JohnFitzgerald

[indent=1]Agreed, regarding the sound within the context of the band.[/indent]

[indent=1]I've been a Jazz bass player for an awful long time now.[/indent]
[indent=1]I love that back pickup honk with the tone rolled off.[/indent]
[indent=1]Love both pickups on too, but with a more neck biased plucking position.[/indent]

[indent=1]I have just come to realise though, that within the context of the current band setup, a P bass sound would probably be more suitable for what I'm currently doing.[/indent]
[indent=1]That's why I'm currently erring toward grabbing a P bass of some sorts.[/indent]
[indent=1]Does one thing, but does it well.[/indent]

[indent=1]that would be my my own, self determined, way of fitting in.[/indent]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

If you're a journeyman holding a down a gig in the sort of band that most of are probably in, you really need to have the Bobby Vega approach.

Fingerstyle
Pick Style
Slap
Fretless.

Covers them all.
As with any subject, you should spend the most time on your weakest aspect. I would be ashamed to not be able to do a job on any of them.
I have to say that my wilderness years as a guitarist (where I set out to play fingerstyle initially) taught me to pick up that little lump of plastic.
Slap and fingerstyle were never a problem, fretless too to a lesser extent.
You have to be able to do them all in my opinion and should practice accordingly.

YMMV / YMCA / ETC

Drums - left handed, but open handed. I can't help but lead with my left hand.
Snooker cue - left handed.
Golf club - right handed.
Writing - left hand.
Hammer - left hand.
Screwdriver - put them in with the right, take them out with the left.
Trombone - right handed.
Guitar / bass - as above, right handed.
Mouse - right hand.
Cutlery - traditional, fork left hand, knife right hand.
Scissors - left hand. Try that with those modern handed scissors. Grrrr..


Now, I'm not sure whether I'm left or right handed.

I wouldn't be told what technique to use.

However, I would want to know that I could if I wanted to.

I used to be a plec naysayer and would never consider it.

Then I discovered Bobby Vega

Fingerstyle, Slap, Plec, Fretless, he covers them all.
He's the player I would aspire to be.

Funk played with a plec, how cool is that.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/url]

My absolute Nemesis in terms of, "can't really properly play it" would have to be "Hit me with your rythm stick."

I can play it at a slower speed, but never nailed it at the correct tempo.

My fingers on my right hand move far too much it seems to be in place for the next note.
Maybe I should work on tightening that up a bit.

I can do 16th notes at that speed, but not fluently across the strings like Norman does.

I'm left handed, but hopefully my avatar show me playing a right handed Jazz, the right way round.

I couldn't begin to play 'left handed'.

My left hand is far more dextrous than my right, that's why it does all the work on the fingerboard, or fongerboad as they used to call it in ye olde days of usenet.

If you can handle the atonality of the music. Check out Primus.
Personally, I can't truly like what they do, but I can't completely dislike it either, no matter how hard I try.

Les Claypool slaps some amazing fretless.
Or maybe he doesn't. I can't make up my mind.

[quote name='Bassclef' timestamp='1321205869' post='1436446']
A van sounds like a good idea but please [color=#ff0000]don't[/color] buy an LDV. That's the make, LDV, it doesn't stand for anything.[/quote]

Leyland Daf Vehicles ?

Well, there's a question.

Our PA amps are Crown XLS602s. I'm convinced these are made of depleted uranium they're so heavy.

When we suggested replacing them with class D amps, the shop said "go for it, but I would keep the Crowns for the subs."

He reckons the heavy iron is more suitable for that application.

[size=3]I know what you mean.[/size]

[size=3]I'd still be sticking a 3U power amp into a little flightcase and a pair of these as well.[/size]

[size=3]Anyway ![/size]

[size=3]I've had my say, I'm sure you'll get on fine with something like an SWA1501, quality bit of kit.[/size]

New toys for the PA amp rack.

Behringer Multicom and Multigate.








After hearing some mates last week, who were good before I go any further, I figured out that the drums just weren't sounding quite as tight and punchy as you would have wanted.

So, snagged the above for the amp rack.

Probably need to get a new rack though, as I don't much fancy patching them in every night.
Fancy a combi rack / mixer case so the processors, amps and mixer all gets to stay together.

More pics as I put it all together.
Not that I imagine there'll be many as sad as me who like this sort of rubbish.

We've had powered stuff before, the HK Audio gear.
Deliberately went back to power amps.

Our two powered subs had a stereo top end and a mono sub, that was in both sides, so six channels of amplifications between the two subs.
One channel went down and could not be repaired. Bingo, whole system useless because of one dead channel.
Not utterly useless, but what point is there in the system if you're down an amp channle which can't be repaired ?
How stupid is that ?

As it is now, if an amp goes down, we'll swap it out and keep going.

As I said above, had powered cabs.
Will never ever go back to them.
Not a chance.

GIve me a hernia inducing amp rack every time. I know where I am with that.

I have to be honest,If I were getting a Vintage Jaco (which I very well might), I would be doing it because I'm a Jaco fanboi.

I am a Jaco Fanboi, got all the albums, love the sound yaddah, yaddah.

I'm afraid it would be Rotosounds and either coat the neck to protect it or live with it.
Roundwounds haven't killed a fingerboard yet for me.

I'll be wrong with this point of view, but to me, this bass should run roundwounds.
There's no point in buying a Ferrari and putting diesel in it.

Flats, Schmatts !!

I recommend these heartily.
[url="http://www.musicgeardirect.co.uk/pa-sound-products-by-brand/l2-audio/speakers/l2-audio-tx115.html"]http://www.musicgeardirect.co.uk/pa-sound-products-by-brand/l2-audio/speakers/l2-audio-tx115.html[/url]

These are an old model Logic System sub, now sold under the L2 Audio brand, they use Celestion bits instead of the RCF components inside the originals. We have the Logic System stuff and it's pretty godamn mega. Seriously mega.
We've come to these via HK Audio Lucas system and a Peavey setup. When we got the chance of the Logic stuff, we just couldn't refuse it, it's that good.British designed and built too. Only thing I would change is to add more.

The Subs are tiny but hugely effective. In our case, they replace Peavey BW equipped 1x 15" subs, in our drummers case, Mackie SWA1501 subs. They blow both of them clean out of the water.

Apologies if this is a repost.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORMAN-WATT-ROYS-1962-PRE-CBS-FENDER-JAZZ-BASS-THE-BLOCKHEAD-SHORELINE-GOLD-/180747664318?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2a15667bbe"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORMAN-WATT-ROYS-1962-PRE-CBS-FENDER-JAZZ-BASS-THE-BLOCKHEAD-SHORELINE-GOLD-/180747664318?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2a15667bbe[/url]

I still wouldn't sound like Norman, even if I owned this baby.

Must try it then.

I do like a deep full bodied acoustic sound, with a crisp top end.

I also have an idea that a mic'd Bodhran would sound awesome through it too.

Anyone got one / had one ?

I had one in the 80s and it got nicked.
Only bit of musical gear I ever had that got nicked.

I've wanted on back ever since.

Our guitarist had the matching guitar too.

I haven't tried it yet, but listening to my Peavey 410tx, it seems to have enough top end that it would be killer for a piezo bugged acoustic guitar. At least, in conjunction with the Trace head anyway.

Anyone tried this ?

This reminds me (very obliquely, you'll discover as you read on) of the time I did a fill in with another band.

Friday night, Ashdown C300 Combo - 1x15 Mag version.
I couldn't hear a thing. Just wasn't enough to do the job.

I was out with them on the Saturday and vowed not to be caught out in a similar fashion again.
I brought the combo as a front end and brought my PA system as a stand alone bass system.

This consisted of 2 complete HK Audio Lucas systems.
These are a 1x15 powered bin with two 1x8 plus HF mid top cabinets.

I stacked the two bins one on top of the other and the 4 mid / tops right across the top and had that as my main.
Then used the Ashdown as a front end DI'd into the mega stack.

I heard myself that night, oh yes :-)

2x15s, 4x8s 4 x horns, plus the Ashdown.
1900 watts IIRC.

They made me carry it all myself.
Wanted nothing to do with it :-)

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1320589338' post='1428622']
I don`t think it wise to get into all the "reasons for leaving"with the band members, because they`ll probably try to talk you out of it with promises of this and that,and arguments may ensue, but in effect nothing will change.
If you want to do something else with other people, just say so. Nothing wrong with that and they should accept that quicker.
[/quote]

That's the thing.
I would be leaving with nothing to go to.
Not a situation I would choose.
And I agree with not explaining things, doesn't achieve anything.

Maybe by way of further explanation.

I really really don't like the competitive thing. He's competitive against people that do the same circuit as us. Folks that we all know. It's all one big melting pot. Everybody knows everybody else.
Maybe one competitive member doesn't sound like a reason for leaving, but it depends on the severity of it I think.

Give you an example.
Last night me and SWMBO went out to a local theatre where a band were playing. Charity gig in support of a local cance hospice. 300 seater sold out. Great night. I didn't like everything about it, but they did a decent job and most importantly filled a theatre at a tenner a seat to help a very well deserving cause. Last night, that's all that mattered and we all know every one of them.

I happened to take a little bit of video and shared it with the lads, when I got home. Mobile phone footage, that's all.
To a man, they all said, more or less, that is was a fair enough performance, but that doesn't matter. It's about the charity.
Except your man, who can't say anything positive at all and can't see past "they're sh**e. were much better, why are you posting this" sort of response.

I can't get my head around such an attitude.
As I said above, if he can't be positive, my opinion is that he should just wind his neck in and keep it to himself. Like the rest of us would.

I don't know, maybe it's me that has the problem.
All I know is that I don't fit in right now.

Regarding telling anyone to button it. I don't imagine that would have a long term positive effect. Indeed, if that's required, I would rather just go.

I'm possibly just venting my spleen here.

[quote name='gregsguitars' timestamp='1320586668' post='1428569']
Just tell them its been fun, but your looking for something else to do and wish them the best of luck, never say anything bad about them to other people and stay friends.
[/quote]

Sounds like a fair approach Greg.

Thanks for the input so far.
Can't saying I'm completely leaving music, that would be seen as a transparent lie, they all know me to well for that to come across as genuine.
I should maybe add that I've known one if them since 1970 when we went into P1 at Primary school, So I really must be honest whatever I do.

I'll go quiet on them for a bit and see what transpires.

Without causing a vacuum.

I'm kinda hacked off with a couple of things right now.
I don't mind the music at all and get on fine with everyone on most levels.

However, one of the guys still has that stupid competitive streak.
I can't talk about another local band without him having to comment about how we're better and they're sh**e etc.

Frankly, I can be doing without all that nonsense.
I'm 45 years of age and in my life right now there is no room for that sort of negativity.
If you can't say something nice, as the saying goes.

I want to leave, but will hang around long enough to make sure there is no break.

I've been with 3 of them continuously since 2001 and one guy in particular since the mid 80s.

Any tips on how to get out and close the door quietly behind you ?