Norris

I think it was Mike Rutherford that really made me notice the bass before I started playing. I can't say I play anything like him (I wish!) as I have only really played in cover bands, but a truly inspirational bass player Edit: Oh, and Roger Glover

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1449946584' post='2928314'] It's the guitarists not the pickups. You just need a different guitarist(s). [/quote] My guitarist uses whichever guitar he fancies on the night and he has a few of them. Singles, 'buckers, P90s. He never struggles with muddiness or harshness. He just tweaks the amp and pedals accordingly. Some may struggle to feedback when he wants them to, but that's probably more due to the actual room rather than anything else. I think the OP's guitarist(s) need to learn to control their equipment. The manufacturers put knobs on amps and pedals for a reason

Maybe I'm lazy but I just take the old strings off, give the bass and fretboard a clean, slap on the new strings, bed them in to take the stretch out, then gig it. However being able to check and adjust the setup is a useful skill to learn and really not that difficult. I will do a check and tweak once in a while, but not every time I change strings, especially if using the same brand & gauge

Never fed up! It's fascinating to watch you work so quickly and with such great results. Keep it coming

This has to win the most unusual thread of the year prize. It's a question that would have never entered my head. I would say Beatles but that's probably more to do with the song writing, arrangement and harmonies. Tbh a lot of the Who's "album fillers" leave me cold. All imho of course

It may well do, but you can minimise it by making sure your shielding is up to scratch.

Nice work. I'm hoping to get a StewMac Dremel router base for Xmas. Then I'll start playing with some inlays - but not on my telecaster build, that's complicated enough already Edit: What do you use?

Zing! We have colour! That's going to be stunning

Next up... Adam Clayton - The Best Bass Player In The World Ever

Royal Blood?

My Squier P Bass Special would fit the bill if you can find one second hand. Precision body, Jazz neck like a matchstick and PJ pups. Cheap as chips and sounds great with a set of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders slapped in it. I haven't gigged any of my other basses for a couple of months Edit: Total cost of mine was £250

I'm not a slapper but do have a Ric 4003 and a Thunderbird. Tbh I don't think either are really the best basses for slapping. As someone mentioned the Thunderbird neck is very narrow like a Jazz and the Ric sound tends to be a bit gritty/growly - it can do clean but not like a P or J can Edit: Neither of them has that top end ring that I imagine you would want for slapping

We use 4 cheap LED cans and Chauvet Mini Kinta (moonflower type effect) to add a bit of movement, split across 2 T bars and all linked to a DMX controller. Probably a bit more than you are after though

It's not an album opening track, but... Steely Dan - Don't Take Me Alive. Awesome

[quote name='Mikkoantt' timestamp='1449421130' post='2923382'] Yes: Starship trooper [/quote] Good call. I bought 9012-live on dvd the other week to replace the old vhs cassette and it's still a fantastic watch/listen

I think that the 4004 would be a lot more popular if it wasn't so darned expensive. I'm a Ric player (4003) but you can get a heck of a lot of bass for that kind of money from other manufacturers. I'd love to try a 4004 but they are kind of hen's teeth, and I very much doubt I'll ever see one in the flesh let alone own one

Hendrix - Axis Bold As Love. Great bit of flanging

I can't fault their customer service. They didn't even charge me when they had to re-arrange a pickup courier for a faulty item because we missed the first one through our fault

T-Rex 20th Century Boy

Hendrix - Little Wing

For the first time in about a decade we are having the night off. I wonder what normal people do...

Welcome. The mockups look great - they are going to be fantastic basses. If you need any tips on using epoxy to fill your burl top there are some great ones on ProjectGuitar.com. Some of the builders on there have used mildly radioactive compounds to great effect, which sounds similar to what you are planning

Excellent job. It looks great. I rather like the subtlety of the white on maple fret markers

As others have mentioned, it is now your responsibility to keep track of where you are in the song. The drummer keeps the beat (probably with a bit of dragging/driving on your part) and you keep the phrasing. Tbh I'd forgotten about that. I've done it so long it's second nature. That moment when the other two look at you for the raised eyebrows indicating the key change, and your ability to count 6 bars of a held chord (that's a nod towards the end of the last bar), etc.

I've played in a trio for years. I've never really found it a problem at all, in fact it's quite liberating. I mostly play standard bass lines, but every now and then we might have to rearrange slightly to get some key riffs in e.g. on Witch Queen of New Orleans by Redbone I play the rhythm guitar riff as the guitarist sings that one making it difficult for him to get the timing rock steady. As regards sonic space, I have no constraints and can play with pretty much any eq I like. The key thing is the standard bass role of locking in with the drummer, even if he goes off on one as well. You are the main anchor.