thodrik

I wasn't going to reply in this thread as I think that any debate over 'the best' in a field as subjective as music seems to be pointless. Nevertheless I felt that this would a good a place as any to state my opinions on Flea. The guy is a household name and is in my opinion one of the most influential bassists in mainstream popular music. He is a great player as evidenced by the stuff in the RHCP and the first Mars Volta album. He has sold millions and millions of albums and is often the first guy beginners look to when they think of bassists that are at the forefront of their bands. While this often leads to kids going to music shops, picking up a bass and slapping away badly, at least they are playing the bass rather than another instrument. I think that people while like Wooten, Jaco, Berlin etc often inspire bass players to improve their technique, it is guys like Flea that inspire people to pick up the bass in the first place. Edit: I'm not sure about those new Flea basses though! The thought behind them was admirable however.

My brother played guitar, he wanted a bass player. It ended up being me! The first few years were generally spent with me trying to keep up with him The first few years were spent playing Cream, Free and AC/DC. Black Sabbath were a big deal to me but it wasn't until I heard Tool, Dozer and Kyuss that I found out that I did just want to play bass, I wanted to be a bass player.

Holy grail of bass sounds? Hmmm, I not a fan of overly processed bass sounds, despite being a massive Tool and Rage Against the Machine fan. My most favourite bass sounds generally tend to be ones with a general quality throughout an album, rather than constantly changing from clean to overdrive to chorus etc. Here are some of my personal favourites that don't contain Tool, Rage and Flea! Scott Reeder in Kyuss. Just some very cool stuff. The Kyuss stuff is brilliantly under-produced, you can almost hear them thinking. Geezer Butler in Black Sabbath, though I don't listen to anything after Never Say Die. John Calabrese on the Born a Lion album by Danko Jones. Not everybody likes the band, but I just think the general bass sound on that album is very funky and fuzzy without being overly-produced Lou Gorra from Halfway to Gone. Precision bass overdriven, simple and cool. Andy Fraser in Free. Yeah its old, but the general sound he got out of his bass was first class. Also, I'm not a massive fan of the band generally, but I think that Ben Kenney from Incubus always manages to get a fantastic sound, recorded and live. Oh and the bass line for All Along the Watchtower by Hendrix. In my book, its fantastic and it still doesn't feel dated or overplayed to my ears.

[quote name='jamiejames' post='574103' date='Aug 19 2009, 01:17 PM']Hi all I am opening a bass shop in Glasgow, yup, no guitars no drums no keys, just bass stuff, everything from beginer to pro level and i would appreciate a bit of help with a few questions to help with the marketing, you can reply here or to [email protected] i guarantee you will not be contacted via your reply unless you specifically ask to be, i would be grateful for your input and suggestions 1) Do you welcome a bass specific shop in Scotland 2) What would you like to see in stock 3) Are you more likely to visit the shop or use our online service 4) Roughly how much do you spend on bass goods in a year 5) Is this likely to increase if you had a bass shop you could visit? The shop will be for bass players and by bassplayers so please take a minute and help us to provide the best possible service and to stock the things you want to see. cheers jamie[/quote] Hi, good luck with this venture. 1) I do welcome it very much, though the stuff at Guitar Guitar and CC Music is none too shabby. If you were planning something like a Scottish version of the Gallery though, that would be nice. 2) Well, DR strings would be nice, you can't really find them anywhere past the border! Its going to have to be a mix of everything, I would suggest stocking some upright bass equipment and sheet music, just to cover the whole bass spectrum. Second-hand stuff is always cool. Try stocking amps that aren't just the usual Ashdown/Ampeg fare. Also, try stocking pedals that aren't Boss. 3) Being in Glasgow, I would probably adopt the same approach as I do to Guitar Guitar now. Look online, have a look to see what is in, if I see something I fancy I phone them and check that its in, then I'll go down and try it/buy it. That requires a frequently updated site though. If it was local, I would probably drop by just to see what was in. 4. Last year was the year I finally upgraded my entire set-up (after about a 6 years of saving and waiting), which ended up costing me about £3000. Generally though, its gonna be strings, a few pedals and maybe a set up through the year, so generally in the £200-600 bracket. 5. I would probably buy more pedals/accessories if I had a greater choice. I'm pretty sure the next bass I'm going to get (financially it might take a while) is a great Jazz style bass. If you stocked stuff like Nordstrand, Modulus and the like you'd would get a sale out of me sooner or later! Also, some kind of notice board would be cool, and clinics would be welcome. You could also offer lessons for people starting out and so on. Oh, and make sure that the people working there have decent product knowledge. I hate asking about something only to find out that I know more about the product than the guy who is trying to sell it to me!

I'm got one of the G7 SM300 combos, which has served me well over a ten year period. Had to change the speaker last year which was the first thing that went wrong. My pet cat tended to use it as a scratching post though, due to the carpet finish. I've never tried the 'classic' 1980s Trace gear, so can't comment on it, but I consider the new Trace cabs to be fairly functional. I'm using the 1028H and the 1518 and I'm very happy with the sound I'm getting. Also, the new cabs are very light when compared to the Kamen and Gibson era stuff. The 2x10 is pretty much a one-hander, for short distances anyway!

Hmmm, tough. Lots of stuff I'd like to own but not sure whether they would be used as part of a gigging setup. There is lots of stuff I'd like to have just for the sake of having it! Basses: I would like a nice Fender Jazz bass Some kind of 5 string A fretless 4 string bass Vigier Arpege 4 string or another Excess, Amps: I would probably stick with the Fafner to honest. I would not say no to a Mesa Big Block 750 or Aguilar DB750 though! Cabs: Probably the EBS 4x12 cab, though only if my unlimited funds extended to transport! Also tempted by the 1x18 matched with the 4x10 done by Trace Elliot, not mega expensive or 'boutique-cool' but I would be very confident that they would more than meet my needs. Pedals: Any number of fuzz/overdrive pedals that I could try out. I'm not really on the lookout for anything just now though. I've made my gear choices and might as well stick to them.

I think for a £500 'metal' bass you can't go too far wrong with an Ibanez or Yamaha. You could also try some of the Fernandes basses, Really though, I can't understand how any kind of P-bass wouldn't cut it for metal. A P-bass with thick strings played through a decent amp should deliver for most metal (and for me most music in general!) apart from maybe some technical-metal that requires you to slap, pop and tap all over the place. You could look into a decent pre-amp for the P-bass rather than a separate bass. Changing the pickups is also another possibility, but if you like the sound of the bass for other types of music, you might not want to change that.

I used to be very fussy in terms of action, My 1979 P-bass that I've had since the age of 14 has always had a stupidly low action, it plays like a dream and I can do all kinds of slappy, tappy stuff on it. I used to compare every bass to it, and assumed that if the action on another bass was higher then that bass was somehow inferior to the Precision. I ended up getting a Vigier, and actually went through a period quite like the topic of this thread. I went through almost a year of thinking that the higher action of the Vigier made it not as good as what I already had. It was a slow process but I'm so glad I stuck with the Vigier, its an outstanding bass. To be honest, I probably bought the bass before I was good enough to play it. I now think that while its easier to play flashy stuff with a low action, tone is so much better and clearer if the action is higher, especially if you are digging in. If you can master even a slightly higher action, you will be all the better for it. I think that if you going through boutique bass after boutique bass and are feeling let down, then I suggest getting a custom Fender/Sadowsky/Lakland type thing, as those are top quality basses that are very familiar and generally pretty easy to get a very low action on. Fretting about basses and gear just gets in the way of playing, just find an instrument you like and commit to it. Also, I have tried raising the action on the Fender, but the bridge is kinda wrecked and the string saddles collapse back down when you dig in after you have raised the action. Now I know why the action has always been so low!

I've been using it for gigs for the last 4 months or so. Very impressed with the overall sound. Since its a tube pedal it seems to react well to the dynamics of your playing rather than giving off a constant fuzz like some other pedals. You can switch the tubes as well to suit your sound. I think its better for more gentle overdrive rather than full on fuzz, but it can do both really well. However, it is pretty bulky, I'm not convinced by the placement or design of the power source and I'm not too sure how its going to last in the long term in terms of build quality. Also, the on/off switch tends to work with a loud click on pressed on and off, which can be annoying when turning the pedal off during a quiet part when the drummer isn't playing! I don't know if anybody else has had this problem, but it has been an issue for me, I actually returned the first Muff'n I got because the on/off click was [i]really[/i] loud, the second has performed better but is far from flawless! That said, for the general sound, I was totally impressed and since its a 'mostly always on' pedal when I'm doing a rock gig (which are most of my gigs) I can live with it. Would have liked to have tested it against the EBS Valvedrive, but the EBS pedals aren't in any shops in Glasgow, which leaves me almost having to buy them to try them, which I'm not going to do.

Vigier Excess bass, Fafner head, new Trace Elliot cabs. That probably makes me Arsene Wenger: I have a great love for expensive and exotic French things up front that most people haven't really heard of; I own a great midfield engine working to half its potential due to the backline (4ohms); and a backline that was once famous for its power, quality and reliability, but in recent years has been exposed and come up short when tested against the big boys, to the point that it is now a shadow of its former self. While I'm sure my backline would perform alright for some else, its comparative mediocre status is holding back my otherwise exotic set-up. However, I lack the funds necessary to buy the backline I truly desire, so I'll probably just sit around for another year and make do with what I already have.

[quote name='Geoff' post='562877' date='Aug 7 2009, 04:14 PM']I think the Fafner is more 'tube' sounding and possibly has a slightly grittier sound from what I can work out. Get a Fafner and if you dont like the sound i'll swap it with my TD650 haha. I was really torn between the Fafner and the TD650 and went for the 650 as it seemed like it was more versatile.[/quote] Yeah, I would agree that the Fafner is a bit more grittier sounding and a bit dirtier, but not by all that much really. I think you can just about dial in the same kind of sound on the TD 650, but as the Fafner [i]looks[/i] more like a rock head, the difference in sound appears greater than it actually is. That last sentence didn't make much sense sorry! Anyway, lots of HiFi sounding slap guys have used the Fafner too though, so it is pretty versatile as well, though probably not as much as the 650. But for me, both heads sound great, the Fafner has the looks and a (slightly) grittier sound and the 650 has the features and versatility. I don't need the features though and couldn't be happier with the Fafner!

The TD650 is a kick-ass amp, tried it once at a gig with the Proline 4x10 and was very impressed. I ended up getting a Fafner in the end but only because I thought I didn't need the extra features of the 650. That said the Fafner II, with all its new bells and whistles, has got me quite excited!

Despite being started as a statement against lightweight amps, this thread has just made me just want a Compact! I've always liked the sound of a single 15inch speaker and don't think I lose anything when using one and would gladly take it over most 4x10s. That said, I don't know if I would want anything smaller than a 15 for a single speaker enclosure as I don't think a ten or 12 would cut it at the gigs I do. Yeah, I would like to use a 4x12, 8x10 or 2x15 cab for all my gigs, but I don't own a van, so I have to maximize my sound but be able to fit it in a small car with radiator problems!

Ummm, I don't use them anymore! I probably should, but I have never dropped a bass at a rehearsal or a gig in the 5 years since I stopped using them and just got a decent strap. Now I've said that, the next time I pick up a bass it will inevitably crash onto the floor, so I now have to go out and buy straplocks. Great.

'You need both!' For the first minute or so it was fairly interesting, but it descended quickly into corporate shilling, (you need both) generalisations (if you play a Precision you always play in the pocket) and outright strangeness! I still like the Jay guy though, he is pretty watchable.

[quote name='Geoff' post='559987' date='Aug 4 2009, 10:21 AM']Get an EBS Fafner. There was one in the for sale section recently. They go down to 2Ohms, sound very valve like, are loud and look very metal. I play in a Black/Thrash metal band and have to compete with an ENGL and Mesa through 4x12's and getting my EBS has been a godsend. I have the TD650 which is slightly more HIFI sounding than the Fafner, but I can imagine that working out pretty well for you too.[/quote] I would recommend the Fafner also, and I own one to boot. It can handle any style, looks cool and secondhand it would be in the price range. If you really wanted all valve you could try an Electric Amp. [url="http://www.electricamp.com/"]http://www.electricamp.com/[/url] I pretty sure price-wise it would be way out of budget and you probably wouldn't find them second hand, but I just think they look really cool!

Not tried attaching anything yet, but here goes! If I did it right it should be me and the 1978 P-bass. If you look closely you can see the crack where the last owner had cut the scratchplate in two!

[quote name='Tee' post='556301' date='Jul 30 2009, 04:26 PM']EHX English Muff'n. It's a tube overdrive and it reacts well to your attack (eg more break up the harder you play etc). It also keeps the lows pretty intact. here's a sample [attachment=29982:Spy_Driver.mov][/quote] +1 on that, the Muff'n has been the best purchase I've made this year. It also has the addition of you being able to swap the tubes to 12AX7s for a slightly different sound. I'd like to try the EBS Valvedrive and Multidrive, but you don't see it in shops around here and I'm not going to order them blindly.

[url="http://www.bass.se/"]http://www.bass.se/[/url] FAQ question 5. All the EBS heads apart from the 90 watt tube amp should work okay without a load. Also, good to see another Fafner owner and in Glasgow no less! Ach beaten to it, but I did refer to the website, so not entirely useless.

Scott Reeder, Kyuss, Unida, Nebula and...Scott Reeder. Using a Rickenbacker bass, he played psychedelic stoner-rock left-handed, using his fingers and usually barefoot. Later switched to Ibanez ATK 300 (and later to a custom model). Often downtuned and using lots of pentatonic stuff. Amps during Kyuss were old style Ampeg SVTs through a couple of 8x10s, probably has used other stuff too over the years, but generally whatever the amp the process is the same, crank a tube amp up and play loud. Sorry its not too in depth the Dirk Lance one is kinda hard to top! Oh, he auditioned for Tool and Metallica but didn't get either gig, probably because he played psychedelic stoner-rock left-handed, using his fingers and usually barefoot! Produces stuff as well like Orange Goblin. If anyone wants to do a more in depth and accurate one, they are welcome, I just want Mr Reeder to be recognised!

[quote name='leonshelley01' post='557470' date='Jul 31 2009, 10:42 PM']Ordered a Dunlop 105q Wah that was "in stock" from Bass Centre on 30th June. They duly took my money and after many phone calls and broken promises, apparently it may arrive next week.[/quote] Ah, then I'm not the only one! I ordered a Mesa Walkabout that was 'in stock' in early January. I was charged and it duly arrived in April. Luckily I did end up getting the new blackface model and if they had charged me after I received it, it would have included the almost £300 price hike that was attached to the amp since the time I ordered it. So I guess I was lucky to be unlucky! It was taking the piss a bit though when I walk into my local shop in early February and a second hand Walkabout is sitting in the shop!

I always try and support the local shop in terms of buying strings, straps and pedals etc. If everybody bought online then shops would close which be shame, (well mostly be a shame, the music shop bashing thread could convince you otherwise!) But for the sake of a couple of quid I don't see the point and find the online thing more awkward;waiting for delivery, the long awkward process if it doesn't work right. Buying locally has the bonus of the product being there already. However, if the difference is more than £100 quid on an item priced between £200-800, then I'm liable to buy online. Also, when it came to my main purchases, they have all been online (or at least discoverd online) but mostly because there was nowhere near to me that stocked what I wanted and since they were not registered dealers, they were not exactly going to order them in!

When I saw the stuff at first, my first thought was 'gimmicky', but but after I tried the briefcase I was very much impressed. One of my mates is planning to pick one up as he is starting to do teaching and needs an amp to carry about from lesson to lesson. I have not tried the bigger cabs yet, but something tells me I would still pick a big 12 or 15 inch speaker over them, but that is just me being a traditionalist. If I was (a);doing gigs on the upright, or (; doing some small acoustic type gigs, I would consider the suitcase or briefcase. However, I've not done an upright gig in 5 years and don't see myself ever doing the acoustic thing. The Bass Buddy is probably most tempting though, for a luxury headphone practice tool, it would be that or the EBS Microbass I think. Just now I've got a cheap Park/Marshall 25 watt thing thats lasted 11 years, and until my finances change, I think it will be around a lot longer than that!

[quote name='Tee' post='556909' date='Jul 31 2009, 10:33 AM']Just ordered from the bass centre for the first time. A pedal that's in stock. I'm wondering how long the process will take. Any ideas?[/quote] Well. that depends on whether it is actually in stock, or just in stock unitl you get charged for it, after which it is magically no longer have it in stock and you have to wait ages for them to get hold of it! That only happened to me once at bass centre but a couple of times with other places, so I'm wary of being dicked around now! Generally Bass Centre have been pretty good and delivered within 3 days to me when it is actually in stock, which is pretty good.

Well, I have generally found that the theory has been more helpful than reading, at least in a rock band situation. Having a working knowledge of scales, harmony and melody has been far more helpful in band situations than the ability to read, as most band members I've had either don't know how to read, or don't work with notation when writing. I picked up the double bass at 15, 4 years after picking up the bass, and it was honestly the best thing that I ever did to improve my abilities and knowledge of the role of bass in music. I already knew how to read since learning the violin at a young age but playing double bass really opened up my eyes, until I ultimately got sick of it. Doing all the grades, but more importantly playing in orchestras really helped my basic understanding of theory, playing abilities and timing; nothing prepares you for open E, 98 bar rest, open E! Being a rock guy though, I was fed of classical music after the first year of studying it at uni and I've not played in an orchestra since. However, the theory has stuck with me subconsciously and I'm glad I did go through with all the grades etc, as it allows you to look at music from different angle and be aware of more interesting harmonies than the minor 3rds and perfect 5ths. At least the ability to read is there when I need it, though it might need a bit of work after 5 years away from it! That said you have to know how to play as well! I can't count the amount of guitarists I've met that talk a great game and actually know a lot of theory, but have no feeling, timing and can only play in drop d with one fingered chords.