bassbiscuits

Nothing this year on NYE itself. Doing a gig a couple of days before on December 29, but NYE will be with family this time around.

Two of the bands I’m in are regular dep jobs, so I play whatever the band has decided upon. The other band I play in does a mix of covers and originals, so we all chip in with ideas for both, with the understanding that if it isn’t working for the greater good then we leave it out generally. We’ve got an agreement to be open with each other about it and not take it badly if something doesn’t work. So far so good

My P bass has worn both Rotosound 77 flatwounds, and currently has La Bella 760FLs on it. The La Bellas feel considerably lower tension than the Rotos - ie i can stringbend normally on the La Bellas but not on the Rotos. I had a Epi Jack Casady bass with TI Flats on once, and they were lovely - very musical sounding flats, and comfortable to play, but probably as light gauge as I'd ever want to go.

I'm on the fence with flats as they don't suit all of my basses. Precision bass with flats - great. They are La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass. I used to have Rotosound flats but not my cup of tea at all. Mustang bass with flats - yes it sounded good, but in a totally different direction to how it sounded with rounds on, and ultimately it wasn't a sound I had much use for, so went back to rounds. Yamaha BB604 - came with D'addario Chromes which sounded lovely - flats but bright and loud, though too heavy for me. Now wears D'addario NYXLs which suit it perfectly.

I have a Protection Racket semi rigid bass gigbag/case, which is for full-size instruments - however, there are big internal pads which velcro to the inside of the case and with a bit of experimenting will hold my short scale mustang in place firmly without it moving around inside. Sure there's a few inches spare at the headstock end, but the case is firm enough that it doesn't sag or bend so it's not a problem. And they're really robust too - lighter than a Hiscox, but with shoulder straps etc and tougher than a standard gig bag.

I started off using Picato strings on a short scale bass as they were all the shop had (this was Wales in 1986). I used Rotosounds as soon as I got a decent bass and used them for many years, though I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't even realise they came in different gauges for a very long time... Branched out a few years ago to D'Addario NYXLs, and also started experimenting with a secondhand set of Labella Deep Talkin' Bass flats. So currently I have Labella flats on my P bass, and D'Addario rounds on everything else.

I play an older Fender Japan Mustang - allegedly a 1966 reissue. From what I gather the neck on that is slimmer than the JMJ Mustangs - just had a quick check and the nut seems to be about 38mm and the neck a very easy handful. Worth a try if you spot one secondhand - I've seen them go for between £600-£800 depending on condition etc. Very light and comfortable, but still oozes cool and sounds great - proper snarly and punchy, like a naughty little brother of a P bass.

1987 I was 13, so could have revelled in Bon Jovi, Dio, Metallica, Anthrax,Wasp and Cinderella at Donington. I’d have been well up for that. (Reality check to self - at the time I lived 200 miles away, did a paper round and had no money. Bummer.)

Exactly this. I had the classic thing of parents who thought it was fine as a hobby, but nothing more, and that influenced my thinking. Knowing now 37 years later how much of my life, my work and myself-identity is built around music, I wish I'd taken it all more seriously. That would in turn have depended on a level of insight, self confidence and resilience I didn't have when I was younger. It's worked out ok really, but if my kids decide they want to play music seriously, I hope the circumstances mean I can support them.

Yes I wear glasses normally, but contact lenses for gigs. Unfortunately, my prescription is quite weird and mismatched, so I only wear a lens in one eye. It means I can't really see well enough to drive with them, so tend to wear glasses to and from the gig, and pop lenses in for my time onstage. They are daily disposable Boots jobs - decent enough for my needs. They are quite limiting tho and keep me focused on distance vision, unless I then bring a set of reading glasses too. Such is life on the outskirts of 50.

Been using these for a couple of years very happily. Top quality for £40 a go.

Yup. My pedal board is a spare piece of wood meant to be a shelf, which fits perfectly into a luxurious laptop padded bag which cost a fiver from the local Air Ambulance charity shop.

I use the Ear Peace ones that come in a little red metal tube. They are soft and have changeable inserts for different levels of protection. They’re great. https://www.earpeace.co.uk/products/earplugs

P bass. Easiest thing to get to sound good with minimum of fuss and every soundman in the world is familiar with one.

Roll of gaffer tape and a set of earplugs.

The graph of disposable income that has increased as I've got older has been intersected by the graph coming down the other direction, showing the decreasing amount I can be bothered to lug around. Having accepted long ago I'll never own or transport an SVT with an 8x10, I'm very happy with my long-serving old Markbass heads and cabs paired with a P bass, a Mustang bass and two Yamaha BB604 basses. Chuck that lot through a Cali76 and a tuner and I'm good to go. Lots more stuff that I like, but none of it that I need.

I can’t pretend I feel strongly one way or the other! I was just interested in what they were, and conclude they are probably among the many things I can live without. Glad you get work out well for some people tho - that’s cool.

I’ve managed 37 years without one so far…

I literally have no idea what these ramps are - what are they used for? Excuse my ignorance in these matters.

Wedged upright between the horizontal bridge saddle springs and the string itself works for me. Or shoved in the little gap on the cab between the speaker grill and the edge of the woodwork/carpet/tolex.

I upgraded the regular HSBC bank card I used as a shim, for their Advance debit card. The bass sounds more expensive now, and works brilliantly with my Boss Overdraft Pedal.

So last night’s performance at the Musician in Leicester was the easy bit - getting to and from the venue proved a bit more difficult. My route took in a flooded road on the way out of my village (and having to drive slowly along a pavement to get past it), diversions along back routes to avoid traffic from to two separate Bonfire Night displays, then another snarl up blocking my main route into the city, more back street short cuts and eventually driving round and round looking for any remotely plausible available parking spaces near the venue. Trip home was less eventful for me, unlike the occupants of the car which had left the road and ploughed into the centre of the roundabout on the outskirts of my village. Ambulance etc in attendance so fingers crossed everyone is ok. PS gig was lovely though. A fundraiser for a local musician who’s unwell. Lots of familiar faces/old friends etc and some good music from the various bands all taking part.