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"Tapping Instrument" or "Bass?"

#41
It's an internet forum, and as such, if you want your voice to be heard, it's necessary you follow certain guidelines. They assure that everybody can have their voices heard, and no one feels discriminated against.

Perhaps what needs to happen is not for people to have a thicker skin, but for you to be able to express yourself in a way that is less inflammatory to others. I mean this, not to be mean, but to help you help the other members.

The point of this forum is more to HELP fellow bassists and celebrate the art of playing, as opposed to criticizing others :smug:.
 
#42
I need no help, Thanks anyway. I dont make it a practice to go telling people what I think of their instruments, the same as I dont tell people what I think of their car choice in car forums.
However; If you cant handle "You know what, that is one ugly guitar", you need to grow a set. If your self worth is wrapped up in what others think of your tools, You have a problem. And I dont think You'll ever be able to handle the criticism of a life in the arts.

Your last line kind of makes my point. The statement "I think your guitar is ugly", isnt a criticism of YOU. Its an opinion on the looks of a guitar, end of story.

EDIT to add: I've also never been threatened with a ban hammer for saying "The Honda Insight is one UGLY car"
 
#43
Ian Perge said:
Firstly, all the hate posted in the original thread was bile-inducing - a number of them blatantly breaking the CUP rules about discussions regarding Extended Range Instruments and should be called out for it, which the NS/Stick and other members of the Stick family certainly fall into. No member here should have to put up with that when proudly displaying their new instrument. :mad:
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+1. People need to open their minds. (And I'm strictly a four-strong player myself.)

XigXag said:
Im not intending to aim this at you Ian, just something your post brought up, Ive thought it before...

This rule. Are people here so thin skinned, and pansified that me insulting their guitar is somehow reason for therapy?
How in the world do people get out on stage and play in public? Someone might say " Hey you suck", and you might have to deal with it.
God people grow a set.
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As I said above, I only play fours, but having been here for a good while now, I see the reason for the rule. If it was just one person ragging on a single ERB, it would be one thing. Unfortunately, you had a bunch of narrow-minded people bashing ERBs--as a result, a good number of threads turned into flame wars. And obviously, TB looks to minimize that sort of thing--which is generally a good idea, IMO. The civility keeps the great contributors, with all their knowledge and insight, coming back.
 
#45
I have no problem following any forums rules, that isnt my issue. I havent and wont tell you that Vic Wooten is an overrated wanker.
I do want people to think about why they feel so hurt about someone elses opinion. You're welcome to insult my guitars all you want, I wont cry to the mods.
And Im sorry I disagree, your bass is ugly != your taste in basses is crap. It means exactly what it says. I may even mean it as a compliment.
 
#47
bassbenj said:
So I guess the question is to me, just how many strings (how much of an extended range) do you have to have to turn a bass into a piano or a "tapping instrument"? I feel that a 6 string bass is still a bass. Now at what point it changes and has enough added capability that it becomes a different instrument, I don't know.
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Its not simply about the range of the instrument (if not then all instruments could be called short-range pianos). It's the approach to the instrument. Tubas, double basses, bass guitars, bass pedals, etc. all can reproduce about the same range of frequencies and also roughly fill the same niche in music.

However, what distinguishes them from each other is the approach you have to take regarding each instrument. A tuba is certainly approached a different way than a bass guitar - regardless of the range.

A bass-register stringed instrument, with roughly 30" to 39" scale length, either plucked, picked, slapped, or tapped would be quite an inclusive yet exclusive definition of a bass guitar. Then again there are still exceptions (piccolos).
 
#48
spade2you said:
It is a bass. It isn't a bass. It's what you want it to be. End of story.
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pretty much sums up my philosophy, if you play your idea of bass parts on it its a bass.
Play Don't worry :-)
i'm really keen to hear some sound clips if its not a hassle,
i'm seriously considering putting my name down for a 2nd hand i think this would fit my style.

how do those thing guitar strings work out with a long scale?
 
#49
I bet that musicians have been having this 'discussion' for eons, every time a new instrument comes long, or a hybrid/derivative creation that challenges the establishment. I bet the first guy that added a second drone to the hulusi got strange looks from all the other guys with only one drone.

Let's call it an Electric Tapophonic Bass Lute. :)
 
#50
I've found that if people are straight forward and honest, yet all the while, respectful, others will appreciate and accept a differing opinion more openly---which leads to a more productive discussion (and community). I have alot of strong feelings about almost every aspect of music, musicianship, gear and technique. However, almost all serious musicians have strong feelings one way or the other. In the end, there are many ways to approach and carry out 'art.' If there was only one way, then it wouldn't be art---it would just be the 'way things are,' which isn't a whole lot of fun. In the end, when we grow as people, we grow as musicians.
 
#52
srdsrd said:
So... since I actualy started this debate, and know some hate seems to be dropping on me, I would like to, once more, point out that I mean no disrespect or to upset new instruments owners :):)

Just like the way a lap guitar, for me is not a "guitar", more than 5 strings on a bass just...doesn't feel rigth. The finger style, the slapin' and the plucking disappears in these instruments (not that its impossible, but every time I whatch one being played is always being tapped).

If it doesn't look like, play like or... sound like most of tradictional basses, maybe they deserve a new classification among instruments!

I was just curious if I was the one feeling this way.
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i've only played fretted and fretless 7+ string basses for the last 17 years, and i -never- tap on any of them.
 
#54
XigXag said:
Im not intending to aim this at you Ian, just something your post brought up, Ive thought it before...

This rule. Are people here so thin skinned, and pansified that me insulting their guitar is somehow reason for therapy?
How in the world do people get out on stage and play in public? Someone might say " Hey you suck", and you might have to deal with it.
God people grow a set.
Click to expand...

XigXag said:
I need no help, Thanks anyway. I dont make it a practice to go telling people what I think of their instruments, the same as I dont tell people what I think of their car choice in car forums.
However; If you cant handle "You know what, that is one ugly guitar", you need to grow a set. If your self worth is wrapped up in what others think of your tools, You have a problem. And I dont think You'll ever be able to handle the criticism of a life in the arts.

Your last line kind of makes my point. The statement "I think your guitar is ugly", isnt a criticism of YOU. Its an opinion on the looks of a guitar, end of story.

EDIT to add: I've also never been threatened with a ban hammer for saying "The Honda Insight is one UGLY car"
Click to expand...

XigXag said:
I have no problem following any forums rules, that isnt my issue. I havent and wont tell you that Vic Wooten is an overrated wanker.
I do want people to think about why they feel so hurt about someone elses opinion. You're welcome to insult my guitars all you want, I wont cry to the mods.
And Im sorry I disagree, your bass is ugly != your taste in basses is crap. It means exactly what it says. I may even mean it as a compliment.
Click to expand...

all of this of course begs the question of what the purpose of this forum (talkbass) is.

talkbass exists to encourage positive discourse among bass players of all abilities and points of view and allow the exchange of new and different ideas in a atmosphere welcoming to all.

it is not here for folks to come around and crap in other folks' wheaties to flex their e-muscles. usenet is still freely available for that kind of 'discourse', last time i checked.

we maintain a modicum of decorum here at talkbass to foster open communication among folks, especially those with very different points of view, which is our primary concern and reason for being. it's not a question of "Growing a pair", it's a question of positive discourse and mutual respect, as opposed to juvenile hee-hawing. there's nothing positive in name calling, slagging other folks' gear, slagging other players, etc. - nothing that motivates anything other than more of the same from other posters, which is counter to what we want talkbass to be.

and that's why that crap's not allowed here.

not directing this at you xigxag - yours was a valid, if somewhat acerbic, question and deserving of a direct answer. hopefully this clarifies the rules a bit - if not feel free to ask any questions you might have.
 
#59
...the thread seems to already have spiraled down. Sigh.

I don't consider the OP's NS-Stick a bass guitar. It was primarily meant a tapping instrument with a range comparable to a standard bass guitar. However, I do consider it a great tapping instrument nontheless (tapping's what got me interested in playing bass in the first place), in fact I'm rather jealous of the OP - especially if that's a natural walnut body. :D
 
#60
everyone is looking at this instrument and trying to define it based on the pre-existing template of a bass guitar. hence the questions: "is it really a bass? or is it this? or is it that?" the simple fact is that it's not a bass at all. it's a totally different instrument with a totally different name. a Stick is not a 10 string bass or an 8 string bass, it's a Stick so that's what you call it. that, or sticker, his stickness, or el stickerino if you're not into the whole brevity thing. that's not to say that i have any problem with it being posted on a bass forum. it's awesome and we should all enjoy the pics without getting hung up on definitions.
 

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