leftybassman392

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1463504373' post='3051893'] Well obviously the best music was made in the 70s. I was also a teenager in the 70s, but I'm sure those two facts are purely coincidental. [/quote] Oooh! Nearly forgot: school 6th form 1970 - In The Court Of The Crimson King! [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJ7An2CMB4"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJ7An2CMB4[/media][/url]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1463499603' post='3051845'] I've had a pretty hard life with some horrific experiences along the way, some have been well documented. And all I can think is some of you lot really really need to lighten up. [/quote] I'm happy. Look: It's just people documenting stuff from their lives, if it's crappy then it's down to them to say so if they want, and (if I may be so bold) not your place to criticise. Life isn't always happy clappy (as you seem to know already), so why make it seem so?

Ahem: [b]'50s[/b]: (some have been around a while) Too young to remember much, but I do recall my dad being a gifted artist made to work as a bus driver to feed his family - took his frustrations out on them from time to time. Still, at least he wasn't an alcoholic...; [b]'60s[/b]: Discovered recreational drugs and as a consequence don't remember much about this decade either. On the upside, I discovered rock music at the hands of Jimi Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane. [b]'70s[/b]: Left home on my 20th birthday in 1973 at very short notice. My mum was devastated, and it still pains me to this day. Spent several years in the wilderness (on numerous counts). Punk music (which ought to have been right up my alley) passed me by completely. Saw the light for the first time in '76 and picked up on the education I had so precipitously cut short some years previously. [b]'80s[/b]: Got my degree, trained to be a teacher and got a proper job at the age of 29. [b]'90s[/b]: Saw the light for a second time, got out of a pretty good teaching job (head of department - the 3rd such posting) and lived the dream as, um, a guitar tutor . Didn't have two pennies to rub together for the next 13 years, but I was my own man and was happy (and without wishing to sound unduly immodest I was pretty good at it). [b]'00s[/b]: Offered (and turned down) a nice teaching job and continued to be poor but happy. After years of spending money we didn't have I finally saw the light for the third and final time and set about getting the household finances in order. '[b]10s[/b]: Major back injury and some psychological issues (that had been bubbling under for a while if I'm honest) put paid to the music career. More or less happily retired now. Sound domestic fiscal management (plus some good fortune courtesy of a substantial PPI payout) means that we are now completely debt free and with a nest egg that should allow us to see out our days in relative comfort. Hoping to live long enough to spend most of it too.

Sometimes the internal bracing is reversed I think (unlikely to be much of an issue but all the same..). If there's electrics they'll be in the wrong place - as will the jack socket unless it's part of the tailpin (not a given). Changing the bridge on an acoustic is normally a professional job as the bridge saddle is not at right angles to the strings (which means the bridge plate needs to be replaced, especially if it has an undersaddle peizo). Changing the nut may or may not be depending on how it's made. Some acoustics have cutaways but from your question I'm guessing the one you're interested in doesn't. On very upmarket instruments the neck profile may be asymmetric as well (though this is still pretty rare and unlikely to be an issue). If I think of anything else I'll get back to you. Long story short: depends how fussy you want to be about it.

Had a listen to some stuff on youTube - looks weird but sounds really nice! Very impressed. The website seems to indicate Lefties available as a custom build only. Ah well...

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1463116846' post='3048687'] A PhD is supposed to good research, not difficult. OK, we don't know the full story of the OP's work, but s/he states very clearly that they want data from bass players of all levels, and I think his questionnaire attracts the opposite, it speaks to a relatively narrow spectrum of educated and tutored musicians. If the survey were specifically aimed at this relatively small group of bass players, then fine (having said that, from some of the responses in the thread, it's clearly drawing ambiguous responses from players interpreting questions differently, so perhaps it still needs some thought). I get the feeling the OP should have piloted the survey on a small group, got some feedback (the type he's getting here), and then gone public with it (although perhaps that's what he's doing). I'd certainly suggest that s/he explain or provide examples of techniques specified and clarify some of the questions themselves, both of which would both broaden the range of players who can respond and at the same time increase the reliability of the responses. And frankly, use a decent platform, the YOB has a drop down icon next to it but you're required to manually enter the year! [/quote] All very good points (and FWIW I do agree with many of them). I'm not looking to be confrontational (and did indeed make the point about adopting a multi-faceted approach). I'd agree that in the absence of any clarification from the OP, there do appear to be some flaws in the piece as it stands. That said, his aim seems to be to develop an algorithm: any algorithm he develops will need data. How he generates that data is the point under discussion (and which may stand in need of further development), but the need for it isn't going to change. The obvious place to look for it is in the music itself (notwithstanding the remarks on the subject from the OP himself!).

In fairness to the OP (and assuming he's trying to do what I think he's trying to do, i.e. develop an algorithm that can be used to analyse any piece of music and come up with a difficulty rating), the algorithm he develops will need to use the component parts of the music in order to acquire the data it will need to perform the analysis; which in turn will most likely dictate how the questionnaire is structured. Despite the alternatives offered hereinabove, I'm not sure it can be done any other way. If it's to have the utility he's looking for, it needs lots of numbers to crunch. Without wishing to offend anybody, I don't think that asking people to rate tunes in terms of difficulty will do the job; and for a number of reasons. When all's said & done, it is a Ph.D. project, so the level of difficulty involved should really be a given I would have thought... Having said that, there are some very good players out there who for whatever reason find it very difficult to describe what they do in such technical terms - no criticism implied by the way. This would appear to suggest the possibility of a multi-faceted approach. Just thinking out loud and using my mathematical background really: it's the way I would look to do it.

Done - for what it's worth (I've been retired for several years although I still play for myself). Answers to technique-based questions have been given as of the years immediately before my retirement.

It's been a while, but in my covers band days I seem to remember that 'Everybody needs Somebody' generally got people moving; in the function band 'Wonderwall' was pretty solid too.

Got it. My bad. So, er, yes; it does look very nice...

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1462739381' post='3045392'] dobro. Just sayin'. [/quote] Yes indeed. It's still a lap steel guitar though. The giveaway is the square neck profile. He just happens to be playing it standing up is all. Just ask this man: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RSQJWMJO8I"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RSQJWMJO8I[/media][/url] Background on the lap steel: [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lap_steel_guitar"]https://en.wikipedia...ap_steel_guitar[/url]

All contributions most welcome of course, but it's not a gospel thread as such. Just sayin'...

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1462528691' post='3043756'] I may get get an annodized gold pickguard for it... even more lush: [/quote] Just had another look at this... Is that actually a new scratchplate; or just the original in a slightly funny light that makes it look anodised?

I have this thing about the movie 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' and I just can't get past it. I keep coming back to it time and again. I'm not remotely religious (technically I'm an Agnostic Sceptic for those who like things in neat little boxes), but the soundtrack to this movie does such an outstanding job of conveying time and place that I can't imagine it otherwise. Here's perhaps the best known song, sung by the man whose voice you hear in the movie working at his day job. Watch out for the lap steel playing. Enjoy. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBVnKYOvWcs&list=PLmqlOGJa7NCZLu_7j1EZyHTMDkTIhxKIx"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBVnKYOvWcs&list=PLmqlOGJa7NCZLu_7j1EZyHTMDkTIhxKIx[/media][/url]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1462520775' post='3043666'] I've just done more research, this is in fact a 54RI not a 57RI according to [url="http://freespace.virgin.net/john.blackman4/50s.htm."]http://freespace.vir...ckman4/50s.htm.[/url] [/quote] Well it don't 'arf look like the one I used to have! (Link seems to be dead BTW. I assume that it would have highlighted the differences between them. ) New scratchplate looks good. My '57 RI had a single ply white jobby that frankly looked cheap & nasty but was apparently authentic. I assume it would be the same with the '54...?

I had one of these - exactly this model - for a number of years. An excellent guitar it was too. I'm a big fan of Japanese Fenders from the '90s; pretty much as good as the American instruments of the period for a lot less money (I had a '72 RI Tele that was my main teaching instrument for years - boy I loved that guitar!). You won't go far wrong with that. As coincidence would have it I eventually gave mine away to my nephew in the (probably forlorn) hope that it would encourage him to take the instrument up again. I do occasionally wonder if it was the right thing to do, but it is what it is so no point worrying about it.

It's been said several times already but bears repeating: too much LF content in the monitors is generally not a good idea. There's a lot to be said for smaller units. Ask yourself, what do you really [i]need[/i] to hear (not necessarily the same as what you may [i]want[/i] to hear of course...)?

Not really my thing either, but undeniably impressive technically. These look like showcase pieces to me - letting the world know he's out there. Seems to have worked too by the sound of it. Good luck to him; a talent like that needs a home.

For me, the buzz of being onstage was why I did it at all. Congrats, and long may it continue.

Mute the string in a slightly different place (you may need to experiment a little). Without getting overly technical, harmonics pop up at many points along the entire length of the string, especially near the nut or bridge. It also depends how you're muting it - doing it with one finger increases the chance of a harmonic sounding. Not sure it has much to do with the type of string you're using (although I suspect that is a different debate... ). The open string is a worst-case scenario as well (with fretted notes you have the fretting finger to help control unwanted resonances).

I saw a couple of 339s in a music shop in Exeter a few years ago. I thought they looked nice - sort of a baby brother to the 335. I didn't get the chance to play one though since they had no lefties.

Each to his own, but I've had several basses with them fitted (not by me I hasten to add) and I can't remember ever actually using them. I haven't gigged for a few years though so maybe things have changed in the meantime... Or maybe I just wasn't good enough to be doing the kind of gigs that would require them. I would add that they were fitted to the side of the fretboard so that I could see them but the audience couldn't (which I've always thought was the main reason for having them at all - otherwise it's just bling IMHO). Also very expensive to fit and even more expensive to repair if they go wrong.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1460974081' post='3030212'] The construction methods of the 335 and 336 are completely different: 335 has laminate front and rear over a centre block, 336 is Carved from solid and capped. [/quote] Yes I get that (I've owned or used several Gibsons at one time or another). I'm just keen to know how it affects the sound and playability.

Anybody played a 335 [i]and[/i] a 336? I have a lovely '84 cherry red 335, and I'm kind of curious to know how the sound and feel compares.