grumpyguts

I didn't get it, purchased a Hartke LH500 instead. This makes noise via Warwick 1x15 & 2x10.

My last time out in front of an audience was 1986 at Esher College, that was till last night. Approx ten mins and three songs at a blues jam night in Ascot.

Sitting and waiting for our go was a bit of a struggle, particularly as all the other players were excellent; our guitarist was a concerned soul. I kept thinking that what little I did know would escape me as soon as I got up there.

Going from just playing at home to joining a band is one step, taking this to a audience is another. Everything sounds different, I couldn't hear what I was doing as clearly as I would like and the vocals were not as loud on stage as we are used to in the practice room.

However I think it went quite well, a couple of ladies started to dance - well it was quite late by then..

Will be doing it again I hope, just got to think of a band name.

That is interesting, we have been considering SRM450's but I am aware that opinion on these is mixed.

Any views on these - other than the rather significant weight?

Brick House

I don't do much blubbing but these give pause for thought.

I've Been Loving You Too Long - massive vocal from Otis Redding

There was a tv programme a few years ago called F1 The Killer Years, they played Put a Candle In The Window by CCR over the end credits - it didn't help lighten the mood.

However.. Trying to get For Once In My Life sorted; currently more than my brain can take.

I just keep at it until it sticks, no secret method. If I have a spare few mins I just run through as many different bits of songs as possible - not the whole thing.

It was the Guitarist that kicked the band off back in April, typically he is influenced by Floyd, Clapton, Hendrix etc. Not too sure where he wanted it to go. He may or may not be happy with the influence of the singer - that's not my problem. We are now looking at a list of old RnB, Soul and Pop - fine by me.

My intention was just to see if (after over 25 years of bass inactivity) I could play anything acceptable. If the answer was yes (and it is) I would then have the confidence to perhaps join something more serious.

With the addition of our vocals it looks as if I won't have to look elsewhere. This is getting more serious, I just have to work to be sure I keep my end up - or in the case of bass perhaps down? I am quite self critical and well aware of the areas I need to work on.

Where that leaves Mr Sax remains to be seen.

Currently enjoying these somewhat.

Shake Your Tail Feather
Le Freak

I am aware that I could be in the same position as mr sax player sometime ahead. This helps my motivation to work hard on my stuff. This is a good thing.

If she knew an available bass player I guess she would have already gone down that route.

Who knows what is ahead.

i am not bothered about the singer taking over, so long as I remain on the Bass.

Us original members could have continued to fart around once a month and achieve nothing, I know the drummer is up for more and so am I - she is giving us a shove in the right direction.

Her reply to our add on Join my Band indicated that she had been intending to put her own band together, I had a fair idea given her previous experience something like this was possible.

The situation with the sax player was more troubling to me as I didn't want to see him treated badly - I think I have sorted that. It will be interesting to see what happens..

I have a list of 20 tracks I need to get sorted by the 10th.. Happy Christmas!

I contacted Guitar & Drums earlier this evening letting them know I didn't feel happy not communicating the issue to Sax man. Latest response suggests we will talk about it on the 10th without new Sax man being in attendance. So that's fair enough.

The influence of the singer dosen't bother me - so long as I am not on the boot list..She wasn't asked to find a new Sax player - I guess she just mentioned to the situation to her Sax player friend etc. She has brought some useful experience and a decent voice plus we get along ok. My aim is to work hard on the stuff we are playing and be as good as poss and hence keep my spot.

I really don't know if the current Sax player is up to it, quite likely not, from a playing perspective I would not be bothered if we replaced him. However he has to be given the opportunity to rise to the occasion. After all we are still in the process of getting stuff together I am sure we all have room for improvement.

This is why I am generally an anti social misery - it avoids all this interpersonal stuff, I can do without it.

Sax player has noted on FB that he is struggling to get the hour a day practice he knows he needs to do as the old fella in the flat below doesn't like the noise - this suggests he does have some motivation to stick with it.

Both the Guitarist and Drummer know Mr Sax from before the band - they asked him along initially. I got in via Join My Band.

The view I expressed to the other band members was that we should tell Sax player that we are now taking the whole thing more seriously (fairly evident due to the recruitment of a proper vocalist) and ask him if he feels up to more commitment. I need to follow this up.

If I was in his position I would want to be given the opportunity to sharpen up a bit. I know it's not been a big commitment up to this point but to be dumped just as it might get interesting isn't something I would be happy with.

Back in April (after many years not playing) I joined a "lets have a jam" band - after one 4 hour session a month since we have learned a few tunes and generally had a good time.

We have a chap who plays Sax and tries to sing - clearly not at the same time! To be fair he isn't too good at the singing and the Sax playing is a bit dodge. I am no Bass god so it's not something I would bring up as an issue - anyway we are just having fun...

However, last month we found a female vocalist who has been in bands, done gigs etc. This is a good thing cos I am keen to move forwards as are our guitar & drums.

After our first session with the new found singer she is clearly happy - thinks we are better then the two other bands she is working with - god knows what they sound like....Anyway, she is keen to put a set together and no doubt aim to get gigs; bang on as far as I am concerned. By the way, at the session Mr Sax player couldn't stay long and didn't do much.

A few days after the session she sent an email to our guitarist saying she knew a sax player who is keen to join us, I believe he will be at our next session on Jan 10th. As far as I can see nothing has been said to our sax player. I can't think of anything worse than turning up and finding another bloke doing "your" thing.

Should I say something to him before if the others haven't? I am keen to remain with this lot cos it's going in the exact direction I had hoped when it started.

A friend from school sold me his K bass (looked like an SG) for £5 - that was it.

Guitarists it seems can get away with a bit of slop.

Bass players can't, timing and note length are critical to getting a tight sound - if that is what you are after.

So that makes Bass a more exact science than flapping around playing chords.

Am I wrong?

The original OLP pup has a black & white wires for each coil. I wired both white to one terminal of the rear vol pot and both black to the other terminal of the same pot. My logic being that now one vol pot controls both coils - presumably like a standard mm pickup.

This allowed the front vol pot to deal with the added Wilkinson mwm4 pup.

I had hoped this would be a simple trouble free solution - clearly not.

Blend / vol / tone would be lovely - but I don't yet know enough to sort this myself.

Pre-amp also very tempting but the off shelf solutions will be intended for a single pup not two.

It's just a project to fart around with so no great concern - with the mirror scratch plate and 2 pups the olp at least looks pretty good..

Ok, here I show my extraordinary lack of knowledge on this subject. I do know loads of other stuff - most of it relatively useless.

So....

Out of phase - I have no idea what that means

How would I fix it?

Perhaps "working ok" was a little incorrect. There seems to be a sweet spot with the tone and vol pots where the bass sounds as good as I hoped it would. However turning the vol to the max on one pup has an impact on the other and the sound and overall volume suffer, back off the volume and all is well.

Vol/Blend/Tone is the way to go - I am not that keen on separate vol per pickup, I was just thinking of an inexpensive off the shelf option.

I have added Wilkinson pickup to my OLP MM2.

It is working ok wired up to the front vol pot, the original OLP pickup is now just wired to the rear pot.

However, I am not happy with the quality of the OLP electrics.

Looking online I see a variety of Jazz Bass wiring kits sold by Warhorse Guitars.

Are these suitable replacements and what difference does it make between 250k and 500k?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

ACDC with Bon Scott - I would have been a bit young...
Hendrix
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Queen with Freddie
James Brown

Eric Clapton at Wembley Stadium mid 90's; the in-laws dragged me along. Middle aged white bloke in a blue suit playing "blues." Very tedious.

Also on was Elton John - enough said.

Robert Cray @ Basingstoke Anvil

Others this year
ACDC
Marvellous 2015 - various tribute bands in a field near Reading
Rock the Moor - various 80's bands in a field in Cookham, Level 42 being one.

Thanks for all the advice, I think the template is the way to go.

I have the original (rather nasty) scratchplate to practice on.

The bass was only £80 so it's a good basis for a bit of farting around.