stewblack

How can we get Stew to buy more pedal boards? That ought to do it.

You absolutely did. And I've never liked a bass more.

Played a west country cider festival today, home by 7pm which is unusual but great. Ashdown/Sandberg combination for this one - a beautiful combination

God yes. I felt like a gambler pouring cash into a fruit machine trying to win back his losses. Every interminable awkward rehearsal just increased my investment. The two gigs we eventually did were like limp lettuce. The guitarist was a control freak, the drummer like a badly programmed machine. Other members didn't care and the singer was the only one with any ability. I bailed when the singer left. An awful waste of time but a valuable lesson.

Another day another dollar. Bandeoke residency in Bristol. Same old same as. Enjoyed using this little rig though.

SG shape. Tried most others. Apart from the real one off crazy shapes.

So, I've used the Lekato 5.8GHz wireless bugs for a few years without a hitch. I am a bit of a fat handed tw@t though, and one of the somewhat delicate little usb charging plugs has fallen foul of my clumsiness. It's hard wired to the board inside and my skills are insufficient. Yep. That's gone I'm afraid. The king is dead, long live the Joyo! Joyo is a brand I've never had cause to question. They make really great pedals, and the Badass bass amp is a hidden gem. I never had any doubt this would be a solid product. The same thing is available under the Lekato name but I got a good deal on this. So what's good about it? Well 5.8 is always preferable right? The bugs are petit. They last for 4 or 5 hours. Unlike certain big name brands, they do not drop out. Oh and the charging system is brilliant. A USB C socket on the box fills it up with juice while simultaneously charging the bugs. Once it's full, disconnect and bung the whole thing in your gig bag, box, or whatever you use. The box will then fully charge the bugs twice more without needing to plug into the mains. Just push them into their slots and wait for the lights to go out. What could be simpler? Down side? The bugs are fixed, they don't swivel. Fine for face mounting, but they don't sit flush on a bass with side mounted jack sockets. More than happy with my upgrade.

Massive pub employing multiple door and bar staff with just a handful of punters. I have no clue how they remain open. However, those few therein thoroughly enjoyed the band and the sound was surprisingly good. I employed this rig and once again the Elf absolutely astonished me. The venue as I've said is huge, the last time I played there I used an Ampeg CL all valve amp through two 15" Barefaced cabs. The Elf was barely on. Gain at about 2, master about 4 and it filled place.

The new Boss ME-90B runs off batteries. It's great.

I am still here. Stuck in the mud!

It's this. Above all else. This awful feeling that I've let myself down because the pig ignorance of others has got under my skin. That maybe they're right to so dislike me. Playing bass is the only thing I've ever done in my life of which I feel proud. I feel I can hold my head up in any company. And I get either ignored, or have to put up with rude comments. In the bands where people are actually lovely I get told to turn down to the point where I'm inaudible. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Wedding gig in the middle of nowhere, Wiltshire. Playing with some of my least favourite people never helps the evening go well. I don't know about you, if I don't like someone but have to work with them I do my best to get along with them. Or at least be polite. Ah well, never mind. I got paid and was back in bed by 2am.

Trust me, I've tried so many chorus pedals and this is the best.

Tonight

I ticked cetera - was that right?

Heads Behringer Nuke Behringer BX4500 (two of these) Behringer BVT 550H Harley Benton 600H Trace Elliot GP12 SMX Trace Elliott Elf Bugera Veyron BV100M Bugera Veyron BV100T Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 15Th Anniversary MBH110055Z Orange Little Bass Thing Ampeg SVT-CL Ashdown CTM100 Cabs No name 1x15 (two of) Trace Elliot 1x15 (two of) Trace Elliot 2x10 Trace Elliot 1x10 Trace Elliot Elf 2x8 (two of) Trace Elliot Elf 1x10 (two of) Ashdown RM 1x12 Barefaced Midget Barefaced Compact (two of) TC Electronic 2x8 (two of) Combos Ibanez Promethean P5110 TC Electronic BG250 Ashdown RM500 1x12 Power Amp Behringer NU1000 Also various preamp pedals for use with power amp. Apologies if I've forgotten anything.

Irish pub in town with the originals band. We play a kind of upbeat Anglo Celtic folkish set, mainly originals and have a monthly residency here. The only drawback (apart from the low pay) is the lack of care for the musicians. No stage, no security, people falling over the gear, hardly any space to set up and another venue where the owner insists on playing sound engineer. Not that he actually runs a PA or anything (there isn't one) he just stands there telling us to turn the bass down. And turn everything else up. Which the BL dutifully does so we end up playing among a cacophony of howling feedback and with no discernable bass. While fending off drunken punters with our instruments. Don't get me wrong, this is my job and I'm grateful for the gig. I don't expect to enjoy every work night any more than office drones enjoy every day at their desk. I've just never believed in cow towing to anyone else when it comes to our sound. It's ours. We know how it should be. But there we are. A wedding tomorrow with a different outfit entirely.

Damn. That didn't last long.

And just like that it started to function properly. The weird wonderful magic of the personal computer. No idea why but happy it's fixed.

Yep. I play a regular gig on a very gloomy stage.