bassninja

[quote name='7string' post='588179' date='Sep 2 2009, 11:48 PM']I grabbed a Behringer DI and it's really given a boost to my bass sound. It's like a steroid switch, just beefs everything up a little and I'm just using the suggested settings. I was playing bass with a friend of mine after I got it and he just laughed as the bass just sounded so good. Best £30 I've spent in a long while.[/quote] +1, Good bang/buck ratio for the £, but plastic casing is pretty rubbish.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='459287' date='Apr 10 2009, 01:55 PM']Not sure if you want to hear it Michael, but I actually prefer the sound of the Franklin. I didn't think I would but it just has more growl which is what I go for.[/quote] What he said. Sorry dude...

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='450578' date='Mar 31 2009, 03:07 PM']If I hear the phrase "passable Marcus Miller/Jaco impression" one more time, I'm heading up the bell tower with the sniper rifle.[/quote] I also feel the writing could be a little more gritty and 3D. For me its the regularly unimaginative questions along the lines of: [i]i) Why do/don't you play slap? ii) Why do/don't you play 5 or 6 string?[/i] But I always end up buying it and giving it [i]one more chance[/i]...

[i]God, I can't believe I'm about to say such an anoracky thing, but (deep breath)...[/i] The Vanden is really like the one Dave Pegg played in the summer of 1987, 'cos I remember it from that years Cropredy festival (one of the few things I can actually remember, though). It should be on the cover of their album 'In real time'. Looks like its been defretted though.

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='407657' date='Feb 12 2009, 03:13 PM']I really, really like the stuff he did with Joni Mitchell ... The rest of his stuff I can take or leave however.[/quote] +1 I've listened to loads of Jaco for years, and there are bits that I still find amazing ("Dry Cleaner from Des Moines" off Shadows & Light esp.) But this thread has really made me reconsider. I think its that "It ain't braggin' if you can back it up" nonsense coming through his, admittedly pretty groundbreaking, playing. That's the Marmite factor for me, and on the whole, I'd rather not, thank you. I'd imagine that very thing might be the clincher for some folks, though, who find his arrogance inspiring or edgy in some way. But I don't hear him as a 'generous' player. I feel the same way about Frank Zappa, now I come to think of it...

[quote name='Low Down Dave' post='408699' date='Feb 13 2009, 03:38 PM']Personally I like quiet a bit of country music… in the same way I like quite a bit of jazz, and quite a bit of reggae But I do know country music (including Blue Grass) has some of the most incredibly talented musicians.[/quote] Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Bryan Sutton, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas etc etc all jam and improvise and stretch what 'country' or 'bluegrass' means. If you can play like that with only a mic pointing at your instrument (oo er..) then you are a man, my son... Improvising their little rhinestones off... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afzl3A8o7vE"]Chris Thile and Mike Marshall: The Fishers hornpipe[/url]

By the hats if I can...

Big Jim Sullivan. The Don, 'nuff said...

A couple of recent ones... The usual monthly gig in the boondocks. Joined by superduper fiddle & mando player again due to our usual buddy's incapacitation with what we now know to be a disease he got from an infected deer tick bite (Lyme disease). He'd thought it was carpal tunnel syndrome flaring up, but it took visits to 4 separate doctors to convince one of them that it was, indeed, Lyme's. He's a luthier/repairer too, so he's lost a load of £s in gigs and other work due to the hassle he's had being heard by his GP and our local hospital. Winkers. Anyway, I happened to get a really nice MD recording of this one by randomly dangling the mic on an old beam about 10' from the PA. A couple of fabulous furry freak brothers turned out too, so there was lots of stuff we hadn't done for years/ever. Nice to see everyone stand up with glasses raised after we did 'May you never' (it was the night after John Martyn died). Last night was a country gig in the Tivloi Theatre, Wimborne (near Bournemouth), a proper small independent theatre. It was a seated 'do', and it went really well. No real hassle, just bangin' out the R>V most of the time. I think The Peter Donegan Band are there soon, so WoT (if you're playing): the King's Head just down the road does a lovely pint of Abbot, and the resident crew are really helpful. A bit of a bizarre one, btw: I had an appointment with a cardiologist yesterday too. I went in to the consulting room and he looked at me a bit reservedly and said "I know you..." Then he turned to the medical student and nurse who were also attending and said "This gentleman is the finest bass player I've ever seen" and told me the various venues he's seen my jammy band over the years! Good news is I'm discharged with no further problems. Turns out he's a bit of a player too, and he asked for my number if he needs a dep! Its a funny old game, Saint...

[quote name='Ray' post='390308' date='Jan 24 2009, 12:11 PM']I still can't believe I played with Bernard Purdie last night![/quote] Tip o' the hat, geezer...

Thanks for the above, Nik, really good to see you (& posse). Its always nice to get some specific feedback from someone who knows what they're listening for... Anyways, I have a little catching up to do for the last few gigs as things have been manic and... well you know how it can be at this time of year. I had a surprise gig organised for me by Mrs Bassninja on my 40th birthday. It was great. Many of the people I played with and depped for in the last 20 odd years came along and we jammed. No pressure, lots of Hoegaarden and a real loose happy vibe. Fender Precision birthday cake included (made in the Sussex Custom Shop, 2008, very fat flour-based composite neck). Don't remember getting home Another folk club date with buddy Willy Austen (local hardcore pub music geezer) at which I found out that mutual buddy and geetar superstar Big Jim Sullivan is not too well at present, so thinking good thoughts for him. Then The Eagle, Arundel (mentioned by Sliverfoxnik above). Hot sweaty and packed with dancing 'heads' whom we eventually had to politely deflect from the micstands towards the end in order to preserve our dentures. Good natured and enthusiastic, though. Friday the Royal Oak, Hooksway. Our monthly 'secret' gig in the middle of nowhere. Mandocat had a flare up of what we suspect to be carpal-tunnel syndrome after the previous nights Arundel gig, so a bit worried as it seems to be getting worse. Anyway, last minute call to violin/mandolin ace and 'fifth Beatle' Jon Wigg who knows every piece of music ever played who graciously depped for us. We dug up stuff we haven't played for 20 odd years, and generally had a terrific time. Not driving, Speckled Hen, slept in Saturday Tuesday another folk club gig and then not around until after Xmas, so have a lowdown time everybody and I hope you all get your stockings filled generously

The New Inn, Littlehampton. Rough looking boozer, but salt of the earth really. [quote name='WalMan' post='347690' date='Dec 7 2008, 04:43 AM']Pretty much my local,[/quote] Present company excepted, o'course...

The New Inn, Littlehampton. Rough looking boozer, but salt of the earth really. Pretty good fun overall. Our drummer knows everyone in Littlehampton, it seems, so all was nice and friendly. Griping from mandolin player about '[i]can't get a sound, man[/i]', so I explained - with diagrams, anecdotes and hand gestures - (i) how important it is to know your kit inside out (ii) not to just expect it to sound great because you paid a lot of moolah for it, and (iii) that the 'great' sound you get at volume 1 in your living room is very different from what you need at volume 11, battle stations. It took me about 3 mins to sort his whinging out and work up a sound he was more or less comfy with, and he harrumphed a grudging 'thanks'. So first set awful; second set, much better. Warwick NT V Thumb through the PA was nice, and my new(ish) EBS octaver sounded superb with the help of the sub. Oh, and Alan Minter was there, digging it. Maybe that's why it didn't kick off...

[quote name='johnnylager' post='184489' date='Apr 24 2008, 12:19 PM']Waterloovile social club.[/quote] (([i]shudder[/i]))

The Fox goes free at Charlton. A regular gig for us, and good fun. First gig with a new 8 ohm spkr in my old Peavey Databass, much better than the old one. How Peavey got away with putting a 350w spkr in a combo delivering the full 450w load I can only guess... Nevertheless, a few folks came specifically to see us, so that was cool. Much humiliation of our [i]ultra [/i]organised gtrist, who discovered that he'd forgotten a strap and we rigged one out of a lead and some cable ties.

[quote name='Sean' post='341078' date='Nov 30 2008, 01:01 PM']I wonder if there's a proper term for a cheese merchant.[/quote] Cheesemonger?

Nice country pub. Got a lift. Went well. Beer was brought for us. Oh dearrrr....

Did a kind of unplugged gig with the former main band (the one I don't gig with much anymore). Good to see all the fellas again and everyone was up for it, band and audience alike. Our drummer was playing standing up with snare & brushes in a rockabilly sytlee, and I dusted of my lovely old Precision for the night. The setlist was made up on the spot, more or less. We did all the stuff we used to really enjoy: Little Feat, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, The Band, Dylan, Stones, Beatles etc etc. Lots of cool jams and "hittin' the note" nicely. By chance we have another gig next weekend with the same band in its electric format. Its a couple of days before my 40th, and the start of a potentially very messy week off work. Can't wait. Out tonight at a remote country pub, rather like a really cool living room with a good bar in. And I'm not driving

One year anniversary

Regular monthly gig at a country pub miles from anywhere. We junked our usual pool of stuff and winged loads of things we haven't played for at least 5 years. Great fun, esp. since I didn't do BVs back then, so a bit of a fun challenge. Funny how songs I was bored of playing back then are now fun again...

Bit late but...Monday's gig was great. A trio I now play in only occasionally had a residency at an acoustic music club for about 13-14 years every Monday. I met some fabulous musos - many pretty famous, made a lot of lifelong friends and got my chops together in a variety of styles from country to bebop and all (well OK, most) points in between. We were sad when the club closed, and have all drifted off to find other things to scratch the itch, as it were. Anyway, Monday was a one-off 'reunion'. Arrived to find the car park stuffed to the gills, standing room only and loads of slaps on the back on the way in. Set up my wee Laney practice combo (plenty for the room, honest) and[i] twannngggg, brannngggg [/i]tuned up in front of an expectant throng with people coming up to shake hands and "Hi how have you been" type stuff. We were joined by our 'fifth Beatle' and old mate Jon Wigg on fiddle, and it took off from the first note really. The roar that met the end of the first number was fantastic, and we got an encore after the [i]first [/i]set. I sat in with anyone who felt the need for some bass, as ever, and got to play with an 80 year old accordion player too! Smiles all round, encore with everyone who could play anything- a bit like the end of The Last Waltz (!) great vibe and lots of "when are you going to do it again?". A really valuable gig that will see me through many chav-laden pub gigs in the months to come.

Finally! Back to the forum after an unexpectedly extended hiatus while Bassninja Towers was rewired, necessitating our moving out. Apparently bakelite fittings and valves are considered 'unsafe' these days (its political correctness gone mad...) So... a number of gigs; mainly fairly uneventful but one in particular stands out as worthy of a quick mention. Dep gig at a caravan park in Somerset for a 'Country Music Festival'. Not my usual cup o' tea but the kids have to eat. Several of the holidays parks in the area, it seems, had banded together for the 10 day event, including quick-draw pistol competitions and other western type diversions. We did an hour's spot at Sunday lunchtime to about 500-600 hardcore country fans, including many Confederate re-enactment enthusiasts. Great attention to detail in the uniforms and firearms ([i]yes: Firearms!!![/i]) and obviously very sincere in what they do. I was not prepared, however, when they all stood tearfully to attention, hats off and hands on heart, at the end when the multi-instrumentalist in the band played 'Dixie' on a fife. I should have been ready for the first sight that greeted us on arrival after a horribly early start. A man in a stetson hat, suede chaps and spurs with a gun belt and pistol riding down the road on one of those electric buggies that are so helpful to our more elderly friends and neighbours. Myself and the soundguy almost choked when, as we pulled out to overtake him, we noticed a stuffed horses head stuck on his handlebars. Tip o' the hat to the support band 'Dog Gone' who travelled from Essex for a one hour set, and put in a really decent show, including some fairly athletic dog-house bass playing.

Hobbs Farm Festival, West Sussex. Cool Good sound from the off, asked to play an extra 30 mins due to the 'next band' being stuck in the mayhem that is currently the A27. Made a change from the usual 'we're running over a bit, could you lose two numbers?' [smug]I was the only band member without a hangover[/smug]. Lots of people hanging out and the vibe was good, nice solos, good interplay with everyone listening well. An improbably tall drummer introduced himself to us afterwards (independently recommended by people who know), and it looks like we'll hook up for a jam at some point. Might be interesting...

John (or Jon) Lester was great when I saw him at Larmertree a couple of years ago. Solo electric and upright, with decent songs, too.

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='279499' date='Sep 8 2008, 09:31 AM']I wandered down an alley at one point and came back with a chimney for my boat - result![/quote] ...