knirirr

Some developers near where I live have had a planning application to build houses accepted where the directly adjacent neighbour is the shooting club. Next to the chaps firing rifles (and not just .22) there are the Rugby and football clubs. I suspect there will be a few noise complaints once those houses are built. Before moving I took a few late walks through the area and asked locals; the conclusion was that it was a quiet area. What I didn't discover was the plans to build a hotel nearby, with my street being on the quickest route back for hotel guests who've been trying the local pubs. New windows have dealt with most of the nuisance from that.

Never had a strap fail (yet) though I did once enjoy something like this on stage at a jam:

At present I've only got this: I'd quite like another fretless but I almost always end up playing double bass these days so it seems a bit of an extravagance (and I will be knocked out of the gear abstention challenge). This one (with Villex pickups) also crosses over with the fake Fender decals thread... Taking the neck off reveals a "Fender" stamp due to it being licensed (the body's from the same source). The decal (easily removable) is only there for the "well, you didn't bring a proper bass but at least that electric one's a Fender" crowd.

I will admit to having been compared to Mr. Tickle, but I'm afraid that in this case I cheated, as my best bass is this:

Number of strings: 4 Number of frets : 28 Scale length: 41.5" Number of pickups: 1 Number of controls (switches/knobs): 0

I sold mine (eventually) via this forum, during one of the lockdowns, for a lot less than the £404 I paid for it in 1994. Though it never failed to provide sufficient volume I definitely don't regret selling it; the weight was far too much.

This is certainly an unusual-looking instrument: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116684725531 I wonder if the lack of frets near the top was simply because it's too hard to reach that part of the neck. The same chap has a Roland Cube of the sort jazz guitarists like, but this one is filthy: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116691148146

Year Started Playing : 1993 Number of basses : 4 Music Theory : 7 (*) Technique : 3 Groove : 5 Swing: 7 (nice!) (*) I think my theory sucks, but I did manage ABRSM grade 5 (classical) and understand jazz chords so this score will perhaps suffice.

I'm not sure about any other genre but in the jazz world there are more bass solos than one could ever need. I even use the bow for some and yet the solos keep happening.

In Chipping Norton there's a "community piano" provided by the town council for the use of the general public. They even tune it from time to time and most of the keys work! This afternoon we used it to do a bit of busking as a means to promote the local jam session. A recording of Blue Bossa (a well-known jazz standard often used at jams) can be heard here. The public passing by seemed to like it; a few compliments were received and around £19 and four cans of beer were dropped into one of the drummer's cases. A nearby bakery offered free pies/cakes which the pianist was pleased to accept. The only passer-by who appeared less than fully pleased was one who commented that we needed a guitar in the band (we don't agree).

As a main band I'd have to say Mingus Tree, which I joined probably 4-5 years ago. Most of the members are based in Charlbury and we mostly play around that area, e.g. at the beer festival or other Cricket Club events such as the Oktoberfest. Also fetes, pubs, and sometimes private parties. The gig schedule is pretty relaxed, which suits me nicely. The material is jazz, though the tunes are quite accessible with fairly simple arrangements, catchy grooves (sometimes Ska or Reggae-like) and lyrics to some of the pieces; listeners who "hate jazz" have often told me that they enjoyed our sets. It's almost all original material written by the trumpet and guitar players (who founded the band long ago). There's not much I've managed to get on record but there is a video of us struggling through some bad weather at Ramsden fete and a song from a Charlbury gig where I was recovering from an inner ear infection and struggling to stay upright. I'd like to get a proper recording done but never managed it.

Normally I only listen to instrumental jazz and don't pay attention to lyrics. But, I found these entertaining and thought the song not bad at all:

That's a bit like my situation, except that anything I buy and don't like I leave gathering dust in a corner or give away because no one else appears to like it enough to offer me money for it. Similarly, though I am trying to resist as there's nothing I actually need right now...

For this gig we were supposed to play various sets around the festival site to spread our jazzy vibes (according to the site). I guess that this made us look a bit like buskers - at one point a child accosted me between tunes to offer me 50 pence. Nice that it was the bass they liked best. The audience appeared to like what we played, but it's quite accessible jazz. The weather was quite good:

Last night I did a dep gig for a U3A jazz band as their usual chap has various health issues and had been advised by his physician to take a rest. He actually turned up to watch and, fortunately, appeared to like what he heard. Not many in the audience, but it was a fairly rural venue. Nice building, though: https://thehallevents.org.uk/ Gigging again tomorrow: https://www.charlburybeerfestival.org/live-music-and-entertainment/ ...then a jam on Sunday.

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but I saw this: https://bsky.app/profile/oxfordpedestrians.bsky.social/post/3lsgqfm6hlk2v ...and wondered if the building being demolished is the one ABC Music in Oxford occupied during the 90s.

My best (and most expensive bass) is an acoustic upright so that really ought to come out for jazz gigs. It has only been broken once (neck crack from a fall when unloading afterwards). For a local jam in cramped quarters I use an EUB I got cheaply on Ebay. I would do the usual trick of a fancy carved bass for gigs and a cheap laminated one for jams, if I had space for two acoustics.

I tried that for a while, before the other eye also worsened. These days monocles only appear to be made in certain set diameters and gallery depths rather than made to fit the wearer; if those standard sizes are right for your eye then you should be fine. Otherwise, it is likely to fall out frequently and be uncomfortable to hold in pace.

Three acoustic guitarists, two saxophonists, a brass player, a drummer, a singer with amp and mic, plus me playing unamplified. Somehow, I managed to be complained at for being too loud.

We usually get booked for the Ramsden fete, finishing the musical entertainment for the day, and this year was no exception. As is the tradition, it rained towards the end of the show. Right near the end the drummer's bass drum pedal broke and he was summoned via the event PA to move his car. I have a large blister on my middle finger after some vigorous plucking. Despite all this, the audience clearly enjoyed it, we were asked to extend the set a bit, and we got paid.

Connections to pmtonline.co.uk now timing out, sadly.

Nice - thanks for posting it. The ad I saw had a fretless bass on it (which I bought) but it was a little later than the one you posted. I only have one picture of the bass, and one recording.

Monday's rehearsal involved going through some vigorous pieces on double bass, ready for a gig a week on Monday. This resulted in some blisters, so I thought I'd take it easy at tonight's (mostly gypsy jazz) jam and play electric. My other half suggested I try her very short (23.5"?) scale 5-string, which was an interesting experience. I could manage it well enough when I knew the changes, but trying to read charts and find the right notes on a tiny instrument with an extra string was a challenge. I think I got away with it, but only just.

As part of Oxfordshire Artweeks we did a couple of sets in the garden outside an artist's studio in Charlbury. This was a rare chance to play fretless electric as the performance space was a bit cramped. A few seconds of one of our tunes can be heard here, if anyone fancies it (I'm hidden behind a bush).