Russ

Vince - thanks for the post. To be honest it's not really my thing, but best of luck with it. Sci'entia guys - did you get my PM?

Great day. Good to see everyone, old faces and new, and lots of great gear to ogle. And hey, I won a T-shirt! Gear highlights of the day were Alex's new Barefaced cabs, the Markbass Multiamp, a Mk3 Wal and Billy Apple's raucous Matamp rig.

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1379499535' post='2213308'] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]66. alexclaber - some Barefaced thingies, a RIM Custom 5 36", and some amps and maybe some T-shirts![/size][/font][/color] [/quote] Dude, bring a 69'er if you've got one around, and maybe a Super 12! Also, as a heads-up, your website's throwing an error right now...

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1379447191' post='2212894'] Very decent of you sir. The Coach & Four is 'up on blocks' at the moment as I believe the lower classes are wont to say. Actually, I was toying with the notion of experiencing one of these new-fangled horseless carriages that seem to be rather popular, so if anyone was planning on going that lives anywhere near Lewisham, Forest Hill, Catford or even the horror that is Croydon & would be willing to give me a lift I'd appreciate it. Happy to bung in towards petrol costs. [/quote] I'm in the Cronx, and I'll have a spare passenger seat. But I won't have too much room for extra gear, since I only have a little horseless carriage...

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1375003753' post='2155557'] After last year's M25 hell I'm thinking if I come this year it will be by train - if so I'll only be able to bring a bass and maybe some fx - my only problem is I have a very important gig on the Monday so may have to rehearse that day - if not ill be there - I'll know nearer the time - I'd be happy to do some kind of technique workshop this year but again I'll have to confirm in a few weeks once I've sorted the rehearsal thing out. Cheers and hope to see you all there Mike [/quote] Even after last year's debacle, I'll be driving this year and a lift shall be available! Although I'm not going to tempt fate with the "how can the same $hit happen to the same guys twice?"

The MB series always sounded great and offered good bang for the buck. Shame about the reliability issues. It is sad if Marshall are indeed throwing in the towel. A reissue of the DBS range (possibly with less ridiculously heavy cabs) could have done well - they've developed a bit of a cult following. Plus there's something about the Marshall name that's timeless and aspirational, even if that reputation is mostly based on their guitar amps. Maybe they should rebrand the Eden E-series (formerly known as Nemesis) as the new Marshall bass range? Or enter the lightweight fray with a competitor to Ampeg's Portaflex? Who knows... they might have something up their sleeves. I hope so.

[quote name='rockwaves' timestamp='1374259062' post='2147025'] We certainly have some flexibility when it comes to age. What is important to us at the moment is someone who can fulfill the gigs we have lined up. How much over 28 we talking? WPF [/quote] About, er, 13 years over 28?

Love it, right up my street. Got any flexibility on the age thing though? I'm a little bit over 28...

I've had several Seis over the years (Flamboyant 4, Flamboyant 5 fretless, singlecut 5 and a Sei Jazz fretless) and they've all been wonderful instruments. The singlecut 5 has been my main player for close to 10 years now, and it just gets better with age. Martin is a master craftsman, and will work with you to make sure you get exactly what you want in terms of appearance, tone and feel. I've also had a GB - wonderful instrument, amazing tone, but it didn't really work in the mix for the kind of music I was playing at the time - very hi-fi and a bit mid-shy, even with the huge 21dB mid boost.

[color=#111111][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Are you a band in the rock/prog/metal/alternative vein? Do you need a bass player? Are you located within easy reach of Croydon? Will you consider someone (just) over 40 (with a good head of hair and surprisingly few wrinkles)? Then read on... [/font][/color] [color=#111111][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Me: Bassist. 41. Been playing well over 20 years. Loves to sit back and groove, but also loves to play chords, widdle, stamp on effects pedals and use weird techniques. Top-end gear. A car to drag it all around in. Lots of ideas and very open-minded. Lover of great songs, big hooks, chuggy riffs and huge, wide, thick arrangements. Given up the whole notion of being a "rock star" - been there, tried that, didn't like it much. Now just looking to be involved with some great music played by good people, write some tunes, play some gigs, record some stuff, put it out there online and hopefully find a few people around the place who might like it. [/font][/color] [color=#111111][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]So, that's the pitch. If you think I could be a good fit for your band, please drop me a line![/font][/color]

I'm in. Hopefully I won't get stuck on the M25 for four hours like last year. [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]1. Hamster -[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]2. Silverfoxnik - BC Rich Eagle, Schecter Diamond P5, Levinson Blade B15, amp & cab tbc 3. Happy Jack - Matamp GT120 with Barefaced stack 4. Bluejay - something left-handed [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]5. [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]OBBM - Bergantino CN212, Aguilar TH500, A couple of old Fenders, perhaps a Sadowsky UV70.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]6. chris_b 7. Clarky 8. Russ - Sei 5-string, Spector 5-string, Markbass 6x10"/Ampeg SVT-7 9. 10. 11. 12. [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]13.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]14.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]15.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]16.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]17.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]18.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]19.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]20.[/font][/color]

Looking forward to trying one. But no CAR? They've missed a trick there!

Not massively motivated to play myself as of late either. Being a dad takes up most of my spare time these days. I still want to play, but it's hard when you can't find a suitable band - I'm 41, am past the whole "making it" thing (kinda been there, done that), but still have absolutely no interest in doing what most players my age do, which is playing covers. Most people who want to play original rock/metal are in their 20s and, despite still having a full head of non-grey hair and not too much "experience" on my face, I suspect I wouldn't fit in as I have different priorities in life these days - no interest in record deals, all-night pi$$-ups or groupies any more (it actually hurt a little to admit that ). I have found myself playing a lot more acoustic guitar though - working on my acoustic technique, my singing, and trying to do a little bit of songwriting too. Time to move on to another challenge. And I'll go back to playing bass when a good band or project comes along.

I know most of their tunes, am the right age, and even look a lot like Adam Duce. But I won't do it as it involves posting a bass video to Youtube. No thanks!

Bah. My old GB Rumour 5 is up for sale on eBay again (custom body shape, twin Hipshots, LEDs, etc), and I don't have the money to buy it... I think someone here should get it and give it a good home. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GB-Goodfellow-Rumour-5-String-British-Boutique-Bass-Status-Maintained-Mega-/140919638823?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

The Bass Of Doom obviously had its own sound - even today, with the bass having been completely rebuilt literally from pieces, it still sounds much the same as it did in Jaco's hands. He obviously knew he had a good 'un and played the hell out of it, hence all the wear. Here it is being played by Victor Bailey, Will Lee and Vic Wooten: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp1L-Vw0Ems[/media]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361192926' post='1982441'] Oh, who wouldn't? Although i think being a really massive rock star isn't as glamorous as it might seem. But this term "Make it" gets thrown around a lot. Make what? what, as a musician, is the goal that we are all supposed to be aiming for, this "It" that everyone refers to. Sorry, but if i can live comfortably off my music, frankly, i have made it, and everything after that is a bonus. A year or 2 ago, my friends tried to say that i shouldn't focus on music as a career because very few people "Make it". I had to point out that they clearly know f*** all about music, even at a local level and that they should stop trying to dictate how i should live my life. I'm not saying that they were wrong, but they obviously don't understand the very many ways that we as musicians can make money from our skills. [/quote] The whole notion of "making it" is nonsense. Someone who plays in a pit band for a West End show has made it. Someone who plays in an orchestra has made it. Someone who gigs covers for a living has made it. It's not all about groupies, drugs and throwing TVs out of hotel room windows (not that that side of it isn't fun ), it's about making a living. Never got to that point with it myself - even when I was in a signed band I still had to work a day job. It's almost like I don't want to though - to me, once playing music feels like work, that's when it stops being fun.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1361183921' post='1982247'] Like Flac or high-bitrate MP3? Vinyl junkies are a dying breed (and they're demonstrably wrong that digital doesn't sound as good, but thats another debate). People aren't going to buy new hardware to buy a new album anymore. They just won't. CDs flew off the shelves because the benefits of cds over vinyl were obvious to everyone---smaller, harder to damage, etc. The benefits of some new format over what we have at the moment will be very technical and not very accessible to the public---they just won't care. [/quote] No. FLAC and high bitrate MP3 are still 44.1KHz but are lossless (FLAC), or less lossy with less artifacting (MP3). FLAC is the same as a CD. High bitrate MP3s are still not as good as a CD. And whether a new physical audio format can take off is, like most technology these days, entirely dependent on content. If there's enough great showcase material for a new format that highlights what it can do that other formats can't, then there's going to be an audience for it. Vinyl junkies aren't as much of a dying breed as you think, they're just becoming much more genre-specific. There's still quite a lot of people out there who are buying the high-end turntables, top-end speakers, etc, but they're mostly listeners of classical, jazz, reggae, prog rock and some kinds of dance music. These are almost always people who take the time to listen and concentrate on their music rather than having it as audio wallpaper. But these people will often also use digital formats when they're out and about, but prefer vinyl for home listening.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1361178039' post='1982138'] I completely agree. There are obviously some very intelligent people on this site, but i think sometimes their intelligence overtakes themselves. Of course the music industry and musicians are ying and yang. The part about asking somebody to invest in something you wouldn't is bull- the amount of money it takes to produce a high quality album, and then marketing that album costs an absolute fortune. Unless you already have a fortune, or assets which you can secure a loan against (which puts a lot of risk in your hands, and you are never the best judge of your own work. You could have something you think is brilliant, but nearly everyone else thinks it's horrible, you will likely loose whatever assets you have you loan against.). Record labels are needed. To say that they aren't involved in making music is just silly. [/quote] Record companies are not needed. Not any more. All they ever were were glorified marketing agencies and loan sharks anyway. Many people see them as the gatekeepers, the arbiters of taste. In the digital age, that job is now the responsibility of the listeners. The more an artist's work is listened to, shared, added to a Spotify playlist, tweeted about, etc, the more visibility they'll get, the more potential fans they'll reach and the more potential they have to make money from gigging, merch, endorsements, use in other media (soundtracks, adverts and so on), etc. With cheap DIY recording technology, advances for recording aren't needed anymore so the whole "loan shark" element becomes unnecessary. With social media, you're playing on the same marketing playing field as the labels since social media is the biggest influencer these days. There is basically nothing a label can do for a band these days that they can't do for themselves for little to no expense. If you like a band, share it. Tell other people. That's how it works these days. Labels are becoming an anachronism. Milty - have you ever been professionally involved in any other creative field? When you're first trying to break into the field, you've got to spend a lot of your own time (and probably a fair bit of money) on building a portfolio. A recording is a musician's portfolio. The fact that they've got to self-finance it just means they're in the same position as every other aspiring creative professional. Once you get the gig (literally and metaphorically) you find yourself in the same boat as more or less any other small business - it's just that now the customers have changed from the labels to the fans themselves, with various upselling opportunities on the back of your loss leader (your recordings).

[b]tl;dr [/b]- Record companies deserve to die. Music and its publication has been democratised by the internet and downloading. Things move on, and the old music business has done nothing to stay ahead. Simply put, file sharing exists. There's no way for the music industry powers-that-be to stop that. But It's the industry that's hurting, the musicians themselves are in much the same position they were in before. And it's about time - record companies have been abusing musicians for decades now, and they deserve to crumble and die. Musicians never made much from record sales before file-sharing - it all went to everyone else in the supply chain, with a big chunk to the record company, who doled out a pitiful amount to the musicians. For most musicians, an album is basically an audio advertisement for their live shows or their merchandise. With the internet, there are now many ways to completely bypass the bloodsuckers in the music biz, sell yourself and keep all the money. It requires a little more marketing nous and entrepreneurial spirit from the musicians, but the rewards are much greater since you're no longer beholden to these bloated gatekeepers and dictators of taste. The other side of the coin is that albums used to be really expensive to record and the cost of the recording itself had to be recouped. Nowadays, anybody with a computer, some inexpensive add-on hardware, a copy of Pro Tools and the time to sit through a bunch of YouTube tutorials can record professional-sounding stuff for a fraction of the cost of a studio, producer and engineer. You no longer need to hire Abbey Road and a team of engineers for a month to make a good album. There'll always be work for those on the production side, since some musicians want that kind of input, but they are no longer essential to the process. The music industry have also totally failed to innovate. They haven't come up with a product that is better than a CD or an MP3 download. The CD is well over 30 years old, and the MP3 format has been around since the early 90s. There are plenty of people out there who are audiophiles and who still value sound quality over convenience - where's the super-high-resolution audio medium and the hardware to reproduce it? Where's the medium with 7.1 surround sound? They made a half-hearted attempt with DVD-Audio, but it died on its arse. All they need is a popular and well-respected musician to record an album using this new format, whatever it may be, make it amazing, and then watch the hardware and albums fly off the shelves, the same way Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits sold millions of CD players back in the 80s. And I suggest they make it an analogue format - vinyl for a new generation. Something that can't be reproduced properly through a computer - despite digital music existing for over 30 years, many vinyl junkies still maintain it doesn't sound as good. And something where the album cover is more than a small thumbnail image on a computer screen. Yes, I've downloaded a fair bit of music over the years. Most of the time, if I've liked it, I've then gone on to buy it. Sometimes even on CD if I've liked the artwork or packaging. But the next recording I contribute to will be released digitally, probably for free, and, with that in mind, anybody who downloads it, either through an official channel or otherwise, will just be another person who'll have heard the material and who might show up to a gig or buy a T-shirt. Maybe we'll even press a vinyl record with nice cover art for those people who want the physical article. And any money we do make will be pure profit that's not subject to being manipulated out of existence by a record company accountant.

Always loved the speakers, especially the new HyDrive cabs, but was never a massive fan of the heads - the tone just never quite did it for me. I also think their branding is a bit cheesy - the logo screams "80s". If they could come up with a more "sophisticated" branding it might go a long way to making them more popular. I actually told Larry Hartke all this (in a much less blunt way) when I ran into him at Sam Ash in 48th St in New York last November. He took it in good grace and gave me a business card.

Also, you could also jump on a train from Penn Station out to Metuchen, NJ (NJ Transit Northeast Corridor line) and pay the NJ Guitar And Bass Center a visit - it's a little shop run by a nice bloke called Jay, and they have loads of great high-end stuff, including F Basses, Sadowskys, Alembics, Benaventes, Jerzy Drozds, Dingwalls, etc). It's a bit further out, but definitely worth the trip.

Sam Ash on 48th St is pretty decent for bass stuff - they've got loads of good gear in there (some great used stuff too), and you'll probably run into Larry Hartke since he works there part-time, so make sure you pay his amps a compliment. Also, Rudy's has a great bass room on the 2nd floor - lots of high-end stuff (Ritter, Pensa-Suhr, Sadowsky, etc), and maybe see if Carl Thompson's shop in Brooklyn is open while you're over - definitely worth a visit. Warwick's custom shop on East 7th St is also definitely worth a visit if you're a fan of curvy German basses. Otherwise, keep an eye out on the gig guides and see who's playing in town. There's usually some good gigs on. If all else fails, go to one of the comedy clubs.

They're far better than the old Bass Cellar. I was in there yesterday checking out a Fender Jaguar, they offered to order me in the colour I wanted (CAR) and I could take the one they had (sunburst) while they waited for the CAR one to come in! They also offered a year's worth of free setups and a month's trial period! Unfortunately the missus had overspent a bit over Xmas so I had to leave it. My only criticism is that they have a bit of a limited selection compared to the old days, but the much better customer service makes up for it. Nice one guys.