chris_b

[quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1432737043' post='2784421'] I am intending to stand my Big Baby 2 on top of another Big Baby 2 to get it up to a decent height [/quote] That's the best stand. One that makes more of the same noise.

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1432676266' post='2783945'] I think a nice 5er will open up some more stuff for me, especially in terms of chordal soloing stuff! [/quote] Really? Are you stringing E - C? If you're looking for B - G (which I assumed you were) then I'm not sure how chordal or soloing is "opened up". It'll be the same top end as an E - G strung bass. I play and recommend 5 string basses but they "open up" the lower and middle parts of the bass.

+1 I don't see the point of an active Precision. It's not supposed to be a versatile instrument. It's a P! My passive 5 string P bass does [i]that[/i] tone better than any other bass I've played. On the other hand, I would go active on a Jazz or other 2 pickup bass. IMO the dynamics and breadth of tone only gets better with a pre amp and better still with 5 strings.

Out of all the 5 string basses I've played, the 35" have felt the best. There are very good 34" 5 string basses but IME they have been at the more expensive end of the scale, I'll put that down to better materials, building techniques and QC. Examples, Wal and Sadowsky. I've not played ACG, Shuker or Ken Smith basses but they don't get stick for bad B strings on their 34" basses either. Lakland Skyline seem to get general praise and use 35" scale. Fender seem to be very patchy for B strings and use 34". IMO it seems to me that it's easier and more consistent to successfully build a mid priced, mass produced 5 string bass using 35" scale.

[quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1432656707' post='2783665'] i am thinking of a new bass, 5 string is where i'm going. [b]Not that a i really need one as my band doesnt play anysongs yet that require the lower register [/b] [/quote] That shouldn't stop you.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1432645873' post='2783517'] Also, why do drummers insist in setting up dead central. When you have three others in the back line, sometimes it's a bit of a struggle getting two lots of gear on one side of the kit. "I'm not moving it now. It's taken me ages to set up". Queue the three others grabbing said piece of carpet and moving the whole kit over. [/quote] If I turn up late and there isn't enough space on my side for two of us I tell them to move up. I am always surprised if I have to do this, as they are all intelligent and grown up people, who should be able to count and estimate by now. Anyway, a lot of grumbling ensues, but I tell them if they were stupid enough not to remember how many people we have in the band and didn't leave enough room for all of us it's their problem.

[quote name='landwomble' timestamp='1432648879' post='2783559'] So next logical question - what's the actual difference between MIJ/MIM/MIA Fenders? Or Squiers for that matter? Other than hardware? [/quote] Not that logical. Each hardware will be more similar than different, depending on the materials used, but [i]every[/i] piece of wood is different, as the previous couple of posts mentioned. Mythological "tests" and popular hearsay are not good reasons on which to base an opinion. The people who make the more expensive custom basses will have a wood store, look at the factory visits on youtube, and that wood will be chosen with a great deal of care. A mass producer will order a pallet of wood and use it up, whether it is in ideal condition or not. For instance, Michael Tobias will buy the best he can find and that cost will be passed on. A mass producer will buy and sell to a price point and it's in his interest to make his product as cheaply as he can. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't, eg when Ampeg started using board for their cabs instead of ply. Many people won't hear any difference. Lucky them. They can save a fortune.

[quote name='Dom in Somerset' timestamp='1432576600' post='2782902'] ...and the drummer sticks his kit right in the middle. [/quote] Was it your turn for the tufted Wilton? All drummers I know bring their own carpet and leave it in the car if there is carpet at the gig. I would have been more surprised if he hadn't used it.

The OP seems to equate "fitting in" as a compromise, and that compromise is not a good thing. He also seems to think that keeping "his" sound against all opposition in the band is not a problem, when I think that will just get him sacked. I wouldn't give the OP any advice about what gear to use, I'd only say that he needs to go back to the drawing board and come up with a different approach which will make everyone happy. What is the point in making your band unhappy? If the OP wants to be inflexible then I think he'd be better off finding some like minded players and forming a different band.

I know guys playing instruments that sound pretty good, and I dislike the sound of when I play. The OP has discovered a preference. I wouldn't read any more into it than that.

I would prefer to learn from the massively talented players already way ahead of me on bass guitar.

An eternity you say? I'd take a water and insect proof self tuning grand piano.

I notice the bass player didn't let "small hands" get in the way of some great playing. Love the drummer. Reminds me of David Garibaldi.

I was sorry not be able to be there. NE is a very class act.

I'm currently playing the best bass I've owned, so I'm content.

I used my LM2 with the controls flat (or 12 o'clock, if that's flat) and the filters off. Through my Berg cabs it had a nice warm and full tone.

I don't know anyone who has said the science is irrelevant, but you are constantly telling people that what they hear and like is wrong because the science says it isn't right. So no one can like anything if it doesn't fit with your view of how the science should be implemented. We get the science but there is a place in this world for a good 410's and 810's without us being constantly derided for our choices.

Very sad news.

I bought a Dual Showman 215 rig in the early 70's. I tried it on 2 rehearsals and swapped with the keyboard player who had bought a Hiwatt 2 412 stack. He was happy, but I definitely got the best of that deal. Fender bass gear had a very clean sound, which largely fell out of favour with the advent of Marshall and Ampeg. 99% of the guitarists I know use Fender combo's, but I've only seen 1 bass player using a Fender rig in the last 30 years.

This is the usual tedious one-sided tug-of-war. One side thinks the text book is more important than your ears and shouts down anyone who disagrees or thinks that ears are more important. There are talented cab builders who will impart the facts in a helpful way and those who prefer to use a sledgehammer. Some don't care for anything other than the purest message. There are no shades of grey, only black and white. That approach causes more problems than the message. Apparently there is something wrong with me and everyone else who don't accept that black and white are the only choices. There are many talented cab builders who are building "shades of grey" cabs and, in actual fact, they sound great.

The one thing you can be certain of. . . . . if they didn't like it either they would have said something or someone else would be doing the gig.

I don't agree that a Jazz bass can sound like a Precision. You can mod or redesign a P bass as much as you like, but nothing else sounds as good as the standard P bass, which is why in reality they have ceased to evolve. They don't need to. But like any 2 pickup bass, the wide tonal pallet of a Jazz will give you enough rope to hang yourself. The main reason for a bad sounding Jazz is the guy who twiddled the knobs. Don't over analyse the sound of a Jazz bass. Most of the players listed in the previous posts were almost certainly playing stock basses (except Bobby Vega). They sound good because, amongst other things, their good ears can get great sounds out of their instruments. We have as much of a chance if we work harder at it.

The F1 was the only MB amp I didn't like. I preferred the LM2. The best MB amp I've played was, sadly, the first they discontinued, the LMK. You could run the two channels together which made a great noise. I think MB amps are always worth a listen.

Shops will contain what they think/know they can sell. Look in a shop and that's what people are buying. It's actually pretty easy to kit yourself up as a beginner bass player. Just get one of the starter packs. The next step is easy as well. Yamaha's or Fenders etc, they are around. After that becomes harder, but by that time most have reached the natural conclusion of their "hobby". If your interest is still alive you'll find out where to look next. It just won't be on your door step.

Chuck Rainey, Larry Graham, Bobby Vega and Anthony Jackson have all been Jazz bass players at one time or another.