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A favour to ask of the BB population if I may! Would anyone be willing to whip off the chrome neck pickup surround from a 4 string & cut out a cardboard template for me please? Reason being that I have a BB350 that I want to add pickup surrounds (CNC Lazer Cut most likely) & a basic template could start me off in the right direction. Obviously there's a drink in it for ya 😁 Cheers

So you'll be leaving the overdrive pedal at home then?

I'm guessing you have plenty of options tonally then! Such a cool bass.

Stunning? Is that the Dark Ray? What does the slider do?

😂😂😂😂 I did that, for many a year but unfortunately my current employer doesn't think employing people who do is a suitable use of tax payers money! I shall have to explore reggae vibes without the boodah!

I haven't tried it but I really like it! The way the guitar follows the vocal melody makes it sound a bit more "fusion" (for want of a better word) & I really like that, damn cool video too! I shall definitely give it my attention @Reggaebassbut I shall learn it by ear as I do. I can't read notation & tab reminds me of high school maths lessons (shudders)! nice one!

@Reggaebass any recommendations of artists I should be paying attention to?

When I was much younger (& had discovered that you can smoke some plants) I listened to a hell of a lot of Bob Marley (even the early stuff) (I have the songs of freedom book set) but I'm shamed to say that's about as far as I've ventured. I have consistently had my reggae phases, I'm having one now on this beautiful Saturday afternoon but I can't say that I've studied the genre musically. & That'll be where the problem lies I'm sure. But, on the plus side I've now got something to sink my teeth into in the practice room, aka our kitchen.

Let's get straight to the point, when I play reggae music I sound pants, totally unconvincing, flat, lifeless, I just don't tap into "the feel". I've never consciously set out to work on technique, but I have invested lots of time & effort into improving my time over the years. I can push, pull & sit right in the pocket, I can play fast music & slow music, I can make blues sound blue but reggae, man than vibe just evades me. That's all, as you were.

I have to drive to work in my old HH VS because I can't afford petrol anymore & all my colleagues drive Audi's How embarrassing!

Had to Google that one Paul 🤣 I'll be 60 when I retire so hopefully the only medication I'll be relying on will be Viagra 🤣

15 years left Dad, then I'll be the one smiling 🤣

Cheers @hiram.k.hackenbacker I know you're right. I love my shifts, my weeks are 8 days long now & have been for a very long time but outside of music & bands I have so much free time &I feel very lucky. My relationships with my kids is amazing because of the time my shift pattern has allowed me to invest. I think when I started this thread I had noticed that I'd started to refrain from "putting myself out there" because there are quite a lot of people in my area like @Supernautwho are massively turned off by bass players who can't commit to the weekly Tues night rehearsals & every weekend gigs & that's fine, it really is. But, to add another dimension to my perspective I've also committed myself in the past to startups that want to rehearse & gig often but fall apart rather quickly, sometimes before the first gig even & it was never my doing. I regularly met up with four guys every Sunday to rehearse about ten years ago & it went nowhere, but it was great fun & the rehearsal room cost us nothing so I kept going. This topic has become shift work focused & that's great, I'm glad I'm not alone but I still wonder if there are other barriers that are stopping people for going for it, confidence, perceived ability, controlling wives/spouses/partners? 🤣

I had a BB614 that I put a 201 bridge on & it was ace, then I owned a 1024 & loved the standard Yamaha bridge so when I bought my 425 I wanted something similar to the Yamaha one, enter the Hipshot Vintage...........

I'm truly gutted that a band you've put 12 years into is coming to it's end & I hope your next endeavour is just as rewarding as the last one.

@Smanth out of curiosity, do you also work on "the bank"? & If you do would you take a low paid (sorry for being presumptuous)) gig over a (want to use the word "lucrative" but as a public sector worker I know better) NHS shift?

@Supernaut I started this thread to discuss something that I'd observed over the years that may have impacted other people too. Everyone's input is valid, obviously & I'm very open minded & I know that there are always multiple perspectives on every topic & mine isn't always best/right. With that said, I think that your "my band, my rules" philosophy could possibly put you in a position that limits your possibilities & takes away opportunities for creativity that could be amazing. I have worked various shift systems for thirty years, & I have never, never, never ever cancelled a gig for any reason let alone day job commitments. If I can't make it I know in advance & I won't commit to anything knowing that there's even the slightest chance of letting anyone down. What I have absolutely experienced is many opportunities is to get together with other musicians, both in long term & short term projects & create music & entertain people. & Isn't that why we do this? Sure, some bands are more serious than others & what people want from bands differs, but, one constant remains in all situations & that is this. We are musicians, we create music, we bounce off eachother harmonically & create sounds that make us & other people feel good. I haven't spent more years than I care to count honing my skills to limit my opportunities. I will play with anyone, from the seasoned vets to the kids just starting out because I learn from them all. Sure, constant BS & let downs is frustrating to everyone but give people the chance to let you down man. You never know, the best player you've ever played with, the one that really brings your sh*t alive might just be around the corner, & they might just be a shift worker. Don't limit your possibilities because we all have to put food on the table, & that doesn't make us less loving of our craft or by any way automatically unreliable!

You ever had this from a non shift worker? I have, but didn't change me playing with other non shift workers. Sometimes life just gets in the way.

Not necessarily, I know my shifts for the year in advance as do many shift workers.

Are you flexible when booking gigs or do you book what you want to do & expect the rest of the band to accept your terms?

I had mine done by Mr Shuker, lovely high gloss vintage tint with stainless frets. Pearl Blue with a neck that looks like a weathered fence just wouldn't do! Edit* it's much less susceptible to movement now too,

I had to unsubscribe Scott today, just way too many emails for my liking.

I've just gotta ask about the Sonic Hammer! I seem to remember talk of such a thing many years ago, maybe even "bassworld" days, & have heard nothing since. Please enlighten me?

I thought about living with it but then the OCD kicked in 🤣

I have just contacted Lakland directly just as a "let you know" because I'm guessing the big shop won't. I really hope that they are unaware of these issues & this isn't a "that'll do" kinda business model they're running these days. I'll report back but a quick image search of the Goog indicates there's a lot of Wonky Skylines out there.