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Probably the wrong thread as the gig hasn't happened yet, but we're playing at the hottest sweatiest pub in Aberystwyth tonight, I'm playing bass and doing sound, I'll leave home at 6.30 and get to bed about 2 all for fifty quid. Would i give it up? Not a chance!

A 50th birthday party at a venue that we’ve played previously. A slow start as folk were really just wanting to chat and catch up, all the dancing took place within our last 20 minutes or so. Not happy with the set up as the keyboard player and drummer took up all the rear space and I had to have my rig right next to me, up front. Needless to say, I could barely hear anything that close, just a bassy flub (it sounded good out front during soundcheck), which I don’t like and I have raised this as an issue going forward. Folk came up and said how good we were and deserved more audience participation, but I know that it was a sub par performance, again and that, if they thought that was good, my previous bands would have blown them away. I miss the technical and professional abilities of those guys.

Played with The 77s at The Bedford in Tonbridge wells last night. Boiling hot and we had to wait for the rugby to finish before we could play, which meant we didn’t start till 10.30. Turned out they only had a music licence until 12 and so we didn’t end up playing for very long. Shame as it was a great crowd and the pub was packed. It was our first gig in a month and I made a few mistakes but nothing to major. Great pub and the staff were really helpful and accommodating. my Boss WL20 wireless wasn’t working properly, which I think was due to the compact space and lots of people so I had to use a cable. all in all a good night.

What? You mean it's a vocalist?

My latest 👍….. was looking at adding a Hipshot Xtender but can’t seem to find one.

I bought a couple of Rockboard 2.0 and 2.1s recently. The 2.0s are travel boards to be stored in the 2.1 flight case with a pair of headphones and cables. I was wondering what to do with the now homeless 2.1s and, owing to my desk now being taken over by working-from-home equipment, I found my answer. I needed a way to quickly move my usual recording set up back and forth so the 2.1s have now been put to use for a clean tone board (Broughton BBA, mini tuner, compressor and preamp), and my pedal testing board. In case anyone is wondering about the gap between the Stomp and the Element, it's to allow me to choose whether to run it as a full board or to take the cables out (which wouldn't be possible with a smaller gap) and run them to another pedal when I'm testing it.

My pedals not in the correct order just waiting to put them on the board.

Next gig tomorrow, at this excellent little festival, just before @cheddatom 's Headsticks...

Duracell PP3 batteries are fairly cheap and last at least 12 months in my active basses, so I simply replace them once a year and recycle the old ones responsibly. I wouldn’t want to require an external box to power my instrument.

I’d just like a powerful bass amp that doesn’t require a forklift to move from home-car-venue and back again. One day I’ll invent one and make my millions.

Finally got around to putting all my pedals on one board. FX and tuner all used to be on my nano+ but going in-ears I got a Markbass pre. Then came the lekato page turner for my iPad. DI box is for tracks/ click. All fitting on a classic junior, way easier to set up now and proving reliable🤞

Epiphone to release high quality, value for money 'vintage' reissues of the Grabber and Ripper basses.... like they did the Vintage Pro Tbird!

For info... Yamaha BB history https://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2020/12/history-of-yamaha-bb-basses-workhorses-that-became-thoroughbreds/ Wee link to article on BB history

It shows how in the manual. Of course if you actually read the manual you run the risk of this:

I get this a lot with one band and I have been trying to get them to try IEMs but one of the guitarists “doesn’t like having anything in his ears”. I went as far as buying a cheap system from Gear4Music but so far it has not been tried by the band. However, I used it once to hear myself better, taking the feed from my amp’s DI out (as it was a small venue and I wasn’t going into the PA). It worked OKish using one earbud, so I could hear the rest of the band with my other ear. Obviously, much better if everything is going into the PA and you can use both earbuds. Despite the set-up annoyances, I’m sticking with this band because the other guys are really good musicians and I think we sound great.

A rarity for you lovers of vintage Ibanez items... Axstar AXB50, just arrived. Closest in design to the Yamaha BX 1, strongly 80s look - it looks like a prop from Total Recall - but sounds great and the body is actually very ergonomic and of course very light. The main thing for my purposes is that it can go on a plane if you pay for an extra cabin bag, but I think I could become very fond of it anyway.

But does it sound like music being played through an iPhone?

Indeed! My introduction to jazz (apart from my dad being into Chris Barber et all) was going into Jumbo Records In Leeds one day to browse. I used to go in weekly to find new funk stuff to play at either the Uni weekly discos, or the Phono or the Warehouse. There was nobody to ask for recommendations (unless I wanted goth stuff!) so I'd browse the imports until I found something funky-looking. There was no way to try-before-you-buy, so I'd look for PFunky art, afros, whatever shouted "funky!". Invariably these same records would have in the credits "thanks to God, and my mom" so when I found Jamaaladeen's "Showstopper" I thought I had the grail; funky suit, cool dude with amazing looking bass shaped like a cricket bat, special thanx to Mom and God - I'd found Tyrone Brunson's "The Smurf" in much the same way. However, I soon realised that the Thursday funk disco couldn't cope with Mr. Tacuma... But I was hooked, soon joined the library and discovered their jazz section which contained "Man with the Horn". Which was nice! And a bit of a slippery slope... I listen to Ornette Coleman for light thrills now and the Company albums for a bit of a boogie!

As alluded to in a recent post, my band are playing at Night of The Living Dubz festival near Doncaster Airport

Is it silly that I'm getting really excited the closer the BFSWBB gets? Seeing some familiar faces, meeting some new ones, the fantastic looking kit list (and this year I feel like I've finally got something worth showing too!). I feel like a kid in the run-up to Xmas.

Ringwood, Hampshire - historic venue, ancient band!

From 2008, as a 55 year old whippersnapper

Would take a modern Squier over a 70s Fender any day.

Bass manufacturers in general to do a reasonably priced fretless unlined bass, say upto £450. There doesn't seem to be anybody doing them that I can see. They all tend to be lined. Ps, please point me in its direction if I've missed one.

Finally, I get my hands on another awesome Warwick. A ‘94 Fortess One, to partner my Streamer. I love these things, I had one maybe 10 years s ago, and regretted selling instantly. So comfortable to play, love it. I’ve already got my eye on a Corvette too…. 🤦🏻‍♂️

We get it, you like rosewood. Well these basses don't have it, so don't buy one, job done, you can leave now.

A quick btw re the Indian Laurel - found a fellow BCer using this on a fretless board ( a Dean restoration). I got some and tested it, promising. I'm not up for slapping it on my '98 P but I'm pretty sure it would do a lot to darken age a a new Indian Laurel board. Monty's make some excellent gear - looms etc. And their artists list is quite something. https://www.montysguitars.com/collections/department-of-component/products/montys-montypresso-relic-wax?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search&utm_content=montypresso&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwr_CnBhA0EiwAci5siivqE1NukcYXh635_8HkjQbRLFiVMI_j0-Kx3zOl8BszV0jcZti7lxoCI6oQAvD_BwE

What’s a manual? 😆

Yep, I've been that way a few years. I have two basses, an amp, a modest collection of synths and drum machines, couple of guitars... It feels great as you said But in the past, I have bought and sold loads... I wish I had the wisdom 20 years ago to buy a couple of good instruments, stick with them and save all that time and money on trading

Hey Mr Tangarine Man - Mumbler in Chief

Decided to dust down my old Warwick Thumb NT89 yesterday for a wee blast and i had forgotten how amazing it sounds with a nice mid cutting thru. Such a fantastic neck to play. Enjoyed it so much i had to have another go today. Still has the same elixir strings i put on 2010 and it still has a bit of zing in them even now. To be fair i very rarely play it but i've had it since 89 bought new and its a keeper for me. Dave

Prefab Sprout- Steve McQueen

I was there also . Plus all the hawkwind gigs . I saw hawkwind so many times at the hammy , but stopped after 1987 . Probably traumatised by nik turner in his frog suit 😬

Say hello to my midlife crisis bass - the Epiphone Korina Explorer. I spied it in a photo someone took of the Gallery during their visit and it caught my eye. I caved when they told me it came with the hard case. I think the black pickguard makes all the difference - all of the natural ones I've seen up until now have white and I think that looks a bit naff. Haven't had a war volume play yet but it sounds good in headphones and at low amp levels. Ergonomics are better than expected - balances really well on a proper strap (so take that, Mr. Dibble). It's long, it's ridiculous and I love it. Also has the biggest hard case I've ever seen! That last pic is the hard case of my G&L next to the Explorer's case, with the left sides aligned.

D'you think I'd have bought it if it did?

Who Did You Think I Was by John Mayer. Blues... but the Pino way.

This. But done by Epiphone, at least on the reissues. They'd be cheaper, probably better built and with more colour options, even if the woods were not as good 😊.

If you made me guess, assuming all the pots are in play, I'd hazard that it's a non- standard preamp with Vol, Pan, B/T on one stack and mid/ frequency on the other. More importantly, best wishes on a speedy resolution to the kidney stone issues.. 👍

Very different sounding, has more low end, different mid voicing, and 'weaker' (sic!) treble imo (dunno how to describe it...). Overall more versatile. It's quite comfy (love the narrow string spacing!), but I much prefer waxed wenge necks in 'Wicks.

I was fortunate enough to be at that gig @PaulThePlug, awesome though it was so loud it gave my elbows hearing loss

Careful what you wish for. A back lit knob with the marking on top becomes a black blob in a circle of blinding light of you do it wrong. Looking at you Trace Elliot.

Basschatters to cease and desist the 'gain' 'not gain' banterage .....and Mike Lull basses to be cheaper ....and Bass Collection to change their naff headstock logo ....and all amp makers to provide backlit control panels/knobs so i can see wtf i'm doing on a dark stage when I'm not wearing my glasses so I look more like a rock star!