Club Fbass (Part 10!)

[puff father]

You could probably show up with a Squire P bass and still be fine. You may be over thinking and underestimating the broad range of tones that could be very acceptable with a steel drum band. If it doesn't feel perfect to you this time, bring a different one the next. You'll have a much better idea after jamming one time anyway.

Just grab a bass and go have fun!

 

[Tom7]

Any of your basses will be fine. Don't worry and enjoy!!! My only consideration would be which one do you feel more comfortable sight reading with......

I just got back from my first rehearsal with the steel drum band. What a fun group that is going to be.

I think John Myung of Dream Theater has made 6 string basses popular among young, progressive rockers, because sometimes when I show up with a 6-string bass to a new environment, you can see people share looks of, "Uh oh." I think they think I am going to overplay among other things.

Although the top sheet of music in the folder specified, "4-string electric bass," I brought my BN6 anyway because it was just a rehearsal and I'm most comfortable sight reading with it.

The musical director had no problem with 6 strings, but he kept asking me to make the tone "punchier." I was getting lost in the steel drums and not articulate enough. Part of the problem was the combo amp I brought, but I did try to dial in what he was looking for, but I think that BN6 is just too dark for him. Next time I think I'll go with my ash & maple BN5, or perhaps my ash and maple Fodera (pickups in the 70s positions). I have nickle strings on the Fodera right now so that might be a good move.

Do you guys think a alder+rosewood+60s VF5 would be punchier and articulate better with steel drums than an ash+maple+60s BN5?

As for sight reading the music, I was very glad I had my familiar BN6 in hand, because to my surprise there was not chord charts for any of it. Every piece was written out in notation, and they were sticklers about it being note perfect.

BTW, to my surprise, sometimes the written notation had me playing up to the high E on my G string (which of course I sometimes played on my C string).

And yes, I'll be in the wood shed the rest of this week I'm sure. It's embarrassing how rusty I've allowed myself to get. I guarantee you, I impressed NO ONE today.

At any rate, it was really fun to be part of such a completely different musical experience than what I am used to. I like being tipped out of my comfort zone.

 

[Tom7]

Tom7...my vote would be go with the fretted AC6...Many options,...
Good luck

You know, maybe I should have done this. With the redwood body and favoring the bridge pickup, it may have been the punchy tone the musical director was looking for.

Haha, chances are the only person who will notice a difference is you. They will notice if you don't play it well! Just pick one and hit the woodshed.

I kind of wondered if anyone would notice, but being as these guys are university professors with PhDs in music, it turns out they really did notice and requested a tone other than the one I brought.

You could probably show up with a Squire P bass and still be fine. You may be over thinking and underestimating the broad range of tones that could be very acceptable with a steel drum band. If it doesn't feel perfect to you this time, bring a different one the next. You'll have a much better idea after jamming one time anyway.

Just grab a bass and go have fun!

You were right on and I will bring a different one the next time.

I will definitely be bringing a different combo to the rehearsal as well. They told me a small combo would be fine, but those steel drums put out more sound than I realized. I hate to haul around a bigger rig, but I think the additional head room of a more powerful setup will help me articulate in their mix.

 

[metalstorm]

The musical director had no problem with 6 strings, but he kept asking me to make the tone "punchier." I was getting lost in the steel drums and not articulate enough. Part of the problem was the combo amp I brought, but I did try to dial in what he was looking for, but I think that BN6 is just too dark for him. Next time I think I'll go with my ash & maple BN5, or perhaps my ash and maple Fodera (pickups in the 70s positions). I have nickle strings on the Fodera right now so that might be a good move.
.

IMHO take a look at your technique before switching basses. Perhaps roll off the neck volume a bit and pick near the bridge? Although the VF might be a good choice.

 

[George Furlanet]

I just got back from my first rehearsal with the steel drum band. What a fun group that is going to be.

I think John Myung of Dream Theater has made 6 string basses popular among young, progressive rockers, because sometimes when I show up with a 6-string bass to a new environment, you can see people share looks of, "Uh oh." I think they think I am going to overplay among other things.

Although the top sheet of music in the folder specified, "4-string electric bass," I brought my BN6 anyway because it was just a rehearsal and I'm most comfortable sight reading with it.

The musical director had no problem with 6 strings, but he kept asking me to make the tone "punchier." I was getting lost in the steel drums and not articulate enough. Part of the problem was the combo amp I brought, but I did try to dial in what he was looking for, but I think that BN6 is just too dark for him. Next time I think I'll go with my ash & maple BN5, or perhaps my ash and maple Fodera (pickups in the 70s positions). I have nickle strings on the Fodera right now so that might be a good move.

Do you guys think a alder+rosewood+60s VF5 would be punchier and articulate better with steel drums than an ash+maple+60s BN5?

As for sight reading the music, I was very glad I had my familiar BN6 in hand, because to my surprise there was not chord charts for any of it. Every piece was written out in notation, and they were sticklers about it being note perfect.

BTW, to my surprise, sometimes the written notation had me playing up to the high E on my G string (which of course I sometimes played on my C string).

And yes, I'll be in the wood shed the rest of this week I'm sure. It's embarrassing how rusty I've allowed myself to get. I guarantee you, I impressed NO ONE today.

At any rate, it was really fun to be part of such a completely different musical experience than what I am used to. I like being tipped out of my comfort zone.

Maple/ash for cut and punch!

 

[Tom7]

Maple/ash for cut and punch!

Maple/ash it is then! Thanks!

 

[Tom7]

IMHO take a look at your technique before switching basses. Perhaps roll off the neck volume a bit and pick near the bridge? Although the VF might be a good choice.

GREAT advice, and thanks for bringing this up.

When he first called for punchy, this is the very first thing I did (roll off neck, finger pluck closer to the bridge). When he wasn't satisfied with that then I started tweaking my onboard EQ. I got it to where he said it was better, but I didn't get the idea he loved it.

To tell the truth, I was so busy sweating the notes that I wasn't listening as hard as I should have been on how I sat in the mix.

My BN6 has an ebony finger board and a WONDERFUL tone; it is my go-to bass for many things, but this time around I'm thinking the brighter ash/maple/60s BN5 might be better. Plus the BN5 is more tonally flexible than my BN6 when I start tweaking pickup and preamp settings.

However, when I finish here I am going to A/B the BN5 against my fretted AC6. I suspect the BN5 will win out for this particular use, but I'm still wanting to play a 6-string if I can so I'm pulling for the fretted AC6.

I think what I really need is Yohann's ash/maple/60s BN6. [wink]

 

[Tom7]

... You may be over thinking ...

BTW, I think if my parents could name me all over again, "Overthinking" would be my middle name.

 

[bassman10]

The widest opening for my Herc stand is 2 5/8"inches.. my 6xer fits no problem..

Thanks Randy... I'll check out the Herc.... Cheers!!!

 

[Tom7]

Thanks Randy... I'll check out the Herc.... Cheers!!!

If this helps reassure you about how the Hercules Stand fits 6-string basses...

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[Tom7]

An oh so funky, fretless BN6 (BNF6) clip for y'all to enjoy. I love the harmonics work at the bridge. Who'd have thought that so much music could come from a 3 piece band of drums, bass and sax?

 

[bassman10]

If this helps reassure you about how the Hercules Stand fits 6-string basses...

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Hey Tom, I'd like to thank you for your input and pictures. You went way out of your way to help me make a choice on a bass stand... So did you finally decide on which bass your going to bring to the next Steel Band rehearsal????

Cheers and have a great day!!!!

 

[Tom7]

Hey Tom, I'd like to thank you for your input and pictures. You went way out of your way to help me make a choice on a bass stand... So did you finally decide on which bass your going to bring to the next Steel Band rehearsal????

Cheers and have a great day!!!!

I have had such a good day... almost all of it was focused on basses and it was so fun. I didn't realize it, but I really needed a fun day like this.

I played and changed the strings on a gazillion basses today, and next rehearsal I'm going to use my double Fbass bag and bring my BN5 and AC6 fretted.

Also, I'm going to bring an entirely different rig and play with more headroom.

 

[Tom7]

I just came online to tell you guys about some of the experimenting I did today, and to declare my undying and unconditional love for my 2 fretless AC6s, my AC6 Classic and my AC6 Signature.

I decided to make today a day for quality time with my basses. Among the things I did was to remove the black coated strings my AC6 Classic shipped with and replaced them with Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats.

Ordinarily I replace strings with fresh strings, but TIJFs take about a month to break in, and they have a different tone when they are broken in, and since I didn't want to wait to know what they would sound like on the Classic, I pulled the broken in set off my AC6 Signature and put them on the AC6 Classic.

The tension difference is dramatic so the neck got reacquainted with Allen (Wrench). Once I got it right, I couldn't put it down; what a BLAST to play with such a full, warm acoustic tone on a 6 string bass guitar.

My AC6 Signature got a set of DR DDTs (drop down tuning) -- a fresh set of course. DDTs don't come in 6-string sets, so I used a TIJF C string. The DDTs are no where near as versatile as the TIJFs, but I don't care. With the DDTs my AC6 Signature can't do an acoustic sounding tone anymore, but I have another bass for that anyway. Now my AC6 Signature has a WONDERFUL, thick, rich, articulate electric fretless tone I'm totally in love with. Absolutely and unconditionally.

I got the idea of using the DR DDTs from from Edmond Gilmore. Check out his AC5 with the DDTs in this video.

I have owned, I don't know, several fretless basses. I liked them all well enough, but I knew too that none of them were "the one." Not so anymore.

I have one fretless bass that has such a pleasant acoustic tone I can't wait to bring it gigging and show it off.

And I have another fretless that gives me 6 strings of lush, lively mwah. I have no idea how I can squeeze that into a gig with the music I usually get to do, but that won't stop me from trying.

ACs have been called "The King of Fretless Basses" and they truly are.

 

[YCBass]

I think what I really need is Yohann's ash/maple/60s BN6. [wink]

 

[Tom7]

Fbass artist David Hughes has uploaded another video. The music is a solo bass with some pretty impressive playing.

http://youtu.be/UDf8m8RVsHY

 

[Tom7]

I just came across another tasty AC6 video. Here is an interesting (and I mean that in a good way) interpretation of Gnarles Barkley's Crazy. The bassist is playing an Fbass AC6 with round wounds.

I love the vocalist by the way.

 

[Randyt]

I played and changed the strings on a gazillion basses today, and next rehearsal I'm going to use my double Fbass bag and bring my BN5 and AC6 fretted.

Also, I'm going to bring an entirely different rig and play with more headroom.

I may be a little biased on the AC6...LOL...But i truly think it will give so many options... How do you think you will approach the next rehersal?.. more chordal types / more percussive approach?...I have never played with steel drums before..have fun and good luck

 

[Tom7]

Fbass artist David Hughes has uploaded another video. The music is a solo bass with some pretty impressive playing.

http://youtu.be/UDf8m8RVsHY

Here is another David Hughes video. In this clip the camera is fixed on his BN6 as he plays.

http://youtu.be/F5qxzhd9XVo

 

[Tom7]

I hope I am not overwhelming you guys with clips to check out, but I keep stumbling into them and I don't want to lose track of them, or not share what I think you guys will like.

Here is great slap BN6 solo by David Hughes again. That tone -- oh my George F., you are SO GOOD!

http://youtu.be/s1nkzmdAcT4