phil_the_bassist

I have to admit, I'm dead chuffed with my Sandy (California JM custom shop 5er) stunning build quality, epic sound, great balance, and I love the headstock! Fantastic modern takes on stylish, classic designs! looks like you'll have a beauty there

I'd also like to think that I'd think about the ethics behind my bass, but to be perfectly honest, it really doesn't cross my mind...and considering some of the exotic woods found in my (and many, many others) collections, I doubt if many people check for certificates to make sure the cocobolo/wenge/zebrawood/mahogany/wtf are sourced for sustainable, ethical forests! A damn shame I know, but I doubt it's gonna stop any time soon

i'll be there weekend of the 4th/5th dec, if that helps!

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='660373' date='Nov 20 2009, 05:31 PM']It's the thought that counts. And £5.00 is e-nuff for a modest bottle of Tesco Red. Thanks for the headser, casapete [/quote] +1!

[quote name='iamapirate' post='657319' date='Nov 17 2009, 06:39 PM']Just that moment when you open the case for the first time... ooh![/quote] +1

is it possibly more a question of what bass suits you, as opposed to what bass suits what style? We're always banging on about 'The funk's in the player, not the bass' and 'most of your sound comes from your fingers', and I agree that there are some basses that beg to be spanked, and others that need a good fingering (yes, I'm still on about basses here!) but possibly it's about what works with YOU in each situation. Case in point: I can't stand P's because whatever I play doesn't sound good on a P style bass. It doesn't matter if I'm trying to chug MustHang Sally, rip thru some early RHCP, or play some Rush, The bass and I sound *C*R*A*P*. Yet gimme a EBMM/G&L/Sandberg on any gig and (in my very humble and often misguided opinion) I will be able to make a noise I'm happy with! Does that make sense, or am I talking Bulls Hit?

lol! I've got a few experiences I'd like to share (read 'get off my chest'): In my first originals band, we lost our guitard to wanderlust and had to have him [s]shot[/s] replaced. We auditioned a few guys, and came to the decision to hire this one monkey cos he was the best of the bunch...aka the floatiest turd in the cesspool. As we had a heavy lineup of gigs, it was imperative we get him up to speed, no faffing, and get gig-ready asap. So, we rehearse, all goes well, his gear is a bit crackly, he's a bit of a prick, and his solo's often sound out ("I'll have it sorted by next practice, I promise!") but we get gigging. After a few gigs we start to realise that he doesn't actually know how his gear works or goes together, to the extent that he had his head and pedals permanently connected lest he forget which lead goes where! He was doing a crap job of hiding his egotistical, abrasive personality, with telling us how to play each of our instruments, how to run the band, and how to take a $hit cos we obviously didn't know as much as him! It ended when the drummer and I lost our rag and laid hands on the gent after he cocked up another big gig for us by failing miserably in feedback avoidance, musicianship, and being a decent human being. In yet another band, which was billed as a tribute/function band with some original material, I should've walked after the first phonecall. I answered the ad, and spoke to the gent on the phone. We got on really well, I was really into the music we'd be doing, he seemed like a top bloke, and if we hadn't been in a band together, I'm sure we'd still be friends now...[i]BUT[/i] In the first conversation, he started name-dropping, bigging up the bands prospects, listing previous and future very high-end gigs we'd been booked for, and generally dazzling me with talk of big stages, masses of money and bright lights. I thought briefly "This sounds too good to be true!" and prep for the audition. I learn the songs, get my kit in top order, dryclean the ol' whistle, polish the shoes and get to the audition early enough to sneak a listen to some of the competition. The bassist before me seemed unsure of most of the lines, and as these were pretty specific and song-driving, it was important to get 'em right. I'd got 'em nailed so aside from me freezing up or blanking, I was pretty confident I would have a shot at this gig! I walk in there when it was my time, set up in front of the manager, the soundguy, and about half a dozen hangers-on (turned out to be various family members of the band/manager). We get straight in, and halfway thru the first song, the guitarist/singer fumbles and drops the ball. He says it's cos they've been auditioning bassists for 4hrs prior, so I think nothing of it (playing the same 8 songs for 4hrs would make anyone f***ed off and f***ed up!) and we carry on. The drummer's great, and the singers got the vocal chops for the task, an he can smack his guitar pretty well so it's all cushty. I get the call from the manager that I'm in, providing the next three practices go well. In the time period of the next three practices (cutting long story short) the soundguy tries to join the band (which as it's a specific 3piece, it a problem), then quits, the drummer quits, the guitarist's Mrs finds out about him playing the field and leaves, we find a new drummer, and our manager does no 'managing' whatsoever. In the meantime, I get told of these massive gigs that we've been booked for, including BIG tours, BIG festivals, meeting UK rock royalty, tv, radio, magazines etc etc but one by one each falls flat and turns out to be lies...including one festival we're supposedly booked for in November that actually took place in May All I can say to anyone is, if it sounds too good to be true, then be 99.999% certain that it is.

[quote name='jmsjabb' post='655469' date='Nov 15 2009, 09:59 PM']That sounds like you are leaving and saying goodbye! Now that would be a shame![/quote] not at all! I'm here to stay

I just wanted to give a big thank you to everyone who's helped me out by buying my stuff, and the guys I've bought and traded with/from. It's proved that Ebay Suck, Cash is King, and Paypal is useful at times (mebby) and Bassist are all top people who don't get the credit they're owed. None of this would be possible without all the members, Mods, and of couse our fearless leader, Ped. It's been a big help having a community like this when my lifes been turned upside down, and I know others feel the same. This wouldn't happen in many demographics, and it proves that there's still some decent people left in this world! Big up yo' selves, you deserve it!

found one! thanks

Hey Y'all! Anyone got a transcript of 'Hair' by Larry Graham? I will be sickeningly grateful, and will buy a drink for the first person who shows me the way to an accurate transcript in either tadpoles or tab!

well, it seems like they're looking for someone with orcestral experience, and if they can't they'll scrape the barrel and get me It's Fiddler On The Roof, for a production down Dorset way, nothing too flashy but it'll be my first proper chair, and not a dep I'll be given a pad with the bass score sometime before the rehearsal, and my teacher (who knows the fixer) is hoping to get me the charts in plenty of time. It's all a bit nerve wracking, and I'm currently chewing through all the complex charts to get my chops back up! Gotta love some of those Jamerson transcripts!

Hey all! Erm, I maybe up for a possible gig maybe possibly at maybe the end of possibly november. Maybe. It will (if all the maybe's and possibly's come together) be my first Proper bass chair at a theatre, for real actual monies and eveything, and I REALLY don't wanna f*** it up by blanking out at the audition/rehearsals. So I'm listening to an OCR of the West End version to get the idea of whats going on, but I'd love some advice on theatre/pit etiquette, the do's and don'ts of working with a conductor/orchestra, and if by any chance anyone has an example of the sorta notation I'd be looking at getting, I'd be very very grateful! I[i] can[/i] read, but I'm not confident at cold reading charts, and I've only experienced good, clear notation from StandingO.T.S.O.M., and some of the online Sibelius resources. Should I practice reading handwritten charts? will I be expected to make alterations? Many drinks will be owed for any help and advice

[quote name='Paul_C' post='639186' date='Oct 28 2009, 03:59 PM']Steve Lawson uses a drum stool with the padded back - looks pretty cool [/quote] thats true...I dunno, I just don't wanna have to deal with the questions that will arrise with any of these situations...it's hard enough to cope with, without having to go into it all! lol! The comfy drum throne sounds like a good plan, but can I get away with it at a rock/mod gig..?

just looked at some of those guitar holders....fecking hell are they expensive!! The backpack straps are [i]slightly[/i] better than a standard strap, but still screw me up. I'll probably try to adapt some drum hardware to hold my bass, or something

lol! I'd love to get the chops together to play an upright, and this'll be the perfect opportunity! I've had to give up my sporting hobbies due to the failings in my shoulders. I can't lift my upper arms higher than about 20deg above horizontal (reaching for holds), I can't rotate my arms (swimming, paddling, punching), and I can't push forward (push ups, punching, benchpressing) without the joint moving like a knackered set of wheel barings. I'm in pretty much permanent discomfort, so much so that lifting a pint makes my shoulders crunch and crackle like someone popping their knuckles as everything moves and shifts! I've got a steiny Synapse, and I still get the same problems. I've tried the double-shoulder straps, and it still screws everything up it's hopefully not permanent, as long as they can somehow fuse it all in place which will be months/years away. I won't be able to get away with using a stool on either of my main gigs, so it looks like I'll be putting an ad up for my replacements! Luckily, the fact that my upper arm>shoulder angles are pretty comfy when playing sat down means I'll just have to find theatre/studio work (methinks thats somehow easier said than done! ) and I can't just battle through and ignore the advice cos that'll a: prolong the injury and b: affect the compo claim cos I'll be going against the doctors advice whataloada balls, eh?

As a continuation to [topic="64171"]my previous Bitchin' and Whinging[/topic], I've just had some shithole bad news. I've been medically recommended to stop playing bass. Or at least, 'Stop Playing Bass Standing Up' which effectively ends my gigging until I can get it all fixed. I had a fecker of an accident a few years ago, and it's caused me to have major back and shoulder problems where I've got a series of small fractures along my collar bone and mis-aligned shoulders, and my back is pretty fecked along the length. It's meant that I had to give up my tree surgery, rock climbing, kickboxing, surfing and going to the gym...and it basically left me with my bassplaying. Now, I've been told that wearing the bass on a strap exacerbates my shoulders, and I've tried wearing the bass on a belt-type strap...but that screws my lower back up. So, yeah. Another bitch and whinge, but I feel like I need to get it out in the open cos none of my friends/family really understand just how hard a Kick In The Nuts this is to me. o well, I'm off to find a bottle of something brown, flammable, at least 12yrs old, and scottish :wacko: