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Post by ux4484 on Dec 18, 2006 10:28:56 GMT -5
I'd ask him to add a picture of the Headstock, but I'm pretty sure from what I can see of the Headstock it's a Brownsville (a series of entry level basses sold by Sam Ash). Considering that this Bass being sold by Sam Ash via Amazon for only $109.00 with almost identical features, I would be loathe to pay much for the used one up for sale. The case, stand and strap are probably worth as much as the bass itself. For the same price he wants, you could go by a brand new Brownsville from Sam Ash with all the same accessories, or better yet, a really good beginner bass like a Squire Standard Jazz Bass. For once, wandering all the local music stores in my spare time actually IS productive.
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Post by ux4484 on Dec 7, 2006 11:00:14 GMT -5
Well, it's kind of hard to play bottleneck chords and strum like a maniac on a electric without causing something to buzz. And it's kind of hard to play power chords on an acoustic and make them sound right....IMO, you need some common ground.
I usually start with the acoustic, because playing both Bass and Guitar, it's the midpoint for maintaining finger strength. If I can nail it on the acoustic, I can wail with it on the electric.
BTW, on acoustics and guys who play them....Last summer we saw John Hiatt do a solo acoustic performance locally, nothing sissy about that guys acoustic playing.
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Post by ux4484 on Nov 14, 2006 22:15:48 GMT -5
If possible, their name is not something I use in everyday conversation. Neither the Mrs or the girls like them....so I have the luxury of not caring. In the music Biz, press is press, or as ChrisK would say: Press Is Darrell Abbott is bigger now than he ever was alive....go figure. I expect the next time we'll really hear from the DC's will be in the obit's or at the next presidential inauguration.
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 27, 2006 8:50:11 GMT -5
the supergroup I like only did one album....Little Village.
* John Hiatt - Guitar & Vocals * Nick Lowe - Bass Guitar & Vocals * Jim Keltner - Drums & Percussion * Ry Cooder - Slide Guitar & Vocals
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 24, 2006 10:10:02 GMT -5
heh....he looks toothless in that shot....
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 17, 2006 15:33:18 GMT -5
Hmmmm....it makes me think of other things..... I'll apologize right off for dive-bombing off topic.
Back in the day, I was in a band, and I sounded a bit like you do (more so on the money side than the artistic). I was always pushing to get the cash, and luckily (for a while) was able to make it happen by the good fortune of getting the gigs my H.S. band teacher's group turned down. We were just at the point of getting union scale (at that time about $100 bucks per guy per show) and started to get regular repeat gigs at a couple clubs. We had a regular practice space afforded us by our drummers church (yes, we had to play all their dances gratis...sometimes you have to play for free), we also had access to their 8 track reel to reel recording system and were able to make very good demo tapes (for the time). Right at the time we became profitable (all our equipment paid for and money you could keep after a show), it started to fall apart. We were promoting pretty heavy, but we were getting more weddings/party/dance work than club work, which two of the guys hated, because you couldn't really play many of our original songs. Club work was also a problem because I was the youngest, and not every club bought my fake I.D. There (as unk said; quoting Zappa)is the crux of the biscuit: Making money for playing others music, or trying to get paid for playing your own. It's fairly easy to make money as a cover band, it also doesn't hog your life, but you may not be "artistically fulfilled". At the time, I was quite "fulfilled" getting more cash two nights a week than I made all week in my part time job (during college) for something that came pretty easy for me. While half the guys wanted to go all-club/all original, I just didn't have the time to commit (two to four nights a week was enough). I also never saw myself as wanting to write "my" songs with those guys, they were leaning a different way than I was. I did write some with them, but it was on their songs (I was the bridge guy), not mine. They were copyrighting everything in the bands name, and I just wasn't comfortable with that. Eventually, I grudgingly agreed to go the club-only route, but we had a few dances/parties left to play. After our last four gig weekend, I came for our first "all original" practice session to find the proceeds from the weekend (of which $500 was mine) had been spent on a new P.A. and 19 channel live sound board (and the cables and mics to go along with it). None of the places we would be playing required such a set-up, in fact, it would have probably required us all to down-size our amps (which I believe they eventually did). Not to mention, that I was planning on using that money for an engagement ring for my then-girlfriend-now-wife. I grabbed my bass, my pedals, and my amp head and never looked back again. Since I have played with some buds on occasion, a few Xmas sing-alongs and such, but never a band again.
Did I make a mistake? For a while I thought so, but as time went on other things became more important, and there are many ways to incorporate music into your life that can be more enriching than being published (or getting money). My kids are both very musical, and I help them in their endeavors. Daughter #1 started with piano, and now moved on to (my) electric Bass. Daughter #2 is sticking it out with piano, and started on guitar this spring. Seeing them play and enjoy music is more enriching than any time I ever spent on stage, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Chances are, If I had stuck to the music route, I probably wouldn't have my wonderful wife and kids, and that would be the real shame.
BTW, none of the guys ever "made it" Ones Dead, one's a banker, one flailed at it the longest and is now a pizza maker, and two are techs.
Be ambitious, but be realistic. Always have a backup plan. Don't count on "it" happening. If it does, wonderful, but be prepared for it not to. The odds are against you.
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 16, 2006 10:18:39 GMT -5
;D ;D ;D Maybe it was inadvertant, but this has turned into one of the funniest threads that I've ever read. Thanks guys. I needed that. ;D ;D ;D Bob Glad to be of service?
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 13, 2006 9:16:03 GMT -5
Well...certianly not what I was thinking about..... I was thinking more the blue flame that comes from improperly grounded equipment (brought on by yesterday's discussion). ......though ironically, my first zap via a ungrounded amp was in a music store about 28 years ago when I sat down on a radiator to try out a bass. Clearly, I could have generated the kind of blue flame you were thinking about when it happened....but what I got was a very tingly tush. Good thing it wasn't summer....If I'd had shorts on......
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 12, 2006 11:22:01 GMT -5
I was wondering if anyone was willing to share their "Blue Flame" experiences...funny, scary, or tragic?
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 12, 2006 13:01:38 GMT -5
I was just wondering if there were still any Ace fans left.......
I never "got" KISS.
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 11, 2006 16:03:23 GMT -5
I could tell it was German before I even saw the text or the name. Only in Germany could a output jack be over-engineered (joking). I was kind of surprised to see this a while back: Especially considering his most famous work was done with a triple HB LP.
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Post by ux4484 on Oct 2, 2006 9:06:56 GMT -5
Bridge, it's the position I play the most on the strat (HB w/split), and at least half the time on the tele (though I have been warming up to the neck pup since upgrading the tele). I must have the twang..... I think where you play most might have some consideration also. For me, on the strat picking takes place over the middle pup most of the time, but on the tele, I'm pretty much a bridge hugger. The ashtray bridge is a perfect hand rest.
I would say the same on bass as well. I've never had a single PU bass, and the bridge pup has always been my preference, the exception would be a Kingston Hofner copy I had in H.S., the sweet sound spot on that bass was in front of the neck pup. For playing position on bass, I'm opposite (unless I'm going for a Rick sound) I usually play over of just in front of the neck pup....though I think that's due to my early years spent with Roger Filiberto's Mel Bay book.
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Post by ux4484 on Sept 11, 2006 9:58:33 GMT -5
If you change the screws to brass ones, you can do a pretty neat job of it, but obviously you can only adjust it in whole turns, so yes....you'd better be spot on when you kink them. If you use the same size strings consistently, it's better than all the fiddling and tuning tricks that come with getting a standard tele bridge even close. It was a stop-gap solution until I finally popped for a new bridge. The six saddle (round saddles) model I put on is not as deep sounding as the original, but chords everywhere sound so much better...though are a bit more jangle-ly.
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Post by ux4484 on Sept 11, 2006 9:39:28 GMT -5
It's basically making a standard 3 saddle Tele-bridge a Wilkerson style bridge by putting a small kink in the saddle screws creating the same kind of offset. It wasn't on GN, but reading JohnA's strat review led me (indirectly) to the Seymour Duncan forums where it was discussed.
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Post by ux4484 on Sept 11, 2006 9:15:44 GMT -5
I was responding to John H in E & W section, but thought it would make a better topic than a response. Since coming here, what mods have you done that were directly inspired by GN or GN2. Well......since first finding the original Guitarnuts about a year ago, I've already quieted the beast on my Squire strat, replaced the bridge, popped a (decades) old DiMarzio Dual sound and split switch in it as well. On the Tele, initially star grounding and then bent-screw intonating on the original bridge. Then a complete makeover...new bridge, new tuners, GFS "modern vintage" set (via Unk's & JohnH's McCarty wiring) and a little resurfacing/refinishing making it better than new (and better than many Tele's I've been pounding on at GC and SA of late). I'm done for now ....though the tuners I put on the tele are sooOOOoooo much better than the ones on the strat....hmmmmmm.....
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Post by ux4484 on Sept 5, 2006 20:49:08 GMT -5
When it's at Sam's club...Caribou Columbian or Daybreak (only time I can afford it). If not Caribou, it's regular 8 o'clock (red bag). We buy coffee two bags at a time, one bean, and one ground at the store. black or just cream for me. Can't stand Starbucks....most of their beans are over-roasted.
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Post by ux4484 on Aug 28, 2006 13:09:47 GMT -5
Well, I have played it at a buds house for a few minutes, and then stopped because it was stupid. I was amazed to find it was exactly the same controller that we got my little one in a standalone Bratz device that has similar games built in...hooked directly to the TV. (even made by the same outfit). The games are noticeably slower than the playstation version, but if you really play guitar, both are a complete waste of time and money. Much like DDR, it's not if you can "Dance" or "play" but how well you can manipulate the controller timed to the game's on screen prompts. Even at a slow speed on the PS2, playing in perfect rhythm to the song, my score was miserable... because it was not timed to the screen prompts. When I did follow the prompts, I was clearly not playing in time with the actual music. The Bratz knockoff is even worse and was thusly passed on to the next kid who came over to play and said "Cool!".
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Post by ux4484 on Jul 25, 2006 9:27:50 GMT -5
It's very........mesmerizing in a strange way.....
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Post by ux4484 on Jul 3, 2006 11:14:07 GMT -5
heh....best one it made for me was " Cherry Toupee Goldfish", but none as good as my nephews band's name: "Turds in a Urinal".
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Post by ux4484 on Jun 26, 2006 10:56:15 GMT -5
Thrashing on 6 is enough of a chore for me, especially when I started with 4! For a long time, I really, REALLY wanted a 12 string RIC, and then a bud lent his to me for a week Six is more than enough for me.
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Post by ux4484 on Jun 7, 2006 10:25:09 GMT -5
RandomHero, you're beginning to scare me....same age...similar background...wives have similar outlooks on music...and now this.... In HS, I was in Chorus and Madrigal Chorus. A-ways back I used to fill in singing in the chorus for a few community theaters in a pinch. Back in my band days, I sang about 1/3 of our sets (the ones that were in my limited rage). Back in HS, on a good day, I could hit about two and a half octaves....nowadays, I'm more like almost two....and then....falsetto . Back in my band days, I used to try to sing like someone else. I used to do a convincing John Lennon, Ben Orr (Cars), and Cliff Johnson (Off Broadway, if anyone knows who he is ). I gave up on that though, it's tough enough just to try and nail a song playing and singing; I won't bother killing myself trying to sound like someone else doing it. My wife (A former Chicago All-City Chorus member), says I have a harmonizing voice; it sounds better blended with someone else's (these days, usually hers ).
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Post by ux4484 on May 26, 2006 9:30:44 GMT -5
Over the past few days....
Off Broadway (Live at Fitzgeralds) John Hiatt (Stolen Moments) Bodeans (Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams) White Stripes The Strokes Cheap Trick Chris Issac and a few Select Gorillaz songs
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Post by ux4484 on Nov 20, 2006 16:10:07 GMT -5
Daughter #1 of late is listening to Panic at the Disco.....
Kind of a mesh between BareNakedLadies and A-Ha...
not bad really....
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Post by ux4484 on May 23, 2006 10:09:48 GMT -5
Don't say you never used one....I know you have. Mine is chordieIt was always a nice stop having a songbook (where you can edit and save your tabs), but recently they added a full screen view with column and font size adjustment. Just the thing for middle aged eyes to be able to read while playing in front of the 'puter. I was wondering (if your willing to share ). Where is your favorite Tab site?
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Post by ux4484 on May 25, 2006 9:03:36 GMT -5
not that I'm complain' but you needs a bag on the wax paul as well
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Post by ux4484 on Aug 20, 2007 20:15:35 GMT -5
Back in my bass-only days, it depended on the song. When I went through learning every McCartney bass line from the Beatles, a pick was (almost always) required. I tried many picks, but ended up with something hard to find these days: Felt picks. The linked ones are by Grover and are more similar to the ones I used to use. There are Dunlop's available now that are a bit more durable. Felt picks are quite messy, but do muffle the clicking that often accompanies playing a bass with a pick (or just turn down the tone control ). For a while, I was using a stone pick, but once the polish wore off it, it was useless (you can "resurface" them by putting them in a rock polisher....too much maintenance for a pick). I phased out of pick playing during the end of my wedding band days, mainly because It's hard enough to sing and play bass, and using my fingers requires less processing (but I did the same as you Kuzi16; plucked harder and upped the treble). These days, there are gobs of pick choices for bass (well...online...not always in your local shops), but If I get a hankering to use a pick on my bass, I use the ones Digitech sent me with the "free" gig bag offer on my pedal. They are Digitech named, but are about as thick as two Fender Heavy's together, but are very soft (is there a hardness scale for plastic?) and don't have much "click". I don't know who made 'em, but they are perfect for bass.
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Post by ux4484 on May 21, 2006 13:54:33 GMT -5
I use whatever is on sale . but Seriously.... I have a bunch of Tortex, I like the durability, but they flip out of my fingers too often, so I prefer my old standard Jimmy D nylons (varying thickness). Not only are they easier to grip, but you can reverse them for a great grinding twang. Back in my Bass-only days, I had quite a stash of ridged felt picks....mostly used on my Kingston Hofner copy with the black strings. I used to spray the tips with silicone sealant to get them to last longer.
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Post by ux4484 on May 18, 2006 10:42:26 GMT -5
deepblue, I'm right in the same age group as you, been playing since just before I was 15. Man, for those first 7 years I was non-stop. Once my band split, I became lax. I don't think I started having those kind of days until then. Not playing Jazz or my fav three minute tunes with a group is quite the downer for a Bass player, so I started playing guitar. Clearly, I was a better Bass player . I won't lie, I've had the occasional YEAR go by and not played. I really only started picking up seriously again about 5 years ago when my girls started taking piano. It's funny, back when I started learning, I always felt I was short on theory when what I was really short on was patience (25+ years of perspective will do that to you). Our piano teacher is big on theory, and now having an adult perspective, I found I knew more than I thought. I started playing regularly again (so nice to have my callouses back ), to the point that my old gear started breaking. The Mrs, in endless support of my misery got me a new acoustic, and I re-bridged the Tele copy, and picked up my Squier Strat. I still suck, but I think I do sound a lot better. My Mrs. isn't quite as supportive as yours (There is NO playing guitar on the couch at our house), but she doesn't begrudge me playing (as long as it doesn't interfere with our family time). Why the long story?..... To get around to my change in view. My goals in playing have changed completely since my younger days. It's no longer about being able to play anything or even to be the best I can be..... It's to have fun. It's about being able to pick up that axe in the backyard on a summer night and hammer out John Hiatt's "Cry Love" for the neighbors (hopefully without ruining it). Or when my 13 year old (who's actually letting me teach her) asks If I know Green Day's "Holiday" to be able to hash it out while they're in school and show her it when she gets home. Or when my neighbor's kid asks me if I know any AC/DC (of course, not much practice needed for that ) I can show him. You don't need to be a God. If it ain't workin' that day, it ain't workin'. John Mellencamp says it best: "Forget about all that macho $h!+ and learn how to Play Guitar". end philosophical rant...phew!sumgai, I'll be looking for that book!
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Post by ux4484 on May 22, 2006 10:04:38 GMT -5
I'm uhh....whistling past the graveyard here.... My then girlfriend (now Mrs.) auditioned for our band (being the Pat Benetar and Go-Go's era). As we were already dating, everyone already knew her. It didn't seem to be too much of a ego crush as an ego smash....because she sang soooOOOOoooo much better than any of us. In hindsight, it was a Godsend that her college schedule was too busy to accommodate joining. Celebrity Roadie....what's a Roadie? .....OH! duh.....that's that job we used to all do ourselves
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Post by ux4484 on Jun 22, 2006 18:30:59 GMT -5
fifth Beatle...RIGHT HERE!!!
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