Paul S

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1481735095' post='3194707'] When John Lennon was asked if he considered Ringo the best drummer in the world. His response was "He's not even the best drummer in the Beatles!" But they still kept him. [/quote] He didn't, as it happens - that is an urban myth.

I've had a selection of Precisions and a few short scale Fenders - A 70s Fender Musicmaster, a Squier Vista Series Musicmaster and a Squier VM Mustang. None of the s/s Fenders sounded like Precisions, they sounded like their own thing. For example the Musicmaster I had modded with a Precision Wizard Thumper pickup in it - it ended up sounding like a Mustang, not a Precision. However, I would say that all three of them were pretty aggressive in tone in a way that the Precisions aren't. Here is some early Average White Band with, unusually, Hamish on bass using a Mustang - this is what they sound like, even the Squiers. http://youtu.be/bSq93Hsn0Bg For my money the Squier VM Mustang was the nicest instrument out of the three to play - it was the lightest and had the slimmest neck - and had the best tone. It was also the cheapest!

Linky here: [url="http://www.westone.info/indexbasses.html"]http://www.westone.info/indexbasses.html[/url]

As far as celebrity death goes, for me (and perhaps others) there is also an element of introspection. Certain people - whether through music, film or TV - become part of the framework of your existence. You don't know them as you would a family member or friend but you still kind of form attachments to them, a sort of fondness, almost as if you did somehow know them. When they die they no longer touch your life in the same way and so that part of your life has passed. As you get older the number of those people will have got older and start dying off in greater numbers. Therefore you are reminded that the end of your own life is approaching ever nearer. I expect the '2017 - what a crap year' posts to be even greater. People I don't know or don't like are another matter.

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1481625387' post='3193745'] I'd of done the same thing [/quote] That doesn't make it any more acceptable as far as I can see. Just means there are two people on Basschat who are happy to commit a crime with, IMO, very little justification, not one.

You could do worse than ask the same question on the Westone guitars forum. [url="http://westone.netboarder.com/"]http://westone.netboarder.com/[/url] But I suspect you'll need a custom one.

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1481615394' post='3193650'] There's only one answer to this. I'm as loud as the rest of the band. In practice that means being as loud as the drums. [/quote] [quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1481621616' post='3193715'] I turn my amp up as high as is needed, the numbers mean nothing. [/quote] This.

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1481564008' post='3193327'] While they were on stage, we ran up a 350 quid bar bill, saying that they would settle it as they had the control of the money then we legged it. We had already been paid by them. [/quote] That is pretty shabby behaviour in my book. Criminal behaviour, in fact - I mean that literally as you were lucky not to get nicked over it. Shows we all have a different moral compass, I guess, if you are boasting about it on the internet.

I have a Sterling 5 - a particularly lightweight one became available on here. The build quality is fantastic. I used to have a Ray SB14, which was extremely good for the money, but the Sterling is a level or two better. 5 string with Ultralite tuners it weighs 3.9kg, so just around 8.6lbs. Neck is 43mm at the nut. The only thing I wasn't happy about was the sound in as much as I am basically a Precision bass person but couldn't get a Precision tone out of it. Precision 5s are too heavy and the neck too wide, so having a P pickup put into this was the obvious answer. And I had it changed to passive, which I prefer. Now I couldn't be more pleased with it.

I saw Los Pacaminos last Thursday at The Borderline in London. I've seen them several times, this was possibly the best they have been. Always loads of fun and, actually, Paul Young is looking fit and sounding good! Jamie Moses is a true star, though - effortlessly tasteful guitar playing all night. Support was a kind of country act called Sarah Vista - great image, great sound but quickly ran out of strong material. My first time at The Borderline - I'd definitely go again, nice atmosphere, good sound. Stood on the raised bit at the back by the sound man and could see all night as well. Easy transport links from SE Essex, nice Mexican food at Chipotle just over the road - good night all round.

Michael bought a set of Hipshot ultralites from me in the most straightforward of transactions. A pleasure doing business!

Steve bought my Hipshot extender in the simplest of transactions. Good comms throughout, nice fellow to do business with!

I've been in two bands since start up. Small pub band I play bass, help with carry in and take down at gigs, book rehearsals, look after the kitty, designed and keep the website, make sure the pubs get posters. Have an equal say about material. I usually hitch a lift with the drummer so always help him in and out with his kit. Bigger band I play bass, some BVs, help with carry in and take down at gigs, book rehearsals but that is pretty much it. Limited say about material.

String spacing is an issue in two areas - at the nut end where you fret the notes and then at the bridge end where you play. Either can vary quite a lot and I would imagine this to be the make or break for different players using different basses. Reading the OP I think he is talking about string spacing at the nut end (= width of nut) when making comparisons to the width of a 4 string Precision neck?

It could also be that the main band took up all the soundcheck time, leaving the support's sound to be fixed on the fly. Happened to me recently when sharing the stage. Main band were supposed to have been sound checked and finished for 5:30pm so we could get loaded in, set up and sound checked. I got there at the appointed time - they hadn't even started as they hadn't all turned up at that point. I think we were left with about 10 minutes before the doors opened.

To be fair to EVH (who I actually believe is a compete cock), he has never actually claimed he invented the technique, only that he did things with it that hadn't been done before. Which is why the world of rock guitar's collective jaw dropped when 'Eruption' first got played. At risk of sounding like Blue, you perhaps had to have been there to understand the quantum leap in technique this represented. Hendrix redefined the way electric guitar was played, so did EVH.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1481473983' post='3192512'] Yamaha BB425 (or 415). Precisiony with a bonus J pickup, often found for less than £200 used - bargain! [/quote] I've just bought a new BB425 for £315 - amazing value. But I would describe the string spacing as rather tight and 'jazz like' - certainly at the neck end. Width at the nut is 43mm - the same as some Precision 4 string necks! if you scaled that down to 4 strings it would be 33mm at the nut!

Andy's pictures, I am sure he wont mind my posting them, Andy did one of his photo-rich threads on the changes: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/294193-paul-ss-sterling-5/ As per usual he did a fantastic job on the bass, which was returned to me polished, fret-dressed and set up, just because he likes doing it! But, yes, in practice it is really good. I am very impressed with the Aguilar pickup. The cover has an extra bit on for the Aguilar logo so that it looks symmetrical - something that appeals to my little mind... but it really does do that mellow, organic Precision tone I was hoping for.

That is one of the things I like about the TGI Extreme - one piece handle. Also not many pockets - again, I like that as I don't use them.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1481386752' post='3191966'] Think that was a Marylin Monroe reference [/quote] Indeed.

B stock, too - signs of use.

I am new to the world of 5 string basses. I tried a couple on a whim a few years back but didn't get on with them. A recent project means I need one so I persevered and now find I like them... but my requirements are fairly specific in that they have to be light weight and with a narrow string spacing. Sadly that kind of excludes all the Fender 5ers I have looked at, even though I am a Fender type of person. Anyway, of the narrow light ones I haven't tried too many but here goes. I bought an unusually lightweight Musicman Sterling 5er on here - stock it was around 8.5lbs! Width of the nut is 43mm, spacing 18mm at the bridge. I had Andyjr1515 put an Aguilar vintage Precision pickup in the P bass 'sweet spot', do a little extra routing to conserve weight and change it to passive. I also put lightweight tuners on it. It is totally fabulous, the best bass I have owned. A reasonably expensive project, though. I just bought as a back up 5er a Yamaha BB425, New it was £315. It was also around 10lbs, which is a bit heavy. A set of Hipshot Licensed Ultralite tuners has reduced this to a more acceptable 9 and a bit lbs. 43mm at the nut, 18mm spacing at the bridge. Exceptional value for money - if I didn't have the Sterling I'd be happy to use this all the time. Which given the post above proves that it is all so subjective! The Yamaha replaced a Peavey Foundation 5er. This was even narrower string spacing - nut was 42mm, strings 16mm at the bridge. Also a tad heavy at 9.5lbs. Lightweight tuners would cure that, though. I prefer the Precision sound so moved it on in favour of the Yamaha but this was a decent bass. Hohner B2V - 5 string headless and body-less. Narrow string spacing, electrics don't work exactly right but it is good enough to use as a portable 'get out of jail free' bass in case my main one fails/string breaks. Probably my least favourite of the 4 I have tried.

It has come to our attention that you played a bass guitar ... with a pick!?

Please explain, if you can, your slap bass solo in 'My Generation'?