risingson

The first bass I played was a very old Fender P-Bass. Being the age that I was, I was not aware that it was worth anything, and neither was my sister because she had it refinished by a friend in a really nasty silver colour. Based on memory I would have guessed it to be an early to mid 70's P. The first real bass I owned was a P-Bass copy. I loved it

I'm thinking 'I wonder why they've re-badged the Mike Dirnt Signature model and charged thrice the amount?' if I'm totally honest!

[quote name='Mgmikeyg' post='1244809' date='May 25 2011, 09:20 PM']Hi I'm am 13 and am just starting to play bass, currently I have a Squire Precision Bass but it is much to big for me. What would be a good buy for a good short scale bass on a budget? Thanks in advance![/quote] Hi there I remember my first bass guitar that I was bought when I was 12 (nearly ten years ago) was a P-Bass copy and it did seem very large at the time. However, you'll most likely find that the size of the instrument becomes less and less of a problem as you advance and get used to playing. Some players use smaller scale basses but you should give playing your current bass a bit more time. My opinion is that if you learn on a smaller scale bass you may well have issues when the day comes making the transition to a larger instrument. Stick with it... I'm positive the size will become less of an issue over time.

[quote name='Evil Undead' post='1244624' date='May 25 2011, 07:08 PM']Here it is! It's even better than I thought it would be to be honest. Plays like melted chocolate, and sounds really good. Quite full sounding, with more of a variety of tones than I expected. Build quality is awesome, the frets are nice and level with no sharp edges. The colour in person is a darker cream than in the photo, more vintage looking. I really like that. It's a rich colour and really easy on the eye. [/quote] Looks great mate!

Good music is good music, doesn't matter what instrumentation is being used. There is always going to be something nice about listening to a good bass performance on a track though, it's part of the reason I like listening to Motown tunes. [quote name='TheGreek' post='1244674' date='May 25 2011, 07:39 PM']This is only true of their live performances..The studio albums had sessions players on bass..[/quote] As far as I was aware The Doors used both bass and Rhodes bass for live and studio didn't they?

[quote name='lojo' post='1244163' date='May 25 2011, 12:49 PM']But I am wondering, for those that really do pro gigs, like pit work or sessions etc, although a broadway production wouldn't suffer if the bassist played a Cheapo, would you be judged by the guys employing you on your gear before you play a note ?[/quote] People in those situations will be called in because of reputation and through word of mouth, not for the gear they use. It's possible that producers will ask a session player to use a different instrument for a more fitting sound, but I doubt that anyone would care what instrument you were using providing you weren't causing difficulties for everyone else. If it ain't broke, don't fix it etc.

Here, definitely [url="http://www.rudysmusic.com/"]http://www.rudysmusic.com/[/url]. It's the best place I've ever stepped foot into.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1243704' date='May 24 2011, 11:56 PM']It always hurts when I hear someone sounding better than me when they're playing crap gear!![/quote] Pino Palladino regularly uses a bog standard Squier in the studio and god knows I'd love to be able to play like he does.

A bass guitar sounds like a bass guitar at the end of the day, 99% of people won't care what make it is and what it sounds like. Expensive gear is nice but it's mostly a placebo thing. I'd prefer to play a Sadowsky all evening at a gig if I could but would the majority of an audience noticed if I played a Squier instead? Probably not!

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1241626' date='May 23 2011, 02:13 PM']All completely true, sil. However, having spent several years trying (and mostly failing) to get anyone on here to think past mainstream pop and rock and to listen to something else only midly challenging, in my case Jazz[/quote] With the greatest respect, maybe most people aren't okay with being told to listen to something else because their own tastes reflect the unchallenging and mundane. I don't see why I'd take on a recommendation on music based on this assumption. A lot of the music that will stand the test of time is simplistic in nature. For example, Pat Metheny may have challenged the perceptions of jazz, but you can be certain that it you'll never catch me humming a melody of his because for many people it lacks appeal and isn't memorable. Name any number of Beatles tunes on the other hand and you'll probably hear me humming them on a daily basis, not because I listen to the Beatles a lot, but because the music has stuck with me. Some people thrive off instant gratification, not everyone wants the food for thought. Challenge people's perceptions by all means, but remember not everyone will have the same level of affinity for jazz as you do sometimes.

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1241766' date='May 23 2011, 03:49 PM']Just looking at fenders on guitar guitar's site! A 5 string 2011 american deluxe fender is £1515!! So i dont see the £1875 i paid for my Sadowsky PJ5 as that bad at all!! ive played both basses and i personally consider the Sadowsky well worth the extra £300+[/quote] Like I say though, no one should be lambasted for choosing to pay anything from £100-10,000 on a bass should they want to, the inherent value of the instrument is decided by the person that chooses to buy it. And I think the current Fender prices are ridiculous. All I'm saying (and I could be wrong, I don't know) is that I bet Sadowsky somewhere down the line could elect to work out a way of selling their basses cheaper than they are currently without sacrificing the quality of the final product.

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1241678' date='May 23 2011, 02:50 PM']Having owned both nyc and metro i really dont get why there seems to be this wierd thing against the metro range?? The quality is the same but with less paint / wood options I personally wouldnt ever buy a new fender because i dont think they're worth the money but thats just me! [/quote] Ironically I would buy a Metro second hand but not first hand, and for the same reason you wouldn't buy a Fender! 6 years ago or so I came very close to buying an RV-5 from the U.S. I was a little put off by the price (a bit over £1300 new) and went for something else in the end. In direct comparison 2011's Metro price tags are insane and I think you're paying more for the Sadowsky name on the headstock more than anything. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that of course, people can buy what they want, but I wouldn't say the price echos the sum of the parts.

We got asked to play starting in Rome and ending in Rio last Xmas but we declined. I've been a little reluctant because I don't think the money was as good as it could have been and I'm almost certain you won't get to see as much as you'd think doing it. Also I'm very aware I don't want to make a career from playing ships, but that's just me.

Who were the interviewees in question? I don't buy the magazine but I'd be interested to know who were the players being negative.

However, THIS is the video that's telling me to stop being such an idiot and save up for the Will Lee model. Forget the playing, the tone is just great.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1241314' date='May 23 2011, 10:55 AM']I think the prices are part of why I gave up on the Metros. A few years back, they were reasonable, but still expensive. Now, they are almost £2000, or more. I just cannot justify that much when you can get something like a full spec Dingwall for £2400 ish. Id still like a nice PJ from Sadowsky, but the economy, the price rises, etc, have totally put me off.[/quote] Couldn't agree more. Whilst I remember getting into a dispute a while ago for saying this, I really don't mind saying it again: the Metro prices are totally unjustified, in as much as you're paying for the name more than anything else. A shame because I would definitely buy one if they weren't so terribly priced. I'll probably buy second hand at some stage.

I'd play with anyone that made me good money. Take That would be a great gig. The people that I'd love to play with though would be Erykah Badu, Jay Z, John Mayer, Prince, Stevie Wonder Paul Simon and James Taylor.

I've heard a lot of them before and I couldn't agree or disagree on any one of them. I'd say there were plenty of better ones.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1239951' date='May 22 2011, 07:48 AM']It always amazes me when I see this and then how often we see a thread starting out " I have owned many basses over the years and always loved the look of stingrays but never owned one, last night I lent one at a jam night and oh my god it cut through the mix so well yet later in the set after a quick and simple adjustment of the EQ it was sitting below the mix all fat and punchy, I can't even imagine how good it would of sounded with flats on! " Think disco and how well Rays sit in the mix. Think rock, punk, indie, blues they work everytime just like a p or jazz but better Get one of everything that's the best bet IMO [/quote] Again, everyone's different aren't they. There's plenty of players that will disagree but Stingrays just don't sit the way I would want one to in a band situation. [quote]Because it's a forum... you know, to discuss stuff. You don't have to read it. I started the thread to get opinions, and although I had pretty much decided I want a Fender, if 90% of people had said "don't get a Fender" I probably would have rethought my decision. No need to be quite such a jerk about it.[/quote] Ignore the naysayers. I very much enjoy reading threads like this one

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1239866' date='May 22 2011, 12:45 AM']At the end of the day only you know what you want from a bass. For me a stingray looks great, plays great and more importantly sounds great. A Fender jazz looks great, but for ne isn't comfortable and the sound I dislike. P's; well I think they look cheap and nasty and sound cheap and nasty. Personal opinion please don't start flaming me guys However I am hypocritical, as I would love to own a "great" fender jazz and precision just haven't found one yet. Where as rays do it for me 9 times out of 10.[/quote] I don't think anyone should be 'flamed' for having an opinion on what they prefer! I like Stingrays but have always been hesitant to buy one as I don't think they sit particularly well in a mix. For me it's more of a case that they sound great by themselves, really ballsy and aggressive, but not necessarily what I'd look for to sit comfortably in the bottom of a track because I don't think they do this well. Just my opinion of course. Also, whilst I love Fenders (and own one), I've also found that companies like Lakland do Fender a lot better. My Darryl Jones 4 blows most Fender Jazz's I've played out of the water. But I still wouldn't hesitate to order a custom shop Fender or buy a vintage one if I had the money because I just love 'em.

The Mecca of bass guitar. I don't care how many people don't like them! I will forever gravitate towards Fender Jazz basses, second only to P's. They've got everything I need to make music, countless generations of pro bass players used them on the best records. They're brilliant!

If those are your basses in that pic then I would look objectively at why you'd need a new bass at all. I understand that it's nice to buy a new instrument but will another £2000-3000 bass do more than the basses that you've already got? If you're worrying about taking a knock to one of your Seis at pub gigs then I'd personally go out and buy something like a Lakland Skyline or a Fender, and save the rest of the money. That's just me though.

Michel Camilo's stuff with Anthony Jackson is just on another planet.