sykilz

The internet ruining something that was introduced due to the internet ruining something else. I now buy all my cds in HMV because they are now cheaper than Amazon now they charge for postage, and their prices have, generally, risen too.GREED. I realise that this is not linked to the OPs dilemma, and I sympathise, as he says, the solution is easy, limit customers or let people order by name but make them pick up in shop.

Really like the gold one, the changes, although subtle, for me really work and give a more "modern " look, to me, whatever that means..!!!!

Our singer makes a good front man, it's what sold me on joining that band rather than another, he's a good enough singer, we do mainly pubs and small clubs doing hard rock and rocked up pop, but he can engage well with a crowd of any size and has enough banter to keep them on our side! Seen too many good local bands who just shuffle around between songs looking a bit bored.

Strangely..Dream Theater, who I don't usually care for, think it helps me to stay awake as I try to figure out what they're playing....and why....

Our active PA speakers were B stock, can't see why, worked fine for last year, must have done 30-40 gigs so far.

Can't beat the feeling of being the owner of a new bass, sure you could have got an early 00's US one, but you don't know how its been looked after, and anyway,these new Mex instruments are fab, I have a '13 jazz in white and maple and it's superb. Congratulations, looks fab!!!!

As soon as you think " wow, this is going well, haven't made any mistakes yet..." You do. Well I do anyway, even after 30 years playing. So I tend not to think at all now. If anyone in the band makes a howler, no one really notices unless its the drums going badly out of time, but if a mistake does occur, just get back in time with the drummer and carry on regardless, you'll be fine!!!

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1427794692' post='2734234'] Maybe Trivium are just popular with a younger crowd I know a few younger than me that got into guitar playing because of that one album! What do I know however? I'm just a twenty one year old that should have been around in the 80's! [/quote] This is what I'd been hoping to hear though, my opinions are obviously skewed by the time I got into metal, which was about '83, and you tend to keep the bands you first got into as benchmarks, I think. I just hoped that the younger metal fans coming through will have their bands to latch onto and they can still hold them dear to their hearts in twenty years time, the musical landscape does shift so much, perhaps the day of mega star metal and indeed hard rock bands, is over, there are plenty of good quality bands around, just the " buisness model" of music is different maybe?

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1427792943' post='2734197'] Shogun? [/quote] Shogun is great, but not sure it's quite up there, I mean if you asked someone with a rudimentary grip of music to name a song by Iron Maiden.....Run to the Hills...or Metallica...Enter Sandman....these aren't ,in my opinion, these band s best songs by a looooong way, but they are bon fide classics that have allowed these bands to get to a level that is clearly way above any metal band since. To counter my own argument, Slipknot have managed to achieve a massive following and rightfully headline festivals ( also Rammstein, so perhaps I am just an old fart talking crap!!)

I have upgraded my Yamaha to hipshots because of the weight, however I have a mex jazz, and had a mex P, never thought to change them as the stock ones worked just fine.

[quote name='JamesXP' timestamp='1427734783' post='2733645'] Thanks guys Its lots of fun we do some Ratt, GnR, Tesla and many good things from the 80s much easier to have fun on stage with haha [/quote] That's my teenage years, right there ^ !!!!! Would love my band to do some stuff like that, but the pubs we play we'd be greeted with blank faces!

Here's a related question though, there are obviously still some very good metal bands around, from all sub genres of the all encompassing "Metal" tag, but who is going to be the next BIG metal band....I mean Maiden, Metallica, Pantera, Anthrax, Slipknot style big, or is that an outdated idea, will there never be another metal band who is an instant headline choice at festivals, and who can sell out a few dates at Wembley? It looked a while back that Trivium were the heir apparents to Metallicas throne, but they never really had that seminal song/album that the old school metal bands did. I must admit that as I've got older I've leaned back more to heavy rock rather than metal, so not as up on the scene as I used to be,but still love an occassional dabble in extreme noise, and would hate for the genre to slip quietly away......

Dokken were absolutely my fave band in the 80's, much respect!!!!!!

[quote name='Fisheth' timestamp='1427561024' post='2731775'] Neonfly if you like older styles of Metal. [/quote] Oooh, liked the bit of Neonfly I heard. Also checked out Threshold, kind of a more raw Dream Theatre, don't know how long they've been around, but nice riffage.

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1427303746' post='2728630'] You don't like operatic and you like Maiden? Sorry, just seems strange to me [/quote] I know what you mean, some people find Bruce operatic, I also like Geoff Tate, so perhaps I was using the wrong word, perhaps squealy high pitched singers who think they are better than they are is the phrase....? Saw a band supporting Ugly Kid joe...think they were called I am I.....eeeeeek, what a fright.

^ will do, ta.

What I really really want is a great, original, powerful metal band....BUT with a singer who actually sings....not a grunt/screamer. Don't have to be all operatic, cos that gets on my nerves too, but Hetfield style, even some Anselmo stuff is great, but enough with the wierd noises!!!!

TwistedSister were one of the first rock bands I got into, when they were at thepeak of their popularity about 1983, great memories of seeing their superb videos and great anthemic tunes. IMO was a great era for American rock, though sure others wouldn't agree, but living in an age when music on TV was all pop all the time, seeing Twisted Sister, or Motley Crue, or Ratt on Entertainment USA just opened my excited 14 year old eyes to a whole new world of OTT rock.

My jazz is a 2013 too...great neck...must be a " future classic" year....!!!!

When I went out shopping for my jazz I wanted the Squier CV, but also tried a Mex standard and US standard, and spent my hard earned on theMex, felt much more solid and well made than either of the others, the US had a plectrum sized gap round the neck joint, the Squier just felt...ok....the Mex was lightest too. Sound wise the US was best, but not over twice as good, and that was the price difference. Since added Dimarzio pups, all good, best neck for me that I've ever played, sooo comfortable.

I quite like it, but hate his voice soooo much, but I guess that's what makes them a bit different to the "norm". They're not the first band to " borrow" a riff, and it is a very good one!

Depeche Mode...Personal Jesus....???? http://youtu.be/u1xrNaTO1bI

Good hard rock band, I know a few hardcore Lizzy fans who've seen this lot live and rave about them, so guess that's approval. I quite like them, nothing too original, but hey, they make a sound I like , that'll do.

I run a TC electronic BH500 into a BC4x10, so not too dissimilar to your rig, and my guitarists are WAY loud, rhythm guy goes into a 4x12 Marshall, has a deep sound, and lead has an Engl valve head into 2x12 which is face meltingly loud and Van Halen like in tone, and I find that the best EQ on my amp is to boost the bass and low mids a bit, forget about treble, not gonna be heard, BUT, the bass ( guitar ) needs to have a big deep tight sound to work, my Yamaha BB414 works perfectly, my Fender Jazz less so. Some venues the Fender is o.k but needs more bass added, the Yammy just seems to sit sonically in the right place, we often get compliments that the mix of our sound is really well spread, even though we usually just turn up and play without much setting up! I guess that sonically I'm getting below the guitars...? Hope some of this helps! Just seen Lozzs reply, seems pretty much the opposite works for him....doh...!!!!!

I had to do the reverse transition, for about 15 years I exclusively played my Washburn 5 string with 17mm string spacing, then took a break from playing, then went back into a covers band a few years back, and a regular 19mm fender type bass felt all spaced out and wrong, but it does get better...in time.