Iain

[quote name='wheredragonsdwell' timestamp='1452883092' post='2954479'] Trying to decide between an Ibanez SRFF806 or a Dingwall Combustion/ NG2. I'm also needing a new amp but having a hard time deciding on what to get [/quote] I'm biased but I know which I'd choose - assuming I could stand the wait for the NG2 that is!

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1453206085' post='2957340'] I didn't mind the OP on this thread. It was obviously a little provocative, [/quote] Can't have a good discussion without some provocation/diverse views. Apart from me, none of us have an absolute right to be correct at all times.

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1453068087' post='2956167'] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Straw man argument - I didn't say that at all, I'm just questioning the whole validity of the tribute thing. Personally, I'd rather watch 10 original bands, of which only 1 or 2 might be any good, rather than 10 tribute acts who play impeccable versions of whatever band’s songs. I guess it all depends why you go to gigs. If you want to see something safe and predictable you can sing along to whilst basking in the warm nostalgic glow of your youth, go suck those tribute acts up. I just happen to think it’s boring and pointless. I really don’t care how much money they make or how much the x factor loving masses enjoy them or how fantastic the musicians who play in them are. [/font][/quote] It's not an 'either or' scenario though, you can enjoy both if you like. I've seen some dire tributes/covers and equally dire originals ad vice versa. Nowt wrong with enjoying live music in all forms - nostalgic or otherwise.

Had a great time the year-before-last at Festwich - two days of rock tribute acts. Highlights for me were the FNM and Maiden tributes and sunburn. If I had time I'd love to spend some time workign on a tribute act - Queen probably. If I had s the skill it'd be Rush! As things stands the bands I'm in are covers bands - one blues--to-rock the other rock-to-metal. The use of the word 'fake' is a bit odd about tributes - they don't try to pass themselves off as the real deal. The whole topic just seems a little judgemental.

Currently have major GAS for a Status - Chris Wolstenholme model. Anyone played one what's the neck profile like?

Had the same with a Warwick Thumb 5-String - the Thumb was one of those basses on my 'must have' list. Didn't get on with it - hated the neck profile and dive. The tone was good but not good enough so I bought a Dingwall Z3 and moved it on. Was pretty lucky though - only lost £45 on it! What I found useful was to list the things I didn't like about it and then auditioned other basses against that - neck profile and balance were my biggest issues so I found bass that worked for me. Use this as part of the learning experience and use it to get closer to your perfect bass.

If it started up as a thing where people just come along when they can and play what they can then multiple instruments is not an issue - even bass. One of my bands formed organically out of this setup - multiple drummists is always interesting and bass works if you're both sensitive. 5 guitarists was a bit much though. Out of the chaos a core formed and became a band. A couple of other bands grew up out of other members of the collective part getting their game on. At this point it's just another musician coming along to jam. Have a private facebook page where you organise sessions, who's going and invite new people who are interested to it so they can come when they feel.

If you're going to collaborate you'll also need to let go a bit - you'll be asking for input from the rest of the band and take the bare groove you lay down and arrange and structure it. Difficult at times when the bit of the song that was key to you (maybe a groove or specific detail) is lost in the process. A three-piece I was in years ago worked really well - the singer/guitarist was prolific at turning out decent tunes. He'd bring them to a rehearsal and we'd lean the basic structure and then arrange and flesh it out from there. Sometimes the drummer or I would have a great idea and we'd work that in. Sometimes the whole song would morph to something very different than the writer's original vision but it worked. Alternatively you can turn up with it fully formed and insist on it being done that way - you'll need fairly passive band mates and excellent writing/arranging ability. Writing by committee can be really slow though...

I've had two class D amps - an Ampeg PF-500 and my current Markbass BigBang. Both rated the same power wise but the Ampeg just didn't cut it - even at rehearsal volumes it's sound nasty and even thermal cut-out. The MB, by contrast has coped perfectly with everything I've asked it to do. If A/B gear is so much better then it must be truly stunning but I doubt it's really noticeable for the bulk of venues.

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1450786917' post='2935840']so many times we've heard compliments about how tight the rhythm section were, yet we were only tight to each other, if you put a click to it you'd see how far out of time we really were.[/quote] That's what's really important live though. Nice if things don't speed up or drag but a little movement in the tempo isn't that bad if the band are on it.

Both replies sum it up! I've not found I miss the lack. I've two sets of cabs, I gig my SuperTwin and have my "old" markbass Traveller 121 and 151 for practise - i generally turn of the tweeter on the 151 (a piezo) and have the horn on the 121 dialled back a way. Do keep getting tempted by the BigTwin now I have a big enough boot though...

How does the neck profile and feel compare between the two?

Johnny - are you able to try one in a store? Best way to be sure. Decided to gig mine last night rather than my Dingwall and it's a great bass.

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1449181576' post='2921436']I'm surprised as I've never seen these holes on even the cheapest copies. Look for images of SX bass bodies online and they don't have it.[/quote] The US Ged doesn't have anything unpleasant under the scratch plate - no hole, no routing, decided it didn't look right without the plate on though.

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1449001903' post='2920023'] Enjoy the breathing space and the fact you can have a fuller bass sound that doesn't clash with a rhythm player. [/quote] This! My two bands have two and three guitarists respectively. I found I had to take a 'musical director'/dictator role and get all three to play less with more differentiation just to stop treading on each other let alone give me room to tie in with the drummer. Enjoy the space and develop your style!

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1448919062' post='2919257'] Well I'd say this - instead of knocking those practicing once a week and gigging once a month, how about doffing your cap to them - they're still rocking it when many have given up, they find time in their lives which might be busy with familiy and jobs and who-knows-what to strap on guitars, make some noise and have some fun. This forum is replete with them, I'd imagine. They're still at it and that should be celebrated, not derided for not being in some way 'the real deal'. [/quote] I'm in two rock covers bands. I generally refer to them as mu "mid-life crisis" bands, I'm 44. so it fits and generally gets a laugh. I picked my bass back up after a 17 year hiatus get to play songs I love: one band is blues & classic rock, the other is classic rock, punk and metal. Like the rest of the guys I make my living in my day job. Like the rest of the guys I live for the playing.

My current rig by far: Dingwall Z3, Markbass BigBang, Barefaced SuperTwin and FX from a Line 6 HD500X. Incredibly portable, flexible sounds and every time I pick up the bass it puts smile on my face.

Played at Rebellion in Manchester last week and one of the guitarists cobbled together a vid from a friend's mobile phone - turned out well enough! Not a big crowd in but we only confimred the booking with them on the Wednesday after the venue we were supposed to play at went bust! Big thanks to the staff at the bar for giving us the chance to have a 'live practise'... [url="https://www.facebook.com/HalfLifeCoverBand/videos/1064201516945060/"]https://www.facebook...64201516945060/[/url]

Loving that last one you made! J-P-J pickups are interesting - vol-vol-vol-tone controls?

Played @ Rebellion in Manchester last night for the first time. We were supposed to be playing a venue in Stockport but they closed their doors on Monday - I guess another victim of difficult economic times. Our guitarist rattled off a load of emails to various pubs and the like - pretty speculative as we've not sorted out out promo material yet. Got a few responses that might lead to gigs in the future, a few that don't do cover bands and a yes from Rebellion. Turned up on the back of no practise for a month (new baby, drummer stranded in Egypt, etc.) to a really large stage - the place holds 550 for live music events. We set-up, had a burger and hit the stage at 9. Almost more staff than customers, there would have been if a few friends of the band hadn't been there at the start. Both sets went well, no-one left before the second set and a few more punters turned up towards the end. I don't feel too bad about the small turn-out - we only finalised things Wednesday morning so treated it as a live practise in many respects. Hopefully they'll have us back and I think we'e landed another booking elsewhere off the back of it so all in all a good night. [attachment=205464:rebellion.jpg]

We run into a pair of Peavey powered 800w speakers - just vox (5 of us), keys and kick. Coped well outdoors without the drummist mic'd up and we had to turn down to his level... If you're running bass-heavy sound through it I'd guess subs/a sub would be handy.

I've just retired my Avid Eleven Rack (awesome sounds, not a lot of love on the bass side) for a Line 6 Pod HD500X as the price has come down significantly. Not done a huge amount with it yet but the ability to create dual signal paths is really useful, for example lows through a clean path and upper mids/highs through a driven channel. Ability to position FX anywhere and good amp/cab sims. I splashed a little extra on the HD Bass pack too but it's probably not requires. The big bonus of this over the 11Rack is the floor-board side of things - 8 foot switched and expression peddle, you can link single switches to groups of FX too - so switch on drive and flanger with one press, etc. So far I've set up a simple patch with a few basic FX (Chorus, EQ, OD, Phaser) into the Flip Top amp model (Ampeg B-15NF Portaflex). A haevy rock patch - dual signal path to keep the drive out of the lows and loaded in a user patch that does an okay job of simulating fretless which needs some tweaking to remove some thump on attack.

I think I've got some magic rechargeable batteries in mine right now - current pair have managed ~10 hours of practise since putting them in freshly charged and still showing 2 bars left. No paranoia of running out mid-gig if they go in fully charged!

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1447058000' post='2904373'] Anyone else wobbled from the righteous path like this ? [/quote] Recently bought a tatty 1989 Epi Les Paul, refreshed the hardware and electronics as a little project and am re-learning to play guitar. I played guitar back when I was 15/16 before bass but bass will always be my instrument. I reckon learning to play guitar could help develop techniques that you might not as a bass player. I Certainly need to get better with nmy fretting hand and build more dexterity, doing it initially in the easy-mode of a guitar (light strings, small spans, etc.) will help.

Given how good the SuperTwin I have is - and it equated to a bargain for me, I can't see that £1500 for this is a deal-breaking price. I'd love an excuse to have one of these!