stewblack

It's possible I was playing unusually hard that night but seems unlikely. I was very relaxed.

I did superglue the hole in my third finger, what concerns me is why suddenly out of the blue would I get so sore when I've been playing for so many years without any issues

Thanks I shall. There's no cuts or splits (apart from the wounded one) but man they hurt when I play.

This is troubling. My fingers are really quite sore after last night's gig. I don't know if there's a connection but the third finger left hand acquired a nasty puncture wound the day prior to the gig and so I expected that to smart, the hole was precisely where I press onto the string. Do you think it's possible that I played at a slightly awkward angle trying to avoid using that finger or minimise contact to the affected area? If so could this be the cause of my pain today? Obviously I wouldn't know if I was as I don't look at my fingers or think what they're doing while I'm performing. It's a little worrying as any other weekend I'd be out again today and I would really be struggling. Also I'm no beginner, I practise hours every day and never experience finger tip pain at rehearsals, at home or at gigs. I have a new set of forty songs to get down in about a fortnight and I don't want to exacerbate the problem. Are there any unguents or potions you would recommend to ease my predicament? Strings were fairly new and I clean them regularly, it was crowded and I was sweating freely, but again that's hardly unusual. Only other factor I can think of is I've been playing flats at home but took basses strung with rounds last night.

I love everything about this band

Thanks profanity filter for A) imagining 'whizzed' is considered a swear word and B) ruining my alliteration

Played to a packed whizzed pub in Bath last night. Usual crammed in a corner set up nightmare, slow tide of dropped pints advancing on me throughout the night, angry guy insisting we play 'Oasis' storms off disgusted when we don't comply, landlord fancies himself a sound engineer, keyboard player has flu and I play with a cut finger on my fretting hand. It was awesome! Really great gig. My old Aria into SVT through two BF 15s. Warm and solid. Only downside, it was my wonderful singer's last gig for a while as she is having a baby next month. We will miss her, her deps have an impossible job. Here she is still finding the strength to crush the life out of her singing partner at last night's gig.

Two pots won't work they've disintegrated, why am I toying with this idea? As I mentioned I don't like active basses any more or at least I prefer passive ones. Madness to some sense to me.

But it sounds so feasible

Thank you all. I'm sorry the picture appears 'foggy' I must confess it looks fine on my phone perhaps it doesn't translate well to other devices. I'm aware of the broken connection and broken pots. As has been suggested maybe I should suck it and see

What a beautiful bass. Opinions will always differ but to me it's a beautiful instrument. I usually prefer either red or sunburst but that blue! Very very classy.

Thank you guys. I think I guessed my question was too vague and the only real answer would be it depends! At least I know it's feasible. I want to change as I have an active bass which is broken and rather than repair it I'd be happier to simplify it but only if it was an easy process. As to why? Just indulge me. I have issues with active basses which will seem silly to some but make sense to me.

Excuse my ignorance but can an active bass be easily converted to passive? Or are pick ups different in an active bass? Not really interested in replacing the pups just if it was a quick dab of solder here and there.

I bought one here and liked it a lot. It looked good to me, balanced and played well, really nice neck but reminded me of my Stingray in sound and was active. I have come to the conclusion I just don't really like active basses. I traded it here for a squier precision and afaik we're both content with the swap. But I agree that it was neither classic nor standout. Could easily grow a niche following though.

I shall bring my Bruce Thomas Profile bass because it's awesome. And a bass strung with those cheap flats we've discussed on these pages so people can try them in the flesh. Also the Behringer 150w mini monitor which folk have shown interest in. Actually while I'm at it the Bugera BV1001M excited a bit of interest on BC might bung that in too. So a cab too then, which one? TBC

Always sound advice TimR. I like to think I have the need of the bands I play for uppermost in my mind these days. When I was younger I was guilty of playing for the plaudits of the punters but not for many years now.

Sorry EMG wasn't a swipe at you at all. I just meant if the thread drifts in a different direction that's fine. And yes I always think everyone else plays better than I do, I'm a terrible judge of my own ability.

Absolutely it's not, nor was my original interpretation. As I say it's the feel, the way he drives the song forwards that improves the way I'd been playing it. I'm not slavishly recreating the original bass line rather trying yo breathe life into the way my band plays it. The post is really about starting over when one has already learned something in a particular way. The difficulty of unlearning muscle memory, the joys of perpetual discovery, embracing as wide a range of ideas and influences as possible and thereby enriching one's knowledge and skill set. Of course everyone is free to take the discussion in any direction they like.

Damn. That must have been a tough decision. Someone will be getting a great and inexpensive instrument.

Keep us posted. Lots of pics. We like pics!

Very very sound advice