uk_lefty

Playing lots of private parties (we don't get paid enough to refer to them as functions) we often get treated as if we are the jukebox for just one awkward person in the room: "can you play some Republica?" "No, we don't do any of that, sorry, but we do have some 90's songs coming up". "Great, play some Verve!" " "No, we don't know any of theirs..." "Suede! Surely you can do it it goes like duh deeee, duh duh deeee" "no, sorry can we get on with the gig?" "Play some 90's indie like supergrass" "No, sorry. Look well do some 90's in a bit... On with the show, sorry to keep you waiting" "Stereophonics, yeah!" "Ok here's one by Bryan Adams, hope you love it as much as we do..." Irritating. And it's usually not the person who's actually paying!! And they're usually uncomfortably close to the singer, or grabbing their leg so they can't just ignore them to play the next song. And then they stare at you like you're on the sex offenders register for the rest of the gig. Or they claim they can play guitar/ sing/ play drums and so-and-so would love it if you let them join in as if we're a playstation and it's guitar friggin hero.

No but there was a slightly different looking lefty on eBay a while back. I love the look with the tailpiece. I absolutely don't need one and it sold for more than I was willing to part with. Nice to hear a good opinion on them though, I'll keep an eye out in case it comes back around!

It depends what sounds your after, I had an EHX Bass Blogger which does OD or fuzz depending on where you have the switch. If you like the sound really spiky and dirty this could do the job. The one I had however made a great big "clunk" noise when pressing the pedal which could be heard through the amp, not good. Also for me I like a "soft" fuzz sound, this was a bit too harsh. I later had the Mooer Thunderball which is a bass blogger clone, smaller footprint, not quite as good a sound and it caused noise on my board. So there's two to avoid!

We had that with a festival, ended up trying to get FX board power supplies tested and all sorts of ridiculousness. Got there and not only did nobody check they just looked at us blankly when we asked who needs to see the PAT testing stuff...

My solution is to not faff about with the pedals! Set them at rehearsal for on/ off at the gig. Or, like my last gig, if in doubt just keep a clean tone.

Come on, we all look like that, surely?! In our minds we think we're stood there cool as John Entwistle but really we look like that. Every last one of us. Just me then?

I like the idea but it does look like it was designed by someone who has once seen a Bongo, rather than someone who is looking directly at one to copy it. If it works then you've got something a bit different that you can play without fear of damage, but I expect there's a real risk of getting something totally unplayable.

Looks like me playing slap! And I think I do that with my head when I play too... The amphetamine chicken peck I call it.

Exactly! But you don't always have to slip, slide or mwah around the board so you can use a fretless as your sole instrument for most gigs.

Having just done a dep gig where the on stage sound was a mushy low rumble for me, so I didn't even bother with overdrive not knowing what would come out the front, and seen the guitarists pedal board screw up one song and cause a few minutes break, I'm inclined to agree. I may go back to trying multi effects soon but someone really needs to do an idiots guide to programming them for the things you need most. What I mean by that is not using terminology without explanation, so what's the difference between a patch and a bank? That used to stump me with my old zoom pedal years back. Then how do you put effects in a particular order? Start with those and then work up from there.

I quite fancy a Bassmosphere pedal, just what I'm looking for - or should that be "listening for"; for my fretless. Do you do them in left handed?

Like the basses themselves you'll always have the "purists" who want the original sounds with all their imperfections, and the luddites like me who can't learn how to programme even the most simple multi FX. And those who embrace the new tech, learn it inside out and can use it to its most effective! I have tried both zoom and boss multi fx over the years and was put off by how complex it is to edit the effects and the order of them and also by the sheer number of completely unusable sounds they come with. Something like a flyrig may be more my cup of tea. I have been enjoying dedicated pedals for quite a few years now, suits me far better, but I don't heavily use effects anyway.

Really boring one, but apart from my Korg pitch black it would be my Hartke Bass Attack VXL. It used to be "always on" and then I went through a phase of not using except as a clean boost or to add some mild overdrive. However, now we're in summer and it's outdoor multi band festival season I have it set up to my eq so I can plug in to whatever backline is provided, bypass the EQ if there's a button allowing me to do so, and the Hartke gives me the tone I want through the amp. Tomorrow I'm taking my fretless to play a twenty five minute set, so having my eq ready before I arrive will save a lot of valuable time. I find any other effects are just used for small passages within songs. A good bass tone is more important for me than drive or filters though I do love playing around with them!

Is it wrong that I look at this and think "I must buy one and have a j pup added" rather than just buy the Sire PJ??? https://shop.fender.com/en-NL/electric-basses/precision-bass/player-precision-bass-left-handed/0149822506.html#start=1

Did my first and only practice with them last night. Some arrangements are being changed which I'd usually be ok with... But I have found that the drummer, solid as he is, doesn't give me forewarning of changes in the songs! Quite hard to play with him in the sense that he keeps a.solid beat going but he doesn't build in to choruses or whatever. Maybe I'm just too used to my regular drummer! Also, the singer is great, she really does have a fantastic voice, but again she isn't leading the band. I've played the last two years with a singer who will give hand signals to the band to warn us of gaps he wants to put in and things. She is singing her part but not interacting with the band... Guess that's her prerogative though. Overall I think we will get away with it and few people will notice any ragged edges. I'm just used to getting things tight with my own band and it doesn't feel the same with these guys. But it's one short gig, they're happy with how I was playing and I work well with the guitarist so hopefully it all holds together for the gig!

I really want one with a maple fingerboard. I've already got a very good p bass but........ I need to find an excuse to treat myself!! I just think that theyve missed a trick though, these should have a j pickup at the bridge.

That is what is lefties have needed for many, many years. And very reasonably priced too. Must be hallucinating.

My guitarist bought a jaguar brand new, the red pj one, for his home studio and for his teenage son to learn on. He also picked up a trace Elliot blx for next to nothing too! I've not had chance to play the jaguar through an amp but it feels and looks like a very well made instrument, think he got it new for less than £200. I wouldn't change a thing on it. He plays very expensive guitars and is smitten with his stock squier bass, if anyone would be picky about it he would.

I often think buying a nicer more expensive bass would be good but there are so many things that happen at gigs I'd be terrified. The only recording I do is rough recordings of rehearsals and I don't get time to play just for my own indulgence. So all my gear is gigging gear. My MIJ P bass got a small dent from the drummer kicking it over by accident which upset me. My MIM Jazz has been beaten worse than Audley Harrison in his pro career, which makes it suitable for every occasion, and my fretless Kramer has had the odd tumble. It's a hazard of the job I guess, so I couldn't justify buying something too nice to take out.

I honestly don't think my hands are coordinated correctly to strum/ pick with my right hand and fret with my left. When I bought my first bass I was certain I wanted to play a righty upside down, in my head it was more logical to have the E string the lowest down... But I had never played a stringed instrument before and therefore knew nothing. I respect people who have learned that way but I'm glad I didn't and I got a lefty as my first bass. Also if you play left handed and can do a scouse accent you can get work in. Beatles tribute.

And probably a forty year old too

Serious suggestion (no, really)... Play air guitar along to a lot of your favourite songs. Don't even think about it. Which hand is strumming? That's a quick way to know of you're left or right handed for bass/ guitar. If someone gives you a guitar to tickle how do you hold it? I'm only left handed for a few things: writing and playing guitar, but completely right hand dominant for sports like golf and cricket. It's weird but I suggest you do what feels natural for guitar. There's no way I could play guitar right handed at all. Then again if you can't decide go right handed. More choice of instruments and far less smashing headstocks with other guitarists on stage.

I think if you listen to most rock bands you find middle 8s and so on go on a different dynamic. I've had to point this out to a few bands using Red Hot Chilli's as an example. Also make a point of casually dropping it in conversation every now and then. It's amazing how changing dynamics can get you out of a rut too, we've been trying to play she sells sanctuary and it just sounds flat the whole way through so we've been tinkering with dynamics across different sections and it's brought the whole thing to life. Luckily in my band nobody wants to be the "star" and we all love it when a song comes out perfectly so the guys are receptive to changing dynamics. As am I, there's a song I barely play a note in and it sounds good that way with quiet verses so I'm ok with it.

I would.

Another tiny person, hopefully...