noelk27

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1327456860' post='1511714'][size=4]I think you are confused.[/size] [size=4]Ethical issues are about selling goods made in "sweat shops" by child labour, ivory and Tiger hunters, etc.[/size][/quote] Agreed. The OP's arguments, as articulated, are somewhat confused. That said, deforestation and trading/utilising endangered species, such as Brazilian rosewood and Abalone shell, certainly raise issues connected with the ethical sourcing/use of input materials.

There were five or six (if not more) hanging in GuitarGuitar, Glasgow, as of this afternoon. There were two hanging in GuitarGuitar, Edinburgh, as of last week. Not at all rare, so I'm guessing it's your area.

Personally, I'd be more concerned about the ethical practices of the manufacturer/factory that is making tens of thousands of units each year, as opposed to the luthier who is crafting tens of pieces. Just on the bare numbers, that manufacturer/factory will be consuming raw materials in vast quantities, and generating waste in similarly vast quantities, leaving aside the longevity of the product produce, which very often is significantly less than luthier crafted instrument. But, part of the basic argument you're proposing would appear to be that if I were to own and drive a Ferrari I'd be a better driver than if I were to own and drive a Ford, which I'd suggest is fallacious at best. If pressed, I'd actually say that argument is idiotic.

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1326894769' post='1503323']I ended up buying a pickup from Aaron Armstrong ... who seems to be the only one making pickups that size.[/quote] Alembic AXY. Perfect fit.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1326906539' post='1503583']Just read one of your posts again - odd when both switches down!! [/quote] It was me that mentioned the two "dual sound" switches. In the owner manual that accompanied the SB-R80 (the predecessor of the Elite II) in Japan, it notes that the "phase" switch is only "effective" when the pickup selector is in the "centre" ("Front + Rear") position. If you engage the "phase" switch when the pickup selector is in the "Front" or "Rear"position you suffer a lose of output signal strength. Similarly, if you engage both "dual sound" switches (the manual refers to the other as a "Sprit" switch) then you similarly suffer a loss of output, but this is not as noticeable overall, as you're running the bass in single coil mode, and with the phase setting affecting the out, as opposed to in mode. I've known people, not familiar with the design of a two pickup SB, to mistake this characteristic for faulty pickups/preamps/wiring/etc. Seemed worth mentioning as the OP was new to playing an SB.

£40 for an economy service taking 5 to 7 days. Bit rich.

[quote name='3rdUncle' timestamp='1326725495' post='1501045']Think it's a bit weird that people have such strong opinions on the guy. Seems like a bit of jealousy to be frank. Good bassist and anyone who says otherwise is simply lying.[/quote] Anyone who says otherwise holds a different opinion from you, but I simply can't see how you can make that an issue of truths or lies. Personally, I have little, verging on no, interest in what Pratt does or says. What I object to is his revisionist take on events. If he wants to tell his stories with a self-depricating stance, then fine and well. But, when he does so in a disingenuous way, deriding the abilities of others, and including himself in events he was not party to), then I have an issue with him, and what he says.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1326722314' post='1500957']I think the bottom line is Pratt was in the right place at the right time, lots of times, and had a face that fitted in.[/quote] He clearly had a brass neck, and the mercenary instincts when it came to exploiting his contacts and making the right call at the right time. Oddly, he didn't want to join Icehouse, to do a "pub" tour, demonstrating his ignorance of the "pub" venues in Australia, which hold crowds in excess of 1,000. Those "pub" tours saw him playing top billing with band such as Simple Minds, Talking Heads and Psychedelic Furs in support slots, and directly contributed to Icehouse acquiring support slots on European tours with the likes of Simple Minds and David Bowie, and a US tour with Talking Heads.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1326719272' post='1500876']I do like the 80's just wasnt aware of how much [Icehouse] put out back then so was taken by surprise when i put it on.[/quote] Like many acts back then, non album singles were released, but there were just five albums in the 80s, the last of which has gone on to become the largest selling Australasian album by an Australian act, and set a record for having all five of the singles taken from it reach the top thirty. Pratt is one of some 24 additional musicians to be a member of Icehouse, one of seven bassists, and not even the longest serving bassist (that award goes to Steve Morgan who was there for 18 years before returning in 2009; Pratt served three years). Saying that, in those three years he met the likes of David Bowie and Brian Eno, David Byrne and Bryan Ferry, Ian McCulloch and Steven Jansen, and the late Michael Hutchence, among others, some of whom he went on to work with in later years.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1326717591' post='1500835'][I]ve also been listening ot Icehouse for the first time (other than Little girl). Some of its a bit too 80's for me but on the whole i think Iva is/was a fantastic song writer.[/quote] Well, it was the 80s! Davies was at the cutting edge with technology, using the likes of Linn and Prophet in '81, and going on to use Fairlight thereafter. If you want to hear Icehouse in the 90s, although with Steve Morgan on bass, not Pratt, look for tracks from the "Code Blue" and "Big Wheel" albums.

[quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1326675733' post='1500461']Yes it was hey Little Girl. ... So it wasn't [Pratt] on the recording? Then hats off to Iva Davies ...[/quote] Davies started writing and recording the "Primitive Man" (aka "Love in Motion") album, from which "Hey, Little Girl" was taken (along with songs such as "Great Southern Land", "Street Cafe" and a rerecorded version of the single b-side "Goodnight, Mr Matthews") in '81, with the album being released in '82. The only "member" of Icehouse featured on this album is Iva Davies, with Abe Laboriel contributing additional bass on one track ("Mysterious Thing") and Keith Forsey additional percussion. In support of the release of "Primitive Man" it was necessary for Davies to put together a band to tour, and, along with the return of John Lloyd (drums) from the second Flowers lineup, Robert Kretschmer (guitar), Andy Qunta (keyboards) and Guy Pratt (bass) were recruited to the Icehouse touring band. "Primitive Man" was the only Icehouse album to be completely played by Davies, all subsequent albums involving a more extensive roster of musicians, including Pratt on the albums "Sidewalk" ('84) and "Measure for Measure" ('86), but, for the most part, these musician were following parts written and played by Davies on his "demos". Pratt was involved in the lineup which toured in support of "Sidewalk" but was no longer involved with the band when it toured in support of "Measure for Measure". Icehouse went on to have greatest success with the album "Man of Colours", released in '87, which went on to become the biggest selling album in Australia in '88 (outselling INXS's "Kick"), with Steve Morgan on bass (his instrument of choice being a Yamaha BB5000).

This version is much nicer looking than the one with the pointy headstock.

Neither better nor worse, just different. It will all depend on what sort of sound you're aiming for. Old school Motown, say, and a heavy set of flats on a P'bass will sound great. Eighties Jazz Funk, say, on a Ray, and it's gonna sound truly awful. As for why you end up changing flats less often, part of the appeal for some people is the "deadness" of the sound, but, from a wear perspective, the flattened outer wrap of a flat string is a chromed steel, with significantly less voids to fill up with the detritus generated by playing (dead skin and oils, etc).

[quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1326639306' post='1499784']As for Ice House, I definitely remember seeing him with them on TOTP's (when he had Gordon Ramsay style hair...I think it was him?!!) but I take on board what has been said about someone else's bass lines.[/quote] Then you saw him "performing" "Hey, Little Girl" (from the album Primitive Man, aka Love in Motion) miming, with an SB1000, to a line that was written and played by Iva Davies. Is he still making his Roxy Music joke about that song? Well, must be easy to slag off someone else's creativity, when you were just a bit-part player.

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1326621554' post='1499508']I remember Ice House and thinking they were good at the time but can't say i remember any of their songs. ? Didn't know Guy Pratt was the bassist either.[/quote] He played bass with Icehouse live for a few years and on some of two albums ("Sidewalk" and "Measure for Measure"), but he wasn't the band's first or even longest-serving bassist. Mostly, he replayed parts that Iva Davies had written and already put down on demo, so his importance to the band shouldn't be overstated. Pratt seems to think, and say, that he played a larger part in affairs than, in fact, he did. But, even though he's somewhat disingenuous about the band's music (which basically means of Iva's songwriting), Iva still talks quite fondly of him. Out of interest, Iva, as well as being a highly underrated guitarist, is also an excellent bassist, and it's him you can hear playing on many other of the Icehouse albums, alongside the credited bassists.

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1326626195' post='1499586']Yeah, just me over thinking,) thanks all[/quote] Yea, it's not like you met up with her, specifically, for a lunch before the end of the year, and asked her how her mum and dad and older brother were, only for her to say her mum and dad were fine, and so was her younger sister. The year was 2009. We all do it. It's a slip of the tongue. It's a momentary lapse of reason. (Or one of many other apt song titles!)

Pratt by name ...

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1326589368' post='1499351']The friend IS the singer[/quote] That's what I'm assuming, otherwise there wouldn't have been anything stupid said, and the story wouldn't make any sense.

Cellist first. Fretted instruments sounded "wrong" to me for a long time. With all things sound the ear adjusted with continued exposure. Just trust your ears, not your eyes.

The natural ones don't come up as often. For two with serials starting 12 ('83/'84) to come along so close together is quite unusual. The second one listed hasn't been badly tampered with, compared with the ones which come along with lightened and reshaped bodies and headstocks. Anyway, wasn't me who pulled the trigger on either, although it's always tempting. An earlier serial and I might.

Remember that a fretted instrument uses equal temperament, to establish the positions of the frets, but this can never be perfect at all positions. You can use the side dots for general guidance on a fretless instrument, but don't get hung up on these positions being perfectly pitched. Trust your ear, which, from what you say, was how you noticed this issue.