wateroftyne

This whole 'I don't take a spare PA... why should I take a spare bass?' argument is weak. If the PA breaks and it's unfixable, you're all in the same boat. Cancelling a gig because the PA has failed is heck of a lot more credible than cancelling it because the bass player hasn't got a bass that works. If your bass breaks (and it can happen.. believe me), and you can't carry on because you don't have a spare (even though you have one at home) it's all your fault. You've knacked it for everyone else. Basses never break? OK... how many passengers boarding Titanic thought that it was ever going to sink? None of 'em. (of course people who only have one bass are exempt from the above)

A couple of nights (both sold out!) at The Live Theatre in Newcastle this weekend, to launch the band's new CD. The Streamliner just gets better and better. I love it so much. It's a privilege to be able to play original material to crowds like this: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZDCTph68_A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZDCTph68_A[/url]

[quote name='munkonthehill' timestamp='1323592070' post='1464706'] but why a relic, In all his videos he doesnt use one...so why have a custom one? [/quote] Maybe he just wanted one...?

I haven't watched the vid yet, but I should think so too. He's a great player.

I've started a little Facebook group - The North East Bass Bin - to hook up all us bass players on the Tweed, Tyne, Wear and Tees: [url="http://www.facebook.com/groups/157319877702238/"]http://www.facebook.com/groups/157319877702238/[/url] As we all know, Basschat is the place to be, but this is a quick way of getting in touch with the locals. C'mon... get involved.

The CD was released yesterday... here's a sampler of some of the other tunes. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOwyM1pLZE0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOwyM1pLZE0[/url]

Amen to that - Alex has always been very responsive and helpful, and I'm not even a customer.

Potential problems with faulty units aside (in which case I imagine Thomann will look after you), don't worry at all about quality or performance. They're[i] that [/i]good.

[quote name='Soliloquy' timestamp='1323514994' post='1464052'] The 'mini' amps I've tried so far have been a bit disappointing. I've got an SWR Headlite which is pretty awful, it sounds nice but they're not been very honest with the specifications. The Shuttles that I've had have sounded awful, kind of like a wasp in a bottle, they've given me a headache in a very short space of time. [/quote] The Streamliner is definitely worth a try. It might just change your mind.... I hope the EBS sounds as good as I hope it does. I love their preamps...

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1323453946' post='1463644'] Used to take 2 and still do for "important" gigs but mainly only 1 bass these days. Theres another thread somewhere here where most players have stated that they rarely if ever break strings so you have to wonder why they would need a backup bass. [/quote] When the time comes that they do snap a string, they'll wonder why they didn't bring a backup.. :-) Of course, some people only have one bass, and that's understandable.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1323441364' post='1463459'] If Rush have ever made lame AOR it is definitely post [i]Counterparts[/i]. So many dreary songs, A/B/A style compositions. Some of it has been, I am sad to say, dreadful. Really bland album rock. They need to get back to the [i]Power Windows/Hold Your Fire[/i]way of thinking, ie: beautifully arranged songs, catchy melodies and albums so strong any song could be the lead single. [/quote] I completely agree. It's almost like they've given up writing [i]songs[/i] on their quest to ROCK and fit in with the younger bands.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1323432494' post='1463262'] And what if I'm playing to 200 people who've paid a Tenner each, and I'm NOT getting paid? That's happened enough times. [/quote] It depends on how much you care, I suppose...

In my lifetime, I've broken strings a couple of times, and had a pickup die on me mid-song once. The first time it happened, I didn't have a backup. I learned quickly. If I'm playing to 200 people who've paid a tenner each to get in, it's my responsibility to make sure I can do what I'm being paid to do.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1323302153' post='1461924']Quite restrained for Geddy[/quote] Ah, those were the days... when he played a note because it sounded good, not just because there was some space to fill.

[quote name='mojobass' timestamp='1323290128' post='1461758'] Anyone got Howard's phone number? I've lost it and i dropped a bass off to him last week and just wanted to get in touch about it! cheers [/quote] Drop him a PM - he's pretty quick at replying.

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1323277301' post='1461517'] I like his tone on the new live album. Still Ged, but a bit less bright than recent live stuff - the Rush In Rio has a very bright tone indeed! [/quote] If by "bright" you mean "fizzy mess" then I agree with you

Buy a used bass for a fraction of that and spend a good chunk of money on a decent set-up.

There's hope yet.... from a new interview with Geddy in Rolling Stone: [quote]The first two [single] releases from this album, "Caravan" and "Brought Up to Believe," are a great indication of where this album's going, although there's much more variety than just what those two songs offer. When I look back at [2007 album] "Snakes and Arrows," as happy as we were with that record, in retrospect I feel we kind of overdid it with overdubs. We'd like to simplify that, just in terms of making sure the guitar, bass and drum sounds are big and loud and clear, and any time we are going to add an overdub, to make sure that it definitely is adding and not subtracting.[/quote] Here's hoping....

I've had good experiences with Thomann.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1323090903' post='1459073'] Actually, there was a 1973 oly white with tort pg, maple and black blocks/binding (according to the book), so this [i]may [/i]be permissible ...depends if you want to stick to the colour combinations that were available in 1979... or not. [/quote] Tort and a late-70s logo is just wrong...! :-)

Excellent! Love the tunes, too.

[quote name='thebigyin' timestamp='1322987194' post='1457875'] Forgive me for this question but am i ok to put a set of 'flats' on a squier cv jazz bass.....the chap at store were i purchased it doesn't recomend it? He say's 'flats' are better on a precision?[/quote] He's talking rubbish.