Bassists of Singletrackworld….

“My tutor insists on the thumb in the middle of the neck for mobility.”

Your tutor is right.

at an advanced level there may be a case for using thumb over in specific situations but it’s really not a habit to be building into a bassist who is learning. How you mute (with both hands) and how you move around the fretboard are all excecuted properly with the thumb at the back

Can someone check my working?

I’m after some new strings for my Mustang bass; it’s a 30″ short scale length measuring bridge to nut or 12th to nut x 2

However the ball end anchor points (whatever the term is) are through body, so actual string length ball to nut is more like 32, 32.25″

Do I need shortscale or medium scale strings?

It’s not a case of advanced or beginner, edhornby, it’s just some things are easier thumb over and there’s not much point making things harder. The thumb can be used for muting or fretting if it’s over the top, muting that way is very convenient when playing with a pick. Tutors who insist on one technique over another are just handicapping their students.

@theotherjonv Have a word with Bass Direct, I had a similar query and they sorted me out. https://www.bassdirect.co.uk

@theotherjonv
https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/pages/bass-scale-length
This useful resource from Stringsdirect might help…

Cheers both, I messaged SD on their webpage and someone came back later with a link to a blog on this, where by luck they’d used the Mustang as their example. It’s not quite as simple as scale length then, rather to find your own actual string length but then they include that info on their string sets.

https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/blogs/blog/fender-mustang-bass-strings

I think the blog might be a bit old because I can’t find the string length filter they refer to (new website maybe?) but narrowing it down to a medium scale and then checking on a few sets from there has found a few options.

Bass strings can be quite spenny, can’t they!

Yes they can! I’ve just bought some flats – forty five flippin’ quid! They do sound amazing though.

Edit. This video might help.

I was doing a clear out of old bookmarks and happened upon this. It looks like a dodgy site but I haven’t had an issue other than a popup advert from time to time and the sound dropping briefly (may be my chromebook); it’s an archive of a BBC doc (1/3*) that was on a few years back that I enjoyed and then when I took up bassing in lockdown, I went looking for again. Some proper low end legends on there…..

https://ihavenotv.com/on-bass-tina-weymouth-guitar-drum-and-bass

(one on drums and one on guitar as well, on the bottom of the page)

I remember that series it was pretty good – and great to see Carol Kaye on there, it’s crazy to realise just how much she played on (as well as holding her own in a male dominated world)

Yep. More than 10,000 sessions, never mind tracks.

Thinks of something out of the US in the 60’s and chances are…… yep.

Thinks of something out of the US  LA  in the 60’s and chances are…… yep.

Thinks of something out of the US Motown  in the 60’s and chances are…… JJ or Bob Babbit.

I though Tina did a great job of presenting and giving a good overview of the great players and the way bass playing developed.  Just a very slight shame that in the bit on Paul McCartney she didn’t mention how he was influenced by hearing James Jamerson – who to me seems the grandfather of great bass playing.

Prepare the brickbats……

Here’s another Muse cover:

Timely thread resurrection. I’ve been back on it this week, playing every day after about a year off.

I’ve been trying to level up as well after stagnating for ages. I’ve been putting in the hours on some stuff that’s way above my usual difficulty level. It’s so satisfying when you can feel the progress coming as the speed goes up and the mistakes go down.

I wouldn’t mind filming something. What are people using to record with? I know I could just use a phone or camera but it would sound crap. I’d like to record the sound from the laptop and put it to the video. I’ve got iMovie so I can edit when I learn how to.

I’ll figure something out and post a video for your criticism.

“I know I could just use a phone or camera but it would sound crap.”

We sometimes record rehearsals on my iPhone and it works perfectly well. Tons of compression but it’s fine as a document of what you’ve been doing it. The next step up for us is using a Zoom stereo recorder and then the step above that is a Focusrite 8 channel interface and lots of mics and DI into Logic.

Also for all my songwriting I just use the voice memos app on my phone, 95% of the time with my acoustic bass guitar.

For guitar or bass videos for work we use a Canon M50 with a Rode VideoMic Pro+ and/or a large diaphragm condenser into the Focusrite into Logic – but the latter is for showcasing the sound of expensive gear with maximum honesty – it’s not necessary for other purposes.

“My tutor insists on the thumb in the middle of the neck for mobility”

I don’t teach bass but I think I have pretty good technique. Thumb on the (middle-ish) of the back of the neck is usually best for mobility but a fair bit of the time it’s harder work than a more relaxed hand position and isn’t as good for left hand muting. Muting is such a big part of playing well on bass, even if you’re not going full Rocco Prestia!

I have a Focusrite Scarlett interface.
In  this instance I recorded the sound of the bass through the amps (this used two amps, one a dry signal and the other a separate channel with some Muff and a bit of drive)  mic’d with a condenser mic.
The backing track is the studio recording with the bass removed using stem software.  I put this into Audacity and recorded the bass with the backing track in my in ear monitors. This then gave me a bass track which could be tweaked and mixed with the backing to create the audio track you can hear.
I recorded the video with an iPhone on a tripod.
The video is then put into Videopad editor. It recorded the bass only as the backing is silent, and you can use the waveform of the bass line to visually sync it with the audio track, then delete the audio from the video. Simples.

“ It recorded the bass only as the backing is silent, and you can use the waveform of the bass line to visually sync it with the audio track, then delete the audio from the video. Simples.”

A clap – or if you’re only DIing, a slap or pop, gives you a good visual cue and a nice sharp transient to time align everything.

I’ve finally admitted to myself that my big gigging days are over, so am selling my rig on Basschat forum, a Glockenklang Blue Rock head and Barefaced Super Twin cab (Thanks Alex, it was perfect)

The reason I’m posting here is that some proceeds may go towards a dirt jump bike, so if you need some top bass kit, and have an unused PBJ on the garage, things can be worked out!

Dipping my toes into the murky world of pedals. Full on HX Stomp looked a bit advance for me but the new Pod Express Bass looked pretty foolproof. Just messing with everything at the moment but think I’m loving the Chorus a little too much.

I’m loving the Chorus a little too much.

Tease your hair up, lengthen your strap, and head for Crawley where you’ll fit right in.

Seeing this thread resurface reminded me of my old Ricky copy – Jordan, how are you getting on?

I’ve have decided on a Fender Rumble 25 as my new practice amp, but Fender seem to do two versions: a ‘normal’ one for circa £150 or a fancy one with effects for 50-ish quid more. Does anyone have any experience of either and can help me make my mind up, or offer an alternative? Ta.

I’ve used the more powerful Fender modelling bass amps and a non-modelling Rumble 100. The non-modelling sound fine but the modelling ones give a lot more scope and you learn which effects suit your needs without buying lots of pedals to try.

A 25W bass amp is never going to have much volume or bass BTW. Try before you buy, small transistor bass amps are puny things.

Thanks Ed’, it’s only for ‘bedroom’ use however. I’ve got a 15 watt Laney on loan at the mo which is ok. Ideally I’d like the Rumble 40, which Josh at Bass Buzz recommends (I’ve just finished his beginners’ course) but they don’t seem to make it anymore*. Any recommendations?

Edit: *It appears they do!

I have the ordinary Rumble 25 for my home amp and it’s great. I’m never able to turn it up anyway, so even though it may not be the best, it’s plenty for home use. Never seen the LT25 before but just had a look at it an it looks fantastic. I’d say it’s definitely worth the extra over the normal one.

I’ve just had a look on Thomann, they’ve got the Rumble 40 studio modelling version in stock and the basic 40 at a couple of weeks. Beyond that price point there’s lots of choice including battery powered ones which are quite handy.

I had a regular 25, it was great for home use (rarely had the volume over about 4, and it has aux in and a headphone jack), and just about managed rehearsals with band. Look for a second hand one and then move it on if you outgrow it.

I like the look of that Studio 40 and there’s one on eBay in Brighton (no-where near me unfortunately). Maybe a secondhand 25 is the answer and move it on as wooobob suggests. Cheers all.

NBD. Well actually bought it a week or so ago but today is my actual 50th. Fender Vintera 2 60’s Jazz bass. Wanted an American built Fender and bought an Ultra 2 Jazz only to find the bridge pick up faulty. Took it back to shop who looked and said it was a dry solder joint. Fixed it only for it to fail again next day. Got a refund but was put off the American ones. Went to a different shop to look at another bass but this one just spoke to me and played lovely. Being a Mexican one it was also half the price of the Ultra 2. Now have lots of money left over to experiment with pedals. Do like the chorus on my wee multi pedal but it’s not very adjustable so have already bought a MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe. Octave mode on multi pedal only does octave up, so also looking at a Pico Pod.

6 months into my bass journey and still loving it. Stopped Fender Play lessons as the tunes you got to play were pretty crap, even though the theory was good. Now trying SBL. Started near the end of level 2 and have completed level three. Now just finishing going over the early lessons just in case it has any different views on the basics.

Just bought a Mark Bass JB to go with my Mark Bass little Ninja 102 combo 😎

Surprisingly well set up out if the box, just needed to lower the action a tad.

Comfy neck, and sounds rather nice.

It’s VERY yellow!

RIP Herbie Flowers – classic bass on Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side, amongst others:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjw41pp7vmo

To be strictly correct, he played both bass parts on WOTWS 😉

RIP Herbie

[edit – just read his obit on the Guardian. He’s another one of those session musicians (like Carol Kaye) who played on so much – in his words “You do the job and get your arse away. You take a £12 fee; you can’t play a load of bollocks”

I also just found out from reading that, that he also co-wrote Grandad for Clive Dunn as a bet.]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/sep/08/herbie-flowers-bassist-lou-reed-walk-on-the-wild-side-dies-aged-86

RIP Herbie; what a legacy!

To be strictly correct, he played both bass parts on WOTWS

Yes we all know that. 🙂

RIP Herbie! I met him some years back at a bass player get-together – I doing a talk an amps and speakers whilst he was doing one on his career which was infinitely more interesting. What a nice chap!

I loved his anecdote about playing bass on War Of The Worlds – he had the usual bassist problem of no gaps in the playing to turn the page, and because it was all written out (not charts) there were a lot of pages. His solution was to get a swivelling chair and set up a circle of music stands around him, and then rotate as they recorded!

On another note entirely, I got a new bass for my birthday – not really a work/demo bass, a quirky thing that I’ve always been curious about. Had it a month or so and just loving it!

Do like the look of those Gretshy
Hollow or semi-hollow bodies, don’t think I’ll ever consume enough neat bourbon to actually own one though.

That looks flippin’ massive, but very cool.

I’m 10 months in and have succumbed to n+1. Technically it’s actually n+3 but there has also been one traded in and one returned after 5 days as the bridge pick up stopped working (twice).
Currently plucking away on a couple of Fender Vintera IIs. A 60’s Jazz and 50’s P. The jazz was bought after the faulty American Ultra was returned but I still had a hankering for a maple fingerboard and bought the P on sale in a moment of weakness. Adore the tone but my god the neck is big compared to the jazz.

Working my way through the Soul/RnB pathway on SBL at the moment. Really forcing my technique along. Gone back to some pieces from earlier courses that I struggled with and they are no problem now. Need to work on learning some pieces now. Can remember more straightforward ones but struggle to retain them after moving on to the next one.

Adore the tone but my god the neck is big compared to the jazz.

Do you mean length or girth? I have a p-bass and I would like to try the jazz, but I already find the P fretboard a little narrow, I would like to try something with a wider nut.

Wide mainly but also front to back. The p is 44.45mm at the nut while the jazz is 38.1mm.

Generally Jazz basses are about 1.5” at the nut and Precisions about 1.75” – when I started out (back in ‘96!) I had a brief moment on a borrowed P and then years on basses with narrow nut widths and my old Warwick was shallow back to front too. I liked those “fast” necks

Then I played a fives for a while and when I when I returned to fours I found my left hand (which is fairly medium-sized) was happier on wider necks. My Stingray is P width and so is the Jack Casady Signature above. Apologies for now hopping to metric (it’s just as stupid as MTBs) but I think I prefer about 18mm string to string at the bridge, which is in between the spacing on those two basses (19mm is normal/Fender wide, 16.5mm is narrow).

I like P basses a lot! Weirdly I’m really not a J bass person tonally, even though loads of my favourite bassists (Family Man, Larry Graham, John Paul Jones, Jaco) played them.

I think bigger necks force better left hand technique, which then benefits you on all necks. And they often sound better – more stiffness is good!

“ Do like the look of those Gretshy
Hollow or semi-hollow bodies, don’t think I’ll ever consume enough neat bourbon to actually own one though”

The fun thing about the JCB is that it’s a full scale (34”) fully hollowbody, with a big humbucker in the P position that has a clear and detailed yet warm and smooth sound – with the transformer switch in the 50 ohm position. If you switch it to the 500 ohm position it’s more like the usual muddy thumpy hollowbody tone you’d expect and the 250 ohm position is in between. It definitely has big guitar vibes as well as double bass vibes!

“That looks flippin’ massive, but very cool.”

It feels small compared to my even bigger 5-string acoustic bass guitar!

I am thinking of a bit of a long term project, building myself a warmoth geko wide 5 string.

Choosing the neck and body was the easy option thought, the electronics are much more confusing. I am leaning towards some aguilar soap bar pickups, with 2 volume knobs and tone knob and a blade switch. But that seems to be an uncommon arrangement for basses, well mainly the blade switch. Does anyone know any resources for working out how I would wire up that switch configuration and/or even if it would work at all?