Dr.Dave

I'm a dinosaur who loves his rack tuner and likes to use his hands in as many ways possible to make his instrument sound nice. I never have tuning problems because I string properly and stretch them properly. I don't like silly weird effects. I'm open to new ideas but I know how to recognise a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. So - when do you think I'll be buying anything like this?? Answers in an email to don'twasteyourfu**inghardearnedmoneyonsh*te dot hotmail etc

Phil was a big influence on me as a young,aspiring bass player/singer. I've done loads of his tunes over the years and that's as big a compliment as I could pay him. I got to see him only once , standing with the mental notebook out! Let's not be too sentimental over the way of his demise though. We didn't 'lose' him. At a time when the world had started to realise full well the damage drugs can do to people , Phil chose to carry on destroying himself - with how much regard for people that surrounded and loved him I don't know. If the difference between tragedy and the merely tragic is inevitability I don't regard his death as the former because he could have done something about it. He alone had control over what he allowed to become inevitable. Sorry Phil - you were the stuff of legend and a musical hero of mine - but you went and f***ed your life up , nobody else.

Like you , I don't care for the signature inlay on the Sting. Older style P's do look the dogs though - here's mine and my warblings about it if they're any help to you. It's maybe not the finish you'd choose but the rest of it's relevant. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=24037&hl=finally+fettled+fender"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...+fettled+fender[/url]

[quote name='Doc B' post='365458' date='Dec 29 2008, 01:34 PM']I'm actually thinking of removing the pup cover though as it gets in the way - looks great though! I prefer the metal knobs to the black plastic Jazz ones myself.[/quote] Me too - pup covers do get in the way , no question, so why have something attached that can hinder your playing? You can keep it in the case for 'photo' days!! Me too( 2) Don;t listen to the black placcy knob fans - yours look far better.

In the current climate , more than ever , it's worth what you can get for it. Probably less than you'd like. It's a gorgeous looking creature and unless you're being evicted or something I'd hang on to it and enjoy it.

Compressor pedals - I know what they do and how they do it . They , like other pedals , rarely do it for me though because I'm too pig idle to set them up on stage!! BUT Just got myself a decent guitar amp and a couple of FX for pratting about at home. The Moen Holy Choir chorus sounds nice on bass too and I thought I'd make myself a pedalboard that I can use for guitar that may also see the light of day at gigs on bass. I like the idea of compression , and I want a stomp box that'll work reasonably well on bass and guitar. Any ideas?? Also wondering what's the best general option - buy a guitar pedal and also use it with bass , or buy a dedicated bass compressor and use it with guitar. Sure a lot of you FX users can lighten my darkness. I'm looking to spend.....well , close to f**k all really - you know what I'm like!! Having said that I'm allercic to the word Behr**ger.

I tried to build myself an inexpensive killer Jazz by upgrading a Mex J I bought quite cheaply. I decided I didn't care for it so turned it into a fretless - still not happy (though I was happy tinkering). In the end I sold most of it , bought a 54P reish in Blue Flower and screwed on some of the upgrade bits bought for the Jazz. It's become my No1 bass practically overnight. More recently I bought a Fender Blues Jr amp as I'm keen to play guitar a bit more. That's it in the kit stakes , though keen to try the GK MB2 when it lands and maybe it'll replace my current GK400RB. Also keen to sell my Trace 1x15 combo and buy a smaller practise/small gig combo - probably another GK MB150 , had them before and I love them.

Seller says it sounds as good as it looks. Oh dear Load of 'bull' - I've no 'beef' with Arias but you'd have to 'hide' this if anyone 'moo'ched round to your gaff. Taking the cover off 'cud' re'veal' a nice bass 'udder'neath , so a 'pat' on the head to the buyer. Do I win £5?

[quote name='Bassman101' post='364484' date='Dec 27 2008, 09:57 PM']Hey, yea, otherwise its fine, just it was concerining me is all. I dont need to lower the action at all,[/quote] Good idea for you to ask if it was bothering you - but if it's not causing a problem go with the golden rule. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[quote name='JPJ' post='364512' date='Dec 27 2008, 10:59 PM']Funnily enough, on bigger gigs with intro tapes and a proper walk on from the wings type setup, I'm never nervous. I guess that I feel these gigs are less personal hence no anxiety?[/quote] I think you're spot on , it's less personal. I also like the air of confidence/competence at shows like this because you're surrounded by professionals doing their jobs - sound guys,techs etc. Some folk moan about them - I let them do their jobs so I can better get on with mine. Compare a big gig to a pub. Just the band there , strange place , looks rough. 5 ft away from your face there's a pissed bloke and you can't tell if he's watching your technique or getting ready to lamp you.............. No comparison at all.

I'm very good - I ought to be after doing it for 30 odd years. I was watching one of our secretary's typing in the office. She's very good at that for the same reason. Am I better or worse than I should be after 30 years practise?? No idea - probably because I don't give a toss. I've seen guys been playing 12 months doing a competent job and guys at it longer than me making a right fishes arse of it. There'll be folk on here can just about play a simple slap line. That makes them 'better' than me in one sense. Folk who know loads of theory and who have excellent technique - that makes them 'better' then me in other ways. Get Steve Harris , Mark King , Abe Laboriel , Flea - not bothered who - stick 'em 6 ft in front of me at a gig and it wouldn't phase me in the slightest. Bring 'em on. They might even learn something - about entertaining , sound , hear a particular line they like , the same as I'll try and learn something next time I'm in front of a 17yr old with his first Squier. That's how it works.

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='363937' date='Dec 26 2008, 10:28 PM']You're talking yourself into being nervous. You just need to learn to talk yourself out of it![/quote] That's what I do. I've never been afraid of standing in front of a crowd of people , in fact I find that even less of a problem as the size of the crowd increases and makes it even less 'personal'. I do get worried about being let down by another band member - or me letting them down. Not sure which order that comes in. In my own case it's always going to be lack of concentration rather than preparation that causes me to cock up. So - when I feel nervous I scream at myself to stop it on the grounds that nerves will make me cocking up more likely and, therefore, the ongoing problem worse. Seems logical to my fuddled mind. I don't do drugs - I do do alcohol , but never more than one or two before/during a gig , and I don't have to drive home. If you get a good grove going you get drunk enough on your own spirits.

[quote name='Rusty Shackleford' post='364057' date='Dec 27 2008, 09:42 AM']if anybody's got a GK rig then please bring it along if they can. They are now on my 'If i don't get made redundant in 2009 i will be buying a new amp' list or I.I.D.G.M.R.I.0.9.I.W.B.B.A.N.A. for short[/quote] It's the 400rb you mentioned in the amps thread - that's what I use. It's back into our millitary grade underground storage facility beneath the mountains of Ackworth nr Pontefract on the day of the bash but it will be in Idle with me the night before. If you can't wait that long sure I can have it back here in Wakefield and you can come and try it out.

I'm no sparky but I should think an 18v is more reliable. 2 batts are less likely to die a sudden death than one so there should always be more nosebag for the eq circuits to feed on. That's how it was explained to me anyway. I have 3 batts on my Shuker - the 3rd powers the side LEDs. Good idea , so if I leave them on in the case for a week, like a numpty, I might lose my lights but my eq's not affected. More batts also provides more opportunity to show off by sticking them on your tongue to see if they're working OK !!

This is developing into a 'grumpy old men trash xmas' thread..... which has cheered me up no end!! Hooray!!! Not a fan to be honest - it's a bank holiday at the wrong time of year - end of.

If I could get my grubby mitts on anything that qualified for Club 18 30 do you seriously think I'd tell you about it ??!!

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='347247' date='Dec 6 2008, 02:16 PM']Not sure when we're next due to play Harrogate Blues bar - but there's an outside chance I could tie this in for after the bash then anyone who wanted my job for a song or 2 could come have a jam with my band.[/quote] Ha! First time I ever quoted myself !!! That's not happening , sadly , but if anyone's coming up and staying over etc we are at the Coniston in Idle near Bradford the night before. I'll be at the bash for sure - barring amputation/meteor strikes etc.

Coward. Twice !!!!!!!

Here's a bunch of us rattling on about Wizards. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=116&hl=wizard+thumper"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...=wizard+thumper[/url] Mostly about Jazz pups but there are refs to Thumpers , also you can use the search function to look through previous threads.

Would you consider a trade? I have the leftovers from a 2004 St Paddy's night - comes with a guinness stained T-shirt , ripped Levi's with several tab ends in the turn-ups and a pint shaped CD of 'Brown Eyed Girl' in the back pocket , a black eye and no recollection whatsoever why any of that occured. I could throw in a third degree burn from trying to light a rocket with a fag end c Nov 5th 1996

Your username and avatar give me the impression that you're not shy of a bit of punch , tone wise - so I'd think more about a Duncan quarterpounder , or the Wizard Thumper. You'll get more output from these and a less vintage sound. Yes , you'll notice a difference. I've not had experience of the Thumper but they're raved about in these parts - the Jazz 84's I had from Wizard were fab. I do have SDQPs in my Precisions and it's they're dogs for me Other aftermarket pickups are available

How could anyone find fault with your logic or your basses. Bang on , my friend , and thanks for taking the trouble. I'm surprised you can put them down long enough to photo them.

[quote name='Rusty Shackleford' post='363569' date='Dec 26 2008, 11:43 AM']So i like a deep growl bass with a bit of punch and i like to hear my the scratchyness of my fingers on the strings, nothing clean or too smooth. deep but not to deep. but not looking for a amp full of top end.[/quote] On the GK in clock terms - presence 12 contour 12 high 12 hi mid 2 low mid 12 bass 11 boost 11. knocking that bit of bass off and boosting the high mid will get the scratch going - I know this because I'm always fighting it off!!! The boost dials the growl in but it's not 'valvey' quite.

GK 400rb - plus points I haven't managed to break it yet - despite treating my rack like a ginger stepchild. I haven't done a gig where it wasn't powerfull enough (neither gain or vol past halfway) negating the need for a 700rb and paying for a 50w horn amp I'd never use. It sounds bloody good to me with all the knobs set on 12 oclock - and should you twiddle them they all actually DO something. It didn't require me to sell a kidney - this is a new Mk4 model but the third 400rb I've owned. I kept the old ones as spares for a bit but eventually flogged them because I'm confident enough in the Mk4 not to feel the need for a spare. If you're going the 4 10 route - go for a 4ohm and get the full monty , or 2 x 8ohm 2x10's for the same effect and a rig that splits for small gigs/practise.