Leaderboard

Ok so my GK MB112II combo is loud. Weirdly loud for such a small unit. But when I’ve taken it out the house it’s too small to be able to hear it properly as it’s firing along the floor. So I bought an amp stand. Which didn’t work as it was designed for a guitar amp which is shallower. There might be better ones which work better for my amp but I didn’t have time to find one as I needed one for last night. So I bought a £9 bit of wood, 22mm x 144mm by 1800mm and made one. I cut a 90 degree angle in 2 identical length at the same time so each side was identical, then braced it together with various bits of wood until I got bored. I just tried to get the biggest tilt on the amp with the 144mm wood width - no audio science here. The width is determined by the space inbetween the (rather large) amp feet. Glued and screwed together and sanded all over and it was done. So the amp fires at me direct when it’s maybe 2m away approximately, it’s super solid and quite light and easy to pack away with my other gear. I might varnish it, I might not! Anyway, I’ve not seen anyone else with something like this or even seen one for sale (I didn’t really look to be honest I just needed a solution fast!) but it works perfectly and costs so little!! if you need something like this have a go at making it yourself, it’s not hard and doesn’t need any special tools.

People are quick to moan, but I also like to be quick to praise where it is due. All sorts of grief with the DHL (Damage Handling Loons) over the delivery of my new Fender Precision after a phone dall from DHL to tell me theyd damaged it. George at Andertons was cool, told me not to worry, they'd sort out any damage. Just get it delivered then make an assessment and let him know immediately and he'd sort it. Fortunately the hard case and bass within were fine, it was just the packaging that DHL had mullered. I phoned George back to advise the bass had arrived undamaged, and thanked him for his reassurance. I mentioned that G had been cut a little short and as I tried to tune it beyond F it just slipped round the capstan. Well, not 20 hours a later a full set of spanking new Fender 45's drop through my letter box, fortunately delivered by a different company who didn't manage to drive a forklift over it. I'd have been happy with the one string, but a new set was a very pleasant surprise. Even better as I actually quite like Fender rounds. So top marks to Andertons. Reassuring on the phone, poised and ready to help refund/replace if the bass or case had arrived damaged, and super generous with the strings when I only needed the one. Well done. If anyone from Anderton's is reading this, thank you. You'll be top of the list next time I get a tax rebate that the missus doesn't know about and I go bass shopping.

Popped into Bassbros yesterday on the hunt for a nice 4 string Precision and this was just begging to come home with me. It appears to be a bit of a case queen with barely a mark on it anywhere and even the case is as new! It was a bit of a toss up between this and a Yamaha BBP34 but this won in the end. I have been playing mainly 5 strings for the last few years and the feeling of getting back on a 4 is just amazing! It has taken a really low setup and surprisingly the stock pickup is really nice. It might still get a Nordstrand or a Fralin at some point but let’s wait and see.

So, yesterday, this arrived. Before we get to the photo, if anyone doesn't like pointy things, leave. There is nothing here for you but pain. I ordered this in 2021. How has it taken so long you ask? There was a thing called covid if I recall. Also, there were also hilarious parts problems on backorder for ages. Enough of that nonsense. What is it and where is it made then? Grainger basses and guitars are up near Peterborough, and around the time of one of the lockdowns they posted a bass in this shape that had a mad blue acrylic top. The cogs started turning. So, my idea was to have this wired like an Alembic Series 1 bass and it is. After chatting to Nuno at Lusithand about it I bought some filters off him (his stuff is great by the way - check out his site) with the caveat that it might not work. Undeterred, I sought the advice of the basschat massive and many thanks to @Hellzero who provided the Jack wiring diagram. Basically, the bass can be used stereo or mono with different jacks (like a Rickenbacker), but it's active with a filter and volume for each pickup also a pickup selector. So there's 2 jack outputs. I also got Darren and Gavin to make the bass modelling the neck on my own Alembics. They've done that amazingly precisely. Top and back is flame maple, body is walnut with headstock facings and neck strings. There is a touch of neck dive, but I've not used a wide strap yet. The bass is quite light as the upper wing is chambered. Naturally, I've got a hipshot on it for drop D and there's a brass Warwick Just a Nut too. Bridge is Babicz mono rails to accommodate the narrower spacing. Inlays are mother of pearl. Pickups are Nordstrand Zen Blades wired in parallel to keep as much top end as possible. The reason being is that Lusithand Filters go to 4kHz give or take, whereas Alembics go to 6.6kHz. So, does it sound like an Alembic? In a word, yes. If you want that John Entwistle 1982 Who bass sound, you'll get it. Or if you want a great clean sound it'll do that too. Darren, Gavin and Nuno were fantastic throughout this especially when there were wiring issues we had to resolve. If you're looking for a custom bass made by a British company (or anyone actually), then Grainger do really exceptional work. Also, Nuno at Lusithand makes really good preamps and pedals which are well worth checking out.

Afternoon its been a. While since I did a NBD thread! Been waiting for this for a while as they don’t come up for sale too often Fender AVRI 75 jazz 5 1/2 hr round trip this morning to collect this, well worth it Owned from new by previous owner and looks like it just came out of the factory, all covers included as is the original bridge serial number dates it to 2005 Currently sat in my lounge whilst the trusts settles down Tony

Got a call from a friend yesterday afternoon asking if I could dep at a local social club last night. They have a rock’n’roll night on Wednesdays which is quite well attended, and I’ve depped there before. Just a 3 piece band (guitar, bass, drums), and when I arrived I found out it was a dep drummer too, who turned out to be an old mate who played with me in the same band years ago. Had a cracking gig, both musically and socially. Two 45 minute sets, nice people and well paid! Used my Danelectro Longhorn into a Fender Rumble 500 combo. Home before midnight too, so happy days. Tired today though, and got 3 more gigs this week - tonight at my local pub with the acoustic duo, then Redditch tomorrow / Shrewsbury on Saturday with the ELO Experience.

I am well chuffed to have taken delivery of this ACG Graft 4 today.

Started using a new luthier recently and he takes a while but is really great! Old Stingray looking and sounding brilliant.

Owen has a problem with his neck! Or more correctly, Owen has a problem with one of his necks. Or to be utterly precise, Owen has a problem with a G&L 5-er neck that has a snapped off truss-rod end. Getting fretboards off in one piece always carried a risk - but I haven't lost one recently and so it is worth stacking up the odds a little further and giving it a go. It's a very nice neck - but those edges are mighty thin, with the fret slots almost fully through to the maple: And so there is the possibility of ending up with 22 rectangles of fretboard rather than one whole one. BUT, it's a case of taking that risk or scrapping it. Most fretboards (but not all) are glued with heat-softening wood glues - and so you basically heat the fretboard up with an iron or similar (I use a travel-iron) and then ease a blade, and eventually a thin steel sheet slowly, slowly, slowly along until it's off: And it's still in one piece! You can see that the truss rod was fully tensioned when the adjuster-end snapped off. Interesting, though, that only one half of the strip is bowed. Sort of defies physics - I've never seen that before but maybe this is why it wasn't doing the business: Should be a pretty straightforward replacement as long as I can get a rod that fits properly.

I just picked up this bass from the excellent Bass Bros and am really pleased with it. It is just under 9lbs at 8lb 13oz which my back appreciates! An interesting feature is the neck which is 39mm - I've been searching for a P bass with a jazz neck and this fits the bill. Initially I thought it might be a bit chunky front to back but after a weekend playing it I find it very comfortable. It is actually slimmer than other precisions I've tried. Bass Bros are not sure if it came out of factory like this or if a luthier has done a job on it but either way it is ideal for me.

My first full-blown choral gig for a few years - I've depped in a few concerts, but I've not been part of a group for a while. Saturday's venue was Carlisle Cathedral with a fully pro orchestra plus the cathedral organ for Elgar's Music Makers. Orchestra was brass: tuba, 3 trombones, 3 trumpets, 4 horns; woodwind: usual pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons plus bass clarinet and contrabassoon; strings including 2 double basses; harp; percussion: timps plus assorted things like bass drum. Audience was more-or-less a sell out.

Van's been found by the Police in a lock up. Gear was nearby...

Final one of my four gigs this week, played last night at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury. Opened in 2009, it is situated right on the riverside and holds around 640 people. One of the best theatres we visit, it has a great sound, superb backstage facilities and staff as well as being in a lovely town. We got there early after only driving up from Redditch, so had chance for a wander round. ( I had probably the best pizza ever at a place called Dough & Oil in the town centre, highly recommended! ) Gig went really well, one of our best for a while. Apparently Limehouse Lizzy were playing in the smaller adjoining theatre, so lots of people around. Long drive back home, got in around 2.30am so glad I’m not gigging tonight. My last two gigs with the band this coming week are in Ipswich and Birmingham, so hoping they’re as good.

Second two of 4 gigs this week for me. Thursday was at my local pub with the acoustic duo. Got there at 7pm to find it full, mainly diners. Plenty of requests, including ‘Man who sold the world’ and ‘Starman’ - they still like Bowie round here! Free drinks for us, so as I walked to the gig I availed myself of a couple of pints, unusual for me. Home before midnight, and another gig arranged there later in the year. Last night I was at Redditch Palace Theatre with The ELO Experience. A small Grade 2 listed theatre with a modern facade but original(ish) auditorium, first opened in 1913. Capacity of 420 so a sell out gig. Great appreciative crowd as always here, most people up on their feet for the second set. Since I sold my GK 1001RB amp last week, I used my GK800RB head and it sounded fine into my GKNeo410. Small very raked stage meant not much room but we managed ok. On to Shrewsbury today for a gig at The Severn Theatre tonight.

Completed a week of Me and My Girl at the Swan Theatre in Worcester for the ever excellent WODs. Properly old school show, which included the running time, full 3 hours with the interval and long sections of dialogue so concentration after the day job wasn’t always easy. This coupled with the fact the chart pretty looked the same for every song, every conceivable root fifth octave it felt like in every key. Love playing with the band though, great players and camaraderie, will be back for the youth show in August which is Addams Family. Obligatory gear shot- G&L LB100 with chrome flats and nordymute, little mark tube and db 110 cab, one trip to the car!

A bit late, but my new blues band played our first couple of gigs a week or so ago (Tapestry in Bradford on the Thursday & Venue 23 in Wakefield last Sunday), supporting Mick McConnell's (guitarist from Smokie) new blues rock band at both gigs. It all went really well for our first gigs and went down very well. It looks like it's going to be a good band with some top players. Just need to get some more gigs booked now...

Hi All, After a week of waiting I finally received my Ibanez SR655e and I couldn't be more happy! It feels like the body was moulded just for me. As a bonus it also came strung with flats so I get to try flats! Excuse my poor photography it's not my forte

Two gigs this weekend, full on plugged in at the Canadian club and an acoustic half improvised at our Brit club by way of a farewell to our female vocalists who leave post soon. It was interesting to compare the two gigs back to back. Lots of energy at the first gig, plenty of people up and dancing, the acoustic gig was a very chilled vibe but there were moments where we had lots of people dancing and because it was low volume the families stayed and had a good time too. Interesting in a couple of respects. Firstly a lot of feedback to say we should do more unplugged and a whole demographic that prefer it to us in full blast mode and secondly a whole bunch of numbers we do better acoustically. A result of which is we might start doing an acoustic set at the start of our gigs and do some more acoustic nights as apart from anything else it’s a lot easier to set up.

Couple o’ pics….

Great gig last night at the Service Station in Hull. The staff and crowd entered into the 70s Glam theme bigly. Bar staff dancing on the bar at the end…. Definitely will be returning in ‘25. The on stage sound was pants though, too loud and undefined (sounded great FOH though), could hardly tell what I was playing all night which led to the odd guff. Must sort out some in ears sooner rather than later.

Played at The Pit at McCann's Rock and Ale bar in Newport last night. Really good fun. Good setup with cabs and drum kit provided, so you just need to rock up with heads and breakables. We hit everything a bit too fast, which we haven't done previously. Need to work out a signal to slow it down a bit. I dropped my pick twice as well, which doesn't usually happen, so that was annoying. Still, good fun and people seemed to enjoy it! We played with a death metal band called Cremulation and a another doom band, Damek, who we're hoping we can arrange for them to come to Bristol at some point. This was the setup. We're Hora, and the gear I used was my Dingwall into my GX-100 and then my ABM-600.

The only problem with Andertons is they keep a list of all the things you've bought over the years... I'm terrified the wife may find it one day...

We had a pretty good one in Malvern last night supporting old skool punx The Samples. Decent sized crowd (room was almost full for us) and sound was pretty good - as the PA was vocals only and I had the biggest amp I could actually hear myself. I'd also put in simple tube compressor/noisegate combo in my Helix for a clean (for me!) bass sound. Gear was Parker bass through Helix into BBE pre and DBX rack compressor, Crown pwer amp and Markbass 4x10. Icing on the cake was that everybody hated us and nobody gave any compliments about anything we did until we left the stage and there was a collective shout of "Thank fck for that!" Anyway, here's a bit... (edited to add cleaned up audio and colours vid)

Two nights depping done and great fun as ever. Phone call/ message 9 am Friday morning. 11 hours later load in for gig one. Got through relatively unscathed for a slightly later start and finish at a pub I’ve not played at for years. Last time I depped with them was January and it’s a mix of a set with only a few cross overs to my normal set (though different keys to those I usually play those few in) but good players and an easy bunch to work with and off. Second gig closer to home and a bit earlier to finish which is just as well as I’m in Mrs Walman’s bad books for taking two gigs just before we head off on holiday. Reasonable crowds both nights and running full IEM’s which worked well. A bit more holiday spending cash, which is nice. And so to bed and head to the airport tomorrow afternoon ready for Monday morning 😁

So, when Dave called me he initially said to "chuck it in the bin," which I wasn't really happy to hear. He then told me he was sending me a 'new' (returned) RM 800 as he had one that was perfectly operational but had been sent back and that it would take too long to work out the exact problem with my RM 500. I was astounded! The new amp arrived today, works flawlessly and I am one happy camper! Incredible customer service.

The pedals I was waiting for (two compressors) arrived so I've now put my main board together. There's one more board to go; a certain sci-fi film series themed board but there's one pedal I'm waiting on which will hopefully be here in the next couple of weeks or so. I've finally got a board where I have an octave, fuzz, octave, fuzz chain (I actually quite like fuzz into octave even if logic suggests I shouldn't but now I don't need to choose). It's power-hungry (it needs three IEC cables) and the settings pictured reflect those decided by my bedcover when the pedals were upside down while I was wiring it, but after some twiddling it sounds good! The chain is: BP1 > BP1 Loop Send: Strobostomp > Opti-FET > Octabvre > Doom 2 > Subsonic > TAFM > Frantabit > MBD3 > Cave Bear > XD > Type Two > AFG-1 > ADG-1 SE > Slow Loris > DLA-2A > Nimbus SE > BP1 Loop Return > Element (underneath board)

NBD Decided to pull the trigger on this, arrived today. New to Sandberg, wanted a new Fender Jazz to replace a Mexican deluxe a regrettably sold 3 years ago, but heard good things about Sandbergs and having shopped around saw this in sale (Bit of a bargain) had a quick run-though, one issue/possibly, it seemed a bit quiet, noticed the pick ups specially the neck was very low only about 2mm above the body and bridge maybe 4-5mm figured this was not right? So lifted them both 2-3mm higher and it sounded allot better., enough that I had to role volume back bit when boosting pre amp to about 75% strings look like Daddarios but label says Sandbergs own brand, can anyone confirm, they seem a bit on the higher tension side might have to change them, see if they bed in. add some real photos later, its much more yellowy:butterscotch than the stockings photo (not in a bad way) https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/sandberg-electra-ii-tt4-creme/

Hooray, another Brooks bass is born! The Brooks FV-12 - Korina body wings - Bookmatched Quilted Maple top - Nine ply Korina/Mahogany Neck through - Cherry Burst high gloss finish - Pearloid binding - Ebony fretboard - Mother of Pearl position dots. Aluminium Circle dot for 12th - Jumbo frets - 30 1/2" scale - Buffalo horn nut - ETS Custom made twelve string brass bridge and tailpiece. Black - Two spokewheel double action trussrods - Carbon reinforcement strip in the neck - Pickups: Lace Alumitone DB7, Black - Controls : volume, volume, tone - 0.047mfd capacitor - Gotoh GB 350 lightweight bass tuners, Black - Gotoh ST-31 octave string tuners, Black - Output: Pure Tone Multi Contact jack - d'Addario custom strings - Weight: 4.3 kg In posts below I'll show pics of the build process.

I managed to acquire a Squire Mikey Way Mustang bass for a ‘reasonable-ish’ pice. Fit, finish and playability was excellent but the pickup sound woolly, lacked definition in the low end and just not great. So after Googling … I found pretty much nothing on swapping out the pup, where I did it suggest that it needs modding to fit, however after getting the dimensions of the EMG 35HZ and checking the pickguard it looked like it ‘might’ actually fit, so I ordered one and kept my fingers crossed It arrived today and it fits like a glove, easy install with the solderless pots and wires What a transformation, clear, articulate and punchy just need to add in some mids and it sounds ACE!!! If you’ve got a Mikey Way Mustang but frustrated with the sound then do not hesitate to pop an EMG in !!

Spend a day each at Bass Direct and The Gallery and try anything and everything that takes your fancy. It's the only way to find out what YOU like.

Fred keeps asking if the bass can be his when I'm dead, seems like he's hoping I'll snuff it soon! I said it'll be sold on the open market and if he wants to put a bid in, that's fine.

Audience response. If that is good then any other problems are wiped out.

I’ve played in a lot of 3 piece bands over the last 35 years. Expanding on my Jack Bruce comment… there is loads that can be done in the spirit of the original arrangement. Still follow the chord charges as before but do different things with it. So if the original just has pounding root notes you could keep the root on Beats 1 and 3 but play octaves for 2 and 4. Or Back it off and only play on 1 and 3 to leave space and give more room to build. Then in bar 3 go back to playing all the notes. Depending on the song, behind a solo that builds up as it goes I’m a big fan of simplifying the original bass line for the first 2 or 4 bars, then getting back to where it was, then adding octaves, and then going to a walking bass part with octave shifts, like Jack Bruce did with Cream. It’s important to approach it still as a bass line where the rhythm is the vital element. So jumping up the neck is not a solo, it’s just a higher bass line. If the guitar solo is high don’t be scared of playing the normal bass part up an octave for some of it. The kick drums are still pounding the low end so let the bass move up as the guitar does. Repeating a bar in a higher octave works really well too. So if you are pounding the crotchets with AAGGF#F#EE in bar one, then in bar 2 play it identically but an octave up in bar 2, then down again in 3, and then up an octave BUT also change something in bar 4. If it fits playing it in reverse keeps the structure for the rhythm but also makes it more interesting to the listener. JS Bach wrote the best bass parts in history. Like mini tunes under the melody that elevated the main tune to greatness. I swear Jack Bruce must have listened to his stuff! Tone. Something I’ve discovered over the years is that a mid heavy tone, like a P bass instead of a J tends to work better. Theres a fatness that helps fill the tone out automatically. I’ve got a massive collection of 3 piece live albums and the P bass or PJ seems to rule above all. Theres a lot of flatwound use too, if the player is a pick user. John Deacon’s tone is amazing for it. Have a quick listen to the live version of One Vision live at Wembley. Theres a YT version that only shows JD’s cameras. It’s so fat! P with flats and a pick is the basic bit, but pay attention when the rest of the band have backed off a lot… the tone is actually a bit unpleasant. It’s very mid heavy and has farty drive going on. None of that ice pick Darkglass tone, it’s a wide frequency fartiness that sounds horrible on its own and fantastic in the mix. It’s quite similar to the old Cream live album in that respect. I use a Catalinbread SFT pedal to get that farty drive. I never use it in the house when playing alone as it sounds horrible! 😂 But even just with drums and nothing else, something magical happens and I can’t hear fart, I can only hear fatness and harmonic richness. A different approach is the dUg / Entwhistle / Sheehan split tone, mixing clean and dirt. It can sound great, but it’s also really easy to make it sound like ar$e. The issue is getting the clean portion of the tone to decay at the same rate as the driven part, and that means dialling in compression on the clean to match the natural compression of the drive. Overall though, build the band tone from the bottom. Drums first, then bass, then guitar. Then it will still sound full when the guitar is soloing. If the entire tone is built on the guitar and everything else has fit round it, then the band tone loses all weight during solos. But despite all this… enjoy the space of a 3 piece! A wall of noise gets tiring for an audience. So many bands these days seem to ignore dynamics. Have quiet bits, loud bits, thick bits, thin bits etc etc. The average punter will notice that sort of variation far quicker than anything else and it will keep them interested. Otis Day and the Knights had it right….” A little bit softer now, a little bit softer now…… a little bit louder now….” Anyway, I hope that helps a bit!

Never really 'got' IEMs despite years of trying and silly amounts of money spent. Just too much bloody technology, too much wireless, too many things to go wrong, too much time spent 'tweaking', too many blank faces at sound check ... "it's not working, what's happened?". A low-volume backline on stage with all the serious volume out front through the PA works fine, and is more-or-less infinitely scaleable from a tiny backstreet boozer up to a big festival stage so the band hears a consistent sound at every gig. It's also completely obvious how to set it up quickly at any gig, all the components are easily swopped in & out when a failure occurs, and even the densest and most arrogant guitarist will eventually see/hear the benefits of not pointing their combo at the backs of their knees.

I found this fella on Gear4Music's Ebay site. It had got a bit of a bash on the rear of the body and was reduced from £419 to £230. It has a Jazz style neck and a 2 band EQ - I do like Jazz necks and I really liked the 2 band EQ that I had on my old USA built Stingray SUB - so decided to pull the trigger and pay £230 for what sounded like a lot of bass guitar for the money. When I received it I was pleasantly surprised that it's 2 band EQ made it sound very like that USA SUB I used to own. I also really like the Jazz neck, which had a really nice low action straight out of the box. The fit and finish is excellent but the fret ends are a little bit noticeable (not sharp just noticeable). I'm used to, relatively, expensive and old basses where the necks are rolled and the frets are filed via a setup, or just decades of use. I already own a USA Stingray but this sounds preferable to my ears and I prefer the Ray 4's neck as well. I can see it being gigged regularly. Here's the bass and the insignificant dent.

Went to the Earl Haig jam night and did a few songs with James Oliver, none of which I had heard before. "Do you know Nadine?" "Never met her!" I have jammed with him before, but still a bit intimidating as in the last month he's done gigs with Horace Panter and Norman Watt-Roy on bass 😱 Went ok though!