ezbass

Something to weigh a bass on.

There are bass solos and then there are BASS SOLOS, the above is the latter. I used to be in a band that covered Free for one of our sets and I tailored a solo together for this gem from the live versions. The beauty of Fraser’s work on this is that it is a well thought out, building composition, without any ‘look how fast I can play’ histrionics.

I’m not a fan, but if called upon to do so (usually during the band introductions) I like to keep to a nice little groove (funky if appropriate) and that’s it. Nathan East shows how it should be done (from 0:30).

I’ve never played in a worship group and, given what I’ve read here, I’m not sure I really would want to (despite a recent, playful offer to replace someone and since moving north of the border - I really want/need a gig of some description). The only reason I can think of for the practices experienced in this thread is due to the performance coming from a different headspace than a conventional gig. Rather than a form of entertainment for paying punters, it’s an accompaniment for the worshippers and is provided on a voluntary basis and, therefore, the usual stringency (for want of a better word) of a gigging band is negated. Things are somewhat different in the US, from what I understand, where performers are paid and move around the local churches, on a rota basis and some players are not even church goers, just musos in search of a gig/income stream. However, as I’ve never played in church (even way back when when I was an active church member) I may be way off base (pun unintended) and feel free to educate me.

Sounds really good with the flats too.

The B string on these sounds amazing, better than a lot of 34” & 35” scale B strings I’ve heard.

Assuming that there are no pickup routs then, as @Paul S says, go for what appeals to you aesthetically and physically. If there are existing routs, however, a SS body will effectively move the pickups towards the neck leading a slightly more ‘plummier’, whereas a LS body will add a slightly more mid range focus to the sound.* *I’m imagining these scenarios without getting out of my chair and looking at a bass and I think I have it the right way round, either way, if the routs are already there, there will be a tonal aspect to consider too.

This cropped up on my YT feed and the excavated P above sprang to mind. I didn’t post for fear of feeding certain BCer’s GAS (you know who you are ).

And my '63?

Love the bark from the roundwounds on the ‘burst. This has been a great story and a marvellous endorsement of the BC collective (definitely needed recently, what with quite a lot of shouty threads going on without an end in sight). What happens to other basses in the WoT quiver, now that #1 is back in the fold?

Whilst not necessarily a tone that makes you sit up and go, “Wow!” this P sits in its own spot in the mix so well, that it’s hard not to be impressed. In addition, to my ears, there’s something extra honky about the tone for a P, especially during the solo at around 3:20 onwards, to the point I had to check it was a straight ahead P and not a P/J. Oh, the guitars aren’t bad either.

Having an Admiral Nelson moment?

Nurse! Nurse! Quick the screens, I have GAS!

This was my thought too, add a Behringer BD121 (or something from Tech21 if you’re feeling flush) and Robert’s your mother’s sibling.

Definitely a trough, you can see the internal corner and the cut edge of the p/g. Given that only about half would be visible under a complete p/g and that it’s already somewhat battered elsewhere, a colour matched, fill block wouldn’t be a total necessity.

That is scarily brilliant work, I honestly couldn’t see it at first glance and had to really look close on my tablet. We really are not worthy.

I once forgot to bring my bases home from a gig. Fortunately, I didn’t get very far before realisation descended.

Wow! It's really going to feel like a totally different bass, which is what @Happy Jack was hoping for, I'm guessing.

This so cool (as are all of Andy's threads). That Shinto files looks awesome and answered the question in my head that was, what about the frets? However, how wonderful a tool may it look or be, it's the hands wielding it that counts the most (yeah, yeah, I know I'm embarrassing you, I'm OK with it ). And now to the actual point of my post, beyond blandishments; how far down the neck does the slimming go?

Very much this ^^^ You need to have something that makes you want to play. Also

I thought The Wildhearts, but assumed I'd confused them with Autograph. Curses, I could've been the one to save the day, rather than the berk who said Donna Summer. 😂

Not Donna Summer I’m guessing

When I was in a Bowie tribute band, it was Trevor Bolder’s lines that I really enjoyed playing (Ziggy is great fun). Although, come to think of it, all the songs were pretty good fun bass-wise (including Visconti’s lines on MWSTW - nice), except Heroes. I never really think of Tony V as a bass player, it’s his production work that I normally think of when his name is mentioned.