leftybassman392

I used to teach for a living. If you want to PM me I'll be happy to offer a bit of free advice about practice techniques, routines and schedules. No agenda, no pressure, no charge.

5, 7 and 12 are the big ones, being 4th, 5th and 8ve (the most important intervals in western music, that go right back to the ancient Greeks and before the diatonic scale as we know it today was even invented). 3 is the most logical stopover at that end of the fretboard, likewise 9 in the middle of the board (although I've seen instruments that had a dot at fret 10 instead of 9 - which actually makes some sense as it breaks up the mid board in the same way as 3 breaks up the bottom end). Above 12 the pattern just repeats.

Wireless: Something to listen to the Light Progamme on.

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1455061128' post='2975639'] Personally I think that is an unfair position to put Carl into. If he does not respond positively he will be dammed, if he does, he loses revenue for no reason at all. I would rather pay a higher price for good service than a discounted price for poor service. The fact he responded at all would be enough for me to revisit if I was the OP. After all it was the staff, not the shop that caused the problem. [/quote] This. When I first read The Greek's post, the thing that sprang into my head was 'opportunism' (no offence intended, but that's how it came across). Surely the price the customer pays for the more tactile shopping experience is contributing a little something to the cost of providing that experience. The shop owner was considerate enough to come on here of his own volition to answer for the actions of his staff member (who I hope has been chastised in fulsome terms!). Isn't that enough?

Tone controls on Lefty Fenders function as on/off switches.

Ahem: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1D6hKkij_8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1D6hKkij_8[/url]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1454869301' post='2973760'] ... their bass instrument is a sousaphone. [/quote] I played in a band like that once... no, seriously! [spoiler]Keys, guitar, pansx2 and Sousaphone IIRC. Thirty years ago though so no clue what we sounded like, but I do recall that the Sousaphone didn't sound anywhere near as bad as you'd think it should. [/spoiler]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1454935765' post='2974303'] A mate who works in a guitar shop says it's funny how some brands of bass & guitar sell well, despite or because of wear & tear (eg Fender). Whereas some brands simply won't sell if they have even the slightest scratch. He always cites PRS as an example of this [/quote] It's beginning to look like Wal may be another...

I've always done my own - that way I know them literally inside out! Sommer cable and Neutrik plugs, and if I do say so myself I've never, ever arrived at a gig to find any of them non-functional. As one-offs it does take a little time but if you use quality components and trust yourself with a soldering iron it really isn't rocket science. Wired my entire (24-track) recording studio (not to mention my available-for-hire PA rig) with my own cables too (except for the Adat optical cables that is) and never had to replace any of them. In fact when I sold it all off I quite often gave people cables to go with the gear I sold them: I like to hope and believe that they're all still working today (along with the many leads I made and sold to my students over the years). Not for everybody though, so OBBM of this 'ere parish does indeed come with a flawless reputation if you're buying ready made.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1454770540' post='2972822'] The test, I suppose is pretty meaningless if you are using listening equipment that isn't calibrated. Laptop speakers, ear buds and even some professional 'cans' do not accurately reproduce sound as it is at source and thus could have the effect of boosting or cutting those high frequencies - in fact any across the range. [/quote] This. Unless carried out under controlled conditions this kind of test is, at best, a bit of fun. It is true that hearing extension goes with age and extended exposure to noisy environments, but how a 'test' like this can accurately assess that is a bit of a stretch TBH. Didn't somebody post this a year or two ago?

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1454678112' post='2971971'] Cello stuff. I love it. [/quote] Gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYt2LHXF2hs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYt2LHXF2hs[/url] Or maybe something with a bit more passion... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUgdbqt2ON0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUgdbqt2ON0[/url] Enjoy!

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1454592906' post='2971135'] ... or you quit. [/quote] ... which is what I did. Set up my own music services business covering teaching (which allowed me to use my skillset), and a miscellaneous bunch of performance-related activities (which is - or at least ought to be - why we all do this stuff in the first place). We were as poor as church mice for nearly a decade but I never, ever regretted it. In all honesty I'd struggle to recommend anybody to go into teaching right now if they're the least bit uncertain (which is not something I'd have said ten years ago... ). Yes it's about as close as you can get to a job for life right now I think, but from what I've heard the burnout rate is horrendous and the education system is struggling to recruit in some subject areas (Maths and Science spring to mind).

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1454527624' post='2970582'] Saving around £1k seems fairly attractive to me. [/quote] Well in the first place it'll only be £1k if the sale price is close to £7k. At the risk of repeating myself, how many £7k basses have you seen listed recently? In the second place (and at the risk of repeating myself again), isn't that the seller's business? Hang on a minute... Is this some kind of backhanded humour? You know... make a provocative comment about something completely innocuous and insubstantial, and then dig a little trench for yourself and pop off at anyone who shows up? Is it one of those?

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1454526029' post='2970554'] I'm not great at math, but if 15% is just over a grand, you could probably figure out what ballpark the asking price is in? [/quote] Just over £6,666.67. At that sort of price I'd be a bit surprised if anybody listed on here TBH. (Not to say that it wouldn't happen of course, but how many £7k basses have you seen listed here in the last year or so?) Not trying to diss the BC membership, but somebody with a bass worth that much is likely to have a pretty good idea where they want to list it I would think. While I'm here (and without wishing to cause offence) I must confess to being a bit confused as to what exactly the issue is here. My view would be that anybody with an expensive instrument (or even an inexpensive one for that matter) is at liberty to sell it how and where they like. Surely...

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1454521052' post='2970489'] Can someone please explain to me why anyone would put up a relatively expensive bass for sale (which would attract a commission in the four figure bracket) without making any effort to advertise it anywhere else (as far I can tell). [/quote] Tricky one to answer this, but as someone currently engaged in this process I'll give my perspective: 1. As well as putting it in the hands of (in my case) The Bass Gallery, I listed it on here. Despite a number of very supportive comments from fellow BC members, I have had no explicit expressions of interest from within the community (not a dig by the way, just a point of fact). If it costs me 15% of the listed price (not too sure where your 'four figure bracket' comes from) to increase the chances of a sale (and have one of the country's foremost bass emporia to field questions) then I can live with that; 2. It's a Lefty, which automatically diminishes the potential market by around 90%; and much as I love BC and all it stands for, I feel the need to expose it to a wider audience; 3. It's a vintage instrument, and if I'm honest I have no clue where the market truly is (the more so with the currently depressed state of the world economy), and am happy to be advised by experts in the field; they tell me that in better market conditions the current asking price (having been dropped twice since The Gallery's original recommendation) is a bit of a steal; 4. I detest having to package, insure and despatch this kind of kit: always have, and doubly so with a vintage Wal. The commission I will pay includes all the post-sales processing. The standard process here (and elsewhere of course) is to keep dropping the price until I 'find the market'. Unfortunately, in the current climate that would most likely involve me in lopping who-knows-how-much-more until somebody makes an offer some way below that price. The simple fact is that although I do indeed want to sell it, I'm in no particular hurry and can afford to wait for the market to pick up again. (IME people sell instruments like these in order to either generate funds for something else they're after or to help make domestic ends meet: I have no such needs, and being what it is the value is sure to start rising at some point in the not-too-distant future.) In the absence of any pressing need to move it on at all costs, I'm happy to leave it in the very capable hands of The Gallery. Hope that clears things up for you.

[quote name='operative451' timestamp='1454498529' post='2970219'] But i'm having therapy! [/quote]

[quote name='operative451' timestamp='1454419156' post='2969527'] Bitter much? A bit. But hey, i work in the tech industry because i was there when it was new and nobody except nerds with pierced noses knew how it worked.. I file that under 'win'.... [/quote] Care to define 'new' in this context? [spoiler]For reference, I wrote my first computer program at uni in 1978, my first software project (for a school) in 1982, was offered - but turned down - a job writing banking systems software in 1988, by which time I was a head of department teaching the next generation how to do it. [/spoiler] While I'm here, I can't help but feel your characterisation is bit sweeping and stereotypical (arising no doubt from your aforementioned bitterness). I have no kids, I don't do 'holier-than-thou', and whilst I can't help when I was born I certainly have no intention of apologising for it. I don't give a sh*t what anybody thinks about my taste in cars, music, philosophy or food - or anything else that might be relevant (athough I do sometimes get a bit antsey when people presume to preach the error of my ways to me). I worked hard in the environment that prevailed when I was working. It's different now: so be it.

What's wrong with getting it checked out by your GP? No disrespect to any of the above posters (who I'm certain are all trying to help - and to be fair who have mostly recommended the professional option), but IME amateur medical advice - especially sight unseen - is rarely the best option.

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1454277521' post='2968242'] I don't know if it's any help but GAK have got MiM Strats for £440 and USA ones for £650 or so. £700 strikes me as a lot for one that no one is sure of the provenance. I may have missed something in the thread that says I'm wrong though If it were me, I'd be looking at a super Strat, HSH pickups, Floyd Rose etc, but then you are talking money [/quote] Definitely lots of options at that sort of price - can you link the USA strat for £650, as I couldn't find a US one at that price. Ped, any reason why it can't be a MIJ/CIJ model? I used to have a '90s MIJ '57RI Strat and a '90s MIJ '72RI Tele; both were exceedingly good instruments. I don't know what the market is for 80s/90s MIJ Fenders right now, but I'd be surprised if you can't get a good one well within your budget (with plenty left to explore hotter pup options...) ETA: Plenty to choose from it seems... [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l2632.R2.TR3.TRC1.A0.H1.XMIJ+Stratocaster.TRS0&_nkw=mij+stratocaster&_sacat=3858"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40& _trksid=p2050601.m570.l2632.R2.TR3.TRC1.A0.H1.XMIJ+Stratocaster.TRS0&_nkw=mij+stratocaster&_sacat=3858[/url]

[quote name='fatwull' timestamp='1454168371' post='2967182'] Is one cab loud enough to jam with a full band? [/quote] Doubtful IMHO (although it does seem to punch well above it's weight and will certainly produce enough SPL for a small space - and of course it will depend on what you'll be asking of it). 2 x EXT112 is the recommended setup with the Streamliner 600, and should be as loud as you'll ever need. As I said though, I don't gig any more so the single cab is plenty for what I need; but if that situation were to change I'd certainly look to get a second cab.

124 votes cast; approximate mean age = 47.4 years. (Doesn't actually say anything about the BC membership as a whole of course. It gives the approximate mean age of those who have voted in this poll. Just so you know... )

I have an EXT112 and a Streamliner 600 (can't justify a second cab as I don't do live work any more but would if I could in a heartbeat). ! can't comment on the other option but the EXT is a superb piece of kit that suits the sound I want to make perfectly, and also has the benefit for me of being really, really light to carry around.

What are all you people doing in my room? NURSE!!!

I found this comparison chart: [url="https://cedarstripkayak.wordpress.com/lumber-selection/162-2/"]https://cedarstripka...election/162-2/[/url] Not exhaustive, but it does contain both Ebony and Lignum Vitae as well as some of the more commonly used guitar and bass tonewoods. Some interesting and occasionally surprising results. As a ([i][b]very![/b][/i]) rough guide, the body weight of a Jazz Bass will be around 10 - 12% (in pounds) of the number you see in the column on the right - that's just the body though; don't forget to add weight for the rest of it! (Some of the woods listed don't have their weight shown in lb/ft[sup]3[/sup], which is what most UK residents will identify with; but if you go down the list to Water Gum the number on the left - tonne/m[sup]3[/sup] - is exactly 1, which provides a good reference point.)

[url="http://www.foxreno.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/jefferson-airplane-founder-paul-kantner-dead-9378.shtml"]http://www.foxreno.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/jefferson-airplane-founder-paul-kantner-dead-9378.shtml[/url] Not normally my style to do these kind of threads, but this man and his band were a major part of my teenage years. Slightly lost for words right now...