uk_lefty

I had the zoom bfx708 for many years, now just the old 506 for home practice. However, I haven't used my fretless a lot recently with the band so took it out with my zoom instead of my full pedal board. I'd say you need to watch out for volume jumps between patches, but if like me you just can't get your head around editing the damn thing just keep the amp flat-ish, worked a treat for me at rehearsal. Then again I was playing through an amp that I'll never like so I don't mess about with it.

[quote name='NickD' timestamp='1488536631' post='3249720'] Oh I've no doubt It'll be versatile, I was referring to the look more than anything. It's a beautiful thing, but I'd look like a tit sat in a folk venue with it playing roots & fifths. [/quote] Haha I guess so!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1488480399' post='3249362'] Man, they gave in quick. Mine took 40+ years. Dad was dead and Mum admitted to it on her death bed that they could have helped me a bit, but didn't see a future in it. [/quote] Yes it was an alignment of the stars thing really and I jumped on it. I know I was incredibly lucky at fifteen to persuade my mum that a bass would not be something I'd just give up, already taking my sport seriously and never having got anything close to a tune with any other musical instrument.

I use the toneman 300 combo but with a fifteen inch built in speaker, so I'm guessing it's almost identical in the head unit just with a different speaker config in its cab. I recently bought an Ashdown RM fifteen inch extension cab for it because looking at second hand heavy cabs I thought it was only fifty or so quid more to buy the brand new lightweight Ashdown RM. I'm guessing your combo pumps out 300w and adding a cab is supposed to give you 500w in my basic understanding of what's written on the amps. Adding the cab has made my sound more full while giving some needed extra volume, had to play around with the tweeter a bit though and I think I've got it turned off now. The two by ten cab in the same range was around the same price so also good value. You'll feel the benefit of a lighter weight cab too! I would also recommend looking at the toneman extension cabs for a good range of speaker configs and low price depending on exchange rate but they're not going to be lightweight and you're getting their lowest build quality - which isn't bad by any means, it's just built to a price point.

[quote name='NickD' timestamp='1488483621' post='3249406'] I have absolutely no need for bass that is good for metal... but if I did I would want it to look exactly like that. [/quote] If you watch the online demo from (I think) Chicago music exchange you'll see and hear that it's not just for metal! Really versatile bass that I'm lusting after too Have to say that finish is superb, you'll enjoy looking at it as much as playing it

Seeing Hot Chocolate live. Bassist got a solo in No Doubt About It and the whole theatre shook. I was thirteen and I remember the moment vividly. I think I was already picking out bass in my head anyhow, and realising that I couldn't "get away with" trying to sing like Jim Morrison it just had to be bass. Only took another two years to persuade my parents I should take up bass guitar

You don't seem to have a fretless jazz on there. Get yourself to your favourite bass retailer and solve this problem!

I use Harley Bentons micro pedal tuner on my board, does the fiver very well and cost next to nowt for a nice metal pedal with a big bright screen. Can't beat it.

[quote name='lucky' timestamp='1488228531' post='3247084'] Had an reply from the seller, friendly polite email saying that we could use paypal, but that'd provide more security sending the money than recieving the amp, right? Also offered to facetime while he quickly demo's the amp which I thought was a nice gesture and would make me feel a little better that it works but still no guarantee it'd be sent. Would this change anyones mind? [/quote] Sounds like the seller is being reasonable to me. Suppose it depends on the cost and so on, if it was over a hundred quid I'd wait for a local bargain myself, or find a few more reasons to travel the distance. A facetime call to demo and a well written description in PayPal when you transfer money should be good protection. I know there are odious ****s about but there are far more nice people just trying to buy and sell gear.

I see a lot of TC Electronic gear going for good process second hand. I'm going to be in the market for a head soon and considering their 500w head. I'm in two minds on this stuff as I'm sceptical over the toneprint feature as a bit of a gimmick, I remember trying a Line 6 amp with loads of built in effects and finding all of them completely unusable and that has put me off any extra bells and whistles, not to mention that without those the amp itself was uninspiring. My perceived "fact" that so much TC bass gear goes second hand makes me think people don't hold on to them long so they could be lacking something? Having said all that, someone on this forum recently said pick a toneprint you like and don't change it. Seems sensible advice, I reckon the Duff McKagan sound would suit most of my bands stuff. Also the portability and ability to be clean or dirty suits me. Also the price suits me too. So I could be persuaded. 500w is sufficient for my needs at present but there's just that nagging doubt about the toneprint stuff. So, persuade me to take a punt on one or warn me off it?

I usually take two so I have a spare or something completely different sounding. Took three to the last gig so I had my jazz in drop D. Was a right pain swapping about so I bought a bass extender to fit on my jazz for easy drop tuning. I could really gig just one bass with good strings on it but I own four so I have to keep up the impression I need them all and more to her indoors. Going to do a short set soon with the band where the fretless will get exercised even though it hasn't been on stage with the band yet and will influence the set list and my playing style to suit. My headless is there just for the look on our growing list of eighties songs even though it has great pickups and plays nicely, so it's an extravagance I can realistically leave out even though it's the most portable and most appropriate back up.

The next one

Lots of good stuff here, nobody right or wrong in my view. I guess it's about the band agreeing together what they want to achieve from the rehearsal and how they want to be on stage - whether you have to be a tight pro unit or you're ok being a laid back jam band where you'll accept a few misfires for the odd moment of magic

It doesn't matter how many times you jam along to a CD or listen to songs in your car, you need the whole band rehearsal for nailing the structure and feel of songs. My band practices every week, gig once a month most of the year, more often in summer. We mix up the rehearsal to bring in new songs but songs we've played every set since day 1 still get rehearsed where there's odd length verses and bridges in irregular places, it has to be done!

[quote name='mxm' timestamp='1487509243' post='3240288'] There was deffo something like that in the (Wunjos?) basement, Denmark St., yesterday - sorry I wasn't really paying too much attention at the time ! May be worth contacting them ?!! [/quote] Will do!

[quote name='Monkey Steve' timestamp='1487338047' post='3239110'] And a lot of people who think they can sing but just can't. One more thing to blame X Factor for is the rise of people who are convinced that they are amazing singers because their friends all told them they were excellent at a karaoke night last month. Or have only ever sung along to songs in their car or their bedroom and never actually hear themselves or played with a band. Put them next to a drum kit and a guitar amp and suddenly they have no mic technique and no way to cope with normal band volumes so all you get is out of tune wailing. [/quote] I used to be a decent sportsman and told a singer (who had never been in a band or on stage but her boyfriend said she was good...!) That I couldn't commit to practice three times a week cos I had training and so on. "What?! You'd rather do that than be in a band with me?!" "Yes."

Was not was, walk the dinosaur

This has all got a bit out of hand since my facaetious comment about wearing two watches... Are there any more useful gig tips?

Don't give up! I moved to my current area not knowing anyone and left an ok band that I had become good friends with... Joined a start up covers band that inevitably failed as it had no real direction. But the drummer from that band put me in touch with what looked like a really professional covers band, Facebook and Twitter set up, photos of big outdoor gigs, etc. They held auditions and I had to sit and wait while another bassist played then left... Seemed too serious for me who, like you, just wants to play good songs loud and have a few beers... But turns out the band are like that too. The singer is a pub landlord who has rehearsal as his one night out with the boys of the week, gigs are when we can all make it with nobody getting a shoeing for not brig available... Been in the band almost a year and made some great friends and playing what to my mind are good quality gigs for a few quid to cover costs. It is out there, you just need to kiss a lot of frogs first, so to speak.

Saw one on eBay, brand new out in the US. Never seen them before and can't find any others, is this for real? Black with a maple fretboard... Perfect. Would love to get one as a cheap way of working out whether I want the real thing. Played one of the Sterling by musicman eight hundred quid basses in a shop and wasn't impressed but don't think I gave it a proper go... Can anyone find these three hundred quid basses kack handed in the UK?

Get off in time for next band or make sure we stop before noise curfew. Really, I don't need it, I often take them off to play but for no reason whatsoever I genuinely wore two watches at my last gig. I take a phone on to do a band-selfie with the crowd which is fun.

One digital, one traditional, of course.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1486994338' post='3236083'] I'd say no watches on stage at all - unless you're Flavor Flav! [/quote] I wore two watches at my last gig. On the same wrist. What does that mean?!?!?!

I could only buy a relic instrument if the wear doesn't have a gloss or poly coat over the top of it! It's artificially worn to a point and no more is permissible!! I don't like a lot of the relic jobs out there, even sandberg. The whole one colour over another thing baffles me too but if other people like it it's their choice. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else with a relic instrument on my local love circuit apart from my guitarist who just bought a Vintage brand strat for peanuts to knock about with. My jazz is mid nineties and has many many dings and chips out of the paint and the neck is starting to darken in some areas and fade in others. On stage you wouldn't notice any of it though.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1486920242' post='3235526'] Sometimes we get paid in our pocket..sometimes in our hearts.. [/quote] Very well said!