EssentialTension

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='872943' date='Jun 20 2010, 08:12 PM']I have just nailed Lovecats, it's the first song I have learnt on the fretless but I find myself forever looking at the tuner for my intonation now I know this isn't right but I'm unsure of how to break this habit, should I be looking to know where the notes are on the fretboard or should I be trying to hear the notes?[/quote] I'd say don't use the tuner but listen and maybe, sometimes, use the side dots as a rough guide. And don't just be learning new things like, I presume, [i]Lovecats[/i]. Play some stuff you already know well and have some muscle memory for. Use those lines to concentrate on improving your intonation.

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='873073' date='Jun 20 2010, 10:32 PM']Try & play an open string if it's possible in the context - it gives you an aural landmark. G.[/quote] That's good advice.

[quote name='Clarky' post='872858' date='Jun 20 2010, 06:48 PM']Elvis has spoken![/quote] And as you can see in my avatar, that's exactly what I'm doing.

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' post='872755' date='Jun 20 2010, 05:05 PM']1. Put Flats on? Will T/I Jazz be as good an option as any or are the La Bellas (like the Original 1954's) better for this genre ?[/quote] TI Jazz Flats will do nicely and will easily cut through the mix. They are quite loose on tension. La Bellas are a bit heavier on tension and a little thumpier than the TIs - IMO - but will do the job just as well, and maybe better. You don't necessarily need the Original 54s (Jamerson 760M set) because the slightly lighter gauge 760FL are still fairly thick. I'd say either would work fine, it's just which you prefer.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='872757' date='Jun 20 2010, 05:07 PM']P? Check. Flats? Check. You're done. PS - don't be afraid to roll the tone off.[/quote] ... and play nearer to the fingerboard than the bridge.

[quote name='henry norton' post='872831' date='Jun 20 2010, 06:08 PM']I always thought the Fender Bass VI was the instrument made for just these tic tac country basslines, with light gauge roundwound strings on a short scale bass. The 50's & 60's vibes will be well catered for with your P.[/quote] Tic tac bass in country music is usually a doubling, on a Bass VI or similar, of the standard bassline played on an upright bass or on a 'normal' electric bass.

At over $4000, the short scale version of the Lakland US Decade is very expensive but can look pretty good:

While we're on the subject of Decades, here a couple of pictures of short scale (30") 18-fret US Decades:

Lined fretless Lakland Skyline 44-02 available here: [url="http://www.basscentral.com/lakeland_usa/skyline_4401_4402.shtml"]http://www.basscentral.com/lakeland_usa/sk...4401_4402.shtml[/url]. They must be around in the UK too.

[quote name='Linus27' post='872314' date='Jun 20 2010, 12:10 AM']They didn't bring you much [/quote] No, but they bring it regularly.

[quote name='Linus27' post='872306' date='Jun 19 2010, 11:57 PM']Yep, the new look pickup covers are horrible. Funny as I was looking at this bass today and noticed that the fretless version is only available on the US model Also noticed that Lakland have renamed a lot of their models. No more Duck Dunn, Bob Glaud or Joe Osborn it seems.[/quote] You might find a used fretless US Lakland at an acceptable price but it might have to be a 4-94 not a Decade. [quote name='Linus27' post='872306' date='Jun 19 2010, 11:57 PM']Oh and Dave, have you hung that picture up yet thats lying on the seat at the end of the room?[/quote] I think you'll find that is my tray on which the staff deliver my food to my sofa.

[quote name='Marvin' post='872242' date='Jun 19 2010, 10:58 PM']My word that's [size=6]huge[/size], btw nice slacks, could you send the number for your tailor? [/quote] Here you go: [url="http://www.tennesseetreasures.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117&Itemid=27"]Bernard Lansky[/url]

Oooh, very nice piece of wood.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='872227' date='Jun 19 2010, 10:33 PM']Awful change! The original is much nicer. Is this a new Lakland/Hanson decision?[/quote] I don't know all the background but maybe. I discovered it from a thread at the [url="http://www.laklandowners.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=59&func=view&catid=3&id=14163"]Lakland Owners Group forum[/url]. Lakland CEO John Pirruccello says there: [quote]We wanted to get the price of this bass down to the same price as a 44-60, this was the best way to do it in the near term. We are busy trying to fix the issues with Chisonic production in general so it's not as labor intensive. We are making good progress. Once we get this worked out, we will offer users a choice of classic chrome shells or LH3 shells for the SAME lower price. The LH3 shells are actually the same size as the ChiSonic shells but with dog ear mounts. We've made a bunch of these as special requests for people that don't like the chromes. (I gotta say the ebay pic doesn't do the bass justice with the pick guard plastic still on) Anyway, my ultimate goal is to offer players more choice and value. We also dropped the retail of the 5502 & 4402 deluxe models by a hundred bucks.[/quote] ... and later ... [quote]Just to be clear, the chrome ChiSonic Skyline Decade will be either a no cost option or a small up charge, depends on a couple of things we still need to work out. Either way the chrome cover version will still be substantially lower in price. We can do singles or hum buckers in either shell.[/quote]

[quote name='GЯДИК' post='872213' date='Jun 19 2010, 10:08 PM']The US ones still have the old covers, they changed them on the Skyline series as a cost cutting measure[/quote] Correct - mind you, you can have almost anything you like on a US. As well as cost cutting, apparently there was an earthing problem with the old covers which they are working to fix - nothing wrong with mine though. Lakland also reduced the price on the Skyline Decade and you can still have the original covers initially for an upcharge but later - it is hoped - for the same price.

Thank you all for the kind comments on my pickup covers and my new look. For those taking an interest in my sofa I though you might like to see just how large it is;

[quote name='Clarky' post='872113' date='Jun 19 2010, 08:26 PM']PS you seem to be at one with your p bass in your avatar Dave [/quote] Thanks, I bought the white Precision bass from Beedster and then had to have plastic surgery and dye my hair to match the photo. Do you like my sofa?

Am I glad I got a Lakland Decade before they changed the pickup covers? I'll let you guess. My Decade: Decade with the new pickup covers:

[quote name='Linus27' post='872079' date='Jun 19 2010, 08:01 PM']I really did not want the same make again so a Stingray is out of the question. Also, is the Tony Franklin a Fender which if so rules that one out.[/quote] The Tony Franklin is a Fender and it's also unlined.

[quote name='deathpanda' post='872073' date='Jun 19 2010, 07:53 PM']you can use code tags when explaining code, for example:[/quote] I would have used 'code tags when explaining code' if only I knew what that meant.

[quote name='Golchen' post='871559' date='Jun 19 2010, 10:14 AM']It's obvious what you are trying to do there, but I really disapprove of a mindlessly violent video like that on a forum like this.[/quote] ... but nice use of the recovery position.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='870496' date='Jun 18 2010, 09:01 AM']Am i right in assuming that each knob has volume and tone for each pup?[/quote] That's what the specification says.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=78214&hl=l2500"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=78214&hl=l2500[/url]