uk_lefty

Got fender strap locks on my fender basses. Makes swapping basses at a gig easier but I have had them come undone a few times when using a thick leather strap. I should make a habit of tightening them by hand every now and then I guess, but a slightly longer screw thread going through the strap wouldn't harm.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1492683425' post='3282244'] That's interesting. You actually put stuff on the strings and so guarantee your strings are cleaned each session. I'd heard briefly about Fast Fret but passed over it. Is it like silicon polish or summat? I wont ask about the hair product I but can imagine how it could easily happen in some scenarios. [/quote] Fast fret is... I dunno! I rub it over my strings to get rid of any rough or sticky feeling before I play, makes it easier to slide around the strings quickly and makes them feel consistent. I don't think it cleans the strings as such though so that's what I use the alcohol based solution for which I've had for years and not needed to replace. I think it's made by planet waves but not sure, been going around ten years! I have been told not to get fast fret on the rosewood though so I keep it on the strings only. Some shops even refuse to stock it! With regards hair stuff I used to use loads of hair gel in my youth So if I had scratched my head or whatever sometimes some of the hair stuff got on the strings via my fingertips and made the strings sticky

I use an alcohol based string cleaner after each gig or rehearsal where the strings can be sticky with sweat then dry with a microfiber cloth. Hair product also gets in there too and make the strings feel sticky. I use fast fret before playing to make sure the strings don't feel rough. I do this for both flat and round wounds. I don't take the strings off to clean them, never really had the need. I have been told recently by a luthier they don't go back up to correct tension when back on the bass... Sure lots of people do this anyway...

That is very special! No wonder you were tearing your hair out, you aren't going to find many of them around! Well done

I started in a three piece with an amazing drummer and excellent guitarist, I grew loads as a player with those guys. You learn when to be busy and when to rest, dynamics, etc. I later played in a group with one guitar and no drummer, that changes your playing too. Always been sceptical about two guitar bands. My current band is two guitars and we really have to work on dynamics and get everyone comfortable with space... Not easy when there's one more good quality player being asked not to play for a bar or so. In a three piece organising gigs and rehearsals is easier, agreeing everything like set lists is easier and managing dynamics in a song is easier because there's one less opinion/ ego.

Great album. Heard it at school and part 1 was one of the first CDs I ever owned. Might have to give it a download. You've got "start all over again" and "ooooh laaahhhh" going round in my head now!

Sorry to hijack but I would love to try one of these. If any left handed aerodyne players are reading pls contact me.

[quote name='Ba55me15ter' timestamp='1490696989' post='3267092'] I found the new Hartke 12" kickback seriously under-powered when next to a real drum kit. I think the cab was just too small, maybe the 15" would work better. [/quote] Never used the new range but the old kickbacks were excellent, though unfortunately not small or lightweight. I found the old kickback 15 a nightmare to move about, really awkward to get through doors

You need salts too. So water, eat something salty... Prevention always better than cure

Is your drummer still with the band? Yes he's still very much with the band. No risk of him going, I only raise the question because now he's mentioned it I don't want it to become a problem later. Being in a covers band of five we always have loads of new suggestions floating around, which is great, but it's hard to cover everyone's wants while ensuring we satisfy our core audience.

I was going to audition for an originals band a few years back. Great songs online, pro recorded with nice basslines. I learned their songs and we never actually set a firm date to audition. I chased them up and heard nothing. A few months later I got asked, hey do you want to audition? So I said yes, learned more of their songs and nothing... Then another few months later, hey do you want to audition? No thank you, I learned your songs for the last two that didn't ever get booked. My current band were great for auditioning. I sat and waited while another player packed up then went in, set up, had a meet n greet then launched in to some well known covers. I had "researched" them and seen on their Facebook there was anew cover they wanted to do so learned the basics of that song and suggested we play it. I wasn't sure how it was going so I relaxed in to it and put my own flavour to a few songs and they loved it. They told me that night I had the gig. They were honest too, the bassist before me was a note-for-note replica of the original songs and a properly trained musician, maybe lacking a bit of feel, but I gather a superior player technically, though he wanted more regular and higher paying gigs than they could offer. Also he was a teenager who was being driven around by his dad. I played "worse" but fit better musically and socially. A year on and I'm loving it, the gigs are fun and the guys are all good friends.

Done - well done on creating a good quality survey! Lots of my "professional" colleagues send out surveys that basically invite opinion rather than collecting qualitative data. Two things to call out for the business plan, if your app is hosting personal data you need to ensure you have very secure hosting, and if you are taking payment card info you need to be compliant to the new legislation, think it's called PCI (not sure if PayPal avoids this issue or if this compliance applies to Paypal being used as a means of sending and receiving funds)

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1490810103' post='3268276'] Yep, it was a Hoppus with QP that won - by a mile I might add. I`ve recently got a bass with a Steve Harris SPB4 in it and that is a very nice sounding pickup. Still have to put my regular strings on the bass, but am tempted to put these in all my basses, it really is very nice, just depends on the highs really. [/quote] +1 for the Steve Harris it just sounds huge with loads of presence. I use the sig strings too, they take some getting used to but the sound cuts like nothing else.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1490444960' post='3265179'] I was surprised how good the GK Backline 110 (70w) was when I bought one. So much so that even after parting with a ton of gear I still have this...saw one on eBay recently for £80 (well underpriced). [/quote] These amps are excellent! Gutted I sold one a few years back. Far more portable than the old hartke kickbacks and similar in sound quality.

I NEED this just to play hungry like the wolf. I also need a new car seeing as mine is knackered

My MIJ precision, 1970 reissue, has the thickest neck in the world and the Steve Harris signature pickup and strings. It's got a real focus on the low mids. Sounds like a P but less "thump" and more of a rounded presence. I'm going to put a badass bridge on it soon as I think that will accent the mids more. Would love an ash and maple P for that sharp attack though I'd recommend picking up a second hand Japanese P, can't go wrong.

We have asked for his ideas, some are ok some not so good but we are a democratic bunch who give most things a go. Maybe more funky songs gives him more licence to thrill. Our genre is rock/ soul. We go from sharp dressed man (yes, I have sent him the drummer at the wrong gig video to demonstrate you can add some flash to it) and Johnny B Goode through to soul man, Duran Duran, Bryan Adams and now some Paolo nutini. We have so many songs on our roster now it's hard for the rest of us to keep up, but we need to keep it fresh otherwise everyone will get bored of us when we come back year on year.

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1490205282' post='3263256'] Out of interest, what sorts of music do people think particularly suits fretless? (Asking as have absolutely zero experience of fretless). [/quote] Almost everything! I love disgusting 80s synthy fretlessy stuff, but also love Pearl Jam for rock fretless too. I played only fretless for years, you don't have to play a Pino impersonation I'm every bar of every tune. I interchange it with my fretted basses just for variety and to approach songs differently, have played fretless only for the last month because: I never play fretless in my current band so wanted to see what it can bring; I need to put my fenders in for set ups; my other basses are packed away and physically unreachable while I am redecorating. I am going to play some shorter gigs on fretless just to keep me interested and change the flavour of some songs.

We play crowd pleasers, we aren't as polished as a wedding or function band but we don't consider ourselves a pub band either. We get steady gigs doing outdoor festivals, private parties and soon weddings too. Problem is our drummer is getting bored with four to the floor. We can't venture in to obscure led zep tracks, but any suggestions for "drummers favourite" covers? We need to keep him happy, he's a great guy and a good drummer, as well as doing loads of behind the scenes stuff too.

As long as you're playing to your crowd it's ok. Saturday night crowd at the dog and duck want sex on fire, Tuesday night thrash metal devotees at the underground rock club want something else. The crowd pleaser route is what I'm doing at the minute but you'd be amazed what constitutes a crowd pleaser without going over to cliche. We played Run to You by Bryan Adams at our last gig, took ages for me to persuade the guys to even think about it... It tore the roof off!!! Sex on Fire is one we may look at, I'd rather drink cold sick personally, but we aren't putting together a set list for long journeys in my car, we are making people sing and dance along to every single song, at least that's the aim.

When I had a Warwick bass and Warwick amp I used red labels, they were ok and good for their price point but black labels were the ideal strings for sound and longevity