Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[mbelue]

Is this roadstar 34" scale it seems small?

Also how do I widen the but for B tuning it? Or should I just drop it at the shop?

The easiest way to open up a nut for a larger gauge is to take a round wound during the same size and use it to file down the nut. Won't get too big that way but you'll still need to be careful. Keep it straight and don't use the string you're about to use. It'll need cleaning.

 

[Blank_0101]

The easiest way to open up a nut for a larger gauge is to take a round wound during the same size and use it to file down the nut. Won't get too big that way but you'll still need to be careful. Keep it straight and don't use the string you're about to use. It'll need cleaning.

I have the old E standard set and my new set is chromes...

I never make it easy for myself.

Also need a 12" 8 ohm speaker for the crate combo. I'll take measurements and pics of the opening. This would be a bass friendly speaker, doesn't need to handle anything other than my bass vi D standard at the lowest. And the amp is dark but still very fender guitar based so that might not let too much speaker damaging lows through but idk paging someone who knows better than me.

 

[Corey Y]

It's 34" scale, I think the bridge is just very close to the end of the body. I'd bring it to a tech if you don't have experience with more complicated setups.

 

[Blank_0101]

It's 34" scale, I think the bridge is just very close to the end of the body. I'd bring it to a tech if you don't have experience with more complicated setups.

That's the thing then I'm paying out the nose and learning nothing I wish I lived closer to an educated helpful doomer or TB'er.

 

[Korladis]

Not really addressing that specific issue, because I have zero experience with anything like that (thankfully!), but I feel compelled to comment that people online somehow always tend to jump to a bunch of reasons why a registered sex offender might just be the victim of a long complicated set of coincidental unfortunate circumstances. Which I find funny, because that's almost always how registered sex offenders describe what got them convicted. I was in that exact situation as the person who made that thread, but the guy got arrested and convicted while he was in the band. I only found out because he told me he was going to jail, gave me this long complicated sob story about how it was all a mistake but he couldn't prove it and just had to plead no contest and asked me to lie to everyone else about it (say he had unpaid parking tickets). Turned out his sob story that he to cover up was a lie itself (a few friends and acquaintances in law enforcement looked him up) and after some digging I found out the charge he was convicted of only applies to repeat offenders and he had been convicted before. Then A LOT of odd stuff about him and vague stories about his past started making sense. For years people I knew still socialized with him and would go through phases of giving me these long, convoluted stories about how everyone is "talking sh*t" about him and it's all a misunderstanding...then something happens and eventually they distance themselves from him. Sexual predators LOVE to cast themselves as the victims of unfortunate circumstance and witch hunts.

Exactly. Sure, there are some people wrongfully convicted. Justice isn't perfect.

But chances are that the dude in question is, in fact, a pedo.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it is some picture someone else sent him that got in trouble with the law.

However, I don't think that's especially likely.

 

[Korladis]

Every time I see a thread like this I get really worried about the mental state of a lot of people on this site. There's a dude that frequents that forum who has a quote along the lines of "a false rape accusation is a thousand times worse than any rape that could've occurred." People are way too quick to apologize for rapists and pedophiles on the internet instead of just calling it as it is. (For the record on that quote, less than 3% of rape allegations are false or unfounded)

Yep. I saw that guy's post. Pretty awful.

One of the things I left unsaid on the other thread was that I thought it was pretty likely that lots of the same folks making excuses for this lead singer who apparently was caught with kiddie porn are probably the same people who are pious Christians... and likely some of the same people who, when a musician dies of a drug overdose, are quick to point their fingers at how irresponsible he/she was.

 

[Korladis]

Trying to split hairs between pedophilia and child molestation is dangerous territory. I think when it comes to predatory sexual behavior it's generally less about sexual attraction and more about dominance and gaining a sense of power and self by what you do to someone else. Rapists can be straight or gay, but rapist isn't a sexual identity in and of itself. It's also virtually impossible to separate child pornography from child abuse. If someone is "just looking" at child porn, someone had to be exploited or victimized to generate it. If it wasn't the person viewing it, they just created a demand for it and create a sort of tacit endorsement of the crime that's being committed. It's like blood diamonds, nazi gold or stolen merchandise. I suppose you could argue there are people out there who just look at the kids section of clothing catalogs and dream about innocent, romantic feelings, who have no intention of trying to seduce a child. It just feels like a long path away from the reality of most of the situations and trying to come up with convoluted explanations for behavior that's generally pretty simple (but unpleasant) to explain. To think that's the person everyone is talking about when they say "registered sex offender" would be a huge miscalculation. It's possible, but not likely or anywhere close to the average.




I know there are some real people out there who have actually been screwed over by circumstance. The kid who just turned 18 and his 17 year old girlfriend's dad has him arrested is a popular story. I just don't really think it's common and at this point I've learned to be suspicious of people's bullsh*t stories. Every wife beater, child molester, thief or just lying crappy friend has these stories about how everyone screwed them over and it's all just a misunderstanding. You hear enough of them, they all start to have the same ring to them. So when people online go on and on about all these stories that happened to them (or usually a "friend of a friend" or "cousin" or "guy I know") my b.s. meter just starts hitting into the red.




Sooooo....who's got some bouncy stoner rock for me to listen to? Yeeesh.

You said it way better than I could, Corey. Totally agreed.




Anyway, on the subject of stoner music... I recorded some bass for my cousin's black metal project today. On the way to and from where we were recording, we were listening to Sleep.

So much excellent fuzz. Just driving through East Oakland, chilling to Dopesmoker.

 

[Korladis]

He says he gets too nervous before shows when he has to sing and play. He's more than pulling it off and improving all the time but he's just being his own worst critic and enemy. No amount of positive reassurance from myself, our drummer, friends, fans or MIKE SCHEIDT FROM YOB will get him to chill out and realize that he's already doing it, and doing it well.

The vocal style is not what I would have chosen, but I've grown to appreciate it. It sets us apart from all of scream-y sludge bands and people really seem to dig it.

I have a hard time imagining someone else pulling it off - maybe a weirdo from Europe like Lord Vicar or Lee Dorrian, but I doubt that there's anyone in Madison that would be able to step in and do something that's as similar to what we've already got going on.

It seems odd to me to want to search for a lead singer, but pretty much disqualify anyone that doesn't sound like the person that's already singing - especially when it's as unique as what he's been doing. If he really wants someone that sounds like him - then he should just do it himself. Otherwise, be open to different singing styles.

If he's having problems with nerves, you could have him face away from the audience so he can't see them? That could be your thing.

Or set his mic really high, like Lemmy's. Either way, begin with a long droning note on guitar and have him wear ear plugs so that he can't hear the audience, either.

Bleak, deadpan, awkward and hilarious. One of the best movies I've seen in a long time - Bruce Dern is great as is Will Forte. Seriously, can't recommend it enough.

It's a Coen Brothers movie, right? They excel at that kind of thing.

playing a perfect show is next to impossible. theres always something you can play better. i definitely dont have major screw ups every show, but little blips here and there are what make live music human (strike a note funny, miss a small transition, play a fill a little awkwardly, etc). id be weirded out if i saw a band play a 100% flawless show lol (sleepytime gorilla museum is the closest ive ever seen a band come to absolutely flawless live).

I don't usually have any truly terrible **** ups, but I don't think I've ever played a perfect show. I almost always flub a couple notes or something. Sometimes it's not even that I did anything really wrong, but that I didn't do something quite as well as I thought I should. Like maybe not doing a fill I had been intending to do, or not putting an effect on that would have enhanced a certain part, or something.

Check out Geezer's solo tracks from Masters of Reality, they're all on YouTube, it sounds surprisingly "sloppy". Made me feel much better about my recorded bass tracks.

Yeah. Still pretty awesome, though. And goddamn, that tone.

Haha yeah, that happens to me too. I just try to remember to turn off my brain, cuz my fingers remember what to do next.

Yeah, for me it'll be like "oh **** oh **** oh **** oh **** oh **** oh **** oh ****" and I feel like I'm always just about to **** up, but then I don't and it gets to the next part that I feel actually confident about.

As far as I am concerned this is some abstract concept. I honestly don't know if this person exists or if some weirdo TB member decided to post the weirdest question he could think of. I don't know the guy and I am not defending him. I also would not be ready to lynch someone (even figuratively) on the tiny bit of information on that thread.

I mean, sure, he could be making **** up just to get a rise out of people (and he got me, I guess, if so). But at that point I start having to doubt any weird thing anyone says happened on TB unless there's photographic evidence, and that just seems too... I don't know, cynical?

Also, never said the dude should be lynched. Just that the OP of the thread shouldn't play with him. For practical as well as moral reasons. I mean, the sex offender log about him having been caught with child porn was the second google result for the dude's name, apparently? I wouldn't want to be in a band with that unless it was already something that was getting hella gigs and had a bunch of albums out. Way more explaining to do than I would ever want to have to do.

Is this roadstar 34" scale it seems small?

Also how do I widen the but for B tuning it? Or should I just drop it at the shop?

You (slowly) file it. You can always just take it to your preferred local shop and have them do a set up for the tuning you're going to be using. It costs money, but then you can just sit around watching Adventure Time while they do it instead.

 

[Blank_0101]

No I want to learn to do it all myself, I really admire that, very jealous of Corey's skills even if he's too busy to use them much. This house hopefully gives me the space to act on my wishes and learn.

Also lol the band guy is not who I thought just talked with him and hour. Grungy band, he lives in a barn house with a recording practice room! 15 min from me now closer when I move.

 

[Corey Y]

askrere...go look up as many professionally made setup videos as you can. As long as you're detail oriented and you go slow, you can probably handle it. Here's a good start:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te44eWXd9pc

Watch all 4 videos in the series. Take notes, make step by step guides, rewatch it again, etc. and if you don't have any of the tools you need, just go to the nearest, cheapest hardware store (Harbor Freight is perfect, if you have one) and pick up what you need for as cheap as possible. I've done stuff like using index cards as feeler gauges, jointed sticks as a straight edge, all kinds of stuff.

If for some reason you eff it up beyond all comprehension, then take it to a tech. At $130ish shipped, that's about the perfect instrument to learn on anyway. Some basses barely need an adjustment at the nut for a 5 string set. My MIM Precision was like that, just barely needed the lightest file, the rest was just basic setup (truss rod, action, intonation).

 

[Blank_0101]

askrere...go look up as many professionally made setup videos as you can. As long as you're detail oriented and you go slow, you can probably handle it. Here's a good start:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te44eWXd9pc

Watch all 4 videos in the series. Take notes, make step by step guides, rewatch it again, etc. and if you don't have any of the tools you need, just go to the nearest, cheapest hardware store (Harbor Freight is perfect, if you have one) and pick up what you need for as cheap as possible. I've done stuff like using index cards as feeler gauges, jointed sticks as a straight edge, all kinds of stuff.

If for some reason you eff it up beyond all comprehension, then take it to a tech. At $130ish shipped, that's about the perfect instrument to learn on anyway. Some basses barely need an adjustment at the nut for a 5 string set. My MIM Precision was like that, just barely needed the lightest file, the rest was just basic setup (truss rod, action, intonation).

Ah your up, were your ears burning? What I'm i looking for to know the nut would/nt need to handle it?

Son of an engineer I'm all about details. I spend 4 hours a day probably studying various aspects of guitar designs. What's famous, what sells, what does what. I'm trying to be all encompassing in my knowledge musically and otherwise. With a house I can finally get a saw and such. Oscilloscope, tube tester if I can get them cheap, a jig saw router etc idk what I'll need but I want to be able to do nearly everything myself. I might have a business degree but I chose it because I'm confident I can learn what I need to succeed in any venture so might as well focus my efforts on learning business.

If this band works out I want to learn everything about being the manager too. Today's mission is find my truss rod and bridge hex key amid my rubble. Meet the guy around 2-3 to jam he's a singer/guitarist, little but full if himself but aren't we all. He's 28, and found a 25 year old drummer whose also a real estate agent so I'm stoked to meet him regardless lol, I'd love to get into real estate and renting and flipping houses. I'm having a hard time find anyone as serious as I am about flipping cars, and I have the cash to start and friends with backing, but no expert/labor source... I'm just am eager business guy and no one can keep up with my crazy projects.

 

[Corey Y]

Ah your up, were your ears burning? What I'm i looking for to know the nut would/nt need to handle it?

Yep, I was just about to go to bed and popped in.

This is probably too much details, but...just take your thickest string and hold a bit against the slot in the nut to eyeball the width, if you don't have any proper measuring tools, and see if it's significantly wider than what's already filed. Sometimes it can work without any adjustment at the nut, depending on how it was filed. You're supposed to make the nut no deeper than about half the diameter of the string and round the edges over a bit. If the slots look like deep grooves and the height of the nut is way above the top of the strings, it's not really ideal. You want to visualize the strings sitting in the nut slots more like sitting comfortably in a chair, not squeezed between two walls. Properly winding the strings on the tuning pegs (towards the bottom of the post) provides enough string tension to keep the strings in place. So if it already has a little wiggle room, sometimes the extra diameter is ok. If the nut is too tall and/or the slots filed too deep, you may just need to ease the corners off the sides of the slots with a file and widen them a little bit. Most luthiers use files that are smaller than the string width and rock them side to side.

Watch those videos and any other ones you can find that are made by pros (StewMac has a bunch of stuff as well) and just drill it all into your head as much as possible. Like most things you just kind of have to evaluate and adjust as you go, because each case will have its own challenges. I've managed to setup all my instruments for various tunings and string gauges without too many problems. I practiced a lot of this stuff on a cheap $100 bass, until it played like butter.

Ok, bedtime now.

 

[Blank_0101]

This guitarist says he knows about setups, I'll take something like my bronco and make him set it up if he does and succeeds then he's cool in my book and knows something I don't.

Good news is none of my basses cost me over $270 and most under $100, my bass vi is a quirky one I got it cheap but will end up putting everything into it so it'll be around $600 (to me when done, and it's literally got every issue one could have with so many things going on, in such a novel instrument.

Also I never bothered trying the bass I just tore it down and began cleaning, you recommended a model P right? This this f'ing dirty, Un-shielded and the pickups look impressive but seem to be worn the hell out so I'll just rewire the thing.

Though I am constantly curious about throwing a single coil like a jazz in there or a jazz bucker or rail, idk I'm so curious about non P's even though I love them.

 

[mbelue]

Been looking for this video a while. Funny ass short, very campy.
http://vimeo.com/m/24961909
http://vimeo.com/m/24961909

 

[mc_muench]

NPyD!!!


MIJ Boss Flanger. Its sounds like a syrupy burly bearplane with wings made of springs, flying over your head. On bass its very subtle, you can feel the sweep around the room. On guitar its over the top nasty.

Bringing sexy back with carpet but adding a briefcase to the pedalboard shuffle for business man class.

 

[mbelue]

Slow day.

 

[bassboysam]

Still recovering. Blizaro were fvckin' awesome. So doomy but without getting boring.

 

[mc_muench]

Slow day.

Slow riffing.

 

[Blank_0101]

Anyone ever eating or drink anything tamarind based and able to describe that taste?

 

[The_Janitor]

Nice score Max, that's the BF2, i take it? I love mine. All knobs at noon, clean tone from the bass, sounds great!

Well, the EHX vintage Clone Theory is fixed. Just needed a new power cord. Cut the old one off, snipped off the janky part, stripped the leads, soldered back to the transformer, put on the electrical tape for insulation, plugged it in and voila - vintage chorus and vibrato goodness. Sounds pretty nice through the pod and near fields, can't wait to try it out through the big rig.

I'm almost disappointed that it wasn't more of a challenge. Oh well...