Kongo

[quote name='dlloyd' post='480572' date='May 6 2009, 12:26 AM']They were losing money on the SUB and OLP QC was too variable in the cheaper models.[/quote] I think this may be their compromise then I mean, it's all fair and good keeping a high price to keep a certain owners caste but...Well I think they are great basses and I want one but for £1500 there's better to be had. Here's hoping they see the light with this range...But isn't this just SUB with a new badge name?

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='480561' date='May 6 2009, 12:06 AM']yeah thats what me n my dad did when i was about 13, its only about an hour away, maybe a little more nightnight, realllly tired! nice talkin to you! Z x[/quote] OK catch you round some time. I'll have my bass pics up soon.

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='480554' date='May 5 2009, 11:53 PM']yeah my P sounds really nice with it, im guessing yours is fretted? (click link in my sig for build diary) I had the same problem as you with the saddles moving around on my old mim jazz, lovely bass but when they move it goes out of tune slightly and that plus bad technique, bending the strings slighty = no fun. ps. Im selling this beauty. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30542"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30542[/url][/quote] Ah it's a 4-string...I'm looking for a 5-er but wait...Do you still own that OLP? I'm looking for an OLP MM32 for my new project. I've done a P now I want to do a 'Ray but I favour 2 pups (funny as the P-bass has one). I posted it in the wanted gear section as I cannot find one. A real HH ray is WAY outta my reach man...

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='480555' date='May 5 2009, 11:54 PM']haha yeah, it must be torture. been download a few times. whats ur name by the way? lol Z x[/quote] Spose there's no harm in telling. Names Aaron...And that's pronounced "Ah-ron" not "Air-on" LOL! I'm going download this year, 12th-14th July but not camping, it's only down the road from Leicester pretty much.

I kinda wondered where Musicman's head was at when not only did they discontinue the SUB but then OLP went out of buisness too... Seriously, if Fender offer various cheaper versions (Korea, Mexico, Japan etc) of their American counterparts...Why can't Musicman? Maybe if they did a few budget ranges and helped the working class there would be more chance of some folk buying Stringrays they can currently not afford LOL! But this "Recession" whatever it really is, in the UK it's putting prices up not down. This year saw many basses rocket. The Yamaha Attitude II went from £899 to £1350 for example...for what reason? And the Fender Urge II the same...cept that was expensive to begin with. So this could be good news as in, Musicman are approaching the problem...but is there any point when,as you said, you can buy secondhand for that price. Now, are these Stringrays only gonna be H like SUB's were? (I never saw a HH SUB anyways). I really want a HH Stringray but cannot afford the £1500 price tag!

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='480545' date='May 5 2009, 11:44 PM']aww thanks and yeah.. i havnt learnt any other slap since then lol. although once ive completely got my life back on track, i might actually get some lessons, i havnt had one before. yeah i get comments from the haters lol, usually sexist stuff actually. Im gunna head off to bed in about half an hour, supposed to be going camping 2mro.. now that'll be a big step for me if it does go forward. Z x[/quote] Okie doke. You have fun with the camping...Gear up for Download weekend LOL! Just go for it I understand it may be tough. OK I really must get off here soon too...but there be nice basses popping up! I'm a sucker for buying basses I shouldn't.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='478313' date='May 3 2009, 04:20 PM']Ugly [i]and[/i] pointless... But probably worth an arm, a leg, and a selection of internal organs to a hardcore Ibby-collector. Jon.[/quote] I wager you could upset the band with something like this. Never seen this before though and I'm an Ibanez fan.

I can never fault Ibanez for QC. Never a raised fret, never a bad set of electronics...Oh but the Vari-Mid is prone to crackling over time but that's just the pots given. Both mine went over time but with new posts it never shows again. I don't notice the bridge saddles being off on my 5 or 6-string but if they really are they do no injustice to playing. If you are thinking of getting one, go for it!

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='480521' date='May 5 2009, 11:20 PM']I live in Corby, I go Leicester a lot. I've got 4 clips of me playing on www.myspace.com/ZoeHeslopBass just home recordings. and talking of youtube, theres a couple of songs ive learnt that i wanna record for youtube.. Z x[/quote] Ah Corby! LOL that brings back some funny memories...I know where that is. Well if your no stranger to Leicester then you must know The Shed at least. Be playing there again in a few months climbing up the ladder from the bottom step again...Gonna be fun! I listen to your songs on Myspace...Can't hear much on YouTube sorry. Your first song reminds me of Hope off of Cosmic Troubadour. I can hear your bass clear...Wasn't aware it was out of time but maybe if I turn up louder I can hear it. We have got rehearsal vids that our Vocalist keeps on sneakily taking without us knowing...No one wants them posted as they are only rehearsals but I might put some somewhere only a few selct folk can find em lol! Well your fingers look quite fluid on that board and I wouldn't worry about the slap...that's how EVERYONE sounds when they start. Good tone though, that's a better start than techneque. Try to learn sooner rather than later to turn your thumb the other way...if you wish. It's ALOT more accurate and stronger plus, if you ever play a 5-string you'll never hit the Low-B by accident...You'll know when that string goes! I don't find anything bad to say...But that's another reason I don't post on YouTube...Haters! People are online to call you down however they can. Slap will come in time I don't think you did a bad job.

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='480489' date='May 5 2009, 10:53 PM']I guess ive got a lot at school to go back for, amazing friends, and teachers i dunno what id do without. even though my friends will now be in the year above. my 6th form has a very collegey feel to it, as its in a separate school to the other years. Im doing a big Media course, and if you take it, you cant take any other lessons, because its quite a big course. I LOVE media, and didnt even do music for gcse, i think media and music clashed, and well.. media won it over for me. the link for your myspace didnt work. yeah thats why id like a 6 string, for tapping. lol ive got small hands, but dont know any different, so you kinda adapt lol. did you listen to the stuff on my myspace? Z x P.S i dont live far from leicester[/quote] I think you'll make more of yourself from a Career in Media. I havn't listen on youtube yet but I will get to it soon...Be interesting to hear that bass! I don't think small hands matter as much...but some people find the reach hard more on the fretting hand than the picking hand. That and the fact that they get confused over which strings are what LOL! I've had two tunings. BEADGC and F#BEADG The F# was a Conklin .190 guage string...it was awesome but silly fat and not many amps could replicate the Low-F# so I slung it. My addy, so my account says is: [url="http://www.youtube.com/KongoXIIV"]http://www.youtube.com/KongoXIIV[/url] Not far from Leicester? What City you in then? p.s. OOPS! In Youtube mode...I havn't used my Myspace in AGES I forgot it...sorry... I guess that means I don't have one. My bands one is not much use...Has a VERY scruffy OLD OLD OLD sample track we did which sounds NOTHING like us LOL! But you may have access if you wish...I warn you it's crap! Really must record soon so we can update it. p.p.s I'm told the sample was removed...So no sound clips...or anything worth while yet...it sucks starting out sometimes.

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='480474' date='May 5 2009, 10:42 PM']just a thought, but the string spacing at the bridge is greater than the spacing at the nut, so the strings will naturally fan out as they reach the bridge end. this might explain why the outer units are cocked slightly[/quote] Yeah and the nut is very wide too! They have a very generous spacing and I think, by feel, that the 5-string has the same spacing as a 4-string. ONly problem is it uses the same pickups as the 6-string and if you anchor on the pickup it can confuse you into thinking your strings are MILES appart!

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='480459' date='May 5 2009, 10:32 PM']I think everyone fears failure to a certain extent, for someone to say that there not afraid of failure is probably a lie. With this whole anxiety thing, i had to pull out of 6th form. and im planning on going back in sept, now that is something im scared of. Yeah, i like metal too, iron maiden, pantera etc. I'd love to have a 6 string to try and write songs on. Do you have a myspace? my music myspace is www.myspace.com/zoeheslopbass Z x[/quote] I do but no vids...I don't like camera's!!!! As I said to a guy here who's looking for a metal bass tutor which just DON'T seem to exists, I may start posting some Metal bass lessons...But it's an "Art more than a Science"...Sorry couldn't resist. I think mine is www.myspace.com/KongoXIIV or something like that (User name correct). Nothing to check but some vids I watched. Check out a guy called "dedbass"...he's...quite the rocket on bass! I'd be nervy about school too after a bit of space. I wouldn't go back now. Bare with it and think about College after...that's an awesome experience. Try a music college maybe if you've not already got an idea. I never regreted that. Push through school as hard as you can and then leave it behind. I left a LOT of baggage behind in school...Maybe that's why I fear going back. It's been over 5 years and I still hate it...Haha sad. 6-string is GREAT! I'm a BIG Primus and Les Claypool fan, it gave me reason back when to keep playing and 6-string bass changed my life. As a fan of tapping you can build piano like songs on it. Have a go. I went from a 4-string 34" to a 6-string 35" so you can do it. Maybe avoid what I got if you got small hands...The Ibanez BTB's have very broad necks. My first was a Peavey Grind 6 string...I still have it but don't play it no more...it was my old friend in college.

[quote name='valentine' post='479589' date='May 5 2009, 12:42 AM']you speak good sense and said pretty much how i feel with the whole bass tutor thing,i dont just play metal i play orther styles also but obviously a metal bassist is my main style i heard blotted science its nice kinda reminds me of dream theater a tiny bit,i like all of alex websters work,id love to get close to his level one day with the stuff i write and im not going to give up jst yet on finding as you put it a bassist from hell haha but i will keep looking and scouting the underground band scene and here for the right bassist to get me to the next level i like alot of necrophagists work also if you like them[/quote] It's not heavy at all but if you dig Dream Theater's John Myung check out "Gordian Knot"...It's Prog Rock instrumental and perhaps a bit cheesy in areas with synths but Myung plays a Chapman stick! Also, just like Blotted Science, the bad is bassist led...so yeah there's TWO in there! If I knew how I'd start teching myself. I have many qualifications and have been playing for a long time...Anyone from Geezer Butler to Steve Harris to Billy Sheehan fans would have someone to learn from...I think we need more out there. As I have posted here before (somehwere), when I was taught academically Funk and Jazz was almost forced and many Rock and Metal bassists either changed or were scorned and fell...I wanted to continue so I funked and Jazzed...Funk was good but Jazz meh...But I retained my Metal side too. I feel too many bassists out there fall the same...It's no wonder Bass falls to guitar sometimes...there's noone pushing the boundries. Once Harris and Sheehan and MANY others are dead...who carries the torch? But history has a habit of repeating itself...Not sure if you've noticed but Soul is making a return on the Radio (albiet watered down but still)...Well a New Wave of British Heavy Metal could very well come back...and with it all them Bassists From Hell!!! Keep looking man but fear not we are out there. Go underground, you will find much. I've surfaced for a bit but MAN, the underground rocks! Go on YouTube and check out a guy who goes by the name of "Dedbass". He's in the underground with a Mathcore / Hardcore band and he RIPS but holds the low end too. I don't post vids personally, sorry...maybe in time I could post some Metal tutots vids...I just lack confidence in front of a camera and get red light fever.

Do you mean off as in angle or off as in the Low-B is set back further than the High-C? I have a BTB556mp (6-string natural) and BTB405QM (Trans Red) and have never had tuning problems. I LOVE the basses...but the tone doesn't do well in my current band. Oh and they are NOT for sale. I will use them come time I find something better.

I recently finished off my P-bass project with a BadAss II. I to don't rate standard bridges...you have to keep moving the E and G-string saddle back into centre as they go off and also the springs behind the saddle rattle...Annoying when you play unplugged. It's up to you. Either go for the Geddy Lee or build your own. I'd go for the MIM Jazz personally as you could overhaul it completely...But if your a BIG Geddy Lee nut you may want a Signature. But if it's only for the bridge...they don't cost much you could get a MIM Fender and go from there. P.s. what 'Ray you got cause...I'm in the market for one.

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='479745' date='May 5 2009, 11:01 AM']I've never really got into Wooten much, im not sure why. yeah the neck on the Attitude is big, i'd love one, but i have all of.. £14 quid, and some money for a provisional driving license (£50 quid! madness...) The anxiety thing.. is just really sh*t, i'm not completely sure why it hit me. theres a few reasons that it could have been down to, but its just frustrating. Hoping to get back to school in sept (well 6th form.) But Sheehan gave me the motivation to keep playing bass, cause at one point, i lost the motivation to do.. well everything really. well i love Geddy Lee, his playing style is amazing. and ive never really been into Jazz, but this girl has made me see it differently 'Tal Wilkenfeld' she tours with Jeff Beck. I was watching a live Jeff Beck gig on telly, and she is amazing! Im also like some bassists that havnt got all the technical ability, but a really solid playing style, likw Duff McKagen (guns n roses, velvet revolver, loaded) and nikki sixx... well.. just look at him haha yeh yeh hes 50 now! and as for the kinda music im into.. Mostly classic rock! Motley Crue, guns n roses, hanoi rocks, new york dolls, kiss just to name a few. but all sorts of stuff dotted around the place... classic punk, metal and whatever else catches my fancy im quite open minded about music now. oh yeah, and Rush are amazing. yourself? Z x Edit: oh jesus. how the hell did i forget to mention John Entwistle around here? eeek...[/quote] Being a Teenager never helps...From the age of 14 - 19 I was pretty bad...it still rears it's ugly head now if I'm not careful. WHen the band before this fell appart for instance and I became a working drone...I fear faliure alot, in life, relationships, in bass, in whatever I do. That is one part so...don't feel alone. There are more out there that are the same. But...let's leave that be...BASS TIME! Happy days! I am influenced on alot of old heavy metal from the 70's - 80's and classic rock. My dad is a HUGE Queen fan so I grew up listening to Queen passively over 80% of the time. But these days I'm more metal...From Iron Maiden to Canibal Corpse. I prefere grooves and rhythms to all out thrash and speed...Ironic for a Sheehan fan but that's different than having 2 guitars widdling fast lines all the time. Fear Factory is a good example. From music college I got into groove playing because, like most bass tutors, it was pushed. Over time I find this was a waste as I was lying to myself...I ain;t a funk bassist...I mean I can groove...no no I'm heavy all the way and Bass is a powerful instrument. Now I play my P-bass more than my 6-string Ibanez BTB (although I love the range). I feel more inclined to to tried and tested basses and am pondering a Stringray...But they are so expensive! I'm not all for techneque either. I still have a soft spot for Slipknot, the first modern metal band I got into and Paul Grey, for the most part, plays with a pick and follows the guitar...This is easy and fun to play...pick included. Tim Commerford also was a BIG influence on my playing in past. Sometimes it's good to kick back and play easy...Too much technical play can make you look at your instruments like gym equipment. I too like Geddy Lee's playing and more recently, Tony Levin the "Bassists bassist", again only because I came back to the Rock side of things. I really must learn some Rush and King Crimson...I've got some records to spin so I might do so soon. Not sure what else to say. You love Sheehans playing as much as I do, if not more.

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='479587' date='May 5 2009, 12:39 AM']I've been in a few bands where all the guitarists care about is themselves, aslong as there turned up to 11, nothing else matters! lol. I've been to see Sheehan quite a few times, when Vai played with G3, a couple of clinics, with Vai twice more, Devils Slingshot etc. I've been in touch with Sheehan since i was about 12 (he sent me a birthday postcard), hes my biggest influence ever really. and at gigs, he recognizes me, from stage etc, and after gigs. it still completely blows me away, its mental :| i'll copy and paste this from a thread a while ago.. will save typing lol. Quote: its awesome how much time he makes for his fans. I was doing a presentation in school about him, and i emailed him, and he made me a voice clip saying 'hey this is billy sheehan, welcome to Zoes presentation about myself' etc was amazing. but over the past year and a half, ive been going through a load of crap with anxiety. I ended up being really down, not being about to go school, gigs, band pracs, play with my band, go out with my friends. and i ended up just really demotivated.. its been pretty sh*t and he rang me up while he was in Birmingham, because i wasnt able to make it to his bass clinic. I actually missed the phone call and he left me a voice mail, could have just kicked myself afterwards haha. saved the voicemail though But it was amazing, defiantly the motivation i needed to get back into playing music again, and it worked BIG TIME! Z x[/quote] Yeah he's ALL for the fans it's amazing. He's sposed to write all his Emails personally but after reading that I can beleive anything. It's cool he called you up...Damn that's like your on Billy's mind...That's hardcore! I've never had chance to meet him it sucks...but I will one day, he's a true bassists but better than that, a down to earth guy. I used to be big on Wooten but in his clinics...it felt like he was saying to everyone "I do this but you shouldn't...You should hold only a groove and bow to your guitarists...But I won't I'll be doing all this flashy stuff...but you shouldn't" and after that I felt a little...cheated...Like it was pointless learning his stuff...Maybe he didn't mean it that way but after that I decided that I was gonna focus on what matters musically so I left Funk behind kinda. But Sheehan's different. He does say on everything, like his DVD that you should take what he does and do it your way and not to copy but that's it...Then he'll show you and give advice. But no matter how much I practise...That SPEED of his hands is just silly! And the neck on the Attitude II is NOT thin! It's fatter than my P-bass I'm sure. Well I hope you have the drive still to go out there. Man, Anxiety hit every member in my current band over the years...One still feels that way but he's warming to band life again. All it came from was being downtrodden by a few bands we used to consider friends...And we did so much for them too... Anyways, you should continue to play and better yourself. You have good gear too, it'd be a waste if you never used it...And Billy Sheehan as your guardian angel..Now THAT'S worth playing for! What other bassists / genres you into?

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='479574' date='May 5 2009, 12:09 AM']lol you've said the same thing that i say about his 3 albums. "It's great. I didn't like Compression much...it wasn;t his best start...But Cosmic Troubadour was GREAT!" and thats awesome that youve learn addicted to that rush, you should make a youtube vid! and yeah thats the problem with only the 1 pick up and distortion, you really do need the 2 channels to pull it off like he does. and yeah, love Niacin! haha the wife is amazing!!! but yeah i see what you mean, but i guess thats why its got so much character its great having someone to talk about sheehan with! haha Z x[/quote] Makes a nice change from talking about Wooten. I can relate to Billy much more and actually use his techneques in my own playing instead of just using them because I can...or something. It's people like Sheehan that have put bass on the map...IN a place where it was not likely to be...but then back in the 70's - 80's bass was a big part of metal and I aim to keep that true in my band...Luckily the guitarists are my friends and are very open minded...Which is good. Being told to turn up by a guitarist...well it makes you feel important to say the least. I love his work but more over as well as being a great bassists he's great to listen to. I didn't go the Vai gig 3 years ago...My friend did and he met Billy! He went to "fetch them some picks" and they thought he'd done a runner...But he returned, gave out picks, signed stuff, had photo's took and stayed for a chat...Very humble man...And prob the only Scientologist I like LOL! I have thought about putting 2 channels into my P-bass but I risk copying his Wife and Attitude bass'. I could really use 2 channels on all my basses really for splitting frequencies but then I'd need double the amps so no LOL! Having 2 channels from P and J style would be a good idea, though I'm sure many have done so. It's nice talking to a likeminded bassist for a change...You start to feel alien sometimes if your not talking Funk. Here it seems is different.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='479533' date='May 4 2009, 11:10 PM']Stop pretending its not jazz. Plenty of people here listen to jazz, nothing to be ashamed of. Here at least.[/quote] For sure, Mathcore has Jazz influences...but more Bee-Bop I'd say. (hard-bop more like lol!) But this Jazz is better on my ears...but only when taken in small dosses...As said, there are no vox. I prefere DEP for Mathcore.

[quote name='Zoe_BillySheehan' post='479553' date='May 4 2009, 11:38 PM']aw wow! yeah i'd love to see pictures!!! you'll have to do a review on it too! Yeah, i'm a big can of precisions, i'm after a white one, preferably a Japanese one. I play a Fender Jazz bass Special, its got a p-bass body, jazz neck, with J and P pick ups (seymour duncan quarter pounders) and its Japanese. i love it Yeah, i love the Advanced bass DVD. What do you think of his solo stuff? you heard his latest album 'Holy Cow'? Billy Sheehan mentioned in Classic Rock mag this month that hes thinking of doing a solo tour, playing stuff from his 3 albums, with some david lee roth stuff too. damn.. that would be amazing and i'm soo excited about this Mr. Big reunion, I so hope they come to the UK!! Z x[/quote] I pre-ordered Holy Cow and it came last week. It's great. I didn't like Compression much...it wasn;t his best start...But Cosmic Troubadour was GREAT! Sheehan got me intot he P-bass tone, of which I hated with a passion for years...Now it's one of my favs. But Holy Cow is great...you can really hear his dual pickups better in this one...you get the distorted high end but then absolute SUB at the same time! I'm looking forward to the Mr. Big reunion too...I hope they come to the UK but I know American bands like to do a "World Tour" which means the US only...LOL! Shame if they didn't come. I'm almost finished learning Addicted to that Rush after finally sitting down to learn it...It ain't easy and I currently suck at pinch harmonics...plus having only one pickup you have to be careful with the distortion so it doesn't become too tinny. Got any Niacin? His groove stuff on that is great and shows any haters up with the fact that he CAN groove...I mean he always has done to be honest. He's done the most oddball bass stuff ever and uses distortion and pinch harmonics and neck bends...Yet he has ALWAYS held the biggest low end you'll ever hear. Looking at his first bass, the "Wife" and how stage battered and horrible DIY it was makes you feel safe doing a project build lol! If he scalped his fretboard with a Dremel power tool and used a hammer and chisel to put in that Gibson EBO at the neck...Then your safe with a soldering iron!

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='479541' date='May 4 2009, 11:19 PM']Yeah, I'm used to playing 5-strings with 18mm string spacing, so it was like trying to play bass on a Stratocaster![/quote] LOL! Taking lessons from Reggie Wooten now are we?

I tried looking for such a tutor a few years ago...I don't think they exist. We all love to funk I guess but too many tutors just focus on jazz or funk and that's great, but like said here...Where are the bassists from hell? Someone else posted it here...Learn from Billy Sheehan and others like him. Buy music, DVD's, try to learn licks etc it's the only way BUT use them as you would...beleive me there are many Sheehan clones on YouTube and that's great for showy stuff but on record people will think it's Sheehan. Learn from and use it your way. I watch your vids anyways before coming here. A thing about the 3 fingers...All I can say is use it all the time. Even on 8th notes instead of using 2 fingers use all 3, that way it becomes second nature. I alternate mine though from ring, middle, index back to middle and repeat but that's something you just find yourself. Sheehan goes ring, middle, index repeat but he does it ALL the time. I just don't think you'll find one...I havn't...but maybe we should focus on getting better at it and then becoming tutors of it ourselfs. If noone else will teach then we will. p.s. you got Blotted Science? Webster does some tasty work there!

[quote name='Golchen' post='479518' date='May 4 2009, 10:56 PM']I need to change my vote! Haven't touched my Status since I bought a Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz, and it feels like 'the one'.[/quote] Nice! Pricey but nice. Glad you found home...I find it very hard tracking down "The one".