Count Bassy

[quote name='Eight' post='1268992' date='Jun 14 2011, 06:21 PM']You can't break the other guy's fingers?[/quote] I have to be careful - he may be 'one of us' [quote name='JTUK' post='1269046' date='Jun 14 2011, 07:10 PM']I hope the drummer has a decent reason for crying off...as this appears to have been arranged and then someone decides they can't do it..?? Not a good start on their behalf....would be my thinking, especially if no good excuse was offerred[/quote] Suprise birthday meal out apparently.

I was due an audition tonight but it was cancelled as their drummer couldn't make it. Not the end of the world, but they're auditioning someone else next week, so not only have I got to be good enough, the one they audition next week (now before me) has got to be not good enough! One of those things, and nothing can be done. Just felt the need to share my frustration as it sounds like a good gig.

Rectangular style hard case. Hard case because (IMHO) they offer more protection. Rectangular because they give masses of storage for cables, tuners, spares etc. and because they stack well in the back of the vehicle.

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1264232' date='Jun 10 2011, 06:29 PM']Not necessarily. If you get an improvement by moving your jack plug about it could be just teh socket has bent loose. If you can get the jack plate & socket out easily try bending the hot pin inwards to improve the "click" of your jack going in (not too much though), the bit the tip of your jack clicks onto. Do with with a couple of pairs of pliers, if you just use one you risk cracking the insulating layer which will short out (knacker) the jack socket. Maplins sell stacks of different kinds of jack sockets (Neutriks) for peanuts if needed.[/quote] Plus, twist a clean (and dry) 'scotchbrite into it by 10mm or so to clean up the inside of the earth sleeve - can make a big difference. Only works on sockets where the earth contact is made via a solid sleeve. - don't try it where the earth contact is itself a sprung contact.

[quote name='Big_Stu' post='1264232' date='Jun 10 2011, 06:29 PM']Not necessarily. If you get an improvement by moving your jack plug about it could be just teh socket has bent loose. If you can get the jack plate & socket out easily try bending the hot pin inwards to improve the "click" of your jack going in (not too much though), the bit the tip of your jack clicks onto. Do with with a couple of pairs of pliers, if you just use one you risk cracking the insulating layer which will short out (knacker) the jack socket. Maplins sell stacks of different kinds of jack sockets (Neutriks) for peanuts if needed.[/quote] Plus, twist a clean (and dry) 'scotchbrite into it by 10mm or so to clean up the inside of the earth sleeve - can make a big difference. Only works on sockets where the earth contact is made via a solid sleeve. - don't try it where the earth contact is itself a sprung contact.

[quote name='paul h' post='1264853' date='Jun 11 2011, 12:57 PM']It's here...and it's on! It was one hell of a jumbo fret so it took quite a bit of work to get it down to size. I compromised and filed/sanded/polished it down to a height slightly between the height of my first fret and the bottom of the nut slots. My nut wasn't actually cut low enough anyway so playability at the first fret is much improved. Intonation is most probably improved although I can't categorically state that. It's fine now but I didn't do a before test and I have never noticed bad intonation before. I put the zero fret in flush against the nut and I am sure I could have improved things by playing with the angle of it. The tone is nice and even over the open strings and the lower action by the nut feels great. However, the main reason I did this was so I can move on from my zero fret obsession without buying a new bass. So even in that respect alone, it's a massive success! A quick £9 mod has just save me a bundle. [/quote] Glad that it's worked out for you. What actually hold the zero fret in place with this device, do you have to cut the fret board or nut at all?

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='1261479' date='Jun 8 2011, 05:22 PM']Sorry but I find your comment more than a bit lame. These carefully chosen pieces clearly show what talent he had. If you don't 'get it' that's absolutely fine, not a reflection on your worth or value whatsoever but please don't stand in judgement of something you're brain isn't wired to appreciate. I was listening to Hejira today and Refuge of the Roads is a great illustration of Jaco's less is more playing. Peter[/quote] I must admit that I type that particular line with a slight sense of wickedness. I accept that he had a talent, but what he did with it (based on those two examples) does nothing for me. I also accept that others' views may differ. Unfortunately if these carefully chosen pieces are presented as examples of his best work then I am not inspired to go and listen to any more. There are far 'less talented' players out there who I would far rather listen to, and that includes people in local pub bands. EDITED TO ADD: The Dreamland clip that someone posted is, to my ear, a far better example. I managed to listen to that all the way through and actually quite enjoyed it despite it not being my natural musical territory.

I'll take peoples word for it that he was one of the greats, but these two examples, to me are just dull. What is the point of having all that talent if this is what you do with it? I listened to the first all the way through. I intended to listen to all of the second as well, but got half way through and thought 'stuff this, life's too short'. Sorry, but I really really don't like this stuff.

[quote name='Fredde' post='1255778' date='Jun 3 2011, 06:36 PM']Worryingly many reports of the same problem all of a sudden... Anyone else? Please tell me which browser you use (brand and version) so I can try and repeat the problem and get it solved![/quote] IE8 running in windows XP.

Am I the only one who can't get it to play anything? I can create it OK, but when I press play the button dims briefly and then nothing. What am I doing wrong? (if its any clue - I can't get anything to play in reverb nation either)

[quote name='Johnston' post='1255474' date='Jun 3 2011, 02:22 PM']Have I got this right. You deepen the nut slots and then put a tangless fret up tight to the nut?? So therefore shortening the distance between the zero fret (Nut) and the first fret. 1st a wee bit of time in the vice with a normal fret and a file should do the same thing. Second if you're going to do it why not do it right. Knock a nut out glue a sliver of something in there. Cut it fret it and then put the nut in further back. A bit more time effort and work but if you're obsessive a better job IMO. p.s. what would be the point of a bone zero fret on a guitar with a bone nut [/quote] From how I read it, and the pictures, the bone one is more of a compensated nut, the metal ones are more of an adjustable zero fret. The zero fret would probably be up against the nut on the G string, further away on the E string. The problem with the fixing a zero fret is that it then becomes non adjustable should you decide to change your action , string guage etc.

Let us know how it goes, could well be after one myself to replace the galvanised wire.

I once messed around with a bit of galvalised garden wire, which I hammered slightly oval and then bent to match to fetboard radius. Then just slipped it under the strings and set its position using a tuner. It was just held in place by the string pressure, didn't look very pretty, but improved the intonation all up the fret board immensely (once I'd reset intonation at the bridge obviously). Stricks me that this is all the metal E-nut is, but slightly smarter than a bit of galvalized wire. For $9 or so got to be worth a try, as long as it can be easily removed. This was on a bass that I built myself about 30 years ago, and although I got the nut and fret spacing spot on mathematically (31.5" scale), I did not allow for the sharpening affecting when placing the nut. On this one my floating zero fret ended up right against the nut at the G string, but 4-5mm at at the E string. As I say the improvement in intonation on that bass was immense. On my bought in basses I've not found the problem enough to worry me cause me, especially as I don't tend to play chords down at the bottom end. (Possibly because they sound sh*t due to the intonation problems??)

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='1253911' date='Jun 2 2011, 01:16 PM']I recently received a commission to restore a 1976 Musicman Stingray that some twit had converted to a 3-band circuit in the 80's.[/quote] We should remember that at the time of the upgrade the bass in question was something between 4 and 14 years old, and possibly didn't have the qudos currently attached to that model. So the 'Twit' in quesstion may simply have been making a logical upgrade at the time. After all there are whole threads on this site about how people have bought a bass, swapped this, fitted that, etc, and now it's a 'real beauty'. 'Upgrades' that might seem silly 30 years in the future when that bass has become something of a classic.

I'm guessing that the 'extra' hole is for a neck tilt adjustment - I have one on my Fender Urge in the same place (though it's in the neck plate on that one).

I sometimes hit a sort of phychological barrier where the fingers just don't want to go any quicker during a particular exercise, but if I find a tune that actually uses that pattern at that speed (preferably in small bursts) I find I can do it. ie the fingers can actually do it, but the brain doesn't want to during an exercise. It may be something to do the relaxing and not thinking about it thing that someone mentioned.

'Handy' by Wishbone Ash. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNJqVW2L5is"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNJqVW2L5is[/url] Give it a listen - it's worth 3 minutes of your life (IMHO) Love it, and wish I could learn it.

I think BOTBs have their place and can perform a useful function, but you have to go in with your eyes wide open. If you don't like what you see then walk away. My lads band have just got through the second round of Surface Festival. Yes it's a money making scheme, but the experience has improved them as a band, and they have made contacts with lots of other bands with a view to mutual support spots etc. Also, as someone else said, success at this level is about promoting yourself and bringing people to gigs. Trying to be objective (as much as a father can be), they are very good, but they did seem to be hanging around 'waiting to be discovered'. The surface festival has made them realise that there's a lot more to it than being good musicians, so it has served a purpose. As long as you go into a BOTB knowing what it is, and how it works, I don't see a problem. Edited to add: And in another local BOTB, run by a 'Youth Club' they won a day in a recording studio, for no outlay whatever. Nothing wrong with that that I can see.

[quote name='Ross' post='1232881' date='May 16 2011, 11:48 AM']Personally? Marshall amps, the ones I've tried have been dreadful[/quote] And yet I love the sound of mine (B150 combo and a DBS7400). To my ear sounds far better than some Markbass stuff I've tried recently. Vive la difference!

[quote name='E sharp' post='1226672' date='May 10 2011, 08:12 PM']On the tuning issue - get a graphite necked bass . Mine only goes out slightly if it gets a knock in the gigbag . But I swear , when it was in a case , it was never ever out of tune - not once . Hot stage lights , cold outside barn dance , who cares - still in tune .[/quote] How does a graphite neck stop a tuner being knocked?

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1225227' date='May 9 2011, 03:53 PM']The worst i have had is the G on a 4 in a line head stock going slightly out, less than a tone though.[/quote] Not enough that anyone would notice then. Seriously though, get a headless! The only bass I have that I can rely on being in tune 'out of the bag' is my Westone Quantum (headless). I still always check it though, why on earth wouldn't you?

[quote name='Johnston' post='1223615' date='May 7 2011, 08:09 PM']Or Suzi Quattro in the devil gate drive days [/quote] Or Suzi Quattro now!

Mature (i.e. 53) Rock/Blues/Soul bassist looking to join/form local(ish) band (eg. within 20 - 30 miles of Daventry), for regular gigging and fun. Play with a very occassional local band doing Classic Rock and Blues (Free, purple, Hendrix, BB king, Kinks etc), and played with a more regular Bluesey/R&B band until that recently folded (George Thorogood, T-Bone walker, Dr Feelgood, Fleetwood Mac, Robert Palmer, SRV, etc). I'd class myself as competent and reliable, but not flash (no slapping!). Also working hard on backing and lead vocals. Good gear and own transport

[quote name='silddx' post='1217107' date='May 2 2011, 01:10 AM']Truth. I have never understood why people keep advising other people to slacken truss rods and strings before storage or shipping. It's absolute crap. If you play an instrument constantly for 50 years it doesn't suffer from a correctly tensioned truss rod and strings tuned to normal pitch, and it doesn't when in normal storage. Just leave the bass as it is - playable, that's what it was designed for.[/quote] +1 The strings and truss rod are in equilibrium when set up for playing. Why would you want to change that for shipping? The strings will be putting some load on the neck joint, but if it that gets damage in transit then you didn't pack it well enough.

Radar Love Cracking song -Always wanted to know it, and now I do. Great.