chris_b

"Digging in" is fine if that is what you want to do. If it is an ingredient in your style or "expected" in the genre that you play in. But if you're "digging in" because you can't play any other way, you're doing it wrong. I haven't had blisters or callouses since I was 17. Learn to back off your right hand technique and see what an improvement that makes.

Songs can be played at many speeds but everyone should be expecting the tempo that is counted in. The speed should be right for the song and arrangement. I know a very good drummer who always starts the song, even the fast ones, quicker than the count in. He doesn't get any gigs around here anymore. A couple of years ago, our cover band realised that we were playing many songs slower than the original and as a result we were sounding a bit "tired". We went back to the original bpm and suddenly the songs came alive. Everything, the drum patterns and bass lines etc, started working, as if by magic.

I wonder how much of those "fees" were actually paid! There is a story that the organisers tried not to pay The Who. The band insisted on cash up front so the organisers had to get the cash from a local bank before The Who would play.

Oops! That's right. I have a couple of these and it's hard to think they are ceramic when I pick them up!

These days you can easily reduce the size and weight of your rig without reducing volume or quality of tone. They will sound different to your SWR so don't try to replicate your old sound, but many can sound even better. Basically checkout any cabs with neodymium speakers. The best of these will not be cheap but they are not the most expensive gear in the marketplace either. IMO some of the brands that are at the top of the pile; Mesa Boogie, Aguilar, Genzler, Markbass, Bergantino, Vanderkley and Barefaced. You have to build BFM cabs yourself or find a builder. You can easily buy a 410, 212 or 2 112's that will out perform your 610, but if you are playing down to an F# below low B then you're reducing the pool of suitable cabs. With that requirement you've got to be checking out Barefaced. The BT2 is a monster and the Four10/Six10 cabs will handle down to 25Hz. Not many cabs will do that.

I've never seen the Voice, but I've just had a look through BE's website. It's been an impressive career so far. Wasn't he on here a few years ago selling that white Lakland he was using with The Saturdays?

Thank You Sly and the Family Stone. One of the first, best and funkiest funk bass lines.

The gen1 and 2 cabs used off the shelf drivers, gen 3 introduced Alex's own driver design. Look at the website. There is a description of the differences between the different generations of cabs. This should be a good pace to ask for user experiences, but for in depth questions, don't forget to ask Alex.

+1 for playing with a lighter touch. "Digging in" is not at all effective in any style of music I play.

I don't eat or drink anything on stage. Usually, with the bands I play in, there is no time (dead space) between songs. I've been in bands who like to take it easy during the set and have a drink, a chat and a joke amongst themselves. I always hated that. IMO we are here to entertain so we should be socialising off stage.

I can't choose just one. . . . Spanish Moon with Little Feat, Cissy Strut with the Meters and Sex Machine with James Brown.

I've only had a passing interest in the Gibson story, but haven't they been run very badly for awhile? I know Gibson players who won't buy Gibson's any more because of the dreadful build quality.

You've got 3 choices. Ignore the buzzes, raise the action or get the frets stoned. I took a bass into the Gallery and had a chat with Martin. He showed me how the fret levels affected the way the bass played. I had a fret stone and set up and when it came back, the bass (which I thought was pretty good to start with) was so much better to play. So, depends if you want this bass to be that good or you're not too bothered. I'd get the frets levelled every time. Changes a good bass into a great bass.

I've had both and preferred both. I like good definition with snappy, punchy and warm mids, but it's the overall sound of the bass that I listen to. That's why I'm not a good candidate for a custom build. I'm not sure woods fall neatly into traditional definitions anymore. Seems to me that the difference will be in the resonance of the particular pieces of wood and the pickups you have to choose from. Either way, Mert, I'm sure it will be a great bass.

Looks OK to me. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about! Don't worry about it, if you haven't bought into "Cart Thompson" basses you'll not understand. Not my taste but I'd rather have this than many basses I've seen posted as favourites, ie pointy and sparkly. . . and brown basses? Ugh! Looks like one of the carved custom models that took about 5 years to build, that aren't made any more (due to Carl being in his late 70's) and due to Mr Thompson's quirky nature, may or may not have been close to what you ordered in the first place! Strange, I know, but judging by the Talkbass threads, the guys who did order these basses seemed to be universally happy with their purchases in whatever form they were delivered.

Well for the first 25 years I had my P bass, so very little interest in other basses until I got my first 5er, from Exchange and Mart. No shop had a 5 string bass when I was looking in 94-95. Then the Lakland and Wal came from Ebay. . . then I discovered Bass Chat!!!

I've told this before. . . . A friend was looking for a guitar as a 50th birthday present to himself. The guy in the shop got down a US Strat and Rob, who was mightily impressed, said, "But this is only for playing in my bedroom." The shop guy said, "Mate, 90% of the guitars we sell are to people who play in their bedrooms, and the other 10% should do."

I'm happy just looking so I very rarely play any basses in music shops. It's even rarer that I plug them in, so I haven't upset anyone.

You don't come on Basschat much then?

You can dance around this as much as you want, but if weight is starting to bother you that won't go away. 2 new light weight cabs is the right way to go.

If they weren't the best solution they would have been changed by now.

I appreciate Blue's view. That Ed Sullivan show detonated a bomb under the US entertainment establishment, who were in firm control, and by the next morning everything had changed. It seems many people on BC do not understand or underestimate this impact. The Beatles and Beat groups had a more gradual change here, but in the US one TV show literally changed the world for all future generations of US kids.

Over the years I have had good experiences in music shops and bad experiences. On the one hand it seems idiots are drawn to working in these shops like moths to a flame, IME it has been a familiar situation for the last 50 years. I have also experienced very good service from helpful and knowledgeable people. I know a couple of guys who used to work for a chain of local music shops in the SW London area. To even things up a bit, it seems that the idiot behind the counter is all too often matched by the idiot in front of the counter.

We used to play Girl Like You by Edwin Collins. Practically a one note bass line for 4 mins. I used to read a book during that one. Audiences liked it though.

First the Supermarkets, now the internet is killing the High Street. Nothing bricks and mortar can do about it. They have high rates and rent, low turnover of stock and much lower foot fall. The only shops that are going to survive are the one fronting successful online stores. It's sad but a fact. Don't slag them off, support them, or at least be a little understanding of their predicament.