Thunderbird Club

[BklynKen]

Apparently Sylvain was a big deal to Kathy Valentine, too.

 

[PillO]

Just requires a little practice. Always keep the numbers in order: 1...2...3... Repeat. Then there is the more complicated version of 1...2...3...4...

Seriously though, I don't count well either. In fact I hardly ever do. I play more by feel and what's in my head (which is not much), and count only when the I can't get the feel of a part. Most of what I play is not very complicated so counting doesn't happen much.

I can generally find the one, which is half the battle.

But I have trouble counting and hitting the right notes. I can do one or the other. My teacher wants me to learn parts by counting through and then once I can do that play with the song. But if I know the right notes, I can get them in the right place in the music.

Maybe I need to stop using my fingers to count...

 

[PillO]

Thanks, Larry! Yeah, I'm sure 1/8" longer shouldn't be a problem.

1/8" longer is actually an improvement in my opinion.

Ahem.

 

[GonePlaid]

More than happy to send you some, but they're black.

Thanks. I don't care what color they are since no one gets close enuff to see them anyway(or pays any attention to the bass/player) PM'ed.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Damn, the news about Tim Bogert was a real bring down today. He was unwittingly a huge influence on me, I listened to Cactus and BBA a lot when I was learning to play, but was always trying to more ape guys like Geddy Lee, Jack Bruce, Squire, Barry Oakley, those guys, but listening back I do hear more Bogert than probably any of them besides maybe Glenn Cornick. Even my brother, who I'm currently teaching bass (and got me back into Cactus, since I have to learn the songs again to teach them to him), has commented saying my playing has similarities to Tim. I'm not at that level, but damn am I gonna miss him, I'd rank him up there as my favorite US bass player of the period.






I saw the original quote over on The Gear Page I believe, and it just made so much sense. There's a lot of talk, especially here on TB, that tone is all in the fingers, and I can't say I subscribe to that. It's in the style of play and attack, but if I played the same as I do on an EB-2 with flats into a B-15, it wouldn't be the same tone. And an unamplified bass is nothing without the amp, and I know at this point my tone? Yeah, the vast majority of it comes from using basses strung with rounds into a full Sunn 2000s. It wouldn't be the same into an SVT.

plus, not every 2000S, SVT, Hiwatt etc. sound the same...there are soooo many knobs in a bass setup that my aim has become trying to find the least common denominator (which of course, we all know is not very realistic). really dig it when pleasantly surprised by a combo i would not have placed my bets on, like happened yesterday when playing this;

through this;

although not much of a Fender amp kinda guy (with the exception of 400PS) this combination sounded stellar. the rarity and amazing tone of this amp (60 Concert 4 X 10, 40 Watt with the blonde tolexes remaining in CA, all others shipped nationwide) is such, that it makes one wonder if the whole "tone is in the fingers" credo is a more plausible, in denial, means to an end...

 

[GonePlaid]

plus, not every 2000S, SVT, Hiwatt etc. sound the same...there are soooo many knobs in a bass setup that my aim has become trying to find the least common denominator (which of course, we all know is not very realistic). really dig it when pleasantly surprised by a combo i would not have placed my bets on, like happened yesterday when playing this;
View attachment 4129140
through this;
View attachment 4129139
although not much of a Fender amp kinda guy (with the exception of 400PS) this combination sounded stellar. the rarity and amazing tone of this amp (60 Concert 4 X 10, 40 Watt with the blonde tolexes remaining in CA, all others shipped nationwide) is such, that it makes one wonder if the whole "tone is in the fingers" credo is a more plausible, in denial, means to an end...

The first amp I played bass(EB-3, Mudbucker only-1967)through was a 7ender Super Reverb[4x10] assigned to the Charleston, SC, Navy band. Great sound-as I vaguely remember. Weighed a ton-as I clearly remember.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The first amp I played bass(EB-3, Mudbucker only-1967)through was a 7ender Super Reverb[4x10] assigned to the Charleston, SC, Navy band. Great sound-as I vaguely remember. Weighed a ton-as I clearly remember.

wonder how many times those speakers were replaced...

 

[GonePlaid]

wonder how many times those speakers were replaced...

None while I was there until November '68. It was used for (acoustic)piano, drums, bass trio work-background cocktail music. Volume never above 4. Bass full, treble around 5, presence full. That I do remember. It was actually assigned to the guitar player-who rarely did gigs except with the full big band. For those, I was on 2nd tenor sax and the regular bass man played UB.

 

[JIO]

Neck agnosticism is a healthy philosophy. It keeps so many doors open.

For sure - my '68 Coral Deluxe Bass has a very unique neck - shallow D shaped with a 1-3/4" wide nut width, 2-3/8" heal, and a very flat fb with low action. Just feels like home. There's always a slight transition to a different neck (feel), but once played it shapes the way I play.

 

[dagrev]

I can generally find the one, which is half the battle.

But I have trouble counting and hitting the right notes. I can do one or the other. My teacher wants me to learn parts by counting through and then once I can do that play with the song. But if I know the right notes, I can get them in the right place in the music.

Maybe I need to stop using my fingers to count...

Ah, there's your problem. Bass players have toes for that very reason.

 

[GBassNorth]

plus, not every 2000S, SVT, Hiwatt etc. sound the same...there are soooo many knobs in a bass setup that my aim has become trying to find the least common denominator (which of course, we all know is not very realistic). really dig it when pleasantly surprised by a combo i would not have placed my bets on, like happened yesterday when playing this;
View attachment 4129140
through this;
View attachment 4129139
although not much of a Fender amp kinda guy (with the exception of 400PS) this combination sounded stellar. the rarity and amazing tone of this amp (60 Concert 4 X 10, 40 Watt with the blonde tolexes remaining in CA, all others shipped nationwide) is such, that it makes one wonder if the whole "tone is in the fingers" credo is a more plausible, in denial, means to an end...

Looks like a very interesting match, very cool indeed.

Without getting into a tone war, it's always been my position that Tone is not largely in your fingers - Style is what's in your fingers. Everybody has a playing style that drives a large degree of commonality in how they sound even when playing differently basses. Finger style, pic, playing at the bridge or up near or over the neck, open strings vs fretting, etc all are things people do. To the degree that they do any of those as a norm defines their style which in turn does impact tone to a degree. But IMHO tone is more a combination of pickup selection/placement, string selection, on-board settings and amp/cab selections and their respective settings. That's just my opinion, which historically hasn't proven to be worth much more than a cup of coffee.

 

[dagrev]

Looks like a very interesting match, very cool indeed.

Without getting into a tone war, it's always been my position that Tone is not largely in your fingers - Style is what's in your fingers. Everybody has a playing style that drives a large degree of commonality in how they sound even when playing differently basses. Finger style, pic, playing at the bridge or up near or over the neck, open strings vs fretting, etc all are things people do. To the degree that they do any of those as a norm defines their style which in turn does impact tone to a degree. But IMHO tone is more a combination of pickup selection/placement, string selection, on-board settings and amp/cab selections and their respective settings. That's just my opinion, which historically hasn't proven to be worth much more than a cup of coffee.

In my humble opinion, your humble opinion is correct! I've listened to my fingers. Got nothin'. Maybe my fingers need new tubes.

 

[JIO]

Looks like a very interesting match, very cool indeed.

Without getting into a tone war, it's always been my position that Tone is not largely in your fingers - Style is what's in your fingers. Everybody has a playing style that drives a large degree of commonality in how they sound even when playing differently basses. Finger style, pic, playing at the bridge or up near or over the neck, open strings vs fretting, etc all are things people do. To the degree that they do any of those as a norm defines their style which in turn does impact tone to a degree. But IMHO tone is more a combination of pickup selection/placement, string selection, on-board settings and amp/cab selections and their respective settings. That's just my opinion, which historically hasn't proven to be worth much more than a cup of coffee.

Mostly agree, style and individual technique. As a prime example Bobby Vega comes to mind. The guy just exudes expressive playing.



And Micheal Manring - I've met Michael (East Bay guy) and have seen/heard him a number of times up close. Trust me - there's something special in his fingers.

 

[Engle]

I can generally find the one, which is half the battle.

But I have trouble counting and hitting the right notes. I can do one or the other. My teacher wants me to learn parts by counting through and then once I can do that play with the song. But if I know the right notes, I can get them in the right place in the music.

Maybe I need to stop using my fingers to count...

I rarely have trouble finding the one, and counting doesn’t usually help me play complicated parts. That is because I learned to play by ear.
But it’s really valuable to be able to count things out, especially on tricky material in a group setting.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Her IG version of this was how I got the news he died.

 

[D.M.N.]

plus, not every 2000S, SVT, Hiwatt etc. sound the same...there are soooo many knobs in a bass setup that my aim has become trying to find the least common denominator (which of course, we all know is not very realistic). really dig it when pleasantly surprised by a combo i would not have placed my bets on, like happened yesterday when playing this;
View attachment 4129140
through this;
View attachment 4129139
although not much of a Fender amp kinda guy (with the exception of 400PS) this combination sounded stellar. the rarity and amazing tone of this amp (60 Concert 4 X 10, 40 Watt with the blonde tolexes remaining in CA, all others shipped nationwide) is such, that it makes one wonder if the whole "tone is in the fingers" credo is a more plausible, in denial, means to an end...

The first amp I played bass(EB-3, Mudbucker only-1967)through was a 7ender Super Reverb[4x10] assigned to the Charleston, SC, Navy band. Great sound-as I vaguely remember. Weighed a ton-as I clearly remember.

Interestingly enough, my guitar player has a Super reverb, and we've used that before on demos, it sounds pretty darn good with bass, though given the open back and old speakers I doubt it could handle anything very loudly.

Personally I want about as few as knobs as possible in the equation. Volume wide open, tone usually wide open, and then just volume, bass, mids, treble and maybe presence on an amp.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

plus, not every 2000S, SVT, Hiwatt etc. sound the same...there are soooo many knobs in a bass setup that my aim has become trying to find the least common denominator (which of course, we all know is not very realistic). really dig it when pleasantly surprised by a combo i would not have placed my bets on, like happened yesterday when playing this;
View attachment 4129140
through this;
View attachment 4129139
although not much of a Fender amp kinda guy (with the exception of 400PS) this combination sounded stellar. the rarity and amazing tone of this amp (60 Concert 4 X 10, 40 Watt with the blonde tolexes remaining in CA, all others shipped nationwide) is such, that it makes one wonder if the whole "tone is in the fingers" credo is a more plausible, in denial, means to an end...

Everything affects everything else. The tome is in all of them. Amazing fingers will make your ears happy even through crap gear, but if you stop to analyze the tone ... it’s crap.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

Ah, there's your problem. Bass players have toes for that very reason.

And here I thought they (the toes) were prehensile.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I rarely have trouble finding the one, and counting doesn’t usually help me play complicated parts. That is because I learned to play by ear.
But it’s really valuable to be able to count things out, especially on tricky material in a group setting.

It caught me by surprise that I was timing notes just right on the bridge to “Ball of Confusion”. If I don’t think about it, I’m fine. But if I think about it, I have to count.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Interestingly enough, my guitar player has a Super reverb, and we've used that before on demos, it sounds pretty darn good with bass, though given the open back and old speakers I doubt it could handle anything very loudly.

Personally I want about as few as knobs as possible in the equation. Volume wide open, tone usually wide open, and then just volume, bass, mids, treble and maybe presence on an amp.

exactly, same here. jic by "knobs" i meant, string type, string age, pup type, wood type, tube type, amp topology, picking style and on and on.....my point being, sometimes it's fairly straightforward dialing in a workable tone, sometimes it's not regardless of the gear used and am totally with you on less control knobs in the equation...just plain not necessary imho..