chris_b

Can we stop this childishness?

The first song I played on stage was Spoonful by Howlin Wolf. The gig came to a crashing halt as we announced the last song. All the lights came on and the caretaker of the youth club was walking up the middle of the the empty hall, saying, "I wouldn't bother. They've all gone home!"

My Wolfcraft trolley easily handles all kerbs, gravel paths and steps. ps. . . . and flights of stairs.

Calling all the Metro Express owners. . . . have you weighed your basses? I've seen a couple of examples that were about 10lbs. Is that the average or are there any in the 7-8lb range? Cheers. ps I should have said 5 string basses. . .

Sorry, not in my world.

Why doesn't tone appear on your list? It's #1 on my list.

I'll not have a bad word said against tort, burst and rosewood.

Oh yes. . . . . . . . !

Hi Dave, there's one given, as long as I'm alive I'm gigging. The task is to make it happen. No question, the best bass I've owned so far is my 9.8lb Sadowsky Jazz, which is too heavy for my back! So I had to find the bass that is good enough to replace the Sadowsky, at the right weight, and, as the budget isn't what it was, at the right cost. Tone is always the problem, but, as long as the bass weighs, plays and looks right the tone can be managed. I've just perked up a cheap Cort Jazz with a Sadowsky preamp pedal. I was planning to change the pickups and add a preamp (which was double the cost of the bass!!) but this pedal gets the sound 90% there with 10% of the outlay. It's a start.

I have 1 x 8.3lb, 2 x 7lb and 1 x 6.8lb 5 string basses sitting right here. If anyone can't find a lightweight 5 string bass they're not looking hard enough.

Leland Sklar said in an interview that he'll play the bass that the songs require, but if he has to play one note below E he'll use a 5 string bass for the whole show, because he's not going to switch basses on stage. Pretty much my thoughts. I don't see the point in switching basses around (even less point in retuning mid set) when I've got one instrument that covers all formats. If there's a 4 string song that really doesn't require the B string then I'll just play it on the upper 4 strings. I also play several songs on 2 strings and one song that that only requires the E string. As I say, it's a good to have one instrument that covers all requirements.

I've had fantastic cabs for the last 30+ years, but over time the weight issue keeps cropping up. I went from a Dynacord combo that weighed as much as a small planet to 2 x 90lb Mesa Boogie EV cabs, to a 52lb Epifani 410, to 3 x 30lb Bergantino 112's. Then 10 years ago I discovered I could solve all my physical problems with 2 x 22lb Barefaced 112 cabs. These days there are many great lightweight cabs to chose from, but my BF's are the lightest, loudest and best sounding cabs I've owned. I haven't used my trolley in years.

The tribal thing gets very tedious. Everyone's choices are equally valid, even when they obviously made the wrong choice!!

Pino and Marcus Miller both play 5 string basses. Top players are always going to be flexible enough play what's required, as the recently posted Sean Hurley video shows, when he got out his 55-94 Lakland. Only the silly billy's are going to push one side or the other.

Since 1996 I've preferred the extra options that 5 string basses provide. I'm happy that others have different preferences.

String height is a personal choice. What do you think? If you think your fret buzz is excessive, check the neck is straight, check the frets are level, raise the action or play with a softer touch.

At this time of the year, Christmas lights would look cool. Better still, if you got those flashing ones.

I use the same two basses for all my gigs. One is active with rounds, one is passive with flats. I sound check them and choose the one I prefer on the night. All my basses sound great with the controls on the amp set to 12 o'clock. Buy the right amp and you probably won't need the EQ. Very bad sounding rooms can throw a spanner in the works, but usually the master volume is usually the only control I use. IMO if you regularly have to take big swings at the EQ to get a sound you like, you bought the wrong amp.

Aah!

I put my basses back in the gigbags when they're not being played.

Says it all.

I'm suffering the same problem with a couple of lightweight basses that weren't expensive, look nice and play well, but are not quite there with the sound. I'm getting the same hollow clonk instead of a full blooded tone. Do I cut my losses and sell or do I spend more than the basses cost on high end replacement pickups and preamps, and still end up with a bass that doesn't sound right. I'm reluctant to throw cash at a problem with no certainty of the outcome. I'm thinking I should sell. IMO the Bart Mk1's do not sound good enough on any bass I've played.

Nice one.

One of the greats. Listen to any Stax record and there's a 99% chance it's him on bass.

Play with other musicians. Get more experience, improve in leaps and bounds.