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Poll: Rate my Tone

What would you Honestly Rate My Tone?

  • Novice Tone (don't like it)

    Votes: 4 2.6%
  • Intermediate Tone (its good)

    Votes: 11 7.1%
  • Semi Professional Tone (it's very good)

    Votes: 34 21.9%
  • Professional Tone (it's Very great)

    Votes: 106 68.4%

  • Total voters
    155
By the way I've actually seen with my own eyes a guy who traded his brand new Fodera in to JD for a Warrior. A good feeling and playing bass that becomes one with the player is very important to me. I can remember waiting 6-9 months to receive a custom build. Plugging it up for 5 minutes....unplugging and listing it on eBay the same day I got it because although it sounded good it didn't feel good. I did this probably 7 or 8 times. My instruments must feel like they are a seamless part of me when I play. And again Warrior IMO does that better than anyone! Man all this warrior talk has me jonesing to play a Isabella. I love those single-cuts.
 
Yes my church is in Rome GA. And I've had JD make me 7 warriors. Been there several times. Some of the best basses every made especially when it comes to low action and playing like butter. In fact I can say without a doubt out of all the custom basses I've ever had made and thats many probably over 100 custom builds.

The warriors are the best playing. The only thing I fault them for and what I believe keeps them from being in a Fodera class of their own is their quality control. I've owned around 9 Fodera basses and have 2 now. Apples for apples if Warrior made their instruments with the same QC I'd give the edge to Warrior. But even still if you find the right one (no short cuts taken to build it) I'll put it up against any bass.

Same holds true for Roscoe bass guitars with the exception of their quality control. It is on point and really good. Some of the best playing necks and basses ever made also. Just never got their deserved notoriety IMO. If I couldn't afford a Fodera I'd have me a Roscoe....wait a minute I do have one. Lol. FODERA, ROSCOE, WARRIOR, BRUBAKER. My all-time favorites out of all the builds I've ever had made or owned.

Interesting, I know Warrior has a reputation for QC issues, but I have always heard nice things about Roscoe QC.
 
Interesting, I know Warrior has a reputation for QC issues, but I have always heard nice things about Roscoe QC.
Yes I hope I didn't confuse you. That why I said same holds to with Roscoe with the "exception" of bad QC for Roscoe because their QC is excellent. Maybe I should have said exemption of bad QC. My point was that they are underrated IMHO even though they do everything right unlike warrior their QC and build quality is A+++++. This is why I still own a Roscoe 6 with 19mm string space. In fact when I have any bass custom made I send them my Roscoe to duplicate the specs. Neck thinness feel everything. I did this for my Fodera also. Which reminds me another brand that's worth mentioning is Pedulla. I'll put their basses against anyone's too. Top notch! So my fav 5 in order is Fodera, Roscoe, Pedulla, Brubaker and Warrior. Again warrior could be first if they had themselves together more. I think MTD would be my number 6 out of top 10
 
By the way I've actually seen with my own eyes a guy who traded his brand new Fodera in to JD for a Warrior. A good feeling and playing bass that becomes one with the player is very important to me. I can remember waiting 6-9 months to receive a custom build. Plugging it up for 5 minutes....unplugging and listing it on eBay the same day I got it because although it sounded good it didn't feel good. I did this probably 7 or 8 times. My instruments must feel like they are a seamless part of me when I play. And again Warrior IMO does that better than anyone! Man all this warrior talk has me jonesing to play a Isabella. I love those single-cuts.

Absolute killer playing and tone all the way around. I agree with the a bass has to feel right. That's the one thing I love most about my Warriors. I'm having a dream build right now and have had 6 from JD. I also agree that the playability, tone, and ability for superb setups are 2nd to no one. If the QC was a tad better on a few better on all his basses they would be in a class of their own.
 
Most of us have heard that "Tone" has just as much to do with your fingers.... attack of notes....sustain etc as the equipment you purchase to relay the sound of your tone. Please rate my overall tone. I'm posting 2 videos (both are the same song) one which goes straight to both my solos for those who have no time to listen to almost 11 min of the entire band playing and soloing. It's only 3 mins. Please use headphones if you can.





Going back to your original clip, who are your biggest influences, and what famous bassist, at least in Gospel circles, sounds closest to you. Those factors can say a great deal abou how successful you are in getting your sound.
 
Absolute killer playing and tone all the way around. I agree with the a bass has to feel right. That's the one thing I love most about my Warriors. I'm having a dream build right now and have had 6 from JD. I also agree that the playability, tone, and ability for superb setups are 2nd to no one. If the QC was a tad better on a few better on all his basses they would be in a class of their own.
I'd be as bold to say 1st to everyone else if there QC was on par. I really like those basses and I've owned several customs that he built personally for me. One time I had him build be 2 at one time. I always keep them for a while but the build quality ends up bothering me so bad that I sell them. If you can't tell by now I'm really really anal and picky when it comes to my equipment. I could honestly say that I could exclusively play only Warriors if the were on par. By the way thanks for the compliments.
 
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I've only had 1 of my 6 Warriors have what I would call something that was unsatisfactory QC wise for me and that was a very small issue. All 6 played and sounded better than any other bass I've owned. JD is an amazing bass builder and has always went the extra for me on my basses.
 
Going back to your original clip, who are your biggest influences, and what famous bassist, at least in Gospel circles, sounds closest to you. Those factors can say a great deal abou how successful you are in getting your sound.
I really wouldn't consider myself a great gospel bassist as of yet. And I really dislike playing quartet. I play gospel but that's not really where I really shine. I shine in smooth jazz which I'm sure you can hear a hint of in my playing. I've always patterned myself to try to sound like no one else. Even so much as to if and when I do learn someone else's lick I always change it and put my flavor on it. I think the reason that I've been successful in gospel is because my first love is smooth jazz. And if you can play complicated jazz you can just about play anything.

Remember me saying I haven't play for quite a while? When I finally was able to play and even all the years not playing all I would listen to mainly is smooth jazz. And recently artist like Adam Nitti, Damian Erskine, Wayman Tinsdale, Mike Manson (gospel and smooth jazz from my hometown Chicago) is who I listened to. To be honest with you I'm just not really learning all of the real gospel turn around progressions ( 2, 5, 1.....6, 2,5,1.....b7,3,6,2,5) about a year ago and I'm still learning them Im not the best at it yet. My church plays contemporary praise and worship gospel which are in general simple chord progressions and I've mastered that style. I've really only been playing live for almost 2 years that's why I'm really kind of still trying to find my sound. That video was the first time me playing live other than my church. And now the sound I thought I had all of a sudden changed with a new environment. That is a new band that we just assembled and our very first gig together.

2 years ago I just learned theory and the number system and that helped me out quite a bit. Got tried of playing licks but not knowing what I was playing or getting lost in songs if all of a sudden someone changed the key on me at the last minute which happens a lot in gospel. I started really getting serious about bass at the age of 40 I'm 42 now. I always had love for it and would keep a bass around but it stayed in its case under the bed most of the time. I got really thirsty to learn when I got invited to play at my church and I set my mind to learn it all. It was very overwhelming but I stuck with it and it finally started to make sense. I'm just really starting to enjoy playing now. It's actually funny looking at myself play. Kinda surreal.
 
There's anal and then there's anal to the point of distraction. Not saying a buyer isn't well within their rights to be either. I'm anal about details myself but I don't forget the big picture.
Hey Brad, I don't think it's a distraction I just grab another bass that fits my bill and play it. I admit I may go overboard but I've been this way for a long time and I'm probably not going to change anytime soon. I believe paying attention to details can be the difference between being a millionaire and a none millionaire. I'm not just like that with bass but my entire life and its paid off thus far. Let's look at Warrior vs Fodera. JD is a great builder but because he lacks detail in one area he has not gained the due credit he deserves. "A little yeast leavens the whole loaf." If you ever purchased anything from Apple you already subconsciously know that it will be at a top notch quality. No one expects to open an iPad Pro and find that there's scratches on the glass or in the finish. You would immediately return it not "look at the bigger picture," and say oh well I need it for work so I'll just keep it at least it works and the picture looks good. By the way still waiting on your reply on the setup. Unless I skipped over your reply.
 
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I really wouldn't consider myself a great gospel bassist as of yet. And I really dislike playing quartet. I play gospel but that's not really where I really shine. I shine in smooth jazz which I'm sure you can hear a hint of in my playing. I've always patterned myself to try to sound like no one else. Even so much as to if and when I do learn someone else's lick I always change it and put my flavor on it. I think the reason that I've been successful in gospel is because my first love is smooth jazz. And if you can play complicated jazz you can just about play anything.

Remember me saying I haven't play for quite a while? When I finally was able to play and even all the years not playing all I would listen to mainly is smooth jazz. And recently artist like Adam Nitti, Damian Erskine, Wayman Tinsdale, Mike Manson (gospel and smooth jazz from my hometown Chicago) is who I listened to. To be honest with you I'm just not really learning all of the real gospel turn around progressions ( 2, 5, 1.....6, 2,5,1.....b7,3,6,2,5) about a year ago and I'm still learning them Im not the best at it yet. My church plays contemporary praise and worship gospel which are in general simple chord progressions and I've mastered that style. I've really only been playing live for almost 2 years that's why I'm really kind of still trying to find my sound. That video was the first time me playing live other than my church. And now the sound I thought I had all of a sudden changed with a new environment. That is a new band that we just assembled and our very first gig together.

2 years ago I just learned theory and the number system and that helped me out quite a bit. Got tried of playing licks but not knowing what I was playing or getting lost in songs if all of a sudden someone changed the key on me at the last minute which happens a lot in gospel. I started really getting serious about bass at the age of 40 I'm 42 now. I always had love for it and would keep a bass around but it stayed in its case under the bed most of the time. I got really thirsty to learn when I got invited to play at my church and I set my mind to learn it all. It was very overwhelming but I stuck with it and it finally started to make sense. I'm just really starting to enjoy playing now. It's actually funny looking at myself play. Kinda surreal.

Soloing, you sound like someone who is into Jazz, Smooth or otherwise. Tonally, you sound like a very good player favoring the back pickup on an active bass. Barring a new technology in bass guitars, I don't think there any really dramatic new sounds in our favorite instrument. I remember Jaco came out, and even accomplished young bassists were trying to figure out how he got his sound. I remember buying my first fretless and panning to the bridge pickup, and I was like "Oh, that's how he does it!"

I am a good bit older than you. I took up Gospel when the little groups I played in petered out, and I had an opportunity to play for a university choir and a church. I honestly had never seriously listened to Gospel, and I just used my Funk chops. I was more than ten years in before I really began appreciate Gospel, and listen to Gospel bassists as a discrete genre. I am now seriously studying because I just tired of holes in my knowledge.

I think guys coming to Gospel from different sorts of Pop and Jazz is very common except players who grow up COGIC or a related denomination. Gospel has always had a ton of outside influence. I actually like Quartet, and Old School Gospel. I post a lot of clips on my YouTube channel, but my level of play is far below yours.
 
Soloing, you sound like someone who is into Jazz, Smooth or otherwise. Tonally, you sound like a very good player favoring the back pickup on an active bass. Barring a new technology in bass guitars, I don't think there any really dramatic new sounds in our favorite instrument. I remember Jaco came out, and even accomplished young bassists were trying to figure out how he got his sound. I remember buying my first fretless and panning to the bridge pickup, and I was like "Oh, that's how he does it!"

I am a good bit older than you. I took up Gospel when the little groups I played in petered out, and I had an opportunity to play for a university choir and a church. I honestly had never seriously listened to Gospel, and I just used my Funk chops. I was more than ten years in before I really began appreciate Gospel, and listen to Gospel bassists as a discrete genre. I am now seriously studying because I just tired of holes in my knowledge.

I think guys coming to Gospel from different sorts of Pop and Jazz is very common except players who grow up COGIC or a related denomination. Gospel has always had a ton of outside influence. I actually like Quartet, and Old School Gospel. I post a lot of clips on my YouTube channel, but my level of play is far below yours.
All I can do is encourage you to keep hammering it and never let people make you think that your to old to learn. That's my twin in the video playing guitar and he's only been playing 1.5 years now. Someone told him that guitar is a "young man's instrument," He started when he was 40. I taught him the theory I knew and he applied himself everyday for a year. He's not the greatest yet but is already a lot better than some guitarist I know who never ever apply themselves. The difference between Victor Wooden or any other bassist that's better than me is not that they are smarter but rather they practiced more while I chose to watch TV therefore they are more gifted. Just Food for thought.
 
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