kjb

I just think that, if you give criticism then it should be in a positive manner, and not use it in a negative way.

I was there yesterday afternoon. He was trying to parcel up I don't know how many things that had been ordered while he was away, he'd resorted to doing it outside probably due to lack os space. He still found time to talk to me about pickups. Walking into his shop I always feel like Alladin walking into the robber's cave .

That's an really good thread. I was looking in the wrong post. Your original opening post was very well put, and well worded. I like Janek's reply too, about what the album is about. Maybe one or two of the posters on here should actually listen to the album properly, after reading his reply. I don't understand why people have to use so much time and energy being negative.

[quote name='stonecoldbass' timestamp='1334019685' post='1609808'] Hey guys, you might want to check out Janek's reply to the post I put up over on Talkbass, interesting response. I have replied as well but still waiting to see what he has to say. Healthy discussion all round! I'm kinda glad it didn't turn into a 'this player is much better than that player' discussion...as has kinda happened here [/quote] Have you got a link to that ? I did look in his ask a pro bit, but couldn't see anything.

Bob Dylan was once criticised by a guy by a guy who claimed that his new songs weren't as relevant as his old ones. Dylan reportedly just said "well I'm out here writing songs, what are you doing ?" I guess the same applies here. Janek does have these great gigs, and he does tour around the world supporting his own album and doing clinics. It's all too easy nowadays to criticise someone's achievements, while you yourself have probably never played anywhere other than your bedroom, and rely on your mom and dad to fuel your self inflated ego by saying how brilliant you are.

I do like the Olympic white ones a lot. Like I said earlier, they are well made. If you spend a bit extra and upgrade the pre and maybe the pickups then you'll have a really nice bass. One thing to bare in mind though. Say you paid £800 for a used bass, plus another £150 on an improved pre, that's not far off what you'd pay for a used Sadowsky, which is a far better instrument.

I spoke to someone vaguely human there once. My sister in law traded on there for years. She had over one thousand positive feedbacks. A month or so ago she sold one of my brother's unwanted Christmas presents to a guy in Leeds. It wasn't particularly valuable, about £30 or so. Anyway the guy that bought it reported it as being faulty and not as advertised. Consequently he got his full money back and sent her the empty box back. The item was perfect. His feedback showed that he'd done the same thing on several occasions. EBay didn't want to know, and wouldn't help her. He even left her negative feedback, totally ruining her trading on there.

The Marcus bass is well made though. Shame about the ugly pickguard.

I tried one and you can't play chords up around and past the 12th fret. Not something I do all of the time I admit, but it is something I do and found that I couldn't.

The Marcus Miller bass also has horrible pickups, and I believe the preamp costs Fender something like 50 cents.

I have a lot of faith in my views, which is why I stick with them. I'm certainly not in the least bit offended by what you have to say.

I think you can get the transaction cancelled, and your eBay fees refunded. So you're £20 in pocket on it. He is odd though, I've got to say, paying you for trying it. Why not do that beforehand ? Just offer a second chance thing to the runner up, hopefully you'll still be up with the £20 he gave you.

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1333828284' post='1607166'] I tend to use four fingers for this technique, though I will rarely revert to starting a line with a thumb unless there is a distinct rest or a break. In quicker, flowing lines I tend to just roll on the plucking order of my fingers and thumbs and take the first note with whatever is available. But in terms of becoming comfortable with this techniquei, I think slow speed practice is the way to nail it. That said, a lot of the 'feel' in this kind of playing only really becomes apparent at higher bpm's where the fluidity afforded by the plucking motion really comes into play. [/quote] I'm genuinely interested in seeing how you use four fingers and your thumb. Do you have a video demonstrating it ? I can use three fingers with my thumb, but not four. My 3rd finger is the same length as my index finger, but my little finger is 2cm shorter, kind of hampering me incorporating it in to my playing, unless my hand is almost closed. It'd be great to get 4 fingers moving independently though, it'd maybe be great to save string moving my hand when skipping strings that aren't next to each other.

Another thing with chops, and association of it being to do with speed of delivery rather than content. I recently attended a master class at college presented by Matt Garrison and Reggie Washington. I'm a huge fan of Matt's playing, I'm listening to him right now. On the night I much preferred Reggie's sololing to Matt's, it was far more melodic, and had the same lyrical phrasing that I hear in Janek's playing.

Isn't it considered heresy punishable by hideous torment to change a part on a stingray ?