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Barker Bass Club (part 1)

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Tom7

Tom7

I'm so bright, my mom called me son! ;-)
Jan 31, 2000
6,222
965
Eagle River, Alaska
www.pittmans.net
#1
This is a continuation of the Barker Bass Club thread found in the sponsored area of talk bass by Barker Basses.

And I encourage Barker owners and those considering ownership to use this club as other bass clubs are used, namely to post here on topics related to Barker basses.

The advantages of holding Barker conversations in a club thread such as this include:

o Barker bass owners subscribe this this thread, thus they always catch Barker related conversation and can join in. Otherwise, people post new Barker related posts, and maybe other Barker owners notice it while it is still on page 1 of the main forum, or maybe they don't.

o The club forum gives everyone one place to look for Barker bass related information, photos, clips, etc.

o By posting all Barker related conversation in one thread, rather than several, it keeps the Barker name near the top for others to notice and join in.

And so, without further ado...

BARKER BASS CLUB ROSTER
(Updated 30 Nov 09)
#00 Lee Barker

  1. Tom7 - B1 - (5-string fretless)
  2. pointbass - B6 (6-string fretless)
  3. TK4108 - B1 (4-string fretted)
  4. fretster - B1 (4-string lined fretless)
  5. Iotanet - B2 (4-string lined fretless)
  6. Interceptor - B1 (5-string, lined fretless)
  7. <Your name could be here!>
Former Barker Bass owners:
pointbass - B1 (5-string fretless),
 
#4
pointbass said:
90 posts into this thread, I guess we can call it an officially done deal :D

The bass is, indeed, fantastic & better then I had hoped ... my "free" weekend went directly into the crapper and I played two gigs exclusively with the B1six this weekend. Did some live recordings and once I get them mixed in a little bit I'll post them on my website .....

Thanks again, Lee .... :cool:

Link Removed
Click to expand...
Have you had a chance yet to post any recordings? I'm really looking forward to hearing this bass in action.
 
#5
This is a great idea, Tom ..... :cool:

My new Barker 6 string:

Link Removed

edit: Beat me to the punch ....

I have a few clips but the quality is somewhat less than stellar. I will say that the bass is a beauty to look at and play. Tonally, it sounds like all other BVB's. While I love and routinely use LaBella medium flats for just about everything I play, this particular bass might be kinda cool with the LaBella tapewounds. The low end is very serious on this axe and the tapes will brighten it up just a bit, as compared to the flats.

This clip is the same tune, different day as a previous one I posted, just to hear the difference in the LaBella.s vs the el-cheapo Indie strings. Again, my apologies for the dismal recording quality, I will be getting some clean clips up soon (once we get out of this heavy gigging schedule, no time for experimenting)

http://egoode.fileave.com/pennies heaven.mp3
 
#6
pointbass said:
This is a great idea, Tom ..... :cool:

My new Barker 6 string:

Link Removed

edit: Beat me to the punch ....

I have a few clips but the quality is somewhat less than stellar. I will say that the bass is a beauty to look at and play. Tonally, it sounds like all other BVB's. While I love and routinely use LaBella medium flats for just about everything I play, this particular bass might be kinda cool with the LaBella tapewounds. The low end is very serious on this axe and the tapes will brighten it up just a bit, as compared to the flats.

This clip is the same tune, different day as a previous one I posted, just to hear the difference in the LaBella.s vs the el-cheapo Indie strings. Again, my apologies for the dismal recording quality, I will be getting some clean clips up soon (once we get out of this heavy gigging schedule, no time for experimenting)

http://egoode.fileave.com/pennies heaven.mp3
Click to expand...
Hey, no need to apologize for the clip; it sounds great... except maybe it fades out a little soon! :D
 
#7
and a pic of barker b1 # 44, a.k.a. jacky...later, ron

jack3.jpg
 
#8
This is my Barker B2 along with a review I posted on it way back when. Since this post, it has been professionally de-fretted and it plays like a champ.

Sweet, sweet bass! :hyper:
IotaNet said:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]​

I have been living with this bass for a while because I wanted to take my time and really develop a feel for it. After having it in house for several months, I think I'm finally qualified to share some thoughts.

This is a Barker B2 prototype model that Lee asked me to evaluate. I don't know how closely this will approximate the final out-the-door version but in my opinion, this bass is an unqualified winner!

Upon immediate observation, this is definitely a Barker Bass. It has the same visual impact in a subtly different, yet unmistakably familiar package. The finish is slightly different (a tad less glossy although Barkers are never "blingy"), and the B2 doesn't have the "Violin Edge" of the B1. That said, the bass exudes the same quality and attention to detail of all the Barker Basses. It's no secret that this model is designed to be more affordable but there is no evidence of "corner cutting" or "cheapo touches" to make that happen. Lee has kept his high standards of manufacture and design intact here and he is to be commended for that.

Speaking of design, Lee has often referenced the shape of the Barker Bass as being "Feminine." Others have mentioned this as well. I remember doing a demo of the B1 and one gentleman remarked that, "It looks like a Lady's body!" The B2 carries over that theme but in a slightly different way. If the B1 could be compared to Catherine Zeta-Jones, then the B2 is like Julia Roberts. Both beautiful women and both highly desirable and shapely -- but in different ways.

From a tone standpoint, my viewpoint is the same as it was when I first played it: "It sounds like the Worlds Biggest P-Bass!" Notice that I didn't say, "A P-Bass on Steroids." There is nothing artificial or synthetic about the tone. It sounds like someone captured the essence of a P and just added MORE of it! The use of the split-P pickups is a natural for the Barker vibe and it was a very smart move on Lee's part to move in this direction.

My B2 came strung initially with LaBella Super Steps and quickly swapped them out for Elixirs. The P-Bass sound was definitely there but it still didn't give me what I wanted. From there, I changed to D'Addario Chromes and it was like, "AHA!" Nice, round, smooth tone without being boomy or pillowy. I think that this is the optimal string for this bass. It allows the bass to sing and thump at the same time. I can just see (hear) this bass in a Rock & Roll or R&B gig with no problem. It just begs to be played in a fingerstyle groove. (I've been noodling around with tunes like "My Girl" and "For the Cool in You" as well as some 16-bar blues and the bass is right at home!)

I could go on and on but the bottom line is that the B2 is a winner. Lee is to be congratulated on taking the design of the Barker B1 and tweaking it for a wider audience. I am confident that this is a bass that a lot of players will really vibe with!
Click to expand...
 
#9
Photo by the amazing Timothy Park; 50% of CinderBlue: Rex Gatton, my longtime stage partner in numerous musical projects. Two Central Oregon guys playing Central Oregon axes: His a Breedlove acoustic/electric, mine a custom Barker Brio with PJ pickups by Nordstrand and a Stellartone Tonestyler.

When you play together as long as Rex and I have, you hold your chin a certain way, just like the other guy.
 

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#11
We'd love to see you here, Tom.

As for the photo, yes, it is nifty. Stage photography is brutal, what with mikes and all that. This one manages to show four hands--miraculous--as well as capturing the moment. What's missing is Jeff and Marlene, the other half.
 
#12
Just wanted to take a moment and wish all of my fellow Barker-ites a very Happy Holiday season and hopes for a peaceful New Year! Special thanks to Lee for putting up with all of my foolishness over the past year ;)

Here's a short clip of the B1six from a few days ago .... no charge for the clams, it was late into the gig and the scotch was very good .... :cool:

Merry Christmas!

http://egoode.fileave.com/christmastree.mp3
 
#13
pointbass said:
Just wanted to take a moment and wish all of my fellow Barker-ites a very Happy Holiday season and hopes for a peaceful New Year! Special thanks to Lee for putting up with all of my foolishness over the past year ;)

Here's a short clip of the B1six from a few days ago .... no charge for the clams, it was late into the gig and the scotch was very good .... :cool:

Merry Christmas!

http://egoode.fileave.com/christmastree.mp3
Click to expand...
Yeow! I keep listening to this again and again. My wife loves it too. Man I wish I had gigs with this style of music. How fun.

And free clams?!!! Now I'm REALLY envious!
 
#19
Good idea Tom! Not sure why I didn't see this thread earlier when you first set it up.

Adding the piezo pickup to my B1 has been a bright spot for 2009! Externally the only difference is the 4th knob:
barkerb14.jpg


But the tone, the tone the tone! All the old sounds are still there, but new sounds and the blend bring it to a whole new place. It's like an Upright with bite and infinite sustain. It's like hearing a bass from the inside. It adds an element of wood and touch and articulation that's just not there in a regular electric bass.

The last two gigs were cocktail parties with as much background conversation as foreground music, so no recordings. The piano player got a nifty hand held recorder from Santa, so I might have a clip to post in the next few weeks.
 
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