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If if happens with the preamp switched out it is NOT a problem with the preamp as the circuit as drawn abovd totally isolates it. If there's a dc voltage on the output jack with the preamp switched out, then possibly it's an earth fault or maybe a partial short from the battery connection to the signal on the jack socket.

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zep

In so many ways this is an exact reflection of some of the graphic design jobs I have worked on. Even when the client thinks they want something new and different a lot of the time they finally decide that what they really wanted was what they already had. I once worked on what was supposed to be a major packaging redesign of a range of crisps for a well-know manufacturer of said products. For several months various options did the rounds, but what finally went into production was so similar to their previous bags that unless you placed the old and new ones side-by-side most people wouldn't have even noticed they had changed. Some of my colleague were despairing about the situation and ranting at every opportunity. I just smiled, did what I was asked knowing that every revision back to something that looked more like the original design was a couple more hours pay for me.

Ah yes, I forget the grey - that Sterling looks fantastic!

And Graphite, which is a really nice silver grey that works very well with the texture as well as with the black neck and pickguard: I honestly think the SUB line is about the least aesthetically pleasing thing to ever leave San Luis Obispo but if one can look past that, they are fantastic. Also, being face to face with these really helped me appreciate their utilitarian approach - you won’t ever spend a second thought on dings & scratches with this finish. As I personally seem to have quite a thing for Sterlings-without-contours (I have accumulated three over the past 11 months), my SUB certainly did scratch the itch and kept me from buying a third Classic Sterling. And while prices are indeed starting to get into stupid territory, you simply won’t get a better deal on a US Music Man (I paid 800€ for the one above because I wanted the rarer Sterling in this colour specifically and it was in excellent condition. Around here, 600-700€ seems to be standard for a well-worn SUB Stingray). Even cooler if you’re into the Classic line - surprising, really, how there’s a budget friendly alternative to these rare birds. Also, I saw somewhere on here an example of a stripped neck with an intact black "matching headstock" (front) and found that to have been a rather great call:

This. Get an in. Keep doing them well and it just gets legs. Before you know it the diary starts filling up. I’ve also seen quite a few posts on social media advertising availability. Not done that myself, but it could be a start.

I don’t. I get asked to play the set that they want played. I don’t get a say in it. I wasn’t expecting everything to be dropped a step, to be playing with a dep singer, to be learning three new songs in a day (I know it’s a few days until Saturday, but I only have one day free that I’ll be able to do it and refresh on the others I haven’t played for a while) or to be playing to a rammed club celebrating their 50th anniversary (I’ve played there before and it’s not usually that busy). As a dep you have to roll with it or stop doing it. The set content doesn't bother me at all. If that’s what they want, I’m happy to go with it. I do find it very odd that bands still play Long Train Running, Sweet Home Alabama, All Right Now, Play That Funky Music. The other more recent ones like Sex on Fire I kinda get, but I would not lose a moments sleep if I never Long Train and Funky ever again.

My EMGs are about 1mm from the string. I've got a Smoothhound and a Line 6 G70 and neither of them distort the wireless. The G70 has a gain control on the output / receiver going to the next things in the the signal path but the Smoothhound does not. Neither has a gain control on the transmitter to receiver. The Smoothhound was very cheap, the G70 was not. Are you sure it's the wireless and not something later in the chain?

At first I was depping for a band I used to play in - I knew the guys, even the bass player that replaced me. That was easy as the set hadn't changed and effectively I was just playing in 'my' band. But recently, they've started coming from an ex bandmate and I've had four in quick succession as a result of two recommendations from him. I don't go looking for them as up until recently I haven't felt competent enough to do them.

I have spent a short time this morning playing some mid to late 70's Fender p basses. On both the controls were "backwards" i.e. the volume pot worked in the opposite direction to how it works on a modern bass. I assume this is correct as it was on both the basses I tried and that's just how it was back then? Both sounded lovely and felt incredible.

Jacob's Ladder - Rush

One of the drummers with whom I often work, is not just a great musician but also has a great ear. He and I share a liking for similar sounds. So when I hit 'that' sound, the one I really love, and I glance over and he's clearly hearing it too, I take notice. These moments always seem to happen when I use a 1x15 cab and a big old style head. The last time this happened I had bypassed the complexities of the preamp and used a simple preamp pedal instead. The Joyo series is my favourite for this. American Sound, Californian Sound, Oxford Sound - they're all great. I was pondering why this should be. The conclusion was that the bottom end is less big and booming - these are after all g****r pedals - and the mids seem tighter, more pronounced. All of which is to say the sound sits better in the mix. None of the above applies in my reggae band mind.

Maybe for some, but sadly not for me, which is why today my 112 cabs weigh 10kg each, and I often use a trolley.

Played a 60th birthday party on Saturday at the Baines Hall at Elland Cricket Club. We'd been brought in as a replacement for the band originally booked who became unavailable, and who for some time have been trying to get us to fulfil gigs they can't but this was the first time it had happened. Absolutely pissed it down all evening, so got drenched loading in and loading out. I also made the mistake of being set up first which led to other band members dumping things on the (fortunately quite well padded!) gig bag containing my spare bass! I used the Sire - Elf - Two10S setup again, but it didn't sound particularly great, probably not helped by the hardwood floor throughout making the place really boomy, or by the fact that the Sire desparately needs a string change. It didn't sound bad, especially when the full band was playing, but when I was on my own then it was definitely noticeable (by me) that it didn't sound ideal. I also had the amp cut out during the first song, but a quick reduction in gain and increase in volume, together with a conscious effort to play lighter, solved the problem and there were no further issues. I had cut the pad on my left ring finger a few days prior to the gig - not a deep cut but given the aforementioned filthy strings I didn't want to get anything nasty in it, so I had to play in a plaster. That didn't cause any issues fortunately, except when I had to slide using that finger and found myself a fret higher than I'd intended to, and towards the end when it started to come off my fingers would stick together which made me really have to concentrate. We didn't expect to have much audience interaction, and apart from a dad and his two young kids, and a young woman in very sparkly trousers, we had no dancers until about three songs from the end when there were a good twenty people up and cheering. No encore and the fastest teardown I think I've ever had, and I was home for 11. Shoes were a pair of very wet brown Clarks ones that need a bit of attention now. We've a couple of months off now until our next gig in September, so plenty of time for string changes and learning new songs.

This got me through a gig at the weekend. Really enjoying the freedom of not tweaking things all the time. I was worried that going for multi effects was becoming too time consuming, as I was playing with it more than I was actually playing at home, but at rehearsals and gigs its the opposite, just set and forget. I could tweak if needed but as it's more hassle I didnt. I used the pedals footswitch as a mute/tuner, everything else done on the controller. This shot was taken at home, we down play carpeted stages 😉

Where do people find dep gigs?

@Rayman I was similar. Virtually all my fave bassists played Precisions - Burnel, Foxton, Matlock, Simenon, Deacon - and for years I tried to get the sound I wanted from various different types/brands of bass. Then I bought a Precision and suddenly there was the sound.

I get that some can'/won't do this, but IMO we should all be able to separate work from play and, if we do it properly, enjoy both. I depped for a cover band on Saturday and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. The set, band, venue and audience made it a great night. On Thursday I'm gigging with my old fashioned R&B / Rock n Roll/ Ska band. It not really my thing but I expect everyone to be dancing and having a good night, so I will too. Saturday is a dep with a pickup band and, as yet, I have no idea what songs we will be playing. I'll probably find out when we get to the gig!! The jury is out on this one! Sunday is my regular Blues Band. That will be a good evening with an appreciative audience, sitting and listening. Variety and good players keeps it interesting, a happy audience and getting paid makes it worthwhile.

Hiya, Im looking to replace the rattly machine heads on a bitsa bass I have. Can anyone with a standard MIM fender bass tell me the measurements /spacing between the screw holes etc? I can’t find that info online and I don’t have one to hand to measure myself. Ideally the spacing between each of the top and bottom holes, and their distance apart along the length of the machine head base plate would be handy. cheers Chris

Despite what we may think, we rarely buy the best tool for the job, which is why Fender are where they are and G&L are where they are