JapanAxe

I estimate that 99.92% of slap bass demos are in E or Em.

No, I’ve never contemplated giving up either playing or gigging. I began on guitar 45 years ago and added bass in 2000 and I still find lots of new music to try and gigs to play. I started using a bullet journal to track, organise and plan it all. I’m keenly aware that an unplanned life event could come along and change things in a heartbeat so I’m enjoying doing everything that I can while I’m able to. I also recognise that as a ‘boomer’ with grown-up kids I now have the dual privileges of spare time and disposable income - not something to feel guilty about, but I realise many people have far less of both and consequently fewer options when it comes to playing and gigging.

@jimmyb625 what is the lead time once you have paid? Do you get a pdf to download or by email, or do they post out a paper licence?

I think this has answered my questions: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-licence/radiocommunication-licences/pmse/pmse-technical-info/mics-monitors/shared

Thanks, that's very helpful! Did you click on 'Buy UK Mic Licence' in the main menu? It opens the page seen in the other screenshot. I don't want to spend £75 on the wrong thing. I'm not going to need this until my next theatre gig in December but I wanted to get my ducks in a row.

I've just bought a Sennheiser XSW IEM setup that operates in the 823-832MHz band. I've signed up with OfCom as a PMSE casual user and looked at buying a licence before I venture out to use it live. Unhelpfully, there is no mention of this band alongside the UHF Channel 38 licence, except they say 'Channel 69: the band 790 - 862 MHz (including Channel 69) was cleared of PMSE use from 1st January 2013.' As I understand it, 823-832MHz was added in 2015. Is the OfCome website really that out-of-date or am I missing something? I think I'll give them a call!

NBM = New Bass Month. Yes it's over a month since I acquired my latest bass. I prefer to post after I've done at least one gig, which in this case was last night. I bought a Dingwall Super PZ5 through BC some 4½ years ago and really enjoyed it. Earlier this year I got a D-Roc 4 and the longer scale was a revelation, which got me thinking about other Dingwall 5s. As luck would have it, another member was selling his NG2, was interested in the PZ5, and happened to live along my route to a gig. A meet took place and a deal was done - we each love what we got from the deal, so smiles all round. This is the third 5-er I've owned (the first being a G&L L1505) but I finally feel comfortable on a 5. The narrower neck (by 2mm) and longer and firmer low strings make it a joy to play, and the active electronics are another game-changer. By way of context, I had settled on Precisions as my bass 'home', which is one of the reasons that I went for the PZ5. You can do a lot with a Precision, but maybe not everything. I had also settled on passive electronics, so until recently this NG2 would not have got a second glance from me on the wall of a music shop - too many knobs, and not just one PP3 battery but two of the buggers! The plus points: Plays like a dream - if the action were any lower it would play itself. The Darkglass Tone Capsule - instead of a treble control it has high mids (2.8kHz) which is into the presence band - turn it up for MM-style sizzle. The mids control adds punch without too much honk, or you can dial it back for a more old-school sound. Emergency escape switch - if the batteries die, finish the gig in passive mode. Loads of excellent sounds to be had - a very modern-sounding bass on the whole. Plays in tune all the way up the neck on every string - not something I could depend on from a Fender. The white/tort colour combo is lush (originally came with a black scratchplate). The (lesser) minus points: No tone control in passive mode. At all. The jack socket doesn't like right-angle jacks, they tend to pop themselves out. However, the location is perfect for a wireless transmitter dongle. No Elixir strings is long enough for the low B position (please correct me if I'm wrong). Last week I rehearsed with a band playing a mix of pop, R'n'B, soul, electro-funk, and Afro-beat. Last night's gig with them was at Thatcham Festival. The guy in charge of the stage insisted that I put my amp stage right to 'balance' with the guitar amp stage left, but with no fewer than 4 vocal mics at the front, I had to stand back so that I was no further forward than the baffle of my Super Twin. Miraculously, I could still hear myself ok and I can report that the NG2 100% did the business. Never before have I played 10ths on a bass at the 16th fret, let alone live! Although you can get a kit to convert an NG2 to an NG3, I don't feel any need to do so, as the 4 pickup combinations already give me everything I need. And if I really want 3 pickups I can get my D-Roc out.

Schecter Rob DeLeo PJ. Probably the last thing I bought on the basis of ‘This will do’ rather than ‘Hell yeah!’. Soon got fed up with it, and put off PJ basses for life. Couldn’t get what I wanted for it on eBay so left it with Hank’s in Denmark Street. They sold it but their cheque bounced and then they went into some arrangement with creditors that meant that I got nothing. At least I was able to write it off against tax.

It’s not the guitarist, it’s a lot of things about (a) that band, (b) playing in pubs. And yes, it doesn’t matter how good the band is if the people are a-holes. I’ve heard it said more than once that there are three important things in a band: the music, the money, the craic. All three and you’re golden; any two is fine; just one and you’ll never be happy.

I am a very experienced and competent guitarist and bass player with decent backing vocals and some lead vocal ability. I am comfortable in most styles (particularly Pop, Soul, Rock, Indie, Country), a sight-reader on bass, a fast learner, and I have a good ear. I am looking for quality gigs where a high standard of musicianship, organisation and presentation is called for, with fees to match - typically this would be in a function or tribute band (I am well acquainted with both). I have excellent gear and reliable transport. Area covered: M4 corridor, South coast to Birmingham; further afield for the right gig. https://guitarist4hire.wixsite.com/graeme-scott https://soundcloud.com/guitargraeme

I am a very experienced and competent guitarist and bass player with decent backing vocals and some lead vocal ability. I am comfortable in most styles (particularly Pop, Soul, Rock, Indie, Country), a sight-reader on bass, a fast learner, and I have a good ear. I am looking for quality gigs where a high standard of musicianship, organisation and presentation is called for, with fees to match - typically this would be in a function or tribute band (I am well acquainted with both). I have excellent gear and reliable transport. Area covered: M4 corridor, South coast to Birmingham; further afield for the right gig. https://guitarist4hire.wixsite.com/graeme-scott https://soundcloud.com/guitargraeme

Played a sea-front bar in Weston-super-Mare with a rock’n’roll band that I often work with. The positives: Nice location opposite the pier. Felt like I played well. My rig sounded great (‘73 P > Demeter amp > BF Super Twin). Paid gig. Second gig with Boss WL20 wireless setup - loving it! The negatives: 60 miles each way plus parking to pay for. Loading area near the venue full of parked cars - owners obviously read ‘LOADING ONLY’ to mean ‘FREE PARKING’. Never mind, just blocked them in while I loaded out. Guitarist’s DIY extension lead kept tripping the circuit breaker while we were setting up until I identified it as the cause. Very few customers in the bar. (New) lead guitarist hadn’t quite got his poop together. I’m fed up with pub gigs and looking for some better quality work next year i.e. function band or tribute act.

I was playing on a rock’n’roll gig when a guy from PRS visited. He introduced himself to the landlord and then to us. We gave him a copy of the set list and he sat and worked on his laptop and scoffed a bar meal while we played the first set. So I got the impression that people other than Ed Sheeran and Paul McCartney might benefit from that.

Ben bought a pedal form me. He paid promptly and let me know when it arrived safely. I'd be happy to deal again.

Played rhythm guitar with a rock’n’roll band at a social club. It was the bass player’s last gig with them following some unspecified falling-out with the BL and you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. When it came time to load out I had to dodge the pavement pizzas in the car park - how delightful!

I thought about this and realised that the one time I used my ACS in both ears I was playing outdoors under a gazebo, and that was the bigger problem. Although I do have some hearing loss in the upper frequencies, I think the real issue is volume wars - if I turn my amp up to hear my guitar over the singer’s monitor, it will be too loud out front. And yes I have my amp up on a stand, not firing at my knees. IEMs would be the ideal solution - I have a good set but I can’t see the band splashing out on them (and I’m a dep so I don’t really get a vote).

FTFY! Also it’s interesting how many posts in this thread are qualified by reference to the contributor’s own experience and preferences - which is exactly as it should be. If we want a barney we can always go to TalkBass…

The trouble is, I won't be able to hear anything then - not through deafness, but because the earplugs are so effective.

I have been using hearing protection at gigs for the last 20 years. I’ve mainly used Doc’s Pro Plugs which provide some attenuation without losing the definition (which for me is the big problem with foam plugs). I recently got a pair of non-fitted 16dB ACS. Earlier this year I realised I had tinnitus, which for me manifests as a high-pitched whistling. Fortunately it’s only really noticeable in quiet environments, and doesn’t cause me any bother. The on-stage sound level varies a lot depending on the band I’m playing with. I dep with a tribute band where no-one uses an amp on stage and although it has taken me a while to adjust to IEMs, this means much lower sound levels in my ears. At the other end of the scale is a pub band where the main vocalist’s wedge monitor is excruciatingly loud. I can cope with this by putting an ACS in my more sensitive ear and a Doc loosely in the other. I still need to hear my guitar amp without it being too loud for the room and the rest of the band. If we can’t come up with a workable solution then I’m minded to stop working with them, which would be a shame because it’s steady work and they’re nice folks.

I’ll hold your coat.

I’m on my third 5-string and I feel like I’ve finally found one that I can get comfortable with - but I’ll save all that for a proper NBD post. I probably would stick with 4s but there are songs that really need the range of a 5. However, to me a 5-string is almost like a different instrument from a 4 - it needs to be addressed differently, eg you can play further up the neck and across the strings.

Welcome aboard Jess. We consider ourselves a friendly bunch, and we've all 'only been playing bass for about...' some period of time or other!