lemmywinks

A Steinberger style cricket bat bass? Can get a cheap set of hardware on AliExpress for £30: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-String-Headless-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Bridge-Guitar-Part-Black-Alloy-Guitar-Bridge-Musical-Instruments-Accessories/32818598478.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.93.a4fb20aaSvqUiz&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10151_10065_10344_10130_10068_10324_10342_10547_10325_10343_10340_10548_10341_10696_10192_10190_10084_10083_10618_10307_10820_10301_10821_10303_10869_10868_10059_100031_10103_10624_10623_10622_10621_10620,searchweb201603_45,ppcSwitch_4&algo_expid=37c2491b-3fbb-46ac-a85b-b899e503d12e-14&algo_pvid=37c2491b-3fbb-46ac-a85b-b899e503d12e&transAbTest=ae803_2&priceBeautifyAB=0

Good to hear from you David and welcome to the forum!

Load the PA and drums in first, keep everything off stage. I set up the subs and tops, run cables to the desk which our guitarist takes charge of as he does our sound usually. Set up lights and run cables for them, do mic cable and stage snake runs. Then drummer sets up as we bring the rest of our gear in, I only use a small powered wedge, our guitarist has a little combo and the keys player uses in-ears, then I set up a little monitor for me and the drummer so we can hear keys and vocals, everybody else has in-ears for this. Sound check, put the banners up (they're the pull up type) then have a pint, unless the load in is difficult we are done in under 45 mins easily these days, some gigs where the access door is right near the stage we're done in half an hour. We've made loads of adjustments to our gear (both PA and backline) to get into a routine where everybody has something to do, it's mainly me and the guitarist but lackey work like assembling mic stands and packing cases away is done by the keys player. Next step is wireless lights I think.

Have a look at the Bartolini TC3

Looks like distribution in the UK has switched from Proel to these guys: http://www.mslpro.co.uk I'd give them a shout.

I had the acoustic guitar version of that case many years ago, extremely high quality for a well priced semi rigid gigbag with tons of protection. Good job too as I sold it with my acoustic and the couriers bounced it around various depots for a week, guitar arrived back with me and then eventually to it's new owner completely unscathed. Pretty bulky though, moreso than the already chunky Blake gigbag.

It's a necessity for me, I didn't really want to move from 4 strings. Nothing particularly complex or flashy about 5 strings either I don't think - you see tons of people playing them and there's nothing difficult about it, in fact I can now play a fair few songs in our set without moving my left hand position so it looks much less impressive!

Worth having a look at this auction, I've got two and they're great quality cases being sold at clearance as the company is out of business I think: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-Blake-Bravo-Guitar-Case-Brand-New/323345917152?hash=item4b48eb24e0%3Ag%3AbhYAAOSwcs9a7Jv4&_sop=15&_nkw=blake&_from=R40&rt=nc BIN prices are now £48 which is still less than half the original price. There's a thread somewhere on here.

MarkBass Nano too, ex demo one here for a good price: https://www.livelouder.co.uk/product/markbass-nano-mark-300-bass-head-ex-demo/?gclid=CjwKCAjw4avaBRBPEiwA_ZetYuGqgcVfFUmg1B_atcC_QygVChy3PFBml40bF-NND95CLEnFaIEoIRoCKeAQAvD_BwE Has a Speakon combi jack and is 21cm x 20cm so more in line with the GK than the Trace.

It's about screwdrivers now bud, pay attention!

That's a good point actually, what's the market like for far right gigs? The money they don't spent on well fitting clothes, soap and sun tan lotion could be lining our pockets!

Probably sounded like a great idea after a few cans at rehearsal though!

There's nothing political about the free Tommy nonsense though. It's not even a rational argument, let alone a political statement.

There's a function band I know where the bassist uses a 6 string Ken Smith purely because it's his favourite bass. That's quite good logic IMO. I know quite a few players who just don't fixate on gear at all, they played a great bass, bought it and gig with it every time without wanting to change it, I think it's more common outside of forums where shiny new things don't catch the eye so much!

One of his more well known basses - the Streamer with the Iroquai pattern on - was a 5, when I think of Stuart Zender that's the bass I think of. He also used another 5 string Streamer live quite a bit as well as the 4 string Stage 1 he was pictured with regularly.

If your 5 string has no punch and is difficult to amplify then you need a better 5 string bass and a better amplifier.

Exactly, for live use this is the point. However the QSC has a 3rd 3.5mm input for hooking up a laptop/tablet/whatever to play music so I can see how the dance preset would be useful for omtting a desk entirely if you wanted to use it to provide music at a bbq or something - just plug your phone or whatever in and you're away. I'll use the bass amp preset in most cases if I'm just plugging straight into it at home, treating it like a combo amp so I don't have to get a preamp pedal out for a quick play.. Basically it encourages laziness which I'm all up for.

Most of the presets sounded more like options for vocal monitoring to me rather than for FOH or instrument use, from memory only the dance and default presets sounded like something I'd want to use in that regard, obviously the bass amp preset for bass monitoring too. Would be nice if there was some more information in the manual.

He's approaching 50 in that video too, the absolute b@st@rd.

I switched to 5 strings because absolutely I needed to, came to a point where it was a chore working around the limitations of a 4 with regards to songs we play. Not something I wanted to do (I had some very nice and expensive 4 strings I was perfectly happy with) but needs must. Playing a 5 is much easier too, wouldn't go back if I could.

Mine is the Alder V7 5 string and is 10lb give or take an ounce or two, would be interesting to get some weights of the V3 and V9 models. From memory I got mine used for around £300 which is an astounding amount of bass for Squier money, great B string too. I think if Sire could do their own in house Ultralight copies and get the body weight down to make a 7-8lb bass they would be onto a winner, I'd buy at least one.

Yeah the weight is the one downside which isn't easily rectifiable, it's not a dealbreaker and they aren't any heavier than a lot of J type basses. I was coming from 7lb Cort 5 strings with compact bodies so I suppose the Sire felt heavier than it actually was!

Jaco liked 5 strings: That's a Gretsch (or a Guild? can't remember, think it began with a G) and a custom acoustic he specced I think.