chris_b

Ah, the silly things kids come out with!

He played bass on most of their records and AFAIK none of their live shows. He was a frontman playing sax on the gigs. Felder was a first call studio bass player in LA and his Precision would have been his starting point in the studio, as it was for every other bass player.

IMO it's a healthy approach, to finish a gig and think I could have done some of that better. . . . . and then you do something to improve the areas you identify.

When the Crusaders went on tour they used various bass players, most of whom didn't use P basses. I saw one guy using a Fender Jazz and I'm sure there were others. So the record is there as a reference, but you don't need to follow too slavishly. It is just as valid for you to have your personal take on a bass sound. PS Just remembered it was Robert Popwell playing the Jazz. The Crusaders Street Life video has a guy playing a Stingray. So different players and different basses. Looks like they didn't have any "rules" about which instruments should be used on stage. The original studio track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iVR7WLsvAg The video track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRBYsINSUZ0

There may be others but I would bet that Labella flatwounds have been continuously available since the 50's. Many/most of the studio players used flats from the 50's right through to today. Flats created the sound of choice for many producers during that time. The world of bands probably did ignore flats for many years. Jamerson only started to lose work after he moved to LA. The LA sound wasn't the Detroit sound and he couldn't adapt. When you've been the highest paid studio bass player for over a decade that's probably understandable. His problems were less about the strings and more about his ego and his inability to change into something LA wanted and he didn't. Even in LA at that time, most studio players had Pre CBS P basses with flats but they were flexible enough to bring a selection of basses that has strings which could be tuned.

I know what you mean. I thought I'd be a much better player after this amount of time! I see a few bass players out of college with a technique that I'd die for, but there is another side to that coin. Too many of them can't play a simple groove. They don't seem to lock in with the drums and sit back on it like us oldies do. One of the drummers I play with tells me he dreads playing some numbers with these guys, because while they can play Jaco and Stanly Clarke with their eyes shut, they can struggle to play a simple shuffle. So guys like us can still be very effective players in our bands.

Yes. It's been a long time since function gigs meant Fly Me To The Moon, Begin The Beguine and Spanish Eyes. Thank God!!

I bought a Gibson EB0 for £95 in 1968. That's £1700 (at today's money) spent on a bass that sounded awful. Not a great move for a kid still at school!! If you're counting money not gained in a sale, I could have got another £6000 if I'd waited and sold both Wals today, instead of when I did!! Edit ~ making more sense. . . . !!

I'd agree that a good set of flats are expensive to buy, but as already pointed out they can sound great for decades. So they are very cheap in the long run. I'd disagree that using full bass and no treble would make your bass sound like it has flatwound strings on. Flats do not just sound bassy, they have a greater frequency range than that. They have a life of their own and an authority in their sound that EQ on its own couldn't emulate.

I believe Wilton Felder played a Fender Precision with flats on Street Life. I get a great vintage sound with my Aguilar TH500. Flatwound strings are a must. I use TI's but LaBella's would also sound pretty good. For a fuller sound, play with your thumb on the neck pickup for maximum vintage thump without too much woolliness. I'd start by putting flats on your Sire. Make one change at a time and see what occurs.

If I'm playing with a good drummer (and I 'm lucky enough to have only played with good drummers for the last 20 years) I'm having fun. I don't care where or what I'm playing. If the band is good that's good enough for me.

I've got 2 year old ACS PRO26's for my loudest bands and still use my 12 year old ACS ER15 plugs for the quieter bands. I've replaced the ER15 filters several times. According to ACS the ER15's should have been replaced after 5 years but they still seem to be effective so I'm continuing to use them. I've noticed that when I put my plugs in the area that I'm pushing includes the outside/face of the filter. I guess overtime oils from my fingers will get into the filters and make them less effective.

Have you Googled "wet sanding guitars" and "wet sanding guitars and wood swell"?

I didn't like my sound tonight. I was using the TH500 which is usually the backup amp. Tried both basses but just couldn't get it right. Then 10 mins into the first set the drummer leaned over and said; "F**ing great bass sound from over here!" I didn't touch the amp after that.

In it for the money? Absolutely! I'm playing in an environment where someone is making money, ie promoter/landlord, from my efforts. It's cost me money to do the gig, so, yes, I want paying.

My 10 Desert Island Albums would be: Rock Of Ages ~ The Band Waiting For Columbus ~ Little Feat That Hot Pink Blues Album ~ Keb Mo Live In Bergen ~ Delbert McClinton Roadwork ~ Edgar Winter's White Trash One More Car, One More Rider ~ Eric Clapton Sex Machine ~ James Brown John Mayall Plays John Mayall ~ John Mayall Absolute Monster Gentlemen ~ Jon Cleary Road Tested ~ Bonnie Raitt

ps I wouldn't worry about empty holes in the bass until you've decided which set up you're going for. You can fill empty holes with plugs or an unconnected pots.

Change the pickups and see what you've got. If that doesn't please I'd go passive and take it from there.

Just as effective, much easier to implement and much cheaper.

+1 Always listen with a positive ear. If you were doing your best then there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Getting better results is about practice and confidence. The early stuff is all about you learning.

+1 The reason to rack mount D class amps is the same as for any other type of amp, ie protection. As soon as someone else is loading your gear you have to protect it if you want it to survive.

So in a fight to the death, which one would win? What did the new update do to make the B|amp so good?

The first bass album I heard, as opposed to bass on an album, that knocked me out was Francoise Rabath's 1963 album The Sound Of A Bass. Only a double bass (sometimes double tracked) and drums. I discovered it in 1969, bought the album and wore it out. It didn't change my bass style much but it significantly moved my listening goal posts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3UOOCUkqDw

Point 1, why do you only have one bass? Point 2, if you take your bass to someone who is good at their job they'll ask you how you want it set up. Then they'll do that. If you decide you don't like it I'd expect the good guys to change it. If you take it to repair guy who thinks it's smart to make fun of your decision to use him, then you've gone to the wrong guy. In this case the answer isn't always to do it yourself, it's to find a better guy. If you find a good workman you can trust him. Point 3, a DIY set up is doable, but how far can you go? If any other, more complicated stuff arises you can find yourself getting out of your depth in no time. If you feel confident you can handle truss rods, fret levelling etc carry on, but finding a good repair guy is as important as finding a good electrician or plumber.

Currently the drummer in one of the bands records all the gigs. It's very interesting to listen to the set in the cold light of day. I'll usually have a few comments about the band and the set and a list as long as your arm for me to work on. IMO you can improve so much as a player by listening to your efforts.