Paul S

Oh learned ones I seek opinions and expertise. Since moving on to 5 string basses it seems logical for me to swap my 4 string Stagg EUB for a 5 string one. It is for just occasional use at the moment although my little band keep threatening to do a lot more 'acoustic' gigs which would see any EUB I owned getting a lot more use. No bowing, just piz. I see 2 main options: Convert the Stagg to a 5 string - there is a thread on here somewhere about it. here, in fact I would have to buy a whole new set of strings as well, not just the tuner/nut/bridge change costs, as I currently have black nylon Innovations and they don't do a low B. There does come a point when I would think - it is only a Stagg and, after spending perhaps £200 on it it is still only going to be a Stagg. Get one of the NS Design EUB models, of which there seems a confusing array. For my purposes the WAV5 link here would probably do but what are the differences between this and the more expensive models? I 'think' the omni is just a strange shaped 34" scale fretless - bit like a posh Dean Pace? An Eminence 5 string would be luvverly but in reality a bit too rich for me, I think. Converting the Stagg would be the cheapest option but is it bending it out of shape too much? I'd really value some real life experiences of the various NS Design models, if anyone has played a few. At the moment I am finding it hard to decide so any thoughts are welcome.

To my mind a back up amp should be capable of doing what the main one can do so it makes perfect sense to have a similar amount of oomph. It is, for me, more about size and weight that makes an amp qualify as back up, not how much it costs. I use a Quilter Bassblock 800 which is tiny but perfectly capable of doing the job. Which is a good thing as the first time I took my Mesa Boogie Prodigy Four:88 for an outing one of the valves blew taking much of the pcb with it. Quilter to the rescue.

I have to say that being a cack-handed, clumsy buffoon with zero patience I always enjoy reading these build threads with awe and admiration. But you seem to have elevated the craft to a higher level - I guess it is because you have spent a lifetime working with wood professionally to then turn your hand to making these instruments. The detail on the inlays and bindings, just the sheer quality of the workmanship (can I say workmanship?) are just sublime.

So all those years of study at University, then internship then general practice are a waste of time. Just hang out with those that are qualified and that'll do! Amazing - could solve all the problems in the NHS that way. 😂

'Heart attack' is a catchall term for so many different problems - advice for the wrong one could be misleading at best, life threatening at worse. If I were in your shoes I'd be looking for the advice of those who treated you and know exactly what your problem is, not a bunch of random bass players who have never met you.

Or this one - love the stripped down feel of the playing. Maybe not so much the shredding...

No need to be funny about it, fella. Just pointing out something you may or may not have known that the guy you are pointing out to that a lack of reading and theory sets you back has some decent gigs under his belt. Probably higher profile than most of us.

Clearly, as a bassist who has played with Knopfler, Lindisfarne and numerous other elite from the northeast of England, this lack of theory hasn't set you back too much, Michael?

You know, I have been following this thread since it started and still have absolutely no idea what the point of it all is. Anyone else confused? Bean9seventy - you seem to have invented a whole new way of punctuation, let alone bass playing. On topic - or is it? - I do recall Mark King saying in an interview that he started playing the way he plays because he wanted to play like the start of 'Rise' by Herb Alpert. Which does sound exactly like a slowed down version of Love Games.

Blackie Lawless of WASP embraced the concept, too.

Great job Warren. Really like what you did with the stills at the end.

I have had expensive gig bags in the past but now use TGI Extreme ones. They don't quite offer the same protection as the Mono bags but then they are £40 and, at that price point, better than anything else I have tried. I'd say, value for money, they are hard to beat and if it is just to be used for loading in/out the car as opposed to being abused in a van then it is more than good enough. https://www.normans.co.uk/product/tgi-extreme-series-electric-bass-guitar-gigbag

Here is one of my faves. Used to play it like this in a band as our last number - always seemed to come as a surprise when ti all kicked in

My main weakness I would also consider to be my main strength. My weakness is that I am not a very technical player, have very little understanding of musical theory and don't have many 'chops' so can't improvise or do things on the fly. I just copy and paste my bass lines. I learn by ear and, as a result, it sometimes takes me a long time to get a bassline down. Lessons would help but , at 60, I have neither the time nor inclination. I do, however, have a decent touch and ability so that what I do learn I end up playing pretty solidly. I don't ever overplay - because I can't. I've seen some extremely talented and technically brilliant bass players who have all the chops but, to my way of thinking, often feel the need to use most of them most of the time and , as a result, massively overplay. Also because I can't busk a tune I will learn it which, if that is what we have decided to do, makes life easier for the other band members. If you like - I know and feel comfortable in my space which then allows other band members the room to expand a bit if they want.

I've kind of gone the other way, albeit with a bit of a detour I wasn't expecting*. When playing 4 strings I came to the conclusion that I only needed a P bass and gradually edged towards the sound I wanted with just 2 JV Squiers. Changing to 5 strings threw a spanner in the works as the Fender or Squier 5 string P basses were too heavy and the string spacing too wide. So after kissing a few frogs I bought a particularly lightweight MM Sterling 5 and had an Aguilar P pickup put in it. Then after a couple of other false starts I got a Maruszczyk Jake 5 spec'd to what I believed I wanted and it has proved to be absolutely perfect for my requirements, the Delano pickup sounding exactly spot on for me. So much so that I have now swapped out the Aguilar and MM pickups in the Sterling for just a Delano pup. Which has made it even lighter So I guess that leaves me with a main bass and a back up bass, both with the same pickup. They don't sound or play exactly the same but near enough. *After seeing it flagged up on here I bought a Yamaha BX-5 to upgrade my Hohner B2V - used as back up for my little band - and it is so good that it has made me question my P bass only stance - often now I use the BX-5, especially in smaller spaces, for the little band.

Ah yes...

Another thing I don't think has been mentioned is that you get extra choice of the timbre of the note eg an open E sounds different to a fretted E on the B string. Of course as soon as the drummer and guitarist start up no-one notices but the distinction is there if you needed it.

Another Essex boy here, hailing from South Benfleet. I know a couple of Basildonians are in denial and refer to their location as East Laindon or West Benfleet just to avoid the stigma. I would.

I quite like this bunch - Pink Turtle. And especially Smoke On The Water.

I've played/owned/still own a lot of Precision basses - the best have been Japanese and, of these, the keeper is a JV Squier. I'd say you can't really go wrong with an early/mid 80s MIJ Fender or Squier and they are usually cheaper than the equivalent age USA one. Maybe I have been unlucky but I have yet to pick up a USA Precision and feel it was the perfect P. In terms of value for money I had a 'Silver Series' Squier P bass that was bloody amazing - lightweight, slim neck, tone to die for. Wish I'd never sold it. Had three Yamaha BB bases in the past - BB414, 425, 5000 - and think they are all terrific but wouldn't necessarily agree they sound exactly like a P bass. They don't have that organic quality about the tone - that woodiness that for me defines the P bass sound. For example the P pickup of the BB5000 I had, which is arguably one of the best basses Yamaha made, was a lot honkier and metallic than any of my 'better' Precision basses. The tone of the BB425 was nearer. Have to say, though, that my Maruszczyk Jake 5 is as good as any P bass I have played - I guess because I was able to spec it to my liking.

Shameless plug - I am selling this Mightysound PT-06 mini pedal tuner. Link

If you want short scale and lightweight, they won't come any lighter than a Danelectro Longhorn. If you can live with the styling of course - the quirky shape was part of the attraction for me.

Playing high up the neck? 😲

That seems to be the situation here, too. My pub band tends to play in small pubs in market towns, rather than busy hipster places in city centres, and we usually get £250-300 for the band. The only time we get more than that is for a private party.