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Thanks @jazzyvee I'll take a look.

Why don't you like 58s. Aren't they still the industry standard? Daryl

I guess I can throw a couple out there. 1.Synth bass pedals 2.Knock off basses 3. 4 hour gigs Daryl

Agreed 100%. Daryl

Mark

There are many things I dislike, but one of the things I like least is irrational prejudices. To which an orchestral musician would say "Bass what? Clarinet, trombone, sax..?".

Yamaha TRB & Ibanez GSR shaped basses. I know they’re probably very good. But they make you look like you’re a beginner and are playing a bass that came in a starter pack.

Oh guys. I'm full of hatred. I'm practically a Bass Palpatine. The Phrase "plays like butter" - seriously, just F*** off. Jazz Funk and the wave of bands that ironically try to make it cool. Vulpeck etc - get right in the bin and put the lid over your head. Sunburst. Expensive P-Basses. They all sound the F***** same. Just buy a CV Squier and be done with it. Pointy Metal basses/Metal-centric brands. Absolute winner is the phrase 'upgraded' to describe modified basses. 99.9% of the time it is not an upgrade either. I want a bass stock, not someone's interpretation of one. Ashdown combos - a youth spent seeing them everywhere has installed some serious aversion. Headstock wraps. The fact I have never been able to find a compressor that sounds anything like Stuart Zender's live compression sound.

The Charvel headstock is longer. I'm not expert but I'm sure Charvels were made in various countries, as are Jackson probably. They certainly had a very wide price range.

Medical costs in the USA are the most frightening thing to me, and many/most Americans.. Unless you are properly rich, you can easily reach the limitations of even the most comprehensive medical insurance, as I'm sure you're well aware, Russ. Brits have never heard the term "co-pay" when they go to the doctors, but every American has. That's all money that won't be available for buying basses ect. We've been spoiled in the U.K by the NHS and the welfare state ect and we take it all for granted. In America it's a much harsher reality for most people. The high cost of living in the States nowadays is hard for me to get my head around, because in the 1980's when I first went it was shocking how much cheaper everyday items were. Groceries, eating out, CDs, clothes ect were much less expensive than in Britain. It was El Dorado. Now they want to charge you just for entering the country and everyone is obsessed with the price of eggs. I remember when if you were British they wanted to give you stuff for free. Life in America seems to have got meaner, in every sense.

Seems like that's the way it is most of the time for me. Of course I can hear my bass and vocals when nobody else is playing. Why don't these sound guys come on stage when your actually into the set with their tablets and chrome books and and check the stage sound then ? Daryl

Mine is, when the strings on any of my basses get old enough to start exhibiting a P- bass type tone. They get a new set fitted. Nothing against that tone but it’s not for me ………yet.

I think Bass Chat has to be the best community for sharing experiences, history and stories. There is apart of me that's a little superficial. I like being shuttled to a stage in a new transport van. I like it when a stranger wants to engage me in conversation just because I was playing on stage with a band. Last week I was recognized by two strangers. Once was at a Foreigner concert, " your that Maple Road guy" and he gave me a thumbs up. The second time was at the local Aldi store and an older women gave me a " Hey Maple Road ". Isn't there a little of this in all of us? Daryl

Did you change the valve’s recently? If you’re maxing out the gain stage maybe there’s a preamp tube issue ?

I left the house band at a weekly pub open mic night after almost 2 years after the volume started creeping up and up especially when another guitarist was sitting in. I mentioned it to them many times about the volume and refused to turn my volume up. Eventually I left when nothing was changing. Not too many weeks after that they lost that gig as also the regulars had been complaining about the volume. Another band took over the spot and they were even louder.

Always on for me, although I need to do a bit more playing around with it since going from a Zoom MS-60B to an MS-60B+.

Old Man Trump — Woody Guthrie

One last (ever) pair: 21 Am PRO II FSR Jazz 21 Am PRO II Precision both in Dark night with Rosewood boards. Picked up the P bass last night - was a swap with my sunburst 06 American Standard S-1 P Bass and a couple of other little bits (so no, I didn't buy it!!!! 😋🤣🤣🤣) Had planned on stopping off at Bass Centre in Melbourne, as we had a long layover on the way back to the land down under-er (after visiting the motherland last week) but a jetlagged missus and a very tired and dangerously-bored 3yr old did not make for happy travel mates, so had to skip it in the end. Just as well because they were having a clear out on some lovely Fender goodies, including a gorgeous and long-coveted Dark Night P (which was efffffin cheap too!). There was also a brand new Adam Clayton Jazz there for a used bass price 🤤🤤🤤 But as it happened, a really cool bloke in the same neck of the woods as me happened to want to downgrade from his AM PRO II DN P Bass around the same time. Worked out a trade deal on the 06 P Bass over messenger and boom - I'm now set for life bass-wise, I didn't buy any basses like I had previously promised AND the credit card was not cut up after the holiday! We all win. Or so I told the better half! 🤣🤣 PS -yes, the plastic is coming off the Jazz this evening!

I have a Kam PAR bar which doesn't get used as I already have to set up the PA and my bass gear, and putting up the lights as well just got too much. I supplied the drummer with four LED PAR cans which just get laid flat on the floor pointing up (thus relieving me of a job).

I’d suggest checking out jimmy Johnson’s bass playing on youtube he plays with a really narrow string spacing and straight fingers. You may pick up some tips there. I will search some videos and post here if i find some close ups.

I’ve turned 65 this year and been playing in bands on and off since the mid 70’s mainly as a guitarist but eventually my bass calling pulled me into the deep side and now 99% of my gigs are on bass. Although i get paid for gigs I never do it just for the money and over the years i’ve done many gigs where i was not into the music, or it was a non paying gig, or helping out a friend, but enjoyed the opportunity to play something different. I still have that burning desire to become a better player, especially when it comes to jazz, so as long as that desire continues so will I. It also helps that i’ve managed to acquire both the dream bass and dream guitar i wanted since the beginning of my gigging life to gig with. Shallow maybe but it does increase my level of enjoyment. 👍🏾😁🥳