EssentialTension

Lots of music related and even bass related stuff in Off Topic too. It's been that way for ages.

PS I didn't get either job.

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1370697137' post='2104527'] I answered an ad for a bass player and went along to audition. There was a few numbers for me to learn including some Lenny Kravitz and Foo Fighters stuff. I noticed the guitarist was playing the wrong chords in one song and I made the mistake of correcting him telling him it was E minor not major he needed to play. After the end they said to me "Well done! you really know your stuff, - why are you only playing the bass?" ....................Speechless!............................. [/quote] Ha ha, You haven't been insulted, but you did insult him. This has happened to me twice at auditions in last couple of years. Onetime I merely said that, if I joined the band, we would need to come to an agreement about what the chords were. The other time time I straight out said that the chords were wrong.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1370556118' post='2102830'] to be honest- I just read that thread in the OP - they both come across as right idiots- I'm not sure I blame Mr Hall that much for all that in there. Like the fella's been gigging with a guitar for several months and loses two bits of it.... even our nice EU warranties wouldn't cover that. Easiest thing would just been to look up the part in the american version of maplin (mouser??) and buy some rather than get into a bitching fight with the company who made it. [/quote] You must have read a different thing to me because what I read said customer couldn't find the screws elsewhere and also that he was willing to pay for them.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1370543759' post='2102517'] Surely the whole point of playing live is to put on a performance? Otherwise you might as well just have a DJ instead. [/quote] Yep.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1370430228' post='2100628'] Have you considered sitting down at practise sessions? [/quote] I love sitting down.

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1370541115' post='2102464'] BTW [i]I am not writing in continuous lines for a reason, my post wont let me start a new line or paragraph for some reason!![/i] I thought I had a problem with my computer, as I have the same problem, if I want to start new paragraphs, I have to first write in "notepad" and copy and paste into Basschat. So is this a common problem with Basschat users, or is it my computer? [/quote] I can paragraph fine, no problem.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1370541016' post='2102463'] ...my Dad's better'n your Dad...he's a Fireman and a Policeman and he could beat your Dad up.... [/quote] Dad's are rubbish, you'd be better off with a Mum.

Any sensible company would have been sending more than the two screws in the first place and without being asked.

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1370535663' post='2102386'] I think a proper example of what mickster is talking about is some of the crazy 'off-the-shelf' prices of some bass guitars when compared with a custom UK builder. Why would you not go to someone with specifications of exactly what you want for the same money and get a much nicer bass? [/quote] I'd be extremely uncomfortable with the very idea of having a bass custom built. I'd feel the same about having a car or house custom built. It just sounds like something poncey people with more money that sense do. No offence intended here although I'm sure it must be offensive to some people. Anyway I'd probably be saying "hello Mr Custom Builder can you build me one just like this Fender Precision which is already as nice as I want it to be?" Mind you, I also wouldn't pay crazy off-the-shelf prices.

[quote name='mickster' timestamp='1370536639' post='2102405'] The Fender mention was just an example, of course. I think my point is more that I'm surprised at just how much people take someone dissing their preferred bass brand as a personal attack on them...it's this mis-identification with a corporate brand that I find weird. It's a sort of fetish. [/quote] But what I'm saying is that the fetish is very often from the other side, it's a kind of anti-fetish - 'oh no, how can you possibly like Fenders (or Beatles or whatever) when it's so obvious they are sh*t'. People are sensitive about what they don't like just as much as about what they do like.

[quote name='mickster' timestamp='1370532520' post='2102324'] I love my Precisions but I feel no particular need to defend Fender in everything they do... [/quote] I don't recall anyone defending Fender in everything they do. What usually seems to happen is that someone merely says "I like Precisions they do everything I want them to do" - or something similar ... [quote name='mickster' timestamp='1370532520' post='2102324'] People can get really arsey if you criticise any aspect of their brand of bass, and seem to take it as a deep personal insult. [/quote] ... and then what happens next is someone gets arsey because they don't like something about Fenders. You could replace 'Fender' with 'Beatles' and much the same would apply.

I play better and I enjoy myself more if I am not tripping over other people's clutter and messy leads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJPWEdMa43o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgLgUx3QEUk

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1370374837' post='2100016'] I also recommend a perusal of this:— [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRkSsapYYsA[/media] P. [/quote] My hand seems to be rather different to his.

You'll look ridiculous, landlords won't thank you, you won't sound any better, and it's totally unnecessary. YMMV.

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1370282716' post='2098618'] Too true. Shocked at how much it is for a set of TI flats. [/quote] TI Flats last for many years and are very good value for money.

That is totally bizarre.

Elixir tensions here: [url="http://www.elixirstrings.com/products/product_bass.html"]http://www.elixirstrings.com/products/product_bass.html[/url] Stringbusters guide to gauge and tension here: [url="http://www.stringbusters.com/stringfaqs.asp"]http://www.stringbusters.com/stringfaqs.asp[/url]

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1370270648' post='2098356'] Most strings are made in a similar manner out of the same materials, so the tensions will be close enough. There is a company called Mapes in the USA that supplies about 90% of the raw wire used by a variety of manufacturers, and there is only so much difference between cores and wraps that can be done to keep consistency, so they are all close enough. [/quote] Well, some may be 'close enough' and I agree there is 'only so much difference', but that's not the same as no difference. There are also some big differences, for example: TI Jazz Flat JF344 Long Scale E string .100, tension = 34.39lbs and commonly considered to be of low tension; D'Addario Chrome ECB81 Long Scale E string .100, tension = 40.29lbs and commonly considered to be of high tension; D'Addario Nylon Tapewound ETB92 Long Scale E string .105, tension = 31.90lbs which sounds low tension to me.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1370264175' post='2098225'] Is there a way of getting the numbers of other makes? Do others even publish the numbers? [/quote] Like D'Addario, Thomastik publish tensions: [url="http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/guitars/index.html"]http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/guitars/index.html[/url] ... but most manufacturers don't.

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1370185553' post='2097303'] I had to check a packet - you're right JF344's .070 A - & yes they're balanced lovely. I love the soft & smooth feel on a Jazz bass, fretted & fretless. They don't suit me on a Precision though. I prefer a heavier gauge for the definitive P bass tone, personal favourites GHS Precision flats, 55 G, 70 D, 90 A & 105G. The 43/56/70/100 TI's feel right to me on a Jazz neck, they balance the thinner neck better IMO & the GHS suit Precisions, both 1 5/8" & 1 3/4" varieties [/quote] If those GHS flats are like the Lakland Joe Osborn flats then I like them too. In fact, as long as they are flat, I'm not really fussy.

I've used TI Flats on a fretless Precision too with excellent results. Of course, people will have preferences that will differ from mine.

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1370193382' post='2097423'] Thank you, this set would be going on a Jazz so thats very helpful. I agree about the Precision requiring a heavy set, which actually confused me too as I read that these come on the Pino P - Bass, can't account for personal taste though can you! Thanks for the responses to all, I just bought a set, looking forward to them arriving [/quote] I've got La Bellas on my Precision at present but I did use TIs on a Precision for many years and they sounded great.

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1370183858' post='2097288'] It's been quite a few years since I last played Thomastik flats, and back then I was still using round wounds and was not particularly interested (shame on me, I know). So my main question is why do [u][b]you[/b][/u] use them? My other question is how do you get on with the 'different to usual' string gauges? I'm finding it hard to imagine using a 70 gauge A string and getting some weight in the tone, especially as I play soul, groove, dub, funk rock type bass lines most. These sets must be balanced, but how?!!!!! Thank you. [/quote] I like the sound and the feel of them and they are on the bass. As for gauge, I never really think about string gauge. Gauge on its own means nothing. I don't really get this 'different to usual' string gauges idea. On my four basses I have at the moment: TI Jazz Flats - 43-56-70-100 Pyramid Gold Flats - 40-55-75-105 Rotosound Trubass - 65-75-100-115 La Bella 760FS - 45-65-85-105