teej

[quote name='FlatEric' post='890080' date='Jul 9 2010, 07:22 AM']Keep them coming, there's some very interesting reading - I'm thinking of starting a Nostalgia Spot. [/quote]
Nostalgia? Nah - it's not what it used to be...

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='889228' date='Jul 8 2010, 08:27 AM']Does it say anywhere how much that discount is?[/quote]
I went as far as I needed with a dummy transaction to find out - and, of course, the clue is in the code: it's 10%.

Around that time (probably '77, but could have been '78) I bought a brand new Fender Musicmaster for £85. Later - '78 or '79 - I bought a second hand Rickenbacker 4001 for £275. Still got it.

[quote name='d-basser' post='887565' date='Jul 6 2010, 05:35 PM']truly intrigued by the bucket/tea chest bass idea, any advice on building one?[/quote]
Did you follow the link on Jan's post? There are some good pics and descriptions on there, but I must admit there are a couple of things I'm not entirely clear about.

I've only ever used the traditional design, which couldn't really be simpler, but does have its limitations. I used a zinc boiler like a tall saucepan.

There are bound to be some other sites out there with different approaches.

I feel a summer holiday project coming on...

[quote name='janmaat' post='887334' date='Jul 6 2010, 02:17 PM']Hi,

hands up I'm the tea chest player. Not so much tea chest - forget about that, it MUST be a bucket.

Have a look at the construction I'm using now here: [url="http://bucketbass.com/"]http://bucketbass.com/[/url] just get some bits of
wood and one of this "tuff tubs" from the b&q[/quote]
That's just the ticket!

Brilliant, I love it.

[quote name='flyfisher' post='887063' date='Jul 6 2010, 10:22 AM']Personally, I'd favour a car battery on a small luggage trolly - preferably one of those fully sealed ones that don't spill battery acid.[/quote]
There are lots of guys out there doing just that. I almost understood how you worked that out, but not really (I'm OK with maths, but the whole electricity thing is a bit of a closed book to me). We use a Yamaha Stagepas 500 (500W) for vocals and double bass, and a '70s Roland Cube (100W) for guitar. We perform for a good 3 hours, maybe 4. Some of the blues is pretty mellow and some of the rockabilly/jump jive is full-on.

So before we get into questions of efficiency, we need something capable of providing 600W x4 = 2.4kW ?

But we might actually need twice that if our equipment is 50% efficient? = 4.8kW ?

And if we're losing 20% to the inverter, then we'll need 6kW ?

When I'm looking to see what battery I need I'm multiplying the voltage by the Ah? And looking for an answer of 6000? (can you tell I'm struggling here?)
err, and as the voltage is going to be 12v I need 500 Ah ? A quick look at Leisure/Marine type batteries suggests the best I can get is about 135 Ah...

So have I understood the calculation method? I was going to ask how to check the efficiency of our gear, but I see you've answered that flyfisher, thanks.

[quote name='bigjohn' post='886666' date='Jul 5 2010, 09:00 PM']Tea chest is the best idea so far![/quote]
Absolutely, it was a serious suggestion. You could knock something together for next to nothing (one of your requirements, I note), keeping the whole outfit at the same acoustic level. Visually it works - people will stop just to see it. You can paint the band's name on the side, stick posters to it advertising gigs or cds for sale. And, up to a point, you'll make more money just because it's unusual. Top tip: try playing it with a drumstick rather than your hand - it's louder and you don't get blisters!

There's at least one tea chest player here: I'm sure I've seen a very fancy-looking one on someone's avatar. Anyone remember who that is? If it's you please step up and comment...

[quote name='MythSte' post='886965' date='Jul 6 2010, 03:35 AM']Christ! Are they still going?! I have a CD of theris from what must have been '98. I was just 8 years old going through salisbury and remember being blown away![/quote]
Yes, they're still going. '98? I reckon they must have only just gone amplified back then. They started off as a wholly acoustic trio: banjo, upright bass and guitar, with the banjo player tapping a tambourine with his foot and the bass player playing a little suitcase with a bass-drum pedal (also operating a remote control car with a collecting box on top - the controller cunningly hidden, taped to the side of the bass).

I was busking Salisbury around the same time with a blues/rockabilly outfit called Swamp Things.

[quote name='silddx' post='886154' date='Jul 5 2010, 11:14 AM']Love it! MIA is so cool. Didn't know there was new stuff coming![/quote]
I don't usually go for electronica, or whatever the label is that might be applied to MIA, but I love her stuff, listened to the first 2 albums pretty much constantly through January.

Right now, however, the iPod is set to shuffle through the Reggae genre (has been for a week or so - it's the sunshine that's done it), and all those Trojan boxed sets are kicking in with some forgotten masterpieces. Top Track - probably Soul Scorcher, by Carl Bryant (I think).

[quote name='bigjohn' post='886734' date='Jul 5 2010, 10:09 PM']Did they used to wear dungarees?

What Honda have you got?

I'd like a nice quiet generator. Not just for bass.[/quote]
Dungarees? May have done. Only saw them a couple of times, and both later than this shot.

Our generator is actually discontinued now, but replaced by this:

[url="http://hondagenerator.co.uk/pages/HondaEU10i.htm"]http://hondagenerator.co.uk/pages/HondaEU10i.htm[/url]

[quote name='bigjohn' post='886666' date='Jul 5 2010, 09:00 PM']Tea chest is the best idea so far!

The problem with a generator / PA set up is the generator is likely to make too much noise. You'd need to PA everything.

Agree about the theatre thing. I'm just as likely (if not more) to give money to buskers for being entertained than I am because of how they sound.

I used to give money to 'arl tramp in Liverpool who busked with a cardboard cutout of a guitar. He was great... Sad loss.[/quote]
Our Honda is pretty quiet.

There are alternatives to the tea chest - here's an old favourite of mine. Anyone remember The Lost T-Shirts of Atlantis?

[quote name='bigjohn' post='886523' date='Jul 5 2010, 05:51 PM']I reckon therein lies your problem

I've never seen a band busking with electric bass. Have you?[/quote]

I pretty much make my living from playing bass in the street - just this weekend we've performed at Hat Fair in Winchester, the longest-running festival of street arts in the UK (36 years) - the Hat being the one passed around by performers to collect their tips. It's a huge festival which takes over the city for 3 days, with performers coming from all over the UK, Spain, France and as far away as Australia, Canada, America and New Zealand. It's a great honour to be invited (again) to perform in amongst some of the very top names in this field.

Down here in the south - Hampshire/Dorset etc - there's an Irish/Bluegrass outfit called the Huckleberries who use electric bass. They do the same as us (Red Jackson) and take a pa system onto the street with a little Honda generator. I still use the upright though - quite apart from my own preferences it's the right instrument for the street: looks impressive, grabs everyone's attention, and if you're any good at slap, will earn you more money. Punters love to see an upright bass being given a good slapping.

I know next to nothing about electricity so I can't comment on the battery/inverter options, although we have been considering going that way. Avoid the big Pignose battery amp - it's internal fittings are not robust enough (the batteries will fall over, thus disconnecting themselves from their terminals!). There are some options built by Crate that are very popular, not only with musicians, but also circus/theatre street performers who use them to play music/sound effects and to amplify clip on mics. They make a bass version, but I've never seen it and don't know anyone who uses one.

If you're serious about street performance, get an upright. You'll sometimes be able to use it acoustically, and with a little effort you can find a way to amplify it. Or make a tea chest! Seriously. Remember, this stuff is very close to theatre.

CCB?

[quote name='Captain Bass' post='862173' date='Jun 9 2010, 03:10 PM']On Sunday 13th June I will be playing the gig of my life, opening up for Bon Jovi at the O2 Arena![/quote]
I saw this thread this morning, headed out into town (Winchester) and got chatting to a lady friend who must be mates with your guitarist's Mum! Small world. Congrats and best wishes!

Red Jackson in Brighton...

[quote name='chrkelly' post='781934' date='Mar 21 2010, 06:52 PM']I'd take a good laminate bass over a cheap carved one any day.[/quote]

Me too

I'd add that my main squeeze is a '60s B&H and i love it to bits...

[quote name='daflewis' post='781504' date='Mar 21 2010, 11:16 AM']Oh dear, I've never had a thread with no response at all...

is he asking too much? opinions please..... he says ducking for cover...[/quote]

umm. no expert, but yes i think he might be pitching this a bit steep for a B&H.

Here's one from a series of photos of Red Jackson busking in Guildford. The photographer handed us some fairly straight prints afterwards (he was working in a camera shop) and then posted these photoshopped ones on flikr. We use this one on all our promo material - we think it captures the 'romance' of the street band combined with a retro feel appropriate to an outfit playing '40s-'50s rhythm'n'blues. Also has the advantage that I'm not in it.

It's something we do talk/have talked about a bit. Drummer always dresses fairly retro Americana (he's got lots of clothes bought in the states on successive visits years ago). Singer/guitarist leans to a smart casual mod , and I shift randomly from dapper retro suits to old school london gangster (so I'm told) in black leather jacket and cardigan (for busking in the cold!). It works pretty well, people often comment on our look and how it suits our sound - rhythm & blues from the '40s & '50s. The one unifying factor is the hats - flat caps, kangols rather than old geezer caps. We could do more, and I think we may well be doing so later this year - I don't think a uniform is really on for us, but we might do something like all get different bowling shirts for summer busking.

[quote name='yanto' post='756826' date='Feb 25 2010, 10:10 AM']What are they like pizz?I play Western Swing/Honky Tonk so I need a string that's got a bit of thump and good fundamental but can be slapped as well.[/quote]
I like them, a very easy string to play, almost too easy, it took a little while to get used to them. And don't stick them on just before a gig, they take a while to stretch and settle in. Be aware that they are big strings, so you might have to alter the grooves on your nut and bridge - I did.

I'm not sure how they compare with Honeys, I might try them next.

I slap a lot and I've just changed from Spirocores to Innovation Silver Slaps. I'm very pleased with them indeed, great strings. Just wondering why it took me so long to find them!

[quote name='Steve Amadeo' post='755449' date='Feb 23 2010, 08:34 PM']Sounds good. Would like to see pics![/quote]
there's a slideshow on the blog, steve

I was going to do this to my B&H Excelsior, not because I didn't like the colour, and it sure as hell wasn't shiny any more, but because it was looking seriously tatty, and I was embarrassed to take it out. However, when I got it all stripped down to wood I kinda liked it, and remembered how I'd hankered for a blonde bass all those years ago. So, taking a guitar-builder's advice I slapped on 7-8 layers of shellac.

Find out a bit more about it here...

[url="http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=96193816&blogId=246561590"]myspace blog[/url]

[quote name='Huwberry' post='731675' date='Feb 1 2010, 01:25 PM']It's always nice to see some great buskers!

Maybe it's worth putting the band name somewhere, i.e. on the bass drum skin, for the sake of finding videos of yourself online (if you're that fussed)?[/quote]
It's good point, and one that hadn't escaped me - he used to have our previous band's name on a skin, but not got round to doing it for this lineup (we've only been together 5 years... ).

The name's pretty clear on the 'CDs available here' sale sign in the leather case, which seems to be bleached out on the video. I've started working on a banner and lawn sign to order from vistaprint but not finished yet (clearly spending too much time on youtube, flickr and here - oops!).