Blink

I use "On Song". can be shared around every band member if required. Not the cheapest but worth the money IMO

Just a though on the "cutting through the mix" point which has been touched on in a few posts. What EQ are you using on the bass and amp? there are plenty of threads on this topic but start with flat on both bass and amp. You might need to boost the mids to sit better in the mix. Also what EQ is your guitarist using? too much bass (and volume) will render the rest of the band inaudible!! N

Thanks Dazed. It's taken a while but I think I have most bases (pun intended) covered. I got to know Mike Walsh when I worked near his workshop when it was is Witham. I fell in love with the green Boudicca and asked him to do a custom build which resulted in the red fretted 5. The body is 50% mahogany, 40% swamp ash with a flamed maple top cap/ The neck is maple and purple heart with a spalted maple 'board. Shortly after the red one was finished I was looking for a fretless 5. Mike took the toffee coloured bass in and thought, "if I sand the frets down, Nick will buy it". Guess what - he was right.

Like all things there are good and not so good internal and external DI's. I generally insist on using the DI in my TC Rebel 450 and have had favourable comments on its quality with the added benefit that when I mute to tune the FOH feed is muted as well.

I've been meaning to do this for some time, so here is my collection. L to R: Zoot Boudicca fretless5 , Zoot Boudicca 5, Tokai Hard Puncher 4, Wal Mk2 5, Status Streamline 5, Sei Flamboyant headless 5, Spector Legend 6. I also have a Wesley acrylic 4 which is currently on loan to my son.

Don"t forget Status Hot Wires. I use them on all but my fretless.

I saw the Yellowjackets on Friday night at Pizza Express, Holborn. The band were stunning and also very approachable as they out and about in the audience in the interval and at the end of the gig. Special mention of the "new" bassist, Dane Alderson, who gave us some of the most musical soloing I have heard in a very long time. There is a new album out later in the year. There not due to be back in the UK this year but this will give you a flavour of their work. The Pizza Express venue is a very civilised place to be as well....

A word of caution. The are great if you have someone controlling the FOH sound. If a member of the band in responsible for FOH sound they need too hear the sound in the room otherwise you end up with a perfect IEM mix but the sound the audience hears may well be pants!!

Stick with your current amp and buy a top notch compressor?

Have any of you seen Toyah on her recent acoustic tour? She is 3 weeks of being 60, she looks amazing and sounds fabulous. All the hits plus some rarities done with 2 acoustic 6 strings and a bass (fretless and double). Musically outstanding which is remarkable because one of the regular guitarists was rushed to hospital earlier in the week to have his appendix removed so a dep was used. Not that you would have known if we hd not been told!! Toyah is doing some gigs with a full electric band in November and on the strength of last night I have booked my tickets. I recommend you do the same. N PS I have no connection to Toyah or members of the band.

I've posted the rig before but the bass is new.

The Guitarist is playing the original key and the riff does not seem to lie comfortably under the hand (unless someone out there has a wicked fingering).

Evening All On 1st July it is Canada Day and I have agreed to play about 3 hours of Canadian music. One of which is The Oaf. The main Guitar is tuned to open Gb5. Q1 what is he tuning for the Bass? Q2 does anyone have music/tab Help gratefully received N

one of these does the job for me. https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_go_kart_truck_xl.htm N

Here is mine. Always a talking point, especially with pink strings. There is a 5 string version of this currently on eBay with a Gator hard case. At £229 it's a bargain if you want the case. Overpriced if you just want the bass.

Metallica opening for the Freddie Mercury Tribute gig at Wembley. I was there and it didn't fit with the rest of the day.

Status Hot Wires? Work for me and not too expensive.

I found that ear wax production was stimulated by loud noise and as soon as I started using decent earplugs my problems with excessive ear wax stopped. I'm not a specialist in this area but ear plugs had a double benefit for me. N

I use 2 RCF Evox 8's with a 6 piece covers band. For your band, 1 will probably be fine as they have good sound dispersion and good feedback rejection so you might be set it up in such a way that you can hear it and use it as a monitor. A word of warning about in-ear monitoring. Unless you have a sound person controlling the FOH sound you can be blissfully unaware of how bad you sound to the audience because you have the perfect in-ear mix. Been there, got the tee-shirt etc etc N

Car insurance is usually based on Social Domestic and Pleasure use. This can normally be extended at minimum cost to cover use by the Policy Holder (not any named drivers) on their employers business. For most of us weekend warriors that should be more than sufficient to cover to and from the gig. Insuring gear is always best done using a separate policy designed for the purpose and that will include cover for gear left in locked cars. Trying to extend home contents or car insurance to cover gear will, in my experience, lead to problems should you ever need to claim. N

I would suggest that only need to inform the tax man when your earnings for the year exceed your expenses for the year. The tax is payable on the profit from your professional earnings not the income.

If you use an insurer who understands musicians then there is no problem. I use Musicguard and they automatically include public liability insurance so they understand that you will be performing in public and they will insure gear left in cars (subject to you taking some entirely reasonable precautions). I am not a representative of Musicguard and I have yet to make a claim so I can't comment on their claims handling. Insurance problems seem to arise when you try to extend home contents cover to make it cover something that it was never intended cover. N