Bass Guitar Magazine

[ARGH]

[quote name='silddx' post='450764' date='Mar 31 2009, 06:39 PM']Stuart Clayton said earlier in this thread he doesn't really have much of an opinion or anything to say, and that some like the mag, some don't and little will change. I think that's a really apathetic way of running a business, and they need to pull their socks up or lose it.[/quote]
f***ing knockout punch....

[xilddx]

While I'm at it, Stuart had been watching this thread for ages and only contributed when prompted.
[i]
[b]EDITED [/b]for a potentially hurtful personal remark. Sorry Stuart.[/i]

Sorry Stuart, I'm really trying not be personal. I just detest a wasted opportunity. A wise man makes more opportunities than he finds. Please try to be wiser.

Edited March 31, 2009 by silddx

[EBS_freak]

Come on, don't let this get personal. I would wager that Stuart is not a decision maker with regards to how BGM is run. Stuart coming on here and saying stuff is like you coming on here and commenting on your employer. He needs to pay bills. Cut the guy some slack!

[xilddx]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='450805' date='Mar 31 2009, 07:25 PM']Come on, don't let this get personal. I would wager that Stuart is not a decision maker with regards to how BGM is run. Stuart coming on here and saying stuff is like you coming on here and commenting on your employer. He needs to pay bills. Cut the guy some slack![/quote]
Sorry, fair comment.

My sincere apologies, Stuart.

[molan]

It seems to have disappeared from all of my local shops - and I'm talking Denmark Street area here.

I haven't seen a new copy for quite a while?

[urb]

[quote name='silddx' post='450764' date='Mar 31 2009, 06:39 PM']The others haven't bothered have they? It's in their interests to get involved. They don't. They don't even have a readers letters element. Are they really interested in what you think?[/quote]

OK, as a regular BGM contributor for the last few years I have obviously been reading this thread with a lot of interest, but I feel it both unwise and unprofessional for me to address any specific points as there ARE a lot of changes on the way with BGM but you and everyone else, including me, are going to have to wait to see the next issue to find out exactly what they are.

All I will say is that I had a meeting with Nick Wells a few weeks ago, he's the new fulltime editor. He has read this thread and is very open to ALL opinions and suggestions on the mag; the bottom line is he, like all of us here, want a better UK bass mag than the BGM of old, and is actively taking steps to achieve this.

Obviously this is going to take a little while, i.e. a couple of issues, to really work through, and funny you should mention how much you love the bass reviews in Guitar Buyer...Nick wrote those.

Anyway like I said there are just too many things to address here that ultimately I have no knowledge of what the plan is, but rest assured your opinions are being listened to and are pretty much spot on, so here's to a better future for BGM. I hope you can understand my position as a freelance writer as well, and Stuart's too, we're equally dissapointed when the design or proof reading issues crop up!

Cheers

Mike

[xilddx]

This is reassuring, Mike. I know plenty of folks here say they like it as is, but personally I want to read a bass magazine I could say I'm proud to read, a herald for the profession of playing bass and for those who aspire to such a profession.

Good luck, I promise to buy the next six issues.

[xilddx]

[quote name='urb' post='450835' date='Mar 31 2009, 08:11 PM']we're equally dissapointed when the design or proof reading issues crop up![/quote]

Sorry, I just love this bit

[bass_ferret]

Wow this has rumbled on a bit.

I am sick of saying that magazines can only review what they are given to review so I will say no more until the next knob complains about the gear being reviewed.

And Vauxhall did refuse to allow their cars to be tested by Jezza for a number of years.

I have a mate who is the editor of a specialist magazine - diving I think. Does he know anything about diving? No. Does he know how to edit the people that do know about diving to produce a top mag - oh yes.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Machines' post='450722' date='Mar 31 2009, 06:03 PM']Previous issues have been reasonable, some even decent, but most for me have missed and alienated the majority of bassists. There are too many reviews of custom basses, generally 2-3 per issue (at a guess). There should be 2-3 a year for me.

The aforementioned majority don't and won't buy custom basses, they want to know about popular brands and instruments, not something that costs 10x as much and looks like a coffee table (this is quoting other people !)[/quote]

I'm with EBS_freak on this one, and in complete disagreement with you. I see little point in reviewing instruments that the majority of readers have easy access to. To me it just seems pointless. If I want to see what the latest fender or Yamaha is like I go to one of the local music shops pick up the instrument and try it and then make up my own mind. The reviews of custom instruments and stuff that's less readily available is what is interesting for me because it gives an opinion to an instrument that up until then has simply been some pictures and blurb on the manufacturer/luthiers web site.

TBH that's what I love so much about this site, is that there's a massive range of instruments owned by the people who post here and unless you're after something particularly obscure there's someone on these forums who owns or has owned one and give give you some further information and the benefit of their experience. I would hope that BGM would be able to do this too.

If the BGM Powers That Be are following this thread (maybe some of the 36 guests currently in this part of the forum) then what I'd like to see is a round up of British bass manufacturers/luthiers. Not a 'shoot out' because I don't regard picking a luthier to build your bass as a competition, but an in-depth article that would help people looking for something that suits them better than an off-the-peg instrument narrow down their choice. There are people in the UK building world-class instruments and some of them at prices that are surprising affordable and a UK magazine should be celebrating this fact.

[urb]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='450870' date='Mar 31 2009, 09:03 PM']If the BGM Powers That Be are following this thread (maybe some of the 36 guests currently in this part of the forum) then what I'd like to see is a round up of British bass manufacturers/luthiers. Not a 'shoot out' because I don't regard picking a luthier to build your bass as a competition, but an in-depth article that would help people looking for something that suits them better than an off-the-peg instrument narrow down their choice. There are people in the UK building world-class instruments and some of them at prices that are surprising affordable and a UK magazine should be celebrating this fact.[/quote]

+1

All I can say is, watch this space...

M

[ARGH]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='450867' date='Mar 31 2009, 08:59 PM']And Vauxhall did refuse to allow their cars to be tested by Jezza for a number of years.[/quote]
I have on good authority that inside the BBC TG office,theres a sticky wall,that has car company logo's and its divided into "WHO LIKES US,WHO DOES NOT LIKE US"


I just find it fun that the guy that owns/is Bristol cars has publicly banned James May from the forecourt because he knows Clarkson.

[ARGH]

[quote name='urb' post='450889' date='Mar 31 2009, 09:37 PM']+1

All I can say is, watch this space...

M[/quote]
I also think it would be nice if you had a 'Bassnotes' style final thought page...

[ARGH]

[quote name='silddx' post='450807' date='Mar 31 2009, 07:28 PM']Sorry, fair comment.

My sincere apologies, Stuart.[/quote]
Dont worry,you didnt get the blame for marking his metallic purple Maison Bass 17 years ago.


(I was not me either..)

[Stuart Clayton]

[quote name='silddx' post='450776' date='Mar 31 2009, 06:52 PM']While I'm at it, Stuart had been watching this thread for ages and only contributed when prompted.
[i]
[b]EDITED [/b]for a potentially hurtful personal remark. Sorry Stuart.[/i]

Sorry Stuart, I'm really trying not be personal. I just detest a wasted opportunity. A wise man makes more opportunities than he finds. Please try to be wiser.[/quote]

I'm not offended at all. And the only reason that I joined in on this thread - which you are correct, I was watching with interest - was that I thought I could be helpful in some way. Like I said, I make no decisions on what goes in the mag, the direction it takes, who is interviewed, what transcriptions are chosen, who writes columns etc etc. It's therefore not a case of ME being wiser because I don't run the magazine!!

I'm not here to ruffle feathers and am very keen that this remains friendly.

Cheers
Stuart

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='ARGH' post='450897' date='Mar 31 2009, 09:42 PM'](I was not me either..)[/quote]

who were you then?

[Stuart Clayton]

[quote name='ARGH' post='450897' date='Mar 31 2009, 09:42 PM']Dont worry,you didnt get the blame for marking his metallic purple Maison Bass 17 years ago.


(I was not me either..)[/quote]

That's a pretty interesting comment! Who are you?

A purple Maison bass... weirdly that's a bass I really regret selling.

Stu

[BigBeefChief]

I think the reason we bitch about the magazine is born of frustration. BGM could be great, and I sincerly hope it fullfills its potential. At the moment, its a long way wide of the mark, but its good to hear that the contributers are open minded.

I'd love to see the mag develop a "character". At the moment, it all seems a bit vanilla. If it was abit more ballsy, contained a few more words, a few ideas stolen from other publications (the rare/vintage gear reviews are great in BP), it could be a good little mag.

[ARGH]

[quote name='Stuart Clayton' post='450903' date='Mar 31 2009, 09:52 PM']That's a pretty interesting comment! Who are you?

A purple Maison bass... weirdly that's a bass I really regret selling.

Stu[/quote]
Yeah..I didnt do it,it was either Paul..or Turner....Bastards tried blaming me..It was not me..I promise,I knew better...

You dont piss about with another mans instrument.


There has been quite a high ratio of Talent that vomited forth from NDC,and the Kerslake method....Im a lower league..But from the fountain.

[Stuart Clayton]

[quote name='ARGH' post='450911' date='Mar 31 2009, 09:59 PM']Yeah..I didnt do it,it was either Paul..or Turner....Bastards tried blaming me..It was not me..I promise,I knew better...

You dont piss about with another mans instrument.


There has been quite a high ratio of Talent that vomited forth from NDC,and the Kerslake method....Im a lower league..But from the fountain.[/quote]

Ahh yes, the Kerslake method... man that guy knew his stuff.

Stu

[ARGH]

[quote name='Stuart Clayton' post='450942' date='Mar 31 2009, 10:33 PM']Ahh yes, the Kerslake method... man that guy knew his stuff.

Stu[/quote]
Still does,the Piano was always off key after the 2nd term,he had thrashed it....

Went to work on the North sea liners..I recall you tried that,cruiseship gigs..was not fun iirc.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='urb' post='450835' date='Mar 31 2009, 08:11 PM']OK, as a regular BGM contributor for the last few years I have obviously been reading this thread with a lot of interest, but I feel it both unwise and unprofessional for me to address any specific points as there ARE a lot of changes on the way with BGM but you and everyone else, including me, are going to have to wait to see the next issue to find out exactly what they are.

All I will say is that I had a meeting with Nick Wells a few weeks ago, he's the new fulltime editor. He has read this thread and is very open to ALL opinions and suggestions on the mag; the bottom line is he, like all of us here, want a better UK bass mag than the BGM of old, and is actively taking steps to achieve this.

Obviously this is going to take a little while, i.e. a couple of issues, to really work through, and funny you should mention how much you love the bass reviews in Guitar Buyer...Nick wrote those.

Anyway like I said there are just too many things to address here that ultimately I have no knowledge of what the plan is, but rest assured your opinions are being listened to and are pretty much spot on, so here's to a better future for BGM. I hope you can understand my position as a freelance writer as well, and Stuart's too, we're equally dissapointed when the design or proof reading issues crop up!

Cheers

Mike[/quote]

Hi Mike - are you covering Frankfurt? Or is it going to be another scan of Harmony Central before attaching a few graphics robbed from vendor's websites? I hope not... as there is just no point in covering Frankfurt at all. For those on here that may be interested, I may do a quick sweep with my camera and post my findings up here. Share the wealth and all that.

Just a thought on marks when it comes to the reviews - maybe a leaf should be taken out of BPs book... scrap the marks because they are meaningless when it comes to comparing basses. Does a bass with 4*s that cost £200 equate to a bass with 4*s with £2000? Does it really mean 4*s compared to other basses worth £200...? I reckon better review text would be negate the need for a mark.

Edited April 1, 2009 by EBS_freak

[urb]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='451213' date='Apr 1 2009, 09:35 AM']Hi Mike - are you covering Frankfurt? Or is it going to be another scan of Harmony Central before attaching a few graphics robbed from vendor's websites? I hope not... as there is just no point in covering Frankfurt at all. For those on here that may be interested, I may do a quick sweep with my camera and post my findings up here. Share the wealth and all that.

Just a thought on marks when it comes to the reviews - maybe a leaf should be taken out of BPs book... scrap the marks because they are meaningless when it comes to comparing basses. Does a bass with 4*s that cost £200 equate to a bass with 4*s with £2000? Does it really mean 4*s compared to other basses worth £200...? I reckon better review text would be negate the need for a mark.[/quote]

Yes I'm on my way now, Nick will be there as well.

M

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='urb' post='451306' date='Apr 1 2009, 11:13 AM']Yes I'm on my way now, Nick will be there as well.

M[/quote]

Good, good. I'll catch up with you at some point of the week no doubt! Have you booked your Sei in? I think I'll be bringing my 4 along for the obligatory staple gun action.

Edited April 1, 2009 by EBS_freak

[OldGit]

[quote name='ARGH' post='450763' date='Mar 31 2009, 05:39 PM']NO UK BASS HEROS....??

Gimme 12 months...


(Buy our lp you c**ts)[/quote]


What's an lp?