molan

[quote name='Geddys nose' post='923105' date='Aug 12 2010, 07:37 PM']Jeez that was cheap ,there was a Marleaux that went yesterday for £450 and that was a £1800+ bass when new, Not good for selling at the 'mo.[/quote] A Marleaux for £450 is a crazy price, was it a nice finish top?

[quote name='TimR' post='922785' date='Aug 12 2010, 02:24 PM']My conversation went a bit like: OK we're in a function band but no one wants to do summer because that's summer holiday time so that's weddings and summer balls out then and no one wants to play Christmas and NYE either. When exactly do you expect to do these functions then.[/quote] We had EXACTLY the same conversation - we've turned down 6 gigs over the summer becuase of this. Two of us are trying to rescue something from the wreckage (with the guy who said he'd finally had enough) and there were some tensions kicking around between a couple of people so maybe it'll be a good thing in the end. Spent a lot of hours rehearsing for it all to fall apart!

[quote name='JTUK' post='922766' date='Aug 12 2010, 02:11 PM']I think it more important to do the pre xmas parties anyway...for totty factor if nothing else [/quote] My old band used to play an annual rugby club gig for precisely this reason, lol. We got about half our regular rate but the crowd were brilliant and there were two girls who would repeatedly 'flash' the band after they'd had a few drinks. . . Their, huge, rugby playing partners used to think it was hilarious & even encouraged them to do this. One of them really fancied our sax player & would regularly wait for a song with lots of horns in it & then stand right in front of him, bend over & flip her skirt up in the air, distinct lack of any obvious undergarments - made for some 'interesting' sax noises from the poor guy. . .

Wow - so this one bought a few major issues out of the woodwork then! Looks like the band have now split based on the responses to an NYE gig Views were so polarised that it made one key member decide that he'd had enough, this prompted others to raise a few things as well so it looks like not only are we not doing the NYE gig but we aren't going to be doing any more gigs together now. . .

[quote name='Rumblebass' post='922364' date='Aug 12 2010, 09:38 AM']It's a tough call Barrie, in my 13pc Soul band days, we doubled our fee for NYE (£4k), but this was at an established venue which we'd played many times & always packed out. The same venue coughed up £10k for Millennium eve! If nothing else comes in, & you want to be out NYE, I'd take the money & play. If you hold out for more, you run the risk of ending up with nothing as you've already said. Put it to the democratic vote & go with what the majority of the Band want. (Mind you, this WAS always easier when there's 13 of you!) Hope you're well anyway,, long time no see! All the best, Grahame (FBB)[/quote] Cheers Grahame - are you back out giging again?

I must admit that the band views on this have been really split. Couple of us think it would be fun to be out playing on a NYE instead of sitting at home watching Jools. One person said he'd much rather be doing exactly the reverse! Two people saying £175 minimum. The gig is tops of 40 mins drive for anyone so not a big hassle in that regard. I have a distinct feeling that some ban members have aspirations above the band's capabilities and that this is going to be an ongoing battle. . .

[quote name='garethox' post='922136' date='Aug 11 2010, 11:09 PM']We're getting £600 from a small pub and we are a 3 piece.... I reckon £200/band member is reasonable to expect for NYE.[/quote] That was my start point actually I thought about asking for about £175 each as a mid way point but maybe that's still a bit light - I'll get negotiating! Part of the problem of course is that there are so many of us so £200 each is £1,400 minimum. I've also just discovered they want us to provide PA so that's another £150 or so.

Our band has been approached by a large(ish) restaurant for an NYE gig with an offer of £1,000 plus a couple of drinks and a decent meal. There are 7 of us so that's £145 per person. I thought this was Ok really - it's less than my old functions band used to play for but it feels like average prices have dipped over the last couple of years. However some of the band feel this is a rubbish rate and that we should ask for double. I don't have details of get in/out times and length of sets required & I know this will make a difference but just wanted to guage general thoughts about the going rate for an NYE gig.

I've got a couple of basses that came installed with East pre-amps and my only real criticism is that there's too many tonal options & I find it hard to stop fiddling with them!

Sounds like you need to pop round my place for tea given that I'm flogging loads of basses at the moment - I'm about 15 mins from Maidenhead, lol. Actually you might want to try Dawsons in Reading. I think they only hold main brand stuff like Fender, Warwick, Ibanez, Yamaha etc but not a bad place to start

I really like watching him with Wilko Johnson - he gets quite a different sound to his, recorded, Blockheads tone. Really big & punchy through a Trace rig that looks like it came out of the ark, lol.

Is there a reason why you want to buy brand new? A used DJ in black with maple will set you back way less than £1,100. I think I sold mine for less than £700. . .

Hey Bilbo - you have inspired me! I've been close to joining a few bands over recent months but have (for reasons I won't go into here, given the 'public' nature of the forum) decided against them. However, having listened to the various discusions about setting the bar higher I was galvanised last night to discuss forming a wholly new band with a very good guitarist friend of mine. We both have very similar views on standards of professionalism & performance skills and had a really good natter about we'd like to see in any band that we might both be part of. We've vaguely nattered about doing this before but sat on the fence about really making a go of it. We've now both decided we're definitely going to try and work hard at something - just need to find a drummer & singer who share the same views / ambitions now I'll keep you posted. . .

As something of a 'seasoned campaigner' on the buying & selling trail (check my Sig for my current status, lol) then I'd consider owning both side by side for a while if you can afford it & then selling the one that you like least when you've really had a chance to compare them. If you buy wisely and don't pay over the odds then you should get back something close to your initial outlay when you come to sell. You'll just be out of pocket for a while in between time. There are also some good interest free credit card deals around - I'm not suggesting simply getting into long term debt though, lol. I've been fortunate enough to have one particular bass on trial for about a month & have decided I pretty much have to buy it, I'm now selling more or less any of my basses that anyone wants to buy to fund it but I'm pleased I was able to have the trial period first

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='920741' date='Aug 10 2010, 03:53 PM']I'm sorry Clarky, but WHAT? You're going to play a punk gig on an Alembic? I'll be sure to light a candle for you at the Sid Vicious Shrine & Souvenir Shop ...[/quote] A friend of mine is on the road in the southern states of the USA with a full on country outfit - he's playing an Alembic too, possibly his Mark King signature

[quote name='dr1' post='920706' date='Aug 10 2010, 03:00 PM']that's nice of you,molan. pitty that people here hestitate to buy from "oversea" people. that's why i stop use for sale section... [/quote] Not me, lol. I've bought from Spain, Finland, France, USA & (soon) Australia! Meanwhile I've sold to France, Spain, Italy & Czech Republic (maybe others as well but my memory is failing!). I must admit that my biggest purchases have generally been direct from USA but that's just an 'availability' thing as I have a seemingly never ending desire for boutique US built basses! There have been quite a few pricing issues with buying from Europe over the past couple of years but that's just the relative values of the Euro vs the £. European imports have soared in cost because of this & often make US buys more attractive even though we have to pay a high import duty.