mrtcat

Hi all, Just a feeler to see if there's any interest out there. I'm toying with the idea of becoming an authorized Bill Fitzmaurice franchise builder and wanted to see whether it's worth giving it a whirl. I'm an experienced cabinet maker by trade and have now completed several BFM projects to a high standard. I'd definitely encourage potential buyers to inspect my previous builds as a guide to the level of my work. If i do decide to go ahead I'll also build a web site to show my portfolio. Basically there's a very reasonable set up fee and a monthly fee to pay to become a builder but there's a limit of how many builds I could do a year (to be fair the limit is higher than I could manage). I would be completely responsible for my own standards and customer relations but I'd be allowed to build his designs and sell them at a price based around the guidelines that Bill recommends which will be a fraction of the price of equivalent commercially available stuff. It would certainly not be my sole income but would potentially supplement my earnings a little. I would probably want just a couple of builds a month so I could give them my full attention. I'd initially ask for material costs up front (these would be dictated by the spec required) then a balance to be paid when the customer collects and is satisfied with the finished product. The aim would be to allow people who don't have the skills or time to own some of Bill's designs which many of you know are quite special. I really really enjoy the building process so it would be a better way of earning than getting a second job at Tescos lol. Any suggestions or feedback would be gratefully received. I'm not decided yet but will see what the general feeling is.

Building complete! Now running two DR280s and two titan 39s. Awesome sound and very very loud. Happy to demo for fellow BCers or you can catch my band somewhere (check website)

Just to confirm our band now gigs with 2x DR280's and I'm in process of building 2x Titan 39's to replace our existing subs. Also building 2 x Omni Top 15's for use in smaller venues when we don't need subs etc. Well worth a listen as they're sounding great.

Our band very rarely plays a gig where we dont need to supply everything from backline to pa and as I own the pa I'm uber paranoid about kit breaking down. I maintain the pa really well and as it has multiple cabs there's always a way out of speaker failure. I also have a spare power amp in the rack which adds loads of extra weight but its nice to know it's there. As for bass backline I have a sansamp that stays in my gig bag and it's a very reassuring backup. I think any gigging bass player should carry a di alternative and the sansamp is as good if not better than the real amp & cab.

Up until recently Ive been playing with my pub covers band and also keeping an eye open for other projects. I love my covers band but as you might expect in order to be busy we play stuff to please pub goers. I always fancied a second band that played some of my fave stuff (Aerosmith, Poison, GnR, Skid Row etc etc)which is unlikely to make me mega busy but the odd gig doing this stuff would put a big smile on my face. Nothing came along - no biggie as I still get regular gigs with my covers band. Then last Saturday I got married to my very beautiful and tollerant better half. Since then I've had four offers of bands I like the sound of. One called tonight and I've frantically learnt five songs for an impromptu audition tomorrow night. Is this because I'm married? Lol

I just cringe whenever there's a band on with a piano. You just know JH is going to slide onto the stool next to the pianist and play some tedious 12 bar. I think the bands on there these days are pretty dull. I mean KD Lang was sooooooo moany and boring. Lets have something more funky on the show please! Should say tho that I met JH's session bassist Dave Swift at Olympia and he was such a sound guy he's worth tuning in for if he's on as most of you will already know he's a really good player

I'd be tempted to look at side projects as it can be very depressing leaving a band you've worked hard with in order to build reputation etc and going back to square one again. I certainly would give it a chance and see how it pans out. Our band sometimes encounters one member or another feeling unsettled and 9 times in 10 it all just settles back down. The 1 time it doesn't can often lead to a change for the better.

Guess this could be a good indicator of who's the sharpest entrepreneur on BC then lol

Maybe BC could do those rubber wrist bands (like the lance armstrong Livestrong ones) and only sell to BCers with any profit going to charity?

Is there any way of identifying fellow BCers at gigs? I'm thinking about like a subtle logo somewhere on our kit or a t-shirt emblem. Don't want to suggest some kind of secret society (although my missus is fairly convinced BC is another branch of the freemasons) or anything but would be nice to know another BCer when I'm either playing or watching as it's a chance to say hi.

[quote name='Ian Savage' post='1187208' date='Apr 3 2011, 10:40 PM']A little trick if your desk has channels with low-cut switches is to engage them on the kick drum (sounds counter-intuitive, but stay with me) and then ramp up the bass control to suit - depending on your frequencies of the two controls, you end up with a 'peaking' response around 80-120Hz which is where the real 'meat' of a kick drum is without amplifying loads of real low-end which is often musically irrelevant and eats amplifier power. Tends to make kick drums punch you in the chest without getting flabby.[/quote] Now that's the kind of advice I'm looking for! Desk has low cut filter and 4 band eq for every channel so gonna give that a whirl as it makes sense. The subs have good sensitivity so we do end up with a lot of really low end and it's the kick in the chest type punch we're after. Many thanks for the advice.

[quote name='deanovw' post='1186630' date='Apr 3 2011, 12:01 PM']I agree with ironside1966, every situation is different. What size bass bins are you using? How much power is driving them? Are you using an active crossover? What about mid range speakers and crossovers? This may all have an effect of how the kick and bass eq affects the sound of the band.[/quote] Thanks chaps for the help so far. To answer the above: Bass bins are Bill Fitzmaurice Tuba 30s Power comes from a behringer EP2500 for subs so there's about 700watts per cab available but rarely need to turn up beyond about 30% Using a behringer crossover and then subs have their own eq before the signal hits the amp. PA tops are Bill Fitzmaurice DR280s powered by a behringer EP1500 As you can see it's a substantial pa system and sound quality is brilliant although the DR280s require lots of eq ing.

Can anyone offer some advice on how you eq bass and kick drum at the mixer when doing this. I have previously boosted the lows and low mids lots on both usually with good results but last night was a bit off and I was struggling to get enough punch in the kick. Bass sounded good with lots of low end grunt but not sure If I'll need to give up some of that for the kick? Any help welcomed.

I personally will only go to see either big name original acts (where I know and like plenty of their stuff) or a covers band. Original bands (especially at pub level) rarely float my boat. There's a venue here that snobishly says "we only do original bands here". That venue has gone bust 3 times in two years. I understand however that we need people and venues who like originals bands or new bands will never break thru. I personally am happy for someone else to discover these bands tho. In answer to the OP's question then the answer is both yes and no. Soooooooo many variables. In certain pubs only covers will draw a crowd and in others only originals will. Some venues will be busy whether there's a band or not. In larger venues covers won't pull enough to fill a venue unless the performance and technical ability of the band is of a very very high standard. Think about bands like The Hamsters. Possibly one of the best pub bands I ever saw who started with covers only and then some good original stuff. They moved to larger venues after almost 20yrs of plugging away at pubs and teaming up with some bigger names they filled bigger clubs but to me they reached their limit. A good originals outfit can go on to Wembley stadium if they get it right. As people rightly acknowledge a decent tribute act can pull a huge crowd. Tribute acts are a funny thing tho as they get the benefit of the reputation of the band they cover and then their own reputation on top. It's no wonder so many quality musicians do the tribute thing. Another fine case of horses for courses methinks

Sat night's set was: Gimme Some Lovin - Spencer Davis Group Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny K Day Tripper - Beatles Addicted To Love - Rob Palmer Bartender - Stereophonics La Grange - ZZ Top Rosalie - THin Lizzy Hard To Handle - Black Crowes Alive - Pearl Jam Paint It Black - Stones Roadhouse Blues - Doors B Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf Black Night - Deep Purple Paranoid - Sabbath Rosie - AC/DC Set 2 Hush - Deep Purple Last Nite - Strokes Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys All The Small Things - Blink 182 Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Long Way To Top - AC/DC White Wedding - Billy Idol Buck Rogers - Feeder Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top Tie Your Mother Down - Queen Sex On Fire - Kings Of Leon Honky Tonk Women - Stones Summer Of 69 - Bryan Adams Oh yeah we also did Happy Birthday To You for someone but it's not on any set list.

IMO bass player should always be stage left unless drummer is a leftie in which case reverse it. Makes eye contact etc easier as there's less cymbals in the way and most drummers don't sit perfectly straight as they tend to angle very slightly towards snare and hi hat. If playing with two guitards it's always best to split them to either sides of the stage to stop their egos banging together and starting fisticuffs.

One song as an encore is acceptable if punters really want it. After that I just tell them if they want more then come to our next gig. Then point them in the direction of the mailing list sign up so they know when next gig is.

Kinda expected the "credit debate" but like has been said it's each to their own. Some people use credit cards, some have mortgages, some buy cars on finance and nobody frowns at that even tho they all incur interest. Martin Lewis has always encouraged interest free deals as long as you're responsible. Seems some retailers are more flexible than others as to what you can take the finance on with some sticking to the instrument only. I guess this thread should have been titled "what peices of kit are people craving?" the mention of finance has kind of distracted a few people.

Everything in your target genre is do-able with enough practice. We find that Paranoid by black sabbath bridges many age groups and is mega simple. Blink 182's all the small things is pretty easy too.