Paul S

Jon, I was having trouble with your Facebook player - once I started playing a track it was reluctant to stop and I think I had 3 playing at once. Or was that supposed to be what it was like? Can never be sure with Prog rock You definitely have an individual sound - I don't like what I heard as much as that first track (and that studio version is excellent) but it is a class above any other 'Prog Rock' originals I have listened to - usually (IME) it is tuneless self indulgent nonsense. What's the Mexican thing - a particular interest?

+1 for Thunder 1A. I had mine up for sale recently but have withdrawn it as it is worth more to me than the money I would realise. They are heavy, though, and have a 40mm neck - just on the limit of what I find comfy. If you prefer lightweight then +1 for the SGC Nanyo Bass Collection. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330556132481&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]There is an SB-310 on eBay[/url] at the moment. The necks on these are amazing. I have both and they equally brilliant but in different ways, both outstandingly good value for money and IMO better than other things I have owned in the same price bracket such as Squier basses, Epiphone T-Birds etc.

About 20yrs ago +/- I had a lengthy debilitating illness - I ended up staying awake for most of the night but not able to do much. I spent much of that time watching a satellite TV station, CMT - Country Music Television - which sort of mirrored MTV. As well as all the big hitters there were the (at the time) fledgling artists like Shania Twain, Alison Kraus, the pretty blonde girl with the big ears whose name escapes me* at the moment, some newish band called the Mavericks etc. I imagine it was the poppy end of the country spectrum, but very enjoyable nevertheless and made me appreciate the genre. The vids were quite a nice insight into the US of A, too. I recently took up line dancing (yeehaw) and reckon there is huge potential for a country band earning a decent living playing at their bashes - all the dances are choreographed to particular tracks, so you make your set list around them and everyone is up dancing all night. *edit Faith Hill.

If you really have never felt so empty because you are missing a bass or two then you really have had a rarefied existence. Pray to your Gods it continues.

And if anyone wants to try it themselves, here is a shameless plug for mine that is up for sale..... great basses.

I#ll be keeping an eye on this as I wondered the same....

[quote name='Les' post='1204253' date='Apr 18 2011, 10:53 PM']Just learned Moondance, couldn't find a great tab so youtubed "moondance bass" and theres a few guys doing reasonable covers,[/quote] Ah, yes, I believe Bilbo has his own channel on there...

Hi from further down the Essex coast. The big question - which side of the railway line are you in Frinton?

I've done it again, had to book an evening out tonight that clashes with your nearest gig. Gary - when and where are you nearby to SE Essex again?

[quote name='urb' post='1200351' date='Apr 15 2011, 10:09 AM']A couple of vids 'in the studio' filmed at The Joint rehearsal studio of me and my funk band Groove Digger Hope you dig 'em M[/quote] I have watched most of your solo vids and, although I enjoy the technique and expertise, it isn't really my thing. But listening to your playing in this context has just blown me away completely. The apparent effortless funkiness of it is just completely infectious. Serious stuff, thank you for posting it.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1200182' date='Apr 15 2011, 01:49 AM']Another practice room camcorder job: One of our oldest & heaviest songs, nothing fancy bass-wise, but a tune and a half, in my unreliable opinion. Jon.[/quote] A tune and three quarters, even. I like it a lot. How do you get that growl on the bass - is it the bass itself, the amp, an effect, your fingers, or all of the above?

An attempt to deal with neck dive? Not really a problem with these anyway, as the body is so f&%ing heavy anyway.

Yes, I'd spotted those - the bass versions get some love on here, don't they. No reason why the guitar versions shouldn't be decent. But maybe Alex can sort him out - I have no firm idea what the differences are between bass and guitar cabs, tbh.

I've passed on Alex's details to him - as long as it doesn't delay him working on mine!

If it were mine I'd put Kent Armstrong pups in it.

Thanks for the replies. He is thinking of something sub-20kg for ease of handling in and out of the car, so castors don't help a great deal. So far the only ones I have seen 'off the shelf' are the Purple Chili neo range. Ah well, it's his problem so let him find out what's out there!

I have one and although ok-ish for symmetrical basses it wasn't any use for my Fender Jaguar, which had an assymetric shape a bit like a Jazz. It has never struck me as being particularly secure, though, and I have pretty well stopped using it.

I just had a Artec SE2 put in my Bass Collection and it has done the business - a real improvement over the original one. Not expensive, either.

I think I am pretty well GAS free at the moment. I am gradually finding out what I like and don't like and the only bass I was very curious about (Fender Precision Lyte) I have just bought for a reasonable price (although it isn't in my dirty mitts yet). I'll probably be trading my exisiting Hohner B2A to a B2AD at some point but that doesn't count...

Must be someone out there in a band with guitarists who have lightweight gear to recommend?

I recently (last couple of weeks) 'traded up' from heavy Trace Elliot gear to a lightweight amp. Best decision I ever made - I was scared I wouldn't get a tone or sound that I liked but that was blasted away as soon as I went into the shop and started trying out. I would say the very best thing you can do is allocate an afternoon, go somewhere like Bass Merchants (I did, they were soooo helpful) or wherever your nearest large bass gear stockist is and play everything. Genz Benz, various Mark Bass, various TC Electronics, Promethean, Orange, WHY. I started with the intention of buying the Orange Terror - thought I wanted a tube preamp and I liked the price. But in the end the tone didn't do it for me - and it was only by going somewhere and trying it all that I could actually make that decision. For me in the end it was close call between the Genz Benz shuttle 6 and the TC Electronic Classic 450, which eventually won. Had I just read stuff on here I wouldn't even have tried a Genz Benz as on paper it didn't seem to fit the bill. I wish I could have afforded both as they both do slightly different things which are equally nice! It is only by listening that you get an idea. BTW I expect everyone knows this already but the guy in Bass Merchants pointed out that one of those cheapo generic aluminium briefcases you can buy for next to nowt actually fits the Classic 450 (and so I guess most of the others) a treat. I had one kicking around unused, so recycled the packaging from the box and, hey presto, secure flight case.