Dr.Dave

There's another point. I think it's wise to start out on a tried and tested instrument that's simple to use , has a classic sound , and is the choice of pro players worldwide in every style of music you can imagine to this day. Then , as experience begins to develop , players may feel the need to refine their choice of instrument in terms of sound,facilities etc to better suit their style or the music they play. At that point - some will find the P still can't be bettered , others will wonder how they ever got by with such a one trick pony. As with much in life - if you want to bend or break the rules you can , by definition , only do that if you know them first.

[quote name='Jono' post='70751' date='Oct 7 2007, 07:45 PM']Just been watching the Show of hands DVD[/quote] I'm on that one!! God knows how many times I've frozen the frame trying to see myself! I prefered that set to the current one. Power windows and obviously hold your fire were more prominent at the time. Rush have never wished to appear stagnating though and it's good they push their curent material as much as they do - however much some of us would prefer our fave older stuff

I do like that insurance line. Maybe I could adapt it to 'we can't play (whatever pile of crap they request) cos we have to submit a list of our set to the PRS in advance'. At the mo the best I can manage is to reply over the mic to a cry of 'Play something we know' with a sarcy 'know something we play'. We were begged for sweet home alabama the other week - and the dude got the beers in - so we did a reggae version!!

I've a lovely daphne blue jap vintage strat , once a flood I play 2nd guitar in my mate's band when I'm asked. I've done a fair bit of home recording with it , I'm not brilliant - I tend to riff rather than solo and if there are any solo's I leave holes so I can drop myself in and out!! I've also an old 1978 Ovation bowl back acoustic which I strum around the house. I know enough chords to back myself in simple songs but guitar never really captured me like bass did. I should practise more but my nails overgrow and I can't form the chords well , I go searching for the nail clippers and come back with a bass !!

here it is then [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ-XNDEuYCs&mode=related&search="]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ-XNDEuYCs...ted&search=[/url]

From block 105 and considering the place is a shed I thought Geddy sounded pretty good , nice to see the Rick come out but the fretless was the best sounding of the lot - and , yes , somebody should have pulled the fader for the bass pedals. Don't know about Alex looking grumpy , maybe slightly peeved but so would you be if you were morphing into Peter Schmeicel !!! What did we think of 'Lil' Rush' doing Tom Sawyer , I thought it was well funny!!

That most useful of hombres - ex Bassworlder bt68 aka Thumper - reckoned that taking less wrap around the B string M/C tightened things up a bit and gave the string a bit more clout. I treid it , subtle change but got to be worth a go

How come your Grandad's not a member in these parts? He's some quality kit to tell us about and I'll bet he's a wealth of stories to recount based on his experiences. Go bully him into signing up.

You should have asked me - I'm crap!!! Crete's great - big too. You enjoy your hol and forget about it. Either he left your band or they chucked him out , it follows there's some sort of prob so he's hardly likely to be invited to , or want to , come back full time. Happy anniversary to you and your lady too.

If you're going down the used route you could buy a 8ohm 2x10 cab and replace the drivers with 2 8ohm 10s then ebay the discarded ones. Work out a lot cheaper than a high end 4ohm cab.

Just broke off from playing around with my new POD to say 'ta' to Shockwave for selling it to me and ensuring it arrived in A1 condition. Quick too , esp considering it was the Bank Hol.

There's a version of 'Something Else' by Slade , recorded live at the Reading fest , done as a medley with 'pistol packing mama' which turns into a bass solo starting with 'purple haze'. !! It came out as the 'Slade alive at Reading EP' and it's on various CD compilatons these days.

[quote name='EdwardHimself' post='50956' date='Aug 26 2007, 04:49 PM'] you've shaved your beard off!!![/quote] You're not wrong - happens a lot these days because the false , glued-on trib band beard won't stick over my goatee. You get the 'tache' along with the beards but we keep our own - day after I shave the tache down too and grow the lot back at the same rate. Must have been about 2 days after a gig looking at that pic. Anyway - you want a beard...here you go !!! £50 they are , from a Dutch bloke. Apologies for shameless 'gunslinger' pose. It's in chapter 4 of 'how to pose like a proper rock star' !!!

[quote name='ARGH' post='50948' date='Aug 26 2007, 03:53 PM']Rotten? Isnt that Burl?[/quote] The man himself titled it 'rotten' maple , as it was a bit of maple that had gone..er.. rotten! Who am I to say any different.

It's done a few shows now , thought I'd give an update on it. It's awesome - sounds a toss off word but I can't think of a better one. I've gotten used to it's weight - light it aint - and the sound...well. I've had to drop the bass side of both pickups - to save lives! - it has so much power and tone available. Rolling the pup swing forward towards neck pup only is scary. Like my previous Status it's a breeze to play , the neck is a little less flattened out too which is more comfortable to me. Long story but I took a train to the gig last night - the ZZ trib band. I took the Status rather than the Epiphone Explorer I use for the trib because it's easier to carry. The difference it made to our sound was a revelation. It's also fattened up Dr Blue. My Shuker bolt on is a bit 'stingray growly middley' - which it what it's supposed to be - but the raw power of the Status fits our sound better. It's rapidly becoming my fave bass. I'll wait til we have some kind of gigging break before sending it of for the side LEDs. Can't bare to be without it at the mo and that's from a bloke with a custom Shuker and a vintage P. Just took this - sorry about the flash reflections. If I shuffle off this mortal coil you can tell everyone I died a happy man.

I've been playing bass in local bands since I was 17. I'm now 45. Although I've tried 5 strings and fretless I'm essentially at home on a fretted 4. I sing too so playing being second nature is important and it never happens with a 5. These days I play fingerstyle almost 100%. In earlier rock band years I used a pick. I've done a little slapping on demos and home recordings but it just doesn't excite me. I have huge admiration for those who took the trouble to become competent slappers but I didn't. I'm in 2 bands , featuring the same 3 people. A blues band that tries not to be just another pub blues band , and a ZZ Top trib band. I'm a huge fan of the music we play - or I wouldn't be involved - but my musical taste is usually more towards intelligent , adult pop. My technique isn't brilliant - I'm right hand heavy and my left hand isn't open enough (I play right handed). I've been around a long time though and , like anyone who's done anything for a long time , I'm pretty good at what I do. I do not have a 'gift' for it. I worked and practised hard esp in the early years and if I have a lay off of a few weeks my playing suffers. I'm an advocate of first and foremost supporting the song I'm playing. I left being flash behind in my toy box years ago but I'm glad I learned enough to be flash - I still show off an odd trick when my mates are in though! if I have a problem it's with concentration. I tend to get carried away being an entertainer and often drop a howler because of it. I've never been one to stand still at the back of the stage and never will be. My influences tend to be musicians , entertainers and songwriters - it's that that got me interested in playing myself - so I'm not one for bass playing heros. I did however learn much from watching and listening to Jim Lea of Slade , Geddy Lee and certainly not least steady old John McVie. The fact that other musicians that I admire rate my playing enough to want to make music with me has been one of the best ongoing experiences in my life , and the fact that my hobby/interest/life choice , whatever you want to call it , has made me money over the years is a wonderful bonus for which I consider myself blessed. It feels like a tangible reward for the efforts I've made and a 'thankyou' from the people I've entertained. My advice to young players would be - if you're being paid (even is it's just a tenner and a free pint) , that makes you a professional ..so act like one. And , if you stay fit and well . don't stop. Ever.

It must be right cos it was on 'How' years ago !