discreet

*Suddenly appears from behind a hedge* ...I think tabs are of limited value. Who is writing them? Most likely someone who isn't listening properly in the first place. And how do you write down feel, phrasing and groove in a tab? Surely it's way easier to listen to the original? What is stopping you from hearing it? That's what the bass line [i]is[/i], right there..! *Sidesteps smartly behind a tree and is gone*

Oh boy, here we go! *Disappears into the shrubbery*

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1424171989' post='2693337'] Playing covers shouldn't be about replicating the original precisely anyway, if someone says that's not how it goes they get, "that's how it goes when I play it". [/quote] Playing covers is precisely about replicating the original - that's what punters are expecting to hear and that's what you're being paid to do. 'We do our own version of it' is code for, 'We can't be bothered/aren't good enough to learn it properly'. As per my previous post - that's why I'm not in a covers band.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1424170072' post='2693313'] It's just like when Leo Fender invented frets, it's much too easy now, no one trains their ear properly anymore. Terrible. [/quote] And what about those keyboards? All the notes you need, right there in front of you! Mad!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1424169793' post='2693305'] IMO: New basses 'shine'. Tastefully relic'd basses 'glow'. I happen to prefer the latter. [/quote] Yes, I'll go with that.

Whenever I have cause to learn something by ear then that's what I do. When I'm done I'll have a listen on YouTube to see how other people have fared and inevitably I'm pleased and amused because the vast majority will generally have made a hash of it. My gripe is that no-one listens properly and are happy to say 'that'll do, it's close enough' or leave out important phrases or anything else that might be initially difficult to sort out. It's not just bass players, it's everyone. Which is why I'm not in a covers band. There is no way I'd use a YouTube bass cover to learn a song - only a forensic assessment of the original will do. Thhpp!!

One's got glasses and the other's got tats. Is that it??

[quote name='alittlebitrobot' timestamp='1424127361' post='2693065'] no no no no...you need to get on some forum and make them explain themselves. [/quote] That's right. Why should THEY blithely carry on doing what they like to do without a care in the world!? [quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1424152333' post='2693168'] The feel and sound of a good pre CBS with the reliability and functionality of a new instrument. What's not to like? The finishes can look crap, but so can many genuinely reliced instruments. [/quote] But if you spec your own relic there's a chance it'll look something akin you what you want. But yes, a decent relic builder's philosophy is to provide a bass that looks the part but plays as well as, and sounds much like, the 'real thing'. So you don't have to take your £8000 bass to gigs... just leave it in the loft for your nephew to find in twenty years time.

[quote name='Froggy' timestamp='1424159424' post='2693190'] ...I know if I was playing in a band of similar ability I'd be able to just play root until I'm more comfortable, but for a few months at least, I'll be remaining as a bedroom bassist. [/quote] In fact the quickest possible way to up your game is to do lots of gigs in a band where everyone is much better than you. You will get up to speed super-quick. If you stay in your bedroom you will progress much more slowly and be much less motivated.

Well that's nice. I'm currently suffering a bit of T-Bird GAS...

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1422091662' post='2668533'] For example, Eden's new amp heads. They have illuminated speaker output sockets. Why, I am still trying to fathom. [/quote] So you can see to plug in your amp on a dark stage?

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1424111109' post='2692764'] I have a Limelight P which I ordered for the "look" and the fact it was a spec that Fender did not do. It turned out to be the best playing and sounding bass (IMO) that I have played/used in my 52 years of attempting to be a bassist. Yup it's a relic, but if it played and sounded the same and looked like brand new, I would still say the same thing. [/quote] +1 Limelight basses are exceptional players and sound amazing. They also happen to be relics. That's secondary.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1424111797' post='2692771'] You would have hated it just as much if you had been around then. There was a huge amount of mass-produced identikit pop music being produced that had little to do with the music from that era that you love. If you were lucky there was one good band on each week on TotP, The Old Grey Whistle Test was on ridiculously late at night and that was about it on the TV. Same with the radio the odd decent track during the day and a few hours each week of Peel and Freeman. [/quote] Tru dat - it has always been the case that if you want to listen to original and interesting music you have to look for it.

Thanks for this, I'll have a look later.

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1424101132' post='2692578'] I prefer to call it the Water Closet. But then, I am a bit of a snob... [/quote] Huh! I bet you say 'bowel movement', instead of 'release the chocolate hostages', don't you?

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1424087632' post='2692366'] ...that alt-folk, mumford & sons thing. [/quote] Agh no! Save me from The Posh Wurzels.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1424085395' post='2692309'] You want to see a doctor with that [/quote] Nah. Just take LOTS of Immodium.

[quote name='sk8' timestamp='1424084103' post='2692294'] ...I've missed the Valve Power amp, having had a 3 tube pre with class D power amp. There is something about it that all my class D stuff can't touch... [/quote] It's true - nothing beats the heft and slam you get from huge iron transformers in a tube power section. The only two SS power-stage amps I would say have any kind of balls in that direction are the G-K MB500 Fusion and the GB Streamliner 900, one of which you may have used already if you've had a 3-tube pre. The best overall for me was the Burman SL100 PowerPak which was huge, full-range and had custom-wound transformers. Greg Burman found Partridge transformers were not up to his requirements... I've got seller's remorse now.

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1424081079' post='2692230'] I think there is, its called modern digital recording. You know where everything get compressed and shoved up to Zero and made as loud as possible with no space for any dynamics. It all sounds the same, any style, any band, BANG BANG GRUNGE. Surely a new subculture. [/quote] This has been the case since the early 1990s. However the end of the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war"]Loudness War[/url] is in sight due to something called [url="http://www.askaudiomag.com/articles/pro-tools-10-the-benefits-of-32-bit-floating-point-audio"]32-Bit Float[/url].

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1424080889' post='2692227'] "comfort zone idleness music" [/quote] The world's most popular genre.

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1424044665' post='2692033'] GASing for a black jazz bass for some reason [/quote] Marcus Miller V7 incoming..?

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1424036152' post='2691910'] It's difficult to have brand snobbery when the brand has been devalued. [/quote] Yes. The continuing commodification of everything continues apace, and concepts such as quality and workmanship are in the bog.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1424034235' post='2691876'] ...a fair few knobs there? [/quote] There's a fair few knobs here, too. Ha! *Runs away*

I like the wood and the colour, but I don't like single-cuts much. YMMV.

Muscle Shoals one was fantastic. I could watch that again for sure.