Conan

Strange - I've never thought of DRs as "low tension". But then I do use fairly heavy gauges... Have you tried the lo-riders?

Well I thought it was funny...

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1353868597' post='1879171'] Just because you've bought equipment, doesn't mean it ALL has to be used at every gig. As for spending time investing in my own sound? I never do that, I spend time getting the bands sound right. What I think of my sound is irrelevant as I'm not playing for myself, I'm playing for the band. This is something bass heavey guitarists seemingly fail to do. Dan [/quote] That's my approach too, but sadly it is all too rare. It's hard being a grown-up sometimes...

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1353963346' post='1880364'] which bass of the 3 makes you want to pick it up and play it the most? [/quote] Exactly. Plenty of people complain about instruments that are not good enough for them to play. You don't often hear that a guitar is "too good"!! In the current market, if you do sell the US P at all you might not get what you want/expect for it. Keep the P and sell one or both of the others.

I bet Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall wouldn't...

[quote name='jackers' timestamp='1353977327' post='1880539'] My main issue is that I really want to get the right people for this, [/quote] Be aware, though, that what [i]you[/i] think are the "right people" may not actually exist, or may already be in their ideal bands. If you set your standards too high you will never even get started.

Best policy is to be honest but assertive. Don't bullshit people. If you don't think they are right for your band, then say so. It is possible to be clear without being rude. "You're a great player but I just don't think you are the right person for this project" type of thing. You have to be a little bit selfish or you will end up saddled with a load of heartache and regret later. A good mantra for life in general really!

As Wilko Johnson once said "If you make a mistake, just look brash and the audience will think they heard it wrong"

Getting slightly desperate now...

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1353930796' post='1879775'] Trouble is, MM never plays Jazz. He plays [i]a[/i] Jazz, but I have not heard any Jazz being played by him for decades I think the new DG at the BBC should resign over this (and take his £300K bonus with him....) [/quote] Isn't that slightly tasteless bearing in mind he could have been killed?!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1352980966' post='1870022'] With Fender, (and with all businesses, especially larger ones like this) its ALWAYS about the money. [/quote] As it should be. With large numbers of employees and customers it would be irresponsible for them to take unnecessary risks. I know nothing about business, but even I can understand that. I may not [i]like[/i] it however....

[quote name='rednose200' timestamp='1353804133' post='1878688'] I'm sure you will still be able to find a new Jap made Geddy in a store somewhere. Dont know about Mex made GL's but every Jap one I have played has been wonderful and also wonderfully setup straight out of the box. I dont think £800 is out of the way for this model which has the best Fender neck ever made on it. Up to you man. [/quote] In my limited experience (having only played 3 GLs!) I would whole-heartedly agree with this. If you pick one up second hand (typically in the £450-£550 range) then the quality is stunning.

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1353667176' post='1877100'] That article was interesting. There were opposing views on whether through-necks emphasise the fundamental or the mids, and disagreement over whether the type of wood makes [i]much[/i] difference, also good to read their general thoughts on building basses. [/quote] Yes. I wouldn't say that there was anything resembling a consensus there...!

[quote name='Kongo' timestamp='1353602649' post='1876499'] Also might be worth adding here, a fretless bass can just be played as is. You don't HAVE to slide and have a huge amount of "mwah" at all times y'know. :-P[/quote] That's a good point. I'm guilty of that myself. I don't play fretless all that often and when I do I am very aware that I play differently - with far more slides, vibrato and so on. It's almost as if occasional fretless players have to make everyone notice that they are playing fretless... Why do we do that I wonder? I remember listening to Jeff Berlin playing on Bill Bruford's "Feels good to me" album for the first time. Not only was I fairly sure that it was Jaco on bass, I was absolutely convinced that it must be played on a fretless (it wasn't!). Sometimes, Jaco on fretless sounds like he is playing a fretted bass! It is not clear-cut at all! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1USv4S0Uvuo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1USv4S0Uvuo[/url]

[quote name='Inti' timestamp='1353652194' post='1876950'] Absolutely, but the subjective opinion of a great bassist is not to be taken lightly like the subjective opinion of a charlatan who thinks technique is irrelevant. [/quote] Er.... excuse me?

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1353519550' post='1875569'] Check out Intronaut's bassist Joe Lester. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMcj7x-J96o[/media] [/quote] To be fair, I'm not sure that's a terribly good example. I find it quite hard to pick out what he's playing - especially when he is playing in lower registers. Would that sound cut through a dense mix? I have my doubts. Nice playing though!

OK, three to be precise... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX6J5-13c-0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX6J5-13c-0[/url]

A couple of other rock examples... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBQKJjXO1A8[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIPrJmzG7Ss[/media]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1353595898' post='1876406'] Instead of durdurdurdurdurdurdurdur it would go mwahmwahmwahmwahmwah. [/quote] Yeah - I was just going to say, would it actually make any difference?

No north-east bands fancy a night out in the Toon? There might even be some cash in it...

One amp, one cab, three basses.... so pretty close! Oh, and two small practice combos, but they don't really count as one never leaves the house and the other has taken up residence in our rehearsal room. I almost meet the criteria!

[quote name='paulpirie8' timestamp='1353513465' post='1875470'] Anywhere we can listen to some of your music? [/quote] Not yet - but it's a work in progress! Unless you come to the Bridge on the 15th of course!