skoze

Never consiously - just listen to what the drummer's up to and tap my foot/ bounce a bit if there's a big fill or a section with no drums in it. I've never given it a thought 'til now though! Definitely in with the "get it or don't" crowd, it just kinda happens...

I like seeing a visible history of an instrument, really does give it a bit of character/ back story. I've always played with fairly meaty buckles and i have to say that after about 6 months or so my 51 is starting to show some signs of it, however the top coat seems so thick it'll take a while to have any real effect. The worst bits are the chips in the headstock from smacking cymbals on crammed stages/ when pissed because rock and roll etc. All depends on what environment the bass lives in I guess!

Just got back from Indietracks, proper good little festival! Had no idea what to expect really but it was a pleasant surprise. Bis were playing the mainstage when we arrived which was decent, chatted sh*t with 'em over a curry after too. Most disjointed weekend i've ever had musically. We were supposed to be staying with our drummer's girlfriend, however they both decided to ignore us all week and still haven't made contact... Cue us roping in a friend who'd never played with us before at 9am friday in time to open the main stage saturday. He was absolutely blinding in all honesty, can't believe how well he coped with it all - played a song i'd never even heard the notes to half way through and even that didn't go completely tits up. All in all, went surprisingly well!

I thought i knew what loud was 'til i got on the rail at a Motorhead gig. That is not a safe place for a Fred Perry-wearing indie kid. Loud is relative, but i think that with a bass it comes down to feeling, like Mr. Equipment said. If you can feel it booming behind you, it's doing the business. We're always DI'd but our guitarist has his few-hundred-watt Fender cranked regardless. Coupled with all manner of screeching pedals, that's a different kind of loud; it's so trebly it pierces your ears and is just horrible to endure.

apparently we're sorted! that was quick... ignore me!

Hey guys! not sure if this is the right place but i figure it probably gets the most views. currently on a train to blackburn from brighton to play a set for bbc introducing, and have just been informed the amp my frontman "100% has" doesn't actually exist. i know it's cheeky but if anyone might have, or know of anyone with a little 30w practice amp i could borrow for the night, based in either morecambe or blackburn i'd love you eternally and buy you some beer. failing that any idea for somewhere that might hire me one would be beautiful. give me a call on 07890766240 if you can help! cheers, Matt

Interesting thread, this! I'd like to think i do, i just enjoy it and am generally a bit pissed-up before we go on anyway so it all works out nicely for having fun Interaction with the rest of the band/ anyone watching is really important for me, I remember the first few gigs i did i was pretty wooden with next to no crowd interaction, but after meeting Dave (frontman of my current band who swings about like something fresh out of the 60's and had been doing it considerably longer than me) it all kinda made sense. I still think he over does it sometimes, but then i guess that's natural for anyone playing the cool-geezer-on-bass role to think that! I like playing with the crowd too, seeing what kind of reactions you can get out of them, it relaxes me. Definitely feel that live shows, when they're going right, are one of those times when you can just really lose yourself in, have fun with the people who are there at that moment and not really care too much about how perfect your playing is. That's what the studio's for!

Welcome from Southend ...when i'm not at uni anyway haha. You'll like this place!

Cheers mate We're in the studio these next few weeks recording some new stuff, i'll get it posted up in the recording section on here when we're done. Had quite a major shake-up of members and views, so it'll be nice to get more of the "new" vibe out there!

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1361834258' post='1991839'] Superb news, thank you! And lucky you lot supporting them! Was it fun? [/quote] No worries And it was massive fun ta! They were absolute gents. Bid's a very interesting guy to chat to and Andy's playing is so effortless - major jealousy from me! Really good live show, you lot won't be disappointed for sure. They've still got it!

[quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1361797377' post='1990923'] They couldn't be the Monochrome Set without Bid... Let's hope Lester, and Andy Warren are there too! [/quote] We supported them for their Brighton gig, can confirm all three are on the bill (Y) Their set was great, enjoy!

Surprised no-one's noted this [quote name='dragan' timestamp='1361463000' post='1986085'] he went and [b]said that he can buy a new bass guitar for that money[/b], and he has 1000 euros (price were set for 3000) so if she wants to take that money. [/quote] Not something someone seriously interested in a vintage instrument should be caught saying, surely? Sounds like a chancer to me, especially the attempt at haggling. I (like everyone) have played vintage basses in shops well out of my price range (£2k for a 72 tele on a student loan anyone?) but have always been totally honest about it from the start. Getting something sent across the globe to then turn down for very little reason, if indeed he was shown a comprehensive amount of photos etc is a joke. I'd have had your mate try and get some cash out of him for the transport, proof of why deposits are handy. I've started doing that when it comes to buying and selling anything with decent value (like my last bike, went for £700 in the end) if someone's serious they won't mind giving you £100 or so, and if there's anything majorly wrong with it you withheld, they can then barter down or you can refund etc... My 2p on the situation, very sorry to hear about it!

My two; I love the 51RI to bits, but i still kinda miss playing the Squier, got a bit more thump to it and i guess it's kinda sentimental being my first bass/ first new guitar i ever got n' all. I'm in two minds whether to keep it or sell it, but for what they're worth second hand i may as well hold onto it. We'll see... 51 might get treated to a new bridge soon, but for now i'm far too busy being poor!

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1361292373' post='1984057'] Another time, I had to look on helplessly, as a drunken girl fell against my Status bass as it was in its stand. [/quote] Had similar at our last gig, sound girl stepped back onto the headstock of my Fender during a very hurried check. My fault for laying it down in front of me on the stage, but still - not a fun thing to watch. Has taught me to [b]always[/b] put it on a stand though!

I'm definitely in the borrowing category at the minute, not out of choice but necessity. We're all students living in a town with no parking, so sorting anything big enough to fit a few rigs plus drums is just not gonna happen. We head up to shows in London a few times a month on the train, and while that's not too bad in itself it'd be physically impossible to carry a decent sized cab along with all the instruments, matey's guitar amp, a bunch of cymbals, snare etc between three of us. I do like to think i'm pretty well mannered with it though, even if i've heard the promoter mention an amp available i'll always chase it up with either the band lending it, or the venue whose in-house gear it is. Similarly, if i turn up and am greeted with something i've never used/ seen before i'll chat to whoever's it is and make sure i'm in no danger of messing with anything. My guitarist majorly pissed me off when we supported a pretty well-established band recently and he refused to lend out his amp, even though it was a local show and we were bringing our own gear anyway. I think that stemmed more from the promoter being like "yeah, they're using your gear alright mate?" rather than asking but still, much un-needed friction. As for anyone turning up expecting to borrow leads, straps, pedals or my entire f***ing set up bass included, without even contemplating mentioning it first, i think i'd laugh them out of the venue. If someone had some gear issues or snapped a string mid-set or something, though, i'd be the first to offer my bass to them. I guess it's just a matter of how you go about doing things.

My Squier VM P's gathering dust after very little use - really need to get round to re-homing it. It's got some sentimental value though so i'm in two minds whether it's worth it when it could make a decent back up. Who knows. We played with The Monochrome Set on saturday and their frontman Bid has a 60's Jag that's "too nice/ expensive to play anymore" apparently. Bit of a shame in my eyes, but fair play to him! I probably wouldn't want to be gigging with something like that.

Two fairly new ones for me, being a young'un and all; Turn on the bright Lights by Interpol. Will always look to this as a source of inspiration, mostly due to the fact that this album made me finally give in and make the change to bass, predominantly after listening to Untitled and the outro to PDA. Carlos Dengler has a real nice, clean style with an awful lot of expression in it. Next up has to be Yuck. Mariko is a babe, real nice dialled-in sound and just gets the job done with very little fuss. She's the reason why I play the '51, i think that's just sheer love taking over though... Both kinda similar I guess, fairly grounded players that have moments of "sh*t that's nice" about them, which is kinda how I always strive to be when i'm playing. Never really considered it before! Nice topic.

Cheers guys! Lesson most definitely learnt, who needs more than 4 strings anyway... Aiming to keep the VM set up a little more jazzy and am just settling up on a '51 RI after months lusting after one! Fell in love with a '72 Tele in Brighton, thick neck felt so right, but for £2k it's almost too nice to have fun gigging with - hopefully this'll make a nice alternative.

Hey guys and girls, Stumbled across this site today while hunting for some new gear, can't believe i've never seen it before! Seems to be an absolute wealth of knowledge on here. Little about me; i'm Matt, originally from Southend in Essex but currently living in Brighton for uni. Been messing about with guitars for years, made the switch to bass in April of this yer after wrecking my wrist playing normal guitar (if you're gonna teach yourself, do it standing up kids) which suited me loads more - having a right laugh with it. Currently using a squier vintage mod p bass but looking for an upgrade asap. Play in a band called The Art Club after a chance drunken meeting in a Brighton club toilets, working out really nicely - practicing, recording and writing a few times a week as well as a few gigs here and in London. Looking forward to learning some new things! Cheers Matt