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Spector Performer 4 Classic
by Conzilla
I've owned one of these since last christmas, I've owned a lot of basses and this one is by far my favourite of the bunch. Upon first putting it on I noticed it was a bit smaller than most other basses I've played but the sustain on it was still as amazing if not better than the rest.
The neck is a bit chunky but equally fast ... and the higher frets are easily accessed with the contours around the neck/body joint. The EMG-SSD pickups give a nice punchy sound with a little more midrange than standard EMG pickups.
This bass is an entry level Spector model and while I have compared this to higher end Spectors, this bass definitely lives up to its name, it certainly is a Performer! Unlike the higher end Spectors, the edges of the bass are not curved which makes it feel chunky and a bit less ergonomic than say a Euro series or NS but you get what you pay for, which is a high quality instrument.
I'd recommend it to players of any skill level and I hope mine stays with me for years to come, so far over the past year its served me well and hasn't let me down once!
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Gibson Acoustic Guitars
by simoncardwell
I've played guitar for over 12 years & the first songs I ever learnt were on acoustic guitar ('Ticket To Ride' by the Beatles & 'Live Forever' by Oasis if you're interested). I gradually upgraded the quality of guitar I owned & by the time I got my 3rd acoustic guitar I got a Gibson.
I'm very lucky in that the ... guitar I own is an original 1959 Gibson Country & Western model, it's a rare model that was only made from 1953 to 1959. I wouldn't swap it for any other acoustic guitar in the world & I'm not yet convinced there is a better guitar out there. It's been used on sessions for bands & songwriters & never fails to get compliments. When I take it into a guitar shop for any reason it often ends up with a crowd of staff admiring it.
Some of the more famous Gibson acoustics such as the Hummingbird or the J45 are quite heavy acoustic guitars with large bodies, mine however is feather light & is the perfect instrument for strumming. I bought the guitar in Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York in 2005, the staff told me if I could get any guitar to get this one, and the owner even came in to meet me when I bought it.
As far as what it will cost to get a Gibson acoustic, the price can range from anywhere from about £700 for the cheaper models up to thousands for the top level guitars. For a vintage model you could pay anything between £2000-5000, maybe more, depending upon when it was made & the condition.
There are other rivals at the top end of the acoustic guitar market, specifically Takamine or Martin (probably regarded as generally the best acoustic guitars), but different guitars play differently & all brands have their advantages & disadvantages. But any kind of Gibson acoustic guitar is going to be a top level instrument. I find the older ones to be better, they have a build quality that the newer models lack, originally each guitar was built individually, now I think it is much more of a production line type operation, as a lot more guitars are made now than previously, so I think quality does take a bit of a hit there I think.
These guitars sound better with age in my opinion, & once you've got one it will last you for life.
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Fender Precision Bass
by danny93
The Fender Precision Bass MIM (Made in Mexico - the cheaper of the Fender range) was my first expensive bass and before trying it out in the shop I was very sceptical of expensive instruments being noticeably superior to mid and low range guitars. After trying several Squier Precisions I thought I'd give the Fenders a go, just to see if ... there was a difference. Turns out there is... quite a large one!
The pickups gives a much bassier growl than the squiers and there are some obvious improvements to the aesthetics, particularly on the scratch plate and machine heads. The Precision was the first mass produced electric bass and is a classic design, with a single pickup - making it easier to find the perfect tone when compared to dual pickups like those found in the Jazz bass.
For those looking for a first bass, maybe switching from guitar I would highly reccomend this instrument. However, it may also be worth checking out the Fender Jazz bass, particularly if you have smaller hands (the jazz bass neck is thinner), are in a three-piece band (many believe the Jazz cuts through the mix better in smaller bands) or want to find a wider variety of tones, as the Precision has just the one volume and tone control, whereas the Jazz has two pickup controllers and a master tone.
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