tends to arrive publicly and the real one arrives privately. I believe he's done this since Lennon was murdered.

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1385311847' post='2286726'] Stop eating grain and processed vegetable fats. [/quote] You know I used to, not necessarily think these things were a waste of time, but I was certainly sceptical about them. I've been vegetarian for years. I stopped eating all processed foods about 3 months ago, I only eat wholemeal grains and rice, pasta etc. I buy ingredients (cheaper anyway), and cook my own stuff. I feel healthier than I have for ages.

[quote name='endorka' timestamp='1385292487' post='2286413'] Audrey Riley? It is indeed a beautiful arrangement. I wrote a couple of string arrangements for the new album, and several more for our recent show at the Glasgow Barrowlands with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The magnificent work she other noted arrangers such as Sally Herbert & Paul Leonard Morgan had done for Horse was both inspiring and a little terrifying at the same time :-) Jennifer [/quote] Yeah, Audrey . I'll have to check out the new album.