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Hello from South Wales, and welcome to BassChat 😀

Yep as already suggested, competence breeds confidence. Know ur material inside out, dont be looking at the others for cues.... My first gig at 18 was in a dingey basement night club, a terrifying experience. And as we emptied the dance floor we knew we were doomed. My anxiety got the better of me and I screwed up big time cause I didnt know the tunes well enough. You'll also be shocked how weird it may sound on stage with the full band in swing. But that's where total familiarity with your material is key. Good luck.

Mad Sounds - Arctic Monkeys

Your photos sent me back in time to my first "proper" bass rig of 1968. I had the same Selmer T'n B 50 and matching Goliath cab with the rounded corners. It sounded absolutely superb to me. The T'n B amp is very collectable and appears in great condition for its age. Definitely worth having it repaired by an experienced tech and then selling on. Both the Goliath cabs could be of interest to 60's rock tribute bands. Fitting a modern neo 18ins driver and a tweak to the port length would be just right for getting back into giving great service to the right bassist. Congratulations on a fantastic find. (I still have a Selmer T'n B 50 V2 and I would love to take the rounded corner Goliath off you but the divorce costs would be too high 🤣)

Hi TIm, Agreed. I think you're arguing the same points as me, but probably in a more succinct way. The problem with potential differences between ground planes on different sockets in a room is usually that they are not commonly earthed, or the connection for one is not as good as the other or is not there at all. In my example you quoted, I assumed it was his amp/guitar setup as we had a multitude of guitarists using the same setup in that venue without issue. We kept the doctored cable marked up on a peg in our office, but don't think we ever used it again (probably until he came back the next year).

I put a bitsa together a few years ago and bought a MIM roasted maple Jazz neck from Fender and it was sublime. Everyone who has played it has commented on how slick and comfy it is. The fretwork was top-notch and it looked gorgous too. Going by that I'd have no worries getting a MIM bass in the future, but the USA hardware is very nice - the tuners and bridge on the USA Pro range feels lovely in the hand.

Peavey has used those VFL pickups for some time. Vertical Flux Loading or something like that. @kodiakblair sure has more knowledge on those, too.

Bravo, @Chiliwailer, you're getting good at this 😁

A lot of it is down to who you know. Teed Up have had the advantage of contacts that Steve, Ray and I have built up over the years. That said, many of these venues have long since disappeared. The more established venues seem to deal with the same nucleus of people, and so you get the same old faces appearing at festivals. You could try wearing a hat and walking on the tables. Seems to work for one act!! Europe is the place to go, for sure. Teed Up have played over there a good few times and the gigs there are pretty much alwas better. As long as you travel with your gear there are no restriction, as seemed at first. Of course, how do you break into that market? It's a tricky one. I would love to have the contact details of any agent in the UK. I don't know of any (feel free to PM with any anybody knows!!). Having something you can send out is always going to be useful. We recorded a CD a while back, and a live one is in the final stages of production (the new XR18 makes the process of recording simple). There's always Monica at Boogaloo. They do a good weekend and you are well looked after. She'll let you know what's needed. Some expectation of a crowd would help, of course.

Before you go on stage try this: https://www.calm.com/blog/5-4-3-2-1-a-simple-exercise-to-calm-the-mind It’s a really useful way to keep you grounded and in the moment.

There is a perceived deficit between Mexican and US/MIJ that I feel is more historical. My 2021 Player Plus Jazz V tells me the gap doesn't really exist like it used to if at all-and I've owned several US made Fenders in the past 🙂

Morning Log. A welcome to you from a rainy UK.

Go Neep, go! Looking more than good to me.

Spent a bit of time fettling everything yesterday. I'm a bit annoyed with myself that I forgot to check the truss rod (the neck was straight when I got it, just assumed it was tensioned). Neck needed a tiny shim - literally a 1cm x 5cm sliver of sandpaper required at the back of the pocket was enough. Nut slots needed a bit of filing. Action at the octave is down to just under 2mm on the E and 1.5mm on the G, which is decent.

Aheads up that Supro and gretsch are now up for sale

Is this in reference to a SR5 in particular? I've noticed the used prices of them (pre Stingray Special) has jumped up quite a bit.

This is very wise indeed. I shall give this suggestion a very big think. The great thing is I'd see how I felt when the bass isn't with me any longer. If I don't actually miss it then we will have an answer. Good call.