tegs07

Better is subjective as is the experience of playing vinyl. Possibly in the same way as a screw cap vs corked wine. There is a degree of ritual and respect with vinyl which some people just prefer. The imperfections are all part of the process.

Step right up - Tom waits

Beyond the pale - The Mission

The Yamaha attitude basses look like the neck would survive a nuclear blast and still remain true. Ive never had an issue with maple necks but live in the UK. Once on a trip through Death Valley the heat caused the neck of a friends guitar to warp and the wood on the body started to separate. Took months and a very experienced luthier to sort it out.

Lateralus - Tool

Peace love and understanding - A Perfect circle

Strange Brew - Cream

LA woman - The Doors

Sweet baby James - James Taylor

I believe this is a drunk and uninvited Jim Morrison “contributing” to Jimi Hendrix

This is true but most of the real anoraks I have met that had the means and obsession to get serious about this rarely listen to anyone who isn’t already dead! They are generally fans of Jazz and Classical music and in my experience tend to obsess about particular periods of these genre’s.

Just easier to sell on based on personal experience. People have heard of the brand that’s all. No dig at HB just get what TheGreek was saying. And yes it would be a CV or VM if not an Indonesian MM SUB.

It’s a little more complex than that. I worked for several years in digital broadcast and also had the privilege of working with some excellent old school broadcast engineers. There are pros and cons of analog vs digital that could span pages and bore the pants off even the most committed. My take on the matter is digital has made broadcast cheaper, more efficient and the quality of audio is so good that for most people and most purposes it’s usage is a no-brainier. That said if I was a serious Classical or Jazz buff with more money than sense I would be after Vinyl and the mother of all Hi-Fi systems.

I think you guys are getting too wrapped up in semantics. People are welcome to buy a new HB but if I was asked for advice by a parent of prospective beginner I’d recommend a secondhand SUB or Squire. It’s just a personal view based on selling basses I have owned and tinkered with.

Your correct people would be far more interested in a ten page essay on Quantization and Timing Jitter.

I think it’s perfectly good enough for a beginner. If they change their mind you will lose a few quid whereas with the second hand SUB you won’t. The MusicMan brand on the headstock will also make it easier and quicker to sell. I don’t think there is any need to defend the HB it’s a decent bass. The cheaper price is down to hardware and lack of brand identity.

I guess I understand the advice in a different way. I suspect most people looking at a HB Stingray are beginners, parents of beginners or people looking for a budget backup bass. I’d be happy to buy a HB, spend a few months trawling for bargains and tinkering and end up with a pretty solid instrument for £200. I wouldn’t recommend this for most beginners or parents though. I’d go for TheGreeks suggestion as if they give up it’s an easy sell with no loss.

I’m not sure why everyone is so dismissive of this statement. It’s a valid point. With CNC technology and the longevity of factories like Cort Indonesia is knocking out consistently good instruments. Everything that can be done to reduce price has been done so all that is left is materials. Cheaper wood, cheaper hardware, cheaper electrics and pickups. All the really cheap instruments I have had in the last few years I have been pleased with but tended to upgrade machine heads, bridges, pots, wiring, pickups etc. The experience for me of trawling eBay etc and watching You Tube and the like was fun but not for everyone. Plenty might find @TheGreeksuggestion to be useful.

Down in New Orleans- Dr John

Stupid Questions - NMA

The Lunatics - The Specials

I watched the documentary and the one thing that stood out is the timing. The sexist, conformist, aspirational 80’s scene was dull. Some had found an outlet in the rave scene others found Nirvana. For anyone in their late teens both scenes would have been a massive improvement on the mainstream fodder. Edit: I was in my early 20’s by the time Nirvana were breaking through and had watched the Pixies, Cramps, Faith No More, Bad Seeds, Mudhoney and Loop at Reading the year before their first Reading outing. I wouldn’t say I was jaded just not the right generation to really get them.

It just occurred to me that Nirvana are like Harry Potter. If you find them in your formative years they are ground breaking and open the doors to a world of possibilities. Everyone else doesn’t really get it as they have already been through Lord of the Rings and Star Wars etc.

It’s strange how some bands just don’t get much recognition in terms of bookings and press. I saw Jesus Jones live about 10 times in the late ‘80s despite never once setting off to see them. They were support acts on loads of big tours and got a lot of press. I bought all of That Petrol Emotions albums and saw them live several times but could never understand how they were largely unrecognised and still playing pretty small venues. I would guess that this wasn’t solely down to booking agent etc, but them not fitting the look or sound of the time.

A rainy night in soho - The Pogues