Guitarists of Singletrack…

I’ve got one of those Berhingers, it seems pretty good but I’ve nothing to compare it out. It works as both the audio “in” interface, but also as a connection to speakers instead of the laptops headphone out jack.

I tend to use the USB connection from my amps though (a Katana and a Yamaha THR, both of which are connectible this way), and I’d recommend that way if your amp allows, to start with at least just because it’s so simple.

Behringer UMC22/UMC202 are fine as simple interfaces.
Though I prefer the Steinberg UR22 that Behringer copied for these models.
I had a UmC202 and a UR22 to compare and sold the Behringer.
Nicer preamps, less noise, midi in/out and he option to power from a supply as well as usb.

I’m also going to jump in at this late stage. I’ve been lurking this thread for a while.

I’m a wannabe bass player. I borrowed one when I was young and loved booming along to Rage Against the Machine songs but I never stuck with it. I always said that as soon as I had the space and the free time I’d get back into it. It only took 20 years and a global pandemic for that to happen.

Through my job I always get offered big discounts for companies that I have no interest in but just as the first lockdown started I got an email from Fender! 20% off absolutely everything on the website so I knew it was time to dive in. I now have a beautiful 70’s style Mexican Jazz bass exactly like this…

I went straight back to learning RATM tunes and I can fumble my way through most of them. The biggest difference in 2020 is that it’s more fun. When I used to play on my own in my bedroom it used to be so boring. I’d hit dead ends all the time and had no one to ask questions to or I’d run out of stuff to practice.

Now with an amp, my own living room, YouTube on the big telly and an elderly neighbour who is deaf as a post, I’m having loads of fun with it. I’m still clumsy and inconsistent and nowhere near playing with a band but I might get there eventually. I’ll be looking for proper lessons with a local teacher in the new year to see if I can make actual progress.

This thread has got me looking at guitars now. I’ve never played one but I’ve kind of fallen for this….

£1007 with my discount. I won’t be buying it because I literally can’t play a thing on a guitar. Something for the future maybe.

@shakattack RATM have some awesome bass lines! Get stuck in mate!

Yeah they’re amazing. I think I love them even more now than when I was an angry teenager. I had tickets to see them this year on the surprise world tour but we’ll have to wait.

There’s some really good tracks to play along to on YouTube. I can’t do any of them 100% yet as there’s always one detail like a fast tricky fill that I can’t nail yet.

One of my mates who rides is also a good drummer so my short term goal is to get good enough to meet up and mess around and have some clue what I’m doing. I’ve been learning chord shapes and scales so I can plod along to a backing track. I’ve never played with another person yet.

Depending on what you’re after – I got one of these little USB mixers…

https://www.andertons.co.uk/benringer-xenyx-302-usb-analog-mixer-302usb

It works as a mixer and as an in/out device and it runs off the computer’s USB power. So I can use it to run my computer USB into my speakers, or I can run a mic or guitar into my computer too.

The excuse I got it for was something I’ve not tried yet- which is to be able to take a line in (like a backing track) and a guitar in and then mix both out via USB to the computer – which’d let you put both out onto a track, or Youtube or whatever. Not sure, it seemed important at the time. In the meantime though, it seems great for the money…

@sharkattack just get jamming with your drummer friend, you can’t beat it for getting a feel going. Even if you just stick to some simpler riffs that you are more confident with.

As Jordan says, playing along with a drummer is great. If you’re a long-time bedroom guitarist (which I was until about ten years ago) you won’t realise how awful your timing is, even when you think it’s great. Playing with a live drummer and really listening to the groove is a great skill to have – regardless of the notes you’re playing.

And, needless to say, drummer/bassist bands like Royal Blood manage to make it sound pretty good… 🙂
(Randomly, my pal Alex, who I met through mountain biking, works for Fender and worked on both the Tom Morello Strat and makes basses for Royal Blood. Small world!)

Hi @chipps we have met once. I came to your house maybe fifteen years ago with my ex wife who was meeting your OH about something. We had a good chat about bikes, the mag and music. I remember you showing me a loft or something where you were working on amps(is that right?) I was very impressed/envious of that set up, do you still have it?

Thanks both – mixer vs just interface 🤔

@jordan – I still have a room full of disorganised music-related stuff, if that’s what you mean… 🙂

(Randomly, my pal Alex, who I met through mountain biking, works for Fender and worked on both the Tom Morello Strat and makes basses for Royal Blood. Small world!)

Yeah it is a small world. I just found this picture on the Barefaced website,

Go on there Chief! I now want something similar in the garage.

One of the main reasons I want to level up my ability is so I can justify buying all the cool gear that goes with it but don’t tell anyone.

My mrs. actually really likes that Strat and she never passes comment on anything. I wonder what she’d say if it arrived in the living room. I could hide it behind the J bass for a while.

Timmy C – that guy that rides bikes with Hans Rey, right? 🙂

@chipps I am very comfortable in rooms full of disorganised music related stuff..I’m sat in one now………and there’s a bike in here too just to balance things up. 🙂

The very same. I remember buying the Battle of Los Angeles whenever that came out (1999?) and the thank you section in the liner notes mentioned loads of mtb manufacturers. It was my 2 teenage obsessions colliding but I was pre internet so couldn’t find any other info.

They’re in the UK next year you should invite him for a ride/interview/jam session.

There’s a good mention of mountain biking in Duff McKagan’s autobiography too. I think it was Dave Cullinan who lived near Duff and who took him out riding in his drug-addled years and helped put him on the path to fitness and recovery…

Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters drummer is another mountain biker who has had drug problems in the past.

If anyone is in the mood for some RATM, here is us doing a cover of Killing in the name from a few years ago. Not really doing it justice I know but it was fun.

Video

Nice one. Such a mint song.

Junior’s teen band’s version of Killing in the Name of at 17:25. He’s on bass for that song.

They did a good job of that! Nice one!

Taylor Hawkins has played drums at Hans’s Wheels For Life gala dinner thing… Sooo LA 🙂

Just had a couple of hours playing the landlord’s 63 Telecaster. Totally original. Never even had the scratchplate taken off or the neck removed.
No finish on a lot of the back of the neck. He claims he was told it was from the first batch of maple neck Teles brought over.
The feel is stunning, the bridge pickup sounds fine, not too certain about the neck pickup though. Conditionwise it would be described as lightly worn on the front with some belt buckle damage on the back but it is so playable.
Fingerboard is a touch worn but as John has neer been a lead player and not a big bender of notes the frets feel in really good condition.
Pics tomorrow.
Sobering experience playing something that is probably worth above £15K.

If it’s a 62 with the original wiring there will be next to no treble on the neck pickup and the tone pot will mix the pickups in the middle position, I think, the dates they changed to modern wiring must be on the Net somewhere to confirm.

Good to know thanks. More time with it tomorrow.

Quick PSA…..

This could be an error, as it appears far too good to be true, but PMT are advertising the black version of the Orange Rocker 32 for £499.

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/orange-rocker-32-2×10-valve-combo-amp-in-black

That’s ridiculously cheap.
I recently paid £15 more than that for the Rocker 15. The 32’s are normally up around the £800 mark.

Too big and heavy for me, but I’m considering getting one just to flip it on Reverb….

The practice continues. I bought a Blackstar Flybass amp plug

for using with the headphones.
I’ve finally got to a full speed Come as you are bass line on Fender play. I was struggling to keep up at half speed 2 weeks ago 🥴
It feels like the daily sessions are paying dividends.
Just need my new Yamaha TRBX304in Factory Blue to turn up now.

for using with the headphones

Anyone got recommendations for decent headphones for plugging into an amp or multi effects?

I have a pair of Technics over ears that distort very easily and even my £300 Sony WH1000xm3 headphones struggle with distortion

I’m using some oldish sennheiser hd 449s without issue.

This could be an error, as it appears far too good to be true, but PMT are advertising the black version of the Orange Rocker 32 for £499.

A good amp at the old price but that is very impressive.
As you say a loud amp.

Re headphones My old Sennheiser HD465 are still going strong. I prefer them to Shure as you can replace the lead if it gets crackly… (Never has.)

Talking of Amps I’ve been playing with the DT25 a heck of a lot lately. With the V2 software I can use it as the original 2 channel amp with 4 amps to choose one of in each channel and a digital ‘spring’ reverb.
But I have an iPad app now that lets me configure 4 different modelled amps with a valve in there per channel and assorted different reverbs. The really cool thing is being able to programme the all valve power amp as Pentode or Triode or Class A/Class AB and adjust the Negative Feedback Loop for major sound control.
Its still not exactly progammable as the knob positions control the sound, so if you have it set up as a mellow breaking up Bassman and then switch to a Boogie or Soldano the knobs are all in the same position so things can get a bit ‘interesting’.
I run the quieter amps on ChA and the high gain on ChB but it still is open to error.
Really love this but 25W is damn loud in the house. A good pub gig size though.

The iPad control screen for programming the amp opportunities.

For the 4th day in a row I just nearly bought a bass. Haven’t had a bass for 15 years, switched to guitar and never regretted it, but suddenly I just… want… a… bass. Resisting… Well not really, in fact I totally tried to buy it but teh webstore doesn’t like firefox so I didn’t complete and now I’ve backed off.

I mean, really what I need to do is put new strings on my lovely MIK tele so I can play that without getting lockjaw but, I waaaaaaant.

Specifically, one of these, a very cheap Ibanez:

https://www.guitar.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800×400/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/b/ibanez-tmb30-iv-ivory-talman-short-scale-bass-guitar.jpg

Short scale so should be less stress on my busted wrist, PJ pickups like my old mexi Fender, and rather handsome if you ask me.

@oldtennisshoes feel free to drop me a PM if you want some pointers/direction on moving forwards. I don’t have many bass students these days (it’s one the lowest uptake instruments of all apparently)

PSA: GuitarGuitar appear to have just chopped £100 off the TC Plethora X5 price to £339, which is quite tempting, having missed out on the one on here recently.
Any other not-black Friday (whenever that is) bargains spotted?

Haven’t had a bass for 15 years, switched to guitar and never regretted it, but suddenly I just… want… a… bass. Resisting

I have been switching between bass and guitar for the last 15 years. I am better at bass as I find it easier as I have a mangled middle finger due to car knocking me off bike so chords are challenging on guitar but I keep going back to guitar as bass seems to get a bit dull after a while as a bedroom bassist/guitar player.

Had my Japanese Les Paul Elite for 20 or so years and love it. Sounds better to my ears than many Gibsons I’ve tried.
Tried a Fender Telecaster when I started out but didn’t feel right ( I only tried one).
Now I’ve gone and bought a Fender MIM Vintera and I absolutely f love it!
Maple neck ( which I was dead against) absolutely so chunky neck. The only thing is it’s not nitro so sanded a lot of it down to get a nice feel.
Really now want a black faceplate nitro tele.
Also bought my little boy a small 3/4 strat.
Absolutely amazing tones, thoroughly impressed. I think I may be a Fender boy as need a fully grown up one of those, but must have a big fat chunky neck and nitro.
Turned onto Fender strats through a £100 kids guitar.
Anyway, just my thoughts right now

Got a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickup for the bridge position in my Strat arriving today.
Hoping that it gives me a nice, chunky sound that still sounds like a strat but a little more beef than the USA standard pickup I have in there.

Did find this article with some good tips on getting a strat just right: https://guitar.com/guides/diy-workshop/25-ways-to-upgrade-your-fender-stratocaster/

bass seems to get a bit dull after a while as a bedroom bassist/guitar player

That’s why I didn’t stick with it when I was younger. I loved bass and knew it was awesome but sitting in my bedroom learning from a book was unbelievably dull.

Now there’s no end of online lessons and videos to play along to. Now that I have my first amp and YouTube exists it’s much more fun.

I also just booked a block of 5 lessons. First one is next Wednesday so hopefully I’ll see some progress before 2020 is out. Then when my drummer friend is allowed back into his practice space he’s invited me along for a mess around.

I also just discovered synth pedals! This thing sounds amazing…

The possibilities are endless. I hardly listen to any normal rock music anywhere. Most of the stuff I like these days has never had a musical instrument anywhere near it. But I like the idea of being able to play that stuff on a bass, like nasty swampy electro and hiphop beats.

My favourite bridge pickup for a Strat is the JB jnr wired via a Schaller mega switch that taps the humbucker on position 2. Sweet as ****.