Damonjames

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1417191273' post='2618066'] I got the impression that the neck is chunkier than a Jazz but not as chunky as a Precision. Mind you, I haven't actually played a Precision for ages and don't own one at the moment - and I haven't had a Jazz bass for months either, so you could be right! The neck definitely doesn't feel thin to me, though. I'd say it's definitely not as thin or narrow as an Ibanez neck, for example. [/quote] . No, you are correct. But I never said it was either ;-) Is ANYTHING as slim as an ibanez neck? They are crazy thin, and narrow spacing as well. The thing withe euro's and rebop's is that they are hand finished, so there is some variation between basses. The rebop's tend to be chunkier also. I have also edited my original post, it should have read "can't", meaning I think most people will find them easy to play and find little objections

[quote name='ern500evo' timestamp='1417179885' post='2617847'] Congrats Mark, that's a beauty! I'm gonna have to own one of these at some point, I love my NS2000! Enjoy! [/quote] I have a euro 4 and an NS2000/5. I have also played a korean legend. I think the gap between the legend and a euro is big enough to justify the additional spend, the NS2000/5 however is much closer IMHO, with it being neck through and curved top.the electronics in the NS2000 is probably it's weakest point, ad that's only being picky as it has the EMG pre.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1417176631' post='2617774'] I nearly bought this bass from Mark but decided against as I didn't really like the colour. Your pics are making me regret that decision. [/quote] From the pics I've seen of black cherry prior to this I'd agree. This looks stunning though!! With regard to neck profile, when I jump between my fender jazz and my euro, the jazz feels slightly more to handle. I cant imagine many having issues getting on with the euro, unless you have a bunch of bananas for hands and can only really feel comfortable on a baseball bay sized neck.

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1417179292' post='2617832'] I do wish you'd stop copying me and get your own style [/quote] Haha, nice one!!

"I've been laying things down for years, grooves Is just the latest thing" Brilliant. Homer does it once again!!

[quote name='HengistPod' timestamp='1416839132' post='2614083'] Something that annoys me no end is finding guys to join a band ... you find them, email them, text them, swap demos and arrange for them to turn up at a rehearsal. They're fine right up till the evening before. Then you never hear from them again. [/quote] One thing I have learned in my limited experience is that musicans are flakes. Most of them don't have the taken, drive, professionalism, or personality to make it in a band. It wasn't until I started playing in bands that I realised why so few actually make it, and why so many that do make it break up. It's bloody hard work!

I've had luck on joinmyband, musolist and northwest bands but agree you need to be advertising everywhere. You possibly have left it a little bit short notice, personally I'd allow yourself at least 2 full weeks to let the responses come in. I'd also recommend that you insist on a copy if a live performance, even just a video singalong youtube style clip, as it can be should destroying to actually audition people who can't sing. Wait till you have three or four before you set the date to make it worthwhile, and also give you a reason to push the candidates out, nothing worse than when they hang around if they are no good Good luck!!!

I almost always get the same feeling whenever i go I to a music shop these days. I have 3 basses I love, so it's not often I see something that i could see being worth justifying the additional spend over what I have. The only time my heart skipped a best was a beautiful honey burst fretless 5 string stingray.... I still want one!! Just be patient, keep tying basses, and enjoy the search. Try to only play a couple at a time, rather than overload yourself and figure what you like. Watch youtube clips as a guide for how they will sound, you may be able to rule out a lot this way, then you only have to worry about the feel. £1500 to spend, you lucky bugger!!

I still miss my USA SUB, I sold it to buy a spector euro and I've been left wanting since. I'm hoping it's just because it has an EMG preamp, once I get the tonepump back I to it I think ill be happy!

Those ledj 7q5's look freaking awesome!!! Now I'm gassing for lights!!!

Bryan Adams is one if those artists.... Doesn't matter what you put in his hands, or what you get him to play, he will have the crowd up and moving. Not saying I'm a massive fan, but I saw savage garden once and they were amazing (hangs head in shame) although I got them free through work. sadly enough, I think I would pay money to see him play, and I'd fancy it would be cheaper than the £150 I've just paid for two tickets to the foo fighters!!

I really like Steve Albini, although he comes across a little abrasive at times, he is a purist and believes in making music for the love of it. His business philosophy is unique also, he takes payment of an agreed figure to produce an album, then that's it. No percentage, no royalties, deal is done. Considering he produced Nirvana's In Utero, he should be minted. Instead, he has nearly lost his studio a few times through lack of money to keep it open.

[quote name='r16ktx' timestamp='1416408084' post='2609886'] Certainly puts Taylor Swift's current antics into perspective! [/quote] She came out all noble about protecting her material, then sold it to google's online streaming software instead! Where is the shame in just coming out and saying I stopping company "A" from using my product because company "B" are going to pay me more?!

50 miles each way tim. But at 2am on an empty Motorway doing 50mph because of road works, it felt like 100 miles back!!!

I seem to have opened up a can of worms here! So after a little more sleep and a chance to calm down a little, my original post was somewhat rhetorical, I know why we bother. We do it because we love doing what we do. The aforementioned gig was played to a handful of punters, in a small pub, with 5 if us tucked in and not much room to move. At the end of the night we ended up 25% short on where we thought we would be on payment. Again, our fault we should have checked. At least the pub have us a few free beers, afterwards the drummer said his spider senses where tingling after the second and subsequent offers of beef that the payment would be in question!! I am in agreement with almost everything that this has thrown up in this thread, I was just expressing my frustration. As a band we work really hard to make sure we put on a good performance, have quality gear, a good PA, and some lighting (which will be improved). None of us have taken payment from the gigs for the last 3 months to invest in equipment for the band. To get £30 a piece to travel 100 miles there and back to play to a handful of punters, just has you question your motives. Especially when you factor in the "cost" of time away from the family, and trying To keep up with two kids the day after without being a grumpy ass. Again, all my choice. I honestly feel like there is something wrong with the scenario if after a doing a gig, you can't even afford to buy a set of strings.... I know there will be good and bad gigs, it's just the nature of things. This was an average one and we got paid accordingly. It has sparked conversation in the band about what we can do differently to market ourselves better to ensure that we get more punters through the door, in turn this should hopefully reflect the payment at the end if the night.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1416174358' post='2607689'] I appreciate some people might want to but they don't HAVE to! I take your point - my musical hobby costs me money, I get that, but so do my other hobbies but no one subsidises them, so what makes music so different? I played a 50 minute mixed set of covers and originals today to about 60/70 people, together with 3 other bands. Admission was free, the bands were not paid, everyone had fun, it was 4 miles from home. That'll do me for this month. I'm happy. Edit: I was standing exactly where I saw Norman Watt-Roy play a blinder of a gig with the Blockheads two days ago. I'm guessing he got paid, but then he is a bit better than me . . . [/quote] Ok, so if I was in this situation, I'd be less miffed. The fact is Saturday night was one if three gigs this month, and it was a 100 mile round trip. I have to carry three basses due to is being a tribute act and having a set with about a million different tunings in it as we normally play for 2 ish hours plus encore. I'll say it again, there is no third party profiting from your other hobbies! If there were 60/70 punters there, I'd fancy the publican has had a good night, and probably isn't in danger if going out of business. The whole pubs closing thing is an argument I itself! Most if the pubs that are closing are the ones that have not changed what they offer. There is also an over supply of pubs in this country, times have changed. I'd say the vast majority of people now drive to work, and also a high chance of being in a relationship with a partner who also works full time. So stopping off for a couple of pints on the way home from work isn't really an option now. The pubs that have adapted and offer a decent music venue, or sports bar, or god forbid, family restaraunt with a soft play attached are in no danger of closing, I can assure you. The ones who haven't changed a thing since thatcher was in power are te ones struggling to keep the doors open. I guess I am "moaning" as you so abruptly put it, is that we had edible some gigs under £200 to get a foot in to a venue, and we have been offered more for the subsequent gigs (so I know we are a good enough band!), to play for less smarts a little. Yes I know it's our fault, we should have double checked the fee and there is no excuse, but had they offered that we probably wouldn't have taken the gig

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1416171000' post='2607628'] Well, that sounds fine, but there's another piece to your analysis. Playing for free because you love playing is one thing but ad to it that some venues are using you and taking advantage of your love. For those who say, I'll play for free because I love it, i have a question; Do you also love being taken advantage of? Blue [/quote] I should state that I have no problem playing for free, my band has done several charit gigs, and will no doubt do more for worthy causes. But as far as in concerned 50-100£ more out of the till for the pub won't break the bank, but it makes a if difference to the takings of the band. It also then puts some responsibility on the venue to promote the event to ensure a good turnout. We promote the hell out if out gigs via Facebook with a 7 day countdown with a new photo for a previous gigs to try and get as many punters in as possible. But we have done a coupe of door price gigs and come away with less than we got last night!

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1416163468' post='2607503'] I got alright money doing covers, but I'm much happier doing originals for nothing [/quote] This I agree with. You expect to have to push your own music for free until it get some support, playing covers, whilst fun, is strictly to entertain others and therefore is no longer a charitable venture.

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1416166105' post='2607545'] I love playing music, but I loathe somebody making money out of that without factoring me in. Nobody sells hundreds of pints of beer to a crowd watching someone scuba dive. The pay for pub gigs has remained stagnant for a decade and is a scandal. Having said that, you all know this before you do it, so if you want more cash, do the wedding/party thing (and there's nothing wrong with that), or if you do it as a hobby/love of it then stop weeping and get on with it. You will never justify the cost in equipment, time, domestic stress etc anyway. [/quote] This is my point, pubs sell more booze when bands play, FACT. I'm not expecting to get function type pay for pubs gigs, as the publican can never guarantee the attendance in advance so it's unreasonable for them to carry that sort of risk. But to offer a band £150 for a second visit is a bit rich, we got caught out as we assumed it was the same as our first rims which was £200. On a 1:1 justification, you will always loose out in the music business unless you can get a major record deal doing original work, even then it's not a certainty as the world is full of exploited "signed" artists who end up broke. I'm not naieive enough to think otherwise, but I'm just miffed about last night. Probably made worse by the fact I've had about 8 hours sleep in the last two days courtesy of the kids and a dog that can't make it through the night with have ing to go outside!

I should clarify, I dont espect to make a living out of it, but 30 quid just about covers the said cost of lugging gear around....

Ok, so I'm tired and grumpy because I was out gigging last night and feel the need to rant. I'll start by saying that I love the guys in my band and I love what we do, but after last night I'm wondering why we bother. We played a fair way away from home in a pub we were playing for the second time, played till after midnight and got the princely sum of £150 between 5 of us AND we provided PA. Granted the place was small, and it wasn't packed but after only a few hours sleep before the kids got up, I'm asking myself why I bother. Barely got enough money to cover the fuel to get there and back let alone maintain my gear and am wondering if I'm the only one who feels like this??

There is a lot of difference between the tonepump jr and the tonepump. I think they have got a bad name based on the original version being VERY hot, so much so it would clip many amps pre stage and give an ordinary sound. They now come with a trim pot to control the output level to suit your own sound, so hopefully with time the "haters" will calm down. The jr from my experience is a different sound and is closer to the emg sound in yours, but it has been designed along with the SSD pickups to sound like a spector with the materials the legends are made of, most think it is quite good. Depending on what you want, I'd say keep the 5er as is and save for a rebop or euro to get a more "spector" tone if you wanted to. I do t think an emg or Aguilar pre would change it too much, but a three band would just give you the ability to control the mods more