rushscored4

I play guitar too and echo previous comments about helping to follow the guitarists or learn new songs. For example, we occasionally play American Pie as an encore. I've never learnt the actual bass line and haven't listened to the original Don McLean track for years but because I learnt to play the chords on an acoustic guitar ages ago it helps me improvise what to play on bass. Only another bass player would realise I'm winging it!

Just now, Les said:

Sorry, missed that the other day, Tex & The Hardcore Troubadours. 

Great name Les! 

That sounds like our singer! 

Nice advert for Probe. I spent most of my teenage years in there and Penny Lane Records. Pete Burns worked in Probe in those days.

We're all in a band what's app group.

Apart from the drummer who doesn't have a smart phone so we have to email everything to him and wait for a reply several days later... 

17 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

It may well be after 20 or so years playing. Good acoustic instruments improve with age. I have a 1975 Martin D35 that is very well played in and its a remarkable instrument.

I guess I was just playing devils advocate... I have a Gibson J35!

Just now, FinnDave said:

Any idea what it was called back in the 70s? My local back then was the Junction, a Holts' pub right next to the station.

Not sure what the John Milly was (an old hall I think) but it's 200 yards down the road from the Junction which is now called Platform 5.

16 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

Blimey, I went to school in Cheadle Hulme and college in Stockport! Don't often get back there these days, but did co-present a programme on a Macclesfield community radio station last year, with a fellow bassist I've known for over 40 years.

We regularly play a cracking pub in Cheadle Hulme called the John Millington - or the John Milfington as the lads have nicknamed it! 

4 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

Yes, very happy, though you're only seeing part of the picture. The RM 800 I bought here last year is my back-up amp, I also have an RM800 evo. I use the evo primarily, through either a BF Super Compact (1  x  12, 8 ohms) or for larger venues, a BF Super Twin (2 x 12, 4 ohms). Whichever I am using, I use a Sansamp Bass DI and go straight into the power amp section of the RM800, bypassing the entire pre-amp. I just find it simpler, and easier to get consistent results, especially if I am also DI'ing not the house PA.

Whereabouts in Cheshire are you? I spent quite a few of my younger years living in Bramhall, that's where I first started this game, in fact!

Cheers Dave, interesting setup! I live in Sale but most of our gigs are in pubs around Stockport - Cheadle Hulme, Romiley, Reddish and Gatley to name a few recent places. 

16 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I wouldn't choose to use it when playing with others, I'd take my small gig rig (Rootmaster 800 head & Super Compact cab) for that.

Off topic sorry but I noticed you bought your RM800 for a cracking price through here a couple of years ago. I'm looking for a cheap backup/alternative to my Rumble Stage 800 to run with my Big Baby 2 cab so I guess you're happy with the Ashdown and Barefaced pairing Dave?

9 hours ago, Grangur said:

It does include wireless tech though.

IMHO the PJB gear sounds miles better. The Fender Rumble tone embodies everything I try to avoid in an amp, but that's just me.

The Studio 40 and Stage 800 have all the Rumble and Bassman tones as amp models which you can edit to your heart's content as well as all the ones below plus loads of effects etc. However I'm sure the PJB tone is lovely too! 

1 minute ago, pbasspecial said:

I had a rehearsal tonight.  Not feeling very well, had been in bed all day with a high temperature so I guess my tolerance levels were lower than normal.  The drummist was really getting on my nerves tonight.  Playing every song too slowly, playing in between the songs, adding intros where there are none and playing it too straight with no dynamics, too much closed hi hat.  We are a slightly funky blues band and it just sounded very pedestrian.   When it's good it's great but other times....

I have to admit as much as I love gigging I sometimes dread rehearsals especially if we have to go through the whole set with a dep drummer or guitarist which we have to do regularly.

Just listening to it now on Spotify. The bass sounds brilliant through a pair of Skull Crusher headphones! 

For £336 the new Fender Rumble Studio 40 will take some beating as a practice amp with its 100+ amp models, huge range of editable effects and Bluetooth / wifi connectivity to play along with your iPod or smart phone etc:

Fender Rumble Studio 40

I have its big brother the Stage 800 and it's absolutely brilliant.

12 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

I've been into the limes of Bass Direct and had a go playing several  £1,500 plus basses. In general there's nowt there that would make me want to part with that kinda dosh when the likes of my  Peavey Cirrus BXP, Cort B4FL and GB74 OPN do me just fine. I also have a Sub Ray 4 and I'm not convinced the Stingray is 7 x  better as the price difference would suggest.

Same with acoustic guitars. For example is a Gibson Hummingbird or Dove really 10 x better than its Epiphone sibling?

1 minute ago, russtufella said:

Our previous singer. He used to hide behind a keyboard he played on two songs and his lyrics on a music stand. And between each song drink coffe out of a large flask and play with his effect pedals, so he didn't engage with the crowd.

Kind of defeats the object of being a "front man" but history is littered with stories of great entertainers who were/are painfully shy in real life. Nothing much to do with music but I was in one the episodes of Peter Kay's first TV series in 1999 "That Peter Kay Thing" and got to meet him. He was so shy off stage he couldn't even look you in the eye!

1 minute ago, Les said:

What's your band @rushscored4 ?

We're prob on the same circuit

Les

We're called the Reform, Les. Mainly play around Manchester and Stockport but we have been known to venture to far flung exotic places like Atherton! 

What's your band?

3 hours ago, Rich said:

 

Totally inexcusable. Either she'd be out of the band or I would.

She's a good singer and the males in the audience like her but yes it's pretty unprofessional. It's totally down to nerves as she's never sang with a band before and although we're a really friendly bunch I think she's still not completely comfortable around us.

Our drummer lives near her so he gives her a lift to and from every gig. He was going to have a few quiet words in her ear after last Saturday night's gig when she screwed up at least one song very badly because she'd drank too much. Mind you it was at her sister's pub and her friends and family were just as bevied and up singing and dancing alongside her but that's not the point.

On 6 April 2018 at 23:34, rushscored4 said:

Just ordered that, thanks @josie!

And it's arrived this morning so I'm looking forward to turning the clock back 43 years from when I learnt to read music in the first year (year 7 for you youngsters) at secondary school! 

2 hours ago, Geek99 said:

ampeg ba108

We have one of them in our rehearsal room and it's pretty good.

I have a Vintage Icon Series Jaco Pastorius fretless J bass and its ridulously good considering I only paid £130 second hand! Looks stunning too with it's "bass of doom" relicing.

2 minutes ago, chris_b said:

The best low volume amp and cab I use for playing at home is my regular Aguilar TH500 and a Barefaced One10. If I add the second One10 the sound is wonderful.

Great rig but possibly not the cheapest option as a practice amp. Mind you the OP didn't mention budget to be fair. 

In fact his post doesn't match the topic title at all! 

Any of the Fender Rumble V3 series. All come with great vintage tone and are ridiculously lightweight. I've even gigged with my Rumble 100 V3 which cost £260 new and is powerful enough for small to medium sized venues like most of the pubs we play.

1 hour ago, KevB said:

I grew up in Cleckheaton (though I've not lived there for over 30 yrs) and get up there from time to time to see family. That looks very much like the Old House At Home. We're a tough audience in Cleck yknow ;-)

Shouldn't that be "we're a tough audience in Cleck tha knows..."?! 

On ‎16‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 16:23, Hobbayne said:

I have a Nate Mendel which is fantastic. However, I am thinking of getting another Mexican P Bass as a back up.

I seem to recall that Mexican made Fenders suffered a bit from poor build quality back in the day and were not all that great.

What are the new ones like these days??

I've got a Nate Mendel too which I agree is fantastic but mine is now 3rd choice behind my Sandberg TM4 and a Limelight Precision I bought from here a few weeks ago. I've been following your 'for sale' thread with interest as I'm debating whether to trade mine in for a more powerful bass head to compliment my new Barefaced BB2 cab which I also bought on here recently!

I'd say the Nate is better than both US made Precisions I've owned in the past but I also have an early 1980s MIJ PB-551 which gives it a good run for it's money.