chris_b

Daryl Jones in the Stones switches between P basses and his Laklands. Bassists can switch between many basses in the studio, but most tend not to on stage. Drums and bass tend to stick to a collective sound whereas the front line can be changing their sound and effects on every verse, let alone song.

Sorry but you dismiss 5 string basses without understanding them. They are more than a few low notes as is regularly explained every time these negative 5 string posts come up. 5 string basses will find the "holes" and short cuts in all techniques. Short fingers just means you need a better technique. I have numbers that I play on 2, 3, 4 and 5 strings. So the most practical bass for me is a 5 string bass, rather than a selection of 2, 3, 4 and 5 string basses.

Exactly. This subject is always mired in negativity. It required far more effort to pick up a 4 string bass and learn to play it than it ever takes to adapt to a 5 string bass. Make it a positive move, that enhances your playing, and there is no down side.

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?