phil.c60

[quote name='chardbass' timestamp='1452599679' post='2951426'] Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!! [/quote] Hi Mate: and it was your speakers he was standing in front of! They're great by the way.

[quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1452373114' post='2949426'] This wasn't in Littlehampton by per chance was it? I was walking back from work the other day and saw you setting up for a gig. [/quote] I couldn't possibly say........

No, I live in the South East.

Just got to the part where he says "the tuning pegs are copper, so if you're broke you can sell them and get twice the price of the guitar". Now I'm crying,really, actually crying with laughter. Come on Billy, it's not serious. If I'm wrong, I'll be really humble, but I really think it's a spoof.

Listen, folks, when he says things like "it's got a switch - who knows what it's for" and "hand carved in the countryside probably in a small shed" I'm guessing that some kind of yellowish liquid is being extracted. I actually didn't think I heard him correctly the first time, and laughed out loud when I rewound and listened again. That and the three E strings, as Hiram pointed out.

There's no real stage, so the audience can get as close as they like.

The quote thingy has got buggered up somewhow by my fat fingers, and i can't seem to edit it. Sorry for the multiquote.

[quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1452268318' post='2948323'] So how did he get to "[color=#323232][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]You'll Never work In This Town Again...." has it escalated since or is he 'Colin Corleone'?[/font][/color] [/quote] It was my vague attempt at humour, based on the fact that he clearly thinks that if he doesn't book us we'll be sorry. I think he thinks he's the only gig in town. [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1452274775' post='2948443'] And as for playing a free gig there as a sort of audition..?? [/quote] No, I never said the Sunday afternoon was a freebie - it paid OK. It's just their try-out slot.[quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1452268318' post='2948323'] So how did he get to "[color=#323232][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]You'll Never work In This Town Again...." has it escalated since or is he 'Colin Corleone'?[/font][/color] [/quote] If you want to know the venue: All pm's answered!

Right, here goes. We have been trying to get a gig at this particular venue for a while (pub). Man who books the bands will only book you for a Friday or Saturday night if you do a Sunday afternoon first so he can see what he thinks (or more accurately what the staff think and how busy it stays as he's never there). Fair enough, but our guitar guy really doesn't do Sundays for family reasons. We persuade him to do it as a one-off. It goes well: so well, we are offered 6 (IIRC) more Sundays. Sorry, we say, you knew this was a one off. OK, says man, here's the only Saturday left before Christmas. If that's OK we'll book you for next year. We take the Saturday offered, turn up on the night, set up, and a grubby looking guy comes towards us. "Oh F***" says harmonica player "I know him,. he's a pest and he's useless". Grubby guy starts talking to our guitarist, tells him he makes his living busking (clearly not a good living, looking at him) and can he play with us. "Play what?" says guitarist "harmonica" says man. "Ask him" says guitarist pointing at harmonica player. "Can I play but I'll need to use your harmonicas" says guy "No" says harmonica player. "Definitely not". I can see why. you wouldn't let him spit in your beer for you, would you, so why let him spit in something you are going to suck through later. "Can I borrow your guitar then" he say's to guitarist, eyeing his vintage telecaster. Guess what, that's a no too. "OK" says grubby guy, "I've got a tambourine at home so I'll go and get it later". Said grubby guy turns up later with, yes you guessed it, a manky tambourine. He then stands in front of me shaking it to some irregular beat that's clearly only present in his universe for song after song. I'm clinging on to the correct rhythms for dear life whilst concentrating on the drummer who's concentrating on me. Eventually we start a song (La Grange, actually) which starts with sparse guitar, rim shot's and bare vocal. He won't stop. It's really putting the guitarist/singer off. "Sshhhh" says I. Nope. Again, louder. Nope. "Shut Up" Nope. "Shut the f*** up" that's better, he stops but he looks like I've kicked his puppy. I motion him to start again when we get to the loud part as I know I can drown him out, then tell him that's enough. Woman fro the bar pay's us after we've finished, says the takings were great, and we were "A first class band" and to get in touch with booking guy about next (now this) year. Fast forward to this week. Harmonica player get's in touch with booking guy to sort out dates, discovers that grubby guy is his mate, and he's not happy about us not letting him play. Harmonica guy tries to explain that we don't lend out gear, certainly won't share harmonicas, only do guests by arrangement etc. but he's having none of it., and refuses to book us. I have offered to call him myself to see if I can straighten it out, but harmonica player tells me "I might not have been very diplomatic by the end of the conversation......" and I think I know what that means. Don't you just love the music business. Happy New Year.

Now [u]that's[/u] LVS.

Loop them into handy garottes for people who insist on giving me unwanted advice. You know who you are. I know where you live.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1451839555' post='2943877'] Neither am I... I refuse to squeeze in next to the drums with a cymbal in my ear... But just iike there may be retrospective claims in the workplace...I can see someone (staff) sueing the pub for hearing loss at some point. [/quote] Lucky You. I squeeze in whenever I need to and to avoid my ears ringing from my (not overly loud) drummer's cymbals/snare I always wear my ACS pros. And as for that meaning I turn up too loud: you are setting the relative volume. You turn up till it sounds about right, Having said that, we do a short sound check and I don't put them in but I wear them throughout the gig. and we are not a loud band. As for "some pubs are too small for a live band" are you serious? What are you, a symphony orchestra? If they want us, they can have us!

Happy to post a photo if only I knew how!

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1451676195' post='2942392'] Only relatively recent LMIIIs are class D - the earlier ones are upgraded LMIIs. [/quote] Funny you should say that - I assumed it was class D, but when I took the lid of there is a suspiciously transformer like device and a large heat sink with 4 or 5 conventional transistors on it so I'm not so sure it is, now. Manufacturing date is 01-2104? Frank: the loom thing might make sense, because although I didn't really pull anything about, I was using a pen torch to see the circuit boards more clearly and may have moved some of the cable runs with it. I must say, it looks very tidy and nicely made in there.

And now: took off the lid to see if there were any obvious smells or crispy bits, nothing apparent so put the lid back on, decided to see if the effects return worked ie power amp so turned it on, plugged in for one last try and hey presto the f***ckin' thing works. God knows. Just have to suck it and see, and make sure I [u]always[/u] take my Sansamp with me!

Sadly not I bought it 18 months ago, second hand but new in it's unopened box. It was an unwanted insurance replacement for a stolen item (the guy had his gear nicked on tour, had to buy a replacement and his insurance co would only replace it not pay). I've gigged it for all this time, always carried in a genuine bag, never dropped, never left in the car after a gig, etc.It's unmarked and looks mint. (I only mention this to show I'm absolutely scrupulous with my gear). Thanks for the advice, I will check the fuse now (although it seems to be the mains fuse, and as i said, it lights up and the fan works etc. just no output) I'm quite handy at that sort of thing but not up to repairing the electronics themselves. If it's going to be an expensive repair I'll probably go out and buy an Ampeg PF500 as I've got a bit of post Christmas gas...... And there goes last nights gig money (and more besides!)

Fun and games last night: had a great gig having welded together parts of two bands for the night as the pub (where we play a few times in the year) had been let down, one rehearsal and up,up and away! A bit rough in parts but everyone loved it. High points: having my shirt and shoes admired by lots of people which narked the singer quite lot, and best of all having my shirt stroked by two identical 6' blonde, slim, identically dressed twins (girls, before you start, Discreet) while being told in two sexy foreign voices "your shirt, it is amazing, your hair, it is amazing, your band, it is amazing". shame my wife was watching, really. Lot's of compliments all round and I blagged a return booking for next NYE which is also a Saturday! Now for the low point: I think my amp's (LM3) blown up. Half way through "Run Through The Jungle" which I'm sure you all know is essentially a drums and bass groove, simple but effective, I went quiet. As in silent. Completely. Demonstrating that well know bass players saying "No one knows what you do until you stop doing it". No pops, no crackles, just stopped. Turn off, turn on nada. Unplug everything while the rest of the band soldier on, cut out tuner pedal, swap leads, still nothing. Remove Sansamp VT Bass from it's tin (thank god I bought it from Colgraff less than 6 weeks ago as I have always worried about this with class D stuff)) plug it in, plug in to PA and away we go again. Phew. Worked like a dream for the rest of the night. Today, set it up in my music room and it doesn't work. Turns on, lights up, no output. No output from the DI either, except a very low/weak signal with the gain and line out at max (at this point the clip light does not flash or illuminate). Any Mark Bass knowledge out there? Next gig is 16th Jan, so any help appreciated. I do have an Ampeg combo I could use but it's so bloody heavy after the LM3 and Barefaced Cab!

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1450913076' post='2937077'] There are countless occupations which entail one or other (sometimes both..?) partners being absent for long periods. It can be dealt with, given the willingness to do so on the part of all concerned. Family is, I would agree, important; perhaps primordial, but that doesn't preclude absences. High seas fishermen..? Soldiers on active service..? Road haulage drivers..? Touring musicians..? Mountaineers..? Round-the-world yachtsmen..? The list is long... [/quote] And whether your partner is into it / supportive or not. He's been with us about a year, she's never been to a single gig (even one of really nice afternoon outside ones in the summer) and I get the impression she'd rather he didn't do it at all, which make things quite awkward at times, to say the least. Moan over: Tomorrow is Christmas!

Someone mentioned earlier "does anyone have small children" - it's one of mine, but from the other way around. We auditioned a guy who is now in the band and he has a small child, he and his wife split childcare duties so: He can't do anything in August. Or around Easter, and turned down NYE (having said he could do it, then he couldn't after discussions at home, then after it was too late said he could do it after all). He can't do Sundays. If he plays Friday, Saturday is out. You get the picture. He's a great guy, and a great front man (he sings, too). He was by far the best candidate at audition time I did ask the question, and he did say he had a small child etc. which rang alarm bells with me but we decided to take him on anyway. I'm not sure I'd do it again, though as it has cost us a lot of gigs. So much so, that we are considering an alternative lineup for Sunday stuff and August etc.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1450775024' post='2935638'] Do you play Mustang Sally? Do you play Brown Eyed Girl? Do you play Alright Now? Do you play Johnny B Goode? [/quote] You play all of them? Great! I'm in!

[quote name='redbandit599' timestamp='1450438413' post='2932787'] Steve Harris Him and the fact that I always identified with the rhythm section more - guitars and vocals (fabulous as they are ) always seemed like window dressing for the bit that was connecting with me and making the people bounce. Still love the almost hidden power of the bass - we do a couple of AC/DC covers where it's guitars and drums for quite a bit before I come in. This always makes me smile because at that point, the real heft arrives and kickstarts the heartbeat of the song. And that's me doing that, but I bet most punters don't realise it! (but I don't mind...) [/quote] That's why despite the whole ZZ top thing I like playing La Grange!

Another Zoom HN4 user. I record most rehearsals and a lot of our gigs with it. As others have said, what you get is down to how the band sounds, but actually I find that a good thing - it records what you actually sound like in the room! If you don't like it.....you know you have to change something. For rehearsal recordings I use the mic stand attachment so I can put it where it works best from experience in our regular rehearsal room, and get good results every time. Recording at the highest sample rate gives you about 3 hours, which is plenty. Combined with simple editing and labels via Audacity works for me to split it into tracks and convert to mp3. Recording rehearsals is a great way to remember exactly what it was you all decided about tops and tails etc. but be prepared to invest some time editing, labelling and archiving if you want to get the best out of it. There's no point in having hours of recordings if you can't find what you want! One thing - they eat batteries, so if you are recording something that's important to you and where you need to put it means you can't use the mains adapter, always use a fresh set, but this can get expensive.

[quote name='jonnythenotes' timestamp='1449159139' post='2921201'] It's just a bass players way of saying ' Black Hole' and 'Money Pit' in three easy letters. An irresistible and uncontrollable urge to spend money on anything to do with bass gear. Womens equivalents ( and some none bass players) are handbags and shoes..... [/quote] And some bass players, as far as the shoes go.........

Offered a nice gig at a pub we play in regularly. went there last year to watch a mates band and it was a great evening, so I was pleased to be asked - his band had to drop out last week.. Everyone said yes......the our guitar/singer/frontman bailed so we had to say no. A shame really, as I was really looking forward to it.