Musicman20 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) After spending months/year or more messing around with some guitarists who are fairly talented but have the curse of not being able to write, I decided to do it myself. One thing is clear....playing guitar isn't as difficult as I thought. It's weird not having that feel of big strings and created that bond with the sound of the drums like a bass does, but guitar is actually so much easier to write a simple line that works with just a few vocal melodies over the top. The main reason I'm bringing this up is because after I basically revamped my bass gear starting 5 years back and slowly stopping, I realised it is much cheaper and easier to buy guitar gear. I was going round in circles and although I have bass gear I'm very happy with, I want to take up guitar duties and write more. When I say 'cheaper', I realise this doesn't apply to all brands/models, but it just seems so much simpler to get a low wattage tube amp with decent cleans, not faff around discussing the pro's/con's of different lightweight cabs, and get on with it. It seems a lot of the emphasis in guitar amp/cab side of things is very much placed in the earlier technology. Sure, there are great new ideas like the Kempler profilling amps, but a decent 1x12 or 2x12 amp/cab/combo by a decent manufacturer, and that's it. Much more choice with pedals, types of guitar, easier to get a nice acoustic, the list goes on. No doubt because guitarists are everywhere and bassists are a little more 'rare', their gear is much easier to get hold of and there seems to be more online deals. It's actually quite fun to get away from the bass side of things and try something I've always wanted to spend more time with. Edited July 15, 2014 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Every song I've wrote for the band has started on guitar, I find it almost impossible to start from the bass guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1405417417' post='2501662'] Every song I've wrote for the band has started on guitar, I find it almost impossible to start from the bass guitar. [/quote] I agree, although I do often 'hum' a bassline then put guitar chords over it. Sometimes, the bass 'hook' can lead a song. E.g. earlier Kasabian, and The Pixies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r16ktx Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Surely a 'song' is primarily about the vocal (melody) and all instrumentation is supporting accompaniment. Whereas an 'instrumental' is about anything _but_ the vocal :-) reminds me of a (VHS!) Instruction video I once saw with a guitarist saying '... When you're in a 3 piece band, ya know, three musicians and a singer...' Still chortling :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I have a 12 string acoustic which is even better for writing. I don't keep sixers in the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I've made this same discovery over the past three years, where nearly my gigging has been on guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Wait til you play guitar in a band. Then all that same sh*t you go through with bass will happen. You'll notice one string doesn't cut through and you'll be dicking about for ages trying to solve that problem. You'll notice your gorgeous cleans don't have the right mids to cut through the band and crap like that. I'm doing guitar gigs at the moment and there's a whole bunch of issues as I'm playing with keys, strings, horns, sitar - all of which eat mid range for breakfast. Bass is so simple by comparison for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405427314' post='2501777'] Wait til you play guitar in a band. Then all that same sh*t you go through with bass will happen. You'll notice one string doesn't cut through and you'll be dicking about for ages trying to solve that problem. You'll notice your gorgeous cleans don't have the right mids to cut through the band and crap like that. I'm doing guitar gigs at the moment and there's a whole bunch of issues as I'm playing with keys, strings, horns, sitar - all of which eat mid range for breakfast. Bass is so simple by comparison for me. [/quote] Haha, I anticipate this will happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) Gear, guitarists are more catered for so hence easier to find and buy. In a band context, the two guitarists (and all the previous ones) seem to have a huge list of problems re: their sound...that goes for the ones with relatively little gear and conversely the ones who need an articulated wagon to get to gigs they've got so much. Fine example was Saturday evening. I tip up, plug into the other/main band's bass player's rig, I will admit I was apprehensive as it looked a little shoddy...but no problems, didn't even change any of the knobs (oooer). Guitarists turn up, have to use their own gear, pedals and a mass of paraphernalia (although in all fairness the drummer is the same ). Edited July 15, 2014 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I did find it easier gear-wise playing guitar for a while, 1x12 combo in one hand, leads in the back of the combo, guitar-case in the other, easy enough. Then came the backup guitar, the extra 1x12 to "cut through" plus a few pedals (as when doing covers may as well try and get them near enough). Gone was the easy life approach. I think it`s just within some of us to feel the need for more gear. I`ve found that having a car that won`t take any bigger amps/cabs is a good way of stopping this, otherwise even though I love my little Markbass set-up, I`d probably still be swapping amps/cabs around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 A guitarist I worked with a while ago used to use a very low wattage Marshall and bring his favourite guitar (this changed daily) but it meant it was just him, a nice small loud tube amp that loved to be cranked, and a decent Fender/Gretsch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405427314' post='2501777'] Wait til you play guitar in a band. Then all that same sh*t you go through with bass will happen. You'll notice one string doesn't cut through and you'll be dicking about for ages trying to solve that problem. You'll notice your gorgeous cleans don't have the right mids to cut through the band and crap like that. [/quote] This. Plus you 'need' more guitars for different types of gig. I have ended up spending on average £1800 per guitar (and about the same for my gigging amp, and not far off that for my pedalboard) to be in a position where I am confident of sounding great on any gig. The cost of achieving the same goal on bass has actually been much [i]less[/i] per item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 And of course most guitarists need the obligatory "Ritchie Blackmore" style Marshall stack set up to "cut through" whilst playing to 12 people in the local pub !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I think that your "it's cheaper and easier" claim will self destruct as soon as you find the guitarists equivalent of basschat! In my experience guitarists are more picky about "tone man". Thing is with bass is that deep down, however much we all go on about gear, we know in our hearts that a jazz or precision with a decent set up and a DI box would do for us, everything else is just extravagance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1405535163' post='2502854'] I think that your "it's cheaper and easier" claim will self destruct as soon as you find the guitarists equivalent of basschat! In my experience guitarists are more picky about "tone man". Thing is with bass is that deep down, however much we all go on about gear, we know in our hearts that a jazz or precision with a decent set up and a DI box would do for us, everything else is just extravagance.... [/quote] A lot of guitarists play on their own at home and craft their tones to please their ears with their tones in isolation. A guitar in isolation is normally much more pleasing than bass in isolation. Then they get in an ensemble situation and wonder why they are not audible and keep upping the level to get heard. I don't think bassists do so much of that. Edited July 16, 2014 by xilddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405538606' post='2502907'] A guitar in isolation is normally much more pleasing than bass in isolation. Then they get in an ensemble situation and wonder why they are not audible and keep upping the level to get heard. I don't think bassists do so much of that. [/quote] [size=4]Is that because a guitar can be a full-range solo instrument in its own right and the bass is (generally) regarded as a team instrument?[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405540217' post='2502921'] Is that because a guitar can be a full-range solo instrument in its own right and the bass is (generally) regarded as a team instrument? [/quote] In isolation, guitar just sounds better than bass innit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405540217' post='2502921'] [size=4]Is that because a guitar can be a full-range solo instrument in its own right and the bass is (generally) regarded as a team instrument?[/size] [/quote] I think that's got to be a part of it. A few years ago I was playing bass in a band who were auditioning guitarists. A surprising number of them couldn't play a simple off-beat rhythm part focussed on beats 2 and 4 without playing something on the 1. I reckon this is because that type of part only makes sense in context, and just doesn't work solo. Keyboard players with too much going on in the bass are a related phenomenon. I started playing guitar in a band a couple of years ago after a decade and a bit of playing bass in bands, and I think about this stuff a lot! I try and lock with the drums (though usually with the snare and hats while the bass locks with the kick drum) and I keep my sound fairly lean in the lows as that's where the bassist lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405538606' post='2502907'] Then they get in an ensemble situation and wonder why they are not audible and keep upping the level to get heard. I don't think bassists do so much of that. [/quote] No, not much! Surely the topic of a thousand Basschat threads... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1405540779' post='2502932'] No, not much! Surely the topic of a thousand Basschat threads... [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1405540393' post='2502926'] In isolation, guitar just sounds better than bass innit [/quote] Ooh, I dunno about that! But I am biased, it's true. [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1405540682' post='2502930'] Keyboard players with too much going on in the bass are a related phenomenon. [/quote] Don't get me started on keyboard players! I've never met a single one who can keep it minimal. Not to say that such an animal doesn't exist, just that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting them yet. Edited July 16, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 TBH I don't think that buying guitar gear is any different from buying bass gear. True that there are slightly more models and makes that are deemed "acceptable" but once you step away from the mainstream the instruments and equipment are just as esoteric and hard to get hold of to try out. Take a look at the offerings from [url=http://www.teuffel.com]Teuffel[/url] or [url=http://www.xoxaudiotools.com]XOX Audio Tools[/url] to name but two... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1405543798' post='2502960'] TBH I don't think that buying guitar gear is any different from buying bass gear. True that there are slightly more models and makes that are deemed "acceptable" but once you step away from the mainstream the instruments and equipment are just as esoteric and hard to get hold of to try out. Take a look at the offerings from [url="http://www.teuffel.com"]Teuffel[/url] or [url="http://www.xoxaudiotools.com"]XOX Audio Tools[/url] to name but two... [/quote] I really want an old Steinberger GM1 Transtrem, or a Klein. Can't afford it, can't often find them. Never tried either but they are a dream for me. One day! No different than me being desperate for a Fender Japan JB66 for the last four years. Tried one of two in Guitar Village in Farnham last week and was totally non plussed. So I completely agree with you BRX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Earlier on I got a great sound with a Dual Terror which has ONE tone knob per channel, and an Epiphone Casino (IBJL)....just by using the gain. I agree, guitar sounds more pleasing 'easier' in a solo setting, plus volume on the guitar and gain on the amp are fun to play with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Our guitars brought a new combo the other week, I swear it weighs more than all my gear put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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