Dood

[quote name='fender73' post='1303491' date='Jul 14 2011, 01:09 PM']Did Dood and Dave call each other to match outfits? :-)[/quote] Yeah, Dave kept calling up incessantly, asking what I was gonna wear and promised that he wouldn't match, but the lil scamp couldn't help himself! Coincidentally, I seem to have worn the black and blue combo for a few of my videos, but honestly not planned! I guess I need a wardrobe makeover!

[quote name='pantherairsoft' post='1303256' date='Jul 14 2011, 09:59 AM']I thought they show was great and the set choice was, in the whole, very good. I was disappointed with Les's lack of communication to the audience. He spoke a bit here and there, but has a reputation of lots of very funny interaction which I hoped to of been treated to. The big let down was the venue sound. Very boomy, like the sound system was not cut out for the size (or height) of the room. The mid was all snare drum until half waythrough and we only really got treated to a good guitar sound for the encore! When they got it right, it sounded massive, but it took most the gig before the soundmen decided to tweak.. Shame. Still enjoyed it lots, was cool to hook up with Robbie (RIM basses) and Dood, and the show was very enjoyable. Let's not mention 'Hot Head Show's opening slot though... Urghhhh.[/quote] Great to see you too mate! Sadly I couldn't open the picture you mms'd me, I assume it was of the accommodation you spoke of? Still amazed that you spotted me from right across the other side of the venue. Do I *really* stick out like a sore thumb that much ha ha ha ha! Yup, had a quick hello to Robbie too, I have to admit that after the three hour trip down, I really needed a drink and sadly my conversation skills sucked. sorry Robbie! Gig though, yeah it was strange that there wasn't any front lighting and thus couldntbsee the whites of their eyes.

I think this thread has just hit AWESOME status with all the lookie-likies. Made my day! Keep 'em coming!

[quote name='dc2009' post='1301696' date='Jul 12 2011, 10:39 PM']You're welcome to mine, Dood, I wasn't a fan![/quote] Heh! Im guessing its gonna have a similar effect that Marmite does on people! [quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1301698' date='Jul 12 2011, 10:40 PM']I'm always in awe of the amount of comments pointing fingers at endorsees and claiming they're mindlessly biased towards the product simple because of the discount. Put simply, if you're happy to put your name behind a brand that you don't like enough to recommend anyway, then your opinion probably isn't worth listening to in the first place. I don't think a lot of people understand exactly what an endorsement entails, most people seem to think that there's a clause in the contract that outlines exactly how far up the manufacturer's arse the endorsee's tongue needs to be and that's just not how it works. If you found your ideal piece of gear and you got offered a discount on it (or even free), you'd be stupid not to take it. It doesn't suddenly make your opinion unreliable or biased. Having said that, it doesn't make much sense to have an endorsee reviewing gear they endorse as obviousy they like it or they wouldn't be an endorsee. As for the original question of who is endorsing who, IMO it's a mutual endorsement. The manufacturer is endorsing the band by saying "we're proud that this band is using out gear" and the band is endorsing the manufacturer by saying "we're proud to be using this gear". All IMO, IME, YMMV etc etc, but my band has various endorsements, I know a far bit about GK amps and really do like them so I often suggest them and it winds me up to think that people think I'm biased because of my endorsement. A ) I turned down another endorsement to keep using my paid for GK amp before the endorsement and B ) there's other products I talk about that I'm not endorsed by (Sandberg being the prime example). If I'm biased towards GK gear (which I am) it's a because they're a damned fine product that I would (and did) use regardless of endorsement.[/quote] Nice post. [quote name='Steve Lawson' post='1301728' date='Jul 12 2011, 11:11 PM']I wrote a blog post about this, after being asked loads of questions about Endorsements - it's 5 or 6 years old, but pretty much still makes sense... the question of who's endorsing who is a really good one - ideally it's a two way thing. You play the gear you love, and the company - grateful for the exposure and support - reciprocate with the kind of support they can offer, with cheaper equipment, gear shipped to venues, loaner gear, adverts (which are definitely a bonus for both parties)... Anyway, here's the post, hope it's of some use: [url="http://www.stevelawson.net/2006/10/how_music_gear_/"]http://www.stevelawson.net/2006/10/how_music_gear_/[/url] Steve[/quote] Hey Steve, hope ya had a safe trip back! Thats a great piece and saved me a bit of typing as you have explained it far better than i would have. I wanted to make a point about the other 'features' of endorsements and touched on company support in my last post. You've added plenty more detail in reference to.

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1301666' date='Jul 12 2011, 10:09 PM']Bugger all these bass endorsements. Have you guys tried Lea & Perrins' Worcestershire Sauce? God, it's yummy. Particulary with cheese. And celery, too. Surprising that, eh? Who'd have thought that Lea & Perrins' Worcestershire Sauce could be so versatile?[/quote] I wanna get my mits on some of that HP Guinness sauce!

[quote name='Skol303' post='1301295' date='Jul 12 2011, 04:56 PM']PS: Dood wins the "Devil's Advocate" award, methinks! [/quote] I was just so gobsmacked, I couldn't bring myself to answer!

Guaranteed to get the discussion heated in seconds: [url="http://www.facebook.com/notes/jeff-berlin/fretless-bass-is-a-cliche-instrument-and-it-should-be-outlawed/248767481801782"]http://www.facebook.com/notes/jeff-berlin/...248767481801782[/url] [quote]Jason Charles Rogers said, “I love that feeling of a fretted bass with that kind of sound!” Jeff answered: I don't play fretless at all because I personally regard it as a cliche instrument! I've never heard a fretless bass player sound unique in their fretless sound since Jaco Pastorius. To me, this makes their musical contributions fall into the imitator status, something that many still do because their fans don't seem to mind the musical imitation element connected with their favorite fretless players. I recognize that I am pretty much alone in my point of view about fretless (what aren't I almost alone in!) The reason is that the fretless bass has a tone automatically built into it and that the tone was copyrighted when Jaco first presented it. But the fretted bass had no original sonic stamp attributed to one guy. Neither does piano, drums, guitar, or horn have anyone who is THE definer of that instrument’s sound. These are generic instruments which have a legion of unique voices, different in sonics from each other as an orange is from an apple. But so far, the fretless bass is ONLY an orange and everyone who plays it always includes that specific fretless sound, nearly impossible to avoid, and so far, nobody hasn't, not to my way of looking at it! They are all out of tune or they slide harmonics, or they play harmonics, or they slide notes. Nothing different here![/quote] Err... Discuss, I reckon...

[quote name='geoffbassist' post='1300949' date='Jul 12 2011, 01:08 PM']Its more often than not an 'artist deal' where the manufacturer is selling direct to the player at about trade price. They still get paid the same for their gear as it's the retailers fee that's left of the price the player pays. Im guessing not many people get an endorsement in the old fashioned meaning of 'free gear for publicity'. I don't know though and would be interested in hearing from people with these deals.[/quote] Sorting the wheat from the chaff, you've made the distinction. There are big differences in deals and *some* companies.. or rather, too many are offering a glorified trade deal, where that's as far as it goes. Which is all fine and dandy for most people, but I'm pretty sure that if you were to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere on tour and you called upon them for help, they'd probably chuckle and ask how deep your pockets are. I'm fortunate in that I had been using all of the products loooooong before any contact from the companies themselves, tried and tested. (as many of you will no doubt know I was blathering on about my gear back in the days of Bassworld!!) I am very pleased and chuffed to bits to say that pretty much all of them contacted me to offer me on to their roster in support of my music career. That's not BS either, i know that I can talk to say, Jason How or Larry Hartke anytime I need to and they are there for me - and in return I get to tell everyone what I honestly think of the brands - which thankfully for them is positive, else, I wouldn't use 'em heh heh!!! - and boy have I owned a lot of kit over the years. So, in short there are different deals out in the wild and some to be wary of - but companies aren't stupid, they're not going to give 'free stuff' away out of the kindness of their hearts - we're all in business - and theirs, bottom line, like it or not is to make money. Then again... so is mine.

Hey all, here's some pictures taken by LickLibrary of my interviews with Dave Ellefson and Frank Bello. The actual 'TV' interview will be online in the near future, I'll be sure to post a link when it is. You can view all of these pictures, comments and tags via the LickLibrary Facebook page: [url="http://www.facebook.com/LickLibrary"]http://www.facebook.com/LickLibrary[/url]

One of his strings is slightly out of tune or he's pulling fretted notes. That's being pedantic though - as it's usually the perils of playing outside with the problems the weather brings.

Ummm, what's up with the string alignment on the neck? The E string is really close to the edge, but the G has a good few mm to the lower edge of the board. Custom shop?? Did they put it together in a power cut? Lol.

[quote name='Truckstop' post='1237349' date='May 19 2011, 08:09 PM']No. I'll be at home [b]building a shed with a drumkit instead.[/b][/quote] I've made a monster! I'm so proud of myself ;0) Yeh, I'll be at the gig!

Although I don't always practice what I preach, I believe in economy of movement and look at the most efficient way of getting from one note, position or string to the next with the least amount of waste, be in over exertion or just simply saving time between moves. I'm not going to refer directly to the piece you have posted, but to give you an idea that you can work on to explain what I am getting at: If you play a simple 4 note per string ascending chromatic exercise starting on the E string, then A, D and finish on the G starting your first note on a downstroke, when you come to move to the next string your right hand position is ready for a downstroke to meet the next string. Now try the same exercise, starting note being an upstroke. You'll see now that your hand should be ready for an upstroke when moving DOWN to the next string, which would appear counter productive. So lets start the same exercise again, but 3 notes per string instead of four. This time if you start the exercise on a downstroke, because you haven't played an even number of notes on the first string, you are now looking at an upstroke to hit the A string when yo move down across the strings, thus it might feel easier in this case to start the exercise with an upstroke. My point is this - 'plan ahead'. Take a look at how a bass line is laid out on the f/board in front of you and decide how you can attack the bassline so that the transitions between strings can be made easier. Oh - and if it's easier to move a note or pattern to a different string, then do it. I hope that makes sense! - Also check out 'economy picking' often used by guitarists for speed and take some pointers from that maybe.

Just checking in very quickly before I run out the door to my next job! It's busy right now! The interviews went really well with both Frank and Dave, what a lovely couple of guys they are! You can see pictures up on the LickLibrary Facebook page already. I haven't had time to look at the main website or Digital Villages pages yet though. it was great to meet fellow BCers last night and obviously a big congratulations to our very lucky winner! What a great prize! Ok, I'll write a proper review soon, but I gotta dash right now! Dan.

Hi Peter, I think your topic title will attract the answer "There is no 'best' out there, because it's down to personal preference" then you will be inundated with different answers for your second question too. You might find that it won't be that helpful any more than a long list of great 6 string basses. You won't know till you start playing as many as possible to find out what suits you. I could give you a long list of basses I have owned and tell you all about them, but it might be better to list all the places you can go to play some real tasty kit instead! Bass Gear, Bass Direct, Bass Merchant, The Gallery etc... But in answer to your question, Shuker every time. I've two customs built to my specifications and they are spot on the best basses I have ever played - but as I say, they are built to my requirements and thus might not be liked by others.

[quote name='bartelby' post='1273818' date='Jun 18 2011, 03:15 PM']I've always meant to try this sort of thing out. [/quote] Yes! I've seen that vid. A cool idea for effects junkies! Well iPad has arrived, it's only a matter of time before it is laden with guitar stuff!

Thank you guys, If you have any questions you'd like me to pose (given that I can squeeze them in) then please post them here and I will get the link of the interview posted when it's online.

I once built a 2watt battery amp and ran it into the speaker on my practice amp. Yes, it did work, but wasn't loud enough for what i wanted, however, it would have been loud enough to keep up with an acoustic guitar.

Yup agreed, that marker pen cover up is dire!! The amps are great, but I wouldn't touch that with a bargepole. Too risky!!!

[quote name='mart' post='1293205' date='Jul 5 2011, 11:34 AM']Sadly there isn't a switch for the tweeter. I suppose I could hunt around inside and disconnect it - that would actually suit me for when I play bass through it too (since I don't like a trebly sound). But what you and Dood say about the cab being too neutral does sound right - the distortion sound is a bit like the sound you get from running a distortion pedal straight into a recording device. I guess I had never thought a cab could be so faithful - I assumed guitar cabs sounded the way they do because they had to, not because they were designed to. Thanks for opening up my eyes![/quote] Ahhh no problem! Yes, it's funny that what was once a limitation in speaker design is one of the things that guitarists like so much! You only have to look at how many manufacturers of guitar amps use the Celestion Vintage 30 speakers for amps that distort. It's mellowed top end and physical limiting effect on the signal is what makes them so pleasing to the ear..Despite being a very old design. You'd never want to use them as a hifi speaker though.. Yet the genz would probably do a good job at reproducing full range music signals - which is what big dynamic clean bass tones are all about.. Well, if you want them to be, that is.