Any Bass players out there?

A mate of mine is a proffessional Bass player, teacher and journalist for various Bass magazines. I thought you might be interested in his website and forum where you can discuss all things Bass.

 

I noticed your post over on Naim (I still read it occasionally!) Looks like it might develop into an interesting site.

Have you taken the plunge and got a bass yet?

Tony.

 

I do, I had a browse on that forum and it looks like a decent place, though the knowledge seems above mine - HiFi means I haven't spent a penny on guitars in about 2-3 years, so I'm out of touch with whats hot/not. (I'll get that pic of the Rick done tonight Tony)

 

I move to Scotland next week so at the moment I'm focused on other things. Once I'm settled & I've sold my Horn I'll consider it seriously. I'm temptted and I want something I can play for fun with a small group. The Horn was way too serious plus my teeth went (long story) so the bass maybe just what I'm looking for.

Anyway Steve is looking for lively discussion so feel free to visit his forum, buy the CDs and go and see him live.

 

Shall look in occasionally...
I'm still playing with myself D ), can't find a local band who want to do anything but low quality covers... If I have to do covers at least I'd like to do them interestingly rather than just a crap copy!

Still got the old Wal custom 2, with Marshall Jubilee head and EV 2x15" cab, plus Yamaha FX770 effects unit for that heavy metal solo or Bootsy space bass sound, plus a spare Kawai Sleekline (quite rare these days, but budget stuff compared to the Wal..)

 

I tried it, wasn't good at it straight away so gave up.

I had a hand injury not long after I started, so I use that as my excuse for not being any good!

 

My teeth were "the wrong type" for flute, I chickened out on organ, and my hands/fingers are too big for guitar, so I had a bass from 1995-1997, playing in a dodgy uni band.

Then my folks put pressure on me to sell it so I did...

...I've wanted another one ever since. I'm now officially on the hunt for a cheap deal. After seeing one work well in a psy-trance act on NYD, and then hearing a blinding player in Exmouth on Sunday I've been inspired...

I'd ideally want my Aria Pro II back but that's long gone, so anyone got any REEEEAAALLLY cheap suggestions? I tried out a Westfield when I was looking to replace my Encore (that's when I got the Aria Pro II) and it seemed OK - there's some good deals on MIB starter kits (with little 20w practice amps etc all in) on Epay hence my question?

The Aria Pro II was lush though - fast fretboard action, good sound, and it looked the dogs. For £229 (then) it was a no brainer. That Carlsbro bass amp I had wasn't so hot though...

 

Check out Steve Lawson's helpful reply to a similar question

 

Starter Kit including Black outfit - complete with shades. Ray gun, and communications device.

You too can be blasting aliens in no time!

"when I was looking to replace my Encore"

Good ol' Encore! Everyones first guitar

My Bass was/is a limited edition Encore. Only a few hundred of the MOdel were made and it looks nice, for it's price. Has the usual Encore failings though, nobs becoming loose after a while etc...

 

I have to admit I don't agree with his advice at all there! Mainstream Japanese instruments like Aria and Ibanez are (IMHO) more than a bit lame and loose most of their value by simply carrying them out of the shop, especially in the 500-700 quid range. A 700 quid Aria will be worth under £250 17 seconds after exiting the shop, and will keep going down.

Its far better IMHO to buy a second hand classic such as a US Fender, Rickenbacker, Musicman, Wal, Burns, Shergold or whatever as these are not only (obviously still IMHO) far better instruments, but will also increase in value better than keeping the cash in the building society assuming you don't damage them.

The other great thing about using a classic such as say a Fender Precision is that so many superb bassists before you have got fabulous results that you simply can't blame the tool for your own limitations. The Precision or Jazz are the mainstay in modern music and will have been used on probably over 45% of your record collection. They work, simple as that.

Don't get bogged down with fancy tone controls either, a good sounding bass doesn't need them. The Precision has one volume and one tone control (as do my Shergolds), and that is more than enough!

Tony.

 

Excellent - £250 is my total absolute limit. I'm not paying for a 1960s Fender Jazz (for example) if I'm unlikely to use it much. A Ricky would be nice, but over budget.

In actual fact MO! - my Encore was second hand and the knobs never got loose. The problem I had was a resonating bit of metal on one of the strings (A, IIRC) on the bridge that I could never solve.

Ah yeah - but I'm not buying to invest. I also got bored of the Encore (OK, so it's not a Fender) Precision sound - it was too boomy. My mate's Fender Jazz is very very nice though - but as before, about £600 over budget even second hand!

Maybe there's a reason I don't want a common bass - it's more obvious how crap I am if I have one everyone knows the sound of

 

I might well have been the world's worst bass player. Thankfully, I decided it was best to give up and have not 'played bass' for many a year.