toneknob

Grolsch washers here, on all my on-stage basses. Extremely reliable and I've never had one ping off. I've got them on my Stingray, and it fits in the case fine. Recently the material of the washer has changed though - from the rubbery substance of old to a slightly stiffer plasticky feel. Anyone else noticed? Also, Grolsch washers make good thuddy plectrums.

[quote name='chris_b' post='557705' date='Aug 1 2009, 12:21 PM']The NME's been fancy bog roll since the 60's.[/quote] I wouldn't - the ink rubs off. (well it did in the late 80s)

This made me laugh, on the "Have Your Say" page "Don't be ridiculous. Next week we're doing 50 most punctual roadies"

[url="http://www.nme.com/rate/bassplayer/start"]http://www.nme.com/rate/bassplayer/start[/url] Last time I looked, Jaco was on 4.63 out of 10, and the chap from Arctic Monkeys was doing better than James Jamerson.

[quote name='thodrik' post='556946' date='Jul 31 2009, 11:01 AM']Well. that depends on whether it is actually in stock, or just in stock unitl you get charged for it, after which it is magically no longer have it in stock and you have to wait ages for them to get hold of it! That only happened to me once at bass centre but a couple of times with other places, so I'm wary of being dicked around now! Generally Bass Centre have been pretty good and delivered within 3 days to me when it is actually in stock, which is pretty good.[/quote] A happy Bass Centre story from a few years ago, when they were still in Wapping - I had my heart set on a Stingray fretless 4, so went along on a Saturday afternoon to see what they had. There was one on display so I asked if I could try it. No problem, he said. Two seconds after I sat down, a couple of teenagers came in and grabbed something off a hook, yelled "ok to try this mate" at the assistant, who grudgingly nodded ok. Off they went with their endless endless loud Em slappity poppity widdley diddley no-sense-of-time "soloing", as I tried to investigate the subtleties of the 'Ray's piezo blend control. A Hopeless exercise, so after a few minutes I told the assistant it's a lovely bass but I can't really try it out to the level it deserves, so I'll come back in an hour "when the shop might be a bit quieter" (hint hint). Time was 4.15pm, they shut at 5.30. An hour later I'm back. Same poppity widdley diddley still going on. Sigh. The assistant senses my despair, and "shuts" the shop early, turfing out the two kids who were by now the only customers left except me. As he's sorting out the day's paperwork, he lets me have the shop to myself for half an hour to proeprly put the Ray through its paces (including the piezo knob). Monday morning I'm on the phone putting in an order - and they've just had delivered my precise requirements: three-band blendable-peizo 4-string in Burnt Apple. It's on my desk a couple of days later, one happy customer. Shame they've upped sticks from wherever they moved on to.

Check out [url="http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/series.asp?id=761"]http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/series.asp?id=761[/url] - London Jazz festival has some brilliant shows in store. There's two performances on the same day by Chick Corea/LennyWhite/Stanley Clarke, supported by a cut-down Flecktones - Bela Fleck/Victor Wooten/Regi Wooten. Then a week later Marcus Miller is performing his "Tutu Revisited - The Music of Miles Davis" show. get practising...

Hi there The Invisible Lead Soup are back in action - this time back at the Buffalo Bar, one of our favourite venues on Thursday, July 9th. We've been invited to open a new club night called "Out Of Our Tree", hosted by a team called "Sweet But Deadly", who are something to do with "The Acid Gallery". It's all a bit complicated to be honest, but there'll be four good bands on. The Buffalo Bar is right outside Highbury and Islington tube station, on the right as you exit, under a pub called The Famous Cock - the full address is 259 Upper Street, London N1 1RU for those who get lost easily or have sat-nav. Here's a map link: [url="http://preview.tinyurl.com/kkwhmf"]http://preview.tinyurl.com/kkwhmf[/url]. We're on about 8.30pm, doors are at 8pm. Following the Soup will be Brain Washington, the Squirrel Skin Slippers and Thee Vicars. There's more info scattered about our facebook/myspace/plain old web site - links to follow. Bring along one of the fliers from the facebook event page or myspace so they know you're there to see us. Hope to see you there! Send this on to whoever you think might be interested. Tony Soup Bass find us on the internet! [url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Invisible-Lead-Soup/13164197790"]http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Invisibl...oup/13164197790[/url] (fan page - listen to stuff, sign up) [url="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=93355858665"]http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=93355858665[/url] (event page - tick the box) [url="http://www.myspace.com/theinvisibleleadsoup"]http://www.myspace.com/theinvisibleleadsoup[/url] (more to listen to, join us!) [url="http://www.thesoup.co.uk"]http://www.thesoup.co.uk[/url] (probably more to listen to) Other potentially useful links: [url="http://www.buffalobar.co.uk"]http://www.buffalobar.co.uk[/url] [url="http://www.myspace.com/squirrelskinslippers"]http://www.myspace.com/squirrelskinslippers[/url] (i like) [url="http://www.myspace.com/brainwashington"]http://www.myspace.com/brainwashington[/url] [url="http://www.myspace.com/theevicarsuk"]http://www.myspace.com/theevicarsuk[/url] [url="http://www.myspace.com/sweetbutdeadlyclub"]http://www.myspace.com/sweetbutdeadlyclub[/url] [url="http://www.myspace.com/outofourtree"]http://www.myspace.com/outofourtree[/url] [url="http://www.myspace.com/soundsoftheacidgallery"]http://www.myspace.com/soundsoftheacidgallery[/url] Top prize goes to whoever visits every website and proves it to me on the night. They said stuff about us! From www.modculture.info: "Sometimes all a mod needs to keep happy is some mid-60s beat-pop. Step forward The Invisible Lead Soup. The London five-piece - Mark, Colin, Tony, Ted, and Tim - possess the harmonies of vintage US folk-rockers, mixed in with the pop-nous of Steve's Winwood and Marriott. The Zombies and Rubber Soul-era Beatles are obvious influences, whilst the driving rhythms and understated vocals on tracks such as 'Brand New Shirt' and 'What She Said' are also reminiscent of contemporary acts such like The Higher State and Beep Seals. The subtle but fluid Hammond organ playing is an added bonus to the psych-beat treats." From www.pleasureunitbar.com: "Invisible Lead Soup are five discerning London gents with a love of fuzzy 60s garage nuggets and a bagful of sparkling beat pop gems. Imagine, if you will, Ray Davies and Steve Marriot hanging out with Television, in a perfumed garden, possibly sipping tea and looking particularly sharp. Regulars at London town's top swinging live nitespots will testify to the Soup's irresistible jangly guitar & organ fuelled onslaught and winning harmonies" From www.soundsxp.com: "Invisible Lead Soup are purveyors of whimsical 60s pop, the sort that appeared on purple Pye labels, or on Decca, Deram or Immediate, bringing to mind the Zombies, the Kinks, the Eyes or the Bonzos. You could close your eyes and imagine that Jason King is stood next to you, nodding his approval of the band with a growled 'groovy' while he eyes up the chicks."

[quote name='jonsmith' post='531647' date='Jul 3 2009, 01:26 PM']Hello Tony! Surprised you'd never posted here before...[/quote] Hello Jon! I thought it was about time I started mucking in. Anything I should know about this lot? See you sunday!

[quote name='RhysP' post='529443' date='Jul 1 2009, 11:32 AM']Lovely!! Are they both Modulators?[/quote] Nope - electronics on both are "permanent" - see the pic at [url="http://www.shergold.co.uk/gallery.html?item_id=63"]http://www.shergold.co.uk/gallery.html?item_id=63[/url] to see the more blocky Modulator units. The electronics on mine are mounted more tradionally on the scratchplate. On the 12/4 there's a volume and tone per neck, as well as pickup selector neck/both/bridge per neck. Then there's on/off switches per neck as well - handily next to each other but I've had more than one occasion where I've ended up with both switched off mid-song. Eek! I've perfected a way of doing a neck switch in one fluid movement. The 4/8 has only one pickup per neck, but still has two outputs as it's possible to send out two signals from the 8-string, one for E and A pairs, one for D and G.

[quote name='RhysP' post='528973' date='Jun 30 2009, 06:49 PM']Welcome! Please post some pictures of your Shergold twin necks when you get a chance! [/quote] Why of course...

[quote name='stevefletch59' post='528734' date='Jun 30 2009, 03:43 PM']Hi Tony Welcome to the forum. Looks like you got some interesting gear there mate ! Have fun Steve[/quote] Thanks! It's taken a while but I've come a long way from that £70 P-bass copy!

Morning I'm Tony, live in SW London, been playing bass for 20ish years. Big gig-goer in and around London: recently (in the last month or so) seen, off the top of my head, Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, Zappa Plays Zappa, Chrome Hoof. My main band at the moment is 60s-influenced all-originals The Invisible Lead Soup. Check us out at [url="http://www.myspace.com/theinvisibleleadsoup"]http://www.myspace.com/theinvisibleleadsoup[/url] and [url="http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=93355858665#/pages/The-Invisible-Lead-Soup/13164197790"]http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=9335...oup/13164197790[/url] - we're gigging at the Buffalo Bar in Islington next week. basses: '75 Rickenbacker Jetglo, Fender Geddy Lee Jazz, Shergold Custom double bass/12-string, Shergold Custom double 4- and 8-string, Stingray fretless, Aria MAB-40 (in purple glitter \m/), Marlin P copy (first bass) amps: Trace Elliot combo, Roland Cube, Roland Jazz chorus effects: Trace Elliot dual compressor (Analogman bi-comp on order), SansAmp BDDI, Dunlop Crybaby wah, Boss Octave, Chorus, Overdrive. And a bad back The "without whom" list: Tony Levin, Jaco, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, John Paul Jones, Jack Bruce, Stanley Clarke The "currently favourite" list: Mike Gordon, Stefan Lessard, Victor Wooten. Also getting into Umphrey's McGee and Blues Traveler, don't know who their bassists are right now. Hello!

I'm a big fan of Phish and Mike Gordon - I've been following their summer tour jealously from afar. The three warm-up gigs they did in march are brilliant - you can get the recordings from www.livephish.com. I've been a fan since 1996 or so, when Billy Breathes came out and MG was in Bass Player to promote it. I saw them at the Royal Albert Hall the following year and didn't know enough of the music to really appreciate the show - that'd be a different story now. I'm really hoping they dome to Europe now they've reformed - I was going to go to America to see thim this summer but the bannk balance suggested otherwise :(

[quote name='dangerboy' post='523725' date='Jun 25 2009, 03:12 PM']What kind of music do you play? I know a fair few people who are looking for bands at any given moment.[/quote] It's prog/jazz/rock covers - mostly instrumental. I'm looking for a guitarist, a keyboard player and someone to do sax/flute/misc. Mail me at [email protected] if you know anyone or if you want to know more.

Brilliant - thanks all for advice and suggestions. Great idea to have a "looking for non-bassists" section here, word of mouth is a very powerful advertising method.

Hello - long time lurker, first time poster here. I'm about to start putting together a new band, and I'm wondering where's best to advertise. Of course I know where to look for people who need a bass player - I've done that a fair few times. Do you have any recommendations to find other musicians? In particular I'm looking for a guitarist, keyboard player and flute/sax. I've already got musofinder and gumtree on the list - any other suggestions gratefully received. Tony