SpondonBassed

My Steiny is a 34. The low B is said to be "adequate" in other fora so I'm happy enough. When I got it first I felt the main difference was in the feel of the low B. It was slacker and I was inclined to run the string right over the edge of the frets when string bending. Nasty. I put some light intermediates on, kindly made by Newtone for me. Much better. Also I have subliminally learned how not to skate off of the low B frets now and I like it. How the hell do you get to trial one of those "fanny" basses though? I'd love to find out what they're like for myself.

Dang! Youboob have streamed it in ADP. I want to listen to it offline later but I can't get the mp4 version to stream so's I can save it locally. Looks like a belter though. Really clean sound at the start anyway. Cheers, I might break a rule and stream it later.

Fellow sufferer. I use those squidgy yellow ear plugs. I have found that tinnitus manifests differently from person to person so I can't comment on what specifically triggers your internal "orchestra". The thing that helps me most is being in control of trigger noises around me. I avoid crowds and events where I can't cherry pick the best listening spot. I even boycott shops that have overhead muzak. The Natwest have started playing tunes over the heads of their customers in the mistaken believe that it makes conversations somehow more private! I am baffled by that because now everyone has to shout their instructions to the teller. Needless to say, I no longer use them. Don't give up yet mate. There are many fine musicians with this exact problem. Some are technically deaf in fact but they can still knock out a good tune. Good luck.

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1462886688' post='3046632'] Thwacking out a beat in your bedroom is easy enough. The hard part comes... [/quote] Nyuk nyuk nyuk!

[quote name='ProfJames' timestamp='1462823964' post='3046083'] Would you recommend to learn on a fretless? [/quote] I see no need to recommend fretted over fretless or vice versa. There is an interview with Jaco on youboob somewhere where he answers a similar question. His answer, in my own words was that there is little difference in real terms because finger placement is the same. This is only true if you fret correctly of course, if not then you might need guidance initially. Let your ears decide, fretless is an excellent way of "getting your ear in" for some. Other methods are available. Hint: Give both a try and decide which one you have the most fun with before you put serious money down. Good luck.

I have wanted to try an extra long scale bass for ages but you never see them in high street outlets. I understand much of the technicality on this but there is no substitute for a good old grope and pluck!

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1462549552' post='3043993'] And, just to be controversial, he's worth 20 Jacos in my book. [/quote] I have to agree. I never really found Jaco accessible. Maybe it would be different if he'd come to my attention in the same way as Watt-Roy did - punctuating Ian's rasping lyric in Rhythm Stick on TOTP while I was in my teens. Before that, I'd never seen a bassist wear a guitar that high on its strap and I thank him for "breaking convention" else I might have felt the need to conform to Peter Hook's low-hung example of axemanship as a lot of players did. Thanks also to Mark King for that. Glad to hear Norman's still working. I do like Jaco at times, usually with a bit of Joni though. Weather Report isn't on my Easy Listening shelf

Welcome Mrbacco. I remember Dublin fondly as I lived there from 1980 to '88. We used rehearsal rooms just off of the Northside quays of the Liffey but they've likely been redeveloped thirty years on. I've just reminded myself how much of an old fart I've become... I'll get moi coat.

Andyjr1515 - Splendid fellow. I met him recently when he agreed to have a look at my B2A. By arrangement I took the stick to his place and we discussed what would be worth doing and what would be nice to have if time and money were of no concern. He's quite a pleasant chap to talk with and we settled on a repair/replacement of the seemingly inoperative pre-amp, a change of jack socket and a light polish on the fretboard. The pre-amp turned out to be okay when he put in the new battery that I had supplied. If memory serves, the last time I tried it and thought it had failed I had used a rechargeable battery. I read recently (elsewhere on this forum) that rechargeable batteries don't always work in B2As. He told me when he rang to update me that the amp was fine and needed no further attention. He did the job in slightly less than a week. He even dropped it off at ours and stopped for a chat. All he wanted was for his expenses to be covered. It was a relatively minor job and Andy may have a tendency to undersell his work so I made sure he could have a couple of drinks for his trouble. I am happy now that I have a crackle-free connection. The stick sounds good because I don't tense up in trying not to cause crackle. The fret board is nicely oiled and the frets twinkle when they catch the light - nice. Thank you Andy. I am happy to recommend you should anyone be looking for assistance with their guitar maintenance.

Welcome Chris

Welcome Stuart

Welcome Pieterh, We'll forgive you the guitarist tendencies (Heeheehee).

I want a set of Borg ocular implants too.

Welcome WNY. I hope your covert operations are fruitful and that they do not involve violence, bestiality or swearing.

Welcome Mario.

Welcome.

I suppose naming and shaming is not an option for legal reasons but it is something I think I'd want to know about before coming across it in the manner you described. It's just plain mean.

I don't see age as a problem. Far from it, where else can you get first hand accounts of how music has developed other than those who have lived it? I am dead chuffed to get these responses as it confirms my own feeling that this would be a worthwhile project should I be invited to join.

Welcome Martenot. Good of you to join in.

Cheers chaps! Thanks for the encouragement.

Last night I went to a community centre not too far away in response to an ad in our local paper. I was the youngest there at 53! Three lads were looking for another three to fill out the band. I think they were all in their sixties and seventies so fifties music was the agenda. Lots of Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Buddy Holly, Elvis etc. I don't know what audience still exists for this sort of thing but it looks like being a really good laff if nowt else. Of course there are others to be auditioned before I hear back. Good progress for me even if it goes nowhere. I'm having a crack at memorising a few off of their set anyhow. No harm to widen my repertoire. I was dead surprised how little had changed from my memories of jamming in Dublin years ago. It was as if I had never stopped. Cracking! I even got compliments about my sound and the way that I was asking questions when in unfamiliar territory rather than just blagging it. Time to hit the toob.

I think this is far too subjective a subject to attempt to comment on. The only thing I can take from this thread is that smilie faces are good for rock and frownie faces are good for metal! I like it flat to start. Tweakage occurs during my warm up. Not a fan of presets.

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1460315413' post='3024619'] It's an RGB 400, I had the gain on 1.5 and the vol on 4.8. [/quote] My mistake, sorry. Crikey, your amp was barely above idle then. It's nice to know you aren't going to clip or distort unintentionally.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1460328687' post='3024762'] Don't forget to breath [/quote] Dad3353 is dead right on that one. I sometimes have to tell myself to relax and adopt a better posture so's I can breath naturally. There is a natural tendency to tense up when faced with these situations for the first (and possibly second or third for some) time(s). Yoga is a good way of "finding your centre" just before you go on. There are many other disciplines that can put you in the zone, as it were. This forum is a good place to start looking.

I am amazed that no-one has mentioned piano wound strings for bass. They used to be popular in the eighties. Only the core wire passes over the saddle with these because the winding starts just a few mm the p'up side of the bridge. The string is just the same in tension. The difference in tone coming from the effectively super-light gauge at the bridge allowing for additional harmonics to come forward. More "ping" for your pluck, as I recall. The gauges are nominally the same for the most part of the string and they feel no different to play but they make funk and disco lines pop just a little more. Not sure how easy they are to get now. Mine were DBEs