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Duke Ellington once said there were really only two kinds of music; good and bad. I do agree with that statement although musical appreciation and musical tastes are highly subjective and vairy tremendously. Of course, I do know which music I like and which music I adore. Oftentimes my favorite...

Hi All! For decades now, I have been using Dean Markley Blue Steel medium (# 2676, 50-105) strings. These were unobtainable for a while but now have reappeared but at a higher cost of course. In addition to the Blue Steels, I have used Fender Stainless Steel Round Wounds (medium .045-.105)...

Hi all. I am able to read standard bass cleff on a slower low intermediate level. I can usually keep up with notation from low E to D above the staff (on 1 ledger line.) Quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets, and rests I read OK if I focus hard. Time and again when a note appears on 2, 3 maybe...

I am wondering if I am alone in the opinion that the Fender Rumble 100 sounds dull or as some describe "pillowy". I have tried adjusting the EQ to no real satisfaction with my Precision basses with no effects or pedals. I am not at all looking to hear a harsh tone, just a satisfying clean tone...

"Arco" ( of course means played with bow in music nomenclature.) is usually directed to upright DB players who have that clear option. Here in bass guitar land, when I read the call for arco, I approximate it as best I can using my index and middle finger near the bridge to create a fast trill...

I have been using Dean Markley Blue Steel bass Strings (Med #2676) for over 20 years. Recently I found that most retailers of this string have no stock of this string. Those that do are charging unreasonable amounts for the same set that I have purchased for a fraction of the new asking price...

Hi everyone, I would like to get some opinions on whether to leave this bass as is or do some kind of simple (if any exist) refinish stain such as Tru Oil. The subject is a Squier Vintage Modified Precision, I assembled from parts sold to me from an inexperienced person from Craigslist for $60...

I'm tired of using The Real Books in conventional ink on paper form. Others I play with access these tunes on their Ipads. Am I able to use Ipad generation 1 with minimal memory (16Gb) to display these charts? Would I be able to use drop box to transfer .pdf files from my laptop to the Ipad...

In thinking about bass combo amps, I was wondering if adding damping material in the bass reflex cabinets might be an easy and inexpensive way to improve or at least change the tone produced by these small yet effective amps. I have a recent Fender Rumble 40 and a Rumble 100, I inspected behind...

For starts, I just don't "get" Adele. I try, but all I hear her sing are crap tunes which are over produced and over dramatized. Her voice is admittedly a strong instrument. Why does she insist on this pompous fluff all the time? People actually prefer this stuff? This is the best we can do...

My daughter wants to give me a Christmas gift. After some thought, I've been using the Schirmer pocket manual of Musical Terms for decades. There is unlimited information in that little book that is sometimes helpful and enlightening. So I'd like to suggest a replacement to my daughter...

I need to put together some kind of voice reinforcement by the weekend for 2 voices. Normally the proper drivers are of course are powered PA speakers such as the Alto TX10's etc. I do not own any powered speakers at all. (I will buy these at a later time). Wondering if it is acceptable to take...

Hi all, my Fender Rumble 40 v3 developed an intermittent problem, where the sound of my bass goes from normal to much lower and distorted then back to normal, then low. I bought this amp used so it is not covered by any Fender warranty. I'd like to repair it myself. I suspect the problem resides...

The input jack on my Fender Rumble 40 v3 has become intermittent. Can't seem to gain access to the amplifier assembly. Pulled the speaker, removed every visible screw that attaches the front panel/amp assembly to the tolex cabinet. I expected the unit to just drop free. The amp section refuses...

Hi all, I have a Fender rumble v3 40 combo which I use for in home practice. It seems that lately the sound is intermittent. (sounds perfect, then crackling and lower volume then nothing then normal. repeat). Fortunately I think I found the cause of the intermitancy. If I handle the 1/4" plug in...

This may be the most important topic and most valuable information we can share here on TB. After all, its a moot point whether you play flats or RW, active, or passive, finger style or pick, 4 or 5 string, P or J or etc. ....You get the picture, if you have nowhere to play and no one who will...

A reed player that I gig with frequently is also an accomplished chromatic harmonica player. We do not play loud venues, but the sweet tone of the naked harmonica gets almost lost in the room, even when we turn things way down. I wonder if a piezo contact microphone can be used as a pickup on...

Let me start by saying I am not a beginner. Been out there for decades. Reading TB has made me curious about trying flat wound bass strings. I have several P basses and would like to string one of them with flats, just to see if I like them and to see for myself why they are praised so highly...

I really love to play the Vince Guaraldi (Peanuts) album with my pianist and drummer friends. Of those, "Christmas Time is Here" and "Oh Tanningbaum" are joyous. i pull a credible upright tone out of my P and lock in with my mates. Easy swing and lush ballads. We have charts but really don't...

For decades I have been using the same strings on my P-basses. These are Dean Markley Blue Steel mediums. Yes these are round wound, and stainless steel. From long experience, I like them because, they last long, I can coax a variety of good tone out of them, they are inexpensive. What I don't...

Saw this on Craigslist. Is there something about the body's proportions that is not standard? Can anyone recommend or not recommend this bass purchase? [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I recently rescued a very decent P-bass which has been lingering in a gig bag unstrung and in my basement for several years. My intentions are to replace the pickup with Duncan SPB-1's restring with Dean Markley Blue steel strings, give it a good set up if necessary and give her a musical life...

Most of the gigs I do recently happily do not require large amps (though I have a few of those.) I have been thinking I would like to buy a Fender Rumble 100 V3 or Ibanez Promethean. Quality of sound matters, a very light weight combo is a big plus. Can anyone inform me on which may be a better...

I like to buy a new combo amp for pro use on small to moderate (controlled) venues. A bit of web based shopping has led me to these 2 candidates. Ibanez Prometian 300 or the new Fender Rumble 100 V3. I'd like to keep the cost at $300 or below. (Hence no Markbass). I usually play a favorite...

Suffice it to say there is a lot of mileage in these hands. Been playing regularly between 4 or 5 decades. Fortunately my technical ability has not declined. Within the last 6 months my ring finger on my left (fingering) hand has stiffened and I find it hard to make a complete closed fist...

Sure Mr. Carter doesn't play BG (that I know of). But here is remarkable hours worth of sage advice and insight that is entertaining, instructional, sincere and motivating....Relates to anything musical....

Anyone who has used a gas powered weed trimmer (weed wacker) is familiar with the plastic cutting cord that needs replacement often. As it turns out the gauges of the plastic cutting cord is similar to that of bass strings. I thought of cutting my used Dean Markley stainless strings in 14"...

I'm always looking for and replacing 12' , 1/4" plug line cables to connect to my amp. For the P-bass, one right angle plug and one straight plug seems to make the most sense. They are cheap enough on eBay, you can get 5 for about $28. The braided covering give them a vintage vibe too. Just...

Hey Guys. Been playing a P-bass with Chrome round wound strings exclusively. (50-105 gauge). They last long, sound good, are nice and taught and are relatively inexpensive. I would like try something easier on my finger tips and frets. I have several P's and would like to string one with flats...

My beloved Hartke Kickback 10 (120 RMS Watts) was in an accident and the mid control knob in the EQ section has been sheered off. The schematic shows It is a 50K (linear taper) potentiometer ( VR104 ). I have had training and experience with soldering, schematics and circuits in general. I use...

The ad on Craigslist caught my eye. I bought it for $50. SN#VN455803. This bass was completely neglected judging by its condition. It cleaned up very nicely and I set it up properly. It has a maple fingerboard, a comfortable neck over all. The black body is a full size thickness like a Fender...

I love an old school deep smooth P-bass tone with a strong fundemental. I have installed Kent Armstrong VPB pickups in my Precision with wonderful results. Now I am modifying a second P-bass. Unsure whether to use the Kent armstrong VPB's again or Fender Original P-bass pickups or perhaps the...