Marc S

I recall seeing a cheap, terrible bass with an extra fret, just behind the nut - this acted like a nut in itself, and I could never work out why there was ever a need for this additional fret.... A guitarist pal reckons every guitar he's ever played with this "feature" has been awful Any ideas why manufacturers would have put this in place? Is it just maybe because the nut they fit can't take the string tension? If so, why not just fit a better nut? Bizarre really

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1381080662' post='2234143'] Rubbish! Seasick Steve is doing OK. [/quote] Absolutely! Let's stay positive folks..... There seems to be a bit of a negative vibe on this thread, maybe it IS difficult to know who will be held in high esteem in 30 years time, but back to those mentioned in the OP I wonder when those bassists were first playing, how many people back then were thinking "This guy is going to be seen as an innovator in 30 years time" ? Music is still evolving I keep discovering new bands all the time and while at the moment, I can't point a finger at a new rising star of the bass, I'm sure the consensus was the same before Flea arrived on the scene Maybe it doesn't matter that no-one is, as yet seen as a future Geddy Lee, but does this matter, as long as many are still trying to be better bass players? A few years back, I saw Imagined village, a sort of folk-superstars band They featured a Cellist by the name of Barney Morse-Brown who did some amazing work on the Cello, with his sampling gear and played the Cello like I'd never heard before.... Could be done on bass too! As long as there's a need for live bands, there'll be a need for bass players We just gotta keep trying our best, and looking for new approaches

[quote name='Leon Transaxle' timestamp='1381016420' post='2233522'] My first bass - a Satellite short scale bass. Sunburst, and a slidey switch for each microphonic pick up. Much like this one in fact although I don't remember an ashtray. [/quote] I'd forgotten about these! A pal of mine had a Satellite guitar, which was the same shape, with similar electrics, switches and pickups... ... and that was truly awful too

[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1380892610' post='2232019'] A bass i bought in the 90's and it was a Washburn Force 105ABT. The best way i could describe it is indistinct sounding. I didn't know anything about bass guitars at the time and bought it probably because it was the only 5 string in the shop and I'd never seen anyone playing a 5 so thought it was a good idea to learn to play it. [/quote] I thought Washburns were OK? Mind you, I think I only ever played 2 - very briefly One of those being an 8 string, which sounded great... ... well, to my ears at the time (long ago)

There's a different model of Kay bass on ebay at the mo I remember these being around years back too Never played one, but the look of similar build quality to the Kay I owned [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kay-EB100-bass-guitar-/290989005946?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43c04bdc7a"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kay-EB100-bass-guitar-/290989005946?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43c04bdc7a[/url]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1380878749' post='2231758'] The Indonesian made Squier I have is perfect. [/quote] I know, if you took the badge off mine, and a USA model, I'd have to say, I'd have thought mine was the more expensive instrument ...and about a fifth of the cost

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1380821148' post='2231135'] Was it one of these? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Kay-short-scale-bass-guitar-/151131905156?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item233029dc84"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item233029dc84[/url] [/quote] Yes, that's the one! My own nightmare has returned As I said, I played one a few months back, and it really was just as awful as my old one... It's a wonder to me now, that I ever continued playing I see some memories of those Kay SG type basses and Lindo's coming back from others.... Eughhhhh - I shudder Indeed, entry level instruments just seem so much better nowadays I've played some really quite nice basses which are relatively cheap It seems odd that so many people give such varying accounts of Squier basses (and guitars) A guitarist pal owns a Japanese built strat, which he reckons is the best guitar he's ever played, by a mile I own a Squier P bass, which has 2 pickups and a J bass neck It's an Indonesian built guitar, only a couple of years old and it's really nice. Sounds great through an amp - really impressed by the sound of it through a BIG pa a year or so back and it's really playable I used to own 2 USA Fenders and they were heavy, with chunky necks and not nearly as playable as my Squier and didn't sound a patch on it I played a Squier Chinese built P bass, which actually had sharp edges to the neck, weighed a ton, was hard work to play even though it had supposedly been set up and the sound was awful - it picked up every passing taxi radio! I suppose the varying quality of Squiers depends on batches, and which factory they were made at? Still, they're all more playable than that dreadful Kay Marc

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1380012948' post='2219370'] Or you could do both at the same time... I was recently playing a tune that required the root and octave to be played at the same time. Actually root, then root and octave. I am very much a pick player. While holding the pick between thumb and forefinger, I down stroked the root and then on the upstroke I plucked the octave with my middle finger at the same time and it worked a treat. I use a very thick pick and tend to play quite softly, so there wasn't even much, obvious, difference in sound. I was well chuffed. After messing around with that style for a while I found it incredibly useful with many possibilities. I also started including my ring finger for playing stuff like (please excuse my current inability to work out the intervals, or whatever you call 'em...) 4th string 12th fret, 2nd string 14th fret and 1st string 13th fret (I really do know the name for this, I'm sure of it, but it just won't come). I basically used the pick instead of my thumb, and it allowed me to play everything else without having to retrieve my pick from my gob. Dead handy. [/quote] Impressive, I gave this a quick whirl the other day, and it's not easy is it? Might suit only certain styles and basslines, but I'm impressed none the less

BTW. I meant to add, I sold the bass to a guy who just wanted an "ornament" to hang on his wall!

Hi all, Apologies if anyone has posted this sort of thing before, I did a search and couldn't find anything too similar.. This was prompted by seeing this post, which is really mainly about the design / style of a bass But I wanted to know what really awful basses are / were out there mainly concentrating on matters other than the "look" of an instrument... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/218700-could-this-be-the-worst-bass/page__p__2230880__hl__worst%20bass__fromsearch__1#entry2230880"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/218700-could-this-be-the-worst-bass/page__p__2230880__hl__worst%20bass__fromsearch__1#entry2230880[/url] I started playing in the early 80's - with a break of over 20 years, and resumed playing again several years back.... wish I'd never stopped now, but there we go When I first started playing, I bought a 2nd hand 3/4 scale bass which had a Kay logo on the trussrod cover That's "Kay" the catalogue people at that time Anyhow, it looked a bit like a sort of Rick shape but had a bolt-on neck, which was twisted slightly I didn't really know what I was buying at the time so I wasn't aware of the twist It was cheap, and it was all I could afford at the time The effect of the twist was that you could tune the bass, but at the last 2 frets the strings (particularly the E and A) were out of tune. As soon as I played anything else at least half decent, I could tell just how awful this bass was The sound, when played through an amp was just awful too The pickups must have been rubbish It didn't put me off playing however I was just determined to get something better There were a lot of cheapish guitars around at the time and I wonder just how many of them have survived, how many were good, bad, or indifferent Shortly after this bass, I had a Shaftesbury and that was a rather nice guitar I now wish I'd had the money to keep It was a whole different kettle of fish built in Japan, and at the time, Japanese built guitars were considered not very good However, I've since seen & played several instruments which disprove that Back to my 1st bass A pal of mine (an ex-drummer) recently bought one for his daughter I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it! Haven't seen one in ages I gave it a quick whirl, and it really is just firewood I advised him to get her something better BTW. He didn't, and she has given up Anyone else remember these Kay basses? Or anyone else with memories of terrible guitars? A lead player old pal of mine shudders at the thought of his first "Jedson" Cheers Marc

Sad? - No, of course you're not You're looking forward to something And if that something happens to be something you really want... ... you must be happy!

Lucky that nut didn't disintegrate in the middle of your first gig with the bass! Good job on the new one, and as you say, you now have a nice, custom setup job on the bass Looking great - wish I had one of these

Welcome to basschat Yes, you will indeed find lots of advice on here If you still want to play bass, but don't want to lug heavy gear around there are plenty of new, lightweight amps around For example, Markbass (which I use) or Phil Jones produce some really small lightweight amps that still pack a big punch... Violin too eh? Nice Wish I had a tenth of the time I want, to rehearse.... Wish I could learn to play loads of different instruments.... I'd miss the bass, if I didn't play it anymore though... Cheers Marc

I used to use an old trick to revive dead strings.... You keep all your old dead strings, then when you have a sufficient number, boil them in white (clear) vinegar, for 10 mins This really does work - the vinegar, being acidic breaks down the sweaty, greasy bits of skin and other muck that have accumulated in the windings The boiling action helps, by making the metal expand, and allowing the vinegar into the core As with other methods though, this is only a temporary measure, but I did find it worked well. And bottle of vinegar is much cheaper than a couple of sets of strings A word of warning though - your kitchen will smell a bit! And DON'T USE BROWN VINEGAR! It's brown because it has sugar in it - that will make the strings sticky & horrible! EDIT: Takes a bit longer than 10 mins too....

Oh Sarah, Just because you have funds, doesn't mean you have to spend them! I pondered one of these too They'd certainly be more portable than a 3/4 but how would you cope with the changes in intervals / intonation? Many folk manage, I know - but could be tricky to master both sizes of bass I think you should play that rather nice Squier Jazz bass you have .... now that's definitely more portable than your DB Keep us posted on your decision Marc

Hi ubassman, What do they call that device in your original post? You've got me interested in it now....

.... and in my earlier post, how could I have missed mentioning Steve Harris? o: and Cliff Burton... For very different reasons to my other influences

I tried playing while sat on a tall-ish stool but it did feel distinctly "odd" I think my intonations were out too Difficult to tell exactly, as I'm fairly new to DB (being a bass guitarist) But I suppose it is a lot to do with muscle memory and your posture probably will have some effect on that particularly if you aren't as comfortable as usual... Must try & play while sitting on a stool again sometime I think I'd be more comfortable, long term... Mind you, it'd be another thing to (a) sneak past the missus and ( cart around, and have to squeeze into the car!

JJ Burnell and Paul Gray (Damned, Hot Rods etc) I was a punk, and these guys had very different sounds to each other, but each played some brilliant basslines... Paul said his main influence was John Entwistle - and I really can hear that These days, I like John's basslines too Another big influence was Peter Hook - he just made the bass sound so different to everyone else and Andy Rourke of the Smiths Some of Johnny Marr's superb guitar playing must have been difficult to put basslines to but Andy managed to compliment the guitar superbly, with some of the best bass I've heard For DB, it has to be Danny Thompson, of course EDIT: Meant to say, some of Paul Gray's basslines are brilliant He got a superb sound from his Yellow Rickenbacker - never heard anything quite like it Listen to "The Black Album" to hear what I mean... Nice thread - please don't appologise for starting it

mmmmm.... not my cup of tea! each to their own though - I suppose

[quote name='elom' timestamp='1380234143' post='2222774'] This thread made me go and grab my own basses - I guess they are pretty 80s! [/quote] Indeed - very 1980's I like 'em all EDIT: Just don't go doing any 1980's hairstyles! lol

[quote name='sarah thomas' timestamp='1380020049' post='2219519'] Your bass had a set of golden slaps on previously, which is why they fit! I widened the nut slot to take the slaps, but didn't widen it all the way down to the bottom of the groove. That way, a narrower slot was available to fit other strings when needed. I think they're great strings for starting off on. Anyway, I just wanted to say that you should be able to dig in and play them hard without fear of them popping out. Go for it Marc! [/quote] Thanks again Sarah The new strings are definitely brighter and that "woody" sound is more prominent too.... I did wonder why it was they fitted so well Is it standard practice to slightly open the notches/ grooves on the bridge too? Marc

[quote name='MB1' timestamp='1380187418' post='2221931'] MB1. Strangely just reminded me of this tune... Give it Back The Dickies. (Doh!...Blast from the past!) [/quote] And now I am singing that other Dickies blast from the past "Banana Splits" Defo take it back - it shouldn't be moving about already

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1380202037' post='2222233'] bike reflector type lenses over the leds for big eyes? Love it Rich, excellent work. [/quote] Even more great ideas!

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1380183678' post='2221844'] Yeah I think that might be the answer, It was fine when I tested it in the shop then a couple of days later the buzz came back... Maybe I have bigger problems with this bass [/quote] .... maybe the point that a few people have told me, about letting the neck to "settle" is true for some instruments? I know I used to leave an old bass of mine in a practice room where the temperature was up & down all the time ... played havoc when I had to adjust the trussrod