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06-18-2012, 10:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Texas | | | Gear that made you better
I recently picked up a new strap the Neotech Super Bass strap. Then a couple months before that I picked up 3 Dunlop Tortex sharp picks. The thing that they all have in common? I swear that they helped me become a better player.
1. The Dunlop sharp Tortex picks have helped me to gain more speed as I like to choke up on picks on the normal Tortex picks my fingers keep getting caught in the strings stopping me dead in my tracks. The sharp Tortex picks don't stop me as their length gives me enough clearance to choke all I want.
2. The Neotech Super Bass strap has helped me by making my ATK305 (weighing over 10 pds) feel like I'm wearing my old Yamaha RBX170 in other words lighter than a feather. The Neotech makes my old custom Minotaur leather strap seem like a $5 crap strap eventhough my Minotaur strap was $55 and the Neotech strap was $36.
I just did my first gig with it last week and I felt so good normally my back is kinda sore right now (the morning after) however I feel fine. Neotech is great! Instead of constantly feeling the pain I feel the groove instead. A happy back is a happy bassist.
What are some pieces of gear that have helped make you a better player?
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I'm fat and I'm ugly and proud - so **** you
- SlipKnot's "I Am Hated" R.I.P. Paul
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06-18-2012, 10:37 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: E.Sussex UK | | | My first (and only) bass. It's a pile of junk, but I love it. In fact, I just defretted it, so hopefully it'll help me progress even further! |
06-18-2012, 10:44 AM
|  | I want to be HER bicycle | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern California | | | Eden CXC-110- a WT-330+1x10 combo; VERY clear & hifi compared to whatever I had before. Showcased a lot of previously-undetected sloppiness but also made it easier to work on.
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Go ahead and swoop
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06-18-2012, 10:46 AM
| | | | I'll have to try those Dunlop Sharp picks. I have a similar problem to what you're mentioning.
That or a tortex Triangle type might be in order.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie  Unlike Microsoft I don't ship pickups with thousands of known bugs. ;) | Maryland/DC/Virginia Club #59
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06-18-2012, 10:48 AM
|  | some guy user | | | | | A small personal recording device |
06-18-2012, 10:49 AM
|  | Registered User
Hi-fi into an old tube amp | | Join Date: May 2005 Location: Albuquerque, NM | | | Peavey Cirrus. My efforts at tapping (on a late 90's Ibanez SR 885) had only gone so far. The setup, playability, and tone of the Cirrus gave me a huge boost by making it easier and awesome sounding.
I was tapping on stage for years in my prog metal band, even got a lot captured on our albums with some of the songs built around my tapping lines.
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Cirrus 5 / Mesa Bass 400 / D180 / BDDI / Mesa PH Cabs
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06-18-2012, 10:52 AM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central Ohio | | | A cheap bass with flat wounds and high action made me a better bass player!
After playing something "nasty" anything better was soooo easy to play! The high action cheap bass built up my hand muscles too!
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Money doesn't talk, it swears! B. Dylan
Last edited by bassdude51 : 06-18-2012 at 11:38 AM.
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06-18-2012, 10:53 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Texas | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamlet7768 I'll have to try those Dunlop Sharp picks. I have a similar problem to what you're mentioning.
That or a tortex Triangle type might be in order. | I'd certaintly recommend it.
I think that you'll find they fit the bill.
__________________
I'm fat and I'm ugly and proud - so **** you
- SlipKnot's "I Am Hated" R.I.P. Paul
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06-18-2012, 03:49 PM
|  | Intrepid Voyager | | Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Corvallis, OR | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by eddododo A small personal recording device | +1
Zoom H4N, the handiest handy recorder out there!
It helps a lot to hear yourself, let's you know where you can improve. 
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Woot. Woot indeed.  |
06-18-2012, 03:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: ATX | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bassdude51 A cheap bass with flat wounds and high action made me a better bass player!
After playing something "nasty" anything better was soooo easy to play! The high action cheap bass built up my hand muscles too! | ^This. 20 years later when I'm working on just about any kind of excercise in speed or strength then I use heavy strings and high action.
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Maybe Partying Will Help.
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06-18-2012, 04:01 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brooklyn Park, MN. | | | A drum machine.
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It's 106 miles to Chicago. We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.
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06-18-2012, 04:08 PM
|  | Junkyard Scout | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Dominican Republic | | | Macbook pro when i got my first one in 2006. AMPEGSVX after that. It got me practicing late at night and picking things apart by ear and then messing around with plugins and figuring how more stuff works in the real world.
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Proudly using Musicman basses, vintage ibanez copies, and custom builds.
Amps: Ampeg b15n + Acoustic 370
Cabs: mesa 1000 + Ampeg Heritage 410
I stomp on EBS, EHX, and MXR pedals.
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06-18-2012, 04:12 PM
|  | No custom user title to read here, move along...
Endorsing Artist: Forty Creek Whiskey | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oklahoma City | | | Euphonic Audio CXL-112 cab. Stupid amounts of clarity. Revealed all the spots where my technique was sloppy and forced me to fix it.
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Poll, schmoll. You can use statistics to prove anything. 67% of people know that.
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06-18-2012, 04:14 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Toms River,NJ | | | My Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 into a pair of Baer ML-112's
Really transparent...definitely cleaned up my sloppiness... |
06-18-2012, 04:21 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Ireland | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMightyWoot1 +1
Zoom H4N, the handiest handy recorder out there!
It helps a lot to hear yourself, let's you know where you can improve. | I got a budget version, the H1.... very handy... and suprisingly good audio quality (mine is a v2 that works as a USB mic too!) Quote:
Originally Posted by hdracer A drum machine. | +1
I started using software, which is good, easy to edit . . . but nothing beats warming up practicing 8 - 8T - 16th transitions to a 4/4 beat, starting slow, getting fast... then slowing right down. I love synching up, and the inbuilt drum machine in my effects pedal (zoom b2.1u) is simple but sufficent for basic practice.
I'm not a 'loyal' zoom fan, but these two devices are very decent for the price.
The gear that made me better? Tuner. and as above, handy recorder and drum machine or at the very least a metronome.
earplugs are essential kit too. I stand beside the HiHat and it can get loud. Don't be a fool people. 
__________________ All you need is ears, protect them!
Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club #14v, Fender Telecaster Bass Club #5  |
06-18-2012, 04:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Vancouver, BC | | Bach cello suites, Charlie Parker Omnibook, lessons. . . Oh, GEAR that made me better?  |
06-18-2012, 04:36 PM
|  | Just a BassGuy!
Endorsing Joiner & Ben Lindsey Basses - Maker: XB Custom Cables | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Twin Cities, MN | | | Tascam Bass Trainers... CD-BT1 until I wore it out, and now the MP-BT1 (mp3) version.
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'59 P-Bass / Joiner Basses / Ben Lindsey 'Stang Bass
Warrior Club #14 / Eden Club #156
Praise and Worship Bassists #77
Last edited by ExaltBass : 06-18-2012 at 04:42 PM.
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06-18-2012, 04:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Missouri | | | A 12 string bass - developed hand strength, speed AND more accurate picking/fingering
A Drum machine - developed good sense of timing and improv
An actual drum set - developed my sense of rhythms and understanding of drummers
A banjo - developed fingerstyle technique and adopted the thumbpick to use on bass
A Q-chord - helped me understand chord progressions/theory better
An Ebow - Not sure what this is doing for me, but it's hella cool!
...and the best investment ever for $2 at a goodwill store.
A psychology textbook - developed my understanding of people and also helped me fix my own attitude problems. |
06-18-2012, 06:36 PM
| | | | Garageband. And I suppose by extension a metronome. That one thing will do more for your playing than any other device.
My GK MB212. I never payed much attention to my tone until I bought this amp.
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My current band: palebluedotband.bandcamp.com
My YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/alcatrazescapee
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06-18-2012, 06:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Toms River,NJ | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by droo46 Garageband. And I suppose by extension a metronome. That one thing will do more for your playing than any other device.
My GK MB212. I never payed much attention to my tone until I bought this amp. | I want so badly to start using GarageBand but I can't figure it out for the life of me...can you recommend anything? | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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