General Music Chat

I've been playing bass for quite a while now, but have only really discovered it for the past three years or so. It's such a different instrument from the guitar! I love picking the strings hard, and then cooling off the tone by playing those same bass lines with my thumb and fingers. Getting more familiar with the bass has made me a better songwriter as of lately too. I used to play guitar with the drum beats in mind, and now I can picture things with bass lines too.

Anyways, I'm looking at buying a rig later on. New or used, it doesen't matter. I was looking at Mark Bass, but they're so expensive! What's good out there for a decent price? I would like to get something loud enough to gig, and practice with a jam type of band later on if things go well enough for me to be able to start more than one band.

I like a little overdrive in the bass. I'm using an old DOD Juice Box right now. The thing sounds like an angry elephant! The sound is cool, but I would like more of a 70's sounding overdrive. Any recommendatations? Pedals, or amps?

One more Q...are there any songs I should practice that have a lot of different picking styles and techniques?

I used McCartney & Entwistle as guides, when I 1st started. McCartney, for his melodic approach, & Entwistle for his power in a basically 3-piece situation with challenging material.

Then I kinda free-formed my own approach to Dead tunes (which is pretty much what Lesh does, I think, but I think I may do it better, sometimes, in that the guitarist always knows where he is when I play). That paved the way to do the Phish stuff, & just about everything else out there. I'm not a slappin'-popper.

I like my Peavy combo, cuz it's road-worthy. Mine's the 400, & it's easy o overpower the band if you ain't careful. I don't play with effects much, though I do have a Zoom for bass.

I get asked to sit in with blues ppl a lot, & I can come up with a lot of runs to use, so it ain't all the same. I prefer the prog/jam format, as a player, though

I bought a Mexican assembled Fender Precision and an Ampeg 100 combo with one 15. It's a good rig for guitar players who also want to play bass.

I picked up a double pickup Alvarez bass for $300. The thing sounds so good that a friend of mine who runs a studio said he wished he could get a bass sound like that. I also own a hollow body "F hole arch top" Gibson bass EB2? single pickup with a varitone that has an incredible bottom end. I couldn't find a model for the Alvarez and the Gibson is buried in closet.
Although I really like the varitone in the Gibson, I prefer the Alvarez. There are a lot of good basses out there.

Try looking up "Rondo Music". I know a lot of peeps that bought guitars and basses from them and they say the craftsmanship is top drawer.

I like a little overdrive in the bass. I'm using an old DOD Juice Box right now. The thing sounds like an angry elephant! The sound is cool, but I would like more of a 70's sounding overdrive. Any recommendatations? Pedals, or amps?

Just like guitar, the bottom line on tone is the right guitar through the right amp. Pedals and effects are fun. But, they sit on top of the signal and tend to kill the tone the more you add. A cranked amp is usually all there is to it, depending on what you're after. It is pretty cool how a lot of the old manufacturers have been making a comeback. Of course, Ampeg never went away. SVTs were always the most popular bass amp.

One more Q...are there any songs I should practice that have a lot of different picking styles and techniques?

Uh, as far as different picking styles, I can't think of anyone who mixes more techniques than Les Claypool. He uses just about all of it; slapping, tapping, popping, strumming, etc.. But, he always picked up a lot from guys like Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, etc. Larry Boothroyd from Victims Family is really good, too IMO.

"If no one ever taught you anything you'd die stupid." ~ Fresh Cheese (Dread Zeppelin) One of my favorite quotes.

I bought a Mexican assembled Fender Precision and an Ampeg 100 combo with one 15. It's a good rig for guitar players who also want to play bass.

I looked at one about seven years ago and it was so sweet - handled like a '56 P-bass. I went home to negotiate the cost with my "comptroller" and when I went back they'd sold it and had another one. Should have been identifical - but it sucked at a level where I could see no hope for it.

I guess with Tex/Mex they must vary quite a bit.

Talbot

Even American made ones vary from unit to unit. But the ones assembled in Mexico use the same parts as American made Fenders. Mine is pretty good but my engineer's '67 blows it away tone wise.

Oh, since we're talking about bass guitars. I guess a basic understanding of tone woods and construction helps. Generally, denser woods have a brighter tone, softer woods have a warmer tone. That's why Les Pauls are mahogany with a Maple top, to get a little of both. Alder is the "tastes like chicken" wood and is pretty versatile, common in Fender Jazz basses. Neck / body construction influences tone as well. Set neck, brighter. Bolt on, warmer. Straight headstock, brighter. Angled headstock, warmer. Hardtailed bridge, brighter. String-thru body, warmer. Generally, the more string vibration you can transfer into the neck and body the more tone you get "from the body" and not "from the string." I don't know how much of this you're already familiar with. But, I hope it helps.

I was scoping the net for bass amps. The most versatile companies seem to be Peavey and Hartke. Eden amps seem to be the rave with some bassists. I haven't heard much about them though. Are they that good? I guess something that's somewhere in the $150-$250 price range will be what I eventually get.

Right now I'm playing on a Warwick Streamer bass. I really like it, except for the fact that it's pretty heavy. Must be made out of oak or something.

Players that I seem to be drawn to are Geezer Butler, Cliff Burton, Jean-Jves Theriult, and Lemmy of course. I like a lot of 70's Funk bassists, but I don't come near to even copying them. I see myself learning from bluesy, metallic, and punk rock styles of playing. I guess you could say I'm not trying to be a virtuoso, but not a low grade punter either.

I was scoping the net for bass amps. The most versatile companies seem to be Peavey and Hartke. Eden amps seem to be the rave with some bassists. I haven't heard much about them though. Are they that good? I guess something that's somewhere in the $150-$250 price range will be what I eventually get.

Right now I'm playing on a Warwick Streamer bass. I really like it, except for the fact that it's pretty heavy. Must be made out of oak or something.

Players that I seem to be drawn to are Geezer Butler, Cliff Burton, Jean-Jves Theriult, and Lemmy of course. I like a lot of 70's Funk bassists, but I don't come near to even copying them. I see myself learning from bluesy, metallic, and punk rock styles of playing. I guess you could say I'm not trying to be a virtuoso, but not a low grade punter either.

I don't know what you're gonna get in the $150-$250 range. Maybe if somebody's Jonesin' and needs drug money REALLY BAD they'll give you a good deal. I dunno. Not that you can't find good equipment in that range. But, it may not give you the tone your looking for.

You've listed three Rickenbacker players and three Ampeg SVT players. At least they have that in common. Burton also used Aria Pro IIs, which can get a Rick kinda tone depending on how you play it. Geezer used to play a lucite Ampeg Dan Armstrong bass with Ozzy-era Sabbath. Generally, it seems like you're looking for something with a maple or denser body for a bright & punchy tone. All I know about Eden Amps is Mike Watt uses 'em and the guy who builds 'em has only one arm...that's about it. Acoustic brand amps were pretty popular with funk players, as well as the SVTs. I think they're all solid state. Not sure. Rob Wright from NoMeansNo used 'em until the late 90's. He'd crank 'em with the mids up to get a harsh overdriven solid state sound. You might find a reasonably priced used one.

I don't know if any of that helps or not.

Ebay had a lot of 200 watt 15 combos for those prices...used as hell of course. I would really like to get a good, loud, bass amp, but for the time being I have no choice but to look for bargains. I DO plan on getting a quality amp in the future.

All of my $$$ has gone towards good guitar equipment over the years. I'm afraid I'm still on the hunt for more too. Maybe I'm going to have to work two jobs.

I have a bass amp for sale: GK 800 for $300

I have a bass amp for sale: GK 800 for $300

Really!? If you still have it in about two months or so then I want it. I would take off your hands now if I could! All I'm doing right now is saving for the things I want.

The combination I have really enjoyed is not exactly cheap, but used it should be...

Ampeg SVT 8X10 = amazing tone capabilities. The 6X10 is easier on the body and still sounds great The 4X10 is even easier, but make sure it is american made.

The Kustom HD600 head when cleaned up, is a good one. I prefer the Ampeg SVT all tube head that goes with my cabinet but I do not have the $2300 to drop on it. I get to hang out at Krank every now and then and thier new bass head is pricey but also sounds amazing.

As for combos, the Ampeg BA210HP or BA115HP have nice power, tone and are portable. I use the 115 for small venues and practice.

I love my Music Man Stingray. I went for the dual humbucker option.
Not exactly cheap but every tone you can imagine.

That is all before pedals.

I sold my Fender Jazz to get my Aria Pro II. I like it a lot more than the Jazz, II!

A friend o' mine bought me a SounDesign 5-string (low-end Ibenez). I like it a bunch, too.

I REALLY wanna delve into fretless...but I'm too broke right now...