MFB's 'Other' Instruments

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Some of you are aware that I play the guitar (poorly). Well today, as an early Christmas present, I went halves on a beautiful Yamaha BB414 bass guitar with my parents. We got a good deal too, £30 off for a tiny dent on the back (which I very sharply noticed) which is absolutely insignificant and a soft case, worth £20. It's a beautiful instrument and plays superbly as well as sounding really great. Interestingly, I nearly got lured by a Tanglewood which had really amazing upper-fret access (24 frets too) but didn't sound anything like as good. Sense won and I got the Yamaha.

My other guitars include a 2001 PRS Santana SE (now discontinued, and I've only ever seen one other PRS in this finish, which was a Custom 22) which is another seriously quality instrument and my Freshman Acoustic, which is African Mahogany all around, with a Rosewood fretboard. Another lovely guitar, which punches well above it's weight when compared to some instruments I've heard that are double the price; plus I think it's visually beautiful and a good player.

The amps are a Roland Cube 15 and a Peavey Microbass 20. I got the Microbass years ago as an amp for my electric drumkit, but now it's fulfilling its intended function! The pedal board consists of a Morley Wah (kindly donated by an acquaintance who literally donated it) a Rocktron 'Big Crush' Compressor, an MXR Zakk Wylde Overdrive (great for scooped mids with a gain channel, but a really raunchy and raw 60's/70's tone on clean) and my Ibanez DE7 Digital Delay.

And a three-hundred year old Tibetan singing bowl; which actually belongs to my parents, but it has the most beautiful resonant effect I think I've ever heard.

Phew.

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[punkdrummer1]

might I say, I think playing other intruments then drums makes you a way better musisian. I play a bit of guitar and bass, and well as vocals/screaming. It has made my sense of musicality way better....

[fourstringdrums]

Again, very nice Duncan. Those Yamaha BB's are excellent basses. What bass amp are you running it through?

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Again, very nice Duncan. Those Yamaha BB's are excellent basses. What bass amp are you running it through?

Just a Peavey Microbass 20. It's a useful little practice amp but I know it could do with an upgrade. I've had it lying around for years.

I picked up guitar for exactly that reason punkdrummer, and now I keep falling deeper down the spiral.

[fourstringdrums]

Just a Peavey Microbass 20. It's a useful little practice amp but I know it could do with an upgrade. I've had it lying around for years.

I picked up guitar for exactly that reason punkdrummer, and now I keep falling deeper down the spiral.

I recommend the Ampeg B100R. I had one, fantastic amp. I forget how many watts it was though...150 I think.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

I've just looked it up, the clue is in the name ;-). A LOT of money though, which I don't have. I've got a GAK quote of £510 new, which is a Hell of a lot. I'll bear it in mind though when it does come to upgrading my combo.

[fourstringdrums]

I've just looked it up, the clue is in the name ;-). A LOT of money though, which I don't have. I've got a GAK quote of £510 new, which is a Hell of a lot. I'll bear it in mind though when it does come to upgrading my combo.

You can look for used too. I think I sold mine for half price.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

You can look for used too. I think I sold mine for half price.

When it comes to that time, I will look used no question. Just that new price threw me aback for a minute!

[fijjibo]

Will we be seeing you on a forum called "guitaristworld.com"?

I hope not.....

lol

Nah, seriously, tis a nice collection of gear.

[Mapex589]

MFB....nice gear. That is great that you have the ability to play some other instruments. I play a little, and I do mean a little guitar and that is it. I do own a guitar and amp and I intend to get a bass and bass amp.....not so much for me but my goal is to have all the instuments needed for the occasional impromtu jam session. I like the new bass....enjoy!!

[drummerchick435]

Nice ,Duncan! Like said above playing other instruments are great musically. I had about 2 years of piano before drums, didn't like it at the time so I never practiced but I wish I could go back and take some more piano.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Well it's funny because technically drums aren't even my first instrument. That's singing; I used to do classical singing and was actually getting pretty good at it. My teacher wanted me to follow it as a career path and thought I could have done something with my voice, but the drums were always more fun. Singing was too easy, or at least it felt that way. So now I play the drums, sing, play the guitar and the bass as well as being able to play a little keyboard. I had piano lessons years ago and we actually have a grand piano in the house (my brother's piano - he's seriously, seriously good; I'm the least musical out of the two of us).

I heartily recommend that anybody takes up more than one instrument. Playing the bass feels like a bit of a spiritual home already and it feels comfortable. It's probably the most 'useful' instrument a drummer can play and you can get good gear for relatively little money. I paid around £350 for my entire bass setup and my 'basic' guitar setup in terms of electric (if you don't include the effects) was £310 (granted, the electric guitar was nearly half price; but similar deals can be scored second hand - I just got very lucky). The same price as a cheap drum kit and I like to think that my electric guitar and my bass are both really quality instruments. My acoustic wasn't expensive either, around £200 and that's a lovely guitar. It really inspires self confidence to be able to play more than one instrument, even if you're not particularly good. It also trains your musical ear and it's just plain more interesting!

[LiveGoat]

What's the mortar and pestle looking thing in the pic?

---LG

[That Guy]

What's the mortar and pestle looking thing in the pic?

---LG

Thats a Tibetan singing bowl. You have probably seen them in movies or documentaries based on eastern culture. The bowl is rubbed in a circular motion on the inner or outter rim with the stick (sorry, I don't know the name of that piece) and you get quite an amazing resonant singing sound. They are really cool.

Thats a cool purchase MFB. I wouldn't doubt that the TSB is 300 years old. Do you think making a sound file of it for the members to hear would do it justice? It might not.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

I actually used it the other day for some incidental music for a theatre show I was doing. I've got a recording right here...

In this recording there's some other stuff going on. The long hit and sustain is also the bowl, but the background hum is the bowl's resonant effect.

[Wavelength]

Nice PRS -- I've always had a thing for them. A friend of mine just bought a custom-made hollow-body PRS copy, and it's absolutely fabulous to play.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Nice PRS -- I've always had a thing for them. A friend of mine just bought a custom-made hollow-body PRS copy, and it's absolutely fabulous to play.

It's a very nice guitar. It could do with a setup and intonation and possibly a little fret maintenance (the first fret is showing signs of some wear) but it sounds great and plays nicely. It's not one of the top-end PRS's though. I had a go on a Custom 22 a few weeks ago in a shop (testing out effects pedals) and it was stunningly nice to play, just another level altogether. I got it as my eighteenth birthday present from my parents and we got a stunning deal for it. I always seem to get good deals on my guitars. Bass, acoustic and electric we all got for a discounted price! I want a hollowbody for sure; those are lovely.

[That Guy]

I actually used it the other day for some incidental music for a theatre show I was doing. I've got a recording right here...

In this recording there's some other stuff going on. The long hit and sustain is also the bowl, but the background hum is the bowl's resonant effect.

Ya man, great sound quality. I didn't notice any rim rubbings (that sounds really bad.. lol). That bowl sounds really nice man. Now, you need to get 10 guys with singing bowls and play some rudiments. Alot of sound there.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Ya man, great sound quality. I didn't notice any rim rubbings (that sounds really bad.. lol). That bowl sounds really nice man. Now, you need to get 10 guys with singing bowls and play some rudiments. Alot of sound there.

That's my little project studio in action. I record all sorts of crazy stuff, but most of it is never releasable to the public! There was some 'rim rubbing' in there, it's just layered back; there's about four tracks worth of bowl there! I really think these bowls are the way forward...

[TitanSound]

There was some 'rim rubbing' in there


I had a horrible, horrible mental image there my friend....

I saw this thread at work but for some reason the pictures did not show and I always forgot to post when I got home! Nice gear you have there...our bassist recently bought one of the BB basses...and its a solid instrument.

I have one of this babies.

http://russianrock.net/newsite/School/Images/RBx360.gif

Its a Yamaha RBX360. Bought it when I started college years ago as I needed to play a second instrument.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

The RBX's are supposed to be really nice too. I like the pickup configuration on both the BB and RBX; it's got a bit of everything and it really feels like you can cover both bases. Plus the neck is really nice and the whole thing just feels solid and reliable rather than flashy. I'm really enjoying the bottom-end at the moment. I might try and join a band as a bass player when I'm good enough and I might have a solo acoustic gig soon...