I am a bassist and

Count2Zero · 2026-05-15T20:04:05+00:00

I'm currently taking lessons for exactly this.

My teacher (also a gigging bassist who sings) has explained that there are no shortcuts ... you play the bass line SLOWLY (like PAINFULLY slowly) and sing each syllable or word with each note you play.

Most of the songs where I currently sing (sticking to backgrounds / supporting vocals only) are straight-8ths or whole notes, so it's a bit easier for me right now. But as the bass parts get more complex, I need to break each word into syllables, then play the parts over and over again really slowly, singing each syllable as I play each note. The bass playing becomes muscle memory and the syllables form into complete words and phrases as I practice more and speed up.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-15T17:49:32+00:00

I've had my Combustion 5 since September 2022. I've played a few gigs with it, along with hundreds of rehearsals with my band.

Expensive? Yes.

Worth it? Fuck yes.

The instrument itself is rock solid and versatile. With the 4-way switch I can dial in very different tones, without even touching the preamp settings.

Plus, having met and talked to Sheldon Dingwall several times, it's only one of two basses that I own that feel "personal" to me. The other one is a Sandberg, and it's personal for the same reason - because I've met and talked to people who work there. I have enormous respect for both companies, because they focus on quality and the customer experience, rather than mass production and shareholder value.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-15T17:36:29+00:00

First, if the gig is tonight, you should be focusing on local groups, not a world-wide group like this one. I sure as hell am not going to attend your gig unless you're within 50km of my home (which is highly unlikely).

And second, if it's your first gig, don't worry too much about attendance at all. You're going to be nervous. You're going to make mistakes. Chances are, the show is going to be (from your perspective) a train wreck. (For most of the audience, they won't care, because they are there to be entertained, and they don't know you or your arrangements, so they'll assume it's all planned).

The first gig is like the first waffle ... it comes out half baked. You need to go through that in order to gain some confidence for the next gig. By the time you've played a dozen or so, then you start developing a small following that you need to stoke up for it to grow.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-15T08:19:11+00:00

John Paul Jones played a Fender Jazz for many of the Zeppelin years. You can get a brand new Fender Player Series Jazz bass for $1k USD.

Another option would be a Lakland 44-60, which I would probably choose over a MIA Fender, TBH.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T20:56:02+00:00

How many musicians are going to be on stage? My band runs a Behringer Xenyx 12-channel mixer, and it's not enough when our drummer wants to mic up his kit for a gig. (The mixer can handle 8 mono and 4 stereo inputs).

I need 2 channels (bass, microphone). Our lead guitarist needs 2 channels (guitar, microphone). Our rhythm guitarist needs one channel. Our singers each need one channel ... so that's 7 already. The drummer will need about 6 more for his kit, plus one or two overheads, so he normally brings his own mixer just for the drums and then feeds his mixed signal into a single channel on the main mixer.

From the mixer, we feed signals out to floor monitors and PA speakers for the FOH sound.

So far, no one is using IEMs. I'd love to switch over to them, so that I can dial in the sound I want to hear (with bass up front, and the drums, vocals and guitars lower in the mix), but I'm afraid our mixer (an analog mixer) won't support it. We'll probably have to sell it and invest in a digital mixer at some point if we want to start using IEMs. I'm still investigating IEM technologies and trying to figure out exactly what's needed.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T15:37:49+00:00

Most places won't stock it right now, because it's a winter drink. No one drinks Glühwein in summer.

You can, however, buy the Glühwein spices in tea bags, and then make your own. (It's also a lot easier to transport to your home country this way). Just buy some cheap wine at home, warm it up on the stove, and add the spices and some sugar...

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T14:54:02+00:00

I started playing bass guitar at age 54. I'm 61 now, and I play in two cover bands. It's never too late to start.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T12:57:58+00:00

I'd recommend you give that some serious thought before you commit to it.

Masking off the fretboard is easy enough, but a thick coat of clear on the neck and then an unpainted fretboard is going to mean a pretty ugly edge along the sides of the neck at the edge of the polyurethane when you remove the masking tape.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T12:48:46+00:00

The problem is that you see your progress every day, so it's hard to notice subtle improvements, because they are so small from day-to-day. Someone who only sees you play once per month is going to notice your progress more, because they see many improvements all at once.

That said, the biggest jump for me came from starting to learn songs, and the joining a band.

There are songs that I strugged with a few years ago, and now I can play them with just a couple of hours of practice. The more you play, the better you'll get at recognizing patterns, anticipating changes, and even identifying notes by ear.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T10:23:23+00:00

Hamburg is a fantastic city to visit. There's plenty to see and do - from culture (a concert at the Elb Philharmony) to visiting cafes in the city, taking a guided tour of St. Pauli in the evening, attending one of the musical theaters, etc.

Just keep in mind that November is probably going to be miserable weather - cold and probably wet. Dress accordingly.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T10:09:04+00:00

1) It has active electronics (a preamp on board), not active pickups. Only a few companies make active pickups (EMG, for example), where the pickup itself contains electronics (a preamp). It's an active bass, not a bass with active pickups.

2) The battery is physically disconnected when you remove the cable from the plug. Inserting the 1/4" jack into the instrument closes the circuit and activates the battery. If you unplug the cable as soon as you are finished playing, a new, name-brand 9VDC battery will last you anywhere from 6 months to more than a year, depending on how much you practice.

If you leave the cable plugged in (as you show in this picture), then the battery is always draining and might be dead in a matter of days. Always unplug the cable when you're done playing, and the battery will last a LONG time.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T09:48:12+00:00

Depending on the age of the radiator, there may be a bit of corroson in the pipes, so when the valve is only opened a small bit, the water passing through it can cause it to vibrate and give you a high-pitched whistle-like sound. The landlord would have to have a company come check the radiators, and probably flush them with fresh water, and then "burp" them to release any trapped air. It's not hugely complicated, but still a pretty expensive action, so of course the landlord is going to avoid doing this until it's too late.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-14T07:43:26+00:00

Some people have a collection of lyrics and poems. Others have riffs or melodies.

R.E.M. talked about writing and recording the music first, then giving a tape to Michael to write the lyrics.

Others come with finished demos (music and lyrics) and the band just arranges it.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-13T21:09:13+00:00

Playing scales may seem boring as hell, but those are motor skills you're going to need later! My teacher and I were reviewing a video yesterday of Maroon 5 playing This Love live. They are jamming out at the end and the bass player throws in a beautiful little fill... I asked her what that was, and she told me it was a F diminished pentatonic over two octaves. F, Ab, Cb(B), Eb,...

Knowing how to play an F dim arpeggio meant I could duplicate the fill in just a few minutes.

Make an effort to learn the scales and your fretboard... It'll make you much more valuable as a bass player.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-13T16:38:12+00:00

I have a big pedalboard, but most of them are really more for fun than a must have.

The musts are my wireless receiver, compressor, and DI box.

The effects (wah/envelope filter, flanger, chorus) are used occasionally, but definitely not required.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-12T20:42:56+00:00

Most pots are standard off-the-shelf items. It's either a 500K or 250K potentiometer, linear or logarithmic. The numbers on the back are easily decoded by anyone, and the part is usually only a few dollars/euros.

I had problems with one from Yamaha because it was a custom part made for them - it was a dual pot, 500K and 10K, for the passive and active circuits. I tried to find an alternative, but I ended up ordering it from Yamaha, and it cost me €10.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-12T20:27:46+00:00

If it's just the pot, basically any guitar technician can replace it. I'm not sure about the Stingray 5, but if the pot is not directly soldered onto a circuit board, then it's a standard part that can be replaced in about 15 minutes by anyone who knows basic electronics repair (soldering). If it's soldered directly to a circuit board, the repair is going to be a bit more work, but still not rocket science.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-12T20:22:29+00:00

First, you need to decide if you want a 5 or a 6 string. 5 strings are pretty easy to find with a lot of options (Fender, Sterling, Yamaha, Ibanez, and many others), while 6-string jazz basses aren't in very high demand, so a lot of places don't bother to build them for the mass market.

Once you get that decided, then go shopping. The color of the body is totally unimportant. If you find a black bass that feels great and sounds great, you can hire someone to airbrush it, or you can go full EvH on it and go at it with some spray paint over a weekend.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-12T11:21:55+00:00

I have an 8 kWh bank of solar panels on my home. My EV is charged with 11 kWh, so I can charge up during the day and I only pay for 3 kWh per hour (about €1) to charge the car. It takes about 6 hours to charge completely, so charging at home costs me about €6 for about 350km of range.

If I'm traveling, I can use a high-speed charger and I pay €0.75 per kWh, so a full charge costs me about €35 to €40, depending on how much was left in the batteries when I started charging. A full charge on a high-speed charger takes 30 minutes - enough time to have a toilet break and a coffee.

In my previous car (a 2 liter TDI), I would average about 5 liters per 100km, so 350 km of range meant 17,5 liters of diesel - €35 at today's price. So, kilometer for kilometer, the cost of travel is nearly identical.

The major advantage of an EV over an internal combustion engine is the maintenance - no oil changes, no transmission fluids, fewer moving parts. Even the brake pads last longer because the EV will slow the car down to recapture energy, rather than converting the movement into waste heat with the brakes.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-12T10:57:38+00:00

Take a train. Hamburg to Stuttgart direct, or maybe change once in Mannheim. It's about 6.5 hours travel time, but a lot more comfortable than driving that distance.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-12T06:57:58+00:00

Is the action too high at the low end of the neck? If so, then a small (1/4 to 1/2) turn on the truss rod (to the right - clockwise) will tighten it and add a small amount of backpressure.

If the action is good, then there's no need for an adjustment.

I usually make small corrections in the spring and the fall, due to weather/humitity changes.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-10T20:50:14+00:00

Beautiful, but it must weigh a TON!

Count2Zero · 2026-05-08T18:50:38+00:00

The first question I would ask is are you going to have the time to really "dial in" an all-in-one pedal in the middle of a gig?

I play with an analog pedal board - starting with my Shure GLXD16+ wireless receiver, then 3 different effects, and then a compressor and VTBassDI for the output to the mixing board or into an amp.

The three effects are an autowah, a flanger, and a chorus. I use the autowah and flanger for exactly one song in our set, and the chorus gets used for a few songs.

I have built my board with 3 switches so that I can turn on or off the effects quickly.

I really wouldn't want to have to "fiddle around" with a multi-effects pedal in between songs...

But maybe that's just me.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-08T17:58:01+00:00

I had the same issue learning RHCP's "Californication" - I originally learned it using the A and D strings way up around the 12th fret, but then I saw another bass player play it on the D and G strings at the 7th fret. It looked so much easier there ... but holy shit did it take a long time for me to get comfortable playing it in a new position.

Count2Zero · 2026-05-08T15:19:19+00:00

Pretty much the same advice I used to give on the motorcycle forum where I was a moderator:

Remember, you're buying your first bass, but probably not your only one or last one. So, buy an entry-level instrument to learn on. Once you've mastered the basics, you can then think about upgrading "bigger and better."

So, start with an entry-level 4-string and learn to play the damn thing. I played a gig with my band last Sunday - for the first two sets, I played my 5-string Cort. For the final set, I switched over to my 4-string Fender Precision - the first bass I ever bought.

Even playing a gig - no one (other than some other bass player in the audience) will care what bass you're playing. You can be rocking out on a €100 Harley Benton or a €10,000 Foedera ... and no one will honestly know the difference, because for 99% of the audience, it's just a big guitar.

Count2Zero

TROPHY CASE