casapete

Another +1 for the Fender Rumble 100v3. New they go for around £330, but can be had for around £150/200 second hand. No need to look at separate cabs and amps, as the Rumble weighs 22lbs! I’ve had mine for a few years now and it’s one of the best bass items I’ve ever bought. Used it for all small gigs I’ve done and it’s never been any problem - okay with a quietish drummer as well. Everyone who picks it up can’t believe how light it is, and it sounds great too with plenty of EQ options and an XLR for DI purposes. I honestly can’t recommend them enough.

You have made the right call on this. An old clubland agent around here used to get bands to do these kind of gigs, using the ‘sprat to catch a mackerel’ analogy. All we ever got was sprats.

And probably end up paying the karaoke DJ more than £300 too......🤬

That's exactly how it seems in my area. Can't believe people are still only getting £40 each on a gig, was the same over 25 years ago! I know the pub business is not looking great for landlords these days, so you can understand if they can't (or won't) discern who the better bands are pay them accordingly? A cheap band will always find gigs.

The sickening part of turning down gigs is that there’ll be someone else willing to do it for peanuts even if you don’t. However, turning it down will show the booker that you’re better than that as well as no punters telling everyone else how few people were at the gig etc. In my experience once you do cheap gigs people think you’re a cheap band. When I first considered turning pro, a very wise local musician told me to settle on a price I would want as a minimum for every gig and don’t waiver on that. He said that some nights Instead of out working I’d be sitting at home watching telly but it would be worth it in the long run. He was right.

Sold an amp to Ross, all went well. Quick payment, good communications and overall an easy transaction. Another decent BC person to deal with, cheers.

Seeing the Tracy Chapman song on another thread made me remember this.

There’s a copy currently for sale on Gumtree in Nottingham. Natural / maple board, £160.

Happened to me last night, and the guitarist did give me the look too.

Also an original 1958 Danelectro Longhorn - I have a reissue but an old one would be ace. ( Or even the Shorthorn pictured here too.)

I’ve always fancied a Kay bass from 1958, like this K162 ‘Howlin Wolf’ model.

Ha ha, occasionally Mick! My mate points out that I’m contractually obliged not to play any of their tunes though ( a complete lie but gets us out of it). 😆

My final gig of the week tonight with our acoustic duo at Beverley’s The Sun Inn. We last played there in July to a full pub and this time it was the same. Plenty of requests, so we played songs including ‘Autumn Leaves’ through to ‘Good riddance’! Last time we didn’t manage to do a request for a young lady wanting some Backstreet Boys and told her we’d do it next time. She was in again tonight so we stuck to our promise and did ‘I want it that way’! She seemed happy enough but I think it was maybe down to the wine. Loads of local musos in again tonight which is very flattering albeit a little unnerving, makes us raise our game though. Used my Ibanez shortie electro acoustic into the PA via my Rumble 100 combo’s DI. No gigs now till next Sunday in Scarborough, again with the duo.

Correct Dave! Just found another pic from last night’s gig.

I’ve never broken a bass string Dave. My bass issues last night though were jack socket / wiring related, causing me to use my spare. .

Yup, you can imagine the jokes flying around when we play there. Actually quite a pleasant market town situated on the edge of the Pennines.

Around 1973. Same as a lot of people - got together with some guys at school, first gig in the youth club doing rock covers and then some other stuff in villages around here. My dad would take me and my gear to rehearsals and gigs until I got my own car at 17. The band finished when some of us went away to uni, and I joined another band in Hull and then started doing clubs and pubs with them all over Yorkshire and the north east. Looking back it was a steep but invaluable learning curve which I wouldn’t have missed for the world. 😊

Tonight’s gig was at The Paramount at Penistone, a community theatre and cinema near Barnsley. We’ve been playing here every year since I joined the band, and get really well looked after by Brian and Amanda who run the venue. Home made lasagne and cakes for all the band and crew is something we all look forward to, and it’s rare we all eat together before a gig so a nice change. Venue holds around 350 and it was full tonight. Despite me having bass issues the gig went well, with lots of people dancing at the front during our second set. It was our last gig this year, so have a break now until January - most of the theatres we play have pantos on in December. (Instead of the usual stage pic I thought I’d show our band and crew just after we’d eaten!)

Funnily enough Dave we tried the jumper lead thing but it wasn't that! On tonight’s gig we narrowed it down to my bass preamp misbehaving, so that will be getting seen to in our time off now. Had to use my backup Precision-a-like, which is okay but a tad heavier than the P-Lyte as you might expect! However looks like the GK is blameless as I’d hoped, so some consolation. Thanks. I’m a big believer in spare stuff, and have a double of everything apart from carrying another 410 cabinet. I’ve been really fortunate over the years in little going wrong, but when it does it’s good to have options.

I’m looking to continue with the band until probably April 2024 Paul. ( That’s assuming we get sorted with my replacement by then.)

Maybe your guitarist doesn’t like it due to the solo being a bit tricky to play?!! I sometimes dep in a band that does this song, and the main riff is getting a bit tedious just as the great solo section arrives and elevates it IMO. Needs to be played at the same tempo as the original as well, any slower and it loses it’s urgency. Always goes down well with the crowd too.

We were at Chelmsford Civic theatre last night. A 400 mile round trip for us, so a long day. Sold out crowd of around 500, nice sounding room and good stage. However, about 3 songs into our first set, I heard a crackling noise from my amp. Went off, then returned next song. Our brilliant tech Sam quickly swapped my leads (guitar to DI / DI link to amp) and it seemed okay, then started playing up again. Sam then got my spare amp out and swapped it over and the problem disappeared. First time I’ve had to use my spare, so glad it was there. Also first time a GK amp has given me problems, BUT! Our sound tech said it sounded to him more likely to be a faulty XLR cable from the DI to the desk than the amp. Anyway, finished the gig using the spare head, and have one more gig to do tomorrow in Penistone before we finish for this year. I’m going to get there early and try to pin down what the fault is - it’s a fairly local gig for us (70 miles away) so not a problem.

All I can think Daryl is that he must be an amazing drummer for you to put up with that? If everyone else treated gigs that way there wouldn’t be a band! Pete.

Result ! - you did the right thing and then got the rewards. Have a great gig.