Bobthedog

I test drove a Fender Rumble 200 a couple of months ago. Very impressive and worth a play.

I am starting to relax about the practice time in as much as missing a rare occasional day is not a disaster. Trouble is I am old man with a young man's attitude! My G&L was bought as a travel guitar and along with a Vox practice amp comes with me everywhere overnight. Wife not so impressed though :-)

I am a 8 month old newby. The essentials are: n+1 guitars where n is the number of guitars you currently have Numerous cables whilst you figure out what are the best Several tuners while you decide which ones to trust Several metronomes including at least two drum machines to ensure good timing Several straps whilst you decide which ones are the most comfortable Numerous and many effects pedals whilst you work out how to get a good tone (tip, it is from the fingers) Several different amps whilst you decide what one is best for the tone you think you want now (see previous point) Several books for you to learn one tune from A PC /Mac Audio interface for when you start your home studio including different software whilst you decide which one works best for you Some studio monitors that are too big for your desk. A portable mixing desk should you need to start mixing whilst you learn a minor pentatonic scale A foldable trolley to carry your amp to the gigs you have not yet done A music stand for all the books you have learnt the one tune from Different guitar stands including wall mounts whilst you decide what works best for you and can hold n+1 guitars An open ended wallet and finally An understanding and patient partner. Other than that, I think you are done. NB all of the above are based on real life situations and any connections to the author are intentional.

Thanks Guys. I came back today and ran through some scales, technical stuff and 6 songs, incl 3 new ones: probably the best session I have had for a long time. Weird!

Sounds like a plan. Thx

I am not sure if this is the right forum but I am a newish player going through the Rockschool grades. I have had today one of the worst practice sessions ever, fingers all over the place, slow and not able to control stray fingers. When you went through the learning stage and things sort of like this happened, did you carry on or stop for the day? Part of me was saying keep going, and I became more and more frustrated, but perhaps I should have just put the guitar down and come back tomorrow? I am determined and driven to pass each grade with a minimum of a distinction, perhaps I should just chill some. I am also at home ill today, so am not on good form anyway.

I was brought up in a musical family with live jazz (father's jazz band with an amazing basement opened for other bands or musoes to practice in) or recorded blues music being played the whole time. Not surprisingly these are now my preferred musical genres. I only discovered the bass guitar as a "want to play" in the last year, however (I did start trumpet and drums from the age of about 8 but gave up before I mastered either). I do too have a a great love for both classical music (mostly piano / string quartet type stuff) and Italian opera, but that is totally self taught from about my early 20's. I am not beholden to any bass style but I do have both a Jazz and P bass alongside my G&L

Yes

TC Polytune 2. Superb bit of kit and extremely quick but accurate. I have tried Korg headstock tuners which are great when wanting a quick tune away from the amp, but was never confident they would work (sometimes the D string was not being picked up) and also a Boss, which is good but needs connecting and disconnecting. The Polytune is always there in the loop from Bass to Amp

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1413131597' post='2575143'] I wonder why the band he was in, never took off? [/quote] You have obviously never heard of Liquorice and the Allsorts,

I have been to a couple of gigs and concerts where mistakes have been made including the front line starting a different song to the back line and a singer on another occasion doing just that too. My father's band (semi-pro) used to play a song where they just repeated the same lyrics all the way through as a result of their previously full time pro singer forgetting the lyrics and doing the same; it became their standard method of performing the song,

Well I took the plunge and have ordered an MXR Micro Amp pedal. It seems a cheapish way of getting more noise. Thank you for the replies to my post.

[quote name='geoham' timestamp='1412460479' post='2569148'] A typical P will be louder than a typical J. The P pickups are wired in series, making it louder. Also, don't confuse loudness for a good tone. My stock Mexican P pickups were loud, but sounded harsh. The P was the loudest of my 4 basses by a long way. My CS 60's J pickups (same as used in American Standard) are considerably quieter, but sound awesome. I replaced the P pickup, and the result is a quieter, but far nicer souning bass. My advice - if you like the tone, keep the pickups and turn up the volume on your amp. A clean-boost pedal will help you get an even level between basses, and a pre-amp will do the same, but will probably colour your tone somewhat - not necessarily a bad thing! Hope this helps, [/quote] Thanks for this. I am happy with the tone, just not the volume. I guess i will just push the volume up on the amp.

The bass is set up fine and I am happy with the volume / sound I get from my P Bass and G&L. Good thoughts, thank you but sadly not the issue in this case.

I am 8 months new to bass and so still learning and have the following question: I have a 2013 Fender American Jazz Deluxe which works well for me in fit and neck dimensions etc, however, I cannot get any volume out of it relative to my Fender P bass or G&L M2000. It has been tested by the shop and a local luthier (who also checked the set up) and my "weak" hand technique would seem to be the problem, but only for the Jazz. Would changing the pre amp (for example to a John East J Retro Delux) and/or the pickups (Seymour Duncan QPs for Jazz?) improve the volume? Any other ideas, other than man up on the fingers or increase the amp volume!

3: 2013 Fender American Jazz Bass Deluxe 2011 Fender American Precision 2012 G&L M2000 Tribute

Not too far away from you but I would recommend Andy Viccars nr Milton Keynes. Not only a good bass man (and builder) but a good down to earth man who will not rip you off.

I have been following them for a few months now. Love the music and covers. They will be in the uk next year so hoping to get tickets (with the dark haired singer - Robyn)

As a pupil I am in the same position. I struggle with the 2nd bar all the time. My saving grace at my recent level was getting super scores everywhere else. As the levels get harder I will need this part too. Interested to read the suggestions. My tutor has pretty much given up on the rythmic recall with me.

My bass teacher works on 24hr full fee cancellation but has shown flexibility for material illness. I am happy to pay on this basis

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1407356648' post='2519825'] Have they said why? Not that I'm sayjng they're wrong, I have no idea what the best teaching methods are so that could be entirely normal procedure, I'm just curious. [/quote] [quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1407399485' post='2520051'] Like ern500evo, I too would be interested to hear the reasoning/logic behind such insistance. [/quote] No reasons where given, however, the second instructor (and best player / teacher) is a professional DB player in a Louis Prima style band so I guess a pick was never his thing?

I am very much a learner, however, the three instructors I have used (different locations) have insisted I learn with fingers before moving to a pick.