discreet

Best use of an upright bass yet. *Runs away*

A very novel way of sorting buzz on the 'A' string... I wouldn't, though.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1444906825' post='2887146'] Mercs damn well should be better than a Ford... it would be a shock if they weren't. [/quote] A better drive, I'm sure. But I believe Mercs are currently not as reliable as some more affordable brands. So if reliability is important to you, then you may not want to buy one. It's important to me, so I drive a Corolla. Which I suppose is equivalent to a MIJ P Bass...

I think these are new Rotosound RS66 Swing Bass. They now have these red white and blue ball-ends, I believe. http://forbassplayersonly.com/news-rotosound-announces-new-bass-strings/

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1444892365' post='2886968'] ...basses like the P, J and Ray have been responsible for the vast majority of recorded bass over the years, when most people think of bass they think of that sort of tone and the instruments that produce it. [/quote] [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1444857810' post='2886832'] I remember how poor the build quality of 70s Fenders was, however these now command many hundreds of pounds despite this. [/quote] Digressing slightly for a second.. my 70s Fender is poorly-built (has the neck-joint gape - would be suspicious if it didn't!). However I've owned and played many other basses, including one or two more esoteric and expensive offerings... yet the 70s P is my go-to bass. At the moment it's my ONLY bass. It's the one I prefer to play and I like the sound I get from it. So what's that about? I'd say that if you play electric bass guitar in the usual genres, i.e. rock, pop, funk, soul, r'n'b, folk, etc. etc. then you don't need anything other than a P or a J bass or their non-Fender equivalents. As CR says above, that's the sound of 99% of recorded music and the bass sound that a lot of people have in their heads. Anything more expensive or better-made is purely down to personal taste... isn't it? Using the car analogy again, it's nice to have a Merc or other high-end car, but its basic function is to get you from one place to another and keep you dry and warm. A Ford Focus will do that. Is the P Bass the Ford Focus of the bass world? Or in my case, the British Leyland Morris Marina?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444852507' post='2886776'] Is there some jealousy on BC of cover bands? [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1444852772' post='2886780'] Jealousy? Not from me, there isn't. [/quote] [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1444852930' post='2886782'] Are you sure..? Not even the teeny-tiniest twinge..? You've no need to hold back on us, we understand these things... [/quote] Yes, I'm quite sure!! I've been in several and didn't like it. Well... actually, I liked the function band I was in for a year or two, mainly because of the cash, which was both plentiful and frequent. But in the end that band got on my tits for the same reason all covers bands do, i.e. not enough commitment or desire to put in the necessary amount of work. What gets me is, [i]the songs exist, they're right there in front of you[/i], totally accessible at all times, being played as they should be - so why is there so much discussion about how they should be played, and why are so many people apparently incapable of playing them? Anyway, I'm out - no more covers bands for me!

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1444861076' post='2886879'] I'mm umming and aahing about getting it fixed to use it. But I'm waiting for the £80 behringer ampeg rip off to arrive. So I'll see how that goes! [/quote] Well if you don't want it I'll be happy for you to send it to me.

Is it any good? You [i]are [/i]a bass player, right? Why do I never find things like this just lying around??

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444852507' post='2886776'] Is there some jealousy on BC of cover bands? [/quote] Jealousy? Not from me, there isn't.

[quote name='colgraff' timestamp='1444850310' post='2886745'] A full mechanical Motorhead vibrator would be scary. How fast would it go? [/quote] I reckon you'd get no sleep 'til Hammersmith.

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1444848154' post='2886720'] ...coming soon... [/quote] I see what you did, there.

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1444842999' post='2886638'] ...perhaps I'm seeing what isn't there? [/quote] Possibly. The ace of spades is definitely black.

I can't be bothered to follow the link - Is there an Orgasmatron, an Iron Fist and a Bomber..? If not, there should be.

http://youtu.be/fHihfAy1kiY

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1444822256' post='2886341'] There may be some truth... [/quote] Doug, you play to French people so it doesn't matter. Seriously though I do understand, which is why I said 'within the parameters of what is possible'. Obviously one singer isn't going to be able to convincingly impersonate ten different pro singers (for example), but they CAN make the bloody effort to learn the lyrics properly, at least...

Hey Ron, welcome to the forum. Nice gear.

[quote name='Agwin' timestamp='1444816265' post='2886249'] Is it just me? Often when I have a cover to learn I give it a good old ear’ole and end up doubting my self in what I hear. I then turn to tab (usually the one with rhythm too) only to find some of the bass line confirmed and other parts where I’m thinking that’s definitely NOT what I’m hearing (or think I’m hearing?) and go back to the good old ears. [/quote] That's why ultimately earholes have to be way forward. People who produce tabs are just as likely to be wrong as anyone else.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1444814883' post='2886228'] Joe cocker and Tina Turner were originals acts who did a few covers every now and then. They were not covers bands, nor did we buy tickets to see their concerts just to hear covers. [/quote] Just came here to indignantly say exactly the same thing, thank you.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1444813713' post='2886212'] No backlash from here! I agree 100%. [/quote] Now I remember why I admire you so fondly, Silvia.

This is the problem I have with covers and why I don't do them. People pay to see a covers band to hear songs they know and love. You are being paid to reproduce those songs. In my view they should be played as closely as possible to the originals, within the parameters of what is possible, i.e. production values, what the engineer had for breakfast, etc. etc. Most covers bands won't do this, and far too often will use the 'it's our interpretation of it' to mean 'we couldn't be bothered/it was too hard to learn it properly'. Well-known hit songs are well-known hit songs for a reason - if you want to do your own thing then write hit songs of your own. And another thing, it's extremely rare to find a bass cover on YouTube that is anywhere near correct! *Awaits backlash from 'song-interpreters' and those who can't be bothered to learn the songs properly* Thhppp! Thpp!!

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1444809532' post='2886151'] ...how did we ever manage when listening to nothing more than a transistor radio from Woolworths, tuned to Luxembourg or Caroline, under the bedclothes, in the dark..? [/quote] I can't possibly comment on that, but I would have thought learning the songs would have been a better use of your time...

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444808274' post='2886135'] ...being able to play all the chords usually means I can correct our guitarist who's only listened to it in the car on the way to rehearsal... [/quote] Ha. This is the main reason I gave up covers bands. People just won't put the necessary work in to do the songs justice. 'That'll do' and 'close enough' are not an option, IMHO.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1444805969' post='2886099'] Listening to the highest possible quality recording/MP3, with the highest possible quality headphones, will help too, of course. [/quote] This is very much a given. I listen on full-range studio monitors. You have to be able to hear all the information on the recording. Cheap earbuds or laptop speakers just won't cut it. And get hold of a proper high-quality version of the track. Some YouTube audio (for example) is just terrible.

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1444779183' post='2886041'] I find it's a case of listen, listen and listen again. Over time your ear will become more attuned to picking out the basslines. [/quote] Yes. When I was in covers bands I never used tabs or charts. It's a fact that most people don't listen properly to music and don't understand that the sum of a song is greater than its parts. So what you think the bass is playing is inevitably not so, and that's why it seems impossible to work out. But you can train yourself to listen more effectively. As 6 says, repeated forensic listening is where it's at.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1444772341' post='2885988'] Now now. There's a plaice and time for these things, you know. [/quote] I knew it! The whiting's on the wall.