bassbiscuits

On a slight tangent I’d be interested to see what hard cases there are for Mustangs as they seem rare as chicken lips.

Just back from an Elton John tribute gig at Butlin’s in Skegness. Simple joy of playing a vintage P bass thru an SVT rig for about 1,000+ people (and a blow up dog) enjoying a 70s weekender. An ace day out!

I only had one bass (a P bass) for many years but now I have a couple of spares and I find my tastes vary over time so it’s nice to explore and experiment with new sounds etc. If I’m not using something at all I tend to sell it. No point having something that doesn’t fit in.

Yeah that one sounds like a bit of a mare @skidder652003. I wouldn’t be itching to go back unless there was a very good reason.

For regular rehearsals I’d like it to be within an hour from me (which has always been the case) - if it’s much further I won’t make it regularly so it’ll become an issue. In terms of gigs I don’t mind travelling really far for the right gig. In practical terms almost all my regular gigs are within three hours max of here, but being in the Midlands that does cover a fair chunk of the UK. One-off gigs further afield are accepted on their merit and usually incorporated into a bit of a trip away if need be to make the most of it.

I’ve bought myself a little handbag-esque compact makeup mirror for those joints which don’t even have mirrors in the gents…

Yup. The car is usually my changing room. I’m a dab hand at putting in contact lenses using the wing mirrors.

Abject failure from my end. By the end of February I’d bought an Ashdown ABM head, a comfort strap and a Boss BCB-60. Poor effort really from me. Like a bloke in Orthopaedic shoes, I stand corrected.

I’ve done the obvious thing and run them together….

Have just taken collection of this ABM Evo III head. I’ve been using an old ABM 300 in rehearsals for the last few months and been blown away by it, so I snapped this one up from this very parish. I’ve been using Markbass for years and love the sound I’ve got but this ABM was a bargain so I couldn’t say no to some experimentation. Frankly it sounds absolutely massive!! I’ve not had a chance to gig it yet (and my next gig has an SVT and 8x10 provided anyway) but even noodling at home its excruciatingly loud (apparently you can turn down the volume but where’s the fun in that eh?). I’m interested to see how that valvey growl translates to onstage sound. My Markbass stuff sounds clear and precise - some say boring - on its own, but as part of a band it fits right in. I wonder if the sounds Im liking from the Ashdown now might all be a bit OTT on stage. One way to find out…

Many many times. In fact I don’t get my hopes up too much just in case these days - I just try to enjoy it for what it is instead.

Sounds like being a bassist defines who you are much more so than your job Daryl, so it’s fair enough to tell people that’s what you do.

I’d have loved to be a pro musician for a living, and if I could go back I would even now. Despite all the pitfalls I’d need to experience and find out for myself. But on the flip side, I’ve never had my love of playing music ruined by the business side of it, so maybe the route I’ve taken as a semi-pro muso was actually the right one, albeit unintentional. As Sir Mick of Jagger once said, you can’t always get what you want but you just might get what you need….

I learned by playing along to simple songs I knew and liked, and then as I grew to recognise patterns and techniques, I practiced incorporating them into learning increasingly more complex songs. I suppose in a roundabout way that’s a sort of framework of music theory rather than just total guesswork, but I’ve never found the need for formal theory learning. I don’t mean to disregard theory, but don’t let it be a barrier either - you can play along to songs, jam and gig with mates etc based on using your ears perfectly well. I’ve managed for 38 years and counting…

First gig of the year for me with the Andy Wales Blues Band at the Flying Circus in Newark. Was looking forward to blowing the dust off. It’s a proper music pub where people come to listen which is ace. Played a right mix of choice covers and originals - proper sweaty loud gig, as it should be. Lots of very positive feedback and I expect we will be back soon.

These sort of valve amps make me drool - VBA400, AD200B, Ampeg SVT and V4B etc, but I couldn't face lugging them around these days. I occasionally get to use them in festivals etc and they're lush. Well done sir.

I had a lovely JC bass for a while. Pros: Looked amazing, played beautifully, a lot more versatile than expected but with a real character of its own. People who’d seen my band for years suddenly noticed I was there thanks to me shapethrowing with a big gold bass on stage. Beautifully made too. Cons: Mine had ghastly neck dive (all my other basses have conventional top horns) and was prone to feedback when playing very loud on a small stage (part of a multi band gig with shared backline, so I was limited to what choices I had). Ultimately I sold it to fund a MIJ Mustang bass, which is more versatile for my style. But I keep lusting over a JC whenever they pop up for sale.

Currently only about 10 gigs in the diary for this year but I’ve gone back to university to retrain, so while the extra pocket money would be good I also don’t want to overcommit myself to too many gigs until I’m clear what I can manage. I do a mix of dep gigs, solo gigs and my own band each with their own arrangements for booking gigs. Its never been my full time job so the money is welcome rather than vital. First gig of the year next weekend. Happily do two or three gigs a month but much more than that starts to get too frantic juggling it all. The exception is summer (wedding season) and Christmas (party season) when I take as many gigs as I can!

Does the phrase “it’s meant to be a joke” mean anything to anyone?

I only guessed the Gretsch and the Danelectro. Dear me.

Would love a Thunderbird even tho I know they don’t fit me at all. I miss my Jack Casady Bass, even tho it didn’t fit me at all. And I lust after an SG bass / EB-3 etc even tho I have no use for one at all. It’s nice to still dream about basses that make your heart beat faster tho eh.

It is all relative depending on what your body is comfortable with - though 4.8kg is on the heavy side by any measure. I never used to worry about the weight of instruments, but now I’m older I really can’t do anything over 4kg at all. I’ve tried a few times but it always ends with pain and I’ve finally accepted my limitation! There was a certain authority to the tone and feel of the heavier basses I’ve owned, but with the kind of amps, cabs and pedals available today I have no problem getting a relatively lightweight bass like a 3.6kg Mustang to sound fairly mighty. It’s striking that balance between tone and weight I guess.

I’ve hurt some tendons in my fretting hand forearm which was aggravated by playing so much in the run up to Christmas. As a result I’m trying to play as little as possible at the moment while I’ve got no gigs for a bit. I’m find it extremely hard not to noodle or play at all! It’s something I do every day in some way. Feel like I need to sit on my hands or something.