NJE

I have this exact dilemma at the moment, I have a new project on the go and we are trying to suss out a new set at the moment. I am desperately trying to think of great tunes that are either done with a twist or like someone said before, songs you never knew you loved. It is really tricky to find material that is recognisable but not obvious and I really dont want to get into Mustang.., Midnight.., or dance the night away. At the moment we are looking at some late 90s dance (Ultra Nate etc) and then doing some newer stuff like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. I used to do all the obvious tunes in an old covers band and NEVER! had a bad night in 9 years, but my thought now is that most people getting married and going to the venues we are looking at are late teens to mid 30's. I am often quite suprised how many people in thsi age group dont know Midnight Hour or any of those older tunes, I even met at 19 year old who had never heard of Jimi Hendrix and speaking to a teacher friend, this was common in her sixth form! Their parents might know the older stuff but their parents aren't choosing the band. Anyway the only real gauge is to play them and see how well they go down, you soon find out the turn-offs in a set.

Well I have still not managed to find a shop with any pedals worth trying so it might have to be a trip to Bass Direct. In the emantime the situation has changed slightly and I might need a DI as well as the band I am playing with want to do bigger gigs and so I will be going through the PA. Not to keen on the mid scoop of the Sansamp I keep reading about as I like my mids, so looking like EBS, MXR, or tonehammer. Only thing is that the Tonehammer has 18v supply if I remember and I would be looking at a power block to do all pedals so that could be an issue. Not sure what the battery consumption is like on them.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1120280' date='Feb 8 2011, 04:51 PM']Lead guitarist has no interest in saying what chords are being used other than its in the key of x I think and telling his "pupil" to sort me out who doesn't know either. "Ahhhh it's that that then this one and then that" First 4 songs of the cd I was given and told to look over are not the same 4 songs the guitarists were there to play. One of the songs I was given was a cover and totally different version of what the guitarist played. They want me to learn a song they think was called "blah blah blah or something like that" for next time which no one had a copy of and I couldn't even find it on youtube or Limewire. Even searching through albums of the supposed artist I couldn't find any titles remotely the same. Not a tuner between the two of them.[/quote] I think I have been in the same band, or my earlier theory is correct, most guitarists are knob heads! I love the tuner bit, the same guitarist that asked the keyboard player to "tune up" also doesnt use a proper tuner. He was having trouble tuning at practice once so I offered him my korg (despite the fact that he has one on his digitech he cant work) he said "no I always tune by ear" as if that was the proffesional way of doing things. It took him 15 minutes to tune up and then he was in tune with an old record we were learning and not in concert pitch. Anyway it was shortly after that he asked the keyboard player to tune to him, the response from the keyboard player was actually quite calm and polite (I was on the verge of beating him with his digitech) he said "I have a traspose button that goes up in semitones, its electronic I cant tune it, you tuned by ear your out with the rest of us"

I may have had a run of bad luck but I have only ever met a handful of genuinely clued up, thoughtful, humble and clever guitarist in just over 10 years playing. My three best friends in the world are Guitarists and only one of them falls under the description above. They are all lovely people (like brothers to me) but as soon as you put a guitar in their hands 2 of them become selfish, inconsidderate, over opinionated, noisy, and turn into typical guitar player cliche's. In my experience most people who call themselves 'Lead Guitarists' believe the following: 1. You should play whatever songs they want to play at all times. 2. They can play bass easily, its just guitar with four strings (they then start playing it like lead guitar) 3. They can put a distorted screaming solo in any song and it fits, even if your playing motown! 4. They are always in tune, it must be someone else! (one of the guitarists I play with now actually asked if the keyboard player could 'tune his keyboard' to match him!!!!! 5. Trying every effect on their pedal board through practice and over people when they are talking about the song is perfectly acceptable 6. They should be louder than everyone else 7. If they cant play it, its a rubbish song and noone will like it. 8. They are always playing the right chords and everyone else must have been listening to a different version. 9. No matter what the song, they should play loud and heavy all the way through even if the song requires them to not play for a few bars. I am sure there are many more but in my experience most guitarist are total knob-heads! There are always exceptions though, another guitarist I play with is quiet, subtle, doesnt like to solo (but can rip it up like you wouldnt believe) will turn the guitar off in between songs and has a keen interest in the sound of the whole band and takes a keen interest in everyones gear including the bass tone and compliments my sound quite often. Sorry massive rant, you can tell I have guitarist issues, they are starting to go after playing with my new guitarist though..

Hi Chaps, Thanks for all your comments. I guess I have to get out and try and play with a few of these pedals and see what sticks. My main concern with the Sansamp was it colouring the sound a bit too much and that seems to be echoed in a few comments you have all made. The GEB-7 looks fairly straight forward but quite expensive for a one trick pony. The EBS Microbass does look a bit OTT but I do like the idea of the headphone amp and from what I have heard it is very clean with some grit when you need it. The Tonehammer again looks great with some great tones, and i am also looking at the new Eden WTDI as I used to love my Eden Head. There is too much choice, I think I need to play these things rather than just buy something unseen. Cheers for your thoughts.

Hi all, I run a passive Fender Jazz into a Markbass LittleMark II and the sound is great, but I am just starting a second covers band where I could do with changing my sound. I will need to change for individual songs and in songs, so fingerstyle to slap and also maybe add some valve type tones for some rock stuff (although valve tones not essential). Just some basic tone shaping that will give me more than just changing pickups. I have been looking at the Sansamp Programmable Bass DI but cant seem to find any comprehensive reviews or thoughts here on basschat. I am worried that the sansamp wont do super clean and will have too much of its own sound. Would I be better with a Tonehammer or EBS Microbass or just get a Boss EQ? thoughts and opinions would be great.

I now own and have played a few 2010 Fender Jazz basses now and I am blown away with the quality of all of them so far. I bought mine blind as I was perfectly happy with the quality I had seen up until then. Apart from the fancy woods I can honestly say that the build quality is on a par with my old Overwater Jazz. Neck is tight, frets are nicely finished and played excellent straight away. I would say if you want one, just get out and try a few in some shops, I am sure you will find one you like if you really want a Fender Jazz and dont let a shop setup put you off. If the action is high just tell them you want it set up properly and then you might considder buying it, I do.

Just watching the video in the original post, did anyone else spot him playing a 5 string fretless Ray copy? he has his 4 string there and the Jaguar but there is a Ray-a-like with what looks like a soapbar pickup. I wonder what it is? Got sidetracked there for a second, superb video, I am a big fan of Pino after seeing him with John Mayer. He is a real class player with a wicked groove. Thanks for posting the video I had not heard this stuff before.

Just had a listen, AWESOME TUNE!! to be fair I am a fan anyway so slightly biased. I remember seeing your singer fronting Dopamine in about 2001 and thinking what a good vocalist/songwriter he was back then. Big fan of Dopamine but a bigger Attack! Attack! fan, good work and nice bass.

I have had loads of Hiscox cases over the years, they are solid and I like supporting a British company but I now have the new SKB case: [url="http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=232&o=&offset=1&c=84&s=75"]http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/pro...p;c=84&s=75[/url] I dont want to be harsh because Hiscox do make a good product, but I find it a far better case if you own a Jazz in my humble opinion. It's a tighter fit, more space for storing stuff and just feels much better quality. Also the new latches and general appearance makes it look like you about to unpack a Sniper Rifle (not a far leap of the imagination as SKB make stuff for the military).

[quote name='bubinga5' post='1112575' date='Feb 2 2011, 04:04 PM']Is that RoundAboutSound NJE?[/quote] Yeah mark is getting them in, cant wait to try them, I see poverty in my future if they are even 1/10th as good as the handmade ones.

Sent an email to Tanglewood and got a very nice and extremely quick reply from their customer services team (nice one Tanglewood). Apparently the basses ship to shops the week beginning 21st Feb and one of the signed up dealers to receive a first lot is about a 10 minute walk from me in Cheltenham....OH YES!!!!

I think Sting is briliant, great song writer and clever bass player. I dont know why people are so quick to have a go at him (bet most of them know all the words to roxanne and every breath) a very talented individual who is not afraid to do something a bit different instead of doing some rather pathetic things with modern artists to try and remail current. I would also give a body part or two for his bass, I am desperately craving a 51 Precision at the moment, they look so good but you dont see many around which I like.

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1095425' date='Jan 19 2011, 05:57 PM']Why do people spend thousands on custom made basses, then sell them? Cos they end up at the pub/round a mates/in a music shop, pick up a Fender Precision and realise that the humble P-Bass is the one true bass. Simples [/quote] I have to say I pretty much agree with the above. After years and years of craving custom built basses by various builders I finally managed to own and play a few over the last couple of years. I didn't order them myself and got them for less than 50% of their original value and thought they would be the holy grail and all I would ever need. Yes they were immaculately built and used some fancy woods (which I am a sucker for) but they sounded no better than basses I had owned that cost half the price. In the end I sold a 'custom built' bass as I needed to raise some funds and ended up with a good old Fender USA Jazz and £300 in my pocket. I can hand on my heart say the build quality is equally as good as the custom, its plays equally as well, sounds better and to be honest in a few years it will probably be worth more secondhand than the custom. I have always been a Jazz kinda chap and I have played several Jazz type basses from uk and USA luthiers and although in my heart I would like to have something built for me, my brain would overide it and I would never do it because of the risk and the rediculous drop in value. I know it is different for folks who want a bass without traditional styling shall we say, but I could probably buy a Fender and pimp the hell out of it and get exactly the same as what I would order from a custom builder for a fraction of the cost.

[quote name='Huwberry' post='1093977' date='Jan 18 2011, 03:47 PM']You could avoid getting annoyed by just assuming they all mean short hand for (bass) guitar? Or am I being too optimistic?[/quote] I have been playing bass for 11 years and for most of that time I have always referred to basses as guitars in every day conversation. I don't do it to save confusion for the person I am talking to, it has always been a bass guitar in my eyes so like the quote above I wouldn't put it down to ignorance on the subject. I am sure there are a few bass players who just refer to it as a guitar?

Orders via the website do take about a week to arrive in my experience. However I quickly learned that using the good old telephone to give them a call and order (usually with Chris May himself) is much quicker and I have had them within 2 days which is jsut as good as strings direct, plus they are good cheap strings. Don't be afriad of the phone people, you get an actual real person to speak to and phones get answered quicker than emails in most companies and organisations.

linked to this video I just found Nate Watts in the studio with Brian Culbetson, I hope the link works: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl-bVs1INtY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl-bVs1INtY[/url]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1091746' date='Jan 16 2011, 07:55 PM']I've got a transcription of this, but it's in standard notation, if that's any good to you.[/quote] That would be fantatstic, thanks very much. I will send you a PM.

[quote name='stef030' post='1092200' date='Jan 17 2011, 09:57 AM']so just remind me again why I bother[/quote] I will second that, I feel like I should cut off my hands for crimes against music after watching that.

That level of musicianship and skill is something I dream of achieving one day and I dont think i have ever seen a band as tight as that. Not usually my cup of tea (i like a bit of vocals in my music usually) but that was just frighteningly good and dear lord has that bass player got the funk! Thanks for posting, I am going to check out some more.

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone out there has a good and correct tab or a good video of Nowhere to run by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas? I have the main verse/chorus sorted but the rest is really getting the better of me, Jamerson is the daddy! There is one video on youtube but I think the audio is out of sync and the one tab i found sounds completely wrong. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Nath.

Nice video, thanks for posting. Mic Todd is a fantastic bass player and very underrated IMHO. His riffs and melody and note choice under what the the two guitarists in Coheed are doing is genius. Its a wonder he has any room to do anything under two guitarists constantly battling and interweaving but he does it. One of the best rock bassists out there at the moment in my eyes.

Its a nice idea but I cant help think its just more stuff to go wrong, and when it does my local tech wont be able to fix it. How many people really need 8 million bass sounds?