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fat bossy gerbil posted:I’ve been playing a lot lately after not playing for a while now that I have an abundance of free time on my hands. youll build up calluses over time. if it hurts alot take a break. ive have had practice sessions when i went too hard and ended up ripping the skin on my fretting hand and its not fun.
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Jan 13, 2020 21:04
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Yeah, playing until your fingers bleed is a nice sentiment but actually really harmful to your ability to practice. If you don't have calluses, play until your fingers hurt but then stop. You'll build them up over time without injuring yourself for no reason.
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Jan 13, 2020 22:41
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Try flats or tapewound strings, too. Tapes are very nice on the fingers.
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Jan 13, 2020 22:51
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flats on the other hand are grippy as heck, and if you're getting friction blisters then watch out!
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Jan 14, 2020 01:22
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I've done it, I have started "modding"  I finally got a win from soldering when I bought an 86 G&L SB-1 that had Bartolinis in it, one does not buy a G&L for a mellow, rounded tone, no sir. Luckily, G&L still use the same MFDs that were in the original design, so I bought some fresh from the factory and wired it in first go! Success! It sounded ridiculous, the zingyest P-bass tone ever! I ended up trading it with a mate who bought a US L2000 cheap, I couldn't be happier with how that turned out, a US G&L bass for ~$800 Australian? YES. Anyway, after some more experiments with humbuckers in my sixer (An Ibanez Destroyer now sporting a single Dizmarzio Evolution HB in the bridge and a single volume) I started messing around with this old Epiphone Explorer bass I've had around for years. And this is where it is now at, it has a single Ibanez Lo-B* bridge pickup, a single volume and is 9v activated for boost (I hadn't taken it out since trying an EMG MMCS beforehand), accompanied by a Schaller 3-D bridge. Other less interesting mods include full Nashua cloth gaffer tape finish and repositioned strap bolts because the top on always popped and the bottom one was too low, meaning the bass was always too high and would dive.  It still plays like a dog, but looks loving cool. It doesn't sound terrible on its own, just very loud and not terribly unique, lots of tone though. Once I paired it with a SansAmp and a Digitech Bass Driver (Criminally underrated distortion pedal) it just hit the spot, especially with stainless strings for that metallic zing. I'd like to add a 3band down the track for some better control, as this thing needs some taming in places, and maybe I'll find a working neck pickup some day... Oh and this morning I found the pickup cover from a lovely Chickenbacker I had years back:  It lasted about 2 minutes but looked kinda neat. Up next? I am planning some dumb bullshit for an old 80's Odessa P-bass I got for $50... * - An 80's model used in high-end Musician and Roadstar II around 86-87, tonnes of punch, which is on its own because the neck pickup doesn't seem to work, I bought these off eBay years ago so there's no chasing it up.
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Jan 14, 2020 02:20
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Are flats higher tension? I've switched to flats and I find I get tired faster
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Jan 14, 2020 03:07
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Hellblazer187 posted:Are flats higher tension? I've switched to flats and I find I get tired faster I tried them once, 20+ years ago. I felt like they had higher tension, but someone else here might be able to give a better answer. I use nylon tapewound flats on my fretless basses, but I don't bend on those, so if they have more tension, I don't notice it much. They might be different than regular flats, though.
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Jan 14, 2020 03:33
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I just switched between my p bass with flats and one with rounds. Tension feels the same. Tapes have a different feel.
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Jan 14, 2020 04:01
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Maximum Sexy Pigeon posted:I've done it, I have started "modding" So jelly, they are beautiful unattainable machines of tone. I still have the GHS flats on my SB-2, they're a good match for the pups and it's so fun to play.
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Jan 14, 2020 04:50
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Has anyone tried the BDI 21, basically the behringer knockoff of the sansamp DI? I just want a punchier sound when I'm recording, right now I'm going direct to my audio interface and it's pretty muddy. Some of the amps in logic clean it up a bit but not really. I also gig infrequently and could be convinced that a no-amp DI setup is the way to go. Although it leaves the question of monitoring (myself and my band mates) I also have a bass amp with a quarter inch headphone jack that I could use to record but I imagine that's not quite the same as a line out. Micing the bass amp is a non starter for my wife's sake.
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Jan 14, 2020 05:51
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ewe2 posted:So jelly, they are beautiful unattainable machines of tone. I still have the GHS flats on my SB-2, they're a good match for the pups and it's so fun to play. The guy I got it off does rubbish removal in a little truck, deceased estates are always full of treasure. He told me that he empties this house of everything the family didn't want but they kept most of his music equipment, name-bran stuff they recognised like Gibson. Not being musos, they said he could take a couple of cases with guitars they had no idea about or were deemed worthless to them. One was the SB-1, the other was a MIJ Yamaha Mike Stern signature model. I told him the street value of them together could fetch up to $3500 with patience and pricing, but I also convinced him to keep the Yamaha since he expressed interest in learning again. I met him by buying the G&L off him, we've been mates since I asked if he had work on heavier jobs so I have spent the odd day in the truck with him, I haven't scored any new gear, but we did get to empty a wine cellar once, I still have booze from that a year later. Since then, he has turned up with a Squier Strat I flipped, a Crate amp that ended up on the sidewalk and, most recently, a bunch of US built pre-amps from a radio station and a nice Rode mic which he gave me cos it's not working to see if I could fix. Good folk to know.
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Jan 14, 2020 13:57
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prom candy posted:Has anyone tried the BDI 21, basically the behringer knockoff of the sansamp DI? I just want a punchier sound when I'm recording, right now I'm going direct to my audio interface and it's pretty muddy. Some of the amps in logic clean it up a bit but not really. I also gig infrequently and could be convinced that a no-amp DI setup is the way to go. Although it leaves the question of monitoring (myself and my band mates) Just get a goddamn SansAmp, you can't go wrong. I don't knwo why I didn't buy one earlier, it's the most important tool after the guitar and the amp themselves.
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Jan 14, 2020 13:59
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Hellblazer187 posted:Are flats higher tension? I've switched to flats and I find I get tired faster Depends on the brand. Tomastik's are notoriously low tension while La Bellas are usually higher...
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Jan 14, 2020 14:54
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Yeah? They're $290 CAD which is my main hesitation but I've definitely spent more money on dumber stuff. When I go to jam night I usually just use a bass amp that's already at the space, if I had the Sansamp could I set the amp for a fairly flat response and then go Sansamp -> amp to control my tone that way? For most of my life I've never really been a tone quest guy but since I started getting into amateur recording and production I've realized how important it is.
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Jan 14, 2020 14:57
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Hellblazer187 posted:Are flats higher tension? I've switched to flats and I find I get tired faster They're definitely stiffer, and they have more mass than rounds of the same gauge since the winding doesn't have 'gaps' from being rounded. Plus the steel core can be a bigger proportion of the string, because that winding doesn't need to be thick enough to form a wire that won't break easily, and with flats the brightness you get from the wrap isn't as big a deal That's all kind of the special sauce though, so apparently some flats are noticeably higher or lower tension even when they're the same gauge or barely different Also the lack of gaps in the wind means more surface for your fingers to be in contact with, so there's more friction and that drag might end up tiring you out too! You can just glide over rounds
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Jan 14, 2020 15:05
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prom candy posted:Yeah? They're $290 CAD which is my main hesitation but I've definitely spent more money on dumber stuff. When I go to jam night I usually just use a bass amp that's already at the space, if I had the Sansamp could I set the amp for a fairly flat response and then go Sansamp -> amp to control my tone that way? For most of my life I've never really been a tone quest guy but since I started getting into amateur recording and production I've realized how important it is. I got mine second hand, think it was like 150 or something which is pretty good used. It'll add a tonne of presence to your tone, a bit of dirt too if you want it, the controls are pretty responsive.
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Jan 15, 2020 08:17
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Once again could use some help diagnosing a problem with the electronics in my newest Lakland... Last night at rehearsal I noticed my tone was off, it sounded like I was playing 100% on the bridge pickup, but the blend knob was set to 50/50 neck and bridge. I play around with it and pan it to bridge and neck, and at the neck pickup, the sound was incredibly quiet and very staticy/distorted. Thinking the battery was dying, I put it in passive mode... same result. Pull the battery completely while in passive mode, same result. Eventually, even the bridge pickup started to phase in and out. Over the course of the rehearsal, it got better, and even got to "normal" at one point, but every once in a while some static would start coming through when playing on the neck pickup. Any thoughts? We do get weird interference in our rehearsal space sometimes, but it's never affected my bass before... Shielding issue? Or are my pickups just flat out dying on me? I've never had this kind of problem before.
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Jan 15, 2020 19:05
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Pickups don't really die very often. They're simple machines, if they are built to run in passive mode. Basically, you've got one or more magnets, and one or more coils of wire. Some magnets can wear out over time, but we're talking over the course of several decades. Coils can become open, but not often without some trauma. More than likely, you've got some bad solder joints. Also, a bad potentiometer can cause this exact issue--weak sounds, sounds that emulate slight distortion, intermittent functionality, etc. There is a 99.99999939% chance that this is a wiring issue (solder joints, components, wires, etc.), a 0.00000061% chance that it's a pickup problem, and a 0% chance that it's shielding.
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Jan 15, 2020 19:10
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gently caress mang, you shouldn't be getting issues like this on a new high quality instrument  My best guess is there is an issue with one of the connections to the neck pickup - a loose solder joint or something. The bridge phasing thing is pretty odd, and makes me think that it might be a completely different issue with the bass. The odds of having two pickup problems develop at nearly the same time is awfully slim. Did you happen to mess with the coil switch at all when the bridge was acting up? E: to tarlibone's point, could definitely be an issue with the blend pot. I would expect Sweetwater to assist with the fix since it's a very new instrument The Science Goy fucked around with this message at 19:16 on Jan 15, 2020 |
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Jan 15, 2020 19:13
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In pre-NAMM news... Darkglass and Bergantino have both announced new Neodymium cabinets - Darkglass is using custom Eminence drivers, but Bergantino is using new stuff developed with Celestion to sound more like old school heavy ceramic drivers. That is super cool to me - Celestion also worked with Kemper to do something similar with guitar/frfr cabs or something idk lol guitar so we may see this concept spreading in the next few product cycles. I'm thinking very dirty thoughts about that Bergantino 112 with tweeter - it's drat close to exactly what I want for a smaller rig. We're beginning to move to IEMs with my main group so I don't need a massive rig onstage with me, and this sort of setup would also be excellent for jazz gigs, pickup gigs, etc.
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Jan 15, 2020 19:56
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tarlibone posted:Pickups don't really die very often. They're simple machines, if they are built to run in passive mode. Basically, you've got one or more magnets, and one or more coils of wire. Some magnets can wear out over time, but we're talking over the course of several decades. Coils can become open, but not often without some trauma. The Science Goy posted:gently caress mang, you shouldn't be getting issues like this on a new high quality instrument Much appreciated. It's just weird that it's popping up NOW, considering I've had the bass since September. If the problem continues this evening, I'm going to see if I can re-solder the blend pot. Other than that, looks like I need to reacquaint myself with my 4-string, because OF COURSE this had to happen a few days before a show.
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Jan 15, 2020 21:08
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To check the pot, try playing an open string, then messing with the pot. Wiggle the knob, twist it back and forth rapidly by large and small amonts, etc. If wiggling causes crackling, static, or intermittent volume shifts or cut-outs, it is almost certainly the pot, or a solder joint on the pot. Ditto on twisting the knob--the shifting in volume or pickup blend should be smooth and free of noise.
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Jan 15, 2020 22:29
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prom candy posted:Yeah? They're $290 CAD which is my main hesitation but I've definitely spent more money on dumber stuff. When I go to jam night I usually just use a bass amp that's already at the space, if I had the Sansamp could I set the amp for a fairly flat response and then go Sansamp -> amp to control my tone that way? For most of my life I've never really been a tone quest guy but since I started getting into amateur recording and production I've realized how important it is. Yeah, it has an output jack for a normal guitar cable that you can send to the amp's input and use the Sansamp like any other stompbox, or if the amp at the space has an effects loop you can run it into the effects return and use it as a preamp (bypassing the one that's built into the amp). And of course you can use it as a direct input to a recording interface or a PA using the XLR out.
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Jan 15, 2020 22:33
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Alright i think i'll set up a kijiji alert and see if i can snag a deal on a used one, thanks!
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Jan 15, 2020 23:05
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tarlibone posted:To check the pot, try playing an open string, then messing with the pot. Wiggle the knob, twist it back and forth rapidly by large and small amounts, etc. If wiggling causes crackling, static, or intermittent volume shifts or cut-outs, it is almost certainly the pot, or a solder joint on the pot. Ditto on twisting the knob--the shifting in volume or pickup blend should be smooth and free of noise. Yeah, it failed all the tests, but still seems to get better after I warm up a bit. Anyway, Lakland is sending me a new blend pot. Said that if the problem continues, I'll need to send the bass in.
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Jan 16, 2020 15:12
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Well, after ages of waffling on it I'm in the market for a bass to try and teach myself on. I don't have any dreams of rock stardom or even playing in a band, but damnit, the SUB Sterling I was fooling around on earlier this week was fun.
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Jan 17, 2020 05:38
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Maximum Sexy Pigeon posted:I met him by buying the G&L off him, we've been mates since I asked if he had work on heavier jobs so I have spent the odd day in the truck with him, I haven't scored any new gear, but we did get to empty a wine cellar once, I still have booze from that a year later. Sounds like a great bloke, too, win/win! I think I'm going to drop some bucks on a CV70's Jazz, the price is too good to resist and it's solid quality. I really like the look of the black with maple fingerboard, I don't have a maple board bass yet, it'll be perfect for the stuff I want to do with it. If I get a G&L bass it's going to be an L2000 and that'll take a while to save up for!
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Jan 17, 2020 06:54
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Yeah I keep circling around the idea of getting a CV70s Jazz, although they’re making the CV60s in daphne blue now and it looks so good. The biggest thing holding me back from getting the 60s today is that I’m pretty sure I want my next bass to have a maple board.
Thermos H Christ fucked around with this message at 15:28 on Jan 17, 2020 |
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Jan 17, 2020 14:10
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Hi bass thread, I recently got back into playing guitar after a long pause and I would like to try plapping around on a bass. I'm trying to stay on a real tight budget since I don't know if I'll ever get super serious about it and I don't have a lot of money. Most recently I was looking at the Ibanez tmb100, the squier jaguar modified jazz, and the Epiphone Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is a little more expensive and makes me nervous cause of the non bolt on neck would make it hard to fix if I hosed it up so I don't know that it's as serious of an option. There are also a lot of those Ibanez gsr200's sitting in used instrument shops around town but opinion on that one seems very mixed. The songs I would probably learn to play are definitely in the hard Rock/punk end of the spectrum so if something has a very aggressive sound but isn't amazing at other genres that would probably be okay. Do those options seem right or should I be considering something else?
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Jan 18, 2020 22:05
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Everyone's gonna tell you to get the Squier VM, they're super popular I dunno if you mean it's a Jaguar or a Jazz, but the Jazz style is basically the "default bass" and it'll work for anything - you get it in punk a lot because it cuts through a bit more than a Precision, but really any of them will work unless you're real picky about tone. The Jaguar is also gonna be cool and good? Watch some video reviews and see if you like the sound!
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Jan 18, 2020 22:23
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Yep sorry meant squier jaguar bass, it was hard to find videos of people playing the kind of stuff I would on them but it seems like it's got a decent bridge pickup and would work well with twangy styles slapping or picking. Only downside might be that bass boost knob everyone says to avoid and that heavy giant fender headstock weighing the neck down.
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Jan 18, 2020 22:55
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Wowporn posted:Yep sorry meant squier jaguar bass, it was hard to find videos of people playing the kind of stuff I would on them but it seems like it's got a decent bridge pickup and would work well with twangy styles slapping or picking. Only downside might be that bass boost knob everyone says to avoid and that heavy giant fender headstock weighing the neck down. If neck dive is a concern stay away from the thunderbird. I used to have an epi tbird and didn’t mind but it’s the worst balanced instrument I’ve ever played.
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Jan 18, 2020 23:17
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Biggest problem I'm running into has been my local Guitar Walmart having a less than stellar setup on their equipment, leading me to bad impressions. Going to be driving to some other stores to try out other instruments in a few days. Had a nice impression of an Ibanez 200 something with a woodgrain finish that handled well but played like a banana infested with bees. The Stingray I tried was nice, but maybe only because it had the least cocked up setup in the lot. And they had no Yamahas in stock at all. Sam Ash is a bit of a drive, but probably worth it for the experience.
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Jan 18, 2020 23:33
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Wowporn posted:Yep sorry meant squier jaguar bass, it was hard to find videos of people playing the kind of stuff I would on them but it seems like it's got a decent bridge pickup and would work well with twangy styles slapping or picking. Only downside might be that bass boost knob everyone says to avoid and that heavy giant fender headstock weighing the neck down. Well I don't know exactly what you're into but the Blink 182 guy plays Jaguars and Mastodon dude has a signature Squier Jag and he plays that on stage (active pickups there though) here's some randos doing a live thing, it's got decent twang with a bit of dirt behind it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23_SFlzKq6c honestly I think the P/J pickup combo is cool, my CAT BASS has that and it gives you a good range of sounds. I don't think you'd be too upset if you got one!
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Jan 18, 2020 23:56
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I like the idea behind the P/J setup too. I want to try a few of those out and maybe one the Yamaha double humbucker contraptions before I make a decision on Clueless Nerd's First Bass.
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Jan 19, 2020 00:07
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FancyMike posted:If neck dive is a concern stay away from the thunderbird. I used to have an epi tbird and didn’t mind but it’s the worst balanced instrument I’ve ever played. I would've thought the giant rear end body would help balance it out a little but I guess everything on it is sorta giant lol And I feel the bad setups at stores cause I went to a pawn shop and looked at some $90 squiers they had and the things could a shot arrows, neck was bowed beyond recognition so it had unplayable huge action. Also had rusty hosed up pickups. There was a guy on YouTube who put the geezer Butler humbuckers in a cheap squier and it sounded dope but he said it was hard and I am not nearly savvy enough for something like that I think my mind might be made up for me if I just spend a day hitting all the guitar shops (im in the twin cities if anyone has a favorite to recommend)
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Jan 19, 2020 00:28
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Wowporn posted:There was a guy on YouTube who put the geezer Butler humbuckers in a cheap squier and it sounded dope but he said it was hard and I am not nearly savvy enough for something like that
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Jan 19, 2020 00:38
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Now that I think about it, that first store I went to also had a weird lack of Fenders and Squiers, not just Yamahas. At least in the bass section. I would've expected more.
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Jan 19, 2020 01:10
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FancyMike posted:If neck dive is a concern stay away from the thunderbird. I used to have an epi tbird and didn’t mind but it’s the worst balanced instrument I’ve ever played. i dont know if the lower end ones have it but my epi tbird has the strap button on the back of the bass and i dont have any neck dive problems. that said, tbirds arent for everyone. the bigger size also makes it a pain in the rear end finding a gig bag that fits it. i have a hardshell case buts its insanely heavy and a pain in the rear end the carry around. also if its poorly setup theyre an absolute nightmare to play.
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Jan 19, 2020 02:33
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| # ? May 18, 2024 08:33 |
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Wowporn posted:Hi bass thread, I recently got back into playing guitar after a long pause and I would like to try plapping around on a bass. Honestly pick something you like the feel and look of so you keep interested and playing. For your genres I’d check out the squire p, squire vm jazz, or maybe a sbmm ray4. They will cover your genres very well, if you’re looking for a bright sound probably the jazz or ray4. If you want the thick bass sound something with a P pickup. The gsr200 is a cheap option but I’d take your time to pick the right one. Someone else mentioned yamaha but checkout the trbx series too.
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Jan 19, 2020 07:24
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