The Last Bass Outpost

This looks like a lot of fun for not a lot of money.

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/epiphone-newport-bass-cherry (https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/epiphone-newport-bass-cherry)

Some fun colour options here:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_newport_bass_cherry.htm?glp=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvoXuzaDg_AIVkbLVCh3R-AQOEAQYASABEgKYA_D_BwE (https://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_newport_bass_cherry.htm?glp=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvoXuzaDg_AIVkbLVCh3R-AQOEAQYASABEgKYA_D_BwE)

"The bass also features two pickups, a Sidewinder pickup, and a TB PRO pickup, which work together to deliver a powerful, versatile sound. The Sidewinder pickup provides a bright, punchy tone that is perfect for cutting through a mix"

Huh?

Hopefully it isn't one of those weak 1.2 k ohm nouveau sidewinders with no testicoli.

You guys all have gentle, good hearts. You need to be equipped with one to find this abomination of a design appealing, worse than even a Fender P and that is saying something.

I like it, but I like the Embassy better.

If that came in long scale I could even live with the headstock badge. I like it!

One of the standout features of the Epiphone Modern Newport Bass is its scale length of 774mm. This longer scale length provides more tension on the strings, resulting in a tighter, more defined sound. This is especially beneficial for players who prefer a more precise, articulate sound.

Huh? 774mm is a 30.5 in. short scale.

Quote from: ilan on January 24, 2023, 06:02:22 AM
"The bass also features two pickups, a Sidewinder pickup, and a TB PRO pickup, which work together to deliver a powerful, versatile sound. The Sidewinder pickup provides a bright, punchy tone that is perfect for cutting through a mix"

Huh?

They must have it backwards.

The models Sweetwater has in stock seem to average less than 8 pounds. At 30.5" scale, this model makes a lot more sense to me.

And:

https://bassmagazine.com/gear/epiphone-releases-the-acoustic-el-capitan-j-200-studio-bass

I'm pretty sure this new Newport is a fun bass to play. Lightweight, short scale with great pickups and a good bridge.
I'm not very keen on the barrel output jack. But that's just me I guess. ;)

It looks like something I wouldn't have wanted when I was 16 - no rock star appeal whatsoever.

Funny , one look at the LP DCJr and I had to have one , and I'm not crazy about this whatsoever. My buttons seem to be more complicated than I thought.

When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsZRZ9y5MUc

Quote from: uwe on January 25, 2023, 06:05:48 AM
When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

What's not to love?

I was buying a 4000 and the seller also had an Epi Flying V.
I wound up with both.

Quote from: uwe on January 25, 2023, 06:05:48 AM
When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

I bought my first 4001 at 15.  8) I "flipped" an old Strat to raise the funds.

Rics were not common in Nova Scotia and before the internet there were limited opportunities to buy. I spent years waiting for one , and finally found a 4001 in Toronto. That was about 25 years ago .
I still get a little weak in the knees when I look at it.

I started playing bass when I was 16 and did it on a 4001. It is still with me.

/

Quote from: uwe on January 25, 2023, 06:05:48 AM
When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

Quote from: morrow on January 25, 2023, 07:21:18 AM

What's not to love?

I was buying a 4000 and the seller also had an Epi Flying V.
I wound up with both.

Quote from: gearHed289 on January 25, 2023, 08:26:50 AM
I bought my first 4001 at 15.  8) I "flipped" an old Strat to raise the funds.

Quote from: morrow on January 25, 2023, 08:47:39 AM
Rics were not common in Nova Scotia and before the internet there were limited opportunities to buy. I spent years waiting for one , and finally found a 4001 in Toronto. That was about 25 years ago .
I still get a little weak in the knees when I look at it.

Quote from: doombass on January 25, 2023, 03:29:03 PM
I started playing bass when I was 16 and did it on a 4001. It is still with me.

Best
Gibson basses thread
EVER

I like the Eastwood Newport's tone better. And its looks, by the way.

https://youtu.be/biCYWFtCt20

But fate would have it that I had to make do with a Korean Jazz Bass knock-off.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nVtLuMgtUc0/hqdefault.jpg)

I never got over it either. And I blame Fender to this day.

Quote from: ilan on January 25, 2023, 03:46:04 PM
Best
Gibson basses thread
EVER

Ilan has just wetted himself.  :mrgreen: :-*

Quote from: Chris P. on January 25, 2023, 01:15:25 AM
And:

https://bassmagazine.com/gear/epiphone-releases-the-acoustic-el-capitan-j-200-studio-bass

I hope the El Capitan J-200 Studio is better than the single cutaway El Capitan of the 90s-00s. Those were long scale and the tops were too thick (to handle the long scale tension) for any decent acoustic volume. The 5 string version sounded bad to me.

At least this version is short scale and has a solid top.

Quote from: uwe on January 25, 2023, 06:05:48 AM
When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

You too!   

I couldn't play guitar so, a 4001 was my first "good" bass.

Quote from: Dave W on January 25, 2023, 10:19:53 PM
I hope the El Capitan J-200 Studio is better than the single cutaway El Capitan of the 90s-00s. Those were long scale and the tops were too thick (to handle the long scale tension) for any decent acoustic volume. The 5 string version sounded bad to me.

At least this version is short scale and has a solid top.

The demo sounds bad imho. Like all budget ABGs, very little low end.

Quote from: ilan on January 26, 2023, 03:04:33 AM
The demo sounds bad imho. Like all budget ABGs, very little low end.

Only ABG I've ever heard that develops enough low end acoustically is the Ernie Ball Earthwood.

In early 1974, I drove to a little local music store to test drive a 4001. The manager (& only employee) pulled his personal 1967 EB-2 out from behind the counter & offered it to me for about $230. I bought it & to this day I don't think I ever tried the Ric. First Gibson bass of the heard.........

Quote from: Dave W link=topic=1a2265.msg212118#msg212118 date=1674741654
Only ABG I've ever heard that develops enough low end acoustically is the Ernie Ball Earthwood.

Agreed. And it's huge. Although the Takamine TB10 is also incredible. Not a budget bass but at least you can find one.

https://youtu.be/v24eb0eLqgw

Quote from: Dave W on January 26, 2023, 07:00:54 AM
Only ABG I've ever heard that develops enough low end acoustically is the Ernie Ball Earthwood.

True, that has remained unmatched.

The thinner the top the more bass response, BUT ALSO the more feedback propensity when played electric. My one-off medium scale Gibson Super 4000 ABG is a case in point, lovely bass content, but you can't really play it above living room volume amped, the top already vibrates noticeably if a drummer in a rehearsal space just kicks his bass drum (unmiked)!

I also remember playing quite a few years ago an electric fretless prototype at a luthier (Mr Bassman) that had magnetic pups AND a Piezo in a small cavity in the body with a veneer-thin cover on top to catch the bass frequencies. It sounded incredibly acoustic and bassy over that, BUT it fed back above anything more than (again) living room volume. They never got the problem sorted out and it didn't go into production because of that.

I guess there was a reason why semi-acoustic basses died their death in popularity at the end of the 60ies when larger bass rigs became available.

I see one a' them Creamsicle-colored ones in my future...
Honestly, the only thing I dislike about these is those knobs. Probably have to budget for replacing the Sidewinder if it is anything like the one that came on my '98 Epi EB-0.

I'm no authority , but I believe their current mudbuckers are much improved from the early ones.

Those were god awful.

Quote from: morrow on January 27, 2023, 05:34:27 AM
I'm no authority , but I believe their current mudbuckers are much improved from the early ones.

Those were god awful.

lol

One man's godawful is another man's treasure.

Original mudbuckers on Reverb right now are priced at $275-$325, except for one non-functioning one with no cover. With all the sub-$50 alternatives out there, that tells you that the early ones are still valued. They were used on plenty of hits from the late 50s into the 70s, primarily by Brit bands.

I love clean tones, but I also love the overdriven ones.

I think Morrow might be referring to the early Epiphone mudbuckers from the '90s?


I think the cost of original Gibson '60s pickups makes sense. If you are restoring an EB-0 then a $35 Artec pickup is a bit of a compromise.

Yes , I meant the Epi humbuckers when they first put out the reissues , there were a pile of basses out then.

They did not do the early Gibson pickups justice.

Quote from: Alanko on January 28, 2023, 02:19:39 AM
I think Morrow might be referring to the early Epiphone mudbuckers from the '90s?


I think the cost of original Gibson '60s pickups makes sense. If you are restoring an EB-0 then a $35 Artec pickup is a bit of a compromise.

Quote from: morrow on January 28, 2023, 05:25:07 AM
Yes , I meant the Epi humbuckers when they first put out the reissues , there were a pile of basses out then.

They did not do the early Gibson pickups justice.

Thanks for clarifying...but the 90s Epi pickup was based on the specs of the late 70s Gibson mudbuckers. Not bad, just not the vintage tone of the classic mudbuckers.

And Scott just dropped a video of the new Newport. I definitely don't need any more basses, but I want one! In Pacific Blue!

https://youtu.be/9pXdNsl2EaM

Sounds great. That's a lot of bass for not much money.
Epiphone is (again) Gibson's own strongest competitor.

Quote from: morrow on January 28, 2023, 05:25:07 AM
Yes , I meant the Epi humbuckers when they first put out the reissues , there were a pile of basses out then.

They did not do the early Gibson pickups justice.

You can still buy them, marketed under the 'Guyker' brand. 1.2 k ohms DC resistance and small magnets. They must use an unusual gauge of wire on the coils to produce a conventional output from such a low impedance.

They work, but they lack the supernatural compression and tonally obscuring low mids soup of mudbuckers.

That's surprisingly vintage-sounding. My fears about the mudbucker were apparently unfounded. Now if my contact would only get back to me so I can place my order...

    Ths was just a quick demo in store, the setup was god awful but other than that I give it a 9.9. Beautifully built little bass and a great take on a often overlooked instrument.  The neck pickup doesn't have the resistance of the mudbucker of the past but it does have the tone, I'm guessing resistance is 15k-20k. The neck pickup plays very well with the Thunderbird pickup, it's a great combination.  Finish and build quality are near perfect, the pacific blue is absolutely stunning  and puts the finish on my two 2021 NRs to shame.  I've no dimensions but the short scale neck feels a bit like my 62 EB0 but a flatter profile on the back. The frets are dressed very nicely and no sprout or sharp edges. My only beef with the bass is the badge on the headstock I would have much preferred the class script gold logo.
   With a MAP of $379 it's hard to resist.  I put a deposit on it and will be bringing it home soon.

Doesn't sound half-bad!

Thanks for a (relatively) undistorted demo, Scott.  :-*

Thanks, Scott.

It sounded great despite the setup being less than ideal.

Another Epiphone in the wanted list

There will be one in California Coral arriving here tomorrow. I already have plans for the knobs and pickguard. I'm sure a set of DR short scale Sunbeams will be warranted as well.

   So I got the little monster home today and it really is a winner.  The stock strings are fng horrible and the source of all the buzzing,  I swapped them out for a new set and all the rattle and buzz disappeared.   I lowered the bridge, tightened the truss rod a 1/4 turned  and had to do a fair amount of filling the nut. Action is nice and low, plays like a dream.

Quote from: godofthunder on February 01, 2023, 06:36:56 PM
   So I got the little monster home today and it really is a winner.  The stock strings are fng horrible and the source of all the buzzing,  I swapped them out for a new set and all the rattle and buzz disappeared.   I lowered the bridge, tightened the truss rod a 1/4 turned  and had to do a fair amount of filling the nut. Action is nice and low, plays like a dream.

Pretty much the same thing I did today, minus the nut filing, because I know better than to attempt that, lol. My fingers turned black from those strings. Ordering DR SS Sunbeams tomorrow. The bridge was way high on the bass side, so I dropped everything down and started from zero. The funny thing is that even with that cockeyed setup, it didn't play bad. The "blend" knob doesn't seem to do a whole lot of blending - more like a slow rotary switch. Scott, what to you think about those who have opined elsewhere that the pickups are wired out of phase?

     I've heard about one person having switched the leads on the neck pickup because he thought it was wired out of phase. I'm honestly not sure if mine is or isn't.  I'll spend a bit more time with it before I swap the leads around.

Quote from: lowend1 on January 31, 2023, 06:49:00 PM
There will be one in California Coral arriving here tomorrow. I already have plans for the knobs and pickguard. I'm sure a set of DR short scale Sunbeams will be warranted as well.

Please let us know whether it looks as orange in person as it does in the stock photos. With a name like that I was expecting a little more reddish or pinkish. Could be my monitor as well... I'm interested in how that one looks in person.

Quote from: godofthunder on February 01, 2023, 08:24:57 PM
     I've heard about one person having switched the leads on the neck pickup because he thought it was wired out of phase. I'm honestly not sure if mine is or isn't.  I'll spend a bit more time with it before I swap the leads around.

I had to swap the leads on a P-bass pickup because it was out of phase with the TB Plus I put in the bridge position. That sounded REALLY thin with both pickups on. This is different - it's a little nasal and you lose some oomph, but that happens with a PJ setup too to some extent. Please give us a heads up if/when your curiosity gets the best of you.

Quote from: OldManC on February 01, 2023, 08:49:28 PM
Please let us know whether it looks as orange in person as it does in the stock photos. With a name like that I was expecting a little more reddish or pinkish. Could be my monitor as well... I'm interested in how that one looks in person.

Oh, it's orange, lol. It's like a really bright mac & cheese. Monitors and cameras will vary, however, but here it is - I changed out the knobs...
(https://i.imgur.com/ZVq9VTH.jpg)

Nice!

On my monitor, that looks a lot like Subaru's Sunshine Orange color.

Quote from: Dave W on February 01, 2023, 10:02:28 PM
Nice!

On my monitor, that looks a lot like Subaru's Sunshine Orange color.

However orange it looks in pics, it's brighter in person. And it's so tiny that it fits in a Gibson guitar gig bag.

I really don't plan on buying one of those , but I have to say I'm starting to get the appeal.

Egg yolk!  8)

After a lot of corn feeding.

"It's like a really bright mac & cheese"  ;D ;D ;D

Quote from: morrow on February 02, 2023, 05:45:27 AM
I really don't plan on buying one of those , but I have to say I'm starting to get the appeal.

It has the same kind of appeal (color aside) as the the Gibson LP Jr Doublecut bass - namely that it's small, light and definitely off the beaten path, even within the realm of oddball short scale basses. The difference is that it's a lot easier to justify the cost of the Newport than the (now discontinued) Gibson.

Quote from: Rob on February 02, 2023, 08:25:10 AM
"It's like a really bright mac & cheese"  ;D ;D ;D

I see cross-marketing possibilities.
"Its not too far from ad man to madman, you know." - Felix Unger

(https://i.imgur.com/LmuWUyQ.jpg)

Quote from: lowend1 on February 02, 2023, 09:21:01 AM
It has the same kind of appeal (color aside) as the the Gibson LP Jr Doublecut bass - namely that it's small, light and definitely off the beaten path, even within the realm of oddball short scale basses. The difference is that it's a lot easier to justify the cost of the Newport than the (now discontinued) Gibson.

The Jr just has one pickup in the sweet spot , and just two knobs , so it reacts a lot like a shortscale set neck Pbass with a cheap finish. (that said I absolutely love mine , it's one of my most favourite things to pick up and play)
This set up is closer to the SG at 1/4 the price.

Quote from: morrow on February 02, 2023, 10:16:55 AM
The Jr just has one pickup in the sweet spot , and just two knobs , so it reacts a lot like a shortscale set neck Pbass with a cheap finish. (that said I absolutely love mine , it's one of my most favourite things to pick up and play)
This set up is closer to the SG at 1/4 the price.

True. Doesn't the Junior have a coil tap also?
The middle knob on the Newport is supposed to be a blend knob but it reacts more like a switch in that there is very little, if any, gradual blending of the two pickups, which is the one letdown of the bass, from my point of view. It's either neck, bridge or both. The three knobs look better aesthetically, though, than having a switch there.

Quote from: morrow on February 02, 2023, 10:16:55 AM

This set up is closer to the SG at 1/4 the price.

And zero the looks.  :rimshot:

Quote from: uwe on February 02, 2023, 10:30:58 AM
And zero the looks.  :rimshot:

...said the man who owns a 20/20.

Quote from: uwe on February 02, 2023, 10:30:58 AM
And zero the looks.  :rimshot:

That was my initial thought , but I'm thinking they're not so bad looking already.

This time next week I'll be probably waxing on about how gorgeous they are.

Quote from: morrow on February 02, 2023, 01:01:45 PM
That was my initial thought , but I'm thinking they're not so bad looking already.

This time next week I'll be probably waxing on about how gorgeous they are.

I have always liked the SG-body better.  Perhaps it's tradition, but it has always been pleasing to my eye.

Mr. Lobster just dropped an initial review.

https://youtu.be/e2Da_XMbCZs

Lobster whenever a new bass lands.


(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/629/203/d8b.gif)

Quote from: Alanko on February 02, 2023, 03:24:30 PM
Lobster whenever a new bass lands.


(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/629/203/d8b.gif)

Hard to take anyone who wears a lobster claw seriously.

Only videos of his that I've watched were the ones about his outraged discovery that the pickups on the Gretsch Junior Jet bass were single coil rather than humbuckers as described in their literature. He acted like this was some grand conspiracy to defraud rather than a simple error. Wanker.

Quote from: Alanko on February 02, 2023, 03:24:30 PM
Lobster whenever a new bass lands.


(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/629/203/d8b.gif)

Meanwhile, the bass has already had its bridge and tuners replaced, with a pickup swap in the offing.
I hope people keep quoting your post, so we can have a whole column of these GIFs.

  Those that don't like mahogany and sidewinders are probably not going to be converts. This bass however offers a bunch of really cool features for those of us who love Gibson and Epi shorties from the 60s. I give the bass itself a 10,  my only complaints are the shite strings and the high cut nut, for me these are a easy fix but for a young player checking it out in the store it will be enough to make them check out the nearest Squier. Epi used to have a USA QC stop before being sent on to dealers, they may want to reinstate that.

   So I'm sitting here on the couch with my Newport and my Vox headphone amp playing along to The Beatles Rain and Your Bird Can Sing,  this bass can cop Paul's mildly overdriven Ric sound pretty convincingly.  8)

They're going to give a shout when they arrive at the local dealer.

I've got too much stuff.

  Here's my full review a little long winded but it does have two pickups   ;D https://youtu.be/EjXqlgWGWNo

Quote from: lowend1 on February 02, 2023, 09:56:31 AM
I see cross-marketing possibilities.
"Its not too far from ad man to madman, you know." - Felix Unger

(https://i.imgur.com/LmuWUyQ.jpg)

Now you can play the cheesiest bass lines ever!  :mrgreen:

That California Coral is my favourite! 

... and a nice review and impression Scott. These little Newports have generated quite the buzz.

Quote from: morrow on February 03, 2023, 06:41:30 AM
They're going to give a shout when they arrive at the local dealer.

I've got too much stuff.

Me too, but even I should sell off three or four basses, I am reluctant to do it. 

Quote from: godofthunder on February 03, 2023, 07:51:36 AM
  Here's my full review a little long winded but it does have two pickups   ;D

Nice job on the review, Scott. Informative and to the point. And no lobster claw.

Excellent review, Scott. It would be great if someone at Gibson saw this,

Excellent sounding bass.

Quote from: Dave W on February 03, 2023, 09:37:49 PM
Excellent review, Scott. It would be great if someone at Gibson saw this,

I did send this to my contact at Gibson and it has been forwarded to the appropriate department. Hopefully they can get yhings soted quickly.

I hope they get on that.
When I picked up my SquierVI it was very nicely set up. I was very surprised.
A lot of kids will pick up a guitar , and if the action is high will simply say "this is shit" and move on. They also swear you have to get a tech to set it up, and will badmouth that product forever.
I know that a factory set up is a compromise. But if it isn't relatively easy to play there's going to be trouble.

   From my perspective these issues aren't just a bad factory set up, it goes beyond that imho.  Every bass whether inexpensive or costing in the thousands needs a set up when I get it home, no harm no foul really.  With the Newport the high nut combined with unsuitable strings forced the high set up, even with the action very high the bass buzzed like a bag full of bee's. I've been in music retail since '76 this bass was well beyond factory set up parameters.

Did they just stick a generic 45 - 105 string set on there? Cut off four inches and pretend is a short scale set?

Quote from: morrow on February 04, 2023, 05:31:25 AM
But if it isn't relatively easy to play there's going to be trouble.

That would go for pretty much every US Fender I've tried at GC over the years. The neck can be bowed so bad you could take it to the archery range and they'll just throw it up un the wall. I took one over to their repair guy and simply said "Really? Why would anybody even consider buying this?". He told me that they are instructed not to waste any time with even cursory setups on instruments for sale. Oddly, the upper-tier Squiers are usually pretty solid despite their worst efforts.

When it comes to online sales of new instruments, I bought an SX 70s-style J-Bass several years back that was absolutely perfect out of the box, save for crappy strings. Even the pickups - which qualify as entry-level based on the price point of the instrument - were good enough to not mess with to this day. The other SXs I've purchased were more spotty, but always playable out of the box. With Epiphone, credit where credit is due - my Thunderbird VP and CP were pretty much on the money.

Quote from: Alanko on February 04, 2023, 08:38:42 AM
Did they just stick a generic 45 - 105 string set on there? Cut off four inches and pretend is a short scale set?

It doesn't look that way to me - mine is strung pretty neatly on those little girlie tuner posts (nitpicking here, they work fine). I think a cut-down set would hamper production efficiency. Those strings DO suck big time, though

Quote from: lowend1 on February 01, 2023, 09:06:29 PM
Oh, it's orange, lol. It's like a really bright mac & cheese. Monitors and cameras will vary, however, but here it is - I changed out the knobs...
(https://i.imgur.com/ZVq9VTH.jpg)

Thank you!

Quote from: Alanko on February 04, 2023, 08:38:42 AM
Did they just stick a generic 45 - 105 string set on there? Cut off four inches and pretend is a short scale set?

They made as short scal, the E string looks to be .90 . Personally I like a .100 for my E string on SS basses 

Quote from: godofthunder on February 04, 2023, 04:43:47 AM
   I did send this to my contact at Gibson and it has been forwarded to the appropriate department. Hopefully they can get things sorted quickly.

   If one is good two are better right?  A cherry Newport showed up at the House of Guitars and it was just so pretty I had to have it.  The three piece body is beautiful no veneer on top or back. The Newport is my favorite new bass at any price point.  I just love them.

Quote from: godofthunder on February 12, 2023, 06:04:05 AM
   If one is good two are better right?  A cherry Newport showed up at the House of Guitars and it was just so pretty I had to have it.  The three piece body is beautiful no veneer on top or back. The Newport is my favorite new bass at any price point.  I just love them.

Pics. please!

Quote from: Dave W on February 12, 2023, 10:57:35 PM
Pics. please!

To access my old photo bucket account they want $.  Dave are there any photo hosting apps other than photo bucket?

Maybe you can use the pics you put on TB?

(https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/20230211_163037-jpg.4966069/)



EDIT: apparently you can ;-)

Anyone who knows where to get hold of the kind of knobs that are used on the new Epiphone basses, as the Newport? Or, for that matter, the same knobs as where used on the 60´s Epiphone Batwings?

Quote from: godofthunder on February 13, 2023, 08:14:48 AM
    To access my old photo bucket account they want $.  Dave are there any photo hosting apps other than photo bucket?

I use Imgur.com

Quote from: godofthunder on February 13, 2023, 08:14:48 AM
    To access my old photo bucket account they want $.  Dave are there any photo hosting apps other than photo bucket?

I second what lowend1 says: imgur.com -- it's free and better than Photobucket ever was.

Random gif from my account  ;D

(https://i.imgur.com/ijSQQxg.gif)

That cat is the winner.  Hilarious  ;D

I always liked Lee van Cleef better than Eastwood in that movie - he was the ultimate gentleman villain. There was something pleasantly nasty about him.

Anyone who can stare down Klaus Kinski must be a badass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuFMPI4CJTE

Klaus was a real character. I didn't realize he was such a nutjob in real life too until recently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPKODzv1PD4

Maybe this is how Uwe has so much success in the court? He just summons up the demeanor of Kinski and scares the jury shitless.

No juries in Germany, we did away with that around already the time of the Kaiser, who - with some archaic idiosyncrasies - was generally a man of the modern age.



Klaus otoh was brilliant and difficult. He wrote great, albeit disturbing poems. There is no more a tragic and emotional depiction of a vampire than his in Herzog's Nosferatu remake. In one scene he makes a great case for the inability to die being the severest of all imaginable punishments.

Other than as a joke meme for his legendary outbursts (amusing as they are, they show someone who by today's standards would be qualified as mentally ill and in need of therapy; for all his intimidation he never got physically violent at the sets though), he has been pretty much cancelled out of German cinema history discussion. Having a love/sex relationship with your own daughter for 15 years kinda does that to you. Not Nastassja; Pola, the older one, they had different moms. Though he is supposed to have made approaches with Nastassja too.

(https://image.stern.de/7866542/t/RD/v3/w960/r1.7778/-/h17514147-1043342839.jpg)

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/717zbkaN7XL.jpg)

Van Cleef was such a lovely villain, I really dug him in his various roles. With his Dutch roots, I always wondered whether there weren't traces of Polynesian DNA in him, he had that look.

And good humor.

(https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e3/41/ae/e341aee4bc9174d3eb8718a458d3a1ef--lee-van-cleef-grave.jpg)

Yeah, I stumbled on all that stuff you brought up about Klaus too. It's unfortunate and disappointing to learn of. People can stop discussing him all they want but it can't change the fact he did some amazing work.
The Great Silence is another all time great spaghetti western. If we ignore everything produced by folks who've done bad stuff, there wouldn't be much to enjoy.

Everyone here knows where I lean politically, but the cancelling thing has gotten badly out of hand. It's perfectly ok to also discuss the dark sides of people and incidents, but to strike them off the historic register is wrong and ignorant. Unfortunately, the Right has now learned from the Left and does the same thing. People seem to be unable to be confronted with more than one view - preferably their own - anymore. Terrible. And it creates the danger that you actually start to believe that everyone thinks like you and become genuinely surprised/irrational when you meet someone who doesn't. That's why I continue to read a conservative daily - not to agree with what they write all or even most of the time, but to understand what they think and why they think that way. I try to avoid echo chambers.

Not speaking about things doesn't make them go away or has them "unhappen" in history. We should be that far by now.

People love to complain about "cancel culture", but a lot of it is just good old fashioned boycotting. If I can do something to keep my money out of the pockets of assholes, I'm going to do it. But yeah, some folks are getting very carried away with wanting to erase people and things that they don't like. Stating the obvious here, but I blame most of it on social media. Never before have we been subjected to EVERYONE'S opinion on everything 24/7. I do feel that things should be discussed, but there's something to the old "don't talk about politics or religion at a party." Social media started out fun, but has devolved into a genuine mess. If I weren't a working musician, I'd probably leave it. For now, I just unfollow people.  ;) My 2 cents...

Yes, cancel culture, boycotting and sanctions are all fruits from the same poison tree. Roger Waters doesn't want people to do trade with Israel and some people now want promoters and concert halls to terminate contracts with him to deny him a forum. It goes on and on and on - and in the end we all best just stay at our barricaded homes and not mingle with each other, the danger that you might run across someone who doesn't mirror all your views is just too high. It's an archaic form of tribalism.

And I agree, some aspects of social media bring out the worst in people. The loudest voice indeed.

(https://media2.giphy.com/media/8cqVIPHCKLhfO/giphy.gif)

 I've installed the imgur app on my phone lets see if this works. https://i.imgur.com/1d1IXxZ.jpg

Quote from: uwe on February 17, 2023, 12:44:50 PM

And I agree, some aspects of social media bring out the worst in people. The loudest voice indeed.

What bothers me the most is that seemingly everybody is being totally polarized. If I read up on a certain matter I often find the truth landing in the middle. That means if I was to speak on the matter I get shit thrown from both sides. Takes the term quiet diplomacy to a new higher level.

Quote from: godofthunder on February 20, 2023, 04:35:26 AM
I've installed the imgur app on my phone lets see if this works. https://i.imgur.com/1d1IXxZ.jpg

Came through fine, Scott. But if you copy the BB Code option in Imgur (assuming it's available on the phone app) or click the Image button here and put the link in between the brackets, the image won't have the Imgur name showing.

(https://i.imgur.com/1d1IXxZl.jpg)

  Thanks Dave!

https://youtube.com/shorts/d6dCQXMV-K4

Quote from: ilan on February 28, 2023, 01:33:08 PM
https://youtube.com/shorts/d6dCQXMV-K4

lol. No thanks.

That was elucidating for why my choice to play with a pick was the right one. A new definition for awful.

Quote from: ilan on February 28, 2023, 01:33:08 PM
https://youtube.com/shorts/d6dCQXMV-K4

I never wondered what a castrated bass would sound like - but now I know!!

Quote from: ilan on February 28, 2023, 01:33:08 PM
https://youtube.com/shorts/d6dCQXMV-K4

Um no. The new Tide Pod challenge for bass players. Unfortunately this bit of dreck will now be with us forever kickong around the internet.

Epiphone Newport Bass review (https://www.guitarworld.com/reviews/epiphone-newport-bass-review)

The Newport has now gone from $379 to $449 in most stores.  So for the people who got it at the lower price, good.  For the other people (like me) not good. 

Quote from: westen44 on April 01, 2023, 06:59:36 PM
The Newport has now gone from $379 to $449 in most stores.  So for the people who got it at the lower price, good.  For the other people (like me) not good.

Seems to be par for the course with Epiphone. The same thing happened with the Vintage Pro and, IIRC, the Embassy. I've seen it with guitars, also.

   It seems my video review of the Newport has brought about some changes.   I spoke with my Gibson contact today and the basses are now receiving D'Adario strings and a more through set up. Seems I ruffled a few feathers as the video made it's way up the chain but it got the desired results.  ;D

You're a Youtube influencer now, Scott! Are your kids proud of you?  :)

Good to hear somebody is listening.

That's great, Scott. If Henry were still in charge, nothing would have been done.

However, I don't think there have been any left-handed basses released since Henry has been gone. Maybe just that Les Paul Jr.

I seem to recall seeing the occasional left handed Jr.

Great little basses.

Couldn't we all just help if we had these people's arms cross-transplanted?

Scott is a speaker of Sooth!

Quote from: Dave W on April 15, 2023, 05:36:47 PM
That's great, Scott. If Henry were still in charge, nothing would have been done.

Either that, or something would have been done to make things worse. 

 Epi Newport round two! https://youtu.be/AzyClEXvwOg

Yery commendable, Scott, credit where credit is due.

Well done, Scott.  Since you have some pull, could you help a brother out and ask Gibson about left-handed options?  :)

And that short scale Epi pro bird...

The new price was probably to cover the improvements. Still a bargain!

It's consoling that something that ugly can still sound well. Nature has a way of compensating.

Quote from: OldManC on April 18, 2023, 03:56:24 PM
The new price was probably to cover the improvements. Still a bargain!

Could be, but Epi often increases after an introductory price. Didn't they do that with the Vintage Pro TBird?

Quote from: Dave W on April 18, 2023, 09:16:32 PM
Could be, but Epi often increases after an introductory price. Didn't they do that with the Vintage Pro TBird?

If so they're probably testing the market. Good sales offers an opportunity for increased prices.

Quote from: Dave W on April 18, 2023, 09:16:32 PM
Could be, but Epi often increases after an introductory price. Didn't they do that with the Vintage Pro TBird?

They did. Happens with a fair portion of the product line. It seems that there is an obligatory $50-75 jump after the first six months or so.