EliasMooseblaster

Good god, and to think some of my friends used to give me a hard time if they thought I'd unbuttoned my shirt a touch too far down on stage...

Yeah, I think it's one of those funny, neither one-nor-t'other configurations - a bit like how the P-90 sounds like a humbucker but is actually an overwound single-coil, I think the split-coil P is humbucking but has an output level closer to a single-coil. I'm actually not sure whether standard Js are HB or SC! They certainly sound more like singles, but I could be entirely wrong, especially as they do typically have two poles...

Technically, I think it's correct to say that the P pickup is a humbucking configuration; an individual J pickup is not.

Another vote for Option C - getting in with some good bands in other towns and cities is the best way to spread awareness of your existence. And you can return the favour by hosting them in your own home town with a variant on Option A. Option B depends far too much on how diligent and understanding the promoter/venue is, as some might get the hump with you if you haven't packed the place to the rafters, irrespective of the fact that you're not in the least bit local.

My personal favourite is From Beale Street to Oblivion. I'm sure I've heard Electric Worry on Planet Rock on the occasions I've had the station forced on me, and that was one of the main singles from that album. (But then I've only heard about three of those twelve albums, so I may not be the best source of advice!)

As someone else who has also gigged a Little Bastard: it can be done, especially with a good cab. If you're happy with a tone that's quite midrange-forward, and a bit dirty, you'll be fine in a small venue. (But if you were after super-tight, super-clean, scooped-mid funk tones then I'd question why you'd bought a small valve head in the first place!)

Is it cheating if the strings are double-course? Have a (very different) 8:

Dare I say it's symptomatic of modern rock music being chock-full of lousy rhythm guitarists? I've heard too many records where it's just a solid wall of chords under the singer, as if they've all developed a sort of musical agoraphobia. Of course it all falls apart live: if they've two guitars, the guy taking a solo can't be heard over the endless, pummeling power chords; if they've one guitar, all the momentum disappears because the thin, widdly solo they overdubbed in the studio leaves a massive hole where once was a wall of chords. @fretmeister is entirely right above: playing in a 3-piece is wonderfully liberating. Listen to Cream, Hendrix, Mountain, even groups like The Who which were basically a trio-plus-singer. Make sure your bass sound fills enough space - make the low mids your territory, season with high-mids and treble to taste. If your guitarist does want to replicate certain solos, can any of them be played an octave lower?

I have ticked the first option, because my solo project is currently my main focus, and everyone involved agrees that I am excellent. Thinking back to my other band, I must humbly concede that title to our guitarist. I'd previously thought of myself as a particularly patient and dependable person, but I could learn a thing or two from him.

It's hardly news to state that eBay is full of small workshops and unknown manufacturers flogging their own electronic devices and guitar bits (and for once, I'm not talking about any of the more infamous...erm...converters and refurbishers on there). The existence of Sonicake, therefore, didn't surprise me - they seem to offering their own takes on various effects pedals. But what seemed unusual to me was a number of Valetone and Hotone pedals available in their shop. The prices seemed to be quite a bit lower, and the designs on the cases seemed to be different, so I assume Sonicake is making their own clones. However they've got the original companies' logos printed on them...are some pedal manufacturers licensing their gear to other manufacturers? (And the real question for which I've gathered you all here today: ultimately, should I have any reservations about taking a punt on one of their Hotone B Station pedals?)

What kind of a name is "4003" for a cat?

Yeah, inserting the DC jack just kills the pedal. Works fine if I disconnect and just run from the battery, but I don't even get an audio signal through it with the DC connected.

Ah, yes - nothing gives you the sudden feeling that you're just going to be a nuisance to people in the pub than the staff looking around the place saying "oh yes...erm...you can set up...uhhh...over there!"

I guess the key question is what a "regular" P bass sounds like to you - do you feel like it needs more "thump" or more "clank" (or even..-whispers- more "heft")? Are there any particular Precision players whose tones you'd like to get closer to? I can speak very highly of the Fender CS'62, and the Seymour Duncan SPB-2, but then I like the bright, clear honk that they provide, which can also be tamed with a little roll of the tone control, if your bandmates are looking a little scared.

Aha, that might do the trick! I popped the back off yesterday, but I couldn't see anything that was obviously loose or damaged - I guess the drawback to PCBs is that it's often difficult to tell if a component's simply conked out. Do you happen to know whether said diode is accessible and/or easily replaceable? (Though to be honest, I'm leaning more to the idea of moving it on with the caveat of the faulty DC-in...)

I've just (finally) invested in a fairly generic power supply for my pedals, as my BDI-21 seems to be a bit of a battery gobbler. I connected everything up to find that the 4-way power unit worked fine with all my pedals...except, ironically enough, the BDI-21. Are there any known idiosyncrasies to this pedal's DC socket, or do I need to pop it open and check for a loose wire? - the polarity is correct (centre-negative, same as my other pedals) - it's definitely not over the current limit - another Behringer pedal worked without complaint. The BDI works fine on battery power, but when I connect the DC, it goes completely dead - no status light, no sound, nothing. Anyone else seen this?

If it reassures you at all, when I add up the gigs I've done with different bands over the years then my most used bass is probably my kit-built Precision copy. (I bought it from Brandoni Guitars about...christ, 18 years ago now?) It is a Precision, it does all the things a Precision should do, but it has no logo on the head. I suspect most people will see the familiar Precision shape of your Camel and think, "oh, it's a P-bass, we know what we're dealing with." I usually found I could get most of the way through a session before anyone would look closer at my Precision and ask me who made it. If they did ask, I told them the truth, and they'd invariably admit that it sounded the part. I'm pretty sure I managed to avoid any sniffy replies suggesting that I should invest in a "proper" Fender.

Yeah, I'd be happy enough playing with that setup. I think my only reservation would be the choice of a Jazz bass - never really got on with them myself, but I would happily swap it for an Affinity Precision, as I've played some surprisingly nice examples of those in the past!

Cheers - I had been eyeying up the one you had for sale, but it looks like somebody beat me to it! Damn my caution and indecision. I'm certainly very tempted now, especially after last night's gig, with the Behringer again being a bit lacklustre...though that may have just been down to the tiny PA in the venue.

Should probably put up a little taster of Ms Serin's music! Last I heard, the gig is also free entry.

...until he tries to bring the sidecar back down to land, and realises it only has one wheel...

I, for one, look forward to seeing the listings for a formerly two-wheeled bicycle...