Huge Hands

Clarky, is the same gig as per the backdrop in your Avatar? We used to a few of their four-band nights and were often the "Headliner"even though we were completely the wrong genre for those nights (the guitarist is a good salesman!!) I know the soundies at a couple of their venues are basically good guys and can get good sound, but can get a bit like that at times. At our most regular one, I used to ask him to go without a soundcheck for us because a couple of our band members could be flaky and I didn't want to p*ss the other bands off. For some reason, he didn't like that either, which I personally couldn't understand. When I was an engineer, as I knew my rig so well, I used to love bands that were happy to go without - as long as we did a line check beforehand. With a small desk you can't give them all dedicated channels so have to start marking stuff down and hope you put it back right, and invariably so many parameters have changed by then - i.e. people in the room, louder gains etc, that your soundcheck is almost redundant anyway! Sounds like you caught him on a bad night.....

Today, I'm sitting here at work with a pair of 1980's roller disco style walkman headphones I found - plugged into my laptop, listening to Donny Hathaway live. Right now, it's Willie Weeks' solo in Voices (Everything Is Everything). Cracking!

[quote name='JPJ' post='221849' date='Jun 19 2008, 12:23 AM']How about a stottie export business,[/quote] I'll be your best customer! If the old fogies come down for a visit, I usually get them to bring us a job lot. That's as 'bout as near to an export business the HH family has ever come! Probably explains why I've been a fat b*****d all my life!!! I bought my Squier JV Jazz off Howard about 17 years ago at his house in Harlough Green (near Low Fell). Seemed a really nice fellow. I really wanted him to make me one of his Jazz copies he had made for the guy who taught me bass at the time, but couldn't afford it on a paperboy's salary! "Memories, like the colours of myyyy miiiiiiind......."

[quote name='Oscar South' post='221012' date='Jun 17 2008, 11:16 PM']I think its generally solid apart from the unneeded generic Jaco-esque harmonics which he seems to just be hitting at random.[/quote] Sounded to me like it was all edited, chopped and copy-pasted, hence random things. It didn't sound like a single "one take" piece, but I apologise to the man if he did. I liked it. I was tempted to watch a couple of times, but I have to admit it wasn't because of the bass player!

I saw this shop in Farringdon on my way to rehearsal last night, and thought of this thread. Wonder if he sells Car Wash "end of chorus" riffs and slap disco grooves?

I bought Stuart Clayton's book on Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers recently (free shameless plug for you there). From what I read into it, Bernard often showed Nile quite a lot of techniques and probably therefore was a similar kind of composer in their relationship?

Just someone I heard about. Calm down, calm down!

Paul McCartney?

The Craftsmen. Sounds like a good name for a band.....

What I was trying to get at is that with me, I am happy to experiment with mine, because I know it's only a cheap thing. Ergo, if I saw Jakesbass's model and tried his action to see whether mine is about right or needs a lot of adjustment, then I'm happy to get the sandpaper out and have a shot at sorting it out if needed. I wouldn't have the balls to do this with a more expensive one! If I was someone who wouldn't want to do any of that, then I wouldn't buy a G4M one. As for transportation, I use the gig bag. I have an Audi A3, and with the back seats down and the peg retracted, it just sticks through between the front seats. It doesn't hamper gearshift/handbrake, but does annoy your shoulders! I used to have a Laguna Estate and I don't think I could get the big case in it with the boot shut. I am 6'3" and it is taller than me! It was delivered by a courier in a Transit, and he looked like he was glad to get rid of it. It was delivered unstrung with the brigde supposedly in a pocket (I had to get mine redelivered as already mentioned), so don't expect to play it straight out of the box if you buy one. I would also check about being close to their store. I recently saw an end of line bargain online with Guitar Amp Keyboard (GAK) in Brighton recently. I went to the shop to look at it thinking I could save myself delivery charges and try it out, but was told that I couldn't because the web-site was a completely different affair from the shop and was run from different premesis. Good luck with your choices!

Mrs HH loved the bluesy feel of the Fiat advert (where the car disintegrates and then reforms when the bloke shows up) that she looked it up on the net and bought the album. The band are called the Sweet Vandals, and the track on the advert is called Beautiful. They appear to be Spanish, recorded in Germany, singing in English. Great advert for the EU. Most of the album is sort of James Brown influenced funky stuff - well played, but IMHO nothing new or different. The Beautiful track is the one that really stands out - I really like it. The bass player plays some nice grooves - especially on their version of Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, which appears to be the only cover on there. If I was being hyper critical I would say that he could have done with a bit of compression on his feed as you do a few weak spots and clipping now and then. Anyway, not too shabby. I keep playing a few tracks off it in the car, and to appease Mrs HH, I have even suggested to the band that we have a shot at a cover of Beautiful tonight to see if we can do anything with it. It's hard to think of the words without the Spanish accent on them though! Wow, I'm beginning to sound like a second rate NME review here!

Still doesn't smell right to me. I am a long time drummer and bass player, but didn't know the term "lawsuit Japanese copy" until I came here. If he knew the plate was not from this bass, then why was he not saying so? Why try and say "it's serial number is 39xxx" if he know's it's not off this bass?

[quote name='jakesbass' post='220480' date='Jun 17 2008, 11:33 AM']The difference between a bass like yours and the one in my avatar is enormous, low action so easy to play, lots of bass and a lovely dark growl to the notes, loads of swell after the very substantial percussion of the pizz, and mine is not a top end instrument.[/quote] I don't doubt it for a moment. I am just a tightwad and went for a cheap option. I guess I also had this fantasy that if I could master a ropey instrument, then I'd be amazing on a well setup one. I'm sure you'll scoff at that, but I always was a dreamer! [quote name='jakesbass' post='220480' date='Jun 17 2008, 11:33 AM']HH I'm only an hour from Crawley so it's possible.[/quote] Thanks Jakebass, I may take you up on that kind offer. I also work and tend to gig in central London if that's any closer.

I have a 3/4 Gear4Music bass that I bought about 4 years ago for £325 ish. It came with a cloth covered blown Polystyrene case that is about 7 foot tall and (won't fit in most cars) which is now in my loft full of old bits and bobs, but also a handy soft case. I haved talked about it before on here. It looks flimsy in places, the tuners feel like they are going to break every time you turn them, but funnily enough, they never have. The only problem it has ever had is that the side seam started to split - I think after a family member knocked it over an didn't tell me (I have no proof!) I went on the web and everyone was saying "Only use hide glue made from real horses hooves or else the luthiers will never be able to open it up and repair it again!!!!" Sorry, but for £300, I doubt luthier charges will be that cheap, so I'll just buy another if that's needed! In the end, I used wood glue, and it's been sound as a pound ever since. Jakesbass will talk a lot of sense about reasonably priced professional ones that have been setup properly, and if you are really serious about this and have a bit more cash, I'd be tempted to go with his multitudes of experience and buy one of those. However, if like me, you were never sure if you'd ever stick at it if it turned out to be hard, are a big clumsy fool who keeps bumping it into things, and often end up with your mate's kids sticky fingers all over it, then go for one of these. I love mine, and Gear4Music were very friendly originally, especially after they forgot to include the bridge when it was originally delivered. Received one the next day! Jakesbass, I would like to meet up with you one day and see what a really well setup one should be like, I reckon the action on mine might be a bit high. Then again, if I have to sand the bridge and f**k it up, I haven't lost that much, have I?

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='219958' date='Jun 16 2008, 03:59 PM'] wear sporty wrist bands wear less clothing when you play to keep your body temp down[/quote] Erm, get a dodgy perm, leopard skin lycra pants (some ones with piano keys down the legs for the keyboardist) and you have a soft rock band......

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='219929' date='Jun 16 2008, 03:28 PM']I change my strings every 6 years or so[/quote] To quote Jamerson, "The dirt keeps the funk", eh Bilbo? Personally, I'm just a lazy b@st@rd!

That Stig bloke, is that his perspex rig behind him? If only I had the "euro rock" hair and physique to go with it, I'd be tempted!

[quote name='Galilee' post='209415' date='May 30 2008, 09:48 AM']I'll be the heretic then, I say get pi55ed and go mental. Make them force you off stage after 45 minutes of ham-fisted bass soloing and dodgy dancing. If you feel like you're losing them at any point, just get your willy out.[/quote] Ha ha ha excellent! If only I didn't have to drive to our gigs.....!

I have had the same experience with both the unknown flats on my upright, and Labella flats I recently put on my Cort. It almost feels to me as though they have a thin plastic or rubber coating on them which gets grippy as my fingers cause friction? I'm probably talkin b*****ks, but that's what it feels like.

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='207083' date='May 27 2008, 09:53 AM']...cause when the rents are out....[/quote] Ha ha ha - "rents"! I had to have an 18 year old guy at work explain that one to me recently. I feel so old!!!!!

Glad it worked out for you Sparky. Personally, I can't get far enough away from our guitarist - I prefer my ears intact! I played a gig at the weekend with flats on both my upright and 5 string - I'm glad for the advice of others on Basschat about the properties of superglue on blistered fingertips!!

Thanks to all for your tips! As an update, last night we played the gig, and I tried the Superglue method. I was not brave enough to do the Stevie Ray Vaughan trick! My two main plucking fingers had healed, but it was still fresh, raw skin. One coat did only last a set before cracking, but at no point did I suffer with pain. It worked a treat. I was so impressed, I'm almost tempted to use it all the time, rather than when I need it!! Thanks again!

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='205118' date='May 23 2008, 05:11 PM']I've not searched for PA suff because as we all know, technology moves on and I want fresh opinions.[/quote] Sorry John, I've not been in the big PA game for a few years so don't have fresh opinions (not kept up with what's out there). I'll leave it to others to comment. What I would say is this though: Your old system - amp dies - you can do work arounds with running two cabs per side in mono per channel - gig can still go ahead. New method - amp dies - easier on the weight and transport, but no gig. Something to consider.

[quote name='BOD2' post='204928' date='May 23 2008, 01:07 PM']I'd agree 100% with Huge Hands on this.[/quote] Ha ha, thanks BOD2!

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='204920' date='May 23 2008, 12:55 PM']Huge Hands post makes me think that it doesn't matter a bugger whether it's mono or stereo[/quote] That is my experienced opinion, I bet in most gigs, you don't get to set your rig up to be able to provide a true stereo image to all listeners. As for what you say, I haven't looked at your gear, but just remember one thing - if the crossover setup allows it, the amp you do use to run two speakers instead of one will see a lower impedance, and therefore gig by gig could be running harder depending on how you push it. It's ok when the system is overkill, but if it becomes underkill....