Marvin

At the beginning of this thread I said I never wanted a MM. Weeeeelllllllllll.....I've sort of changed my mind I'm so fickle.

[quote name='carldogs' timestamp='1339885401' post='1696012'] Hi Marvin, if some of this helps great. Been playing 4 string for about 18 years before going to five,........ [/quote] Thank you Carl, great post covering issues that haven't come up yet. And thanks to everyone. There seem to be some recurrent points coming up, string spacing and just remembering that top string is a B and not an E. I found that when I tried the 5 I started playing one of my basslines the E when it should start on the A.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1339868957' post='1695709'] I love 5-stringers and could not play without one. In general: 1 - you really need to get used to that bottom string being a B, not and E, and that third fret being a D, not a G (easily done with some practice, but it does take a little time to readjust when you swap basses with a 4). 2 - a 5 will tend to sound different, usually deeper, than a 4, even when playing the same note on the same string and fret on the two basses. 3 - the neck is obviously wider, and you do have to get used to moving your hand and fingers around a little more. One of the reasons why I love my fretless 5 is that it allows me to jump around the fingerboard with less effort than a fretted. 4 - to do justice to a 5, you need a good amp (although I manage all right with my 20W Peavey, then again, I don't play live). Do take the plunge and enjoy! [/quote] Thank you Bluejay. I think I'll be slightly cheeky and ask to borrow the one I've been noodling on. [quote name='woodyratm' timestamp='1339869220' post='1695714'] I used to play 5 string. Went back to 4 since i kept forgetting the B. Brilliant thumb rests though! [/quote] The 5 I played belongs to the guitarist in my band. He bought it to play bass in his other band. He's never played bass in a band before and when I picked it up I said his E string seem a little slack. "It's in drop D" he said "The B just throws me". I said to him it'd make a good thumb rest. Unfortunately he can only play with a pick, he's obviously not a proper bass player

I've had a couple of noodles on a friends 5 string bass. Surprisingly I found it a lot easier than I was expecting so am contemplating getting one. However, these noodles have only amounted to about half an hour in total. So I was just wandering if anyone who had a sustained go at the 5er didn't get on with it and why. There are several threads on advising members on starting on a 5er I was just wandering what pitfalls and problems people might have encountered.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1339865079' post='1695628'] You forgot '[/Git]'... oh, I see. [/quote]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1339864349' post='1695616'] [GIT] I think you'll find that's [i]plectrum[/i]. [/GIT] [/quote] Git!

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1339859359' post='1695530'] I'm of the opinion that the very best players would be competent at fingers, pick and slap. [/quote] Absolutely. I can't play with a plectra (?) or whatever it is we're calling picks now, and feel that my playing is very incomplete as a result.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1339782653' post='1694392'] Leave a Weight-Watchers' mag lying around the rehearsal room. He'll soon get the hint. [/quote]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1339781854' post='1694375'] Funny how - in new, under-rehearsed, ungigged bands - it's always the drummer who goes "Yeah! Wow! Let's [i]dooooo itttttt[/i]!" and everyone sort of shuffles their feet a bit and coughs. I suppose it's not an unreasonable question to ask but looks dead pushy when written down. Teach him to use the telephone and to speak with his mouth. All will be lovely. [/quote] In my limited experience, drummers are usually eager to get out because they just busk their way through every song they're asked to do. I've yet to meet one that actually practices the songs. Tuesday for example drummer says "I haven't learnt the drum part to Ain't no sunshine as it is on the record so we'll just go with the flow". Yep, let's just massacre the song then! He's quite pushy in the flesh to be honest

You'll have to be quick Gary, DaveVader gets all the best gigs

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1339774489' post='1694195'] Its always going to be tricky...... [/quote] I could understand him being jumpy if we were ready to be gigging properly, but we've only had 2 rehearsals and he's only talking of doing an open mic night at which we'd probably do 3 maybe 4 songs. The singer is very hesitant about doing it anyway as she thinks we need some more practice. It is the very start of things. In my view we're at the, 'still testing the water' stage with each other. Hence to start raising questions about commitment is somewhat premature. I've not had the same response from the originals band, and in fact our guitarist has started another originals project and it's done him the world of good, at our last practice he was swimming with ideas.

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1339773190' post='1694165'] you've been honest with both bands, and after 2 practices, who's to say either band is going to go somewhere. its a bit harsh for the drummer to start questioning where your priorities are before things have even got out of the practice room. my gut feeling is that if he's like this now he's only going to get worse and its not worth the hassle [/quote] that's very much my gut feeling as well to be honest. I don't want to walk off, but.... [quote name='Wooks79' timestamp='1339773296' post='1694169'] Start a third band [/quote] Don't joke, that almost happened a few weeks ago

I'm currently in two bands, both just started up. One is originals, I'm not writing any of the material and only have to work on my lines and turn up to practice once a week at the moment until such time we're all happy to start getting out there. It's also a band with whom I'm good friends with the singer and guitarist and the other two guys are good sorts as well. Being not much work I joined a covers band that was starting up. This too is pretty low maintenance as the drummer works away, so is at home 5weeks then working 5weeks. The two seemed to be able to fit perfectly and as I saw it would get me playing a variety of stuff with different people. The covers band has only had two rehearsals, last one on Tuesday. At this rehearsal the drummer was keen to get to a local open mic on a Thursday. I told him that wasn't possible for me as that's when my originals band were 99.9% likely to want to practice and I couldn't do one on Sunday as I'd agreed to pick up my parents from the station that evening. Both bands know I'm in another band, in the originals it's almost par for the course that you have another project on the go. So, although over reacting a little, I was a little knarked to get this from the drummer of the cover's band. [quote] [color=#2A2A2A][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=3]........, have your originals band said that they will practice next Thursday? If not, then any chance you could tell them that you aren't available? I would like to think that we have equal standing with them, and not be coming in as 2nd priority. We can chat -not trying to make a big deal out of it, but it would be good to know where we stand.[/size][/font][/color] [/quote] Since we've only had two rehearsals and as usual being the bass player I'm the only one who has learnt all the songs properly, I thought it was a little early to start questioning my level of commitment. Especially as 'others' are having problems with such testing ditties as 'Maybe Tomorrow' by the Stereophonics Such a situation became an issue for the singer in my last band, who was in another band, and caused continual friction between her and the guitarist. Hence I'm tempted to politely say I'll leave now, to avoid potential future ball ache.

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1339649404' post='1691923'] I can't play any Bass :-) [/quote] You're not alone there

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1339609623' post='1691490'] Exactly! How much more punk could you be by giving two fingers to conformity? Hail the bespectacled genius, hail him now! [/quote] A double bluff then. But no I shan't hail him, I don't like his hair

[quote name='Doctor J' timestamp='1339591625' post='1691031'] Claytonbashing mystifies me. One of the lines you see frequently trotted out by old punks is that [i]the great thing was that you didn't have to be able to play to be in a band[/i]. Therefore Clayton, I put it to you, is the living embodiment of punk. 30 years later he is still in the band and still not able to play. Punk not dead as long as Clayton lives. Stick your spirit of 77 up your arse, you all sold out where he is still proudly flying the flag. Not only that, but he gets paid too. Regularly. Not only that, but he gets supermodels. Regularly. Not only that, but his regular gig is not the Badger And Brake Lever playing Boney M covers, but football stadiums [i]and he doesn't even play football!!![/i] Mock him not, for he is a quite clearly a genius. [/quote] But, he's in a rather pompous stadium rock 'band' whose outlook is very far removed from the spirit of punk. They're business men who like to think they're being 'creative', not very punk really I will concede he does shag supermodels.

Blimely! There are loads, would be easier just to list the ones I have. Westone Spectrum II Hohner B2A Ibanez SR300 Fender Mex P Vintage Stingray Copy (last night as it 'appens) Harley Benton 6 string thing Yamaha rbx170 P bass copy, unknown parents That's it, any other basses you can mention I haven't played

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1339268885' post='1686237'] But TIM is relative. And I'm getting confused from all this dipping in and out of the Space/TIM conTIMuum... [/quote] TIM's no relative of mine

Got lumped with it. I always wanted to play lead guitar...probably because I'm a tosser . But anyway, it was either bass or not being in the band with my mates.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1339264712' post='1686139'] Is this thread still for sale? [/quote] You're out of TIM, it's already sold

I like new strings because they're all shinny

Hell's teeth! I'm out tonight Fraser has been seriously overlooked IMO. He puts down a great groove and uses space brilliantly, unlike some of his more hailed counterparts of the time.

A whole forum devoted to talking all things bass!? I've never heard of anything so funny in my life. Anyway, it's not a proper forum, they've not got a Mrs Tinman.

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1338038112' post='1668883'] [i]a tight, punchy, slap & pop high-end.[/i] [b]Freq. Resp: 30 to 2K Hz -3dB [/b] Those statements are diametrically opposed. [/quote] Reading the entire blurb they seem to promising all things to all people. However, considering those frequency response figures I'd like to hear a high end pop and slap from it. Perhaps the person who wrote it has a different definition of 'high end'.