Real KLingon Opera

Being both a Sci Fi geek, an opera dork and a musician I have to make as many people as possible aware of this awsomeness.

Bravo my friends Bravo…

http://www.u-theopera.org/about-2

Victor Wooten Vs. Steve Smith

Because all drummers & bass players occasionally need to be made humble.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpoHWtTYelM&feature=fvw

My favorite part is the beginning when Victor drops his cane, gets a serious look on his face then his lightsaber flies into his hand.

Bass in your Face-Not an 8-track… My heavily modified Kramer Baretta

For about 5 years this bass has been the equivalant of a car up on cinderblocks in the front yard; but now is a fully functioning hot rod.

I bought this several years ago while shit faced drunk at 3 am & while in my defense it was only $109. bucks including shipping the bass had some fatal flaws; namely the pickups.

This bass was one of a club of cheap basses where they cram 4 string pickups in a 5 string and hope for the best…  The best didn’t happen, the bass was deaf to the B string.

So a few months ago gregg & I cannibalized the parts and created Mr. shitworthy as notated in the following…

Made a New/Old Bass Yesterday, Introducing Mr. Shitworthy

Still my Kramer Baretta was left unfinished until circumstances allowed it’s renewal.

Now my “Kramerstein” has 2 Carvin soapbar pickups, a Badass V bridge, and glow in the dark knobs.  I strung it with DR Flatwounds so it really sings now.

I currently await a shipment of “Glow in the Dark Googly Eyes” to further customise it; until then here it is.

Pics of that Guitar I found

A continuation from  my earlier post

Found a Classical Guitar Yesterday

Found a Classical Guitar Yesterday

Funniest thing, the instrument gods have been smiling on me lately.

First I finally got my 6 string, then Gregg & I finally have my Kramer 5 string up and running (I’ll post pics & it’s own story when I take them) and yesterday in a trash pile I saw a guitar case so I stopped and lo and behold a beat up but obviously high quality guitar made in spain in the late 50’s.

I got home and tuned it up and even with the ancient dead strings it had a great tone, so with a little love it will really be something.

Is it getting hot in here or is it me?

Positively steamy Bass action…

Courtesy of Talkbass.com

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466087

Don”t make a mess.

New Bass Day SX Ursa 6

Finally got my Ursa six LOVE IT the output was a bit mellow but I had the factory strings on them and I don’t know if all the comments to Kurt at Rondo Music affected anything but they felt great; however I’m sure there will be more zing when I put a set of Ernie Balls on them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I can honestly say I like this bass more than models that cost more than 3X this bass did ($150 plus shipping)
I have to tweak the action a bit but that would require me not playing it for an hour or so that will have to wait…lol..

Between that and the 2 super low end SX Strats I bought for my kids I would Very enthusiastically recommend the brand to anybody.

Aug 24

I’ve really been playing the hell out of my SX 6 and I have to tell you I’m a compulsive “Modder” and I’ve pretty much decided to leave it alone.
Though I prefer higher output pickups a little tweak to mySansAmp gets me all I need without soldering (which is part of my pedal board anyway) and even though I took advantage on a great sale on Carvin pickups (which aren;t wide enough BTW) that I intend to leave in the parts box for some project in the nebulous future.
I A/B’d the output with my MEC equiped Warwick Corvette standard and it was around the same.
The only real Mod I intend is to jazz up the pickguard somehow since I have a neurotic aversion to white pickguards.

Tal Farlow Playing “Misty”

Gut busting virtuosity is rarely so subtle.

Let Hernan Li try this.

Gird your loins, I’m Starting a new Band!

Yesseriee….  Myself and a couple of old friends have decided to dust off our six guns and hit the range again.

It will be interesting to see what 3 middle aged, manic depressive, science fiction fans come up with when we lock ourselves in the studio.

At the moment it’s a power trio though we have some vague ambition of recruiting a female vocalist.

Who knows I might even sing some.

The line up is myself of bass

the inimitable Gregg Leblanc on guitar

and my old buddy and fellow “Restless Spirits” alumni Max Ames on drums.

I’ve been needing this desperately and can hardly wait to get things started this sunday.

Wish us luck.

Sincerely.

Kingbiscuitpants

Some footage from the last Opera Mash Up

The sound quality is lousy but at least the video quality is bad.

I’m the greenish smudge with the hat and the jazz bass to the right of the drum kit, which is a reddish smudge next to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5OUam9uWWw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcKw-uYTivc&feature=related

Here is an older one I stumbled across, it’s far more abstract.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obb1RTiWH4o&feature=related