Muzz

Guy: "I like the hole, makes it look like someone's knocked it up in a shed or something..." Warwick: "That'll be £3,500 please" Nobody: "Fantastic, I'll have two..." 😁 Great idea, though - I can never understand all the hoohah about tonewoods, when this is soooo much more influential on sound...

I've had a 1200, a 300, a 3000A and a 1024, and I'd completely agree that the 414 I have now punches waaaaayyyyy above its weight. Just a really, really good passive P/J. I liked the 2024 I played at Bass Direct years ago, but I don't think I could live with the neck profile these days, and spending almost ten times as much to find out? Probably not...

I've mentioned this before, but we play a bit of Irish stuff on a regular gig in an Irish pub, and we have the following conversation a lot: Punter: 'Play 'The Black Velvet Band*' lads... Me: Sorry, we don't know it Punter: Ahhhh, you do... Me: No, we don't Punter: Sure, you do: it goes 'Tah diddle day-ay-trah-la...' Me: Nope, sorry; we don't know it... Punter: You dooooo... The singist came up with the best response to this unending cycle: 'We'll play it at the end if we have the time' We never have the time... * Substitute obscure/inappropriate Irish tune here, although that one is particularly awkward anyway: it's a right old dirge, and we usually get asked for it as the place is bouncing...

That's fantastic in every way... 😁

Change for a fiver. He’d already asked both the singer and guitarists. He was really disappointed when, amazingly, the drummer didn’t have change on him either...

Soooo, the other day I took one of my lesser-played Shukers off the wall, and I guess it must be the bout of unseasonably warm and dry weather we've had, but the fret ends were suddenly sharp. It's an ebony board, and I've never had a moment's trouble with it until now (it'd be about 15 years old, as far as I can judge - I've had it for probably ten), it's suddenly gone over the last few weeks. I hadn't played it in maybe a month. Is it worth a sustained effort to oil and re-oil it (I'm in the habit of oiling it when I change the strings, so maybe twice a year), or should I just bite the bullet and have the fret ends dressed?

Oooooog...thanks for the info, it's not looking good, though...I don't fancy buying a 2024 and having to fork out again to have the neck reprofiled...I might just get Jon Shuker to make me a neck to my normal profile for the 414...

Just don't mention 'heft'....

Just as an aside for the OP, the 1 x 212 or 2 x 112 thing? Depends on the range of venues/volumes you'll be playing, but more importantly how self-restrained you can be: I once had three Berg 112s (and an amp that could run them all), figuring I'd have the ultimate modular rig. I did, but every time I left the house I always brought a second 112...and a lot of times the third, 'just in case'. No self-restraint, y'see... 🙂

Yep, we have this in the back pocket, just in case...we've used it a couple of times, and it's lightened the mood really well...

This, completely - some of the worst load in/out experiences have been weddings and clubs (not many pubs up four flights of stairs), and while we play some, erm, lively gigs, the worst punch-ups have been at weddings...and there's very very rarely security at weddings... The load in and out, though, are as hard as your gear makes it, as is the pre- and post- gig experience of other band members. You lot have played in some terrible bands... Bottom line is, play the pubs you want to play, and don't play the ropey ones.

The Japanese started that way, but very soon outclassed the British stuff with much better and innovative designs. There was no real other competition back then, either. The whole point these days is it's all been done sooooo many times before. I doubt another mid-range Jazz copy is gonna distinguish itself from the hundreds of others available, including the originals - let's face it, Fender make plenty of different Jazz models, too... There's no innovation in these basses I can see.

Thanks Lee, we're getting a bit nearer; soooo, the 2024 is near the 424...now all I need is someone to compare the 424 with the 414 or 1024... 😁

Oooo, I've just spotted they're rear ported (other than the 410), that's me out, I'm afraid... 😕

I'm still GASing for a white 2024/x, but I'm unsure about the neck profile. As you've played both, is there a difference in neck profile between to 1024 and the 2024? FWIW, I found the 1024 a bit too chunky for me, the 414 I have at the moment is better...

I'm gonna guess that high profile players who already have a relationship with Ashdown will be inclined to favour and/or use them, as it will give them a single point of contact for the tools of their trade, however I've been around far too long to be impressed with 'celeb' endorsements, as they come and go depending on which direction the wind's blowing. None of which changes the fact that they're visually uninspiring rehashes of designs which have been rehashed thousands of times already, and which will have been done with better (and worse) quality a thousand times.

Great bass sound, I like the song, and as has been said, the air in the mix works really well...

Ooo look! A Jazz copy! 😏

Nope, no shame playing anything if it's requested, and a couple of songs for the oldies are all well and good, but that list, with three exceptions, is songs from 40+ years ago. Our bookings list suggests today's audiences would like some things recorded after they were born... It's gonna be tough post-coronavirus, as I'm expecting the main audience for this sort of setlist will be staying away from the pubs awhile yet...

7 in 39 years of gigging. I know how to play most of them, but like a gentleman and the bagpipes... 😁

"I'm not working at the moment because I've a shipment of Russian diamonds coming in; I brokered the deal because my blonde Russian girlfriend (and her twin sister...I've had them both) has contacts over there." This from an old acquaintance I'd bumped into and innocently asked 'What are you up to these days?' I should set the scene fully here: we were in the signing-on queue at the DHSS... He was a legendary Walter Mitty with all manner of whoppers, although the only time I ever called his bluff was about his nickel-plated .44 Magnum...I offered to go shooting with him at the local range (this was the 80s, when that sort of thing could be done) and that one at least turned out to be true. He was a great shot, too. I was always very polite to him after that...

If we're talking about volume, the biggest factor is the efficiency of the cabs. I run a 300w head, and if I use both my BF cabs, it's ridiculously loud*. I mean drummer-drowning, ear-protection, stoopid loud. Numbers of watts can be a distraction and nothing more... * In fact, it goes nearly as loud with just the Super Twin...

Yep, he certainly tried all sorts: Explorer shape? Check. Red? Check. 8-string? Check. Fretless, maple board? Erm...check? I really, really wanted that bass when I saw it...it would have been next to useless for me, but that's hardly the point... 😁