Much as I liked the sound, the hassles I had with the Slim Phatty’s supplier just put me off owning it. That and I had to be honest and say I wasn’t in love with it as a usable instrument alongside Reason 7. The shop were very kind and let me swap for a shiny new Novation Bass Station II.
Now I have to start by being really honest and saying I really didn’t like the first Bass Station – at all. A friend had one and honestly I thought that most of the time it sounded like cardboard. I never really got how popular they were. I guess it was just timing and good product placement as it seemed everyone was 303-crazy in the mid-90’s and prices for real TBs were going mental; so in stepped Novation… Good call.
Skip forward some decades and I saw this thing coming but had no interest as I figured it would be basically the same instrument. How wrong was I, this thing is a totally charming and very versatile little fellow who has something for everybody under the hood.
I just finished the Measured Spaces album so writing more music isn’t high on my list right now. It was always the plan to re-voice Abandoned Space Station with the Slim Phatty but that didn’t happen so this seemed a great way to get my head around my new toy.
It is really a joy to make sounds on this new Bass Station, it’s like they just flow off this synth with a few knob twists. I think this deserves to be a real classic, especially as a 1st synth or extra lead-liner.
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08 November 2013 Update: I sold Bassie! Now don’t get me wrong I still think BSII a superb instrument and whilst showing the fellow who brought it how it worked kept thinking I was stupid for letting it go. BUT I know myself and I wasn’t going to actually use the hardware when I have become so spoiled by software. Bass Station II is clearly a better sound than Thor – lovely filter – but if it’s just going to gather dust then that isn’t right. Bassie has a new owner and will be loved (much to the disgust of First Wife no doubt).
Very cool. Keep us posted. 🙂