Beedster

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1472817974' post='3124494'] I love it when an expert bass player announces "and you can hear that lovely clear piano tone" before playing a few notes that couldn't sound less like a piano if you hit it with an adjustable spanner. [/quote] 'Piano tone' in this context doesn't mean 'sounds like a piano'. Beats me what it does mean, but I've heard it sufficiently often in relation to un-piano-like tone to know what it doesn't mean Perhaps it does in fact mean "sounds like a Rickenbacker"?

... and when you hear pure Ric tone, you recognise it. There's a few seconds of Ric on a Taylor Swift track - I forget which - played with a pic, both PUPs open, and it just screams "RICKENBACKER BASS' at you The only way to get that tone without a Ric is to use a synth, I've genuinely never found another bass that can do it.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1472804976' post='3124342'] I love all this "Rick sound " stuff. Who's? Geddy, Squire, Lemmy, Entwistle, Burton, McCartney? They all use different amps, cabs, live effects, studio effects,strings, techiques etc. Live sound, throw an (undoubtedly excellent) engineer in to the mix ( ) I can get most P's to do a passable Rick sound IF SUCH A THING really exists. [/quote] Yep, fair points Karl, but the Ric sound [i]does [/i]exist. In purest form - noFX, tone wide open - it has a pipey quality, especially from the front PUP (it's what Macca's mid-era Beatles tone was defined by). Yes, plenty of players have used a lot of amplification and effects to extend that tone, but I think there's something about the core of that tone that led those players to use Rics in the first place. Let's face it, it certainly wasn't ergonomics

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1472804495' post='3124338'] Imo, only a Rik will get you there. It is a unique sound, combination of pups, neckthru and woods I had one but didn't really get on with it, like a lot of others on here have. I now use a faker that is easier for me to play lighter, cheaper, sounds a bit different (tho with the neck pickup isolated it gets close) and I just prefer it to the real thing, there you go. [/quote] That's the truth of it, there's tricks to getting [i]one[/i] Ric sound for sure, for example Squire's, Maccas etc, but to get all of them, which all Rics can do because despite what people say, they are extremely versatile instruments, you'll need a Ric. IME there is no instrument that has quite such a unique set of tonal characteristics.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1462655419' post='3044767'] I have a dominator 25 bass in mint condition. It sounds great, goes surprisingly deep and can do glassy if you like. Can go fairly loud but really it's only a practice or recording amp. Anyone still use one? One issue, it vibrates somewhere in the cab at higher volume. Looks a nightmare to investigate anyone know how the front grill comes off. Really it should of had some extra reinforcement in the cab, especially since the head is nicely suspended with suspension which is something all combos should have! Should I go hell for leather trying to find the rattle or just plug it into another cab. As I don't want to destroy the cab. [/quote] I recently picked up one of these, largely on a whim, and have to say that having played it for the first time last night, I could not be happier, the tone is to die for and absolutely effortless. Having owned many amps over the years, including a B-15, the bass was just that little bit creamier and smoother, without that brittle edge that often creeps in with Ampeg. Adding to the experience was the fact that I was playing what amounted to a total investment of £700, a Yamaha BB1200 into the WEM, and suspect I might have at last found the tonal magic bullet/holy grail/nirvana etc etc! Who would have thought it eh So, in answer to your question above, I would persist, find the fault and enjoy a lovely piece of early 70's British magic.

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1472716362' post='3123495'] Why that's a very very kind offer good sir Wish I'd known that before ordering my set. Still haven't arrived - don't think they've even been dispatched yet.... Just wondering why you didn't like them too? Cheers all [/quote] I'll send you a set and you can answer the question for yourself Marc

[quote name='Marty Forrer' timestamp='1472690089' post='3123399'] You're not interested in a teacher? To be honest, that is the most obstructive statement ever. I bought an upright after many years of bass guitar. I taught myself. Due to my pig-headedness, I now have arthritic and deformed knuckles on my left hand. I eventually figured I needed a teacher, but the damage had been done. Don't worry about strings, use the money for lessons. [/quote] I think that's quite a rude comment. The attitude in question is not in the least obstructive, it is simply a statement of how the O/P wants to go about things. You may have damaged your hand through bass playing, although given there's no control group for these things, it may have been caused by bass playing, made worse by bass playing or actually have nothing to do with bass playing - you could simply have an existing disposition to this kind of condition. Either way, I'm sorry to hear about your injury. However, there are thousands of self-taught musicians who manage to play competently and without injury, and sometimes do so better than their well-taught counterparts. Certainly whether taught or untaught, like athletes and performers generally, musicians need to monitor both pain and movement quality, and take action if either appear to be worsening, and it's perhaps that, not the source of technical learning, that is the key factor in injury prevention.

[quote name='interpol52' timestamp='1472578492' post='3122322'] It was the string! I took it off and it had the tiniest of kinks in it. [/quote] Happens a lot more than people think, and whilst you can get away with it on fretted, it can cause a lot of problems on fretless (even at the 12th on the E where of course only Jaco has ever really gone), and worse still on DB where it not only causes problems for tone but can present a noticeable hump in the string. I've only ever had it once on a new set of strings, but a few times with strings bought used.

Just don't use the 12th fret on the E Seriously, I've three FLs and they all have similar idiosyncrasies, I just work around them. Adds to the mojo C