4000

Yes. I don't have a car.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='317517' date='Oct 29 2008, 01:15 PM']I may be mistaken but I don't think I mentioned jazz..... My point was non-genre orientated on purpose. I don't care if you are talking about Bakithi Kumalo (afro-pop), Carles Benavent (flamenco), Will Lee (session monster), Mick Karn (pop), Percy Jones (weird electro fusion hybrid) or James 'Hutch' Hutchinson (country/pop), there are some exceptional players out there that loads of us don't know and who are objectively 'better'. So 'most popular' is defensible; 'best' isn't. Or is it just the ones who 'play for the song' who make it into the top ten? As for my top ten? it is of no consequence.[/quote] Ah, how to qualify "objectively better"? Who is the best chef? The one who makes the food you most like eating. There are technical players I love and technical players I have no time for, and there are players I find incredibly musical and those I don't; there are even players who are both, but others will have entirely different opinions. If "better" means they have more musical knowledge or can play more difficult things, or can play in more styles or with more accurate time, then you could argue that better is definable. But as soon as musicality comes into it (as it always should) everyone is governed by their own tastes and preferences. If person X thinks Jaco is the most musical payer ever to walk the earth, then how can I prove he's not? It's impossible. If person Y or Z thinks McCartney or Flea is, then their opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. You can't possibly argue that Stuart Zender is as technically gifted or as musically knowledgeable as Jeff Berlin, but does that make Jeff Berlin better? I agree that the players you've mentioned would rate very highly in my book, but that doesn't make them better players than a player in a punk band, for instance; they may be awful at playing punk, which is a musical form in its own right. Who's the best out of Picasso, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Degas? I know which I prefer but I could never tell you who was better. What's the best book you've ever read? Every person will likely give a different answer, and if asked to qualify it will likely fall back on "because it touched me the most" or similar. FWIW I prefer Chris Squire to Jaco and Jean Jacques Burnel to Marcus Miller in every possible way and by a nautical mile, so how do I decide who's "better" out of those? In a 100m sprint on a given night, yes, you can say who's the better man/woman (in this case I'd reckon JJ or Marcus.. ). But as soon as artistic issues come into it, it all goes out of the window. To use the Pat Metheny analogy again, he's both very technically gifted and knowledgeable. However I hate everything about his playing, from his tone to his note choice. I know you really like him. Is he technically more gifted and knowledgeable than Dave Gilmour? Absolutely, by far. Is he better? Not where I'm standing; to me he's not even in the same league. You would probably argue otherwise, and I believe we'd both be right. BTW, I like jazz.... I once had an argument with an upright player who insisted that Ray Brown was "better" than Neils HOP. How on earth can anyone decide something like that????

So they stock Schroeder now? Hmmm. When I'm out of my current penniless phase I may actually get a chance to try some out at last. Many people have told me they're exactly what I need, light but very aggressive. I just hope they're aggressive in the right sort of way.

[quote name='Josh' post='314864' date='Oct 26 2008, 06:45 AM']Theres only one other proper clip of Sharay Reed: Some more from the same gig: Thats Maurice Fitzgerald on bass.[/quote] Well I'm in a rush so I watched the middle clip...funky! That's unfortunately [i]the[/i] tone I hate though. I know, I know, it's probably just me.

If you put my feet to the fire today I'd probably say Lemmy, Chris Squire and Leigh Gorman of Bow Wow Wow, but up there with them would be Stanley Clarke, Jean Jacques Burnel, John Entwistle, Stuart Zender, Mike Rutherford, Rutger Gunnarson and John McVie....and loads of others.

[quote name='Clarky' post='313270' date='Oct 23 2008, 08:13 PM'] They will be passing the smelling salts and shouting "how very dare you" in a frenzy of righteous indignation PS, Bassassin, I'm surprised they haven't been after you with a poisoned umbrella tip*! Edit: * for those who haven't had the pleasure of RickResource, the mere mention of Rickenfakers sends many forumites into a near-rabid, fomenting at mouth, Gawd-bless-America, state of apoplexy - some of them appear to think it is their duty to report every Rickenfaker to the authorities - its probably them, not Rickenbacker, which are responsible for eBay's heavy policies towards Rick "inspired" basses. That said, like BassChat, there are some very helpful, genuine people on it.[/quote] Thanks for that last bit as I've been a member of Rick Resource longer than any other forum. However just to clarify, its most definitely Rickenbacker themselves who are extremely hot on any "Rick-inspired " basses. John Hall has posted regularly on the Forum stating as much. I'm glad to see Robert using a Rick, altered or not. He seems to have had a strange tone in Metallica, but I guess they thought it worked; be interesting to see what he sounds like now. I thought his Infectious Grooves tones were great.

[quote name='Josh' post='313046' date='Oct 23 2008, 03:50 PM']I don't know about that, it is a Rick after all.[/quote] Could be worse, it could be an MTD or a Spector.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='309693' date='Oct 19 2008, 10:28 AM']Noticed this over on TB... [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479607"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479607[/url] Is anybody a fan and fancy taking this opportunity?[/quote] I am a fan but I can't say I've ever seen him playing that. Maybe it was in the period where I stopped watching them but I thought he'd given up on the doublenecks well before the guy says that was made. If I was interested in buying (not that I am) I think I'd want proof.

In the early 90s when I first bought my 72 Ric I had the tone of my dreams; I was using a very early Trace head and 4x10 (pre-Kevlar). I was practicing a lot, gigging quite a bit and was in good shape. Unfortunately somewhere along the line I had the not so bright idea of replacing my head with an Ampeg, possibly the most stupid thing I've ever done (other than px-ing my much-loved Pedulla for a Wal which I didn't get on with and then selling my Wal to buy a Marshall Dynamic bass rig that was a disaster...). I could never get my tone out of that thing. Then around 96 when my back problems started I reluctantly sold my cab. That was the end of it tonally for me. I've never really been happy with my sound since. And what's more, for the most part the more exotic the gear the worse sound I've had in a band situation. So I do sympathise! I wish I could go back to my old rig (even more annoying when I could buy something similar really cheaply but just wouldn't be able to carry it). In terms of playing, life has just got in the way. I get little chance to practice these days and play about a gig a year, so my playing is far behind where it used to be.

[quote name='johnnylager' post='308655' date='Oct 17 2008, 03:01 PM']And Genesis let that f***ing drummer sing.[/quote] My 3 favourite Genesis albums are Trick of the Tail, Seconds Out and And Then There Were 3. I actually prefer Phil's versions of Peter's songs. I know, I'm in the minority. Speaking of which, I went to see The Musical Box at the Manchester Apollo tonight. The band were great, but 3/4 of the gig was ruined by a row of drunken guys (and one woman I could see) speaking at pub level volumes all the way through everything, shouting and being generally obnoxious, and even drowning out the quieter material such as White Mountain and Entangled. They were told to shut up by various people and replied aggressively, and eventually one woman got 1 (?) of them thrown out, so far as I could tell. One of his mates went up and said something to her near the end and she looked rather shocked; I heard her telling a security guy at the end that he'd said they were going to get her outside. This from a bunch of guys apparently in their 50s at a Genesis tribute band gig!!!!! What is the world coming to?????? With any luck they all got run over crossing the road outside the venue. Sad thing is the last time I saw this at a gig was at a Yes concert at the same venue. You just don't expect it at a prog gig! Anyway, vent over and back to the thread....

[quote name='joe_bass' post='271210' date='Aug 27 2008, 06:07 PM']Because you can't do it? I concentrated a lot on tapping back at college because I thought it was a great technique, was amazing how the people to put it down were the ones who just couldn't do it. Think the point is the tools used to create the art, as in who cares what sort of brushes Degas or Rembrandt used to paint, the same way as does it really matter in regards to using a pick?[/quote] Exactly! Thanks for clarifying my point. I appear to have a habit of using analogies that seem to go over people's heads. That's what you get for coming from a Fine Art background I guess. Basically it's not about how you created the art, it's about the art you created. To use another, simpler analogy, its like complaining about the type of spoon someone uses to stir their tea, when it's the taste of the tea that matters.

[quote name='YouMa' post='307533' date='Oct 16 2008, 02:00 AM']People who slag off bands like these should try and play them as well.I would rather watch a bunch of proggers/stadium bands do decent lovey dovey songs in a rock bad shirt mellodrama than watch some awful "modern" 25 something pastiche punk/ska band who dont know get or barely play what the f*** they think they are on about.(Most of them seem to work for banks or recruitment really)[/quote] I'd actually be happy to watch either! I love prog and punk. Ska-Punk-Prog...now there's a genre waiting to be explored!

I love that track, always have. Love the album it came off too.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='305133' date='Oct 12 2008, 11:31 PM']We need to meet up.[/quote] Should I bring a bodyguard?

[quote name='Bassassin' post='306548' date='Oct 14 2008, 07:18 PM']I did wonder what they might be for - maybe some sort of surface-mount pickup? Can't think what else you could put there... Do you know that Pickguardian do replica plexiglass tug bars for Ricks? Would finish it off a treat! [url="http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/RICRest.html"]http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/RICRest.html[/url] J.[/quote] I really do think it was so they didn't lose the screws! Doesn't appear to have been anything on there. The tug bars look cool but having once played one with the tug bar attached I can honestly say it got in the way something awful.

[quote name='jonsmith' post='306099' date='Oct 14 2008, 11:24 AM']Yes, looks like it used to have a tug bar, that's where they used to be (for people who played with their thumbs).[/quote] The tug bar would've been on the scratchplate. The screws have actually been screwed into the body between the bridge and treble pickup.

To fill the holes there. Seriously, it was like that when I bought it. I figure someone just didn't want to lose the screws....

[quote name='steve-soar' post='305033' date='Oct 12 2008, 09:14 PM']That is the most incredible bass I have ever seen. I would have mine hollowed out to save weight, 20 fret, 32". Again, it is stunning, I'm in love.[/quote] Thanks! It actually is hollow; still weighs about 11 pounds though. Thought about a 32" scale, decided against it at the time for tonal reasons (although with hindsight I'm sure I'd have loved it just as much). If I ever have another built it will be 32" (or even 30").

[quote name='Bassassin' post='304978' date='Oct 12 2008, 07:33 PM']Hey 4000 - where do you live? Because in that photo, right next to the 4000, there's a Fireglo 4001 with checker binding, split tailpiece, full-width sparklies, toaster and, I'd be prepared to guess, wavy Grovers. What you need to know is that that's my dream Rickenbacker and I shall be around to steal it shortly! Seriously - what a stunning collection of very desirable Ricks you have! The 4000 looks great, very minimalist, don't think I've ever seen a Jetglo 4000 with black guard before - have you ever thought about black hardware for it? J.[/quote] I'm currently living in a tent in Outer Mongolia. Seriously, my 72 (which also has walnut wings) is my most treasured position. It's the standard by which everything else is judged, my favourite sounding bass that I've ever played. The black guard was on the 4000 when I got it, but I really like the look. Haven't really thought about black hardware; I'm pretty happy with the chrome to be honest.

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='304894' date='Oct 12 2008, 05:00 PM']Mmmm! Very tasty! 4000 - I take it you have a pickup blend control on there as there's no rotary click jobbie! Love the contrasting colours; espec the purpleheart stringers against the maple![/quote] Thanks! Yep, pickup blend. I think they only do the rotary control now to order.

The body shape was made famous (well, maybe not that famous ) by John Paul Jones of Zep. Here he is with his: [attachment=14655:JPJ_wTO8_b_w.jpg] And here's a close up: [attachment=14656:JPJs_8.png] His 8 string bass (used on Achilles' Last Stand) was actually a Bec-Var, made by Bruce Becvar (who worked at Alembic for a time). You can order an Alembic exactly the same shape as his,but the newer version is the same as mine. The longer pistol-grip top horn was ordered to try and counter any neck-heaviness. I first saw a picture of his in about '81 on a poster. I decided there and then I had to have one. 20-odd years later, I did. Unfortunately by then my back had gone so I have to play the bloody thing sat down...