progben

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1509716351' post='3401140'] You could well be right. I had an Aria Pro ll six string. Stupidly sold it. Most playable and sweet sounding 6er I'd ever owned and cost peanuts compared to all the others. [/quote] I've heard a lot of people speak highly of them. I guess the allure of higher $$ instruments persuades people to move them on. All I know is that I haven't played anything better yet, and for the £250~ it set me back, I owe it nothing! Good luck finding another Aria 6er!

I've only been through a few but have settled on my Aria Pro II (SB), 1980's MIJ. The playability and tone are both superb. Come to think of it, my only problem with it is that it's sunburnt, but pah, who needs aesthetics. Overall, I don't think I could find a better bass for general use, even at a much higher price.

I think some people will notice and some people won't (both small and large mistakes). Some people in the crowd have a good ear and others don't. That said, the [b]'we are/I am good enough' [/b]mentality is very dangerous to have - and that's not just relative to technical performance. A musician (hobbyist or professional) should always be looking for ways to improve [i]something[/i]. For eg, I play bass in a band and practice often, but I'm also invested in thinking of better setlists, ways to enhance the stage performance, marketing ideas, shirt designs, how to best approach fans after the show, and finding good people to surround the band with. I agree with Blue (as I understand him) that despite what people do or don't notice, it'll only help you if your standards are much higher than they 'need' to be.

Looking at it from a business perspective, and given a $100,000.00 budget, I think starting a rock band would be very far down on the list of projects advisable to invent in. The market is extremely saturated by bands (both covers, and originals) and the glass ceiling you will inevitably hit is, for the most part, dictated by luck and the fancy of the higher ups. For example: there's a million Ed Sheeran's out there (some far more capable than him and with better songs) and yet he's making millions and they're not. Why is that? My advice would be to invest the $100,000 into a more viable business, unless you can afford to take the chance.

Nice to have another Mastodon fan lurking around! I dug out Crack the Skye this morning for the first time in ages - great record! As for the first bass situation - it does all depend on personal preference. Although if you don't mind buying second hand/inheriting something with some wear 'n tear, you're bound to find something you like for not much money. I'd say go into a store and decide a few key points (namely, amount of strings, passive vs. active, string spacing, neck profile, pick-up config) and then your decision should be a lot easier and you can get better recommendations from the forums too. Personally I love my 1980's MIJ Aria SB Special and would highly recommend it!

Bought an Aria bass from Martin a couple of days ago. Top bloke and great transaction! As others have said, highly recommended

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1480344546' post='3183535'] Absolutely, although I was certainly a member here before I started at Focusrite But in any case, always happy to field questions etc! Cheers Si [/quote] Those Focusrite interfaces look great. Are they compatible with Windows PCs or is it Apple only?

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1482320655' post='3199495'] Can't help feeling that print media is doomed. [/quote] Very true. The main reason being that print advertising isn't value for money now Facebook has a monopoly. To be honest, it's been a long time coming and the "pay for coverage/ratings" system of these mags needs to be buried along with the out of date philosophies of major record labels. Every cloud.

That most people aren't out to help you, but that the ones that are, are indispensable.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1482143631' post='3197901'] When we had the cab and the amp shoot outs at the SE bass bash, same amp for each cab and all amps set at noon, with one player demoing the lot they all sounded more similar than different. There were amps and cabs that I wouldn't have looked at twice (going on reviews of others) that sounded pretty good to my ears. In a band setting the differences would have been even less noticeable. OK, everyone will EQ differently and have different sounding fingers, but the most important difference between all of us is [i]what[/i] we play and [i]how[/i] we play it. I've been told I make all of my gear sound like me. Even though I think each bass is different, to the others they're not. To anyone looking at a oil painting, it doesn't matter what paint or brushes the artist used. [/quote] I agree, but to someone who paints regularly, it might matter more and to the painter, I'm sure it was an important consideration.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482116379' post='3197781'] We'll you have a point, to a degree. I gig around 9 different basses, the only one with a distinct sound of it's own is my German made Hofner Club bass. Blue [/quote] That's surprising to hear, Blue. All the basses I've owned/played seem to have very different natural sounds and characteristics. I currently use a Warwick Dolphin and a Yamaha RBX and theyre so different that they end up getting used for seperate genres of music.

IMO, a strong contender for best album ever put to tape. London Calling will always have a special place in my heart, and is still hugely relevant to me despite being born in the early 90s. And yes, great basslines to boot.

Welcome from Birmingham, UK Ralf! You'll find many a P here

Protest the Hero - Pacific Myth is mine. Bizarrely it looks like Kanye is going to be in the number 2 slot. Life of Pablo was an absolute mess but I love it.

Probably Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse. More of a bass guitarist than a bassist but unbelievably proficient (and a lovely guy to boot). +1 also for Tony Levin's playing on 'So' - really takes that record to another level imo. Also anything Les Claypool because, well. He's awesome.

I own a Yamaha RBX800. Cost me the princely sum of £200 preowned and has beaten out my Warwick Dolphin Pro II for live use. It just sounds incredibly good and although I prefer the neck on the Dolphin, the tone of the Yammy can't be denied!

I've got a Yamaha Pacifica 112V up on the classifieds for £140 incl. postage to UK. Like others have said above, in my opinion, the best guitar you can buy for £150 second hand. Drop me a PM if interested and I'll send over some more info and pics!

I usually just bring one bass to a gig with me but am going to start bringing a spare (for back-up reasons, as previously mentioned by many). I think using two instruments live is sometimes a luxury but is also important sonically depending on context. For eg. a strat and a tele are very different and in our songs, one is clearly more suited than the other. Bass-wise, I use a similar tone for each song so having (and using) two basses would be more of a luxury-move than an essential one. All depends on what type of music you play, how worried you are about string breaks etc. That said, I can't see a downside to having a back-up instrument at every show, just in case.