JapanAxe

DIY. Go and get a couple of lessons to help make the most of your voice, then go for it.

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1359051575' post='1949127']
I've yet to play a duff Yamaha.
[/quote]
+1 to that. Fender, Gibson and the rest should take note!

A no-name 1x12 cab that I plugged my Classic 450 into at a rehearsal. Tight and sweet. Sorry, can't tell you any more!

Hey Truckstop, what's the latest?

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1358709913' post='1943845']
[i]'I dialled in my signature tone and unleashed some blazing licks from my toadally awesome arsenal of chops, dude'. [/i]
[/quote]
That's what I always do. Then I go to the gig and play crap licks with the sound of suspension-bridge cables being hit by sacks of cement.

Don't get carried away bidding on this - you'll need to budget for a torty scratchplate!

It's about what works for the song - could be simple, could be not; could sound simple but be complicated, or vice versa. For all these reasons, stick my name on the end of the '+1 to Adam Clayton' list

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1358605658' post='1942080']
Using 2 amps slaved sounds like a lot of faff. If I ever need more volume than my RH450 can provide (which I cant ever imagine, but still ...) then I would take the DI out to a hefty dedicated power amp so in effect using the RH as a preamp.
[/quote]
I've only used my Classic 450 into 8 ohms so far, and that was plenty loud enough, even in a huge hall.

I pay for all the costs of my country trio, and I get it back from gig fees by retaining any money that doesn't readily divide by 3. My costs (which I offset against earnings, so haven't had to pay any tax for years):

PLI - via MU membership.
PAT testing - never been asked.
Cards - Vista Print.
No website, just a Facebook page (though yet to really use it).
Artiste panel in Southern Country Magazine - £60 per year (also subscribe to the mag itself at £22 per year) - pays for itself with one booking.
Posters - laser-print my own onto coloured paper, or email a pdf to the organiser so they can do it; also do A6 table-top flyers that audience members can pick up if they want.
Demo CDs - recorded in my home studio, burned on Lightscribe CDs with a pretty design, contact details on the disc itself.
Rehearsals - usually in the bass-player's music room (free).
Postage is the killer at the moment!

I should also mention I spend a lot of evenings on the phone chasing gigs, but at least I am in control of my own destiny, and we're not paying 18% to an agent out of the pi$$-poor fee he's 'negotiated' for you at some distant venue!

Jackers, try the [url="http://www.15minuteclub.co.uk/"]15 Minute Club[/url] in Faringdon, about 30 mins drive from Oxford. Good place to try stuff out in front of an audience, then generally get in people's faces with a view to... well, proper band stuff, as you put it.

I'm hoping to go to the next one (3rd Feb), so if you see a Shrek lookalike holding a Godin Acousticaster, come up and say hello.

I use Sibelius First - bought it bundled with an M-Audio keyboard for less than the software on its own, then flogged the keyboard. Net cost - less than £30 IIRC.

Err... mate, you said 'going forward'. You don't work in management do you?

Never looked back since I bought a Beta 58.

[quote name='clashcityrocker' timestamp='1357987454' post='1931325']
So after reading lots on here about fender qc, and personally only seeming to have had 'good' ones, this worries me a little
[url="http://www.fender.com/series/deluxe/deluxe-active-p-bass-special-maple-fingerboard-blizzard-pearl-1-ply-beveled-gold-vinyl-pickguard/"]http://www.fender.co...inyl-pickguard/[/url]

Is it just me or can everyone else see the massive gap in the top of the neck pocket? If the one bass you use for your own shots has that Qc I'm quite worried about buying one to be honest. Problem is these deluxe actives never come up second hand and no where near me stocks them, kind of don't wanna buy blind now
[/quote]
There are 2 used Deluxe Precisions (like this but different colours) in stock at [url="http://bassdirect.co.uk"]Bass Direct[/url] (just outside Warwick - not too far from you I guess) at the moment.

The TC Classic head has compression and drive built in, so I never use pedals now.

[quote name='dudewheresmybass' timestamp='1357642876' post='1925706']
I used to have a similar problem.
I took a leave from dimebag darrell's book, and started to use tortex picks (1.14/ purple) and use a Stanley knife to score the sides which leave the sides much easier to grip and keep still in your fingers
[/quote]
Fine till you amputate your fingertips with the Stanley knife!

You haven't suffered till you've had to play [i]My Ding-a-Ling[/i] and [i]Combine Harvester[/i]. The drummer (need I say more) who ran that band always used to programme his [i]Combine Harvester[/i] next to my [i]Hallelujah[/i] or [i]Perfect Day[/i].

I have been known to take a list of song titles with me when auditioning kit, just to propt me to play something.
[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1357924291' post='1930752']
Another blanker here, same as soundchecks, then it's comedy bassline time, Good Times, Under Pressure, You Can't Touch This etc
[/quote]
Err... I played [i]Good Times[/i] last time I tried (and bought) a bass - to be fair, it's a good test of how the tone changes up and down the neck, at least if you play it like I do

Is the switch supposed to work on the 2 coils of the pickup, or does it affect the phase relationship between 2 separate pickups?

In the former case, both positions should be hum-cancelling. If you get single-coil hum from the bass, then either one of the coils or the connecting wire is broken, or the switch is shot. Unfortunately it's impossible to tell without having the bass in your hands. If it's not a broken coil, then it's an easy enough job to either fix the wire or replace the switch.

If the latter case, if you can hear that both pickups are working in the one switch position, then again it will be a relatively simple wiring fix or switch replacement.

[b]Have you sunk or swum?[/b]

Swum.

[b]Has your playing and musicality improved?[/b]

Yes, if only a little. I only joined Basschat late last year, but the forum has led me to replace most of my kit and to achieve a different bass sound. This in turn has re-kindled my urge to play and improve on bass, which I had mostly shelved for the last 4 years in favour of guitar.

[b]Has your band done well?[/b]

My own band goes out in 2 formats, one country music, the other mainstream pop, and I am the lead singer and guitarist. We've been gigging for a year now, and the hardest part is securing gigs, especially for a reasonable fee. I spend whole evenings on the blower chasing entertainment secretaries, or sending out demo CDs. But yes, we are doing better than some I know.

[b]Have you joined bands you wouldn't have before?[/b]

No, I've always been open to play with all sorts of outfits. I've even played bass in trios accompanying choirs.

[b]Have you started teaching?[/b]

No, but I've done it in the past.

[b]How's your confidence?[/b]

Buoyant thanks.

[b]Have you been inspired to push yourself?[/b]

Yes - see above.

[b]Have you taken Bilbo's advice and learned to read music notation?[/b]

I already read music, and can just about sight-read well enough to play stuff live that I've never seen or heard before. It's also a massively useful learning tool - I transcribe most new material that I learn, so there are 2 routes to the brain, i.e. the ears and the eyes.

[b]What has being an active member of Basschat helped you achieve?[/b]

Apart from flogging my old kit without coughing up X% to evilBay, I've ended up with a rig that inspires me to play.

[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1352481383' post='1863701']
The Nate sig is a p bass with some body contour mods and a p bass neck and nut width but with a "slim c" neck profile.
[/quote]
I used to be a 'slim c', but with the onset of middle-age spread, I am heading rapidly towards 'fat c'

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1357844575' post='1929496']
Like looking at Judith Chalmers topless sunbathing ie a nice pair but very orange .
[/quote]
I feel slightly nauseous

[quote name='bengreen49' timestamp='1357855404' post='1929717']
Sorry for digging up an old thread but I thought it better than starting a new one.

Does anyone have a problem with the volume controls on their Aerodyne Jazz? It's not a massive issue; but mine seems to increase in volume as the knob is turned until it gets to about four fifths of the way round then it sort of muffles and gets quieter.

I have read about this issue before but no amount of searching is bringing anything up now.

Any ideas?
[/quote]
Sounds like you are plugged into a low-impedance input. Can you give a full description of what you are plugged into, including pedals/cables/preamp/amp.

I love the look of those basses except for the racing stripes - aargh!!

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1357842642' post='1929464']
I like the idea of budget IEM via wired headphones - going to look into that, thanks Owen.
[/quote]
I looked at this when setting up a previous band, but went for Trantec IEM's - transmitter sits by mixer and can take a mono or a stereo source, belt-pack receivers for each singing band member. The PA handled vocals and a smidge of guitar (plus keyboards at one point ). The drummer had the option of wired IEMs from the headphone socket on the desk, but I thought wired 'phones would be too restricting for the guitarist and bass player (me).