Okay, all you bastards gotta line up...

[solarbird]

...so I can kick all your asses for not telling me how much fun electric bass is.

Stinky's still pretty damn stinky - I haven't rented that ozone generator yet - but damn that's fun.

Comments

[discogravy.livejournal.com]

why not take it to a luthier? cant cost much more than renting that...

[solarbird]

I can rent an ozone generator for $40. I'm under the impression a luthier would cost a lot more than that.

[discogravy.livejournal.com]

try calling one up, most professional setups (intonation, truss/nut/bridge adjustments etc) go between 20-50$. 40$ seems average here in miami but ymmv.

also, if you think electric bass is fun, you really must try fretless electric -- it's such a different animal. if you have any shops that you can check one out in, make the effort, even if only to shake it's hand and feel it under your fingers.

[solarbird]

But the problem isn't the setup. The problem is the mildew infestation. That's what the ozone generator is for: to kill the mildew infestation. I've tried several other solutions as well, each has knocked it back - hard - but not finished it off.

[discogravy.livejournal.com]

no no, i'm aware -- but perhaps a luthier would be able to tell you if it's doable or what would be necessary in order to do it. it would just kinda suck to do the ozone generator thing and still have to do work on it.

[solarbird]

Oh, okay. I don't know many tho' and the ones I do know want more than that, plus there's the case I also want to ozone into submission. Thanks tho'. If this doesn't work I'm giving up - it's not my instrument even. I just like him.

[discogravy.livejournal.com]

understandably. I don't know about your local craigslist, but I picked up a cheapo ibanez electric bass for 20$ at a yard sale and I have seen some on craigslist for ~40-100.

for the "why did no one tell me?!" file: electric bass through a wah-wah is really different animal, particularly if you're using any distortion.

If/when you try a fretless, you may also want to try a bull fiddle (nee "stand up bass") -- you really have to manhandle them if you're not bowing the things. It's not so much playing a bass as wrestling a bass; very percussive right hand technique but your fretting hand needs to be strong and subtle. It's really something.

And while I'm on the subject, you may want to try tuning the electric in fifths like a violin/viola etc. I personally find this awkward -- chording in this tuning is a real bitch for me, but I'm sure that's at least 50% my unfamiliarity with the tuning. If you've got a slide (or an empty bottle/metal lighter, whatever,) slide on a bass usually sounds pretty awesome.

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

My good friend is a bass player, and I knew a guy in high school that was amazing. (He could type 130 words per minute.)

It is a great instrument, and one I've considered pursuing, (as well as piano.) But I've got enough work just trying to become a decent drummer.

Good Luck with the new instrument!

[solarbird]

thanks! it's going to take a bit of time, I think. I bodged together a bassline for Thought You Knew (tho' the magic of EDITING!) and yeah, I need to actually manage to play this damn thing. ^_^

[foibos.livejournal.com]

I am sorry! Usually people don't believe me when I describe the bass that way. It is an underestimated instrument that good musicians can do wonders with. I had a lot of fun with it when I was young.

[solarbird]

hard work tho'! but i'm learning.

[brombear.livejournal.com]

Ok...before you go any further, I recommend trying out the Line-6 LD15 8" amp, just because it has a number of pre-programmed settings, doesn't weigh a ton, has good sound, and won't break the bank.

I also hope you can get Stinky de-stinkied. I also recommend that you go to Music Trader and try out the different basses they have. I have the Stagg, a Davison Semi-Hollow body Les Paul style, a Schecter Diamond Series Extreme 4, and a Fender 50th Anniversary Precision Bass.

But I'm also a lefty.

Which is why the Stagg is going bye bye, and I'm ordering a Fretless Dinky J from Warmoth.

Another site which has a large number of tabs is "bassmasta.net". There are a lot of good exercises that go into the correct fingering for the scales. It's where I started, and I'm now writing and transcribing both in tab and in musical notation.