Barking Spiders

I'm looking to buy a 5 string very soon, for around £500, and in my research was surprised to find quite a few budget models - e.g. under the Sire, Yamaha and Ibanez brands - have mahogany for the body and / or rosewood fretboards. I've a feeling there was a thread on sustainable woods a while back but I cant find it. Anyway I'm ruling out any model not made from sustainable woods . Some instrument makers are more concerned about using sustainable materials than others. Isn't it about time those still using endangered woods were called out? Some will say 'but the amount of wood used by guitar manufacturers is relatively small' but that's like a defendant on a burglary charge claiming in their defence they only robbed one house and not a whole street's worth.

Yep, exactly. I've always assumed everything said here is subjective and would be treated as such. It's a bit tiresome having to insert 'IMO's after every comment.

I'm looking for a 5-stringer. Never had one before but this looks a peach, and for the princely sum of £315. Have to wait a few weeks till it's in stock though. Anyone here got one?

Yep it was only ever intended as a bit of lighthearted goofing around. I can easily dissociate the bits I like from songs I generally don't like. E.g. I don't like Rush's and Led Zep's music but there are some great basslines in there. Ramble On has a great bassline though I'd happily tune out the rest

Yep certainly do. That whole Hi NRG thing was a tad camp but good fun Here's another cracker from the early 90s

As dance music is my bag I've got loads. Insomnia is right up there but here are a couple of big faves her's one by the Black Box peeps under another name

I've been gigging on and off for over 30 years, the most recent off spell being nearly 3 years. This is because of a change in music taste, inability to find players who want to play the same kind of stuff plus a dislike of pub culture. If I could find others who'd want to play 70s - 80s funk & disco covers plus 90s dance stuff at small festivals then I'd be up for it like a shot. I keep hoping.

I've had a lot of guitars, basses and assorted drums and percussion I've had to sell. In most cases there's no regrets, no tears goodbye 😀. After having to sell my white American Tele on EBay I had pangs but when I reminded myself it made me a very tidy profit I got over it quickly. So much depends on who the maker is and how much you'd get for it? If you don't connect with it that's a deal breaker.

Always been well into Herbie Hancock's funky stuff. If this doesn't get your foot a 'tappin' well...

One of my bass faves is Bill Dickens who plays his 7 string Conklin a lot. I don't wanna upset a lot of BCers here so i won't include a clip of him speed slapping the funk out of it 😏. He does use the full range of possibilities on it though.

Never heard of these peeps before. Top playing all round and tighter than a gnat's chuff though actually I enjoyed the keys the most 😲.

Good to see the Rhythm Makers going down well. You can find it on this cracker And this gem too

There are many fine funk bands from the 70s-80s which have generally been overlooked; The Rhythm Makers, Sound Experience, The KayGees, Black Heat, Graham Central Station, Mandrill, Slave, Chocolate Milk... This a fave track of mine by The Rhythm Makers to get you funking

Nope, to be considered one of the greats you'd probably need to meet all 5 requirements. And yes, time probably is the big test. How long? well certainly a good few years after a writer has passed on or retired.

Kinda. To my mind to be considered a great songwriter you'd ... a. have to be quite prolific - let's face it anyone can write a handful of good songs in a lifetime but to be pretty consistent over hundreds? b. write songs that aren't here today gone tomorrow, don't really date and which are timeless . Let's face it the vast majority of songs we're subjected to go in one ear and out the other or they quickly outstay their welcome after a few listens c. have melodies that are memorable and which anyone can whistle or sing along to. d. have written a good number of classic songs performed or covered by many other respected artists e. penned several songs that have become standards So, that would whittle that list right down

According to the RS readership, Taylor Swift, Bjork, R Kelly, Morrissey & Marr, Kanye West and Notorious BIG are greater songsmiths than Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. Well, we live and learn eh?

£1.57bn is peanuts. Too little, too late for many small arts businesses. I know several self-employed people who've made their livings in the arts sector. Not only have their revenues completely dried up, they got zilch from the government, no furlough money, no universal credit. A lot of them are only getting buy through the kindness of family and friends.

Of course it would have to be the US-centric, waste of paper / atoms in cyberspace that is Rolling Stone but their list of 100 greatest songwriters has Abba's Benny and Bjorn at 100, below many of whom are unfit to kiss their stacked shoes. Bacharach & David are at a lowly #32 when anyone knows they should be a shoo-in for top 5. And putting Lennon & MacCartney - as separate writers - below Dylan at #1! What?!! Here's the link .. https://www.rollingstone.com/interactive/lists-100-greatest-songwriters/

I guess his wacky vids have an appeal and with his wagers /challenges he's found a shtick that works. Same with Steve Terreberry. Not my bag but clearly they've succeeded building up fanbases and winning over advertisers.

So a lot of us are in agreement viz that there's a lot of quality gear under £500, which begs the question. Why bother shelling out over that amount? Someone said about superior looks of pricier instruments though IMO there are quite a lot of fugly ones over £1,000 and many nice - albeit many copies of Ps, Js etc - under £500.

It does at that. Had a look on the Kiesel FB and thought most of instruments had horrible finishes e.g. the natural wood look, the Buckeye Burl, the Leia and the DC127 in Hot Pink Crackle . The Buckeye Burl looks like it's been rescued from a garden bonfire. There's one guitar that looks like a crime scene from Dexter

Then it's just bedroom fretwinkery. If someone a wiz in their bedroom but can't lock in with a drummer for real then their skills are pretty pointless

Yep, totally agree. When I see that e.g. mahogany, ebony and rosewood have been used for making luxury products (including basses!) that's an immediate turn off.

From what I read and see on BC there are lots of BCers who are pros and /or have very nice top end basses like Foderas etc. Now, I've never made a living from playing bass though in my 20s and 30s used to quite a lot of dep work and and gigging in function bands to top up my salary while living in London. Since then I've been in 'hobby' bands and haven't really been able to justify to myself spending more than £500 on a new bass and having more than four. But these have always been fine for me. However, because I've not played any high price instruments I don't know how good they really are. These include a Sub Ray 4, Peavey Cirrus BXP 4, Aria Pro II Integra (my only bass in the 90s) and a Cort GB74. Just wondering if anyone else here has played these and what you think of them. Also what other sub £500 basses do you reckon are ridiculously low priced for their quality?

Yep, Charles Berthoud is frighteningly top of the class for a young fella. I find Davie 504's hamming up of the Italian stereotype humour gets wearing quite quickly although he's also a brilliant player. But, do these guys play in bands at all?