This question was on another forum and thought it would be appropriate here as well. Besides, I'm curious about it.
Mostly I've been using Thunderbird No. 1 for practice.
You?
I rotate 'em for no particular reason (other than to justify owning them ;D). I have an epi rivoli that doesn't get played due to problems with the neck but I play the others almost equally. I don't play the jazz very much; it's my son's and it's fretless. although I play his LP as much as any of mine. ;D
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b342/rsteiner/basses.jpg)
I rotate. Whichever one feels good at the moment gets played.
But recently my new Casady and my short scale Gretsch Jr. Jet have been getting all my time.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Jack%20Casady%20bass/P6270038.jpg)
well. i'm in 2 bands so....
band #1 i use my 92 Gibson LPB-1 with my 78 Peavey T-40 as a back up.
band # 2 i use my 76 Gibson Ripper same back up.
Quote from: Pilgrim on July 29, 2009, 02:21:45 PM
I rotate. Whichever one feels good at the moment gets played.
But recently my new Casady and my short scale Gretsch Jr. Jet have been getting all my time.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Jack%20Casady%20bass/P6270038.jpg)
I bought one of those little Gretsches a few years ago when my wife decided she wanted to learn bass...she didn't. So, it sits in the closet, waiting for my 16-moth old son to "grow into it". ;)
This is a tuff question for me, my Beatles tribute band gigs alot so we never "practice". When we add new tunes we work on them at home on our own and then try them out together at soundchecks 'til they're ready to play during a show.
If I'm working on a song for my original "band"(just me, playing everything, in my home studio) I usually have a specific bass sound in mind for a song so I will practice the song with that bass.
If you're talking about "noodling" at home, I use whatever bass I'm in the mood for/whatever's handy.
I haven't been in a band for a while, but I do play almost every day. My Musicman SUB is what I usually pick up.
By myself upstairs I use any and all of them, downstairs with the band I try to use what I plan on playing at the next show.................They all make me happy!
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/birds006.jpg)
!!! Was the question "with which bass do you practice wide-angle photography?" What a line-up.
I took the epi silverburst to band practice last night (it passed). My low-cost P or 5-er are within easiest reach at home, or if I need to leave a bass in the car for after-work practice (not too often).
The one that's most satisfying is the Dark Star P I built last year.
Depends on what room of the house I'm in
or what computer I am using at the time.
Got 'em stashed everywhere.
The half scale is in the... um, library.
:mrgreen:
Gonzo,
I"m very jealous of the 79 degree temp at the time of your post - It's 101 here today, Seattlites melt under such conditions ;)
DANG! Those look like a lineup of saltwater taffy in different flavors. VERY cool!
Quote from: TBird1958 on July 29, 2009, 03:30:05 PM
By myself upstairs I use any and all of them, downstairs with the band I try to use what I plan on playing at the next show.................They all make me happy!
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/birds006.jpg)
noodling IS practicing. i don't practice in the conventional sense anymore. but watching tv while playing my abg i have made many little musical discoveries that i think would have passed me by otherwise. it must be the convergence of television, acoustic bass and lying on one's back that makes this work. :) really. i would argue that tv is the perfect distraction to engage the creative part of the brain to come up some cool stuff that you are not really aware of until that lightbulb moment strikes. or i could be full of shit. but it works for me and i have played enough scales, etc. to cover two lifetimes. ;)
I know nothing of scales. Wish I had learned theory and all that jazz. When I put on a record or cd, or just turn the radio on I play my '83 P bass 1962 reissue. When I play live I use only 5 string basses.
I practice with whichever bass gets used on the song live. We have been learning a new cover tune on which I use the Cargill fretless. So the Cargill gets taken to practice along with the 74 Jazz which is my main instrument. I use my Allen Woody bass for a lot of songs too and if I feel the need to brush up on a part of one of these songs I will use the Woody. The Crocs dont really rehearse as such, to be honest they dont realy practice much either :rolleyes: although we have been on a rollfor the last 3 weeks. 4 new songs out of this recent productivity woo hoo!
These days it's my 2002 Hot Rod P (Jazz pickup added stock)
I go thru phases tho. Soon I'll fix the jack on my Tokai T-bird & use mostly that one for awhile.
I rotate them too.
A bass should be played. When it only hangs on the wall it needs to go.
That happened with my MM Stingray lately. I sold it 'cause it had not been played for more than two years.
For live gigs most of the time I use the 69 Les Paul Bass with Superfloor. Sometimes the JCS.
And the Greco Thunderbird is favorite for Stonefly. Although I often use the BaCHbird too
I always bring a spare. I try to take turns on those too, but some of my basses don't make it to gigs that often...
How many do you currently have Rob?
Lately, none! :o
In general, it would be the newest bass in the collection. If the band is learning new material, it would be my main player.
My latest acquisition - 1991 '62 RI Precision. When not practicing on that, my upright.
Quote from: Freuds_Cat on July 30, 2009, 05:08:45 AM
How many do you currently have Rob?
Since I sold the Stingray I have 9 left.
But I'm working on No 10 ;)
I try to rotate them, but I joined a new band a few months ago - and ever since, the 76 been getting all the playtime:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/thunderbird/DSCF0003.jpg)
Nothing else sounds as good to me in that particular context. The Bach is a close second. That one is down at the moment, undergoing some slight transformation...
I have my 68 Non reverse sitting in a closet, I named it "Justin Case" , like the commercial, for when I need money.
The Hohner Jack, cos I've sorta given her to my daughter, so she's always leaning up against the wall in the lounge...
I rotate - driven by whimsical moods, desire, guilt or discipline ("that one has to be played as well - sigh ...").
Lately, I play a lot of fretless at home or in the office, my thought being "if I play just for myself, a few duff notes won't hurt, after all I know how it's supposed to sound ..." :mrgreen: It certainly helps my fretless playing.
Quote from: uwe on August 04, 2009, 08:45:12 AM
I rotate - driven by whimsical moods, desire, guilt or discipline ("that one has to be played as well - sigh ...").
Lately, I play a lot of fretless at home or in the office, my thought being "if I play just for with myself, a few duff notes won't hurt, after all I know how it's supposed to sound ..." :mrgreen: It certainly helps my fretless playing.
Fixed that for you. ;D
Uwe's Comment: Thanks, you're right. Who - except the suchwise inclined - would like to have his instrument constrained by steelfrets when playing with himself?
I always like it when I hit a "duff note" while playing solo............. ;)
Quote from: TBird1958 on August 04, 2009, 09:31:58 AM
I always like it when I hit a "duff note" while playing solo............. ;)
It's not a duff note if you play it twice, it's Jazz! ;D
Quote from: Pilgrim on August 04, 2009, 11:46:47 AM
It's not a duff note if you play it twice, it's Jazz! ;D
Must not edit Ji, er Jazz...
Quote from: chromium on July 30, 2009, 09:19:16 AM
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/thunderbird/DSCF0003.jpg)
On topic though, that's beautiful. I see the T-bird logo is red, white and blue but did the '76s differ in any other way from regular T-birds or was that standard?
Quote from: Denis on August 04, 2009, 11:59:38 AM
On topic though, that's beautiful. I see the T-bird logo is red, white and blue but did the '76s differ in any other way from regular T-birds or was that standard?
70's pups are of a different design than 60's, some here don't care for them but I've always really liked them alot. If I recall early 60's 'Birds are not 9 ply either, but I could be wrong on that. The logo on the 'Bird was done at least thru 1977, I own an example produced at Kalamzoo that is date stamped and has the Gibson logo straight on the TRC as opposed to another version that I belive was made in Nashville also a 77 that had a decal and the angled logo as on Joe's.
The pickgard was changed later with the "76" being taken out, and production stopped in '79.
Quote from: Denis on August 04, 2009, 11:58:04 AM
Must not edit Ji, er Jazz...
To quote Douglas Neidermeyer from
Animal House, "...acts of perversion SO profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here."
Decorum above all. Yazzir.
Quote from: TBird1958 on August 04, 2009, 02:26:36 PM
70's pups are of a different design than 60's, some here don't care for them but I've always really liked them alot. If I recall early 60's 'Birds are not 9 ply either, but I could be wrong on that. The logo on the 'Bird was done at least thru 1977, I own an example produced at Kalamzoo that is date stamped and has the Gibson logo straight on the TRC as opposed to another version that I belive was made in Nashville also a 77 that had a decal and the angled logo as on Joe's.
The pickgard was changed later with the "76" being taken out, and production stopped in '79.
Interesting. I suppose factory documentation and records are hard to come by for these type changes? Probably on the street and forums such as these is where the wealth of knowledge is but it would be really cool to put together detailed timelines for such changes, if only for the hell of it. But heck, you guys probably already know most of this stuff!
FWIW, the original reverse body 'Birds are 9-ply.
Quote from: Denis on August 05, 2009, 05:46:26 AM
Interesting. I suppose factory documentation and records are hard to come by for these type changes? Probably on the street and forums such as these is where the wealth of knowledge is but it would be really cool to put together detailed timelines for such changes, if only for the hell of it. But heck, you guys probably already know most of this stuff!
Denis, have you seen the Gibson bass site here- http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/Thunderbird.php (http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/Thunderbird.php) ? This is really *the* site for that type of timeline info, and it features of photos documenting the different variations, and a forum for detailed discussion of said minutiae. I'd trust people's real world experiences over any of their factory literature :) Seems there are always lots of anomalies and exceptions to the "rules"
I pick up whatever is in front of me at home, the one's I play at gigs ironically stay in the cases afterward many times and I've been favoring the fretless P bass lately for gigs but have two Rics in stands, one in my living room and one in my bedroom. So I guess whatever is there, if the P bass is out with others though I'll usually pick that up first. The T-bird has been buried in it's case for a few months gotta drag that one out too.
I equally use my Epi and my Bachbird, I rarely use my flatwound-stringed pee. Sometimes I play the guitar too! ;D
its mostly my eb2 because its on the stand in my music room.every time i play it i think i must use this in the band too and i must get around to restringing this....
51 RI P, the Yellow Peril (ok, the Butterscotch Blonde Peril ???). Or the standard P. Both of those go to gigs and one or the other will do the work, depending how I feel.
I used to practice with the Rebop 5 to try to make the conversion to 5-string. I can do it in practice, but in a gig it all comes apart and I end up on the wrong string. So I'm giving up that battle.
Quote from: Dave W on August 05, 2009, 09:15:31 AM
FWIW, the original reverse body 'Birds are 9-ply.
Not in the first year they weren't. The first Birds in 1963 had massive maho necks. Earliest nine-ply neck Bird I've seen was 64.
Oops, sorry about that. The ones I've seen were 9-ply.
Mostly I play the precision, but lately the DarkstarP got a lot of attention.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a377/BartWitte/LPSig68PrecisionDarkstarP.jpg)
The newest in the collection is favorite at this point.
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd144/snarenkunst/Guttlin.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd144/snarenkunst/Guttlin1.jpg)
Guttlin ThinKing bass awkward.
oh SAF, you know since I'm a lefty, I would love to be your neighbor right now :):)
that thing is so oddly shaped at first I say "MAN, is that ugly", but it is so unique the "ugly" turns to awesome within 13 miliseconds.
and since this thread is "what bass do you practice with", usually one of these lately -
Charvel-pCharvel-p/j ( the maple neck was added to the p/j from another parts bass )
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm171/amimbari/P1010254.jpg)
for shows I use one of my Tbirds, and the p/j as a standby.
SAF that bass looks sweet - so weird its endearing! Like the surf colors too.
Ami I noticed in that Kansas clip that you play one of the black ones strung as right-handed, but in the GnR clip the bass is strung left-handed? If that is the case - WTF? ;D You're blowing my mind man! I'm a lefty that plays righty basses strung righty. God forbid that should ever get flipped around! ;D I'm not that coordinated! Great playing too, btw
wOw Saf that's a really cool bass I like that a lot!
yes chromium, I play both ways, lefty inverted and normal :) -- but I do play inverted as my main thing like Jim Haslip, or Jeff Schmidt.
the tbird is a great shape for flipping, hence my reason for using those on stage and not the p/j's ---
thanks for the nice comment on my latest bassguitar. It's from a small belgium hobby-builder. I met on a dutch guitarforum. I really like the vibe of it. It's looks wierds, out of the box, oddball but jet familiar and retro/vintage.
Quote from: Saf on August 27, 2009, 02:03:12 PM
The newest in the collection is favorite at this point.
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd144/snarenkunst/Guttlin.jpg)
(http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd144/snarenkunst/Guttlin1.jpg)
Guttlin ThinKing bass awkward.
Very cool and retro! I like it!
That's a Darkstar in that bass, innit?
I'm such a bass ho! :P I tend to practice with what's new in my collection. Right now, I can't put this one down.............
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Ric%20project/100_2587.jpg)
I also like to play this one a lot too...........
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Vox%20HB/100_2097.jpg)
And my all time favorite rock bass............
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/60s%20NR%20TB/100_1242.jpg)
Quote from: Pilgrim on September 07, 2009, 05:28:37 PM
That's a Darkstar in that bass, innit?
The turquoise one? I think it's a Gretsch clone.
Quote from: drbassman on September 07, 2009, 05:34:17 PM
The turquoise one? I think it's a Gretsch clone.
i think thats a TV Jones.
Quote from: SKATE RAT on September 07, 2009, 06:51:25 PM
i think thats a TV Jones.
I don't think so. His pups have his name stamped on them. At least all of the ones I've seen.
Not a Dark Star or a TV Jones.
well lets hope its not Star Jones. :mrgreen:
Quote from: SKATE RAT on September 08, 2009, 06:57:57 AM
well lets hope its not Star Jones. :mrgreen:
It would have a huge sound until the bypass surgery.
it's an artec tv-jones wannabe pup. Sounds really cool.
Perhaps an "Alias Smith & Jones", a little known western-made pickup?
Al, does anybody else on the planet besides us remember that show?
I remember it. I saw a few minutes of it recently on some western cable channel. I remember watching reruns of it when I was in high school. The only thing I really remember about it is that it never realy showed the "quick draw" guy draw his gun.
Quote from: Dave W on September 08, 2009, 04:55:00 PM
Al, does anybody else on the planet besides us remember that show?
Nope, not me.
The idea for the show was loosely based on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The leads were two outlaws who had reformed. Unfortunately Peter Duel (Hannibal Hayes a/k/a "Smith") committed suicide and the show didn't last long after that.
Quote from: Dave W on September 08, 2009, 04:55:00 PM
Al, does anybody else on the planet besides us remember that show?
I do :-[
Quote from: Dave W on September 08, 2009, 04:55:00 PM
Al, does anybody else on the planet besides us remember that show?
My kids say I have the best stock of trivial info of anyone they've ever met.
http://www.asjcollection.com/
Quote from: Pilgrim on September 09, 2009, 01:27:45 PM
My kids say I have the best stock of trivial info of anyone they've ever met.
http://www.asjcollection.com/
Wait... Peter Duel was from Rochester and Doc doesn't remember the show?
... But he never made it to the end of the run... :sad:
i remember alias smith and jones it aired here in new zealand.
That's the one with Griff Rhys Duel and Mel Murphy, right...? ;D
Since I'm playing nearly exclusively with The Rayguns, it's the Englehardt EM-1 for me. I haven't picked up an electric in nearly six months...
(http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/13/l_eab6b2ac37bb4d478370e89dd0424711.jpg)
Quote from: tubehead on September 09, 2009, 09:32:55 PM
i remember alias smith and jones it aired here in new zealand.
I'm guilty too. :-X Australia was not immune from telecasts of Alias S&J. Albeit always after 11pm.
Usually one of these (replace the sunburst fretless with a Black MIM Jazz in your mind ;D)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj260/Basshappi/100_0084.jpg)
The Black Precision is a '75 and was my first lefthanded bass, traded my Gibson RD Artist for it. This bass is "The One" for me and we have alot of history together. She is semi-retired now as I won't risk loss or damage.
The Vintage White Jazz is my main bass now it is an '83 MIJ '62 RI. The only mods are a BAII bridge and a pearloid pickguard. It has a neck thinner than a Geddy, sounds fantastic!
The Green PJ is a Squier/ Warmoth build. It is an attempt to capture the sound of The '75. Close...but the SD quarter-pounders do not have quite the snarlly bite of the DiMarzios in The '75.
The Sunburst Squier is fretless and heavily modified. I'm still not happy with it's sound. I'll probably put a fretted neck back on it and build a fretless Jazz from a Warmoth maple/maple unlined fretless neck I have. I found having the fretlines and dots on the board to be a real distrraction anyway.
My Black MIM Jazz I often leave at rehearsal. I'm guessing that it is a late '90s early 2000. Got it for prectically free because the neck has issues, but is behaving itself for now. I put an old pair of DiMarzio J pups in it that I had laying around and replaced the bridge with a Gotoh 201 and put a Tort guard on it. As one might imagine, it has a more aggresive tone than the MIJ. :mrgreen: