stewblack

[quote name='queenofthedepths' post='79084' date='Oct 24 2007, 08:37 PM']Ahaha thank you - do off topic posts really not count? How strange...[/quote] I could be wrong but I seem to remember that when this site opened there was, ahem, healthy competition to advance up the greasy pole (no one will ever catch the Dude - natch!) and I believe the mods decided that bass related stuff is what counts. My memory is like the rest of my faculties however and advancing years have taken their toll so I could well have made all that up.

Beat me to it! And with a much better reply.

[quote name='jhk' post='79070' date='Oct 24 2007, 08:16 PM']As a newbie would someone indulge my probably idiotic questions. What is the significance of a `bump` message? How do I put basic gear list in the message box like others? What does PM stand for?(not gordon brown!) When does `newbie` become `regular`contributor? Help an older bassplayer become less confused! regards jhk[/quote] 1 Bump just bumps the message up to the top to stop it getting lost down the list, usually used in for sales. 2 Don't know! 3 Personal message 4 after several posts (I don't think off topic posts count Hope that helps a bit

[quote name='Bassassin' post='79065' date='Oct 24 2007, 08:01 PM']Worth keeping an eye on this, if you're an early 80s Matsumoku fetishist: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150174701351"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150174701351[/url] Westy Thunder in a hard case, listed simply as "Electric Bass Guitar", pick up only from Barnet, £20 start. Fingers crossed, then. Jon.[/quote] Lovely instrument, well I love mine anyway. Can't justify two. I'd like the case though ...

[quote name='Bassassin' post='79061' date='Oct 24 2007, 07:51 PM']Fraid not - 'cos it's a copy of a: Which, in my probably controversial opinion, is the only remotely attractive bass Warwick have ever made! :ph34r: J.[/quote] Didn't think it counted! +1 on your controversial Warwick baiting.

I suppose you've all seen [url="http://i10.ebayimg.com/04/i/08/5b/99/d6_10.JPG"]this[/url] one before. Does it really count?

Might be tempted to dip the old toe in the water myself. Been wanting a budget 6er for a while now ...

[quote name='colda' post='78870' date='Oct 24 2007, 02:57 PM']So, anyone interested? - if there's enough interest then I'll make it happen [/quote] Definitely be interested. I'm sure the guys who've organised meets elsewhere could give you good advice on what works well. Not having been to one I couldn't! It seems to me people turn up with stacks of kit and drool over one another's rigs/instruments/technique then come home and post pictures of one another on this forum. Sounds great to me. Swindon is a good M4 location too, and the FC well signposted and a very decent sized space.

[quote name='colda' post='78688' date='Oct 24 2007, 09:46 AM']As I said - Swindon is an option (although I realise that Bristol might be more central), I put on gigs at Swindon Town FC, we have loads of space in the main lounge, I have thurs nights but could get other times (a Sunday afternoon?), I could also organise a backline, band and/or jam session - and am happy to do it free of charge [/quote] Have played at Swindle Town's club house (it was a wedding and best forgotten!) and I can say that it would make a remarkably good venue for a bassmeet. Bit far for the South Wales posse maybe? Bit more of a central M4 corridor meet! But that pulls in the Berks & Wilts crowds then though...

[quote name='stevebasshead' post='78843' date='Oct 24 2007, 02:27 PM']do. You'll probably get conflicting advice as this thread develops but that's OK - pick through it and find what works for you, you'll have fun at least![/quote] Even though Steve appears to contradict some of what I suggested I wholly endorse what he says in the above post - excellent advice. By way of explanation I only recommended the root note route (!) as a way in for someone totally new to writing their own lines.

[quote name='nick' post='78772' date='Oct 24 2007, 12:32 PM']By chance, saw Neville Staples & his band (who are on Saturday night) at a small festival in Swindon about a month ago - Brilliant musicians & still an excellent showman! Brought back some happy memories [/quote] Turned down the chance to dep with NS and his band some time ago. Doh!

[quote name='Lee-Man' post='78758' date='Oct 24 2007, 12:08 PM']Almost right mate, we currently jam in Coventry, but Bear keeps his gear in Leicester as we both teach there.[/quote] That sounds interesting. Skabilly? Not heard of this genre but it has me intrigued!

[quote name='obbm' post='78706' date='Oct 24 2007, 10:21 AM']Stew, I've used a variety of mains cable as speaker leads. Occasionally I do a small PA rig for after-dinner speeches and for that I use orange lawn-mower power cable. Orange so I know exactly what it is, as it has jack plugs on each end. This is 0.75 sq.mm. cross section. In fact I've used it for higher power speakers as well. In the days when I was designing and building TV and radio studios and OB Trucks we always used mains cable as speaker cable but amps were never much above 50-watts.[/quote] Cheers obbm - wasn't planning to build my own gigging leads - that's what you're there for!! But I was intrigued by this guy using mains cable as I always thought he knew what he was about. Now you've confirmed it. Anyhoo, an order will be coming your way as soon as I get my paypal account up and running. Honestly how much longer will it take? Every one else's seems to be there instantly.

[quote name='colda' post='78692' date='Oct 24 2007, 09:53 AM']dunno - can't remember what was specified - I would have to search through postings on other related lists[/quote] No worries!

[quote name='colda' post='78676' date='Oct 24 2007, 09:31 AM']I use reasonable quality stuff on my rig but have heard of this method, by all accounts it works a treat. In one venue that I regularly work with I've got about £200 worth of cables that just lives in the ceiling - If I found the need to use these cables elsewhere (i.e. if I ever get the PA hire sideline organised) then I would be happy to replace them with mains cable.[/quote] 5 or 6 amp?

[quote name='TheRev' post='78678' date='Oct 24 2007, 09:34 AM']Yeah - sorry about that. A proper South West bass bash would be great if 'someone' can find a bass friendly venue and we have enough confirmed attendees to pay for the bugger. Any ideas?[/quote] I'll put out feelers and use my considerable brain on this one then start a thread in general discussions.

[quote name='TheRev' post='78668' date='Oct 24 2007, 09:18 AM']It never got past the idea stage - nobody seemed willing to organise anything. If we're just talking about meeting for a beer then it shouldn't be too difficult. Anyone in Brizzle fancy a bass related pint?[/quote] I suppose I was hoping for more bass less beer, but hey; there's room for both !! (Maybe I should have started a proper thread and not hijacked this poor guy's intro)

A friend of mine who runs and builds his own PA uses ordinary two core mains cable (6 amp I think) (or was it 5? - anyway I digress) as speaker cable. Now before anyone shouts about only using the best cabling if you want the best sound, yes I know and fully understand that principle and only use obbm's finest on my bass rig. But I just wondered if he has hit upon a reasonably priced alternative to expensive speaker leads for monitor cabs that sort of thing. Is it essentially the same thing as speaker cable? I don't mind how technically baffling the response. I am here to learn.

[quote name='Baseballfan1456' post='78606' date='Oct 24 2007, 12:31 AM']Basically I ask this because all I play are songs from other bands, and I also wanna show some people that bass is better than they think it is... Plus, it'd be nice to come up with some cool material[/quote] If you've never written your own basslines before I'd say start simple. Root notes follow the chords. That gives you your skeleton as it were then gradually hang the meat off it. What a gruesome analogy - sorry. I guess I'm trying to say walk before you run. You have to get the timing right with your drummer, root notes following the bass drum is a great place to start then just feel your way in, try different notes to lead you into the next root note, either by what sounds good/interesting/weird (depends what you're after) or by your knowledge of which notes go with which chords. Think about the songs you've learned, find out what the chords are, think "Why did he/she choose to play that with that chord" nick your favourite bits and adapt them. Have fun - it's the best thing about bass.

Talking of which what happened to the idea of a Bristol/Bath/Somerset meet?

[quote name='colda' post='78258' date='Oct 23 2007, 01:26 PM']Swindon here - where the football it slightly better - well better than the Rovers anyway, and nobody like City [/quote] You are half right. Nobody likes City.

And some of us, whilst not actually from Bristol can see it when we're out walking the dogs. Welcome.

I play it between 7th and 5th (with just a hint of 6th) g string down to a. Sounds great.

I've just had an epiphany and I suppose this thread is the perfect place in which to share it. When I started out back int he 70's I was utterly convinced that writing my own songs, creating my own basslines was all that mattered, and the only way to becoming a self respecting musician. To that end I didn't learn one line of another musician's work for 25 years. Yesterday, whilst trying to tell my fingers to follow a bass line I was learning (Four Tops "Same Old Song) and they reluctantly refused to go in a direction to which they were unaccustomed, I realised said epiphany was upon me. In trying not to end up sounding like every other hackneyed musician who just lazily copied other bassists I had got myself stuck in a rut of my own making and in so doing had limited the dimensions that rut profoundly. The lesson I've learned is you cannot learn enough and the wider the variety of music you learn the more strings to your bow. Yes be original, of course be inventive but you'll close your mind to a world of possibilities, and end up trying to reinvent the wheel if you don't learn as diverse a musical catalogue as possible. Of course I utterly failed to sound original as everyone says I play just like Chris Squire - a bass player I've never even listened to!

And another big +1 for OBBM from me. I've used him for my personal kit and cabling for the venue I used to run. Fantastic service, top quality, - hey just check his feedback.