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Played a birthday party in the middle of nowhere in a sweaty tent, no food or drinks with a client who made an ignorant/racist comment to out guitarist right of the bat. I also got to use my newly finished "Grandma's wallpaper" jazz bass. So 7/10 overall

Wasn’t in a great place when I arrived but Dr Gig helped to pull me out of the pit. Very hot last night with the windows and doors mainly shut, and a lot of people outside in the front garden of a small country pub, so it was a bit quiet but those that were inside were appreciative. All good with the IEM’s and the new better boundary mic I ordered after the old one wasn’t working last week w a marked improvement. Very tight on space and some of the videos look very static and somewhat disengaged from those in the crowd but I think that was to do with lack of space (at least I hope so)

We joined a new church in January this year - our local Anglican Church (or at least one of them) - and been feeling increasingly at home there. It’s not been since the before pandemic that I’ve played in a service but I’ll be playing bass at the the church for the first time tomorrow, so this should be fun. It’s at the more relaxed evening service. The tone and approach to the music is a bit more mellow than I’ve previously been used to at previous churches, though it’s all the same sort of range of writers… Bethel, Brooke Ligertwood, Elevation, Rend Collective etc. Will be keys/piano leading plus bass, acoustic guitar, drums and vocals. Will be interesting to see how it goes. Very much looking forward to it. I’ll try to report back afterwards!

Dr Gig is a great healer (at least for the duration). The rain seems to have been well south of us and a quick look at the radar imagery confirms it. Arriving here tomorrow, 8-4 apparently. Cloudy and a light breeze keeping things comfortable at the moment.

Rain here so at least its cooling down a bit. Hope the cold isn't too bad for you during the gig. Nothing worse. Dave

From my experience, the bigger the band then the bigger the problems. If you’re in say a 6 piece and everyone of them are in other bands, then the chances of everyone being able to make all your gigs are significantly reduced - and then you end up with one of more deps which is hardly ideal. With my recent situation with a touring theatre band it was made clear that depping gigs out was not going to happen, and I did every gig with them that they performed in 15 years. I was fine with that to be honest. I had to turn gigs down with my duo as a result, but as my duo mate was a lot busier than me it wasn’t an issue. Since leaving the band, I’m now in a position for the duo to be my first call, and we’re getting plenty of gigs - we can book them further into the future with confidence, knowing we’ll both be there! I’m reminded of that famous Duke Ellington quote - “ There is nothing to keeping a band together - you simply have to have a gimmick, and the gimmick I use is to pay them money! “ 😄

I'm in lots of bands/dep occasionally and the golden rule (as others have said) is: If you've said yes to a gig and it's in your diary, you do it. I've just had to turn down a well paid wedding gig as I'll be up in Manchester (playing for next to nothing - an old mate's originals band) next weekend. This gig was organised months ago, so I'm doing it. If you start ducking out of gigs for better paid ones, people will quickly stop asking you to gig... you're only as good as your word. Use Google calendar and encourage everyone else to - this makes everyone's life a LOT easier and cuts down the potential for oopsies in my experience. As someone above said - if someone in your band is getting offered stuff like IOW festival.... that'd be a different matter. I'd imagine they've made that pretty clear from the outset! And as someone else said - get a few deps on board! As for people turning up to gigs/rehearsals without having practiced... that's just laziness, surely?!

I'm actually glad i'm not playing this weekend with all my Glam gear on it would be very warm. Today i will be mainly loafing. Dave

We played a small pub where 3 of us started playing together at the open mic. We were a little concerned that we'd not get anyone there to be honest. The heat, the pub hasn't got an outdoor area or a way of throwing the doors open and getting some air flow, and several bigger events going on. Oh and it was a Friday. However, we had a decent turnout, the crowd were great and we've been asked back. Can't be bad.

Thankyou for the warm welcome to the forum, I'll probably lurk for a bit and find my way about, already finding the forum super helpful. I've started with a second-hand black Yamaha BB434, standard apart from a black pickguard and a small Orange practice amp. As an aside, the bass was used by the previous (pro musician) owner on the incidental music for "Homes under the Hammer" off the telly - ok it's not Physical Graffiti but it's.. something! Not often out in the city but do go to gigs at the Lemon Tree, Tunnels and Drummonds etc 👍 Mostly gigs where everyone is either bald or grey. PS favourite player is probably JJ Burnel, it's just taken me nearly 50 years to pick up the bass after first hearing him! Late starter indeed, plus too many other hobbies. Although I listen to anything and everything these days.

Solid plan. I'll report back if it comes to that.

Very interesting to read everyone's thoughts on these strings. I play mainly flats at the moment, with TI'S on my P-Bass and LaBella and Chromes on my Mustangs, so I guess my expectations for these have always been to feel like a flat that sounds like warm roundwound. I did speak to Ian during the Bass Hang the other week, and he did say that they are still "rounds" so the feel of a flat is not what you're going to get, but it's a smoother round with more longevity and a consistent sound when broken in.

There's several bits of wisdom I'd give as someone who'd never touched a double bass till late last summer - and seldom ever a bass guitar before - that and now has the bass spot with a 30 year established rockabilly band. Do your own thing ... there really is no right or wrong if it sounds good. I listened to a certain YouTuber DB player who while great, is a bit of a stickler for technique, and pretty soon decided 'stuff leaving out one of my fingers for a lark'. I'd been using all four fingers since I started in the sixties (just) on guitar so screw changing now just because I was playing a musical wardrobe. In chess passed pawns must be pushed ... in double bass playing it's fairly easy to start to sound good but you must keep pushing yourself ... a properly double slapped walking R&R bassline blows punters minds ... but it's not hard once you get the technique down. It's easy to 'phone it in' lines ... I've been guilty of it. I learned the rhumba beat of Twenty flight Rock ... but now I might start the rhumba phrase with a drag triplet (or end it with) it pushes you and makes you a more interesting bass player. Listen to Bill Black till your ears bleed - his timing was always awesome. Listen to new psychobilly players like Djordje Stijepovic of Tiger Army (and brilliant solo stuff) Listen to every doghouse player ... but be yourself!

Oooooo that's pretty - it's exactly the same pattern as mine shape wise - quite broad in the bum with fairly sharp C bouts ... lovely shape. My somewhat crowded music corner ... behind the Les Paul is my Promethean bass amp - and under my guitar amp (the tweed Peavey) is my 2x12 extension bass cab

I was jesting of course. Nowhere in Scotland can hide from the rain. To be honest i don't really mind the rain. Not been in Pitlochry for many years now. I generally stop at the outdoor adventure centre cafe in Ballinluig on my way North. Its approx half way to Loch Ness for me. Dave

Thanks for that your reply 👍 Well, it's home, very pleased with it and looking forward to the journey ahead. A setup & strings, as mentioned in the above posts are fairly imminent but I'm getting a decent noise out of it, as is.

All you have to do is avoid the high st in season. Go north of the Co-Op and it’s always quiet (we’re much closer to Moulin). As to the rain, I have a water butt that says that it really does rain. After the 3 weeks of constant sun, it was bone dry, once the wet returned, it was back to full up in 2 days or less.

It seems that I have finally succumbed to the cold that Mrs Norris has been sporting for a week or more. Soapy throat, sneezing, snot. It'll be a long night of paracetamol and adrenaline. To cap it all, I got two tickets for Iron Maiden baby - before I realised this is one gig that couldn't be moved or avoided. Mrs Norris is dutifully depping for me at Maiden with my son while I go off to spend a very long night playing in a barn (setting off just before 5pm - got 45 mins to drink my cuppa then go). It's a ticket do with hired PA, sound guy, etc. I told her to get me a tour T shirt though.

Mate, firstly glad this has helped Second, if I were able to get up your way to see you lay down that funk, I'd be there in a flash Third, love this f***ing forum and the people who hang here, and @AndyTravis, like @Clarky earlier this year, respect and thanks guys 🙏

Never rains in Pitlochry. Its the centre of the known universe. Gorgeous area, one of my fav areas to drive thru. I no longer stop at Pitlochry these days as its always too busy. Maybe i should visit in winter months. Dave

That’s pretty cute. I guess back in the day we’d all have used beer crates!

There's been a few threads from Basschatters who have taken a punt on this sort of thing from Chinese online marketplaces over the years. My impression is it's a bit of gamble, while some have been pretty pleased with what turned up, I think most of the instruments have required at least some additional work to get them up to standard. And , as pointed out above, if you're unhappy enough to want to send it back or nothing turns up at all then the usual consumer protections may well not apply with a Chinese based exporter

So I simply HAD to pick a 31 degree Centigrade day to strip the front and back of the bass ... doh! I used the shadiest corner of my workshop yard ... but it was still stifling and VERY acetony! It was so hot the acetone was evaporating and solidifying with the lacquer almost as soon as it was tipped on ... but I persevered. Compared to the woodworking part this is a hard, unpleasant and gruelling grind. Front and back done ... only the sides to do. And stripping the back revealed some past repaired damage down at the end pin block ... it's well enough done to be left alone. I gave the front and back a light hand sand - but I think I will have to get an electric sander onto them to take away the last of the sanding sealer and remove the blotchy look prior to staining. The issue is that I don't have a sander in the workshop (hand is usually good enough for what I do day to day) ... so more tool buying required. How much easier it is to work on a bolt on neck bass ... the way forward I think.

I’m not aware of the maker or the model, but I’m guessing the design brief was “can you make a bass out of my nan’s side table and lamp?”.

Monaco is the best all in one solution cab I've ever played through. Proud and delighted owner here!

There has to be a degree of respect, and synchronisation of calendars. Whichever band books the date first, that's it - none of this "my other band got a better offer" BS. I'm in two bands, drummer's in two and a bit, singer's in two - communication is the key. So far there has only been one oopsie, and I sorted it with a gig swap with another band - but made it plain that it was a huge pain in the rear end and don't do it again

Fit like loon, aye there's a few of us aboot, up here so yer not on yer own.🙂

Aye aye, min! Also, what @Acebassmusic said.

If you Google "angled amp stand", you'll get plenty of options. Check the weight rating if your rig is sizeable. Not an issue with a combo, but if using a separate head, you'll need something to stop it sliding off the cab.

Hi Kev, welcome to bass playing and Basschat. 👍 This forum is great for asking questions about anything bass related and I see you've already succumbed to your first GAS episode! Congratulations! 🤣🤣 There's a few of us based round Aberdeen area so don't be shy on getting in touch if you want any help / guidance / chat and we'll see what we can do 👍 Mike

Welcome BL.

Welcome

So for all this, I’m gigging this tomorrow. In my defence it would be more complex if the postman knew how to knock on the neighbours door

There are some really nice basses out there that I'd take off the owners hands in a heartbeat (one in particular that's graced these pages and Facebook Marketplace), but loads of people have seemingly been taking strong hallucinogenics when it comes to pricing these days. It has really accelerated/got worse since COVID, but pricing has not yet come back down to earth. The basses remain unsold for months, if not years, on end.

I finally picked up my first BB!! A matte black 734A. It was a bit of a train wreck when I got it, but after a seriously lengthy fretboard cleaning and a much needed setup, it’s absolutely fantastic. It’s really quite the player!!

I know what you mean. About 10 years ago I'd have been disappointed that the amp was too loud to get that grind at acceptable volume levels. But these days I'm not so desperate for that sound. The clean sound from the CTM-300 is just so bloody nice, I'm happy I can get that at gig volumes. Any dirt can be added...

I know my CTM-300 is massive overkill, but it was cheaper than a CTM-100, so I thought "Hell yeah!!"

Can't say I'm looking forward to tonight - had a stinking cold for the past couple of days and while it is abating, I'm still only operating on about 75% strength. Wireless shenanigans may be curtailed - hopefully won't need a chair.