BrunoBass

He doesn’t do a thing for me, but then again neither do any of the other bass virtuosos that people get excited about. I respect the talent and the dedication, but it just leaves me cold. I look at bass as a supporting instrument that serves the song.

And ever it was, at least there was an element of subversion in times gone by. That’s missing today.

Where’s the anger? The frustration? I like both acts but it’s all a bit Radio 2.

You have a point. What amazes me is how little social comment is made in mainstream music today, if any. Brexit, knife crime, drug / gang violence, racism / immigration; nobody goes near such subjects outside of grime / punk. In the eighties Radio 1 and the charts were full of political pop, with major labels behind it too. Somehow the mainstream has lost interest in confronting the world around it. Apathy in the UK indeed...

The white over black one with the big fat single volume knob. I’m easily pleased...

Same here, on both counts 😊

Agreed. Impressively powerful voice but often to the detriment of the song. I found her material generally bland; given her obvious talent I’d have liked to have heard her do a really rootsy, soul album. Crack session band, Memphis studio, could’ve been awesome.

Here ‘tis, next to the MIM Jazz Deluxe I prefer it to.

This is the one, the Dyna Comp - well recommended 😊

I have a J&D jazz bass which I bought a couple of years ago from DV247, for £105. I got it as a back up but it quickly became my main gigging bass. I don’t gig it as much these days as my Geddy Lee sig sees most of the action, but I certainly preferred it to the MIM Jazz Deluxe I had at the time. For £500 I’d have been pleased, for £100 I was / am amazed by how good it is. I’ve put a Fender high mass bridge on it but that’s the only modification I’ve done. I bought a Joyo compressor, again as a back up or for home practise but it’s now found it’s way on to my gig pedal board. It’s the best sounding, most transparent, musical compressor I’ve owned and I prefer it to all the expensive boutique comps I’ve owned. £25. Awesome. Both hidden gems that are far superior to more expensive, ‘name’ equivalents.

Our drummer has a tendency to play songs slightly too slowly. Even the songs I start (at the correct tempo) seem to slow down slightly once he comes in.

I enjoyed that, thanks!

I’m seeing Frank Turner in Birmingham in a couple of weeks. I’ve seen him many times over the last thirteen years but this one’s special as I’m asking my eight year old son for his first ‘proper’ gig. He’s Frank obsessed so it will be a great night for us both. Yesterday booked tickets for Easy Life at the Roundhouse in March. My favourite new band, looking forward to it. Great venue too.

So the Geddy Lee signature has the bridge pickup positioned further toward the bridge?

I did exactly the same and my conclusions were identical. Sounded good, but the neck dive made the bass problematic to play. However, the pawlonia has performed well with no sign of any issues, eighteen months later. I must admit I held my breath the first time I took the strings up to tension thinking the bridge might rip out of the body but it was fine, and still is. Here’s the thread about the build, if you’re interested:

Highly recommended; it’s a great, powerful, punchy P bass. I’ve actually just moved mine on. I loved it but I just always reach for one of my Jazzes and it was a pity to see it not getting used.

I’ve owned two signature basses. Neither were acquired due to any desire to emulate the player whose name was on the headstock. The first was a Fender Duff McKagan which I tried in a store and was blown away by, so I took the plunge. I quite like some of Guns ’n Roses stuff but I’m not a huge fan, and I’m not that keen on Mr McKagan’s tone either. It’s just a great bass in it’s own right. The second is the ubiquitous Geddy Lee Jazz. I love Jazz Basses anyway and own several. This one has a slim, easy neck and an aggressive tone which I like and is perfect for my band. I didn’t know who Mr Lee was until recently, and would struggle to name even a couple of Rush songs. My point being, I judged both instruments on their merits rather than any association with a signatory bass player. They’re great basses and the identity of the player behind them is irrelevant to me.

I only recently found that out that Fender have, over time, changed the position of the bridge pickup on the Jazz Bass. Other than the obvious difference this would make to the tone, what was the point or benefit of doing this? What’s preferable? Which is considered the definitive pickup position?

Never had that from a punter, but me and our guitarist had it from our drummer last week!

I get mildly irritated with the people trying to talk to me mid song, people asking me if they we can sing happy birthday to their mate, people wanting to engage in conversation whilst we’re packing up etc. But no harm is intended so it’s greeted with a smile and good humour. However... we were doing a pub gig on a little stage recently. Drunk punter stumbles backwards into my mic stand, mic collides with my upper lip, drunk punter stumbles off oblivious. Not good, but hey ho. A short while later same drunk punter gets up on stage and stands between me and the guitarist whilst holding arms aloft before shuffling off with a little nudge from the guitarist. As he goes his foot pulls the power lead out of the guitarists pedal boards. Guitarist is furious. Two songs later and he’s back on the stage. Guitarist is ready to punch him, singer is asking into the mic where the hell the bouncers are, I’m still irritated from the earlier mic/lip incident. Our drummer then stops playing, stands up, grabs the punter by the shoulders behind and shouts ‘get the **** out of my space’ in his ear. Drunk punter turns around, looks genuinely shocked, and shuffles off. We didn’t see him again. You’ll always get drunk people out of control when you play busy pubs, but I’ve noticed a different kind of behaviour in recent years as cocaine use become more prevalent on the pub scene. Coke users are generally less violent or disruptive, but a lot more irritating. How things have changed; we were happy with snakebite and B&H on a night out in my day....

One can only dream of rehearsing in such a space. The studio we use resembles a student house on a building site.

At heart I’m a songwriter, I play solo acoustic gigs fairly regularly and have done for many years. I’ve played bass since 1991 but have dipped in and out over that time. I joined my current band (on bass) four years ago because they needed a bass player and having not played bass for a few years I quite fancied it. When this band ends I’ll probably try to find a bass role in another band, as I get a kick out of gigging. Then again, I might just put the bass aside until the next opportunity arises. If I’d never picked up the bass I’d still be doing the solo singer-songwriter thing.

Is the amp the issue rather than the bass? The room has a big influence on tone too, as you’ll know. I can use my bass / amp in one room in our rehearsal space and it sounds great, the next week in a different room, same studio, and it sounds totally different / inferior.

True, my 19 year old son is 6’5” and towers over me. He’s not a bass player though...