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I’ve just ordered some, will report back.

Nice rig! My teenage wishlist was a TE rig (very similar to yours) but with a Corvette instead of a Streamer. These days it’s Ampeg and Fretless Jazz, but I’ve always wondered…

And for size comparison: next to a Sire U5 short scale fretless. This is one dinky medium scale bass!

Richard Henry has posted what appears to be a very nice clean looking '72 Precision tonight. I've known Richard for more than 30 years, and in my opinion, he is one of the good guys. I'm going to let one of you guys enquire on the price.... https://www.instagram.com/richardhenryguitars?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=NDd5bHgxbnZ3MzJu

Sorry, now gone. Cheers

I dep regularly for various bands on both bass and drums (not at the same time!). I usually get whatever the regular guy gets - occasionally if I’ve had to travel further I might get a contribution to petrol, but that’s about it. Most of mine are covers bands so getting the tunes down is reasonably straightforward. Most bands I play with want at least one run through because they all do the standard covers band tunes in a different way. For example, one used backing tracks but the versions were different to the originals, so had I just been going straight in, that would have been quite the shock. I don’t generally want lots of rehearsals though - that’s mainly why I like depping so much. I’m not a pro by any standard, but I’m reasonably capable and reliable, and that’s what’s got me regular dep gigs.

Deps are common place in the function world but you’re looking at players used to individual fees of £200-300 (or more). I don’t know any decent players who would look at a 30 song set for £80 as a one-off, I certainly wouldn’t. But for a friend where there is potential for repeat local work etc you might have a chance of attracting someone.

Eventually managed to shrink this to less than 175 KB.

Well that was interesting! A quiet rehearsal! A drummer I haven't met before who put a towel over the snare. I got to refine my basslines for about eight originals. We jammed a few things, including me and the guitarist (Daz the daffodil) trying to play and sing Child in Time 😱 Aside from that, quite a chilled evening. I even had go with a pick.* *It seems no-one calls them plectrums any more.

Yeah !!!

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Wigs.

Tonight, despite being in a good room and my eq virtually flat, my jazz sounded lifeless. It was only 2/3 of the way through the rehearsal I realised that I had tried the tones off, neck pickup backed off a bit reggae sound before we started. I'd reset my volumes but not the tones... Anyway... it's originals and for one song I needed inspiration and a more aggressive sound. I found both with a pick. The changed sound inspired me to a much better bassline.

Have replaced the pick ups? A Squier p bass I had had a dreadful buzz. I shielded it, changed the pots and wiring. No change. Changed the pick ups eliminated 99% of the hum/buzz.

As in money you mean? I don’t think there’s an absolute answer to this in the same way that I couldn’t say “how much would you do a gig for?” For me depping comes down to whether I can make it work with the rest of my life/gigs/work/ other commitments as much as anything else. It might involve other factors too - like whether the gig is close or far away, whether it’s a gig/venue with a decent reputation, how much notice they’ve got to learn the set etc and whether the dep is actually mates with the band or if it’s just work etc. I agree with the comment about having a run through. I’ve never rehearsed with any of the bands I dep with - it’s another time commitment and expense that might put off busy musicians. I’ve just learned my stuff at home and at most just run thru any unclear or difficult bits in the soundcheck. I wonder if the focus on “a pro player” is making things more difficult. There’s a lot of professional standard players who are still mostly combining music with other work, and depping might work for them.

Was Asked to play bass behind two acoustic guitarists tonight. They fist-bumped me (afterwards) so it probably wasn’t terrible (thanks god for lending some talent) was aiming for a dark jazz bass sound but sounded disconcertingly toppy through PA - more playing around needed sire v7 5 in passive, mostly front, middle tone control

I have an SB14 which has been converted to fretless. It came with and still has the switch

Nice She’s quite good at double bass. also Kate Davis and post modern jukebox

My old SB14 had the switch

Wet Wet Vet

The Birdie Song - The Tweets

Rolf Alice Frank Ferdinand Meth Gibbons

The old SB14s (the original Sterling series) were very close to the US Sterlings - all they were missing was the coil selector switch. I'm actually still looking for a CAR one! Most MM replacement pickups are made to replicate the Stingray pickup - the Sterling pickup is more like a 4-string version of the pickup in the Stingray 5, with alnico magnets and a phantom noise-cancelling coil. Delano do an alnico MM pickup that'd probably a closer match to the Sterling than the Nordstrand. As for a replacement EQ, the Retrovibe one gets very close to the original Stingray preamp and it's stupid cheap. I'd actually leave the stock circuit alone as it's close enough to the original and maybe just upgrade the pickup.

That's really helpful, thanks 😁