Boodang

If the neck is sublime and it's comfortable to play, I would say you've found a keeper. I'm a big believer in tweaking basses to get them where you want for your needs. Sounds like time to have a Graph Tec nut installed (I get them put on all my basses) and at the same time getting a setup done. If you don't like the eq then change it out. Many options, my current favs being East and Audere. Might sound like a lot but if you end up with a bass that plays well and sounds well then you're onto a winner.

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!! Why is it so difficult to find a band that works for you (rhetorical!)? Well, just because someone else is a musician doesn't mean you're automatically going to get on with them and in the case of a band you need to find 3, 4, 5 or more to get on with.... and not just get on with as musicians with similiar musical tastes but also as people with all their annoying habits. And as they say; hell is other people!

Also, don't forget the the EHX Synth 9 which has OBX, Prophet and Moog presets... and it's polyphonic.

Also with the mono synth pedal, it has a separate dry only output as well as an output for the dry/synth mix which I've found to be v useful.

... no problems with tracking, only gets glitchy if you try to do chords, but you don't have to be too clean with your playing as copes quite well if you get a bit sloppy.

I'll do a clip when I'm back home... I'm away on a residential course at the moment. There are some great clips on YouTube as well. At this price tho the pedal is almost a must have, no brainer, purchase.

The laser preset is also good but to make the most of it, and other presets, you need an expression pedal but it really does add hugely to their usefulness. So much so I couldn't be without one now. For added low end synth goodness I sometimes add in parallel an octaver set to 100% octave down.

My fav setting at the moment for Gary Numan style sounds is the Acid preset; Dry @ 3 o'clock Synth @ 3 Sens @ 12 Ctrl @ 10 The ctrl setting is less critical on this preset.

I've been using the EHX mono bass synth pedal since it came out and it's awesome.... and it's only £110. Definitely get the 80s bass synth sounds you want and has an expression pedal input. It's not a fully tweekable synth like the C4 but it really nails the sounds it has and there is an option to save settings. In a recent review of synth pedals on the Andertons YouTube channel they commented 'every bass player should have this pedal' and I agree. Some very phat sounds coming out of this.

Have you fired the drummer yet?! Maybe bring a cardboard cutout of the drummer and a drum machine to the next gig just in case.

Well, 2 days in but I've been playing the Galli strings practically all of both days; I've been on an online death by power point course so have been sitting and playing while listening. As far as the stability of the strings are concerned... Day 1, lots of half tone tune ups. Day 2, after tuning up from leaving it over night, it's got progressively better throughout the day but still needs regular small tweeks, more on the G & D tho. I've been playing a lot with the pick and so far no sign of injury to the strings but it's only day 2... although they have had about 12 hrs playing time. Early days but love the strings, they feel so buttery and the tone is good, rolled off highs are how I like them, very little if any eq needed, sustain is not the greatest but not so that it's an issue.

Oh, and out of interest, first time I've seen this on a string packet.

So, two days in; day one, constant half tone tuning: day two, half tone tune up after being left over night, then it's been progressively smaller tune ups throughout the day until it's relatively stable but still not 100%. Reckon maybe another day of playing to fully settle in but I'll keep posting. Have been on a Teams online course for the last 2 days which has mostly been death by power point, so have been sitting playing my Jazz with the Galli strings thru most of it.

Currently trying out the Galli Synthesis strings. Just put the chrome flats on my jazz, there are the most 'buttery' strings I've every tried. Haven't tried the rounds yet but will be soon. Synthetic core so takes a while to settle in and stay in tune. We're running a thread on that under 'fretless strings' in accessories.

Like sliding on fretless, vibrato should ideally be used stylistically rather than to cover up intonation issues as it can become tiresome quite quickly if used all the time. I say ideally as it's inevitable that at certain times you'll use these techniques to get through a passage especially during live playing. There are times though where I think that a slide or vibrato is definitely not what the song needs and I've cocked up the intonation but under those circumstances I'll just brazen it out. As a player you can be overly critical but I think a fretless where the intonation is not spot on can sound ok and more organic (if that's the right phrase) where a slightly out of tune fretted doesn't.

Persevere! I went through a phase recently of improving my intonation. As part of my practice routine, put my clip on strobe tuner on the headstock to check my intonation during warm up exercises, but not using it the rest of the time so I didn't become reliant on it. Obviously you have to use your ears but I found using the clip on helped to fine tune my left hand finger technique. BTW... are you using lined or unlined fingerboard?

I would say they should be long enough to reach the speakers!

Has always been fingers until a few years ago when I got into Bobby Vega's playing which inspired me to spend some time with the pick over lockdown and now it's beginning to feel more natural. One of my earliest musical influences was Chris Squire, so the pick technique I've worked on is based on his where I'm only using the very tip of the pick and letting the side of my thumb on down strokes contact the string which adds an harmonic edge to the notes. Use fingers for when I want the lines to swing or for quick staccato lines, think Stratus, and the pick very much in the Squire vein (I'm not delusional enough think I can play like him!) or for lines that benefit from filling out with lots of ghost rhythm notes (ghost notes obviously play a big part of groove/funk finger playing I'm thinking more rhythm guitar style with the pick).

Just got the Galli Synthesis chrome flats on my fretless jazz.... shaping up to be my new favourite. A very flexible string in much the same way as the Obligato's are on my upright.

I used to use D'addario XL chromes a lot, by complete contrast to the Galli's they are a lot stiffer. The D'addario nylons are closer but the nearest would be the La Bella gold white nylons in terms of flexibility. Being a synthetic core I would say the feel of these strings is about the opposite of stiff as you can get.

I will give updates and yes, the warning is a little concerning. You couldn't replace a broken string at a gig as, like the Obligato's, they'll take a couple of days to settle down and not go out of tune. I play about 50/50 fingers and pick, so it'll be interesting to see how they stand up. Especially to the pick playing as you can really feel them flex. I like that feel let's just hope the strings don't mind!

Synthetic core bass guitar strings! These were mentioned on another basschat thread, so have just put a set on my fretless jazz. I have a set of Obligato synthetic core strings on my double bass and love the feel of them. Always wanted to try some synthetic core strings on my fretless bg but up to now haven't found any. I'm obviously not keeping up to date with things as I haven't seen these string advertised anywhere. But they're on my bass now and I love the feel... very flexible to play, especially with a pick. The notes bloom well, then decay in volume quite quickly with a medium length sustain. By contrast, the strings I had before, D'addario nylons, had less bloom but a more even decay in volume. They don't have a huge amount of treble but about what you would expect from flats. Putting them on the bass, you can feel how flexible and soft the inner core is when you start to wind the silk end of the string on, it's like butter! The packaging comes with a warning I've never seen before about the delicacy of the material used and great care when stringing. The E string machine head is closest to the nut and some of the chrome wrapping is wrapped around it and you can see in the picture how the winding is beginning to open up. It hasn't spread further though. Hopefully the strings are not delicate when played but only time will tell.

Also, one reason to join a band where you don't like the songs they play; the love you get from the audience when they're really into what you are playing.

Brilliant! This thread is like having ring side seats at a boxing match!! My twopennies worth; it's not how you get there or how quick you are at learning, but the end result that counts... how good does it sound, and not just the bass player. The audience doesn't care whether or not you learnt it quickly so long as it's good. I also wouldn't be condescending to any other musician just because they aren't as good as I think I am.

I've been using the Samson SR850. Not that expensive and very good. Use for bass and electronic drum practice.