NickD

You don't have to be good with a camera anymore, with digital you can go until you get it right. This was shot with me hung upside down beneath the projector, camera in one hand while blowing vapour into the stream of light with the other. All while projecting the most colourful picture I could find, a flowerbed, onto the wall. 🤣 My old Voigtlander... That's a different story.

Marvellous... Thanks folks! Congratulations to Doctor J, and to everyone who put an entry in, I enjoy listening more and more, there's some great stuff going in every month. I was surprised that this one did ok, as by the time I put it in I bloody hated it. Damn thing wouldn't do what I wanted it to, and blocked me at every turn. Just goes to show how much I know! 😅

Had a DB book from Lawrie recently. It couldn't have been easier, great, friendly communication throughout. Many thanks!

It's a camera, placed by Copeland, Vinnie and Hakim so they could observe how much better the gig would have been had one of them been there! It wasn't there on Saturday I don't think.... it should have been.😂

My contribution to the April 2022 Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by a picture chosen by the previous winner: Skank Del Var. God that was a painful birth, I started and abandoned 3 different songs, I honestly thought I would have to skip a month. Started with the idea of how in modern times a whisper can be heard around the world, then got into the idea that a dumb meme travels much faster than anything involving hard reality... and just developed from there. Drums and synths are the ones that come bundled with Cubase Elephants 10, which is what I recorded in. I used a bundled sub-bass sound, then EUB as the song develops. Guitar was a Westbury Standard, through the Helix, and vox were done with an SM58.

I like that a lot, it feels great to me.

To be fair, I have no real problem with the standard strings that came on my NS Wav 5, the tension is manageable, and using an Upright IR through the Helix, with a mute I get what I think is a passable tone in a mix... but the cost!!! (yeah I know.... real DB strings are even more). I'd be interested to know if anyone has tried a set of the Crossovers, especially in 5 string, and how they compare in terms of tension, tone, evenness, feel, etc, to the D'Addario Contemporary that the instrument is supplied with. It would be mostly for pizz, but I do dabble with a bow. I don't need to change, but it makes sense to have a spare set in case of disaster as I'm playing it more and more, and the Crossovers are half the price of the D'Addarios. TIA!

We loved them. Thanks for the tip-off!

They can lock me away now, I've experienced the Chat Bombs at Mowgli, life is complete! 🤣

You're in business, you're going to worry, but I don't think you've much to worry about. You've moved up a price point or 2. That will automatically exclude some folks, but as long as the quality is appropriate at that price point, you'll attract people shopping in that bracket. Taking the CHB, you're now a couple of hundred quid over the offshored version of the Starbass, and the Korean made Jack Cassidy, which I would assume are the closest competitors for someone wanting 'that' style of bass. On appearance, finish (that green burst though 🥰) and detailing alone, I know where my money would be going. Obviously I don't like it when something is beyond my budget, no one does, but at the end of the day the question is 'is it worth it'. If it is i'll wait until I can afford it, if it isn't I'll buy something else. Look after the quality and you'll be grand.

It's a beautiful thing! I'm a fan of passive basses anyway, and I've long been of the opinion that if it's done right, its plenty flexible. I have an East, a Glockenklang and a Bart pre-amp across different basses, but my passive Jake is always the first bass guitar I pick up, and I've yet to find it lacking Having played this one, the range of sounds available, and the quality of those sounds was ridiculous. I can't imagine needing more.

He's doing a clinic at Guitar Guitar in Epsom Tomorrow (7th) at 7pm, and apparently they're livestreaming it on their Facebook page. Should be worth a watch, he's got some great insights to share.

It was my first experience of fan frets, and it was much less of a difference than it imagined. Upper register chords would take some work though, I was in knots up there. Amazingly flexible in terms of sound though.

Ah, so it was you we were chatting to this afternoon. 🤣 That was an amazing bass, great choice. If I wasn't playing mostly upright at the moment, I'd have been sorely tempted We were there for the drum show, which was fairly busy, fairly well laid out, and pretty inspiring, from the point of view of the shows and masterclasses. The BD stand seemed to be the saving grace of the bass bit. Man, Mr Dingwall just makes you want his basses without even trying. I was a bit shocked at how sparse the whole thing was, and how many stands had just packed up and gone by early Sunday afternoon. I guess it's going to take a while for things to get back on track in the 'living with covid' world.

Maray looks cool, might have to have a look at that. Dinner bookings are already on a standby list though.

Tidy, that's between the show and the hotel!

Congratulations Fella.... Nicely done!

Cheers! I'd already made a mental note of them based on the description on the website.

Definitely on the list if the shows are rubbish. 🤣

Thanks! We're just round the corner from the Cavern and had intended to visit, but a band recommendation makes it even better. We've booked for lunch at Mowgli, as recommended by @casapete... No chance of a dinner booking.

I booked the Drum Show for the Mrs back in early 2020, so that's what we're there for mostly. Worth bearing in mind that they've said that wristbands for either will be accepted in both, so if it's all a nightmare shredfest, you can always pop next door... I know which I'd prefer out of the two. Some of the drum masterclasses are well worth the time as a bass player.

Gutted to find out that Stanley Dee, the Steely Dan tribute (obvs) are playing just up the road tonight and I have something else booked. 😥 Next for us is Sting at the Palladium on Easter Saturday, followed by the odd, arco bass stylings of Shri Sriram, as part of the Watford Jazz Festival.

I had a Fishman Platinum Pro EQ from Andy. The whole thing couldn't have been easier, faster or friendlier. Paid, waited a day, received unit safe and sound. Cracking packing job and great communication.

As it happens, I am... and 3 minutes walk from the Hotel! Thanks a lot

So we're off to the Drum Show at the weekend (and I hear there's a show covering both flavours of guitar next door too). I honestly don't think I've ever been to the City as an adult. We're heading up Friday evening, staying quite near the Cavern for a couple of nights, and would be interested in any local band type venues nearby, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, whatever, it's all good. Any other advice on eating/drinking places, or must see things would be great too. TIA