Heya,

Soooo, got a gig coming up and asked which instrument I'd like to play I answered..."bass!" I have played bass a bit, but I've always treated it like a 4-string guitar - thus I know little about the subtleties of bass playing (& particularly bass rigs) or perhaps better put..."I don't know what I don't know"

ATM I've got a 80's Hohner Jack bass (4 string headless w/EMG's active humbuckers) and a crybaby bass wah (tone sucker of note) and that's it.

Feelwise, the hohner is good, though I've a thing for slimmer, easy playing necks. I had a Ibanez Soundgear Gio and that was super easy playing. I've recently tried a fender P bass (not my thing) and a fender Jazz bass (more like it) - I'm thinking a Ibanez again (Soundgear SR300/500, maybe even a old Ergodyne 700/900?).

Tonewise I'd like a versatile setup that can fit in a 60's cover band (CCR, Beatles, Blues) yet can occasionally scratch my itch with a SWR (slap happy) "hifi" sound. What bits should I be looking for? I'm guessing a Compressor that can blend a dry/wet signal, a smallish amp I can fit in my little car to DI to the PA and ???

Technically, I've spent some time playing finger style, though I'm still more comfy with a pick. I do get a far warmer/full tone playing solely with the thumb and because I've some some flamenco style nails on the picking hand, I've kinda developed a cross between picado and more traditional bass finger style which sounds a little warmer than a pick but still retains a chunk of the attack/bite I associate with a pick.

Feel free to let me know what I should be thinking about - technique, gear, approach, practice regime - whatever.

Thanks!

Chocklit_Thunda wrote: I started bass a few years ago... First things first, Scott's Bass Lessons! (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWTj3vCqkQIsrTGSm4kM34g)
This guy has taken me from crappy warbly uneven tone to slapping, plucking and running bass lines.

Ahh, thanks for that - a bit of reminder, I'd seen him before but forgot about him - I recall seeing the glove and having a chuckle. Watched the rig overview, he makes tones like I wanna hear - tried out a few in guitar rig, hmmm lotsa synth-y goodness. :?

Chocklit_Thunda wrote: First thing for me would be to practice would be finger technique. Alternating between index and middle like a walking motion while doing pentatonics and scales works well.

I trimmed off my index & middle fingernails yesterday (sniff-sniff) and I'm getting closer to what I was hoping for. Been working on a two finger tech for a while now - getting better, slowly but surely. Still a while away from what I can get going with a pick though.

Chocklit_Thunda wrote: As for the bass itself, I'd try something with 2 pickups (preferably different ones for versatility)
My GB35-A uses a jazz pickup and a Musicman Humbucker, has an active high and low boost concentric pot and a blend pot for the pickups. lets you take the sound anywhere you want with just a few minor adjustments

My hohner isn't bad at all - I just find the neck a tad chunky. What I do like is the dead quiet (if bland) pups & the active/passive switch - if the 9V is flat you can still use the bass - similar to yours (I guessed it was a Cort =).