The Bear Jew Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Yeah, I'm not saying that every musician needs to go "over the top" with an image and wear something wild and crazy, but I DO think performers should consider their appearance (and their instrument's appearance) before they play for an audience. For example, I always thought Helmet had a cool image. They all wore polo shirts and jeans and were totally clean cut overall. Then they got onstage and sounded like an edgy, post-punk, Lower East Side NYC band. It was great. They looked like accountants on a golf trip gone completely nuts. More importantly, they all were on the same page. They looked very different from the way they sounded, and I'm sure they were aware of this. They made it work for them. That's what I'm talking about -- being aware of your appearance and the way it relates to your music. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbloke Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Interesting. My basses (in order of preference Lakland 5, Yamaha Nathan East, Wal Custom 4) are good-looking basses IMO. But oddly I don't think they have a positive "image". Normally I play in situations where it doesn't matter - I just want the most playable, best-sounding instrument I can afford. But at the moment I'm rehearsing with an electronica project where the idea of a good "image" bass would definitely be a retro look - definitely not 5 strings and preferably a Fender. Also the lines tend to be very simple, so I don't need the most playable instrument. Modern 5 string basses seem to have an image of "serious muso who's more likely to be obsessesd by technique than being creative". Absolute rubbish, of course, but if someone came along and offered to trade a half-decent Fender for my Wal I'd be tempted to use it with this band. Bassbloke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Originally posted by matt C: .... No one wants to go see four or five regular old guys playing their instruments (in any context you might take that remark in).Ouch !! You described my band. But for now, that fits our image. We play 60s/70s covers like the Allman Bros, Doors, etc. Back then, most of those guys wore tshirts and jeans (the Allmans still do). So it fits us. No big coordinated look, little stage show. And our friends that come to see us like it that way. Which is fine, because that's as far as we're going - by our choice. I like a coordinated look and a smooth show. I'm of the opinion that the bass (guitar, keyboard, etc.) should have more flexibility. If the overall look is good, and you put on the right show, I don't know if it matters if you're playing a P or a J or whatever. Yeah, I wouldn't put some of those Warlock basses in church, but I think the quality of the show counts most. But I play in an old man band (my daughter's term), so what do I know? Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc taz Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Originally posted by Bumpcity: Image is nothing. The instrument that you play should be the one that you feel most comfortable with or what have you. If you're interested in how you look while playing... yeah, odds are, you've got your priorities in the wrong place. Thank you, drive through.Absolutely! I'm fairly sure my basses look great whether I'm playing jazz, thrash or disco... been there, done them, I don't really care. I just live to PLAY. ...well, okay, I do dress properly for the gig, but still, my basses have been through everything I can dish out, and in the end... sevenstring.org profile my flickr page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shex Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 i play a bc rich beast that i got imported from america... yeah image matters to me. - roses on your breath but graveyards on your soul - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Hell, I always liked John Fogerty in his flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jeans, and brogans. He looked like he just came in from splitting firewood or patching the fence or something. He certainly is the workin' man's rock star. "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Well, one should always dress the part when playing in a band. When I played in a swing band, I wore a pinstripe suit, fedora, two tone shoes, vintage ties...the whole deal. I even slicked my hair back (Groom and Clean is some NASTY stuff! Yuck! ). Playing rock gigs, I often wear what I wear on the street when I'm going out (bowling shirt and jeans). Seems to go over well. As far as instruments are concerned, image should come second to playability, but image certainly had something to do with me buying this: http://www.benloy.com/bengrundy.jpg Image is indeed something...I have some issues with bands having full makeovers and physical trainer-assisted chiseled physiques soon after being signed, but I hesitate to say I would refuse such a move if one of the groups I play in got signed...what is this, art or money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Dang it, Ben, that is SUCH a nice bass! You're pretty open-handed about posting pix of it too...keep 'em coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 What is that bass, Ben? I didn't know there was a Music Man model without beveled edges. Yours looks great. I put a clear pickguard on my MusicMan Sterling. http://home.jps.net/~jeremy/basses.jpg My collection has changed a little since the picture was taken. Instead of the Zon 6 string, I now have a Carvin six, a Lull M4V and an Ashbory. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Originally posted by jeremyc: My collection has changed a little since the picture was taken. Instead of the Zon 6 string, I now have a Carvin six, a Lull M4V and an Ashbory.How do you like that Ashbory, Jeremy? I was looking at them the other day, and thought it would be a cool addition... does it play/sound good? With such a small scale neck I would think it would be hard to get used to... DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 The Ashbory is fun to play and has a unique sound. It took me a few weeks to get used to the scale. I use it mostly as a travel bass these days, although sometimes I bring it to a gig just to shake things up. It always turns a lot of heads. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cup Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Benloy, I simply LOVE that bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Jeremy, check out some similar items here (& a bit of a scoop): http://www.basscentral.com/musicman/ltd.htm Love your Sterling, btw--it's just like mine!! Except you've got that cool clear pickguard...damn you!!! Great bass, ain't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Holy crap... I just saw the black-on-black-on-black Sterling there. Amazing. I think I'm in love. However, it's $2500, so it's not really a consideration, even if I liked MM basses. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 I'm sorry, Tom, I never meant to point out anyone in particular. In retrospect, knowing what little I do of your band's berformances, I could see how that image could fit you. Once again, the close-mindedness of my own particular scene overwhelmed my sense of the entire musical picture. Of course, I'm sure that a part of your image is that you communicate and play well with the others members of your (somewhat) expansive group. I have played with enough groups who consist of little more than 4 or 5 guys onstage, each in their owl little world, each playing their own parts in time with each other. No communication, no coordination (fashion-wise or musically), no fun to watch. How you look is an important part of your image, but so is the way you conduct yourself ostage. I'd go out on a limb and say that the latter is the most important part of the image. ...think funky thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 CMDN--well, my local dealer hinted that he could probably get me one for about half that...they show up on eBay etc., so if you like, you can probably save a lot. Might even ask Bass Central what deal they could give, since they seem to have very reasonable prices generally. And come on over, into the MM light... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Hmmmm... DCR, that IS tempting. However, I know I can't justify that kind of purchase. I love my stock American P-bass. I can play the #5 Jazz whenever I need it. And I had a MM for a year, but sold it 'cause I wanted a more "classic" sound. Plus, my wife would kill me. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 The Stingray is a 20th anniversary model that Ernie Ball put out 1996. It's basically the same as a stock stingray with the exception of the flame maple top and neck. I love it. I put a Bartolini in forever affected its collector's value, but so what. It sounds better now...it's got more of that low-mid punch that I was envious of circa-70s Stingray owners for... Jeremy C, I'm curious about your selling of the Zon Sonus 6 back there in the picture. Did it not cut in an ensemble like you were hoping for, or did the graphite sound a bit cold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 It turned out that I really didn't like playing a graphite bass. I couldn't get the warm sound that I was looking for. There were also feel issues....the graphite neck felt different...somehow it felt a different temperature and not as comfortable as my other basses. One of the reasons for graphite is supposed to be their stability, but in temperature-changing conditions, I found that my bass needed tuning more than a wooden bass, not less. I've had people say that that could not be true, but I am just reporting my personal experience. I often play outside here in Northern California. When the sun sets, it can easily drop 20 degrees. This makes the whole band out of tune the whole time. When the sun is out, the string instruments go flat and the horns go sharp, and when the sun sets and the wind picks up, the strings go sharp and horns go flat. Finally, I decided that I would rather have several basses rather than on $2700 bass....especially since a six string will never be my main bass. And I got a tremendous internet price on the Carvin 6. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Originally posted by CMDN: Plus, my wife would kill me.And all god's Bassplayers said: "AMEN!!!" Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Originally posted by matt C: I'm sorry, Tom, I never meant to point out anyone in particular...I know that. It was a chance for me to point out that peoples' circumstances and expectations have to match up. My band matches with our audience. We'd be pummeled into doormats if we were on the bill with CMDN. And that's fine. We play pretty well, and there is some communication (the keyboardist, like many, tends to keep his head down, but he's learning). Our biggest problem is that it's hard for us to get together - we could be much better. For us, that's just the way it is. FWIW, when I play in my Christian theatre troup, I wear all black and my dark red bass fits in. While there are no real "rules" for this group, a white bass would probably stand out a bit, and black blends into the background. One of the guys that plays with us at times has a '73 P sunburst, and it's low-key enough to not stand out. MattC - no worries Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Tom's right, and, dammit, he's expressed it more succinctly than I could've. Performers should strive to meet (and hopefully exceed) their audiences' expectations at shows. Dead on. And yes, Thomas, you WOULD be pummeled into doormats. But I mean that in the best possible way. Bite me. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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