Musicians check in here. If you play, tell us about it!

[Surf Monkey]

What strings?

Dean Markley pressure wounds in medium gauge.

 

[davedamage]

Wow. I can't believe it took me this long to find this thread.
My main rig is an 06 Warwick Thumb BO 5 run into a Genz Benz GBE1200 pushing an Ampeg 410hlf and SVT 115e. When I see people talk about how much money the spend on vaping, I just have to take a look at my pedalboard...

 

[DaveP]

Quite a pedal board there, Dave! I couldn't tell in the picture if you had an AC adapter, but I'd hate to foot the 9v bill for all those stompboxes. Welcome to the thread!

 

[davedamage]

T-Rex fuel tank Jr. underneath powering all of it, except for the Pitchfactor, which has its own.

 

[bassnut]

Dean Markley pressure wounds in medium gauge.

I must have tried them once...bright like RWs but don't chew up the frets, right? Might try them again.
I usually use medium to heavy gauge flats depending on scale length and bump the higher frequencies on the amp for articulation - I have a decidedly old-school playing style. (I almost never slap).

I've got a '72 Les Paul Sig bass that I string with Markley Blue Steels (RWs). I enjoy the subtle piano-like quality they give that particular long-scale hollow-body design but they're not over-the-top like new Rotos.

I'll dig it out and play it for a month or two when I really want a change (hearkening back to that tattoo thread!)

 

[bassnut]

Wow. I can't believe it took me this long to find this thread.
My main rig is an 06 Warwick Thumb BO 5 run into a Genz Benz GBE1200 pushing an Ampeg 410hlf and SVT 115e. When I see people talk about how much money the spend on vaping, I just have to take a look at my pedalboard...

You uses these for bass? Dang!
Any recordings or videos of you available that you can share for demonstration?

 

[Surf Monkey]

I must have tried them once...bright like RWs but don't chew up the frets, right? Might try them again.

Exactly. They're like half rounds but easier on the fretboard/frets. I use the Blue Steel strings sometimes too, but they're reeeeeal spendy.

 

[Hypnophone]

Hey guys can we talk about this video for a second, specifically around the 5:00 mark when the solo hits.





I think most of you had been around in the 80's when "synthisizers" and electronic drums became huge. I hated them, they didn't sound real at all. I don't know the term for this, but you know how sound is vibration, and when you hit a drum, strike a note on a guitar, or even hit a cow bell, that note doesn't just stop, if you listen the note on a real instrument will fade. But on those old synthisers it would just stop this was especially true on those electric drums, remember that sudden tap, there was no natural fade out to the note, it was just there and gone.

Sax was especially bad, back in the day, it just didn't even sound real, at all. I don't know what they sounded like but it wasn't a sax.

Anyway, what the heck is going on in that solo? I'm kind of shocked here. My FIL back in the day was a film producer and editor, I told him one time that I didn't like electronic fake instruments and boy did I get an ear full. Rebeca Black came along and if he was still alive today I would be in his face with a big old "see what I mean". But, now I see this and I might be eating my words.

Is that thing in his mouth helping to add breath to it? I have to admit I'm old school here, so I'm kind of hating myself that I enjoyed it, and thought it sounded good.

OK I'm gonna try this again...
I got mysteriously logged out in the middle of my rant.

Sure the sympathizers and electronics sounded real. They sounded like real electronics. There were not many devices that could
faithfully reproduce a sax, piano, drum, etc...

Hell, these days it's all sampling and PCM. You can get pretty close, but it's still fake.
The abrupt cutoff of the waveforms that you mention are strictly a function of whoever is writing the patches and playing them
back. A good example of some tasty electronic drumming is the 80's King Crimson stuff. There's lot's of heavily effected guitar
and synth-guitar too.
I guess what I'm ramblin' about is the fact that electronics are a valuable music tool when properly applied.

Now I'll address the breath controller on the sympathizer.
That looks like a Yamaha unit. The breath controller did nothing more than the same thing that the modulation and pitch wheels
found on most synths. You could assign a parameter (pitch, filter, mod, etc) and control it with the breathy thing.
Fortunately, it didn't last long, for some reason, keyboard boys didn't dig it none too much.
Real is always better than fake.
Long live analog!
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get back to my ELP on vinyl...

 

[bassnut]

... but they're reeeeeal spendy.

I pity the guitar players.

 

[DaveP]

I pity the guitar players.

When I played three nights a week, I changed strings once a week. I'd buy them in multi-packs to save cost, but it wasn't that expensive. I almost never broke a string because I didn't let them wear that much. I still change once a month playing 1 show and 1 practice a week. I like twang!

I loved the Dean Markley Cryogenic Blue Steel strings. Those things had some high end presence. I got worried about fret wear and went back to the D'addario and Ernie Ball nickel 10's. I hate dull, thumpy, strings on a guitar. When they lose their brightness and sustain, they come off.

Guitar strings are cheap compared to bass strings. I can buy 6 sets for the price of one set of bass strings. For under $40, I can have almost a year of string changes these days.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Right, but bass strings practically never break.

 

[Safira]

Plus wasn't it James Jamerson that once said "the funk is in the gunk".

Also to Hypnophone I have always said "everything eventually has to turn to poop." No matter how much digital we put into something eventually it has to come out of an analog speaker. In this one case go ahead and bring out the analog. Although when it comes to cig's I'll stick with my e-cig.

 

[bassnut]

Joe Osborn used the original strings that came with his J-bass on hit after hit for at least a decade.
Someone here at this link says 17 years. Check out this discography:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-113479.html

1961 - Rick Nelson - Travelin’ Man - 1
1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - This Diamond Ring - 1
1965 - Barry Maguire - Eve Of Destruction - 1
1966 - Mamas & Papas - Monday Monday - 1
1966 - Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town - 1
1967 - Association - Windy - 1
1969 - Fifth Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues - 1
1969 - Tommy Roe - Dizzy - 1
1970 - Carpenters - Close To You - 1
1970 - Neil Diamond - Cracklin’ Rose - 1
1970 - Partridge Family - I Think I Love You - 1
1970 - Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water - 1
1972 - Helen Reddy - I Am Woman - 1
1973 - Carpenters - Top Of The World - 1
1973 - Helen Reddy - Delta Dawn – 1
1974 - Carpenters - Please Mr. Postman – 1

1964 - Johnny Rivers - Memphis - 2
1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Count Me In - 2
1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Save Your Heart For Me - 2
1967 - Mamas & Papas - Dedicated To The One I Love - 2
1968 - Association - Never My Love - 2
1968 - Richard Harris - Macarthur Park - 2
1970 - Carpenters - Superstar - 2
1970 - Carpenters - We’ve Only Just Begun - 2
1970 - Fifth Dimension - One Less Bell To Answer - 2
1971 - Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays - 2
1972 - Carpenters - Hurting Each Other - 2
1973 - Carpenters - Yesterday Once More - 2
1976 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - I’d Really Love To See You Tonight – 2

1966 - Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man - 3
1967 - Johnny Rivers - Baby I Need Your Lovin’ - 3
1968 - Fifth Dimension - Stone Soul Picnic - 3
1968 - Monkees - Valleri - 3
1969 - Bobby Sherman - Little Women - 3
1971 - Carpenters - For All We Know - 3
1973 - Carpenters - Sing - 3
1973 - Helen Reddy - Leave Me Alone – 3

1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Everybody Loves A Clown - 4
1966 - Mamas & Papas - California Dreamin’ - 4
1967 - Scott Mackenzie - San Francisco - 4
1974 - America - Tin Man - 4
1975 - Carpenters - Only Yesterday – 4

1962 - Rick Nelson - Teenage Idol - 5
1962 - Rick Nelson – Young World - 5
1966 - Mamas & Papas - Words Of Love - 5
1967 - Mamas & Papas – Creeque Alley - 5
1968 - Grass Roots - Midnight Confession - 5
1968 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Just Dropped In - 5
1970 - Bobby Sherman - Julie - Do You Love Me - 5
1974 - Neil Diamond - Longfellow Serenade - 5
1975 - America - Lonely People - 5
1977 – Kenny Rogers - Lucille – 5

1962 - Rick Nelson - It’s Up To You - 6
1964 - Rick Nelson – For You - 6
1966 - Mamas & Papas - I Saw Her Again - 6
1966 - Tommy Roe - Hurray For Hazel - 6
1969 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Ruby - 6
1969 - Neil Diamond - Holly Holy - 6
1970 - Barbra Streisand - Stoney End - 6
1972 - Johnny Rivers - Rockin’ Pneumonia - 6
1971 - Partridge Family - Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted – 6

1965 - Johnny Rivers - Seventh Son - 7
1967 - Fifth Dimension - Up Up And Away - 7
1969 - Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer - 7
1971 - Tommy Roe - Stagger Lee - 7
1972 - Carpenters - Goodbye To Love – 7

1966 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Green Grass - 8
1968 - Boyce & Hart - I Wonder What She’s Doin’ Tonight - 8
1969 - Tommy Roe - Jam Up - Jelly Tight - 8
1972 - America - Ventura Highway - 8
1972 - Fifth Dimension - Didn’t Get To Sleep At All - 8
1975 - Helen Reddy - No Way To Treat A Lady – 8

1961 - Rick Nelson - Hello Mary Lou - 9
1964 - Johnny Rivers - Mountain Of Love - 9
1967 - Spanky & Our Gang - Sunday Will Never Be The Same - 9
1969 - Bobby Sherman - La La La - 9
1970 - Bobby Sherman - Easy Come Easy Go - 9
1971 - Grass Roots - Sooner Or Later - 9
1971 - Partridge Family - I’ll Meet You Halfway - 9
1973 - Art Garfunkel - All I Know - 9
1973 - B.W. Stevenson - My Maria - 9
1974 - Helen Reddy - You And Me Against The World - 9
1975 - Austin Roberts - Rocky - 9
1978 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - We’ll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again - 9
1982 - Sylvia - Nobody – 9

1967 - Johnny Rivers - Tracks Of My Tears - 10
1968 - Association – Everything That Touches You - 10
1970 - Mark Lindsay - Arizona - 10
1972 - Fifth Dimension - If I Could Reach You - 10
1976 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - Nights Are Forever – 10

1961 - Rick Nelson - A Wonder Like You - 11
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Somethin’s Burnin’ - 11
1974 - Carpenters - I Won’t Last A Day Without You - 11

1963 - Rick Nelson - Fools Rush In - 12
1964 - Johnny Rivers - Maybelle - 12
1968 - Cass Elliott - Dream A Little Dream - 12
1971 – Fifth Dimension - Never My Love - 12
1972 - Carpenters - It’s Going To Take Some Time - 12
1972 - Austin Roberts - Something’s Wrong With Me - 12
1973 - Helen Reddy - Peaceful - 12
1976 - Carpenters - There’s A Kind Of Hush – 12

1966 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - My Heart Symphony - 13
1968 - Fifth Dimension - Sweet Blindness - 13
1971 - Helen Reddy - I Don’t Know How To Love Him - 13
1972 - Partridge Family - I Woke Up In Love This Morning - 13

1967 - Johnny Rivers - Summer Rain - 14

1966 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Paint Me A Picture - 15
1969 - Grass Roots - I’d Wait A Million Years - 15
1971 - Grass Roots - Temptation Eyes - 15
1974 - Helen Reddy - Keep On Singing – 15

1961 - Rick Nelson – Ever Lovin’ - 16
1967 - Fifth Dimension - Go Where You Wanna Go - L 6
1971 - Grass Roots - Two Divided By Love - 16
1971 - Bobby Sherman - Cry Like A Baby - 16
1981 - Carpenters - Touch Me When We’re Dancin’ – 16

1968 - Spanky & Our Gang - Like To Get To Know You - 17
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Tell It All Brother - 17
1975 - Carpenters - Solitaire – 17

1976 - Art Garfunkel - I Only Have Eyes For You – 18

1966 - Johnny Rivers - Muddy Water - 19
1968 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Sealed With A Kiss - 19
1969 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - But You Know I Love You - 19
1970 - Glen Campbell - Honey Come Back - 19
1971 - Fifth Dimension - Love Lines Angels & Rhymes - 19
1976 - Helen Reddy - Somewhere In The Night - 19
1982 - Michael Murphy - What’s Forever For – 19

1965 - Johnny Rivers - Midnight Special - 20
1967 - Mamas & Papas – Twelve Thirty - 20
1969 - Fifth Dimension - Workin’ On A Groovy Thing - 20
1970 - Michael Parks - Long Lonesome Highway - 20
1972 - Partridge Family - It’s One Of Those Nights - 20
1977 - Olivia Newton John - Sam – 20

1967 – Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Where Will Words Come From - 21
1970 - Fifth Dimension - Blowing Away - 21
1977 – England Dan & John Ford Coley - It’s Sad To Belong – 21

1975 - Helen Reddy - Emotion – 22

1967 - Grass Roots - Things I Should Have Said - 23
1967 - Tommy Roe - It’s Now Winter’s Day - 23
1969 - Glen Campbell - Try A Little Kindness - 23
1977 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - Gone Too Far - 23

1966 - Mamas & Papas - Look Through My Window - 24
1967 - Scott Mackenzie - Like An Old Time Movie - 24
1969 - Grass Roots – Heaven Knows - 24
1970 - Fifth Dimension - Puppet Man - 24
1970 - Bobby Sherman - Hey Mr. Sun – 24

1963 - Rick Nelson - String Along - 25
1969 - Fifth Dimension - California Soul - 25
1970 - Mark Lindsay - Silver Bird – 25

1976 - Carpenters - I Need To Be In Love - 26
1964 - Rick Nelson - The Very Thought Of You - 26
1965 - Johnny Rivers - Where Have All The Flowers Gone - 26
1967 - Glen Campbell - By The Time I Get To Phoenix - 26
1967 - Mamas & Papas - Glad To Be Unhappy - 26
1969 - Glen Campbell - Where’s The Playground Suzie - 26
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Reuben James - 26

1968 - Boyce & Hart - Alice Long - 27
1970 - Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream - 27
1970 - Fifth Dimension - Save The Country – 27

1966 - Grass Roots - Where Were You When I Needed You - 28
1969 - Grass Roots - Bella Linda - 28
1972 - Partridge Family - Breaking Up Is Hard To Do – 28

1968 - Fifth Dimension - Carpet Man - 29
1969 - Tommy Roe - Heather Honey - 29
1971 - Bobby Sherman - The Drum – 29

1968 - Spanky & Our Gang - Sunday Morning - 30
1969 - Cass Elliott - It’s Getting Better – 30

1967 - Spanky & Our Gang – Makin’ Every Minute Count - 31
1969 - Grass Roots - The River Is Wide - 31
1971 - Glen Campbell - Dream Baby - 31
1974 - Albert Hammond - I’m A Train – 31

1970 - John Philips - Mississippi - 32
1973 - Fifth Dimension – Living Together, Growing Together - 32
1977 - Carpenters - Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft – 32

1966 - Johnny Rivers - Under Your Spell Again - 33
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Heed The Call - 33
1976 - Olivia Newton John - Don’t Stop Believin’ – 33

1967 - Fifth Dimension - Paper Cup - 34
1972 - Grass Roots - Glory Bound - 34
1973 - Neil Diamond - Be - 34
1974 - Art Garfunkel - Second Avenue – 34

1969 - Glen Campbell – True Grit - 35
1970 - Grass Roots - Baby Hold On - 35
1973 - America - Don’t Cross River - 35
1975 - Helen Reddy - Bluebird - 35
1977 - Carpenters - All You Can Get From Love – 35

1968 - Glen Campbell - I Want To Live - 36
1969 - Glen Campbell - Let It Be Me - 36
1969 - Cass Elliott - Make Your Own Kind Of Music – 36

1972 - Fifth Dimension - Together Let’s Find Love – 37

1974 - Art Garfunkel - I Shall Sing - 38
1975 - Johnny Rivers - Blue Suede Shoes – 38

1967 - Boyce & Hart - Out And About - 39
1968 - Association - Time For Lovin’ - 39
1968 - Glen Campbell - Gentle On My Mind - 39
1972 - Grass Roots – The Runaway - 39
1973 - Partridge Family - Look Through The Eyes Of Love – 39

1966 - The Turtles - You Baby - 40

 

[DaveP]

Bass used to be a low end instrument that needed little high end response or presence. Then the funk players started trying new things and before you knew it, 18 string basses began to appear. Still, I think I would change the strings every year or so just for principle. I've had vehicles with tires that lasted years and still had good tread, but a close inspection showed dry rot cracking ... a blow out waiting to happen.

Of course bass strings don't get bridge saddle cuts and fret wear as quick as guitars do. Almost every string I've had break did it at the bridge. You could hold the ball end piece in place and it would line up with the bridge saddle.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I go six months on a set if one doesn't break. It's true that they wear in, but they also start sounding dead after a while too.

 

[Hypnophone]

Bass strings?
We don't need no stinking bass strings.

Hey Dave, you need to re-name this thread.

I think the name should be "the string wangers"

"God bless the drummers and Keyboardists"

I don't gotta practice what I preach, cause I ain't the kinda man I'm preachin' to...

 

[bassnut]

Bass used to be a low end instrument that needed little high end response or presence...

What? When? Bah!

 

[bassnut]

I go six months on a set if one doesn't break. It's true that they wear in, but they also start sounding dead after a while too.

I've been playing bass for....a while.
I believe I've broken maybe 4 strings...ever. Two of them were Ernie Ball RWs and it happened within 4 weeks of each other. I haven't used them since.
I always carry extras (used) just in case but it just almost never happens.

Back when I first started using Rotosounds I used to boil them in water after much use to get them clean. It seemed to bring life back into them again for a little while...
At some point you just can't get them to tune up properly when they get really old. Flats are more forgiving as the Joe Osborn and James Jamerson stories demonstrate.

 

[DaveP]

What? When? Bah!

You went back to the acoustic days! I was thinking more of the Motown era. Nylon strings are another subset entirely.

Speaking of uprights, did anyone catch Casey on American Idol before he was voted off? He was a multi-talented guy even though he leaned toward some out of the ordinary stuff. I loved his acoustic bass work.

 

[DaveP]

Bass strings?
We don't need no stinking bass strings.

Hey Dave, you need to re-name this thread.

I think the name should be "the string wangers"

"God bless the drummers and Keyboardists"

I don't gotta practice what I preach, cause I ain't the kinda man I'm preachin' to...

OH, well, a Musician's a Musician. Vocalists are another thing, though. A prima donna vocalist needs to carry something bigger than a microphone case to be admitted here! Bass is a valid part of the mix (pun intended).