TrevorR

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1473021470' post='3126202'] I do have one tip - pay attention to your timing when using two. I found I drop into swing when starting with index, but I'm solid if I start with middle. [/quote] This is a great tip. My bass tutor (back when I was having lessons) always recommended leading with your middle finger rather than the index for just this reason. For some reason I don't understand it also helps make the tone more consistent across the two. Also, you can't beat simple exercises to a metronome... Straight 8ths and 16ths on one note. On a simple bass line or scale. Across the strings. All part of making it second nature and developing muscle memory. Then you can start looking at rhythms and breaking the rule where you throw in a few double or triple beats on the index finger between alternate picking. None of it is rocket science!

Better pic...

[quote name='sratas' timestamp='1472794409' post='3124258'] For a combo it's a really smart tool, and gives some sense to the amp carpeting. It does it's job brilliantly, it's stable, and this way the amp looses little to nothing because it still couples with floor. It's light, it's portable and foldable. It's pricey but you pay fir the idea and for it's use. With two cabs stacked I can imagine putting it between the two to raise and angoe the top one only...perfect for little one driver cabs [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1473027924' post='3126294'] I've had several over the years. If you like gigging lite, like I do, it's a whole lot easier to haul than a tubular amp stand. Works well and will angle a cab so you can hear it on stage and not just have it firing at your ankles. You pay for the design, efficiency and portability. How much the raw materials cost is irrelevant, IMHO. It is a Markbass product after all... [/quote] I'd agree. I've used mine with my Traveler cabs and it works a treat. Simple and effective if, as others have said, a bit overpriced for what it is. Used it with the 2x10 in both short/fat and tall/thin configurations. I've got the amp case which is Velcro'd so that solves the stability problem on the leaning cab.

The design looks very nice. Though I'd have been tempted to go for a marginally wider line spacing or a lighter font for the body text. Just to make the look a little less dense and easier on the eye. Gibsons aren't a bass that particularly interests me but if the retail was £15-20 I'd also be interested. It would certainly go on my Christmas list. How are you planning to publish it? Get a short run published or go for a POD service? The latter may be more practical for this type of project. I've often wondered if I should do a similar book on the Wal bass, especially given the level of geekery I display about the brand.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1472844572' post='3124790'] Nope. This is basschat, not..... basschat [/quote] And I just discovered today that basswood isn't pronounced basswood, it's pronounced basswood! D'oh!

Well, if the Wal Tuners thread is anything to go by you should buy some Schallers. If they break in 20 years time the MD of the company will pop over and fix them for you!

http://youtu.be/lpuS7_NPv6U

They should make it from glow in the dark plastic because there's absolutely no chance you'd be scrabbling all over a darkened stage at a gig trying to find it after it flew out from between your fingers...

But it has a lovely personality, I hear. No worse than those Zon Hyperbasses (which I've always suspected is what gave Steve the idea... But certainly not my personal cuppa char.

https://reverb.com/item/2807408-wal-3-octave-fretless-custom-2005-quilted-maple-facings All, looks like Steve Chesney is selling one of his two 36 fret Wals.. The fretless of the pair. He just posted a link at the FB Wal group. Pete at Wal only ever made two of these, both for Steve. Looks like a southpaw might be in with the chance of a truly unique bass! No affiliations other than being a huge Wal geek.

You say you want to get into the world of weddings/functions... Welcome the the world of wedding and function gigs. Having played loads of weddings these were the comments that really chimed for me. [quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1472460253' post='3121176'] If you want to get into functions, like many have said above, this stuff happens, but you're there to be a problem solver for the clients not a problem. The less hassle you can give them and the venue the better your reputation will be. We got asked to take off our shoes loading into a venue the other day, (the venue is part of a working arable farm and a bit dusty) the owner was delighted she didn't have to mop the floor after our sound check. More specifically to your circumstances, make sure someone babysits the mix and make sure you agree exactly how long she'll sing for. We had a venue ask us exactly the same thing, and the girl sang turgid teenage misery ballads for over the allotted time with absolutely no stagecraft/ audience whatsoever. It almost killed the entire gig! [/quote] [quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1472397961' post='3120805'] Functions are like this, they usually pay better but they are more hassle. You usually end up offering mics for speeches for Uncle Albert to do a 'turn' or you may be asked to provide a background playlist for the break. the people booking you are usually good people but have no experience of working with bands. Yes they should have asked but if they have transgressed then it's probably just because they don't know the system or as suggested that a polite request got lost in the Chinese whispers of it getting to you. It's no real biggy to provide one mic and tweak a knob or two as you have the PA there anyway. It'd be more hassle if she brought her own PA. £350 sounds like a good sum for a first gig. Relax [/quote] [quote name='kusee pee' timestamp='1472400374' post='3120831'] In my experience, it's worth being as accommodating as possible unless there's a real cost to you or a risk to your equipment. It's a shame you weren't asked before but if you show willing to do everything to make the event special then the chances are that the reputational benefits will come back to you. Particularly if you are trying to get a foot in the functions door. There have been many times where we've got bookings from guests, friends, relatives of the original client and it's as often from how we are to deal with as how we perform. Of course you don't want to be taken for a ride but you should be able to get a win from this I would think. [/quote] [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472408338' post='3120922'] Lots of flexibility and patience is needed for wedding and other function gigs. You'll arrange everything down to the minutest detail weeks in advance, then on the day the bride will change her mind about something. You'll need to be able to just accept that, and to be able to be flexible. Playing times, set lengths, where you set up, the times you set up, they can and invariably will change, often on the day. Just grit your teeth sometimes, smile and enjoy the occasion. [/quote] You'll run into this sort of situation all the time. The question you need to ask yourself is how do you want the clients to feel about you. "Well, we paid them all this money to play and then they started to get really arsey about all sorts of stuff. I really really wouldn't recommend them for your 40th party..." And believe me, they just have no clue about band etiquette, they will think they've paid top dollar however much discount they've been given, they have no idea they've taken a bit of a liberty etc etc etc. Had all sorts of stuff from the happy couple. So long as real liberties aren't being taken Its better to be "Oh they were so lovely and helpful, even when we ended up messing them about about (whatever)... I'd recommend them to anyone. Definitely book them." Certainly establish limits (which may or may not be flexible) but remember that you aren't there as a band. You're certainly not there as "an artiste". You're there as a service provider in the service industry. Weddings never run as planned or to time. We've been in the position of dropping entire sets because the photos and meal and speeches etc ran on so long. As to the X-Factor wannabe definitely remain in control of the PA. You could say to the bride, "Well, we're just thinking about the flow of the evening, and singing with backing tracks can flag after a bit compared to a full live band so I'd really recomnend keeping her set to 30 mins, 40 at most. It will just make the whole thing flow so much better for all your guests." That may convince her. Anything perceived a band whinging won't achieve anything other than scenario 1 above. But if she insists you may just have to grin and bear it. You should also ask to deal direct with the other singer, so ask for contact details. And then agree logistics direct with her. Including transition logistics... I'd suggest something like. After the allotted time the band will quietly take up positions behind her on stage and at the end of the song will make a Thank You announcement to the audience... E.g. "Thank you to Wannabe Starlet for an amazing set. Amazing! Let's have a huge round of applause for Wannabe Starlet (cue polite smattering of claps). No let's have everyone up onto the dance floor for [Mustsng Sally/Brown Eyed Girl]..." To maintain the flow of the music, of course. The fact it makes you look professional and keeps you in control is merely a bonus!

[quote name='Mark Dixon' timestamp='1472228630' post='3119682'] One more Wal, Mk I cherry burst flame maple.. yum yum [/quote] Droooool!

This thread got me thinking about changing musical tastes... When I was 16 my absolute fave bands would have included: Electric Light Orchestra, Thin Lizzy, Gordon Giltrap, Doobie Brothers, Yes and Horslips. All still high up on my listening list today. Others would have been right up there too. Pre-hair metal Whitesnake is now on the "Meh!" pile (though I still love Neil Murray's playing on those tunes). However, Led Zeppelin, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Gillan (silly metal phase) and a good chunk of 70s Deep Purple, although top spins then, I now find pretty much unlistenable! How times change.

Or even more specifically... Good reason why she was "Rear of the Year" a few years running!

And Genesis could sound pretty immense with Bill/Chester in the instrumental bits where Phil wasn't singing...

Or you can get "Medi Swabs" or "Sterets" pre injection swabs - soaked in isopropyl alcohol. As a diabetic I always used to have them kicking around. 1000 uses... cassette head cleaning, getting sticky labels off CD cases, de-gunking strings... Careful with the liquid. Not great for rosewood fingerboards.

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Yeah, I'm not aware of them ever doing a formal Signature model. Looks like a pretty bog standard early SB1000... but with this... [size=3][font="Calibri"][color="#000000"][/color][/font][/size] Looks like The Gallery are just parroting the Sotheby's auction literature which is also pictured... Heck of a celebrity mark up. File under memorabilia not under musical instrument!

As others have said, it's not about size of kit, it's about control and the ability to play with dynamics as required for both the song and the room. I've been very lucky always to have played with drummers who have been able to do this. I recall seeing a seminar with Mark Richardson from Skunk Anansie once where he demonstrated the keys of dynamic control. He played a series of snare hits from only just audibly quiet to excruciatingly loud from a relaxed sitting position with almost no visually noticable difference in his physical movements. All just from minimal elbow and wrist movements... That's control!

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1472056371' post='3118091'] Hmm... Still a bit cheeky of the Gallery to suggest it's a signature model. [/quote] Well, Aria did emboss his name on the truss rod cover before they gave it to him! At that price you're spending about £500 a letter...

6 grand for a second hand SB1000! That's some celebrity mark up! Cosmo, sort of. Bruce loosely endorsed Aria in the early 80s. He was pictured in their literature playing an SB1000.

Yes, a Steinberger is cool as hell but not necessarily comfy to play. A Precision or Jazz type copy plus a small bass practice amp combo should be sufficient to get you started. On, and a good tuner like a "Snark" (yes, really Google it) or Polytune clip on tuner. Some systemic beginner lesson in whatever form would be good to help you get the basics under your fingers would be god too. I came across this online a while back. Probably a bit old fashioned in the YouTube age but it covers many basics... [url="http://www.wheatsbassbook.com"]http://www.wheatsbassbook.com[/url]

Another JG bass based blog up on the site today... Enjoy... http://walbasshistory.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/jg-bass-special-pt-3-gallery-mk-1-jg.html

Well, there's the "clickbait" title out of the way... It's funny. This post has been bubbling up in me over the last few weeks, months even. And I guess that the email which popped into my inbox today announcing that VW was the latest featured bassist in the SBL Podcast kinda acted as the impetus. No, let's get one thing straight. Mr Wooten is clearly anything BUT rubbish, his mastery of the bass is undeniable. He has taken his bass playing technique into areas which I can barely imagine and could never ever aspire to. However, however much I try (and believe me over the years I actually have tried repeatedly) I've never failed to find his playing a passion-killing combination if "incredibly impressive" and "very very dull". In particular his solo playing. Very impressive. Very, very impressive but, for me immensely boring and quite often rather un-musical to my ears. Can't argue with the impressiveness. Thing is, I rarely ever sit down to listen to music with the intention of being impressed. I'll listen to it for pretty much any other reason. And it's not that I'm anti technique - some of my favourite players have immense technical expertise and ability - off the top of my head Michael Manring, Abe Laboriel and Steve Lawson spring to mind but I love the music that they make and it seems to me watching or listening to them that the technique, expertise and ability serve as a vehicle for the music they make. And the emotional content they infuse their music with. Watching and listening to Wooten it always feels the other way around, musical notes in service of a display of technique. To me anyway. Then there's his Flecktones playing which again feels to me like perfectly efficient and effective professional standard bass playing interspersed with short "stunt bass" interludes. How else can I describe how I feel about VW's playing in another form? Well, watching the world "Keepie-Uppie" champion breaking another world record is very impressive... I'd much rather watch a classic 1970s Brazil vs Holland match with Pele and Cruyff squaring up against each other. What do you guys think?

A wee bit of Tir Na Nog for you too... http://youtu.be/3qp_VR67WSQ