4-string-thing

Ha! Spend a few hundred on a decent Squier or second hand MIM Fender P or Jazz then spend the rest on a really good amp (or a holiday)

There is also a violin bass on the bay from Germany called Le marquis, available in either black or white. my g/f bought me a black one a few years ago complete with hard case for about £150. I have to say, its an excellent bass for the money, easily on par with the Squiers I tried.

I spent weeks trying to persuade my old band that they should do Blockbuster.... They decided to cover some crap by a band called Cinderella (whoever they are/were) instead. I walked away not long after!

[b]I sold a head on here a while back, and while I intended to give them a power lead, I forgot to put in the box when packing it up for postage. Apologies if it was you who bought my Ashdown! Maybe thats why they never left me any feedback?[/b]

[sup]I used a layer of the stuff that looks like thin foam, which I think is the hi-fi type stuff, then another layer of open mesh type stuff (from Carlsbro cabs, I think) over the front of it. It looks quite good, You can't see the speakers though it and it looks unique.[/sup]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1322331898' post='1449585'] I don't know about earlier in the 70s because I didn't closely look at any instruments cost over £75 as I had no way of affording them at the time. However in 1978 and 79 I was helping out at my local musical instrument store who were in the process of going up market from their Grant, Kimbara and Columbus Jap-crap copies with the occasional second-hand oddity such as Microfrets and Hayman, to becoming a full Fender, Ibanez and Aria Pro II dealer. The instruments we were getting from Ibanez and Aria were then new original designs and were immaculate in fit, finish and playability. They looked and sounded stunning. What arrived from Fender by contrast was seriously underwhelming, at least half of the first delivery should have gone straight back to Fender because they were not fit to be sold. If these had been sub £100 instruments I could have understood the poor quality as in many cases the Grant copies were better made. Given the money I'd have had one of the Aria Pro IIs. In fact, I'd have probably taken one of the old Jap-crap instruments before I would have considered the Fenders. [/quote] Actually, I'd forgotten about the Aria Pro lls, probably the first decent Japanese bass...

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1322315365' post='1449273'] It has to be said, with the possible exception of Gibson (who had their own issues at the time), all of the instruments you mention would have been a match for a Fender. Whether you liked their tone would have been a different matter. [/quote] Hmmm, not sure about that. Ricks may be good, but are certainly an aqquired taste, Gibsons bass of the late 70's was the Grabber (I think) and I don't think anyone has ever said that they were any good. The Hofner was a relic from the early 60's and played like one. Ibanez made cheap copies at the time and didn't really hit the big time til the 80's. Yamaha didn't really get known til the 80's either. Guild did build a bass that was ok, but was certainly no better than an average P. I played a Shergold in the 70's and while it may have been ok, it seemed a bit of a gimmicky (had some weird plug in electronics iirc) I would still say that the only basses that were better than a P or J were a lot more expensive. I remember trying an Ovation Magnum which was good, but it was a bit weird and 30% more than my P.

My 70's P also sounds fantastic and it just weighed in at exactly 10lbs... Were 70's Fenders really that bad? I've owned mine since 1979 and would never sell it unless I was in a financial mess or had decided to give up playing. As for the competion back then? Guild, Ricks, Gibson, Hofner, Shergold, Ibanez, Yamaha + loads of Jap crap copies. No wonder Fenders were considered the best!

Join my band and partysounds seem to be full of nothing but people who are into metal!

I was in a band once where every gig ended like that.... It was quite carefully staged It actually looked and sounded quite good, coz the guitar and bass (a carefully chosen cheap P bass copy) were thrown to the floor and the drummer would carry on for a minute or so, doing a bit of a solo. This would then make the guitar and bass vibrate, producing a wonderful feedback howl.... Didn't look quite so cool when we had to come back to the stage to turn everything off though

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1321807624' post='1443256'] I'm stunned at some if the attitudes in this thread to be honest - the OP said that a band member suggested (not demanded!) that he try a pick for a few songs as the sound might suit it better, and the response for half the forum is as if the keys player in question had asked to spend the night with your mother! Pick vs fingers is an endless debate, but different things work in a different context, sometimes even in different sections of the same song, but is it really beyond the pale for a fellow band member to suggest trying something slightly different to see if it works? The question could have been answered with three minutes of playing in the practice room. I'm sure its not meant as an insult to or rejection of the OP's playing style. Have none of the naysayers hear ever suggested that the drummer try a different feel, or the guitarist use a different sound? Thrown up an idea for a vocal melody? I thought the idea was that everyone wants the band as a whole to sound its best, surely the easiest way to settle something like that is just try it and let your ears be the judge. [/quote] The threads title is "I want you to use a pick" not "how about trying a pick" or "perhaps a pick might help with definition" How would you like it if someone in your band said " I want you to stop using that rig of yours and buy my mates ancient Carlsbro/Laney/Fal combo"?

I'd be tempted to tell the keyboard player that for classic rock, his digital keyboards sound crap and he should go and buy a Hammond B3, a Leslie cabinet and a large van! Oh, and find a roadie.... But, if you find on some songs you really do need a bit more of a pick type sound, you could use the nail on your index finger. Works for me.

Hi George, welcome to the forum.... there are indeed plenty of Acoustic fans on here, though there are many that think that Ampeg are be all and end all (how can so many people be so wrong? ) I've been following the progress of the new Acoustic for a while on the unofficial ACC forum and I'm really pleased that its finally happened! Mind you, I've had 30+ years of use out my 220 and 404 and 402 cabs, so I won't be investing just yet!

Bobbins year..... One (crap) gig in Jan, left band thinking I wanted to play in a folky band again. Started new folky band, did a few rehearsals, got bored very quickly, left folky band. Realised today that Its 3 months since I even took any of my basses out of their cases! I think that means I've pretty much given up playing....

Mrs String-Thing to be, is great to go shopping with. A few years ago I wanted a "cheap gigging bass" and was thinking of a Squier or a Warwick rockbass.... Whilst in the shop she saw a German Warwick Corvette and told me to try it. I did, and liked it but put it back on the stand and turned around to try an Ibanez. A minute later I turned back, to see her paying for the corvette. So much for buying a cheap bass! What a star...

[quote name='Grant' timestamp='1318455157' post='1402551'] "What's the difference between a guitar and a bass guitar then?" [/quote] A guitar usually has a loose nut at the back....

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1318689202' post='1405255'] In my case, use them to replace new strings Serioulsy though, keep a set as spares in your gig-bag, just in case of breakage. [/quote] I'm with Lozz on this.... I hate the sound and feel of new strings and would much rather use old rotosounds than anything else.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1318202686' post='1399251'] Sounds like you need to show this idiot the door.... [/quote] [quote name='daz' timestamp='1318217427' post='1399283'] yes, with a spade [/quote] I left the band at the end of that rehearsal!

Fiddle player: "oh not another gig at The H*****y H***e, its a dump" Me: "Maybe, but they like us there and the money's good" Fiddle player: "Can't you get us any better gigs?" Me: "No, but you can from now on. I look forward to playing all those 5 star hotels and huge festivals" 3 months later..... Fiddle player: "I've got us a gig....Someone from church wants us for a party. No money, and there's no alcohol allowed but we can help ourselves to the buffet. Oh, and can they use our (my) PA for the disco? It'll be fun, they only want us to play for 25 minutes"

Singer to me: "that was great, what do you think?" Me: "it was ok" Singer: "smile then" Me: "when it gets good, I will" It never did....

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1317819417' post='1394916'] Damn. Iron Python don't sound like the sort of band that would play a tango so thats blown that image out of my head... [/quote] [sub]I doubt that Iron Python would ever be able to play a tango.... [/sub]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1317678402' post='1393342'] Good job too as I told them what you called them... [/quote] Ha ha....I'm ok in there.... Iron Python are local heroes..... And a couple of them are the regulars!

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1317653382' post='1392759'] LOL I'm daft, not stupid [/quote] Actually, you could say what you like to them...they're all deaf as posts...