Bass Players!

[WIDE-ANGLE WATCHER]

Found this thing at Long & McQuade today...

 

That....on a sheetless mattress....boner!!!

[OneLittleVictory]

Thought i'd revive this thread with pics of my bass :D Edited July 29, 2013 by OneLittleVictory

[Digitalman3113]

I also have a red steinberger

[Digitalman3113]

Sorry, link didn't work, I have a squire 77 modified jazz bass, a fretless jazz bass, a Rickenbacker 4003 and a red Steinberger

[Body Electric]

Zon sonus 4

Ibanez soundgear fretless

Kawai 88 key wieghted digital piano

 

Top

Hartke 210 aluminum cone

Powered by hartke 3500

 

Bottom

Swr 1x15

Powered by carvin 600 redline

 

Effects for top amp (aluminum cones ) Line six filter pro (envelope filter/synth )

Line six mod pro (chorus/flange)

Tc electronic m2000

Controlled by behringer fcb 1010

finally boss dd6 in the top amp effects loop

And boss syb3 spliting signal dry to the top and the effected synth channel to the bottom (rarely used as I like to keep one amp dry as farmas effects go)

[Del_Duio]

I remember in '95 I bought a Hartke amp- it was supposed to be the "unbreakable" amp with aluminum cones of the future or whatever. I never did turn it up very loud and still the stupid thing somehow got a small crack in it and the only way for them to repair it was for me to spend a bunch of $$ and ship the billion-pound thing to them or some shit.

 

I sold it back to the music store for about 20% of what it was worth because "with a cracked speaker, it's going to be hard to sell!" Friggin' crooks. So yes, that's my Hartke experience and it wasn't very good obviously haha.

[Freeze-Frame]

I feel stupid for not knowing the different types of amps and basses like everybody else.

 

I've been playing Bass Guitar for over a year now, and the one that I've played over this year was a red Fender Jazz with a Fender Bass Amp that came along with it. I'm only 16 years old, so I don't have the opportunity to try out different basses. Hell, I haven't even changed the strings on my thing, so I don't know anything about strings either. What's really embarrassing is that I don't know what the knobs on the guitar do. I know they change the tone, but can't figure out the specifics. Perhaps someone can teach me about this stuff because it sounds like I'm in desperate need of a lecture by one of you guys.

 

As for my skill, I guess you could say I'm good for my age (in bass playing years). So far, I can play:

Limelight

Tom Sawyer

Far Cry

Spirit of Radio (working on it)

2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx

Closer to the Heart (except I don't know how to play the part after the guitar solo. I usually freestyle it)

Marathon

[OneLittleVictory]

I feel stupid for not knowing the different types of amps and basses like everybody else.

 

I've been playing Bass Guitar for over a year now, and the one that I've played over this year was a red Fender Jazz with a Fender Bass Amp that came along with it. I'm only 16 years old, so I don't have the opportunity to try out different basses. Hell, I haven't even changed the strings on my thing, so I don't know anything about strings either. What's really embarrassing is that I don't know what the knobs on the guitar do. I know they change the tone, but can't figure out the specifics. Perhaps someone can teach me about this stuff because it sounds like I'm in desperate need of a lecture by one of you guys.

 

As for my skill, I guess you could say I'm good for my age (in bass playing years). So far, I can play:

Limelight

Tom Sawyer

Far Cry

Spirit of Radio (working on it)

2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx

Closer to the Heart (except I don't know how to play the part after the guitar solo. I usually freestyle it)

Marathon

 

Just use the strings that geddy uses rotosound 66 swing bass.

Edited September 13, 2013 by OneLittleVictory

[Body Electric]

I remember in '95 I bought a Hartke amp- it was supposed to be the "unbreakable" amp with aluminum cones of the future or whatever. I never did turn it up very loud and still the stupid thing somehow got a small crack in it and the only way for them to repair it was for me to spend a bunch of $$ and ship the billion-pound thing to them or some shit.

 

I sold it back to the music store for about 20% of what it was worth because "with a cracked speaker, it's going to be hard to sell!" Friggin' crooks. So yes, that's my Hartke experience and it wasn't very good obviously haha.

yes they do require tlc, i love mine due to the slap tone i get out of them, i have had them for 10 years no issues

[Body Electric]

I feel stupid for not knowing the different types of amps and basses like everybody else.

 

I've been playing Bass Guitar for over a year now, and the one that I've played over this year was a red Fender Jazz with a Fender Bass Amp that came along with it. I'm only 16 years old, so I don't have the opportunity to try out different basses. Hell, I haven't even changed the strings on my thing, so I don't know anything about strings either. What's really embarrassing is that I don't know what the knobs on the guitar do. I know they change the tone, but can't figure out the specifics. Perhaps someone can teach me about this stuff because it sounds like I'm in desperate need of a lecture by one of you guys.

 

As for my skill, I guess you could say I'm good for my age (in bass playing years). So far, I can play:

Limelight

Tom Sawyer

Far Cry

Spirit of Radio (working on it)

2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx

Closer to the Heart (except I don't know how to play the part after the guitar solo. I usually freestyle it)

Marathon

one knob will be volume only , the other(s) depending on model will be tone eg bass or treble, also depending on the model, one knob might be a pick up selection knob, (eg one way will be bridge pick up the other, will be body ), in the middle is the perfect balance, and you can adjust somewhere in between for which pick up has more in your sonic blender

ps if you can take a pic of your bass i can tell you with better accuracy what each knob does

also as for strings, if they are dirty , but you have a complete set try boiling them in water in a pot for 10 minutes, you save a mad amount of cash, and they'll sound almost new

Edited September 13, 2013 by Body Electric

[Del_Duio]

I feel stupid for not knowing the different types of amps and basses like everybody else.

 

I've been playing Bass Guitar for over a year now, and the one that I've played over this year was a red Fender Jazz with a Fender Bass Amp that came along with it. I'm only 16 years old, so I don't have the opportunity to try out different basses. Hell, I haven't even changed the strings on my thing, so I don't know anything about strings either. What's really embarrassing is that I don't know what the knobs on the guitar do. I know they change the tone, but can't figure out the specifics. Perhaps someone can teach me about this stuff because it sounds like I'm in desperate need of a lecture by one of you guys.

 

As for my skill, I guess you could say I'm good for my age (in bass playing years). So far, I can play:

Limelight

Tom Sawyer

Far Cry

Spirit of Radio (working on it)

2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx

Closer to the Heart (except I don't know how to play the part after the guitar solo. I usually freestyle it)

Marathon

 

Don't feel bad, man. I have an Ibanez with 4 knobs and I still have the little plastic thing from Guitar Center on it that says what they all do lol. One of yours is going to be volume, one will be tone (high treble / low bass), one might be a pickup selector but for my Fender that's done with a 3 position toggle switch so I'm not 100% sure on that.

[Del_Duio]

also as for strings, if they are dirty , but you have a complete set try boiling them in water in a pot for 10 minutes, you save a mad amount of cash, and they'll sound almost new

 

Nice, I didn't know that! Thanks for the tip, time to go ruin some of my girlfriend's cooking pots haha.

[KennyLee]

I feel stupid for not knowing the different types of amps and basses like everybody else.

 

I've been playing Bass Guitar for over a year now, and the one that I've played over this year was a red Fender Jazz with a Fender Bass Amp that came along with it. I'm only 16 years old, so I don't have the opportunity to try out different basses. Hell, I haven't even changed the strings on my thing, so I don't know anything about strings either. What's really embarrassing is that I don't know what the knobs on the guitar do. I know they change the tone, but can't figure out the specifics. Perhaps someone can teach me about this stuff because it sounds like I'm in desperate need of a lecture by one of you guys.

 

As for my skill, I guess you could say I'm good for my age (in bass playing years). So far, I can play:

Limelight

Tom Sawyer

Far Cry

Spirit of Radio (working on it)

2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx

Closer to the Heart (except I don't know how to play the part after the guitar solo. I usually freestyle it)

Marathon

one knob will be volume only , the other(s) depending on model will be tone eg bass or treble, also depending on the model, one knob might be a pick up selection knob, (eg one way will be bridge pick up the other, will be body ), in the middle is the perfect balance, and you can adjust somewhere in between for which pick up has more in your sonic blender

ps if you can take a pic of your bass i can tell you with better accuracy what each knob does

also as for strings, if they are dirty , but you have a complete set try boiling them in water in a pot for 10 minutes, you save a mad amount of cash, and they'll sound almost new

.

 

Actually on your Fender Jazz you should have two volume knobs. First is your bridge pick up (twangier tone), second is your neck pick up (deeper tone). The third knob will be your tone knob.

 

My gear:

 

GL Fender Jazz (plays like butter with great tone)

Rickenbacker 4001 (plays like playing a tree but the sound is incredible)

Spector NS2000 (great mid punch but heavy)

 

Hartke 3500 with a 4x10 and 1x15 cabinet.

 

Story about my Hartke:

 

When I first bought it (long time ago) brand new, I bring it home and plug in. As my volume goes up a little I hear a slight buzz. After an hour trying to find it I call tech support. Their solution is send it back and they'll fix it but I traded my old rig and had a show in 3 days!

 

So I'm on the phone with about 4 different guys trying like hell to troubleshoot it. FINALLY, a guy gets on and says, "Look. I'm not supposed to say this but... do you know anything about electronics?"

 

Yes I do!

 

"Open it up if you feel confident".

 

I open it up and get to the circuit board.

 

"OK, look for a resistor marked r127."

 

OK, I got it.

 

"OK, cut it out. Just snip both sides."

 

OK, done, now what.

 

"That's it. Enjoy your amp."

 

It has worked perfectly and reliably since that day for at least 15 years or so. Great amp with one mostly un-addressed flaw. Fix it and it's a work horse!

[Snaked]

As of today I am a bass *owner*... I wouldn't call myself a bass player yet! haha!

I bought one of those Fender "Stop Dreaming and Start Playing" kits with a black Jazz and I ordered a copy of Rocksmith for my PC to get me started.

 

I played around with the bass today for a couple hours and I gotta tell you.. my poor fingers are VERY sore now!

I have never played seriously in any way shape or form so I'm learning from ground zero. I did however get it tuned with the little tuner doohickey that clips onto the headstock.

 

Hopefully I'll figure out the knobs before too long and who knows.. maybe I can find a set of Geddy's Rotosounds on Friday and restring my new bass right off the bat.

 

Here is a pic of my black beauty...

 

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t254/snaked_arrowed/Bass_zpsfb30e4e0.jpg

[Del_Duio]

As of today I am a bass *owner*... I wouldn't call myself a bass player yet! haha!

I bought one of those Fender "Stop Dreaming and Start Playing" kits with a black Jazz and I ordered a copy of Rocksmith for my PC to get me started.

 

I played around with the bass today for a couple hours and I gotta tell you.. my poor fingers are VERY sore now!

I have never played seriously in any way shape or form so I'm learning from ground zero. I did however get it tuned with the little tuner doohickey that clips onto the headstock.

 

Hopefully I'll figure out the knobs before too long and who knows.. maybe I can find a set of Geddy's Rotosounds on Friday and restring my new bass right off the bat.

 

Here is a pic of my black beauty...

 

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t254/snaked_arrowed/Bass_zpsfb30e4e0.jpg

 

Cool man! Well, you're off on the right foot with a Fender as your first bass :) It's been forever but weird I had completely forgotten how much your fingers friggin' hurt like a bastard when you first start playing. Pretty soon you'll be calloused like the rest of us.

[Del_Duio]

I forgot to mention it here but I finally bought another 6 string bass earlier this month. I used to have one a long LONG time ago that set me back $1100 so after getting rid of it I just assumed these things were always expensive and didn't give it a second thought later in life when I thought about maybe getting another.

 

Flash forward: I was in an Ohio music store trying out a Spector NS-2 (OH MY GOD, but way too expensive) and they had this cool-looking white Ibanez SR256 six string that sounded pretty great and was really cheap at just under $400. After some thinking I was able to take it home. It was / is very weird to play something like this after playing 4 strings for so long- the spacing and etc is JUST ENOUGH that you screw up in the strangest ways.

 

I used this bass to record this song below. I ran it through a vocal processor for the chorus effect and I love it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64l-el84ohs

[calirush]

As of today I am a bass *owner*... I wouldn't call myself a bass player yet! haha!

I bought one of those Fender "Stop Dreaming and Start Playing" kits with a black Jazz and I ordered a copy of Rocksmith for my PC to get me started.

 

I played around with the bass today for a couple hours and I gotta tell you.. my poor fingers are VERY sore now!

I have never played seriously in any way shape or form so I'm learning from ground zero. I did however get it tuned with the little tuner doohickey that clips onto the headstock.

 

Hopefully I'll figure out the knobs before too long and who knows.. maybe I can find a set of Geddy's Rotosounds on Friday and restring my new bass right off the bat.

 

Here is a pic of my black beauty...

 

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t254/snaked_arrowed/Bass_zpsfb30e4e0.jpg

 

Cool man! Well, you're off on the right foot with a Fender as your first bass :) It's been forever but weird I had completely forgotten how much your fingers friggin' hurt like a bastard when you first start playing. Pretty soon you'll be calloused like the rest of us.

 

And not just on the fingers.

[KennyLee]

Give ya a little head start. The First knob (closest to the white pick guard) is the volume for the pickup closest to the neck. The second knob is the volume for the pickup closest to the bridge. The third know is the tone knob.

 

Don't quit. The first three months or so will be torture. Get through those first three months and you will be on your way.

 

Good luck to you!

 

Nice bass btw. A lot of people will give you grief that it's a Squier, not a true Fender but screw those people. I've played Squiers that actually sound better than some Fenders. Enjoy it!

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Yeah we have had many discussions about Squires and MIM Fenders.

 

Fenders are supposed to be cheap. Anyone who pays more than $500 for any Fender spends too much.

[OneLittleVictory]

Yeah we have had many discussions about Squires and MIM Fenders.

 

Fenders are supposed to be cheap. Anyone who pays more than $500 for any Fender spends too much.

 

What if you're spending it on the Geddy J-Bass?

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Yeah we have had many discussions about Squires and MIM Fenders.

 

Fenders are supposed to be cheap. Anyone who pays more than $500 for any Fender spends too much.

 

What if you're spending it on the Geddy J-Bass?

I would not have gotten mine if I didn't have a friend who works for Guitar Center who got me mine at cost several years ago. It was just over $500 and the one I got was particularly good compared to others in that store and ones nearby. I actually prefer my Mexi for feel, but the Geddy has that tone because if the fretboard. The Mexi is very close but rounder because of its rosewood fretboard. I also have a Ric 4001 that I bought from a friend real cheap. It's creme colored but it sounds like a Ric. The tone is the thing, not the color or signature model. The only name model guitar anyone should buy is a Les Paul (I have said this many times). And one that doesn't have someone else's name before it. Even Alex Lifeson, Jimmy Page or Ace Frehley. Marketing ploy. I would love a John Lennon, George Harrison, or Pete Townshend Rickenbacker (the only way to get models like they played since they are discontinued from their regular line, they don't even make 4001s anymore... The new ones are 4003s) but I will not spend $6k a piece to have them. That is stupid.

 

I love the Steve Harris model. But it's a P.

 

Seriously, unless they actually played them and owned them you are better off saving the cash and getting a Mexican or a Squire that plays and sounds as good or better. Look up some of my posts with Fender, Squire and Mexi in the keyword and you will see that I am serious about this. There is a Squire J with a Geddy style neck and sounds similar for around $300. Paint it black and put a good pickguard on it and you've got a Geddy for less than half the price. Fenders are made cheaply and should be cheap to buy. Spend money on a Gibson or a Rickenbacker or a Paul Reed Smith. The differences (by and large) between USA Fenders and foreign mades are where they are made, the metric system and the price. They sound the same or better in many cases. I have a friend who has a Chinese Squire Tele, a Korean Strat and a Mexican Strat that we have been recording, all directly compared to expensive USA models before purchase and we BOTH preferred the cheaper models. But that is the hitch... You gotta play em yourself to find the good ones, and there are plenty. Fender makes more guitars than anybody.

 

Now that Geddy's cost about a granny, he has donated the original to the HOF and plays replicas on stage with different necks and pickguards, so you are getting a replica of a famous bass that's been retired. However for a mere $8k you can get one like he plays now without the CA logo: http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/09/01/fender-custom-shop-unveils-new-limited-geddy-lee-1972-jazz-bass/

 

Close attention to the new live disc one will see that some of his newer Custom Shop basses have the same wear pattern in the paint as his original black one. Life's rough...

 

Also the Geddy's, Steve Harris and Dave Murray pieces are made in Japan, not the US. If you want a souvenir buy the signature model. If you want to play get a cheap one that sounds good and plays well. :)

Edited December 4, 2013 by CygnusX-1Bk2

[invisibleairwaves]

I use a Geddy JB as my main bass, but only because I love the tone and neck and like CygnusX-1Bk2's, it stood out even from other signature JBs. I'm almost kind of embarrassed to use it sometimes because you don't want people thinking "oh, he just bought it because of the name, he just wants to be Geddy Lee". It's a great bass in its own right though, and definitely worth what I paid for it.

 

My other bass is a Squier Affinity (i.e. absolute bottom of the line) P-bass that was like $50 used. It plays and sounds just fine. Had to throw some copper shielding in it but right now if you couldn't see the headstock you wouldn't know it was so cheap. There are a lot of terrible Squiers out there and you have to be discerning and play before you buy, but that goes for every brand. I won't go so far as to say "the expensive ones aren't worth it" because I think the hit/miss ratio does improve as you go up in price, but there absolutely are some cheap gems if you look hard enough.

[KennyLee]

I use a Geddy JB as my main bass, but only because I love the tone and neck and like CygnusX-1Bk2's, it stood out even from other signature JBs. I'm almost kind of embarrassed to use it sometimes because you don't want people thinking "oh, he just bought it because of the name, he just wants to be Geddy Lee". It's a great bass in its own right though, and definitely worth what I paid for it.

 

My other bass is a Squier Affinity (i.e. absolute bottom of the line) P-bass that was like $50 used. It plays and sounds just fine. Had to throw some copper shielding in it but right now if you couldn't see the headstock you wouldn't know it was so cheap. There are a lot of terrible Squiers out there and you have to be discerning and play before you buy, but that goes for every brand. I won't go so far as to say "the expensive ones aren't worth it" because I think the hit/miss ratio does improve as you go up in price, but there absolutely are some cheap gems if you look hard enough.

 

Totally agree with everything in this post.

 

I actually did a side by side comparison with the Squier affinity J-Bass and my Fender and... damn. Pretty close. I was impressed.

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Leo Fender's whole thing was about being the Henry Ford of music. He wanted his guitars to be simple and affordable so he could sell a lot of them. Gibson was about artistry and luxury. We live 50-60 years later and view things with a skewed vision because if nostalgia. Strats were designed to combat the Les Paul and was considerably cheaper because it was assembly line manufactured. Only within the last 20 years has Gibson moved towards this type of process because of programmable saw/carving stations. Once Fender sold to CBS marketing executives started to get dollar signs rolling in their eye sockets which brings us to the out of hand state of guitar pricing we have today. You put "Custom Shop" on something you can charge more. You make it look used and worn you can charge even more. You bother Eric Clapton and replicate his famous guitar and you can charge $10k for a f***ing stratocaster. You buy Gretsch guitars and bother George Harrison and replicate his DuoJet and you can charge $25k for a beat to sh!t guitar you will never play for fear of "damaging" it. All under the guise of making people feel like they have some piece of history.

 

I am a musician. Like most musicians I want good gear and I don't want to spend money needlessly. Signature models do not accomplish this task, nor do they make me play or really sound like the guy whose name is on whatever instrument. Also, more importantly I want to sound like and be me. That is the whole point to my playing music. Am I influenced by and admire the guys who inspired me? Of course. But I don't feel the need to play a replica of their instruments. One like it will do just fine. Especially if it's a good deal. I don't play an instrument because someone else does. I play it because I like it.

 

I was lucky enough to meet Les Paul a few times. He signed one of my guitars (not a Les Paul btw, which he remembered the next time I saw him- not me, the guitar!) as well as my dad's 70s gold top. He also signed a couple catalogs I brought with me. He said two things that really stuck with me: One of the catalogs was Epiphone and he said that some were better than some Gibsons. Then he saw a picture of an elaborately ornamented Les Paul with nice binding and tons of inlay (it was a special edition that year) and he looked at me and said flatly "all that sh!t doesn't make you play any better..." He was great!

Edited December 6, 2013 by CygnusX-1Bk2

[Snaked]

Am I crazy?

 

I got my bass about 3 weeks ago and I've been playing it via Rocksmith and really enjoying it.

The bass I bought is a Squier Affinity "Stop Dreaming and Start Playing" starter pack which cost roughly $300 and came with the guitar, a little amp and a case. Well.. I'm not really using the amp at all since I really just play it with Rocksmith.

 

Here is why I'm asking if I'm crazy...

 

I'm still within the Guitar Center holiday return period and my local GC has a Geddy Jazz for $500.

I can easily return this squier and pick up the Geddy for an extra $200. I'm kinda torn here.

Part of me says "Hell yeah! Grab the Geddy!" The other part says don't spend anything extra.

 

 

Decisions decisions!