peteb

On 27/10/2024 at 16:59, Bluewine said:

Not a great night for us. We just couldn't get our groove going for some reason.  We had a dep drummer but that wasn't the problem. 

 

On the plus side we sold 94 tickets at $15.00 a piece. 

Saturday's gig was a Zep tribute at a civic hall in Cottingham, a pretty posh suburb of Hull (no, I didn't know that there's a posh part of Hull either)! About 200 or so punters there, with 170 tickets sold a week before the show @ £17, a few more between then and the the gig and a handful of walk-ins on the night @ £20. Unfortunately, we were on a fixed fee, but still a decent payday. 

Fortunately, we played pretty well and all-in-all a good show. There was a very decent PA with a married couple running sound who knew what they were doing, which always helps. Bass sounded great as well - usual rig for the Zep band of a Fender Am Std Jazz, into a Caveman pre, into the Handbox R-400 and a Berg CN212. 

1 hour ago, casapete said:

I know what you mean, I’ve done the same thing. 

Had many Rays over the years, from a pre EB to a recent 3eq job, and loved them all. Possibly

my favourite was a USA Sub, which only needed a proper scratchplate and was good to go. 
I can’t think of any other manufacturer who has maintained such a high level of quality and 

consistency - as others have said, it’s really hard to find a bad one. What finished my using

them was the old BC thing - weight. Most were on the cusp of being too heavy for my damaged

shoulder, being in the 9lbs zone. Seen a Sub advertised recently that was 10.5lbs! A mate of

mine has a fairly recent Ray that comes in at 8.3lbs but from my experience that is a rarity.

I did try the US Sterling - had a couple but didn’t seem any weight difference despite the

smaller body. Narrower neck was nice though, more jazz like. 

 

The other thing that may take some getting used to is the position of the pickup if you play

like me and rest your thumb on it - I’m used to a Precision so the change wasn’t an easy one.

Still, wonderful basses and still wish I could find one light enough, would definitely have another. 

I've currently got a 91 3eq Stingray, but have previously had two 3eq models (another 91 and a 95), two 00s SR5s (sounded great, but I could never get on with the string spacing and the 'g' string) and a US Sterling (that I didn't like as much as the Stingrays). I did briefly consider selling the current ray as I'm not gigging it and I knew that I could get more than twice what I paid for it, but what's the point if I'm only going to start looking for another one! 

You're right about the pickup position - I found it a bit uncomfortable trying to anchor my thumb on the pickup. I've now got a 'ThumbRocker' thumb rest installed just in front of the pickup, which solves any issues in that respect. 

5 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Used standard Stingrays were around £750-£800 up to about 2014 (10 yrs ago) - they are now more like £1500

I always used to think that at one time secondhand Stingrays were really undervalued, perhaps not so much these days. 

I have a strange relationship with Stingrays, in that I like them but never get round to gigging with them, I always seem to pick up a Fender or an active jazz! But whenever I sell one, I always regret it and end up buying another! 

19 minutes ago, Beedster said:

By which I mean that at 36 - and despite all he achieved - he was still a young man, and died at a time when addiction was not understood and treated in the same was as it is today

 

RIP Jaco 🙏

 

 

Not to mention a different attitude to mental illness these days. 

3 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

On a more serious note, I personally don't have an issue with folk getting the best kit they can comfortably afford,  that works for them. (I mean a double bass can easily cost north of £10k by itself, which is more than all my herd of basses cost together!)

 

Personally I'm really happy with my Nux bugs having tried Smoothhound, Boss WL-20 and Lekato WL-50. Those were all decent, but the Nux is the best of that bunch for me and cost <£100 second hand. 

 

But if you're getting paid a decent sum to do a gig (or even if you're not, but I guess there's maybe more at stake for you and your bandmates if you are?) and you're finding that the better more expensive Shures are the right answer for you to give you peace of mind, particularly when you've tried a bunch of alternatives as you have, I don't think it's for the rest of us to quibble? Just my tuppence worth.

I must admit, and of course this is from my POV, if you are playing over 100 gigs in 18 months (getting on for three times as many gigs as I've done in that period), I am a bit surprised that you haven't given in to the temptation of upgrading to a Shure system. Assuming you're making reasonable money on each gig, it's only a couple of shows to pay for the difference and you've got a better system that's going to last for much longer (I paid £400 or so for my Shure nine years ago and it's still going strong with no issues). 

Back in the mid 80s when I first joined a band that played bigger gigs all over the place, it was on the understanding that I was going to upgrade my gear (I had a P bass that was deemed acceptable, but I was told that I needed a spare and to upgrade my amps, etc). They said that they always got the best gear they could, even if it was a bit more than they afford and that saved them a lot of money in the long run. They were, of course, quite right and within 18 months or so I had a really cool rig that sounded great. All of this helped to establish me as a credible player in the local scene (and beyond) that has served me well to this day. 

Having said that, I have just ordered a NUX system, partly inspired by what people have said about them on this thread. I've done a couple of deps recently where it wasn't practical to take the pedalboard with the Shure receiver, and where a decent dongle based system like the NUX would have been very useful (as well as for rehearsals). 

2 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Some very expensive hi-end brands being recommended here (above) and - while I'm sure they're all absolute killer devices - I'm competely unconvinced that they're the best route forward.

 

All rechargeable batteries will fade away and (eventually) die, so spending £458 on that Shure outfit seems like an awful lot of money for something that you'll be chucking in a skip sometime around 2027.

 

If you've not used wireless before then I'd strongly suggest you experiment first with the really cheap stuff (Joyo, Lekato, etc.) which my reasonably extensive experience suggests is at least 90% as good as the top-end stuff whilst costing 90% less.

 

I started out with https://www.gak.co.uk/en/xvive-xu2-wireless-instrument-system-black

 

When the batteries started to fade, I experimented with https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305814068759 and with https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186311571177

 

Following a recommendation from @stewblack I also bought https://www.amazon.co.uk/JOYO-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Instruments/dp/B0CRKS96NS

 

And my experience? They all work. They work just fine, and if there's any difference between the performance of the Joyo and the XVive systems then I've never been able to spot it. I play pubs and clubs, beer gardens and festival stages. I use passive and active basses, 4-string and 5-string.

 

The only basses I own that have any trouble with wireless systems are double basses - all of them - and I don't understand why. It seems to make no difference whether I'm using piezo or magnetic pickups, full-sized DBs or my Kolstein Busetto, even whether the bass is plywood or aluminium. The strength of the string vibration seems occasionally to overpower the wireless signal producing a juddering sound that reminds me of the ABS cutting in when doing an emergency stop.

 

Incidentally, the combined cost of ALL FOUR units referenced above was roughly HALF the cost of a single Shure GLXD16. I love Shure kit and I own a fair amount of it, but £458 for a wireless system? Your 'avin' a giraffe.

 

I'm afraid that I take a very different view. I've had loads of wireless systems since they first came out decades ago (remember the old illegal Nady systems that always used to pick up local taxi firms in the middle of gigs) and all of them were c*ap and I ended up going back to leads! I got the GLDX16 not that long after it came out (about ten years ago?) and it just works as it should do. It's done hundreds of gigs and the battery is still perfectly good, no latency issues, works fine on bass and sounds as good as you would expect. My advice is to pay a bit more and buy once, rather than get cheaper alternatives that you will get rid off and replace because they don't work as well as the better kit. It's arguably cheaper, and certainly better. 

I've got an xvive system that I picked up for £30 or so on eBay and while it's OK for around the house, personally I wouldn't trust it on a gig. The Shure is in a completely different class. 

1 hour ago, Twigman said:

Shure GLXD16+ seems to tick all my boxes........any feedback from anyone who has this system? - Where do you put the Tx?

Yes, I've got the GLXD16 and it works great, by far the best wireless system I've ever had (and I've had a few). Not sure what you mean by Tx, but the Shure has a transmitter that you attach to your guitar strap and a lead from that plugs into the jack socket of the guitar. 

On 06/10/2024 at 12:32, jezzaboy said:

Most charge 20%, I think the bass gallery is 15%?

 

The advantage is they can give you an idea where to price it but the downside is the 20%. But it saves you the hassle of selling it yourself. I had a bass for sale on here that had sod all interest, gave it to Will at Bass Bros and it was gone in a week.

Don't disregard going for a commission sale. In addition to reducing the hassle of selling it yourself, a place like Bass Bros (or Bass Direct) will generally achieve a far better price than selling it on Facebook or on here.

They will also make sure that you get a realistic price and reduce the chance of you making a costly mistake if you get the selling price wrong. 

On 07/10/2024 at 17:48, videoman said:

I'm not getting any younger, sadly, and I'm becoming more aware of the weight of my two superb Bergantino HD112's.  I like the clarity and punch they produce.  But Barefaced cabs get such good reviews and comments . .

 

I was gigging a couple of Bergantino HD112s for a while, but even though I really liked the way they sounded, I thought that they were rather heavy / difficult to pick up and I didn't feel like they were that efficient. I replaced them with a Berg CN212, which I found easier to lift as well as sounding great and loud enough. 

I was one of those people who were never convinced of the original Barefaced cabs with 12" speakers. However, I know a couple of guys who use the big 610 BF cabs and they sound great, much nicer than the 12s to my ears. As I get older I may well consider getting the BF Three10 cab, which is very light at 22kg and has it's own tiltback wheels. If it makes it easier to gig if I start feeling my age then there may well come a time when I replace the CN212 with the BF 310 cab. 

1 hour ago, walshy said:

You lot are quite bougee down south. Come north man, we have hob nobs!

You may be surprised to know that the delights of Portuguese pastries have even made it to the grim north, or at least as far as Yorkshire - we even have Pasteis de Natas in t'Lidl these days! 

5 minutes ago, rwillett said:

@Reggaebass are you sarf east London? I recall Walworth Road and you for some reason.

 

I'll book a minibus...

Walworth Road - I used to rehearse in a studio down there (forty years ago)! 

5 minutes ago, rwillett said:

I look forward to my invitation to your man-shed. I'll bring tea and biscuits

You will be pretty much passing my gaff on the way down. I will bring some Pastéis de Natas! 

26 minutes ago, cetera said:

Yep!

It's a small sub-set - bass playing pub landlords in the south of England who play GB basses...! 🙂 

double-post 

2 hours ago, cetera said:

the landlord on Friday was a bassist too (and owner of a few Goodfellow basses)!

Baz?? 

3 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

I trust that that includes Coldplay and Nickelback.

A pretty good drummer of my acquaintance is flying out all over Europe (he's in Lithuania at the moment), playing theatres to big crowds and (I assume) earning decent money - just for playing in a Coldplay tribute...! 

Just now, LukeFRC said:

I took an instant dislike to the sound of the cali76 - even though it’s very good at doing what it’s supposed to be doing. 

I think that you might want something different in a compressor than someone like me is looking for. My understanding of pedals isn't as detailed as yours and the way I use them is a lot different from what you do. I'm just using a comp to help the bass find its place in the mix rather than as an effect. 

40 minutes ago, Osiris said:

I'm half tempted by the new Cali76 as I like FET based comps as they work well with my heavy handed technique - a legacy from when I started playing 40 odd years ago as an angry young teenager, but like @peteb commented above, I struggle to justify dropping £300 on a single pedal, no matter how good it is. But that's not to say I won't at some point...

To be fair, it's not the £300 price tag in itself that is the problem, more that I've already spent a fair bit on the M87 (now going for £230)...! 

7 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

I play fretless and got the Ampeg Optical Compressor on the recommendation of @Osiris It is very simple but very effective and works wonders. It is very tempting to think the grass is always greener and get something different with more knobs etc. after all Pino uses a Cali76 and I'm super tempted to try one simply because he uses one. However, I'm super happy with my Ampeg Optical Compressor so I'll stick with that. If you are happy with your Spectracomp then I'd stick with it.

In addition to PIno and a number of big names, a fair few of decent players I know use a Cali76 and apparently it is the one to go for. However, I'm not sure that I can justify dropping a further £300 on one - just how much better will it be than the M87? 

6 hours ago, polvo said:

But since compression is such a subtle, almost subconscious effect, part of me wonders if I'm better off sticking with the M87 even though I can't tell the difference. So time to ask the reddit hive mind... do you think I will be getting better results by using a 'better' rated compressor? Obviously nobody in the crowd is going to actually notice a difference, so I'm really talking about the subconscious level (which, let's be honest, is where we do most of our best work as bass players anyway!)

 

 I was in exactly the same position as you - I appreciate how and why compression is beneficial, but struggle to hear the difference between different compressors.

I got the M87 and struggled with it at first, if anything it seemed to be making things worse! Then I spoke to a bass playing sound engineer of my acquaintance and asked his opinion. He just told me how to set it up and said 'trust me, this is what you're after'. I still don't really understand the reasons why, but since following his advice, the M87 has just worked really well. It is always on when I'm playing and I wouldn't be without it... 

26 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Not a gig last night but a sort of audition to see if i fancied joining an 80's rock band. Singers and guitarist know me from the Glam band so they're aware of how i play and sound.

Went well. Only had 4 days to work on their song list. Got 11 out of the 14 done so that was ok.

Band were fair pleased with what i'd done.

Asked if i was interested and i said yes.

All in all a good wee night of Whitesnake, Cher, Ozzy, AC/DC, etc.

Dave

 

I can see the set now - end the night with an encore of a medley of Crazy Train, Highway To Hell and Do You Believe In Life After Love! 

1 hour ago, TimR said:

I think the "Oh wow, a woman playing a bass" sentiment is still too prevalent, and certainly being played on here.

 

Suzi Quatro and "the girl who played for Robbie Williams" (Yolanda Charles) at a stretch, would be the only two the general public would be aware of. Very sad really. 

I agree! 

The trouble is that many people react in one of two ways to a woman playing bass because it is still seen as a novelty, despite all the names being quoted here (and I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Tal Wilkenfeld). Either they are condescending and refuse to believe that they get any recognition on their own merits 'because they're a gurl', or, they fall over themselves to over-praise a girl's playing 'because it's a gurl', which is also condescending in my book. Blu DeTiger is a pretty good player, but many here have reacted in a way that they wouldn't to the many dozens of similar players out there. 

15 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

What happens next will depend on what she wants to do. I can imagine that after being a TikTok/Instagram/YouTube star, joining a gigging band might be a bit of a come-down.

I was under the impression that she had recently been out on tour with her own band, playing arenas supporting Sabrina Carpenter. From looking on her Wikipedia page, it looks like she has already done a fair bit of touring. 

11 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

And you know this how? It is sexist to suggest that a female has been successful because she is female and looks good as apposed to her skill.* Whether she looks good or not, is opinion. 
Do you think her audience is old men wishing they could sleep with her or people trying to learn something new and enjoy music? I hope and believe it is the latter.

 

*obviously removing the women/ men who do literally sell themselves on looks.

That's just idiotic and is justifying everything that @Misdee has been saying!  

FWIW, I would guess that her success is largely down to her being an aspirational figure to her followers on social media who are impressed by both her abilities and her image. I would imagine that many (if not most) of these followers will be female. 

16 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

By all accounts what Pete Best lacked in the drumming department he more than made up for in the looks department and attracted Epstein’s attention.

Which by several accounts led to his sacking - his good looks were taking attention away from McCartney, while he and Lennon were setting themselves up as the leaders and focal point of the band. 

Bands eh...!