Count Bassy

15 hours ago, Krysbass said:

edit: actually, I see Alright Now did get a mention in a previous post - but it does strangely still seem to go down well, despite being mandatory on pretty much every rock compilation cd ever released.

Nothing strange about it. It's a good song.

Thanks for your thought folks.

I should have made it clear that I've only ever been in cover bands, and never attempted writing or recording (which might be a good reason to try it I guess).

Johhny B Goode

All Right Now

I have not been in a band for well over a year now. This was a conscious decision I made at the time having been involved in a number of start-up bands that either collapsed before any gigs (2), or played one gig and then collapsed (3). I just got tired of putting in the effort for it only to collapse in a heap. I think I can honestly say that none of the collapses where down to me. (Edited to add: I understand that it might look like I'm the common factor here).

The problem I have is that, without having something to work towards, I have totally lost the motivation to practice (not helped by my depressive nature). To be honest, until last weekend I probably hadn't pickup up a bass for several months. It's got that bad.

I guess the obvious answer is to try another band, perhaps an established one rather than a start up, but obviously the lack of practice makes that less likely. It's a sort of downward spiral.

The other option that occurs to me is to just knock it all on the head.

Any others here been through the same sort of thing. If so, how did you get out of it?

CB.

16 hours ago, binky_bass said:

Set up is subjective, absolutely agree. However, there is a 'rough set up' that I believe would accommodate a very large proportion of people to at least give them an opportunity to play the bass without it feeling awful. We all like different things, but the majority out there prefer a low/medium low action with no fret buzz and no pitching strings, something that doesn't actually put the bass out of tune when you press down on the string in the same way a bend does.

The last bass I bought from a shop was a Dean Edge, some time in the 17th century. No idea what the strings were! If I had strings I absolutely lived by, then yes, I'd probably change them too, but that doesn't mean I'd be happy buying a bass that was so poorly 'set up' I couldn't tell it from a 2x4 with an elastic band wrapped around it. 

Your ideal set up sounds quite far from what the average person would prefer, so for you a 'general store set up' may make a bass as bad for you as these basses were for me, but we're talking in a general manner, not a super bespoke 'exactly what I personally want' manner. 

If someone who has never played bass before fancied buying a really nice bass to start out with (it happens!) they'd most likely be out right off by the set up that Ibanez had. 

Even if they offered a set up upon purchase, you have no real gauge to judge the bass properly with how it was when I played it. A basic general set up should be mandatory before they hang a bass/guitar on the wall. 

I'm with you on this Binky.

I can identify with the OP. I got a place in the band after the original bass player moved away. About a year later I was sacked from the band for various unconvincing reasons, and lo & behold, a few weeks later the original bassist was back.

I'd seen the sacking coming due to changes in the atmosphere at practices, stopping going to the pub afterwards, and the band not playing songs that I had been specifically been asked to learn the bass for.

I'd have prefered them just to say "The old bass player is coming back".

On 27/12/2019 at 14:32, Chienmortbb said:

Gold is worse than copper in many ways. The only benefit I can see is that it tarnishes less. Hopwever it is also not durable. One reason you should never use gold plated jack plugs.

Not really a problem because when/if the gold does wear away you will still have the nickel or whatever underneath. Not saying that they are worth it, just that it's not really a problem.

32 minutes ago, ead said:

It's the opposite of the motor effect (pass a current through a conductor in a field and you generate a force).  The generator effect bassically says in that if you apply a force (pick or pluck the string) to a conductor in a field (pickup magnets) you generate a current.

The bigger the force (string excursion) the larger the current.  The placement is crucial as string vibration is quite complex as if you get a node over the pickup at that particlur frequency you get virtually no signal from the pickup.

That's the simple version iirc.

Pedant alert: The generated voltage is proportional to the speed of the travel, and the mass of the metallic object (i.e. the (square of) the string gauge).  For a given pitch then a bigger oscillation requires the string to move faster, hence more signal.

You need to ask youself one very important thing............

.....Is it any good for metal?

Play the Johhny Winter version. My favourite by far.

634-5789

5 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

My standard reply to the "Can I play your instrument?" question is "Can I have the keys to your car?" They both probably cost about the same when you factor in my rig.

OR "Can I have a go on your girlfriend?"

On 26/11/2019 at 13:02, Twigman said:

I was going to nominate Tommy James and the Shondells - Crimson and Clover but then I realised they did the original of I think We're Alone Now - but was it a hit for them or was the cover version (Tiffany?) the only hit version?

 

Lene Loveitch did a version in 1978 - got to No 3 in the charts. Way before Tiffany

3 hours ago, Teebs said:

 (my playing is obviously sooo awesome that they're intimidated...or something ).

Joking apart; this can happen. THere have certainly been times when I was going to play something, but chicken out thinking 'I can't follow that!'

I don't know what I am going to buying or selling next year. How should I know?  - I haven't got 2020 vision.

On 21/11/2019 at 10:19, yorks5stringer said:

I know I said no further comment but...even the premise behind the string swap is flawed. It is not 'tradition' that favours a flatwound but practicality, as a roundwound will over time wear grooves into a rosewood/pf fretboard, especially with the action at a 'milimicrobe'(btw what is that?)....

Many professional fretles players use round wound, so not quite as clear cut as you state.

On 21/11/2019 at 13:47, NikNik said:

The nut is the usual MDP mess. Someone said that he can't do a set-up and this is patently obvious when looking at that nut with the D and G slots at ridiculously low cuts. That thing will be a nightmare to play.

Surely not a great problem with a fretless, as the moment you "Fret" (yes, I know) a string it's going to be touching and vibrating right down to the fretboard anyway.

I know someone, a left handed jazzer, who plays guitar and bass:

Right way up right handed guitar, right way up left handed guitar, and upside down right handed.

As far as I know he does not play a lefthanded guitar upside down, but that would be just perverse.

5 hours ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Add to that the dreaded

3/ Oh you are left-handed? Nah, just learn right-handed, it's always difficult at the start anyway, and there are more right-handed models available on the market.

[More or less the equivalent of: 'Oh, you are gay? Nah, only sleep with the opposite sex from now on, it'll make your life easier']

But what about piano players?

Though my amp, CD player and turntable have kept relatively up to date, my main speakers are still a 1973/74 pair of Goodmans Havants that I bought new at the time.

Pretty sure that they're crap by modern standards, but I'm too tight/nostalgic/confused by the options to replace them.

I tried a G & L something or other in a shop once. I really really wanted to like it, but sadly it just didn't do it for me.

4 minutes ago, jacko said:

Doesn't Vantablack look a bit pasty compared with the latest offering from MIT?

Mmmmm ....... Pasty.

6 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

And mined on Top of The Pops by John Peel.

to explosive effect I guess.

On 28/10/2019 at 23:56, PaulWarning said:

it'd be a dull world if we all liked the same stuff don't you think?  .

Totally agree. I generally have pretty catholic tastes in music, but I couldn't see anything of merit in that. Seen simialr performances before, but generally from a gang of 16 year old on their first gig.

Unpolished is one thing, crap is another. (IMHO of course)

On 25/10/2019 at 23:50, steantval said:

Thought I would just flick over and see what’s on tonight, this lot were on, that’s me done, this show just gets worse.

 

That is just absolutely appalling. Glad that I don't bother with the show anymore.