Huggy and the Bears

[quote name='Mrs Tinman' post='212375' date='Jun 4 2008, 11:19 AM']Yep, OG keeps his special collection of BCR pics at the ready, just in case an opportunity should present itself to sneak them into a thread

C'mon now Si, get out yer tartan and sing along.......'Well we sang Shang a Lang........... ' [/quote]

Hey as a kid I actually liked the Bay City Rollers as my sisters were into them and used to bring their pals round to listen to them. They were all 3 years older than me and by knowing the words to them got me in the gang! Whoo hoo... good days!

So Mrs. Tinman, I'm game for anything!

[quote name='chris_b' post='212320' date='Jun 4 2008, 09:37 AM']It's only my opinion, but your opinion that they are garbage is a bit harsh. So a lot of people don't like the Bay City Rollers (me included) but millions thought they were very good and in their target market they were very successful. Good on 'em.[/quote]

Wow! Ive just spent ages working through this thread and the common denominator throughout is passion! I play in a band that plays a mix of covers and original stuff, however, I did not write our original tunes so really, I'm covering someone elses music. I tend to think of playing your own stuff as 'the good life' ie Tom and Barbara - if you can manage that lifestyle, I think you have it made and that would probably be my fantasy, however in my world, I need to work and be in the rat race which includes playing other peoples music and buying food from the supermarket. It's good food but I can't get the satisfaction from growing it myself, however I cook it well!

In terms of function bands - I live near Blackpool where the bread and butter of work is functions etc. Ive worked with such talented people in these situations and I would not swap those experiences for anything - regardless of the tunes played. Interstingly I think it is about keeping function sets fresh. If you go to some parts of Spain for example (in my experience and stereotyping), the hotel entertainment is often similar to every other hotel in town i.e. some duo playing a Bontempi style keyboard knocking out 70's and 80's pop. To me it seems like some musical architect in 1971 set the blueprint in Spain for holiday entertainment and that model is still used today. It is extremely tired and dated but it fits a genre that has been around for years.

What we as musicians need to ensure is that we don't create a 'function band genre' that becomes trapped in a dated, cliched timewarp. That would be a travesty for all including the punters. I think its all about values, beliefs, epistemology and our individual cultures. Its good to have contrasting sub-cultures in music as long as they are not counter productive or harmful. I like the opinions expressed here! Keep them coming!
Simon.

[quote name='Galilee' post='211938' date='Jun 3 2008, 05:03 PM']You made me curious, what does it do then?[/quote]
Its a vocal harmoniser. Basically you can make it sound like you have the Eagles or the Beachboys on stage singing with you (sort of thing). It is amazing beyond belief. Check out the link for the Vocalist '2', the Vocalist '4' which is what I saw and have ordered does 4 part harmonys and does not need a guitar going through it. Cool as!:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH4s-1OwsOc&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH4s-1OwsOc...feature=related[/url]

Simon.

Hi heard a band using one of these (Digitech Vocalist Live 4) on Sunday night for vocals and it blew me away! It's the future... Anyway, I have ordered one today as I want to get a better harmony sound. Has anyone got any tips or tricks on setting it up?

Cheers,

Simon.

Cheers guys. This is handy info so i'll have a play.

Hi,

I'm using my MM 3EQ stingray through MarkBass LMK & Aguilar GS212 and wondered where people generally had their Stingray EQ set on the guitar. I seem to like the sound set with just a touch on of top, middle and bottom. Are there any top tips in terms of Stingray EQ?

Cheers,

Si.

For what it's worth, and having read quite a lot and tried quite a lot, I think I am now entirely satisfied with my rig!
I can't imagine changing unless there is some super-new technology that comes my way!

I've ended up with an Aguilar GS212 cab with a Mark Bass LMK head. My fave bass through it is my MM Stingray 3EQ which has basically made my Jazz and P redundant. It is an excellent compromise that returns the sound I want in a variety of shaped rooms. The cab (which is near enough two GS112's in one box - but lighter) is on wheels which aids mobility and doesnt make any disernable difference to sound (I keep removing the wheels to try both ways!).

I can fit it all in my XK convertible hood up or down which is an additional bonus! I'd recommend the set-up to all and I can't imagine you would be disappointed. Hope this adds to the mix of ideas!

Simon.

[quote name='MB1' post='166342' date='Mar 30 2008, 02:57 PM']MB1.
Ocean Colour Scene?
Great cab as described,Great Communication,Great Transaction,Nice Chap to deal with would buy from Simon Again!
Many Thanks
Martin.[/quote]

Fantastic dude to deal with. Agreed price and paid/collected when arranged. Would highly recommend as one of the good guys!
Cheers!

Hiya Martin et al.,
Forgive me for being nieve here, but what is the significance of 'bump'?

I have a Gherson Jazz bass that belonged to my Dad (no longer with us) that he bought new in about 1974. He was a pro player but used that over pretty much the choice of anything else. It has an ultra slim neck and a great sound - I can see why he got it and played it for 30 years.

Anyway, this thing looks like it has been to Afghanistan and back and I'd be interested in aquiring another. Anyone ever heard of one? This is natural with pearl block inlays.

cheers

Simon.

[quote name='far0n' post='164218' date='Mar 27 2008, 02:09 AM']I'm torn between my 'cheapo' Cort Funkmachine bought for £286 off ebay and my mate's Columbus Jazz bass, utterly crap yet somehow sounds so good !![/quote]


For my money, a Jack and Danny Jazz or P bass is unbeatable. The Chinese can certainly copy things better now than they could in the 70's & 80's. You can get in to a brand new one for less that £100 delivered. They sound ok and the necks are pretty good for a cheap thing. I got one and used it for about 2 months (I was curious as to how it would stand up) then sold it on the Bay and got my money back.

Cheap and very cheerful (in my opinion).

Simon

Yes, it was a surprising discovery! Done a couple of gigs in same place with both amps now which has confirmed that they sound quite different.
Ciao for now.

Simon.

I have updated to Mark Bass stuff so this is now surplus. I bought it in October to augment my 115 combo however never really needed it. Being super picky it has a very minor scuff on one edge. Again, I'm being super picky. Other than that, it is as new. I'd prefer local pickup. I am near Blackpool. I'm looking for £200 as this would be a bargain for someone.

This next bit is off the Ashdown site:

The ABM-210T Compact is a 400 watt 8 Ohm bass cabinet combining 2 X 10" Ashdown BlueLine drivers with an HF horn in a precision tuned plywood cabinet. As the name suggests, this is a particularly compact cabinet, ideal for use in a portable rig that’s easy to transport.

Cheers,

Simon.

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='163804' date='Mar 26 2008, 02:54 PM']Cheers for that Simon - I've just acquired an LMK in a trade and initial impressions are good. I haven't gigged with it yet but I used to use a LMII so it will be interesting to compare when I do. I need to master changing channels before I do [/quote]

I have been through an interesting exercise with MarkBass amps which I thought I would share. Basically, I elected to change my gear for a MarkBass amp and an Aguilar (GS212) cab as I like the sound and they get very complimentary reviews.

A well respected bass player friend has a MarkBass LMK (as he wanted 2 channels) and a pair of Aguilar GS112 cabs. This is the sound which I wanted. I Bought a GS212 cab and a MarkBass LMII head. I was pleased enough with the sound however couldn't put my finger on what was missing from the EQ (compared to his) and I wondered if the difference in cab combination was affecting the sound.

We compared gear side by side last week, swapping heads, cabs etc. and identified that the LMII is a different sound to the LMK! Very interesting. I wont list the specs as they are well documented elsewhere however, they are kind of pitched as being the same as each other in terms of sound (the LMK having 2 channels of course).

To conclude: I have now bought an LMK and again completed some side by side comparisons. This is (crudely) what I found with like-for-like EQ settings:

Channel 1 on the LMK sounds the same as the LMII
Channel 2 in the LMK sounds like LMII but more defined, clearer and punchier
Blended together Channel 1 & 2 on the LMK is (in my opinion only) getting close to an ultimate MarkBass sound and in laymans terms like the LMII on steroids.

Whilst I can not be critical of the LMII (it does do what it says on the tin) in my opinion, the LMK is worth the extra money as it is more 'the real deal' and the LMII sounds like a (again not being critical) a poorer version of the LMK.

I know you could say 'it is the poorer version as it is cheaper', I agree but my point is, is that it was not identified to me that the LMK had a superior sound - merely that it was a two channel version of the LMII and in my (very) humble opinion (and experience) it is not a like-for-like sound. I would recommend the LMK over the LMII if the budget will stand it.

I hope this information helps you select the sound you want.

Kindest regards,

Simon.

I inherited my Dad's gear when he died 3 years ago. I remember him buying a new Bassman 135 head and matching 2x15 cab in the 70's (which replaced his Bassman Blackface setup which he bought in '65 beige tolex and creame knobs) and a Jazz bass. He used them until 2004 so I guess thats about 30 years with the same gear. He reckoned that changing his gear would not make him play any better! I however do not have the same fortitude and can't stop swapping my rig! Help Dad!

Hi Tris,

I gigged with the 212 last night with my Mark bass head. Awesome! Thanks for your help.
Simon.