spencer.b

Music was always my thing , played trumpet as a kid , did all the grades , youth big bands and orchestra then got into rock got a bass went to basstech then got into jazz git a double bass , did the post grad course at guildhall 2003, been making a living playing since , tbf the first 5 years were pretty hand to mouth but I was young and had low outgoings and it's built up and up , this week I've got background jazz function in a central London members club tonight, Thursday a jazz gig in Annecy France , friday 606 jazz club in Chelsea on bass guitar , Saturday festival gig with an original band on bass guitar, Sunday jazz festival gig nr Naples It's a fairly average summer week for me although I'd have a few weddings I realize I'm lucky to have had that formal education and encouragement from my parents and it's been hard and tbh I don't think I could switch to it now with a mortgage and 2 kids but it works for me

I'm a professional musician, I have 2 sons and a mortgage, so you're saying I don't want a decent standard of living for my children?

I get those sort of figures for some gigs, sometimes more but often less as well and I'm often out 6 times a week , I was just trying to make the point your figure of 60k-120k from getting by to comfortable when the median salary in the UK is just under 26k ( you've clearly stated you earned 5 times this) is unrealistic for a working musician and not relevant to the OP

I'm not sure about making a living just from a function band tbh , even busy bands aren't out much more than twice a week, most weddings are Saturdays, also I've seen people talk in this thread about an even split and sure it does happen but most big function bands I've worked for are definitely not doing that . I play for a living and do a few weddings and functions but also jazz gigs , gigs as a hired gun for artists , original projects etc and I play upright too and read and I'm London and even then it's tough, but it hasn't taken the enjoyment out of it at all for me , still checking out new music , transcribing licks and on basschat all the time

Wow thats 60-120k a year , you must be doing alright mate, I play bass for a living and get by and my mates with very high profile pop gigs don't get near the upper ranges of that , only really west end and film session guys or successful artists that make that kind of money in my experience

I don't get the "they should quit" thing , if they enjoy doing it then why not I think the question is with the bookers and media and audience that will pay to see these ropey legacy acts rather than new good music

Just being padantic!!!! You're a rubbish pedant mate

I find the 2 volumes so annoying I'm gonna look into this

My Wal , then I'd sell it !!

I've put a deposit on an anaconda , went to try them and was smitten , if you want an active super jazz they're amazing, not arriving til October though

In the car is standard although if there's backline or a house bass ( if it's an upright gig) I'll get the tube or train , more and more London venue's seem to be getting house gear

Yes mate , sent an email last night 🤞

Just saw this when I tried to look at shipping! Due to recent Brexit-related changes, we require a minimum order of $275 (USD) to countries within the United Kingdom/Great Britain. Shipping options will not appear in your cart until you exceed that amount. !!! I'm not sure but I think US sales tax isn't on that price so I'd be hit with Vat and import duty when it got here so your original estimate of £300 isn't far off ?? Think I might just bin it now tbh 😞

Do you have a username for those guys? Thanks

I'm sure you're right but the proprietory driver is more than the cab's worth and I had thought I'd just take my chances with the highest spec speaker at a good price and I found someone using a faital in a wizzy on talkbass , but if anyone has any recommendations for a wizzy 10" alternative I'm all ears

Taken it apart, yep as you said speaker is toast , melted coil or something like that I reckon, think I might just get a new speaker not the proper one though at £300 and messing about with import duty etc, found a faital pr10pr310 on eBay for about £130 ,

Thanks for that mate I'll give it a go later

I was thinking whether it was worth taking to my repair guy or just binning it tbh , I could take it apart but wouldn't be sure what I was looking for in terms of diagnosis

Gig yesterday, horrible load in so I took my little EA wizzy 10 thinking I'd let the PA do the heavy lifting, PA was awful so just used the amp , I normally use the wizzy for double bass and this was on electric, used a powerful head and turned up and up and in the last song it stopped working completely, head is fine , what do you guys reckon is wrong with it?

I get that bit but I wonder would anyone then buy the item when it's back to the original price ? There was a bass on here I liked and it was a one weekend only special price, I said I'd take it but the seller replied it would have to be at the original price so I declined even though I reckon I would have bought it at the original price had it not been temporarily reduced cos it was what I wanted at a fair price, a week later he offered it at the reduced price and I bought it , I guess it says more about my own misguided notions of value and a good deal and he was a really nice guy and the bass is killer but it certainly didn't work in the seller's favour

I agree that it doesn't help a sale , the one I find strange is the price reduction for this week /weekend/day only, can you ever go back??

If you want old school jamerson tones with a bit of clank ,labellas or pyramid gold , for a smooth pino vibe then thomastiks, I've got basses with both , I would say the thomastiks are easier to play but I've found they're too low tension for some basses

I think click on a gig has it's place , most of the "feel" comes from the subdivisions anyway( some interesting stuff on the spaven mullarkey sbl vid) , those gospel chops drum cam vids when you can hear the click are an example of this, don't get me wrong there's loads of gigs where I wouldn't want it but the OPs setting of pop medleys seems appropriate to me , I sometimes feel less engaged emotionally playing with click and track on ears but maybe that's fine too and about accuracy and groove as opposed to vibe and energy