chris_b

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.

Tell me about it!!!!!

I suspect you're right but the competition is greater in the London area.

Here's another. . . great Tim Drummond bass line.

Obviously electric bass was in use from 1935 onwards and well into general use before Macca picked one up. I'm reading Blue's comments to mean that Macca was the first bass player to put the bass lines up front as an integral part of the melody of the song. Which he was. PS Please don't mention Diamonds by Jet Harris. That's not the same thing!!

Then I think QJ is even more of an derrière. It's QJ's job to spend the time and make the effort get the best out of Ringo, not replace him because he wan't technically correct.

I've played in some crap bands over the years but I've never made myself gigless by quitting one with work in the diary. More than once I've had a band leader see me playing in a terrible band and offer me a gig in a better band, so keep gigging and plan the next step.

I'm not getting into the Beatles or Ringo argument, but if QJ hired Ringo to play drums then he should have understood more about Ringo's strengths and weaknesses. You hire a "Ringo Starr" because you want Ringo Starr. You don't want him playing like Steve Gadd, Ed Greene or even Ronnie Verrell, so if Ringo wasn't doing what QJ wanted on the track QJ should have hired the right guy in the first place. IMO that's a Quincy Jones fail. If you watch the Steely Dan film about the recording of Aja you'll see the cream of US session players being "dumped" because Walter and Donald thought they didn't suite the track.

I might be proved wrong but I don't think there is a sound difference between J pickups. The difference is size and its position on the bass. Even less chance of hearing a difference if you have have a pre amp or a pan pot to balance the signal between the two pickups. If they'll fit I would use them.

Have a listen to the wonderful Hutch Hutchinson playing a beautiful, sparse and effective bass line for Keb Mo. Also an example of a good bassist using sustain effectively. Also, how a 5 string bass should be played to enhance the song.

Put a good cushion on your chair.

This. You're on your way out when you start bad mouthing people you work with and for. Why hire QJ and have him spout his subjective and negative comments and crap all over your project right afterwards.

Fire the drummer. Replace him with someone good. Get the buzz back in the band with a new repertoire. If you can't do any of these things, find another band, then quit.

My basses are never left "lying around" so nobody sees them. It's not a hobby for me so I'm never in the situation of playing for or impressing "people" at home.

Bruno Mars could have been a star in any era. You think Marvin Gaye wasn't trying his hardest to be Jackie Wilson and Nat King Cole? In the past you could get a few bum notes, but at least they were singing. Now so many are auto-tuned we have no idea if they can sing or not.

Taking Overwater as an example, if your design goals are to produce a Precision or Jazz shaped bass then you need a unique head stock to differentiate your instrument from the others. If your bass has a unique body shape then the design of the headstock isn't as important. Overwater are a quality act and the headstocks look fine to me. They are recognisable at a distance, which is what they were designed to do.