4000

I've just checked my copy of "Bass Culture - the John Entwistle Bass Collection" and it was definitely Frankenstein that was used. Here's a link to an article about the bass (amongst others): [url="http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/bass/equip-entwistlegear-67-71.html"]http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/equipment/ba...gear-67-71.html[/url]

"Frankenstein" was a P Bass he put together from parts of different P basses, FWIW. He always said it had a very distinctive tone.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='675471' date='Dec 6 2009, 10:05 AM']After that, it's simply down to what a customer is prepared to pay, isn't it? As someone's already said, there's a big difference between the 'price' and the 'value' of something. For me, the price of any bass that I want to buy isn't what determines whether I'll buy it or not; it's the value I place upon it that drives me to buy it. And whilst upwards of £3200 is a lot of money to me and probably most people on here, to someone who can afford it, it's probably not going to seem like a lot of money to them in order to buy the bass they want![/quote] +1

Live at Leeds was a P Bass ("Frankenstein" I believe, although I could be wrong), so for £1k the world is your oyster. Best P Bass I've played recently was a maple-necked Mexican Classic - approx £660. Bear in mind your amp will have a lot of bearing on this. Using my mate's maple-necked 76 P through another mate's early Ashdown combo (200W 1x15) I could nail that sound, but a lot of the newer gear probably won't.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='674000' date='Dec 4 2009, 10:48 AM']Yes - because they are the dbs. I have had one since 1986 and have never played a bass I prefer since - I have owned three other bassses at the same time as the Wal and might as well not have bothered as they stay on the wall. I play jazz, funk, rock, pop and Latin and it delivers everything I need in each genre. There is no 'Wal sound' b. They don't have endorsees and everyone you ever see being played is bought and paid for by the owner. Compared to many other designer basses they are competitively priced. Try one and you'll never go back (unlike some of the tarts on here who clearly don't know the meaning of the word 'commitment' and , consequently have condemned themselves to a life of GAS )[/quote] This from a man who doesn't see the point of custom builds. So a Wal is worth £3k plus but something custom built isn't? "Try one and you'll never go back" - remember the Custom I had didn't work for me at all (although I'm still hankering after a passive Pro II). However as an earlier poster said, it's worth it if you think it is. If you don't then it isn't, simple as. As for the statement "because they are so versatile that Percy Jones, Mick Karn, Geddy Lee and me can all play one and sound nothing whatsoever like each other", I think that's quite possible with any bass, particularly if the player has a distinctive style - do Jaco, John Paul Jones, Family Man and Larry Graham all sound the same? Of course it's quite possible to work towards another player's sound with the same gear but it's just as easy (probably easier) to move away from it. In addition Geddy on a Wal doesn't sound much like Geddy on a Jazz or Rick. Doesn't really prove much. Having said that, and this is important, every Wal you play will be different to some degree (all the ones I've played have been), as will every other individual bass (whatever the make) out there. For instance I've played great Fender Ps, mediocre ones and terrible ones, and it's also quite possible that the ones I thought were terrible someone else would've loved, and vice versa. You have to find the instrument that suits you, and that can mean anything from trying a lot to (if you're lucky like Bilbo) loving one of the first ones you pick up.

[quote name='SteveK' post='672630' date='Dec 2 2009, 10:59 PM']How do you improve on perfection? There's never been a sexier shape than the Strat, Precision or Jazz.[/quote] IYO.

A big blue fan myself. Very nice!

[quote name='Duarte' post='629769' date='Oct 18 2009, 07:02 PM']No you can't compare the fleabass to musicman in quality, but you REALLY can't compare the design either. The Bongo may look ugly to some, but the design is incredible...it is designed to be the ultimate in comfort and function, those contours, angles and weight distribution...it's damn near perfect. It looks fantastic too...[/quote] You know I really like the Bongo, but ergonomically I find it to be awkward and nowhere near the most comfortable of basses. I actually think the Stingray is far more successful ergonomically, although I prefer the Bongo in many other ways. If the Bongo was more comfortable I'd already have bought one. FWIW these " album x is great and album y is crap - no it isn't - yes it is" things are just hilarious. As a starter for ten who makes the best burgers? On your marks....

For years I never really got on with Fenders (P or especially J) but recently a mate bought a '76 (?) maple-necked P. I tried it out in rehearsal and it sounded really great in the band (although a little heavy and I had to make adjustments to play in the upper register; I'm not used to that heel!). I've since been trying various ones out and recently came across a Mexican Classic P that I thought was tremendous; great sound, nice weight, lovely neck. Haven't bought it yet but I hope to, or another like it if I can find one. Seems to me that unless you're looking to have bags of definition/"glass" a good P bass will do most things you throw at it; big rock sound, reggae, r&b, soul, funk, blues, jazz etc.

Thought the gig was great and JPJ was awesome.

[quote name='Doddy' post='666390' date='Nov 26 2009, 04:06 PM']So,in the new issue of BGM is a short feature on Stuart Zender,and then next month he's on the cover?!!!!!! After his last feature he wrote this on his myspace..... "RUBBISH BASS INTERVIEW Hey everyone!!!! I would just like to apologize for the rubbish interview in this months bass guitar magazine(if anyone read it). It was a phone interview and i did tell the guy a lot of new stuff....he just never put it in the article. I have not done an interview for ages and i really did not think it would turn out like that. He kept talking over me while i was trying to answer his questions. I did not know who the cover bassist was so i went out and bought their album. I didn't like it. Sorry...i guess everyone has an opinion and i hate judging people so i will be polite and just leave it at that. There is a ton of great "female" bassists out there and i really wish that one of "them" made the cover..ha ha. I think the editor of the magazine used the whole "female" bassist thing as novelty factor. I guess he was trying to be "PC" but, in my eyes, ended up insulting all bassists. I find that really sexist. We are all the same...well besides the whole penis/vagina thing. At he end of the day we all have the same passions and drive. I also think the "girl" on the cover was silly to say that no one expects a "girl" to play the bass because "girls" have small hands.... well.......I have small hands and it never stopped me. Do you play the bass...or does the bass play you? The instrument is my life....it is my sanctuary and it saddens me to see someone on the cover of a bass mag that doesn't care and probably picked it up because it was the "easiest" thing to learn. Pardon my French... but bollocks to that! Hey Charlott from the Subways.......go buy Black Flags "Whos Got the 10 and a half" Kira Roessler....where ever you are..... YOU f***in RULE!!!!!!! PS......Dont buy a copie.......read it online!!!! Also....if anyone feels the same way i do you should email the editor with your thoughts. If i have burnt any bridges with this blog just know......i have a loads of wood in the garden! ha ha ha....love and peace to all "girls" and "boys"...oh.......and bass guitarists! Stu" .....and they still feature him again? Twice? I don't get it. I liked the guy when he was in Jamiroquai,but he's not really done much since has he?[/quote] I'd sooner read about Stu than a lot of the people they have; let's face it, Jimi Hendrix hasn't done much recently either but that doesn't mean he's not a great player worth reading about.

[quote name='slapmonsta' post='665806' date='Nov 26 2009, 12:44 AM']Crikey-there's some right misreable,moaning music shop facists on here! You may not like the way that Nige+co plays,but then so what?I know for a fact and first hand observation (having known him for over 20 years) that Nige has inspired young bassists to pick up an instrument and learn to play. -how many of the purist "it's all a rattling noise and you can't use it in a track" whingers on this thread can honestly say that? Why get all pious and "holier than thou purist" about someone playing a bass in a style or manner you don't like?Who cares? Just walk on by-and leave the snide digs about a guy who's not only a top man (but also a great fingerstyle player) at home. Nige is well known for what he does-as are the likes of Lemmy and Chris Wolstenholme. If I attended a trade show no way would I stand there moaning that there "wasn't enough jazz" from Chris,or that "Lemmy didn't play any slap-I'm sick of that fuzz nonesense-it's just not real bass,man." No I wouldn't.I'd simply accept it as part of the rich tapesty of musical styles-but not to my taste.[/quote] I've known Nigel for many years too (although as an acquaintance) and he's a great all-round player. He can also run rings round most guys slap-wise. I agree that he wasn't the main culprit at all and that actually it was a combination of things that were the problem. I actually thought the all-round "whale-noise" was the worst aspect; as I've said elsewhere it was living in John Bonham's drumkit. Too many basses being played at once whatever the style, and not a single break.

Sounds like the first band were probably actually jazz, as Marcus certainly isn't.

[quote name='tredders' post='634545' date='Oct 23 2009, 02:51 PM']I've just stuck the '76 on the scales, and it weighs in at 9lbs, which is slightly lighter than the Jazz and 'Ray. Feels pretty substantial, but much lighter than the old 70's P bass I had.... that was like wearing a tree trunk![/quote] That's just about the right weight for me; I'll take it!

All I can say is playing that fast with a pick is easy and a lot less stressful on my hands!

[quote name='BB3000S' post='648428' date='Nov 7 2009, 11:22 PM']Oh my. I've just been Alembic:ed. Thanks to Basschat and a very nice Belgian Gentleman, I have this wonderful Alembic MK5 to fool around with to my hearts content. I'm totally floored with its sound and how well it plays! :wub: Darn, I'm a lucky guy! [/quote] So you got it? Congrats, it's one of the most stunning instruments I've ever seen.

Alex, the Midget looks really, really interesting.....I'm also giving some thought to your offer re the Compact. I'll update you asap.

If anyone wants to read my full thoughts they're on Finnbass. All I can say is I'm happy to eq. Nuff said.

Alan, I'd have been interested to hear that P through the ABM head and into the Compact. Dave, I completely agree with the build/finish thing. The corners are a pet hate, and the finish is annoying if only because I have to put something on the cab to stop my amp slipping off. It also doesn't appear to be very hard wearing, but on the positive side the lack of weight is a godsend.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='646287' date='Nov 5 2009, 02:57 PM']I wish I'd gotten to hear it with Shaun's Ashy rig because he likes his combination and I know from my own experience that Ashdown can dial in unexpected loveliness. Maybe it sounds good as an old school rig but it certainly wasn't a good match for the compact heads we had there. It definitely has the weight issue in the bag but as I said elsewhere the sound on the day was nothing special and the finishing touches were very below par for a cab in this price range. I was given to believe that the intention was to produce a full bottom and focused top end - what I heard was pretty much the opposite. Speaking as someone who hasn't read any of the BF hype and also for the most part doesn't understand "the numbers", I think it sounded exactly how you'd logically expect a good driver in a thin box to sound. There has to be a limit as to where a minimum amount of wood becomes acoustically unviable for a bass cab. Neck on line time (gulp) I believe this cab may have crossed the line. A massive thanks to Shaun for taking it along and giving us some 1st hand experience.[/quote] No probs Rich! Was lovely to try your gear too (that Jazz thingumyjig sounds MASSIVE!). You're pretty much on the money with your assessment of the Barefaced/Ashdown thing. I had my head there but never got round to plugging it in, which was an oversight on my part. A couple of things; I noticed that a lot of people seemed to have their heads set fairly flat, and I personally don't think the "neutral amp flat into the Compact" thing works too well (of course YMMV). To get something like Dave's sound through the Compact I would eq [i]very[/i] heavily. I can assure everyone that the Ricks (wish I'd taken one) through the Ashdown/Compact doesn't sound boxy at all, but I still suspect it's a sound many here might not be after, or would achieve in a very different way. It's also not hifi/pristine either though. What you can do is that Live at Leeds sound, which is more what I use it for (Stu will vouch for this). We should've stuck some of your Ps or your Ray through it Rich; it's much more a meat and potatoes cab which you can eq your way round than a "I sound like this" device. Of course every player sounds different anyway so it obviously won't suit some regardless of what you do with it, but for instance when Dave used it (I missed the main assessment) it sounded nothing like me through it, just as I sound nothing like him through his rig. It seemed that many people prefer a flat sounding head and a pre-charactered cab, which is kind of the opposite of how I usually do it. Ironically my revelation gear wise came at the Gallery on Monday/Tuesday when i played a Markbass Jeff Berlin, which suited me down to the ground. I now want to try one next to my rig and see how it compares. I will add that the Barefaced isn't the best cab I've come across by any means (no offence to Alex) but for the size and weight it's much more successful for my rock sound (not necessarily for my Sei stuff) than anything else I've tried and I vastly prefer it to the GS112s that I had previously. Again, YMMV.

I thought it was the worst performance I never saw (or played, seeing as I never actually did anything). Next time I'll be prepared; as soon as anyone asks I'm legging it.

Finally got back from seeing Richard Bona at the Barbican (he made me cry [i]again[/i]!). Arrived back from Moffat Sunday evening and was straight down to London 1st thing Monday morning so it's been a busy few days. Had a great time Saturday and Sunday; met some great people (that's everybody!) and played some great basses. I'd like to give a big thanks to Dave and Stu for getting me there and back and keeping me entertained, and to Alan for providing the single most humiliating experience of my adult life (good deeds definitely [i]don't[/i] go unpunished eh Alan?? I've never played solo bass in front of an audience in my entire life!!!!! ). Also a huge thanks to Peter who is not only a gent of the absolute highest order but also gave me 2 batteries to get my Sei 5 up and running after a battery meltdown. The one thing that surprised me the most was how the alloted time was nowhere near enough; I hardly got through any of the gear at all. Of the stuff I played I loved Dave's ACG and Peter's too (although Peter's action was rather too high for me to get anything sensible out of; I have a girl's action on my basses ). Cameron's W&T was stunning, although I sadly didn't get round to plugging it in. Rich's sea green P was a thing of beauty......in fact there was some lovely kit, too much too mention or try. It knows who it is!