SteveXFR Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Is it normal for other band members to tell you what bass you need to buy? How would you react to being told to buy a £2500 bass? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Just now, SteveXFR said: Is it normal for other band members to tell you what bass you need to buy? How would you react to being told to buy a £2500 bass? Pass the hat! You do wear a hat, don't you? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 I'd say "you fkg buy it and I'll fkg play it matey "... 9 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 To my eternal shame I allowed myself to be persuaded to sell my Iceni Zoot bass because it didn’t fit in with the image of a 60s band. Since then, every band I’ve been in have had to put up whatever bass I decide to turn up with. I played fretless during my tenure with a heavy-ish rock band... no-one complained. If the band gave me a £2,500 bass to play with I’d give it a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 15 minutes ago, SteveXFR said: Is it normal for other band members to tell you what bass you need to buy? How would you react to being told to buy a £2500 bass? How would they react to being told to f**k off? 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Is it for visual effect or are they saying the quality of what you’ve got isn’t good enough? I think when you audition for a band or form one the ‘look’ of the respective instruments is pretty easy to work out. Is there a mismatch, (eg something pointy in a country band) or is someone being ar$ey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Most of my band members would much prefer if I showed up with a J or a P bass, and I get some good natured slagging for the "exotic" basses I use. To be fair to them I don't think they actually mind that much ad long as its in tune. What on earth are they trying to get you to buy at £2.5K? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 I'm playing an Ibanez SR300 which I agree needs replacing, it's not up to the job I was going to go for a Fender Jazz 5 or Sterling Stingray 5 but the suggestion is I should get a Dingwall NG3. I was mistaken on the price, its only £2k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 25 minutes ago, SteveXFR said: Is it normal for other band members to tell you what bass you need to buy? How would you react to being told to buy a £2500 bass? In answer to question 1, no, I don't think that is normal at all. In respect of question 2, nobody tells me to buy anything. If they 'asked' me whether I would consider it, I would have to question why and take it from there. We need more information @SteveXFR. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 1 minute ago, SteveXFR said: I'm playing an Ibanez SR300 which I agree needs replacing, it's not up to the job I was going to go for a Fender Jazz 5 or Sterling Stingray 5 but the suggestion is I should get a Dingwall NG3. I was mistaken on the price, its only £2k. So you're saying you need a 305 rather than a 300? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Pretty rich of the band to expect you to invest in an instrument with fanned frets not knowing if you enjoyed playing them or not. The Sterling Ray5 is a great bass, I'm sure there is one in the marketplace just now for around £500. Im guessing is they are suggesting a Dingwall you are playing down tuned metal? A compromise might be the fanned fret ibanez, lots of people have good things to say. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 From the bands I’ve been in I’m not sure they’d know any basses other than the ones I was playing. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/445558-sterling-by-musicman-ray35-£525-delivered-uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 The Ibanez I have is tuned as a drop A# 4 string. Its OK but pretty weak and the tone changes so much across the range of the instrument that it sounds like two different basses. I've never tried fan frets. I'd be curious to try it but I wouldn't buy without trying. If I did, one of those headless Ibanez's would be a more reasonable price at around a grand 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Just now, SteveXFR said: The Ibanez I have is tuned as a drop A# 4 string. Its OK but pretty weak and the tone changes so much across the range of the instrument that it sounds like two different basses. I've never tried fan frets. I'd be curious to try it but I wouldn't buy without trying. If I did, one of those headless Ibanez's would be a more reasonable price at around a grand I can see why they might suggest fanned fret for dropping that low. But to be honest using heavier gauge strings and a nut cut to give a good set up you could easily tune to this with a 34" scale. @Kevis your man to talk to about downtuned 4 strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 8 minutes ago, SteveXFR said: The Ibanez I have is tuned as a drop A# 4 string. Its OK but pretty weak and the tone changes so much across the range of the instrument that it sounds like two different basses. I've never tried fan frets. I'd be curious to try it but I wouldn't buy without trying. If I did, one of those headless Ibanez's would be a more reasonable price at around a grand Ah right, yes, that could be an issue with your current bass. Not impossible to rectify, but you would probably be better of with an upgrade. I would never steer anyone away from fan frets. They are quite easy to get on with for most. I would concur with an extended try out. Maybe a Basschatter with one is close to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: From the bands I’ve been in I’m not sure they’d know any basses other than the ones I was playing. Absolutely - I refer in particular to my often-told 'I bought a 12-string and no-one noticed (or cared)' story... 😐🙂 Actually, that's not strictly true; our singer told me he liked my Stingray sound on a couple of tracks on our album after we'd recorded it. I was forced to point out that the two tracks he liked were in fact played on my then bitsa P. I'd used the Ray on two different tracks. He went 'Oh.', and he's never mentioned basses again. In his defence, they were both black and maple, so I can see his confusion... 😐 Edited May 3, 2021 by Muzz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 To the OP: I've got a Dingwall ABZ if you're anywhere near Oldham...it's a 4, but it's the same scale as the NGs (and better made, ahem) if you wanted to try it out... Those fan-fret Ibanezes (Ibanii? I dunno) look very nice, and a 5 wouldn't have to be detuned much to get to A# Dunno how it'd be for you, but the HX Stomp Pitch Shifter works for me down to C (from E) just fine in a mix (and lets me keep the high string tension I like)...not so much on double- or triple-stops, but might be worth a tryout. I've got one of them, too... 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 The Ibanez I have is tuned as a drop A# 4 string. Its OK but pretty weak and the tone changes so much across the range of the instrument that it sounds like two different basses. I've never tried fan frets. I'd 5 minutes ago, Muzz said: To the OP: I've got a Dingwall ABZ if you're anywhere near Oldham... I'm a very long way from Oldham. I'm not sure the pitch shifter would give the sense of impending doom required for our music, not sure how it would sound either fuzz either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 That's a shame...although I'd say the fuzz (the Stomp's got a lot of that, not that I'm any expert or fan of it) would actually help cover any possible tracking issues going down very low (from a 4)...Impending Doom Built In... 🙂 Could be worth an hour's twiddling in a PMT near you... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagsieblue Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 Ibanez SR300 is a solid bass. Drop A# tuning, so key is string gauge and the set up. Also a pretty neutral EQ is needed in my experience when going that low. What are your band members opinion of your amp/cab/combo? Is that good enough for them?. Low A# is what 29hz? - given we hear the overtones - , Is your amp/cab/combo comfortable in reproducing something so low with a reasonably flat EQ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 I presume you play in a heavy band, and that the rest of the band have a certain look and their guitars follow. I imagine they are jumping on the trend as it seems every remotely heavy band out there are playing the same type of guitars and the NG3 fits that image. Yes the fanned frets work well for down tuning but it’s not the definitive solution. If you don’t know him already look at James Leach from sikth, the last time I saw him he was using a 34” scale Manson bass and I believe he tunes to drop C# tuning as well as G#-G#-C#-F#. His tone was massive and clear, you don’t need to follow trends and look like every other heavy band and buy a Dingwall. If you can try one and it’s right for you then go for it, but don’t be made to feel like your gear is inferior because of a poser guitarist and some bloke at the back who hits things 😉 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 (edited) I’d tell them to get stuffed … caveat unless they had that bass to hand and I was playing a bass borrowed from them Edited May 3, 2021 by Geek99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr4stringz Posted May 3, 2021 Share Posted May 3, 2021 1 hour ago, SteveXFR said: Is it normal for other band members to tell you what bass you need to buy? How would you react to being told to buy a £2500 bass? Suggest alternatives to what they should be playing. Then what they should be wearing. Then what they should be driving. Then where they should be living. Then what they should do for a living. Hopefully they’ll get the message then. That’d be my reaction anyway... 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted May 3, 2021 Author Share Posted May 3, 2021 6 minutes ago, bagsieblue said: Ibanez SR300 is a solid bass. Drop A# tuning, so key is string gauge and the set up. Also a pretty neutral EQ is needed in my experience when going that low. What are your band members opinion of your amp/cab/combo? Is that good enough for them?. Low A# is what 29hz? - given we hear the overtones - , Is your amp/cab/combo comfortable in reproducing something so low with a reasonably flat EQ? The amp and cabs are no problem. There's a 12 band eq on the amp. My SR300 has been properly set up with 130, 105, 85, 65 string and a suitably altered nut and truss rod adjustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.