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I joined a start-up band which went through a couple of personnel changes but the singer - new to bands but actually a good front man - was becoming increasingly difficult. LVS struck deep - he'd had a few promotions at work and started to believe his own PR, treating the rest of the band as lackies. It came to a head at a birthday gig we did. It is well known amongst my friends that I get grumpy if I don't eat regularly. This gig he said we were to help ourselves to the buffet before we started. Kick off time was raidly approaching, no sign of buffet. He lied, said no mention of buffet had ever been made, I got cross and we ended up having a nose to nose just before going on. I may have said a few things about his attitude and, as I recall, finished up threatening to throw him off the fire escape. Never a realistic prospect, what with my bad back and his obesity but there you go. Immediately afterwards he said I had to go, the band fell in with that so I got sacked. They didn't find another bassist. Shortly afterwards the singer left as his wife had a baby, they asked me back, we got another singer. But it was never the same, really.

Yep this is all true. I actually have a Mexican Player Plus Jazz V bought used from The Gallery earlier this year modified with an onboard Sadowsky preamp. I'm not a Fender fanboy but I really like this particular one.

Get a wireless mic adapter. Solved the problem for me. No chance of current running through cables to the mic. We have a 2 wire negative earth system here in Bulgaria and I wouldn't trust putting my body parts anywhere near it. Fully wireless for the bass and mic.

They had a nice sound as well. Very clean. I've never heard of them, though. I am old.

I think it applies to every mainstream mass produced instrument maker. Yes, sometimes there's the odd standout 'tryhard' like Sire who really make their mark, but if you can, you should try before you buy with anything mass produced. I must admit, I've been very lucky with both Squiers and Fenders over the years. The Mexican stuff from the Ensenada factory in particular has been very impressive over the last few years.

Thank you Geek99. I'm getting online lessons on BassBuzz. Moving along steadily.

That applies to Fender rather than Squier in my experience. I've had several of each. It's to the point where I don't understand the immense price difference between the two brands.

The first photo was around 1983 when I was posing for a photo student friend, trying to copy a Stanley clarke album cover pose. I've never been a smoker and didn't enjoy puffing that cigar. In recent years I found that same bass listed on a French web site and resisting buying it. I was a guitarist back then, the bass was really an impulse swap when I tried to sell my Laney Klipp guitar head to a small second hand guitar shop. The more recent was taken at a gig where i was depping for a Bob Marley Tribute band.

Ah shame. I have a stand that I could let you have that would probably work for you.

I'm back from a week at music summer school near Stafford. This year I'd signed up for a different set of classes to the past. I did conducting, solo singing, string orchestra, chamber orchestra, and choir. I even managed to overcome my dread/fear of singing solo in public and sang in the solo singing recital. I chose "Where'er you walk" by Handel. The YT video is sung by a counter tenor, so an octave higher than I sang it. The venue is a grand country pile which is now used to run arts activities, mostly for schools.

Yamaha is never a gamble at this price bracket, absolutely solid. The squier choir conveniently forget to mention how lucky you have to be to find a good one.

People didn’t really bring cameras to gigs in the 80s so my earliest band pics are of us stood around smoking cigarettes, thinking we were a bit edgy! The earliest live pic I can find is on tour with SkinTrade in the early 90s at The Old Angel in Nottingham. That P bass did all my early gigs, as did that awful (& heavy Peavey combo). And bringing the world into colour, with Deadlight Dance in Salisbury back in April. I’m back to having basses / kit that isn’t sold on so quickly. However, now I have a handful of decent basses and both quality amp and ampless setups.

Annie, I'm Knot Your Daddy - Kid Creole and The Coconuts

Thanks a lot @AndyTravis

First around 1977-78 Jedson short scale catalogue special, photo taken in my bedroom (I was probably playing through the family stereo using the old trick of the microphone input and putting the tape deck in record and pause). Second one June 2025, playing my Boosey Hawkes Excelsior double bass, no amp, EBS Stanley Clarke preamp straight to FOH with in-ear monitors.

Thanks for the info. I live in Saffron Walden,Essex.

For you, Headless, of course!!! some more oil today….

2009 - my first gig with my first originals band Panda Eyes, at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen. 28/06/2025 - Me disproving Thunderbird neck dive theory at Maud Football Club with Nine Lives.