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Best bass guitars for that 80s new wave sound?

#181
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Felix Lopez said:
Beautiful Bass Shaina :thumbsup:!

Injured? What happened to you?

Here is something that may help: Sound Healing Session for Free on YouTube:)
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Hey thanks Felix, I could use that and stress relief. I hurt my forearms bad- (2.5 weeks OFF and no improvement, some worsening pain!?) it’s really bumming me out, more than I let on. It’s on the forearm undersides running from where tennis elbow is right before the elbow joint up pinky side on each arm-wrist. Much more severe on left fretting. I’m full of tension, stress, all sorts of past trauma. :( my technique I’m trying to work out with my bass teacher (Ari Cap who is so wonderful, knowledgeable, and nice!)

sadly I injured myself right as I found out about her (behind her MT book id already bought, I have both now).

I’ll check out your stuff!! Thank you. I guess I should picture my Rick. Maybe I’ll feel better about it… I’d honestly trade it for a equivalent worth vintage steinburger in like new condition as possible since it is in, or just plus cash to make up for it, I dunno. I know I want that bass LOL. I also read it doesn’t go out of tune every 5 mins like any of mine I put a fret wrap on…oy vey lol.
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#183
Shaina Karasik said:
View attachment 4481443
Hey thanks Felix, I could use that and stress relief. I hurt my forearms bad- (2.5 weeks OFF and no improvement, some worsening pain!?) it’s really bumming me out, more than I let on. It’s on the forearm undersides running from where tennis elbow is right before the elbow joint up pinky side on each arm-wrist. Much more severe on left fretting. I’m full of tension, stress, all sorts of past trauma. :( my technique I’m trying to work out with my bass teacher (Ari Cap who is so wonderful, knowledgeable, and nice!)

sadly I injured myself right as I found out about her (behind her MT book id already bought, I have both now).

I’ll check out your stuff!! Thank you. I guess I should picture my Rick. Maybe I’ll feel better about it… I’d honestly trade it for a equivalent worth vintage steinburger in like new condition as possible since it is in, or just plus cash to make up for it, I dunno. I know I want that bass LOL. I also read it doesn’t go out of tune every 5 mins like any of mine I put a fret wrap on…oy vey lol. View attachment 4481442
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing Shaina!
I love to see those pictures...
I just send you a private message.
Have a peaceful night. :)

A2FD42DC-36B1-4659-8B1C-3496FF52AE0E.jpeg
 
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#184
First of all, I'm sorry to hear that you're injured, and pray that you'll be 100% soon.

Shaina Karasik said:
but I’d rather have a steinburger headless, yeah I know the ones I like are the 82-83 super $$$$$$$$$ ones but if I can try out a spirit XT or XT25 and like it and it’s lighter, so it won’t further hurt my wrists, then I might just try to sell the Rick to someone seeking more of a 70s sound or metal.
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They are quite light, but because they have a small body and don't have the pivot plate, the reach to F1 is further than a normal bass. However, the fix is easy and cheap and will allow you to customise the playing position like few other basses. I'm going to post 2 pics of an NS Stick because they're the best I have on hand to illustrate the fix. Go to a hardware (or wherever) and get a piece for flat aluminium or steel bar. Drill 3 holes in it; the closest to the headstock end install a strap button, the second is where the original strap button would be at the neck heel and another 2-3" further towards the bridge to provide the second anchor in the body. The last is the only one you'll have to drill in the body. If it's not clear from the pics, ask and I'll try to clarify.
Note that I've had an XL2 since 86 and have 2 Hohner B2, a B2V a Spirit XT2 and Spirit guitar, so I have some experience. If you get one, read the long Spirit Club thread as there's tons of all sorts of detail about these basses.
The thing I love most about the XL2, is it allows you to play the bass much more vertically which improves wrist and elbow angles; look at the pic with Don in it (and imagine hie RH in a normal plucking position). The strap pin extender I described will get you closer to that, and because you're making it, it can be as long or short as you like to get the positioning and angle you want. Try that on a normal bodied bass.
NS Stick rear.jpg


NS Stick.jpg



Shaina Karasik said:
What’s the price of them? I’ll look em up lol.
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Sadly, they are appreciating in price. I sold my near mint one in 07 for about $US350 (unlucky ebay listing) and they can be 4x that now, and some are very heavy. Mine was; it went to a 14yo kid who struggled with the weight.
 
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#190
Shaina Karasik said:
View attachment 4481443
Hey thanks Felix, I could use that and stress relief. I hurt my forearms bad- (2.5 weeks OFF and no improvement, some worsening pain!?) it’s really bumming me out, more than I let on. It’s on the forearm undersides running from where tennis elbow is right before the elbow joint up pinky side on each arm-wrist. Much more severe on left fretting. I’m full of tension, stress, all sorts of past trauma. :( my technique I’m trying to work out with my bass teacher (Ari Cap who is so wonderful, knowledgeable, and nice!)

sadly I injured myself right as I found out about her (behind her MT book id already bought, I have both now).

I’ll check out your stuff!! Thank you. I guess I should picture my Rick. Maybe I’ll feel better about it… I’d honestly trade it for a equivalent worth vintage steinburger in like new condition as possible since it is in, or just plus cash to make up for it, I dunno. I know I want that bass LOL. I also read it doesn’t go out of tune every 5 mins like any of mine I put a fret wrap on…oy vey lol. View attachment 4481442
Click to expand...

I bought a Rick-copy in the 80s too, but could only afford a used Ibanez then. But I never really felt at home with Ricks. They just look so absolutely übercool if you play them hanging very low like Sid Vicious, Peter Hook or Simon Gallup.
I guess Sid Vicious started the prominence of the Rick among punk and post-punk players, simply because of the looks. I mean, you even didn't need to play at all, just stand there with this low hanging Rick.
But most of them had only a short affair with Ricks because of the sound and the playability of Ricks.

I have a good technique, but I still feel tempted to just hang my bass as low as possible and play with a pic and bad fretting hand technique like in my new wave and punk time, when I started. Cause it just feels so good to play this way.

Hook with his trashy cheap Hondo Rickenbacker copy, still hanging relatively high by his standards...

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I'd say there isn't the 80s sound, but fresh steel strings, a ridiculous amount of high-end is characteristic.
And then put everything with already too much treble through an Aphex Aural Exciter that will recreate all the high-end you never lost:)
 
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#191
Shaina Karasik said:
I LOVE borderline, Everybody wants to rule the world (one of my fav bassists ever is Curt smith!!!) and out of touch (omg that’s my fav hall & pats song ever! The drum intro and bass is SICK) break my stride- Matthew wilder? I love that- guilty pleasure ha! But yeah so I guess I mean new wave plus songs I like and synthpop as a sub genre of new wave (don’t you hate all these labels?) lol. Yeah so…I really want to try Drop D tuning strings for 4 string. I think DR has some? Possibly another brand but I was eyeing the DR hi beams strings. I have a stingray and 4003s rick both 4 string, eh, I almost wish I got the headless black 4 string steinburger or possibly the spirit XT25 5 string in black if string spacing isn’t an issue since man I love that bass. Curt smith used the hell out of it but in 4 string early tff. He used a 5 string fretted Warwick. I’m not ready for either lol. I thought even if I got these drop D tuning strings or alt tuning I forgot the name, I could try BEAD if the B string doesn’t freak out and have poor tension on songs without the G string use: I.e. Shout, West End Girls.
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For sure, those songs always get a rise out of the crowd!
I tried BEAD for a while (on an 85 Peavey Dyna Bass), it works great to get the B string notes, but in the end, having the G string of a 5er keeps one from having to switch out the bass for just that song.
I have also ordered single 110 or 115 to throw on my basses with 45-105 or 40-100 strings to accentuate the drop D tuning. Works well.
 
#194
Shaina Karasik said:
View attachment 4481443
Hey thanks Felix, I could use that and stress relief. I hurt my forearms bad- (2.5 weeks OFF and no improvement, some worsening pain!?) it’s really bumming me out, more than I let on. It’s on the forearm undersides running from where tennis elbow is right before the elbow joint up pinky side on each arm-wrist. Much more severe on left fretting. I’m full of tension, stress, all sorts of past trauma. :( my technique I’m trying to work out with my bass teacher (Ari Cap who is so wonderful, knowledgeable, and nice!)

sadly I injured myself right as I found out about her (behind her MT book id already bought, I have both now).

I’ll check out your stuff!! Thank you. I guess I should picture my Rick. Maybe I’ll feel better about it… I’d honestly trade it for a equivalent worth vintage steinburger in like new condition as possible since it is in, or just plus cash to make up for it, I dunno. I know I want that bass LOL. I also read it doesn’t go out of tune every 5 mins like any of mine I put a fret wrap on…oy vey lol. View attachment 4481442
Click to expand...
Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth played a Rickenbacker bass. Hers was Mapleglo too I believe.
 
#197
The 80's sound goes from the Cures Forest to Japans Quiet Life thru to Level 42, in other words there isn't really an eighties bass guitar sound.. In fact it really was the most diverse era for bass tone. Still if I had to nail it Id say Wal and Stingray.
 

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