Electric Or Acoustic Bass Geeeetar?

[Hendrix]

Word.

My setup was always pretty quiet, so yeah, I guess it could be an earthing thing? Unless your active setups a bit odd, like overly boosted at some points? Got no idea what you can do with the Yamaha active setup, so I can't really think of anything else from o'er here. Couldn't you just flick over to passive if you're not playing?

Interesting fact: With my home-made bass, I accidentally had it setup so that if you turned the gain knob up full, it muted it...

Well, the weird thing the Yam does is, if it has no battery in it, it doesn't work at all

vs.

The honer which works without a battery, but it just can't go active. The yamaha is obviously active 24/7 when plugged in , or something along those lines. Home made bass? Ooo

Edited August 29, 2008 by Hendrix

[Mark W]

It's nothing special. Played a few gigs with it, and got everyone in my year to sign it when we left school, so it's more for sentimental value, really. I only ever use the 6 for gigs now.

[Hendrix]

I only ever use the 6 for gigs now.

Are we talking Line 6 or you have 6 Bass's?

[Luke Rainbird]

...or 6 string death machine?

[Hendrix]

6 Strings?! That's way too many for me, just handling 5 as is .

[Haz]

6 string is the way forward, as soon as I can afford one...

[Mark W]

Yeah, low B < high C, fact.

Haz - if you're getting a 6, make sure you get a compressor pedal too, they're too frickin' good. Super useful, it made a noticeable difference to my sound

This is the same model as mine:

Only thing I wanted after that was a fretless 4...

[Hendrix]

Get a fretless headless four, they're actually remarkably easy to play!

Am I correct in tuning my bass like this (5 string);

B

E

A

D

G

Not 100% sure, don't want to look an idiot at a gig for not being tuned correctly or something along those lines .

Edited August 29, 2008 by Hendrix

[Mark W]

Yeah, BEADG. I play double bass too so fretless would be fine, but I can't really be bothered paying the extra for a headless bass, even though they do look big pimpin'.

Well, yeah:

G

D

A

E

B

[Hendrix]

Buy 2nd hand, you'll be amazed what you can find over time! The Yam = £175 (almost new condition), Headless Honer = £150 (good condition). You could always take a fretted headless to a luthier and have the frets removed

[Mark W]

Yeah, but it's never quite the same, and they never really feel quite right. Especially if it's second hand, and been played with frets.

[Hendrix]

Haha, yeah, suppose so.

Got to admit there are some cracking second hand deals about on ebay currently, not all of them are bad. Age can be a good thing.

[Mark W]

'til it gets 1960's-ish, then you pay out the arse

But yeah, I don't really have the money to justify buying a new bass right now, and I hardly get to play mine enough as it is Really miss gigging now I've gone down to London, was talking to the guy who used to be in a band with me here a few days ago about some of our better (and worse ) gigs, and it kinda brought it all back.

[Hendrix]

You should hit up some jam nights in london then. Ain't Nothing but a Blues Club, just down from Waterloo. Blues night on a Sunday & Monday. There's a Jazz one I go to every now or then in Hammersmith, which is good. Both of these say they have "Seasoned professionals" playing, but they don't. I will say it's a better standard of playing than the usual pub bashing though

[Mark W]

If It Ain't Fusion, It Ain't Shit.

[Hendrix]

Then, sir. I have two words for you.

Muso Finder.

Show you want to join a band in London, and before long you'll be gigging again. I get a fair few gigs out of that, and as far as I know, you get 30 days free gold membership, then go back to standard.

[Mark W]

Cool.

But yeah, I don't really dig jam nights all that much just 'cos I'd rather be part of a solid band, work at our own material, get tight, etc., rather than just go "Let's noodle - blues in C. 1, 2, 3, 4."

[Hendrix]

"Let's noodle - blues in C. 1, 2, 3, 4."

Oh c'mon, you're seriously saying you don't enjoy a random jam, that's going no where at all, every now or then?!

[Mark W]

Pretty much, no. Simply 'cos as a bassist, if you deviate from the standard blues shit, you tend to get all the faggot wannabe Vai's give you death looks 'til it's "bom bom bom bom bom bom bom bom" again.

[Hendrix]

Not if you go to a proper jam. They actually give you things called "bass solo's", what ever they are, at proper jam night.

[Mark W]

I guess so, but again, it's just not really what does it for me.

Not to mention bass solos come after guitar solos, which come after more guitar solos, which come after more guitar solos, which come after 'I've got a sweet intro for this, come in on bar 16'.

But yeah, it just seems like jams seem like big circlejerks, in a way. And if you're repeatedly going to a jam and playing with the same people week after week, you really might as well get some balls, form a band, and do it properly.

[Hendrix]

Ha, yeah.

Damn guitarists, the pitfall of the music industry.

Anyway, try muso finder, it's a great source for all your 'muso' needs.

[Mark W]

Sweet, I'll find several pale-faced, socially awkward musicians on there in no time

EDIT: Question - you ever heard of Guthrie Govan?

[TheCircus]

JOIN A TECH METAL BAND.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

Noodling sounds far too much like some oral sex act.