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In the post
9 October 2005 19:41What with the album coming out at the end of the month, the big show on the 29th and the number of gigs we're likely to need to do from that point onwards I've kind of decided I need a spare bass, just in case mine decides to fall to pieces, have a flat battery or in some other way dies half way through a show, or worse, half way through the show. I've been speculatively eyeing a few things on e-bay and after actually bidding on something (the first time ever- a world of useless tat apparently awaits) which I narrowly failed to get I decided it was actually time to go shopping.
I haven't bought a bass or really thought about it since I got my main one (a Patrick Eggle New York, bass trainspotters) about ten years ago and so I was kind of out of touch with what is around currently. The first thing I noticed was that you can't now get anything british for less than £500 which was realistically my limit for a spare guitar, the second thing I noticed was that there is a big gap between the budget beginner's ranges costing up to two hundred quid and the professional instruments that come in at around eight hundred. There really is very little in the middle ground. I finally decided to go to my friendly and helpful local guitar shop, Fleetcroft Guitars in Godalming, and ask Ben Fleetcroft ( people named Ben are 27% more trustworthy, studies have shown ) to try the only things I could think of that would fit what I need and fit the budget- the basic Fender Jazz and Precision basses. These are the classic electric basses, played by pretty much everyone at some point and I had been reluctant to go the Fender route basically because they are so standard and I prefer my instruments with a slightly unusual edge to them. However, the Precision sounded good to me- a reasonable basic sound with no extra flim-flammery or frippery, just a straight solid bass. I left the shop with the intention of ordering one on Monday.
When I got home and checked one of the regular bass players' messageboards I spotted a slightly more unusual and interesting bass for slightly less money. And it came with a hard case. I have sent the owner a cheque and hopefully I will be receiving a rather beautiful Spector bass in the post in the next week or two. I'm going to feel pretty bad next time I go to Fleetcroft Guitars, though (which will be very soon cos he's getting a part in for my regular bass) as whenever I'm looking for new kit I find myself going there to try it and then buying something else.
I very rarely buy new musical instruments because my philosophy is always to try and get kit that will last me indefinitely rather than aiming to chop and change things on a regular basis, but it's one of those times where there is a (very slim) chance these will be the tools of my professional trade and I don't want my kit to let the rest of the band down.
I haven't bought a bass or really thought about it since I got my main one (a Patrick Eggle New York, bass trainspotters) about ten years ago and so I was kind of out of touch with what is around currently. The first thing I noticed was that you can't now get anything british for less than £500 which was realistically my limit for a spare guitar, the second thing I noticed was that there is a big gap between the budget beginner's ranges costing up to two hundred quid and the professional instruments that come in at around eight hundred. There really is very little in the middle ground. I finally decided to go to my friendly and helpful local guitar shop, Fleetcroft Guitars in Godalming, and ask Ben Fleetcroft ( people named Ben are 27% more trustworthy, studies have shown ) to try the only things I could think of that would fit what I need and fit the budget- the basic Fender Jazz and Precision basses. These are the classic electric basses, played by pretty much everyone at some point and I had been reluctant to go the Fender route basically because they are so standard and I prefer my instruments with a slightly unusual edge to them. However, the Precision sounded good to me- a reasonable basic sound with no extra flim-flammery or frippery, just a straight solid bass. I left the shop with the intention of ordering one on Monday.
When I got home and checked one of the regular bass players' messageboards I spotted a slightly more unusual and interesting bass for slightly less money. And it came with a hard case. I have sent the owner a cheque and hopefully I will be receiving a rather beautiful Spector bass in the post in the next week or two. I'm going to feel pretty bad next time I go to Fleetcroft Guitars, though (which will be very soon cos he's getting a part in for my regular bass) as whenever I'm looking for new kit I find myself going there to try it and then buying something else.
I very rarely buy new musical instruments because my philosophy is always to try and get kit that will last me indefinitely rather than aiming to chop and change things on a regular basis, but it's one of those times where there is a (very slim) chance these will be the tools of my professional trade and I don't want my kit to let the rest of the band down.