bertbass

I made my bass, the one in my photo and it's the best sounding and playing bass I've ever owned. It took me years to attempt it but in the end it was suprisingly easy. I say give it a go and even if it doesn't work out exactly the way you planned you'll have learned an awful lot along the way. This was my bible at the time, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-Electric-Guitar/dp/0953104907, it proved invaluable. There are quite a few plans for basses on ebay at the moment as well. Good luck.

Get the PRS / MCPS license, you fill out the form with the cover songs on it with the artiste and publisher if you know them, they'll fill that bit in if you don't. They'll then send you an invoice based on the number of copies to be made which obviously won't be a lot and if I remember correctly, you're allowed 25 free promotional copies. Had the PRS folks at a few of our gigs, generally nice people. They wrote a list of the songs we played and asked the titles of the ones they didn't know.

The only time the bass is covered seems to be when you're actually holding it.

Don't forget the lovely orange plastic card. I remember when we were turned away from gigs because we weren't union members. Even had our own promotion in a church hall cancelled for us by the vicar for the same reason. If a non union member turned up to play with union members they refused to play. I'm glad some things have changed over the years.

If the hotel books the band direct for the hotel you'll still need PLI and you'll be turned away if you can't produce it.

Carrier bags with the manufacturers' or supermarkets name on then. T Shirts with amp names on them. Footballers get paid for that, why not us? After all we advertising the shop / product for them.

Just looked at the link and the MU membership fee is close to that for private PLI and you get some free instrument insurance with the MU. Other than that I think the MU is crap unless you play in an orchestra that is. This PLI thing suddenly appeared a few years ago and took us completely by suprize, surely, it's the venue that needs PLI, not the musicians but apparently not, we need it as well. Most if not all hotels and definitely every council owned venue, regardless of the function will require you to have PLI and PAT testing certificates. Pubs don't seem to bother. We were even asked for our risk assessments once and also for a document that I can't remember the name of and couldn't even find with google.

The Musicians Union do free PLI up to £10,000,000 but only per person, not as a band so each member will have to join. Venues also want to see P.A.T. testing certificates.

One of those nights that's perfect. Everything worked as it should, fantastic sound on stage and out front. The place was heaving and 'hot'. We only stopped playing encores because the hotel we were playing in was full and the few guests that weren't with us and the regular audience, complained that they couldn't get to sleep. One of those gigs that makes it worthwhile.

There is an awful lot of talk and very little action on this thread, http://basschat.co.uk/topic/171416-adding-dampening-to-a-cab/ about what you've just done. I'm glad that you tried it and didn't just talk about it. I'm pleased that it's worked out and that you're happier with you're sound. I dampened my cab as well and also think it sounds a lot better, a tighter more solid sound.

Ah, but it's a lovely sunny, summers night. I know that's just dreaming.

Can thoroughly recommend them. Superb service.

I think I'd look at this from a different angle, say 47 degees. You arrive at the Dog & Custard pub and the landlord says to you, "Lovely evening, I'll have you playing in the beer garden tonight". What do you do? You just get on with it. Find a reasonably flat bit of ground to set up on so you're not leaning all night, set up, sound check and play. You're lucky knowing in advance that you'll be playing outside and can take an extra cab or whatever you need, but normally you've just got to use what you've got with you. I'm sure it will be OK. The other band members may well be worse off than you. Good luck.

Done & good luck.

+1 to that and the more you do it the easier it becomes. You'll soon find what works for you.

Even later to this thread. Sorry but I have a totally different view point. I'm a one band guy and that band has total priority. I have played with other bands for fun but strictly on the understanding that if my band gets a gig on the same date then that's the gig I'm doing. I really can't see how you can commit to more than one band at a time. Perhaps it's me.

I love playing in a 3 piece and seem to have become the lead singer. Love that as well. So here's a few tips for you from my own experience. Why be worried about standing at the front and being the focus of attention, the audience have come to see you. They could have gone anywhere but you are the main attraction. Get over that hurdle and it's easy. Try a radio headset mic. Fantastic freedom and not tied to a mic stand. Pose galore and sing at the same time. Even go for a wander in the audience, they love it. Of course you'll need a radio guitar as well. I know that the mic stand is a wall between you and the adoring fans but you soon get over that. Learn the bass parts so well that you never need to think about what you're playing then you can concentrate on the vocals. If you can't do the radio mic thing then set your mic stand a little lower than you'd like then you have to pose a bit to sing into the mic. Learn a few phrases for introducing the songs, the band, the start of the evening and the end. It helps. Even a few jokes. Hope this helps a bit, It's helped me.

Played finger style for years but the band I was in at the time started writing songs that required some seriously fast playing and it was getting hard work trying to keep up so I tried a pick. What a revelation, a bright sound with loads of attack, loved it. Played with a pick ever since.

I'd of thought that orange was a bit of a no-no colour for a bass but seeing yours it looks great!

I think the point is that regardless of whether it's active or passive a broken bass is a broken bass and no bass, no gig or at least a gig with no bottom end and we all know that that's the best bit. Both the flying V and strat were passive but a broken off head stock would have put any guitar or bass out of action. The insulation on the socket on my bass had broken down so no amount of bending would have got it working again and the same would have applied with a passive bass. Had I had a spare jack socket, even a mono one and as a bass player I find it remiss of me not to have one in my spares case, I could have got the bass working again but it would have delayed the start of the first set and left me not the cool, calm chap I should be on stage. But using the spare, no problem.

A previous guitarist of mine took his gorgeous flying V out of its case at a gig only to find that the head had broken off and that was passive. Luckily he had a strat as a spare.

Had a lovely dads' day dinner at a local pub with the family, roast lamb if you're interested and it was very nice! Returned home and got the bass out. It turned out that it's the jack socket, the one supplied by EMG with my ready wired PJ set. Take it out of the bass and there's nothing wrong with it, put it back in and it doesn't work, yes, one of those, so it's now in the bin. The insulation is obviously breaking down under stress, I'm glad that it didn't break down mid gig. I've fitted a new socket and it's ready for it's next session of abuse.

Use a couple of coats of primer first and it shouldn't flake off.

You're right there, fortunately the spare's passive.

Got to the gig last night, set the gear up. Tuned the spare bass and got the main bass out of its case. I went to tune up and what's going on here, no sound. Quickly took the scratch plate off to check the battery and loose wires, it all looked OK took 2 minutes to dash across the road to the new Asda, I knew it was new 'cause it said so on the sign outside and bought a new PP3 even though I sort of knew it wasn't that. Put the new battery in, put the screws back in, I really must put a battery compartment in sometime, and the bass worked again. Strange, must have been the battery after all. Tuned up and then checked the P.A. Yes I'm the only one who knows how it all works. Started the sound check and no bass again, what? No time to mess around so I used the spare for the night and a great night it was. The audience loved it and we loved it. Now, the day after, I've got to find out why my bass stopped working. It's probably a wire come off or the switched jack broken but I've now got the time and the light to find the fault. The moral of the story is, a spare bass is worth its weight in gold. So for those who have asked, do I really need to take a spare bass with me, the answer if a resounding YES!!!