Urban Bassman

Welcome, from someone else who "gave away" an early 70's P Bass.... Used to have an '84 Status Series 2 five stringer a couple of years ago, wonderful instrument really miss it, would love another one, but not this month...

[quote name='splund' post='371268' date='Jan 5 2009, 07:15 PM']A Trapdoor aficionado, not many people know of the Splund I live in Bugs hole too. Bob[/quote] Oh Yes, one of the best of it's kind I think. Berk, Drutt, Boni, et-al For anyone who doesn't have the slighted idea of what we're on about, go here. [url="http://www.thetrapdoor.org/"]http://www.thetrapdoor.org/[/url] Yes, it's official I'm a big kid....Enjoy! Burgess Hill.....yep what a trapdoor

[quote name='splund' post='370450' date='Jan 4 2009, 10:35 PM']Hi All. Living in West Sussex Been playing bass for about 18 months now, started off as a mad ebay whim but has steadily grown into a way of life....almost It all started at a BBQ when a guitar friend of mine explained what a Humbucker was, that was it, I had to wind my own pickup, then build a guitar to play it. Made everything from scratch except the strings, tuners and bridge. I didnt get on with 6 strings, so gravitated (up) to 4 strings, happy bunny now Bob[/quote] The Splund..... .......who's been watching Trapdoor then Used to live in West Sussex (Burgess Hill), now in East Sussex (Heathfield). Sussex a good place to be. Welcome to the show.

[quote name='molan' post='354532' date='Dec 14 2008, 08:18 PM']Having moved to a slightly higher level of proficiency on 4 string in the past year I recently arranged a long(ish) term swap with one of my better 4's for a 5 of a similar value. The 5 in question is an MTD 535 so is of great quality and I really like the core sound it has. I haven't really had much chance to play it 'properly' but have noticed I'm struggling a little with the spacing of the 35" neck, nothing major just finger memory not quite stretching and fretting slightly off. I'm also tending to use the B purely as a resting place for my thumb a lot of the time. To be honest I think I can get over the spacing issue with a bit more practice and probably need to push my thinking more to start using the B. However, the biggest issue for me is that if I decide to really go for a 5 string approach I'd probably want to have majority of basses with 5 strings rather than 4's. Obviously this might be fun as I can get on the trading floor again Conversely I actually quite like my current 'stable' of 4's so selling some would be a bit of a wrench! So the big question is - should I take the plunge and take on what will be a fair bit of extra work to get my hands & head around the whole 5 string concept or should I just stick to my 4's and work on improving my technique with these? Any thoughts gratefully received! PS - Josh, you're not allowed to comment [/quote] I use both 4 and 5 basses with my band. Several of the songs we do are in Dropped D tuning and, yes, I could easily drop the E to D on my 4 but I find that I'm prone to forget that I'm in Low D and and all my fingering and positioning goes out the window if I'm not very careful. So having a low D, C and B where they logically should be works just fine for me. I think being able to play a 5, even reasonably well, gives you more options, whether that doing your own material or covering other bands. Also not all 5-ers have the 35" scale, my Alembic is 34" and my previous 5-ers were 34" (Status Series 2 and MM SR5 f/less). So if you feel that the 35" is not right for you then look at basses with the 34" scale. Hope that helps...

[quote name='metalmaniac' post='59412' date='Sep 12 2007, 05:02 PM']I have 6.. so i was wondering what the average is.[/quote] Used to have 6, now I have 3 (would like 4....) Maybe Santa will be kind...I've been a good boy this year honest!

[quote name='AM1' post='350364' date='Dec 10 2008, 03:04 AM']Hi Interested to hear any opinions on preferred method of learning existing basslines. For those who play by ear, do you always know what notes you are playing on the bass by the letter or do you just work on imitation? Do you know what the notes are on each fret on all strings, or again, just work by ear On the tabs that I've seen (which is not that many) it just shows the fret numbers and strings but doesn't show the actual note, so you still have to work out what notes you're actually playing, i.e. fret 5 on E string is A. Essentially, I guess my real question is do you prefer scientific approach versus natural musician? I am not drawing any preference of one over the other and my question is purely asked from idle curiousity. Regards AM[/quote] From my experience, I would say that you need to know what's what on your fret board, there are many books that show you all you need to know. Bass Guitar for Dummies is very good and easy to access the info you need. A word about tabs....they are nearly always wrong! Even ones published in books...they should only be used as a rough guide at best. So unless you know a bit about where the notes are on your fret board, you may struggle to learn a song. I can't read music very well at all, so I rely on my knowledge of the fret board, my ears and a few scales to work out what's going on. You will also need these skills if you start jamming with other musicians and writing your own material. I also found that learning another instrument helps, in my case the guitar (of the 6 string variety). I started playing in the time before the internet and bass teachers where few and far between. Very few music books had the bass transcribed, it was mostly guitar and piano, so you only had the root note to work from. Personally I would recommend that you use all the tools and material available, including the reading of music notation. This will help you become a more versatile and competent player, which is what we all want to be...right? I know I've got much more to learn but that's what is so great about music, there is always something new to learn

[quote name='kennyrodg' post='322433' date='Nov 5 2008, 08:44 AM']Hey all. Whilst visiting my neighbours back garden studio the other day i spied a tatty looking Fender Jazz propped up against the wall.He asked if i would try and date it for him.The serial on the headstock is 76 31655 Do i presume then thats its a 76 or is that too easy.An approximate value would be nice as well. Thanks in advance. [/quote] If the 76 is in bold then yes it's likely to be a 76-77 made Jazz, this link should help. [url="http://www.guitarnucleus.com/fenderserial.html"]http://www.guitarnucleus.com/fenderserial.html[/url] Hope that helps

[quote name='Wayward-Wanderer' post='315158' date='Oct 26 2008, 04:26 PM']I've been reading around the forum that the older Trace elliot gear (Pre-peavey takeover) is a lot better than the new Trace Elliot gear. Whilst reading, I have found no jusitification for why this is true. I'm looking at getting a new TE stack (7 band for those interested) and was wondering why people are saying the new stuff is rubbish. Surely its technologically better? or am I missing something? I have only played the new Traceys.[/quote] I have the new 1210 2 x 10 500W 12 band combo and a 1518c cab. I think they sound great, plus you get a footswitch with the amp which controls all the switchable functions of the amp; valve pre-amp, compressor, Graphic EQ, fx loop and Pre-shape and covers. Didn't think they were overly expensive plus they look great. As previously stated - try them out along side other amps and let your ears decide.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='308522' date='Oct 17 2008, 12:41 PM']Strange New Flesh - great LP - 'Down To You' was a favourite! That was when Gary Moore was sounding great and not generic![/quote] Agreed 100% and I think he (Gary Moore) was about 22 at the time. Fab stuff.

[quote name='bluesparky' post='308442' date='Oct 17 2008, 11:19 AM']During the load-in at Cardiff t'other day, we received the news that Queen's bassist - Danny Miranda - had unfortunately fallen ill. Initially our first thoughts were that the gig would be pulled and we'd get another day off, but then i had one of those crazy daydreams that i'm sure we all have. I mentioned to my peers that i knew the set, i was a decent bass player, i can read music very well and i'd obviously seen every show of the tour so far - surely a perfect replacement! I was jesting as i knew it wouldn't really come to anything, and we all just assumed that the gig would be cancelled. It then emerged over our "will-it-won't-it-happen" long lunch that Neil Murray had been drafted in with hours to go and would be taking over the bass duties for the next couple of shows. We then finished the setup of the gig and i waited with morbid anticipation to see how he'd get on. Neil had spent the bus journey with the MD and guitarist learning the set and nailed it! He played a perfect set - i was watching with a very close eye - and i guess certainly pulled it out of the bag and was superb, especially given the notice he'd been given for the show. Very impressive! Oh well, my daydream of replacing a poorly bassist on a show i'm working on will have to wait for another tour.....[/quote] How odd - I just mentioned Neil Murray on another post about TV themes.... He is one of my favourite rock bass players, always seems to play the right thing, very melodic player. Always in my top ten favourites.

[quote name='uptonmark' post='308076' date='Oct 16 2008, 07:04 PM']not for the bass, more for the whole track, i would like to know who played the following tv themes: south bank show and (on tv before some of you were born)...... weekend world title and artist would be appreciated if anyone knows, won`t hold me breath though [/quote] Very easy (for us over 40) South Bank was indeed Andrew Lloyd Webber's Variations On A Theme by Paganini. The band who played it was: Julian Llyod Webber - Cello Colosseum II - Jon Hiseman (Drums), Gary Moore (Guitar) Don Airey (Keys) and the late great John Mole (Bass) - what a fab band they were. plus - Barbra Thompson on Sax and Flutes (Jon Hiseman's wife and fellow band members of Paraphernalia) and Rod Argent (keys) I went to see them perform this at the QE II Hall on the the south band London, when they toured with release of album. Saw another fab bass player there - one Neil Murray, who was Coloseum II's first bass player on their brilliant first album - Strange New Flesh. The Weekend World Theme is by Mountain...and is called Nantucket Sleigh Ride ( all about hunting sperm whales...not very PC these days, but a great song none the less) Alan Freeman used to play it all the time on his Saturday afternoon Rock Show and it's still played on Planet Rock from time to time. There you go, you can breath easy now Two great songs

[quote name='BassMunkee' post='306193' date='Oct 14 2008, 01:25 PM']Beat me to it, I was gonna ask where Tonbridge Wells was![/quote] Yeah..I know - slip of the fingers - "whatta mistaka to make".

[quote name='jakesbass' post='305597' date='Oct 13 2008, 04:29 PM']That is the very bass that made me decide to order my Alembic (played it twice) It's a lovely instrument.... ENJOY!!![/quote] Oh I do enjoy..on a regular basis

[quote name='urban Bassman' post='305478' date='Oct 13 2008, 01:43 PM']Got this beauty from the Bass Shop in Tonbridge Wells earlier this year and ain't she pretty Not only she look good but sounds fab and is lovely to play too...can't ask for anything more. [attachment=14719:Bass_Guitar_011.jpg][/quote] DOH! should have re-rread my post before I sent it!... Tonbridge, not Tonbridge Wells (actually Tunbridge Wells...slip of the fingers). They are in Kent. Here's the link to their web site [url="http://www.americanguitarsuk.com/"]http://www.americanguitarsuk.com/[/url] Click on Bass World and it's all there!

Got this beauty from the Bass Shop in Tonbridge Wells earlier this year and ain't she pretty Not only she look good but sounds fab and is lovely to play too...can't ask for anything more. [attachment=14719:Bass_Guitar_011.jpg]

[quote name='phsycoandy' post='302282' date='Oct 8 2008, 03:44 PM']Thats the new stuff aint it, looks great, bet your back hates you, although you're probably young and fit! (you know what i mean, i mean i dont mean fit i mean just fit ok)! goodbye![/quote] Yes it's the new look TE stuff (now owned by Peavey) I was a little hesitant at first, not being a huge fan of Peavey bass amps, had a couple over the years and they didn't do it for me. However I think they've given the guys at TE a free hand to produce an update of the classic TE products and I think they've done a good job. The 1210 is pretty heavy, but my last cab was a GK 410RBH, which was v. heavy. The 1210 isn't as heavy as that, so I'm happy, and it sounds fab, which is even better

Thought you guys might like to see my new TE rig...if you look carefully you might just see that me jeans are flapping! The TE1210 is basically the AH500-12 head plus 2 x 10 speakers in a nice combo. I've teamed it with the compact 15" cab 1518, which means that you can access all 500W....mwha ha ha! OK it's not a great photo, I'll try and get a close up soon, but I thought I'd start with this one....enjoy. [attachment=14510:TE_Rig_JW.jpg]

[quote name='jonthebass' post='301153' date='Oct 7 2008, 11:46 AM']Welcome to Basschat. I'd love to see that old P of yours, don't tease us! Cheers, Jon.[/quote] OK, I hot footed it down to the studio and grabbed these few pics of the P Bass, just for you! I always wanted a bass that was born in the same year as me - hence the 1961. Quite hard to find these days, so I was surprised when I found this one at The Bass Gallery in London. I was even more surprised when my fabulous wife bought it for me It's basically all original apart from the Volume and Tone Knobs - one was missing and the other was pretty well shot, so I got a couple of replacements (I still have the remaining original one of course!) The other non-original part is the thumb rest, it was missing. I found a good quality replica, fortunately the original screws were still in the pickguard so it all ties in nicely. Other than that it has real mojo and sounds PHAT. Enjoy. [attachment=14475:P_Bass_Longshot.jpg][attachment=14476:P_Bass_Body.jpg][attachment=14477:P_Bass_Hea d.jpg]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='301366' date='Oct 7 2008, 02:24 PM']Welcome from a fellow Alembic user, this is a fantastic community. There are lots of really well informed and helpful folk here. So settle in and join in the conversation, it always has something to offer. Jake[/quote] Thanks jake I'm new to Alembics, got mine about 4 months ago from the USA Guitar Centre in Tonbridge, nice bunch of guys there - They have a lot of Alembics - they are the sole official importer, they claim. I love the feel of the bass, not to mention the tone Love it!

Patience Grasshopper, only the worthy may see it.... Actually you can see a bit of it in the photo...the white one. I should be able to grab a few photos of it in the next day or so. Watch this space. Cheers

Hi All Just joined and thought I'd make myself known. Will post some pics of my basses soon, once I get round to taking some photos that is! In the meantime you'll just have to imagine what these beauties look like! Fender P Bass (1961), Stingray 20th Anniversary (1996),Ricky 4003MG (2005), Alembic Orion 5 String (2007). As with most of us I guess, I've had plenty of basses in the past and have regretted selling most of them, including various Overwaters, Status Graphites, Fender P & Js and Stingrays - but hey needs must at the time of selling. I now have a small but perfectly formed collection of wonderful instruments. The latest is the 'ray and I'm well pleased with it, gonna be my main gigging bass for years to come I reckon. Love to hear from anyone, lets chat bass!