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

[James Hart]

Tubes have always been the favorite of most musicians. We all recognize that little edge that tubes provide. I like the tone and the feel of a good tube amp.

I will say a good amp is a good amp... no matter what technology it's designed with. My current 'gig' amp is the same head I've used since the early 90s... a 'little' 250 watt SS head that was designed by people who came out of Acoustic and some that became SWR.

The Tube Screamer is my favorite distortion pedal.

I've probably bought a dozen TS9 and TS10 Tube Screamers since the mid 80s. I kept selling them to new guitarists I'd hook up with to make them STOP using DOD and Boss 'Box of Angry Bees' type distortion boxes My current dirt box is made by analog.man... it's called the "King Of Tone" and while not a TS clone, it is very similar. I use a few pedals... mostly Maxon stuff.

OTOH, SS amps go for years and decades without high failure rates. Tubes require additional cash outlay every couple of years. Some of us think tubes are worth it and others don't care enough to deal with maintenance.

that is a debate for another time and another forum I've got an early 70s Univox tube combo that has never seen a tech that still sounds amazing... and I've seen SS heads cook themselves within 5 years.

Again, good amps are good, bad amps are bad

 

[DaveP]

I've owned several tube and hybrid amps over the years. I've actually never had to take an amp in to have it repaired or had to repair it myself (my initial electronics training was tubes and solid state). IF you are easy on the external control knobs and exposed hardware and don't bang them around too much, they work. I've had to change a couple of speakers.

I guess the longest I've owned an amp is 4 or 5 years. I have a Roland Cube 60 that's had some routine use over the last 5 years and the Peavey Vypyr Tube 60 has been in use for 2 years. I'm just about to change the tubes on the Vypyr. It sounds good, but it doesn't seem to have the punch it did two years ago when I bought it. I need a spare set of 6L6s so I'm going to replace them with KT66s and save the Ruby 6L6s for spares. We'll see how it sounds with new ones. The ones in it have over 500 hours on them.

 

[son et lumiere]

I really liked playing Bomb Track by Rage Against the Machine on the guitar.

 

[bassnut]

Any of you metal heads remember this obscure classic? (That's Jimmy in the video)
YouTube - Warrior "Fighting for the Earth" MCA Records What a hoot!

Jimmy is top center in the photo. Goofy oufits, eh? (Sorry Jimmy)
Great hair though and I really mean that....really. Luv ya baby...and I mean it..yadda bla etc.

I love this video clip. It's shot from an angle I don't normally see and I love Jimmy's performance. He's been having some trouble with his kick-drum foot, noticeable at the end of the video and has been undergoing therapy. It's improving for sure but it's really freaked him out.
Pat wears a wrist band for carpal tunnel damage or something. I've been lucky.
Here I'm playing a Korean made DeArmond bass reissue of a '60s Guild Starfire fortified with Dark Star pickups...if anybody cares. Fender Dual Showman featured prominently in the background.

 

[son et lumiere]

Led Zeppelin drummer is the best drummer in the world.

 

[DaveP]

I noticed the Showman silver face in the background. That's a lot of power for a small club! Were you playing it on 3 or so?

The entire group is top notch. The drummer is a talented guy. I've always admired drummers who can hold down a complex vocal and still work in all the fancy licks in the background. The video concentrated on the guitar player and the drummer. I caught a couple of glimpses of you playing bass here and there.

 

[bassnut]

I noticed the Showman silver face in the background. That's a lot of power for a small club! Were you playing it on 3 or so?

The entire group is top notch. The drummer is a talented guy. I've always admired drummers who can hold down a complex vocal and still work in all the fancy licks in the background. The video concentrated on the guitar player and the drummer. I caught a couple of glimpses of you playing bass here and there.

'68 silverface Ebay special. $450 plus bench, new tubes, biasing and caps cost.
Like I said, 85 angry watts!
That's tube watts of course. You'd need about 3 times that much power in a mosfet to match it.
Yes. Volume set around 3 +/- a hair depending on which bass I use. Fender amps are funny that way. You have to think in terms of maybe 10 imaginary graduations between each number. Same with the tone controls.

If you'll notice in most videos unless the bass player is singing or doing some sort of show-stealing acrobatics you'll never see them or even hear them when recorded with an Ipod or phone video.
It's axiomatic.

 

[DaveP]

Bassnut said: If you'll notice in most videos unless the bass player is singing or doing some sort of show-stealing acrobatics you'll never see them or even hear them when recorded with an Ipod or phone video.
It's axiomatic.

If David Lee Roth had been a bass player, he would have stolen the limelight from any vocalist. Then again, if he had to sing and play bass, he would probably have forgotten the words and would have had to dance to cover up the fact that he had forgotten the next note in the bass line.

I was always happy just to play my guitar and let someone else stand in the spotlight. I'm doing good to remember the name of the song, much less the words to it! The music comes from a different part of the brain. That part works just fine.

 

[bassnut]

Well, I'll tell ya that I've just about run out of patience with this whole Youtubes video thing and the way people treat bass players with their cameras.
Case in point. Check out that bass Michael Jackson tribute video fiasco that was posted earlier. How long did it take the cameramen to realize that it was Victor Wooten playing the melody? About 2/3rds of the way into the performance? Disgusting.
See how they treat us?

Surf Monkey posted a video of his band a while back and it was the same damn thing and I remember commenting on it.
"Here's my band". "Great, but where are you?" No respect at all.

I'm telling you I've had it up to here (no...over here) and I'm at the point where I just may consult Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and maybe Derek Smalls to see what can be done. I mean the situation is getting desperate and desperate measures may need to be taken.

I mean, check out this video:



Yeah, that's ah... that's really great Pat.....good performance...I'm happy for you....

Maybe I'll just switch to accordion.






Y'all know I'm just funnin' right?
This is what passes for bassnut humor.
I actually hate to see myself on video....although if they could just turn up the bass just a little on those iPhones I wouldn't be so bitter.

 

[trukinlady]

The times were never better for self taught players, especially guitar and bass. The internet (especially you tube) is full of free instructional materials from beginner to advanced. Catching up is easier than it used to be.

I'm definitely going to check out YouTube. I've already found some "refresher" sites as well. I'm looking forward to it!

 

[DaveP]

I'm definitely going to check out YouTube. I've already found some "refresher" sites as well. I'm looking forward to it!

You tube is a great place to find videos for just about anything you develop an interest in. Case in point, would you have ever expected all the videos that show you how to use and maintain an ecig? We have scads of videos that tell you how to fill a cart, clean an atomizer, use a drip tip, not to mention all the introductory videos for different types of new ecigs.

Guitar, drums, bass, keys, and all the common musical instruments are represented on youtube, along with videos where people play their version of the latest song (and the classics). There are videos for basic instruction, scales, riffs, chords, and you name it. Youtube is a great resource for anyone interested in learning how to play. All you need is the right keywords and you can watch someone play your favorite song, complete with closeups of the details.

 

[DaveP]

Bassnut, it's usually the singer who gets all the camera time. Paul Mccartney got constant coverage in all the videos. George Harrison stood in the background most of the time. Maybe singing is the key to face time on the camera. In that case, I'm resigned to the shadows!

 

[DaveP]

Did we run out of things to talk about in the music world?

Bump ...

 

[Safira]

You can never run out of thing to talk about in the music world, maybe its the weekend and everyone is jamming out.

In the off chance you have been living under a rock and haven't seen this crazy dude, he should give you all a lot to talk about.

 

[DaveP]

You can never run out of thing to talk about in the music world, maybe its the weekend and everyone is jamming out.

In the off chance you have been living under a rock and haven't seen this crazy dude, he should give you all a lot to talk about.

He definitely has a good time with his playing! That video is a good example of how just a few simple chords and a knack for singing can add to your repertoire in a hurry.

 

[Safira]

That guy is having too much fun, he comes off as a bit of a show off, but I would too with all those cool old guitars he gets his hands on. It would be hard for me to hand those guitars back though.

 

[bander68]

New person with a different musical background for this thread here. I am a professional musician. I started as a trumpet player, self-taught for 2 years, then played in school when I was old enough. I switched to the Euphonium in high school and nearly made the all-state band my senior year. Once I hit college, I studied all brass, then added woodwinds and percussion and got my degree in music education. I've been teaching public school grades 5-12 for 18 years. In 2002, a buddy called and told me that the brand new pro football team very close to where we live was going to have a pep band. Since they didn't have openings for euphonium, I got a tuba, went in and faked my way through a few tunes, and made the band. Every Sunday at home games, you can find me there, although i'm more of a passable tuba player than the first couple of years. I am very curious to see what effect vaping has on my tuba playing when football resumes in' August...lord knows the smoking sure didn't help!
One more point....i just got my first bass guitar a year ago. After the initial shock of not being able to figure out where to put a mouthpiece (brass player humor), I've been slowly learning to play it. Long way to go, though...

 

[Safira]

Hey bander trumpet was my 1st love. Can I ask how was it switching around from brass to woodwind. I was told back in the day that it wasn't a good idea because of how you use your mouth for brass instruments and with woodwinds it's completely different.

For some reason trombone was another instrument I always wanted to learn to play.

Do you play the marching band tuba? (wraps around and sit's on your shoulders?) that is not an easy instrument to carry around, I always felt sorry for you tuba players when we had to do marching in the middle of summer in 110 degree weather with our winter uniform on. (and percussion)

Just wanted to add, at least with bass you don't have to worry about unloading your spit. (ha, ha, ha)

 

[bander68]

Yes, the instrument is called a sousaphone. Switching between instrument sucks as far as tone quality, but it's not impossible. Some brass and woodwinds have surprisingly similar embouchures, like trombone and flute.
As for spit, that's a common misconception. It's not spit, it's water vapor created from blowing warm air into a cold brass instrument.

 

[Uma]

I love this thread!!

I used to play an Ovation with the boys in the band. Oh, sure, it was a small backyard local Bluegrass band, consisting of family and friends, but those were the best days of my life. I couldn't put that guitar down for anybody or anything. I was so addicted. I can feel the love, the passion, the dedication of music in this thread. I just wanted you all to know that and that I appreciate feeling it again via this thread. It's been a long long time.