LeftyP

I started a thread on this forum in early October about the weight of bass guitars and why the manufacturers or dealers don't specify the weights of the instruments. I've just changed my bass for a lighter model because I have back trouble and even my 9lb Chowny was too much for me after a short while. My new Italia Cavo (semi-hollow) bass is around 7lb and sounds good with flat wound strings. It also is much kinder to my 68 year old spine than the Chowny. I loved the Chowny but my back didn't appreciate its mass.

It may not be your fault. We have had the same problem on one or two electrical items that have a plastic covering. I know of several digital radio owners who have had "sticky issues" on their receivers. I have also had a couple of pen drives and a small MP3 player show the same problem. I think it is to do with the quality of plastic type covering they use. We also had the mic stand issue but got rid of the stand in a bit of a clear out.

Yes, I am a lefty but play right handed.

I've just taken delivery of a new bass guitar. It's an Italia Maranello Cavo hollow body model expertly set up by Richard's Guitars in Stratford-upon-Avon. It is short scale and weighs in at a tad over 7lb - which gives my old back some respite. Despite its name it has not been anywhere near Italy (unless its journey from South Korea took a detour). The Cavo is beautifully put together and Richard's have done a fine job of setting the action and adjusting what needed adjusting. It is strung with round wounds but I much prefer flat wounds so I think I'll swap them once I've had a good play with it. There is certainly a retro look about the bass - in a 1950s Wurlitzer jukebox sort of way - and, although I am not a fan of chrome, the guitar carries it off well. You don't see many of these around and Richard's Guitars were the only people who had one in stock when I checked the t'internet. Santa has arrived early!

I'm not sure that earning a living from playing an instrument makes you a "proper" musician. My wife has a music degree and plays first oboe in our local orchestra. She, along with the other members, can sight read a score and perform to a high standard. However, the orchestra is a voluntary thing and the members even have to pay an annual subscription to belong to it. They are all fine musicians but do not make their livings from it. One or two teach music but the rest have every day jobs. The orchestra gives three concerts a year and has weekly rehearsals under the watchful eye of visiting conductors (who are paid expenses). I think there will be many accomplished players who do not earn their livings from music, or even supplement their income from it, but when they pick up their instruments - they are musicians!

I've just scanned the list on Wiki and know the vast majority of the titles. They are played a lot on many radio programmes and performed in cabaret in clubs and cruise ships. I am fortunate in being old enough (68) to remember the days of the crooners and ballad singers my parents liked and listened to on the old "Light Programme" before Radio Caroline came on air (I love 60's music - the songs of my teen years). I work in broadcasting so get to hear a wide variety of music that I would not choose to listen to. If you want to expand your playing options you really need to become familiar with the likes of Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Van Heusen, Irving Berlin etc. They wrote timeless songs sung by Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Andy Williams, Jack Jones and countless others. If your listening habits are Radio 1 or Later with Jools then you are starving yourself of some real quality music. I can bop (not too energetic these days!) to Britney, Aretha, Tina Turner and the Motown classics but I can also enjoy the "Standards", Country music, some classical and - as I play in a church band - the old hymns and new contemporary worship songs. There is a wealth of wonderful music out there. When you consider we use basically only eight notes (plus a few sharps and flats) it is remarkable just what a variety of melodies have been written.

I'm not ashamed to admit to liking Britney. I enjoy the song and wish I was as supple (and young!) as she is. "Hit Me Baby One More Time" is also a great video - in fact any video with Britney in it is good!

Yes, I have the Tascam GB-10 bass trainer/recorder and use it every day. I generally listen via headphones so as not to disturb the neighbours or Mrs LeftyP. It is a great tool for learning songs and trying out various bass lines. You can change key/speed or loop a few bars to play over again. It has a built in metronome and tuner too. I am in our church band and we have a communal contact site where the songs are posted - lyrics, sheet music and chord charts. I print off what I need, find a version of the song on YouTube which I convert to MP3 and load it into the Tascam. I can play along and try all kinds of variations to the songs. Being able to change the key is a great option as sometimes the videos are not sung in the same key as our music. The unit is so small and light that you can slip it into your guitar case, or even your pocket and take it anywhere. I still have the Tascam CD version of the machine - now surplus to requirements.

I'm enjoying the course and it has even made me realise what a good bass guitar I have. Before I embarked on the technique course I thought I had bought the wrong type of bass as it felt awkward and heavy. After learning how to hold the thing properly and get the guitar balanced things began to change. The 3rd lesson - using the thumb on the plucking hand to mute the strings - was a real eye opener. I have been anchoring my thumb on the end of the fret board and not moving my hand position at all. Moving my plucking hand back from the neck to between the two pickups was strange at first. I was fumbling for notes and kept "falling off" the stings but after a short time things began to come together. I like my bass a whole lot more now! Getting the basics in place may seem a little tedious at first but it pays dividends later on.

I wish my playing was as 'meh' as that!

Were your guitar straps long enough?

So you don't like the name Paul for a bass? I think it sounds great - but then what do you think the 'P' stands for in my forum name?

Don't know about Joe Hubbard but I will check out his videos. I find Scott Devine very watchable and have subscribed to his latest techniques course. He's also from Carlisle so that's another plus point! Mark Smith at Talking Bass is the one I watch most and have learned some good tips from him. Also a shout out to Scott Whitley who's explanation of arpeggios was a light bulb moment for me. I play one of his bass guitars (via Chowny) so he gets a thumbs up from me. There are plenty of videos on YouTube about bass playing so I tend to mix 'n' match as needed.

I know this thread is aimed at gigging bands in a pub setting but for another slant on things; I play bass in our church band. I only play about once a month and I'm the only bass player so three weeks out of four there is no bottom end (apart from the piano left hand). Word has got back that when I've played the general feeling from the congregation is that the band sounded very good. I keep it simple so it's not my skills along the fret board but rather that, with the bass, the band has a more rounded sound. No-one has actually complemented me on my playing but they just liked the overall sound. My wife does get many complements about her clarinet playing, which annoys her because she plays oboe!

Yes, I'll keep off those scales for a while!!

I agree with Mark on this. I had to buy my current bass on-line as we have one local music store with a minimal variation on the Fender theme in it. When my bass arrived the weight took me by surprise and I have injured the internal workings of my left arm whilst trying to get my bass (in its Gator case) through a self closing door. The weight (approx 8lbs via bathroom scales) is an issue for this soon to be 68 year old bass player. My old Tanglewood violin bass weighs just under 2lbs (again bathroom scales so not 100% accurate). For those of us that no longer have a music shop near at hand, the internet offers our best selection of bass guitars. Stating the weight of each instrument is, surely, not a lot to ask?

I've signed up too. I watch Scott's free videos on YouTube but am not an academy member. I think getting the basics right will help my playing. I have noticed that when I've been doing more practice, my left (fretting) hand aches across the back and my left arm also aches. This could be that I'm using my hand and arm in a way they are not used to being used or my technique is all wrong. Like building a house, getting the foundations right helps for the building of a good structure.

Hi Steve Good to have another Cumbrian on board.

Clearly an emotional performance as you certainly MOOOOOOOOVED the audience! I bet other posters will milk this.

No, just Gaffer Tape - and not an empty washing up liquid bottle in sight!

My Chowny SWB-1 is a very good short scale bass guitar. However, what it lacks in length it more than makes up for in weight! Once placed in its Gator case it makes going to the gym redundant! I would like a soft gig-bag for the bass but don't know which one would fit. There is no way I'm going to lug the guitar and Gator case around music shops and looking on-line is just confusing so........... A couple of pieces of cardboard from the bottom of a large carton, and a snip of Gaffer Tape came to my rescue. I laid the guitar on the cardboard sheets, drew round it and then cut out the shape. The Gaffer Tape join allows me to fold the template in half and I can take into guitar shops and try out the gig-bags for size. I amaze myself sometimes. The added bonus was the fact that I love the sound of scissors cutting card - I'll go quietly.

This is an interesting discussion because, although the player will notice the difference in build quality and playability (is that actually a word?), I doubt your average punter, listening in a club, could tell the difference between the sound of a custom job and a £99 Argos special. Would you be happy taking your custom built, expensive instrument into a beer swilling pub full of ravers? My wife's oboe is worth several thousand pounds but she also has a cheaper student model as she teaches oboe. To the untrained ear (mine) they both sound like..... an oboe! If you have the money and want to treat yourself to a bespoke bass guitar, help yourself and you'll get no criticism from me - it's nice to have quality items like guitars, watches, cameras etc. There must be a crossover point though where the amount of money spent does not offer any significant improvement.

Being semi-retired (more retired than semi!) I can spend a good amount of time playing the bass at home. However, I have found that practicing for 30 minutes then going off for an hour or so, or longer, to do something else and then doing another 30 minutes works for me. I'm still getting back into playing and I find if I play for more than about 30 minutes my left (fretting) hand begins to ache - not to mention my back. If I try to practice a song for more than 30 minutes I feel as though I make more mistakes the longer I play. That could be tiredness, boredom or over confidence. I use backing tracks, chord charts and (if I can get them) the bass parts in sheet music. I have signed up for Scott's Bass Lessons new 26 week technique course to correct any playing habits I may have picked up and I hope that will enable me to pluck the strings for longer and more accurately.

Great looking bass. I like the fact that there is no chrome on it. I'm looking at replacing the chrome tuners and bridge on my SWB-1 with matt black ones, having already swapped the volume and tone knobs. I just prefer the understated, workmanlike look rather than bling.