Cat Burrito

The ability to stop any band member from whinging on about stuff that doesn't matter and to be able to placate any argument. I sound like I've been stung but it really hasn't been *that* bad over the years.

The Police were one of the first bands I liked as a kid (that I didn't get into via my parents record collection) but Sting has consistently disappointed me throughout his solo career. However the new album seems to be a return to the early days (by numbers or otherwise) so I must confess to being more than a little curious about the new album.

I was watching Drive By Truckers on YouTube this week and saw Patterson Hood playing one. I did have a Bouzouki for a couple of years which I tuned like a mandolin. With the longer scale length it meant some of the chords were impossible but if I went down that route again I'd simply tune like the top 4 strings of a guitar. A great fun instrument and if I had more space I'd get one again.

I found an acoustic bass strung with flatwounds sounds better than the stock. Ultimately I prefer an upright bass when playing acoustic and certainly see no shame in just plugging an electric bass in at these things.

[quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1476195114' post='3152177']I use a Realist, which is very natural sounding, both plucked and bowed. Love it! [/quote] I'm another Realist convert... although I wish I'd tried the J-Tone everyone is raving about. The Realist is great but was quite expensive when I consider how little I mic my bass.

When I play guitar I prefer a purer clean tone with just a little bit of old school slapback echo. That said it's fun to add a bit of everything. I tend to avoid distortion but amp's natural breakup can be fun. Basswise I don't use anything. I can't think of an effect I don't like but I guess anything too an excess can be a problem.

My tone is genre inspired and that tone crosses several genres, some of which I don't play - so it isn't a problem. I can't imagine being called upon to play a modern bright sound but if I was, I would probably adapt.

Having owned both a [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]PF500 head and an SVT-210HE cab (but not together), the only advantage to getting a PF cab would be to mount the head in the cab. You have a fine existing set up. [/font][/color]

Personally I like the 50s ones (51 or a 57 or anything inbetween) but most things are good - from Squier to Fender and beyond. They do what they do and if it's what you are looking for then there is plenty of choice.

According to a couple of punters on more than one occasion - "Paul Simonon in a country band". According to me - "Alright... for the shape I'm in!"

I don't mind normally but the drunken punter grabbing strings mid song on Friday was a step too far.

It'd certainly cure GAS for a few people...

There's a whole anti-Fender snobbery on forums but a good bass is a good bass regardless of make. The trick is to play what feels right whether it is a Harley Benton or a Warwick. It stands to reason plenty of us are happy with fender, regardless of custom shop or MIM status.

When we were kids we used to moan about how Craig Adams moved onstage (silly teenage snobbery) but he's a good player and a total pioneer in goth bass. He also looks better in his 50s than he did back in the day.

It seems to be a continuing trend of modern gear that looks retro. I want to like it more than I actually do and I think there are plenty who are taking the same theme and doing it better. I'm sure it's not without its charm but not for me.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1475345833' post='3145286']What's the neck like? I've wanted one (preferably fretless) for a while, but I heard the neck is a bit of a treetrunk.[/quote] I prefer a thicker neck ever since I started playing upright bass and I like this one. It's probably not to your tastes but not the thickest I've had.

[url="http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Tim_73/media/image1_zpsvdyja2di.jpg.html"][/url]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1475337939' post='3145193']By amazing coincidence there's an Eastwood Ampeg thread [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/292557-nbd-tonight-matthew-i-want-to-be-rick-danko/page__p__3142137#entry3142137"]here[/url] on BassChat that started just a few days ago[/quote] ...which was my thread. I'm liking the bass a few days in but yes, my opinions are covered in a little more detail in that thread.

30yrs in and I'm still always learning - so never stop learning and listening. For me it's a mixture of everything already said but trying to play with musicians who are better than me usually helps raise my game.

I had one until I upgraded to the PF-50t and again no issues. I think the owners of the ones that went wrong were just very vocal.

I just acquired the Eastwood copy this week... cheaper but obviously not the 67 classic.

My Great Uncle was a pro trumpet player who played with Mantovani in the 50s and my Dad was a professional drummer in the 60s. Ironically my tastes come from my Mum's old LP records.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1475051471' post='3142544'] Weight? [/quote] They did other songs! Nah, it's a fairly average weight. I thought it'd be light because of those hugs F holes but it's a mahogany body so the F holes balance it out nicely. [quote name='KK Jale' timestamp='1475066903' post='3142750']Is the bridge screwed down on top of the guard, as reputed? [/quote] It is indeed. Strings loading through the back rather than through the body. [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1475069265' post='3142768']And.. is Sneaky Pete clean now? [/quote] He's a law unto himself that one! [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1475071629' post='3142797'] Damn it, I'd forgotten these existed, and now I want one (but without all those pesky frets) [/quote] A couple of you mentioned the fretless versions and my good lady said last night I should have got the fretless. I have an upright so I guess I was just anticipating being lazy!

[quote name='Mariner72' timestamp='1475003301' post='3142256']What sort of a band are you using this with, and what are you going to run it through? [/quote] An originals band, the rockier side of Americana (I guess) - somewhere between Dylan and the Stones. I have an Ampeg Portaflex fliptop rig. I've since noticed Eastwood shipped it without the chrome bridge cover and I will be wanting that too.

Okay so it isn't the original Ampeg bass but don't fret (or in this case add 20 of them) clearly it's based on the model made famous by the likes of Rick Danko. It probably came to my attention via The Black Crowes with Johnny Colt playing his one on the Remedy video shoot. Mine of course is the Eastwood guitars version. I opted for Sunburst and frets. [url="http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Tim_73/media/IMG_0100_zps9abt7qin.jpg.html"][/url] My early assessment is that it sounds good. It sounds very good. I'll probably lose the stock roundwound strings and stick some flats on it (why I'm entertaining this with a "probably" is beyond me, I always wind up doing it!). I really like the headstock and the fact that you can look through the bass (cat model: Sneaky Pete). [url="http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Tim_73/media/ampeg_zpsobweoxcw.jpg.html"][/url] If I were to pick nits with it, the body is smaller than I had hoped (I'm 6ft3) and the barely visable but great sounding pickup looks more like a late 70s aftermarket modification. The bridge and control knobs are standard Precision type and the balance and finish is great. I currently have a 50s RI P-bass and a Hofner verithin so I thought this would be a great retro themed third bass. Oh and I bought it from Reverb (via directly from Eastwood guitars - bizarrely £30 cheaper than just going direct to the guitar company). Reverb seem like a decent alternative to EBay and the like... although I base that of course on just one purchase.