jazzyvee

The bass player in one of my first funk bands in the late 70's had a fender jazz and a columbus copy, we used to do quite a bit of studio recordings back then and the producer/engineer always preferred the sound of his columbus.

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The first photo was around 1983 when I was posing for a photo student friend, trying to copy a Stanley clarke album cover pose. I've never been a smoker and didn't enjoy puffing that cigar. In recent years I found that same bass listed on a French web site and resisting buying it. I was a guitarist back then, the bass was really an impulse swap when I tried to sell my Laney Klipp guitar head to a small second hand guitar shop. The more recent was taken at a gig where i was depping for a Bob Marley Tribute band.

I was once recommended to a local singer who was putting a band together to do some gigs in support of her ‘upcoming’ album release. I met the singer and she seemed fine and so were the songs and i agreed to do the two local showcase gigs she had booked. Anyway i learnt the basslines as per the recordings and turned up to all the rehearsals to discover she didn’t know the arrangements and wouldn’t take helpful advice from me or other band members whom like me learnt the stuff. Things were changing every session to the point of us all being confused. I decided i would honour the two gigs and leave after the second gig. As expected the the first gig was dreadful (She thought it was fantastic) and the audience were as shocked as we the band were when her vibratio ad-libs sounded like a strangled turkey. Second gig was worse, and in the interval i told the drummer i was leaving immediately after the gig. Which I did quietly after the last song with a blow by blow analysis of my reasons and she marched off in a huff. I then went to cool down and got talking to a punter and told him i had just left and the reasons for it, then he told me the singer was his wife!!! Bit awkward but nonetheless before the end of the following week both the guitarist and drummer had quit. A few years later i was compering a stage at a music festival and her new band were on my list do I gave her the same respectful intro as the other bands and then stood in front of the stage with my other half where the singer could clearly see me and enjoyed watching them squirm through their absolutely dreadful out of tune set with the knowledge that she could see my reaction and knowing I was right. Since then a couple of mates agreed to do gigs with her before hearing her and regretted it.

Sounds great!

I bet they are to slide end down over your strings above the pickup pole pieces and give you more bounce on your slap bass solos. 🤣

I have a black alembic europa 5 stringer, bought online & unseen from Germany. Firstly i couldn't get used to the narrow string spacing, i didn't really take to the black colour, and it was always way too bright, even with the filters closed. I put it up for sale a short time after buying and got a lot of interest but no buyer. So kept it, worked on the eq on both the bass and rig and now it's my first call bass. In recent years i had some plug and play electronics upgrades from alembic so that it operates like my series bass. What was I thinking.? Confession is good for the soul...... alledgedly🧐🎶

Mine is, when the strings on any of my basses get old enough to start exhibiting a P- bass type tone. They get a new set fitted. Nothing against that tone but it’s not for me ………yet.

I left the house band at a weekly pub open mic night after almost 2 years after the volume started creeping up and up especially when another guitarist was sitting in. I mentioned it to them many times about the volume and refused to turn my volume up. Eventually I left when nothing was changing. Not too many weeks after that they lost that gig as also the regulars had been complaining about the volume. Another band took over the spot and they were even louder.

I’d suggest checking out jimmy Johnson’s bass playing on youtube he plays with a really narrow string spacing and straight fingers. You may pick up some tips there. I will search some videos and post here if i find some close ups.

I’ve turned 65 this year and been playing in bands on and off since the mid 70’s mainly as a guitarist but eventually my bass calling pulled me into the deep side and now 99% of my gigs are on bass. Although i get paid for gigs I never do it just for the money and over the years i’ve done many gigs where i was not into the music, or it was a non paying gig, or helping out a friend, but enjoyed the opportunity to play something different. I still have that burning desire to become a better player, especially when it comes to jazz, so as long as that desire continues so will I. It also helps that i’ve managed to acquire both the dream bass and dream guitar i wanted since the beginning of my gigging life to gig with. Shallow maybe but it does increase my level of enjoyment. 👍🏾😁🥳

Exactly this.

The Boobie Brothers. 🫣

How would you know if a road worn bass got damaged in shipping? and if you did notice and the damage didn't affect playability or electronics, should it matter as it would be genuine road wear and could you get your money back?

Had a cracking gig as dep in a UB40 tribute last night at the Big Tribute Fest 2025 in Plymouth. The band were headlining the Saturday night.

[b]first bass[/b] . Woolworths 4 string, no idea of brand. -Your [b]go-to bass[/b] 5 string Alembic Europa -And [b]'Your' / signature bass[/b] Alembic Series II 5 string You can only put ONE bass for each category, no matter how much it might pain you! [b] First Bass Owned: 'Go To' Bass: 'Your' Bass: [/b]

I've been playing reggae for most of my musical life, as well as other genres. However, i have never used any kind of 'effects' on a bass. I'm not against using them at all, i just have not been in any musical situation where i felt the need. I got into a conversation with a bass player recently who plays in a few reggae tribute bands and he was telling me he uses effects on all the songs. To my ears, the only bass effects i have heard are when a synth bass line is being played on a keyboard and not a bass guitar. He was attempting persuade me to go down the effects route too, but for reggae i'm too much of a puritan to even consider it given that most of the classic reggae was played on very cheap basic basses. I can get the sound i need from my bass and eq-ing my rig. I do remember trying the sub button on a backline bass rig once when setting up but it sounded like mud so off it went. Any one else using effects for playing reggae, what and why. I know it's each to their own so not trying to be judgemental, just curious to understand. Responses for reggae only please so the thread does not go off at a tangent. 👍🏾🎶

I cannot confirm or reject that as i am not willing to operate a 6 string bass. 😂👍🏾

I can confirm that a barefaced 1x12 can handle a 5 string. I use a BBII which is great.

When I was looking at a Smart for Two car way back. I told the dealer if it could hold my bass gear, he'd get the sale. He brought the car to my house to see if my two mesa boogie cabs, bass in case and my amp could fit in the car. It did so I bought the car. 🙂

I watched quite a bit on BBC over the weekend and my only gear comment is that most bands I saw were using P-basses or P-style basses. 🤔

I do have a 3U SKB that is similar to that too, which is great as the fat handle helps carrying it with my weighty preamps. Most of the flight cases seem to have slim handles which are unpleasant to carry with heavy stuff in. Currently I use a 4U SKB roto shallow rack with a 1U power amp. I would prefer to move the 1U power amp into the 3U rack with my bass power supply and F1-x preamp for a lighter rack. Then use my 2U Crown XLS amp into fat handled 5U, Ideally, shallow rack with two pre-amps and a bass psu. So the fat handle will help with carrying the weight.

Yes. usually when I can use my own rig or when it's a venue where i know the sound is going to be great.