OldGit

Sold all the spare strings and managed to save my finacial bacon. Even made enough to make a contriubution to BC and Prostate Cancer research.. Thanks to all (especially Hartke-UK who OK'd me selling the spares) Phew..

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='671140' date='Dec 1 2009, 02:52 PM']I tried flats on precision no 2 with great hopes. Yuk. Not for me. If it was a vehicle a Precision would be a Transit van filled with big boxes of straightforward bass. I love 'em.[/quote] Flats vary a lot . I tried Jamerson signatures on a P bass once and they were impossible to play, other than for exercise to toughen up your finger muscles. However Drewie has some flats on one of his basses and they are really different. Not quite sure what they are. I guess I'm saying don't dismiss flatties without trying different makes of string.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='671006' date='Dec 1 2009, 01:12 PM']In your position, at the next rehearsal I'd simply refuse to take my bass out of its gigbag until I was satisfied that the subject had been properly discussed.[/quote] Better to call it a meeting and not even take instruments.

Jon turned 40 last week ... send him a card, he may even get back on your basses then

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='670800' date='Dec 1 2009, 09:50 AM']Yes, I did feel better for making my feelings clear on this. Though I did feel a bit bad for being the one who let the side down. The overall result was "we can't do this gig because SP doesn't want to" whereas I would have preferred it to have been "we can't do this gig because SP makes a compelling argument why we should not." Not for want of trying. S.P.[/quote] More a case of "We can't do this gig becase the band leader hasn't got a workable system for ensuring he has a band before taking the date" It's important that your band mates know the true reason for the gig not going on. I was very early into discussions with a guy this year about doing some blues stuff. Third phone call he said "can you play a gig this Saturday?" he then got all "you are letting me down" about me preferring to spend my wedding anniversary with my wife rather than playing some random no notice pub blues gig. Twonk.. It didn't get any better and, needless to say, I didn't join his band.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='670795' date='Dec 1 2009, 09:47 AM']No huge conflict, but not really satisfying either. We're not doing the February gig. He's asked me to reconsider, and I've told him that unless some new information comes to light, my decision isn't going to change. I didn't get around to raising any of the bigger issues, like the band's objectives or my lack of willingness to perform as a 3-piece. The atmosphere didn't feel right - I think it's something that would be better initiated with him as a one-on-one thing, instead of chewing into everyone's rehearsal time. S.P.[/quote] Sounds wise.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='670210' date='Nov 30 2009, 05:40 PM']I acknowledge what you're saying, but the band's structure is pretty much a dictatorship. BL is always telling us that it isn't, and invites contribution, but whenever I've offered anything that contradicts what he believes, the response is always an "interesting, I'll think about it" leading to an inevitable "no" (this is reason #10 on the list). I feel like booking gigs (or asking him to formalise a band objective) would be outside of my remit. He'd hate it. I dunno, maybe he wouldn't. Maybe I'm actually just ashamed of this band and feel like if I approached a promoter, some anti-lying part of me would suddenly flare into life and admit just how bad I think we are. Whoops, did I type that out loud? S.P.[/quote] Ah Ok Some bands work great like that because some players really don't want to be fussed with all the objectives, decision making etc stuff and really, as long as they are playing out rather than sitting at home, they are happy. that's their objective and they are happy to let someone else do the leg work to let them achieve it. if the band is like that then it will just bump along the bottom going nowhere much... You (and I) are not like that. Time to move on before the resentment gets too much. So, how did it go tonight?

[quote name='vegas_hooker' post='670326' date='Nov 30 2009, 07:34 PM']I had an awesome afternoon and I have to say a massive thanks to OldGit and Drewie for the time and effort made. It was well worth it, rain or not. A lot of firsts for me; First Fretless ever (Bev's Marleaux) First 5 string (The Marleaux again) First Shuker (Simons monster P Bass custom) First Wal (Jasons stunning fretless) First encounter with Markbass/Genz Benz/Bergantino/Schroeder gear. They all sounded awesome. Personal highlight for me was the anti gravity Barefaced cab which Apex kindly allowed me to abuse with the Sunn before he packed up for home. It sounded fantastic with everything that went through it, and it was so light!!! Truly a revelation and I think I might have found my next cab. I cant think of one thing I played, saw or heard that I didnt like except my own playing and I would really like to do it again.[/quote] Nice to make a Vagas Hooker feel happy

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='670444' date='Nov 30 2009, 09:19 PM']Great photos - looks like a good day was had by all! Lots of nice basses to look at but I must say that the Tobias looks very nice, as does the fretless Wal of course.. So what's with all the South Wests Markbass lurve then - statistically, that's a very high percentage of MB gear in one room?[/quote] Yeah it was a tad unexpected Thanks for your tips beforehand Nik.. you were right

[quote name='drewie' post='670470' date='Nov 30 2009, 09:40 PM']Guilty m'lud! Twas I Si. £350 @ mates rates. [/quote] Gave I a giggle

[quote name='vegas_hooker' post='670333' date='Nov 30 2009, 07:45 PM'] £350 seemed a little low Simon.....[/quote] Yeah you missed a zero off the end See that's the sort of thing that happens when there's no grown ups in the room

It's interesting that there are no agreed or understood band objectives. I do something like this rather a lot with clients, usually asking the question gets a "well we've never really thought about it" reply and starts teh thinking and defining process. In you case yer man thinks that playing gigs is good for the band but hasn't communicated to you how gigs like this actually progress things for you. If you can determine the band objectives then you have a better chance of working out the best way to achieve them. Do you get any gigs in? If you don't then you may have less leverage in the types that are accepted, in my book anyway.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='670163' date='Nov 30 2009, 05:00 PM']Sorry, I think I've failed to avoid confusion. The band in question has a 3-piece core (me, violin, BL) and a 5-piece full lineup (+guitarist+drummer). I enjoy playing with the full lineup, but not with the core. There was also another band that I mentioned in the penultimate paragraph of my original post, but that's moot, for the purposes of this discussion, because they aren't gigging yet, and possibly never will be. S.P.[/quote] Ah Ok Well it does sound like you and he have diverged in your paths somewhat...

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='670146' date='Nov 30 2009, 04:44 PM']It's a slightly different story, in that for your band, the norm is to get paid. For "my" band, paid gigs are the exception rather than the rule. A problem I have is that I sense I'm being seen as the troublemaker in the band. Everyone else goes along with whatever the band leader says (obviously it's easy for the guitarist and drummer, as he only ever offers them the premium stuff, but the violinist is strangely complicit) and I'm the high-maintenance one who says [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34131"]No[/url] and [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61823"]No[/url]. S.P.[/quote] Sure.., We do generally get paid (not always) but there are several other parameters totally unrelated to money. Having an audience is one Anyway it's ag eneric point about helping yoru booking person get gigs you all want to do, or at least don't mind doing. If half your band aready only play some of the gigs, why not play in both bands? If you current band can get a dep player in then they will be Ok when you can't make a gig they all want to do.

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='670115' date='Nov 30 2009, 04:15 PM']Heh, I've just come up with a 16th reason - band objectives are ill-defined or non-existent. But yes, you're right. I should just tell him "I don't want to play for free to 5 people." And if that's a deal-breaker for him, then he can find a bass player who will. S.P.[/quote] Way back when, we used to play charity gigs for free. Then my drummer got made redundant (for the first of - so far - 3 times) and he was getting a bit tetchy about it. In the end I asked him what he problem was and he said "It's cost me £25 to play this free gig what with petrol, drum spares, rehearsal costs etc. Next time why don't we just give the good cause £20 each and let then get someone else in for free?" He had a point. Now we always get paid something for charity gigs. It's a reduced fee and we make sure the organisation knows that, but we cover our costs, at least. We also have an agreed list of "charities and good causes" we don't play cheap gigs for, that includes private schools and political organisations of any shade.

[quote name='simon1964' post='670098' date='Nov 30 2009, 03:56 PM']Looks like a great day! I like the idea of bringing along a tame drummer - we'll have to remember that for the next Nottingham bash![/quote] Not sure he was tame .. Sounded pretty wild from outside the room

[quote name='drewie' post='670113' date='Nov 30 2009, 04:14 PM']Apex brought an Ashdown Mag too.[/quote] Yeah but that was just to hold down his Barefaced cab wasn't it? Sorry I forgot that... inexcusable as I actually played through it too!

Playing to 5 people for free? That would get me upset too. How does that help you achieve you band objectives? If the 5 people are the top 5 A&R managers in the UK, a gig bookers convention dinner, the Radio One/two/three/6 music play list committee then maybe .. but I doubt it You need to have a band meeting and give the guy some parameters so he knows what gigs he will be able to get a band for and which ones he should decline. I book our bands gigs and that's what we did, eventually, after a few awkward moments. It makes it a lot easier for me. I can tell straight away if the gig is the sort of thing that I may want to do but the others won't. Once a gig has passed these initial filters I still check each one with them (and anyone can say no with no questions asked) but it does filter out quite a few of the unsuitible gigs so usually the band only turn things down if they can't make the date.

Interesting to see that although there was almost as many makes of cabinet represented as attendees, the amp score was one nice warm toasty Sunn valve amp, one EA, one Genz Benz Shuttle and what, 8 Markbass head of various types...