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[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1326731292' post='1501173'] The Hamer Cruise bass has a skinny neck whichever way you look at it. [/quote] See I never found that; we're back to the Jazz Bass thing I think!

Skinny means so many different things to different people. I've noticed many people seem to be of the opinion that if the neck is narrow at the nut that's a skinny neck. Personally I use the whole neck so that's not sufficient for me! The only Jazz I've ever played that even approaches skinny was an early Geddy Lee. Most of the others have felt decidely chunky to me(apart from the nut width), depth and upper-width-wise, and I've played a LOT of Jazz Basses. String spacing aside (it's too wide for me) the Peavey B-Quad 4 has a lovely slim neck (still a bit wide in the upper registers, but a lovely feel nonetheless; arguably as good a neck as I've ever played). My old Rick 21 fretter had a frighteningly skinny neck that made even my 72's (both with very slim necks) seem chunky; they're anything but, both lovely and slim. Ibanez SR are kind of the benchmark for skinny where there's still some taper (I prefer little taper, like on Ric and Alembic basses). My old Sei Melt had a very slim neck; most Seis tend to IME. The Alembic Stanley Clarkes with the Stanley profile neck (which ironically most Stanleys don't have) is a dream neck. Vigier have very slim necks. To be honest with the odd exception if it's bigger than an SR neck I'm generally not that interested, although strangely I do prefer P necks to J necks and Stingray necks to Sterling necks; probably because they taper less.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1326306458' post='1495274'] Oh surely not? Where's the point in having the guy on "Ignore" if he can't even post stuff for me to be ignoring? [/quote]

[quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1326303394' post='1495210'] Thanks Garry, yeah its lots of fun!! I just love being in a rock band. and trying to be a rockstar whenever i can. nowt better than seeing your fans singing your lyrics back at you down the front [/quote] Why do I keep reading Lesbian Bed Death as Lesbian Bed Bath?

My best test has been all the Rickenbackers I've owned. All have sounded different acoustically, and all have sounded when amplified like an amplified version of their acoustic tone. Based on that the wood must come in to it to some degree.

What I meant was, I envy those who can simply enjoy playing. A friend of mine loves playing, could play pretty much anything and get enjoyment out of it. That must be nice. I could never be like that. I suffer constant emotional turmoil but hate every minute of feeling like that. As we've sort of discussed before, I like things to be relaxed, pleasant, simple, and of course they never are. I actually create better when I'm relaxed and happy, which could explain some of my more recent output and playing!

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1326229044' post='1494227'] I want to create a musical experience that does to me, and to other people, what Lily the Pink, Fox on the Run, and Hemispheres did to me back then. I constantly think about music. My whole identity is forged from music. I am also vain and so to be able to perform what I believe is great music to an audience has the potential to thrill me. The older I get though, the harder the thrill is to achieve. Hence music now leading to more anxiety than pleasure, I am searching and searching for ever-harder-to-achieve musical magic. [/quote] Nice story. The above sums it up very well in some ways. As a kid I drew, I made Plasticene models, I was creative. I was always the best in my school at drawing, and it came to define me; I couldn't separate myself from "me, the artist". I went to college studying fine art & illustration and it was the same. It was everything to me and defined who I was. At this point I started playing and found I got a different, though equivalent, buzz from playing music. I went on a degree course studying illustration and found it was everything I hated; self-expression was actually frowned upon and I just couldn't see eye-to-eye with the tutors. Unfortunately I wasn't strong-willed or confident enough at the time to stand up to them so I lost my way and dropped out, electing to effectively replace the role that art took in my life with music. The loss of my art in many ways was a complete loss of self, but the music helped me cope. Unfortunately as the years have gone by in many ways I've become as disillusioned with music as with art. At least when you're painting you're only answerable to yourself; with music there are often so many other factors to deal with. Unfortunately, just as art defined me, music has come to define me; I am "the musician", and when that's not really working (as now)there is just an unfillable void, hence the anxiety/anguish. If I'm a musician who isn't really being a musician, then that makes me like everyone else. In fact as that's the only thing that I value about myself, then it makes me less than everyone else. And of course I'm never satisfied, even when I am being a musician, and I suffer from crippling self-doubt, which makes it worse still. As for the "special" thing, because I was always "Shaun, the artist" as a kid, I always felt different & special. I guess I'm vain too. However I did stand out, at the time. Now of course I've realised that in the greater scheme of things it all means very little. I guess part of my problem is that in terms of underlying intent, I've probably always taken it all far too seriously. In terms of practical application, unfortunately these days I can't bring myself to take it seriously enough, not helped by the fact that those around me don't see it as I do. The dichotomy provides a never-ending well of self-conflict. I really envy those who do it "for fun"; it must be great!

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1326156630' post='1493234'] I've no idea. I complain about everything I play and what other people with me play as well. I get frustrated when I play with much better musicians but there is some sort of weird "danger" buzz going on at the same time. I get frustrated when I play with people below my level. I've been looking for a band that doesn't exist in my world for the last 30 years. I do compose but I have nothing to offer that comes up to my expectations. But, I still do it. [/quote] Fixed.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1326153389' post='1493198'] That's interesting. Music brings me so much more anxiety than happiness. But the rare times I achieve something I feel is musical, or be a part thereof, the well of joy extinguishes the anxiety. [/quote] I feel the same. I don't think I really make music; my head is full of it at all times and I sometimes long to turn it off. It's more a need to let it out than anything. Anxiety, even anguish is what brings me more often than not, but the good parts are indeed stellar. The above aside, I guess there's also a touch of what I call Angela Syndrome (from American Beauty); the need to feel special, to feel different, to go beyond the mundane. The failure to achieve that is sadly also a source of much anguish!

FWIW, I agree with Simon on the versatility issue. My Rics have 2 very different sounding pickups (neck toasters in mine) and two volumes and two tones. There's an awful lot you can do with them if you experiment. I can get everything from Jah Wobble-esque to Lemmy without even changing the strings. The only thing they're really under-par at is that Jaco-burp, but as I don't like that anyway it's not a big issue for me. Of course it may be for someone else.

Strange assumption; I didn't get that at all from his question. He said the Ric looked longer; the scale length is actually shorter (33 & 1/4" vs 34"). A Jazz is narrower at the nut, a Ric is narrower higher up, the dimensions front to back vary from bass to bass, so the OPs idea of "skinnier neck" would need clarifying. Personally I prefer a neck to be skinnier further up (and with narrower string spacing) as I spend more time up there than on the first few frets, but the OP may differ. Some people also mean skinny front to back rather than narrow. Which is better for a wide variety of music is entirely subjective and depends on the player and their relationship with the instrument.

I have the opposite experience to many here; I learnt to play on a Ric and find Jazzes incredibly uncomfortable, although I have some physical issues which don't help there. I've never really got on with Fender ergonomics though, even before my back & neck problems started. Everything has always felt like it was in the wrong place to me. Ric necks vary massively; I've owned 14 or so and I've played hundreds (at least!)and they've all been different, as they have sonically, but I could say the same for the Jazzes I've had. I don't like the Jazz taper (narrow at one end, wide at the other; the Ric is similar all the way up) and I don't like the spacing either; Rics have much narrower string spacing at the bridge. Ergonomically and as a playing experience they're miles apart and you have to see which suits you. I would never say choose one over the other; you have to try several of each (not just one!) and decide for yourself. I played 2 brand new 4003s in Dawson's in Manchester at the weekend and even they were quite different, although I do tend to be a bit anal about the differences between different Rics. FWIW every time I've used a Jazz in my band the rest of the band has been less than impressed with the sound (my last Roadworn was described as "nasal" and induced much face-pulling from our singer)so I think you have bear in mind that one or the other may not suit you sonically as well as ergonomically. I never sound very good on Jazzes whereas others never sound very good on Rics. You have to see what works for you.