Recent content by John Batson

I have a very different reason for using a 5 string bass. I'm incredibly lazy. Hanging out in 2nd or 3rd position and crossing strings instead of shifting up and down the neck is more comfortable for me. I use a Alembic Epic or my upper end Ibanez for almost all my gigs but every once in a while...

Don't know but the serial number was two 0s followed by three numbers if memory serves me. My brothers Sabre was more like a jazz bass. The neck was quite thin.

Started out on different instruments from 1968 to 1971 when I decided to take on the bass. Started on upright and by 73 I had an electric a baby bass (Zorko, pre ampeg) and of course an upright and never looked back.

I bought an original Stingray in 1977. Sunburst with rosewood fret board and black pick guard. The sound was incredible but the neck felt like I was playing a baseball bat. Paid $425.00 plus tax for it. My brother bought a Sabre bass the next week and still has it to this day. I sold mine 6...

I was always drooling over a Sunn model T with a 2-15 cabinet. Ferocious enough to cause structural damage. 300 watts of tube power with excellent tone.

I was asked to set in and didn't have a bass with me. They had a house bass that was a Walmart bass literally. You know the beginner bass from hell. Someone had set it up pretty impressively and I grabbed it and played it.. The price of this thing new was like 79.97 new. Strangely enough people...

I started off in the early 70s with experimenting with upright pick ups and found that a mix of a Barcus Berry pick up along with a Polytone mixed through a Ampeg B 15 N ( one pick up in each channel) worked well to give me a great useable tone. Unfortunately I had to stuff the f holes because...

Sure, I'd have no problem using that rig. Not having to load in adds at least 10 minutes to your life if only for the fact that you didn't have to load in.

Owned one of the first Stingrays made, had a 3 digit serial number, rosewood finger board and a sunburst finish. Bought it in 1978. Played it for about 6 months and pretty much hated it everytime I played it. The tone was incredible but the neck was so fat I had no idea if I was giging or...

Paint your Wagon

My Stingray story was when I bought one brand new in the late 70s. Sunburst with a rosewood finger board and a 3 digit serial number. Loved the sound of it and the look but the neck was so big and the radius was so wrong for me that I sold it 6 months later. I had bought it for $425.00 plus tax...

In my lifetime so far I have played all of those instruments except the antigua.Ive owned a 68 fender mustang, 73 Gibson Ripper, 74 Gibson Grabber, 73 Fender music master, Travis Bean (serial # 136) and now I play a 4 string Alembic ditalate and a Alembic Epic 5 . Enjoyed the video and always...

WOW!!! The pick guard is worth 3 times what you paid for it not to mention that those Bass Line pickups are worth more than 10 times what you paid for it. All in all you made out like a bandit. I'm SO jealous.

If you can find a Yamaha PB-1 preamp it is the poopie for tone plus it has an effect loop ( adjustable) and a active crossover for bi amping with the capability of overlapping the crossover point. Also DI with ground lift and a switchable band of parametric that is fully adjustable. I'd still be...

Played a upscale hotel in Kansas City filling in for the house trio and left my (300+ dollar) bass bow. I had set it inside the grand piano. Didn't realize it till a couple of days later. Went back to retrieve it but it was no where to be found. Even checked lost and found to no avail. Replaced...