Slade Time

[SKATE RAT]

Uwe, My Vantage Flying V sounds great. short scale bolt on. i put a DiMarzio split P in it.

[Dave W]

My best sounding one is my Dean Razorback (not the above one which has a much thinner neck and is set neck and not neck-thru). And that achieves a full, if not wholly remarkable sound via the following "tricks":

- aggressive active electronics,
- neck-thru construction,
- 35" scale and a phat and rather wide neck lending mass where the body fails to.

Is that the green one?

[uwe]

Yes, an inconspicuous little fellow avoiding any garish presentation of itself, rather abiding with the introvert concept of subtance over form. My "take me serious as a musician and I will do my best to fit in your band, let my bass playing speak for me" audition-instrument, no less. It does concern me though, how my bandmates laugh at me whenever I take it out and our female singer describes it as "that porn bass".



Looking at the pic, it also dawns to me that the front pup snuggles up to the neck, another reason for its fuller sound.

[uwe]

Uwe, My Vantage Flying V sounds great. short scale bolt on. i put a DiMarzio split P in it.

Happy you then! Don't ever sell it.

[Dave W]

Looking at the pic, it also dawns to me that the front pup snuggles up to the neck, another reason for its fuller sound.

That could very well be. It's hard to overcome the limitations of the body shape but a combination of better pickup location, the neck mass and ditching the short scale could do it.

And don't forget the double pointy things on each body wing. They must do something for the sound. 

[jumbodbassman]

The truth is: It probably did hurt them. If they had just worn denims and knuckled down to it in working man's fashion a là Quo they might have had a few less Top of the Pops appearances and hence hit singles, but more appealed to the serious rock crowd and album buying public plus fetched some better opening slots on large scale tours in markets they did not yet rule with their singles output. And I think it would have benefitted their US career too, never a country to embrace glam except in that mutated larger-than-life version of Alice Cooper/Kiss. You could look unremarkable and still crack the US market as Foghat have amply proven.

Turned me off immediately.  I remember seeing them on TV (midnight special?)  and just dismissing them.  Partially my fault ,  partially theirs.  By that time i was fully entrenched into prog music and had nothing but distaste for glam.  I do remember seeing SAHB do Delilah and liking it bit that is about it for glam other than Queen which is about as Glam as i get...

[uwe]

That could very well be. It's hard to overcome the limitations of the body shape but a combination of better pickup location, the neck mass and ditching the short scale could do it.

And don't forget the double pointy things on each body wing. They must do something for the sound.  

The maho-neck-thru (as opposed to the basswood wings) probably contributes to a bit more flesh in sound too, it certainly isn't the usaul combo for body and neck.

"Double pointy things", yes. They do serve a purpose.  Which one you ask? Silly you: If you put the bass into a regular stand with a supporting fork, the bass will "snap in" and can then only be removed with great difficulty unlesss you want the stand to cling to it! This always causes laughs in the rehearsal room. My bad really, as I forgot to order an optional Dean girl with it as those are very good at holding it while you withdraw, limitations of the body etc.



Holding the stand and withdrawing the bass that is.

[jumbodbassman]

I don't see any guitars 

[uwe]

Most likely to do with the limitations of your body I think.

[Dave W]

Ooh, I like the one on the right.

[uwe]

Yeah, nice sunburst fin. Didn't know you cared for such shapely items though.

[Big_Stu]

Ooh, I like the one on the right.

Yeah, nice sunburst fin. Didn't know you cared for such shapely items though.

.....erm actually I think Dave meant......................















.............. the white one on the wall behind. 

[Dave W]

(channeling Ralph Kramden)

She definitely rates three haminas on my hamina-hamina-hamina scale.

And she sure knows how to hold a Flying V.

[uwe]

I wasn't in doubt until now.  

But given Herr Westheimer's hard-on soft spot for all-American girls



with that natural sunbathed touch and who wouldn't look out of place in a fifties petticoat, I'm not surprised about his choice. Let's face it, Gwyneth was always a bit pale and underfleshed for him, I'm happy to see how he sets his sights on more wholesome objects.

[Freuds_Cat]

Way to ressurrect an old thread; this old footage of Slade on American Bandstand in '84 may interest some of you guys. It's just been "refound".


When they did come back to tour later that year Jim was struck down with hepatitis, they had to pull the rest of the gigs & they never toured ever again. 

Great clip, I haven't seen this before (mimed or not). Not sure about the second part... bit scary really      is it just me or does it shift to the deck of the starship enterprise at 11.27?