tauzero

Dunno, Latvia's a bit far to go to audition for the band he's going to put together.

Well, actually, they told me that they tried out some bloke on fretless but he was really up himself, wouldn't listen to a word, and wasn't all that good. So they didn't bother with him and got someone else who could play simply if required, could do the complicated stuff but wasn't obsessed with it, and who got on well with everyone in the band.

A band is a social entity as much as a musical one. If you are reasonably competent and can integrate socially (I don't mean going out for a drink together, I mean talking things through if there seems to be discord and finding out what the others are expecting from you and each other) then you stand a very good chance of getting in.

The one that got me genuinely LOLing was the one where the bass disappears to the left, and when the camera pans over to show him retrieving it, he's emerging from a swimming pool. I am quite surprised that so many haven't discovered the wonder of straplocks.

It took well over a year for my last band to realise that I played fretless. I've never been turned down from a band because I played it.

I had another Burns bass, a short-scale 4-string, that had the Wild Dog switch setting. It had a scroll headstock though. <googles> Ah, mine was a Baldwin: https://andrewnelson.com/?p=138 which includes an explanation of "Wild Dog".

When I've been too idle to make up a cable, I've had good results from Lynx, who sell on Ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283239482958

You don't want to go vol & blend then?

I don't go through the "dissatisfaction" phase - if I did, I wouldn't have as many instruments as I do. "Desire", yes, and "Research" to make sure I'm not making a horrible mistake. "Purchase" has to happen, and I only do that when I have enough money to buy the instrument, not add to my debt, and "Guilt" has never happened. "Acceptance" follows straight on from "Purchase", and "Relapse" doesn't happen because at this point I've headed back to "desire". However, what this means is that there has to be a certain level of granularity so I don't think I'm just getting another bass to do exactly the same thing. So I've got a pair of 4-strings, one fretted, one fretless. Sorted. Then I've got 5-strings, one headless fretless, one headless fretted standard scale, one headless fretted multiscale. Um, and one headed fretless with a piezo bridge, one headed fretless without a piezo bridge, one headed fretted with a piezo bridge, one Variax headed fretted, one Warwick headed fretted, and one headed fretted with Bartolini pickups. I think that differentiates them sufficiently.

From the early 1990s to around 2003 was rather erratic, mainly not with bands. Got back to it then and have been with bands ever since.

I've been playing bass for 47 years and guitar for a bit longer than that. Just joined a classic rock covers band (I understand there's a gap in the market), and also in a prog rock originals band of which I am the second most senior member. What sort of originals band do you want to be in? Genres do tend to have age bands.

I've been studying Andy Fraser's stunning choreography for "All Right Now". Any bassist who wants to throw a few shapes should check him out on Youtube.

The really comfy 5-string that was my first excellent 5-string was sitting right by me so I measured it. It's actually a 16mm spacing, not 16.5. I don't slap, so that might be a factor in finding it so playable.

If a solo violinist was playing a piece, they would put a certain interpretation on it - it wouldn't be what you would hear if you put the same piece of music through a sequencer and synth. That's why Nigel Kennedy and André Rieu get paid lots and lots of money.

Try playing a gig or two with the Headrush, then you can decide whether you need something else.

I really ought to get this back out and use it a bit more: Esh Poseidon V.

Also keep an eye out for Palatino and Stagg EUBs, as they're the same thing.

The first really nice and playable 5-string I got has 16.5mm spacing. I've had a Peavey Grind which was a little tight at 15.5mm, but I play anything from 16.5 to 19mm.

I've been able to open a dispute early as I've acknowledged receipt.

How about a hardware software synth? https://zynthian.org/

It was a bait and switch - I got two headphone amps instead of two wireless systems. Will be raising a dispute with Aliexpress as soon as I can, with Paypal as a backup. This is made easier for the bait and switcher by Aliexpress's system of buying the default item (which was the headphone amp) when you click buy, rather than Ebay's system where you have to make a selection in order to buy. One good reason to avoid Aliexpress, which I shall be doing in future.

That way lies a can of worms. Personally (having owned a couple) I'd say no, but you will find several fanatics on here who will tell you that all anybody needs is a Precision with flatwounds.

Picked up an EHB1265MS with Aguilar pickups a week ago, and very nice it is too. It joins the SRF705. Great sound from the Aguilar DCB pickups.

Relic.

That's a thought. One of the songs the new band does is "Highway to Hell" so I think a road atlas might be appropriate when we eventually start gigging.