solo4652

£315!? Good grief.

At present, it's an "Acoustic" duo, I'd be 3rd member: Singer using an expensive, passive small Bose array pole system and a behringer mixer, guitarist going through the singer's rig. I've asked, and the singer is not happy for me to put the cajon through her rig. Don't know why, but there you go. Small/medium cafe-bar/pub venues - 50-100 people. How about this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MALONE-ACTIVE-PA-SPEAKER-10-SPEAKER-POWERED-STAGE-200W-RMS-MAX-DISCO-46-21/173536527780?hash=item28679545a4:g:dswAAOSwZOBbl4Bu:rk:2:pf:0

Thank yoiu - good call. I hadn't thought of that at all. Better off with a 10" speaker, or would an 100W, 8" speaker do?

OK - here's an update: We've decided I won't be playing bass on any songs with the acoustic duo - just the cajon. That's making me re-think my amp requirements. I don't want to use my GK MB500/Techamp 112 bass rig for the cajon - It's Watts overkill, and a seperate head/cab setup for the cajon is adding complexity and leads to what should be a simple rig. I'm now thinking along the lines of a small bass combo that doesn't need to be sophisticated - it's only having to cope with two tones - "boom" and "tish"! 50W, won't need gain, parametric EQ, effects loop, tuner - none of that. Just a simple, robust, lightweight portable bass amp, maybe with the facility for battery as well as mains power. Not sure whether I'll need 10" or 12". Would an 8" cope, do you think? All suggestions gratefully received. Thanks, folks.

I have 3 short scale basses: Fender MIJ Mustang, Lakland Skyline Hollowbody, and a pimped Harley Benton Shorty. I can see you're in Northamptonshire, which isn't exactly round the corner from Stockport, but you are more than welcome to pop in and play any of my basses if you're in my area. Steve

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Squier-Vista-Sonic-Musicmaster-bass-baby-Flea-relic/323669110226?hash=item4b5c2eadd2:g:zwgAAOSw-GNcTjYF:rk:1:pf:0 I've been looking for one of these for a while. I won't be bidding on this, but I'll watch it to see how much it eventually goes for. How about that neck pocket? Is that a repaired crack I can see in 3rd photo?

£173 for BQ500 from Bax. https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/bass-guitar-amp-head/tc-electronic-thrust-bq500-bass-guitar-amplifier-head

I like the look of that - I really do. But not for 2000 dollars which won't be far off £2000 this side of the pond. I don't want to de-rail this thread, but I saw the comments regarding MIJ Mustangs. I have one of these: www.bax-shop.co.uk/right-handed-bass-guitar/fender-japan-mustang-bass-vintage-white-rw and it sounds superb in a band setting - noticeably mids-forward, and cuts through very well. I live in Stockport and anybody who wants to come and try it is most welcome. Steve

Oooooh - I'm very interested in this. Wonder how much it will be?

Ha! I occasionally play cajon with Loose Change. It's always fun! Great crowd of friendly guys who enjoy playing music for a worthy cause - it's a welcome change from the full-on, loud 'n' proud 5-piece covers band I play in. I knew we were close to £500,000, and now we're there. That is a marvellous achievement. Here is one line-up playing at Goostrey Craft Centre in the summer. I'm on Cajon. David aka Mottlefeeder - I'm always pleased to play with Loose Change - just let me know. Steve

Errm - answering my own post here. Because I don't use pedals at all, I wasn't aware of A-B switching pedals. Would this do what I want, please? https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Belcat-ABS-520-Dual-Input-A-B-Box-True-Bypass/FY4?origin=product-ads&campaign=PLA+Shop+-+GENERIC&adgroup=GENERIC&medium=vertical_search&network=google&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=20668d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=127245249679&gclid=CjwKCAiA1ZDiBRAXEiwAIWyNC8qDvNo2FnAVECWfvetqUKhVOJAWY58eu3i-_APhpBMGBBnw9bZG8RoCTZAQAvD_BwE

I've just starting playing with an acoustic covers duo. Usual mix of pop, ballads, crowd-pleasers. Depending on the song, I play either electric bass or cajon. Bass rig: MIJ Mustang------> GK MB500 head----------> Tecamp 12" speaker. No effects or pedals at all. Cajon rig: Cajon--------->Yoga D-606 Dymanic mic-----------> Eden E10 bass combo. I like to mic the cajon because I don't want to injure myself by hitting it hard to get the required volume. Is there a way I can use just the bass rig for both the bass and the cajon? I'm thinking some sort of very simple floor switch that enables me to quickly and noiselessly switch the input signal between the instruments. I won't need to be able to play both - it's either one or the other! Or maybe a small, powerful powered mixer? Leave the GK head at home, plug the bass and cajon into the mixer, and out to the Tecamp speaker? All ideas and suggestions gratefully received.

That's a pretty distinctive bass - surely quite hard to sell-on.

Just seen this on Northwest Bands and Gigs Facebook. James Beedham shared a post. Yesterday at 09:46 Stolen in Warrington. Please keep an eye out x James Beedham Yesterday at 09:41 STOLEN: Overwater Progress Deluxe 6-String bass. Please keep an eye out for my beautiful bass that was stolen from a property in Warrington yesterday. She’s a Walnut and Maple, through neck beast. Distinctive extended range fretboard with jack & xlr sockets. Please get in touch with the police if you spot it anywhere. Thank you! Merry Christmas!

Apparently, it is a "Fabulous instrument with vast tonal range which lends itself to all kinds of music....."

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bohemian-BG15SWB-Surf-Wax-Tin-Bass-Guitar-BO-HE-WA-X4/223119679886?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20170920101022%26meid%3D0e9d7a832e8f40ee897e7302b998f6c0%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D273518759669%26itm%3D223119679886&_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109

My other half is interested in starting to play keys. She has no previous experience of playing keys or, indeed, any musical instrument. I'd like to buy her a good starter keyboard, but I know nothing of such things. Needs to be lightweight, portable, access to on-line lessons, good piano tone, not over-laden with voices, knobs and switches. Budget = £100. Casio CTK 1500?? Seems to get good user reviews as a beginner's instrument. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7929799?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|acid:444-797-0832|cid:598623051|agid:28645154725|tid:aud-484139255981:pla-397574480560|crid:96089428405|nw:g|rnd:11997902212473576774|dvc:c|adp:1o2|mt:|loc:1006740&gclid=CjwKCAiA0ajgBRA4EiwA9gFOR_dDPWzDFQ1vVQRrXekyGqNQNO9_mMcZyYOsXp_hj8Rg3exA_9BAdhoCtq8QAvD_BwE All suggestions gratefully received. Thank you.

Yes - I'm sort of intrigued by the whole set up, and I'll pop along for another couple of sessions. I can easily afford the time alongside my covers band. Originals + classically trained musos + not being expected to learn my part before rehearsal + people who don't know what a rhythm section is for = A sense of bewilderment on my part. On the upside, some of my poetry was very well received by songwriter who wants me to write some more for her.

It didn't sound very good to me. Mind you, it was our very first time together. And the singers hadn't agreed the harmonies, And the songwriter/lead vocalist wasn't the best singer in the room and needs to pass that baton across to one of the others. And the song arrangement needs a lot of work. And the singers are not used to performing with a rhythm section. I've said I'd play with them on a sort of session basis. Once they've got the vocals sorted, they can be recorded on a phone and sent to me. I'll add the bass, and when everybody's reasonably comfy, we can meet up to play what's been agreed remotely. Songwriter not happy with that suggestion, and wants everybody to meet face-to-face "to grow the song(s) organically and cooperatively". That is so very different from learning your bass part in a covers band before rehearsal. My discomfort is probably a reflection of my need to know what I'm doing before I get to rehearsal.

This is a sort of follow-on from my "Duffer's guide to writing lyrics" thread. Having played in covers bands for the last 10 years, I decided to join an originals band, primarily to do something different. The "band" is: Four singers (yes, four), three of whom are classically trained, and highly experienced chorale singers. The fourth is a classically trained pianist, who also sings. She is the songwriter too. There is a classically trained viola player who works full-time in various orchestras, and as a teacher. She plays acoustic guitar too. There is a drummer, and there's me on bass. Yesterday, I turned up for our very first meeting having written out an initial bassline for a pop/ballad song. I sat there for a whole hour while vocalists did exercises, Then, it was 20 minutes of relaxation exercises for everybody. Time to play music? Not as such - songwriter split us into singers in one corner, rhythm section in another and then spent 20 minutes with each group. Yet more waiting around. Finally we got to play as an ensemble for fully 20 minutes before we ran out of rehearsal room time. Songwriter tells me that this way of working is common amongst classically-trained musos. Is that correct? Don't know whether I have the patience.

I like that. A lot. Let us know where it ends up, please.

Thank you. That's exactly the sort of advice I was looking for.

Ha! 😁 You want dodgy doggerel? - I'm your man. You want catchy song lyrics - speak to Dad 3353!

Exactly the same with my over-wrought hand-wringing "poetry"! Awful.