Steve Browning

I'm looking at the pictures and wonder if it wasn't the guys being wolf whistled. :-)

Aha! Glad you liked the clips.

I'm actually Adam Clayton but too ashamed to admit to it on a bass player's forum.

I meant that you seem to have rather tailored your answer to produce the answer you seemed to have wanted. I would think Rich was just looking at the total posts and I would roughly reckon he's about right overall. Let me be clear, I have made two perfectly good purchases from BD but it seems quite clear that some people have had issues, and (in fairness) they have described them in order to 'justify' their disappointments. There seems to be some valuable feedback for the proprietor should he choose to take it on board. If the shop disappoints too many customers it may fail. That is a chance but that is the fault of the shop in not delivering good and consistent service and not the fault of people on a forum reporting their issues. It won't be an issue for me. My signature suggests I'd be banned from the place! There certainly seems to me (having just read every single post) more favourable responses than bad (overwhelmingly I would say) and that's good but some people's experiences seem to be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, which is a shame when you are a niche shop in an already niche market. It's kind of like Barefaced in some ways. These are brands which seem to be seen as 'ours' in some way and any criticism is immediately jumped on by an opinions police who cannot accept 'our' brand being criticised, even when perfectly justified.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1505209008' post='3370175'] Looking at the comments since the latest thread revival a month ago, and stripping out stuff that is neither a criticism of, nor praise for, Bass Direct, I get nowhere near 10% negativity ... it's nearer 50%. Take another look, Rich. [/quote] Now where do you want those goalposts?

http://www.teedupblues.co.uk/ Put together by the keyboard player.

Just redid my insurance. Worldwide cover including unattended van (not that it ever is) for approx. £25 per £1000 value. Got to be worth considering.

I hav certainly seen many Fender necks and headstocks age that way (and even have a couple).

A good mate of mine swears by Eternal Guitars - post 219 - near Chichester I can add Simon Law of SVL Guitars - http://www.svlguitars.com/ - near Winchester Not had any work done myself but as he was Robben Ford's tech and is currently on tour with Pete Townsend I reckon that's probably better than a recommendation from me. Also does amp work (for the same guys).

I have always been a dyed in the wool 2x15 player and was using a Boogie diesel 2x15 (which I had used for over 25 years). I had wanted something lighter and (after a fair amount of consideration) bought a pair of Gen 2 Compacts.. . They were ok but they just didn't seem very substantial and I didn't really think too highly of the build quality and the fact they were so shallow. I use an M-Pulse 600 and the rack hung out over the back of the cabs. When Boogie brought out thir Subway series I went back to Boogie (where my heart has always been) and have been very happy with the change. BF are ok but weren't in any way outstanding to me and seemed poor value overall. For me, the Boogies are altogether superior in every way.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/242967-south-east-bass-bash-no8-surrey-saturday-1st-november-2014/page__st__210 This was an excellent talk at the SE Bash in 2014. I've remembered all of the exercises but must confess I haven't A-framed for a while. Well worth a look.

Correct.

Not a Daft question. It's total output (2 x 8ohm cabs or a single 4 ohm cab).

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1504716080' post='3366864'] Most of being a professional musician is your attitude. I think Lionel Richie said 10% aptitude 90% attitude. [/quote] My late father was an ex-pro musician, He always summed it up brilliantly (IMHO). He always told me 'an amateur practices until they get it right, a pro practices until they can't get it wrong'. To my mind there is no other difference. I am an ex-pro myself and the first time I had the great fortune to play with David Gilmour was before I turned pro. He never asked me what I did for a living. It's just how you earn the money to pay the bills, nothing more. I certainly don't draw any distinction between a pro or otherwise myself and if David Gilmour doesn't either then that's good enough for me.

I should add that if miking was necessary. He was never mic'd for the gigs we did.

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1501965146' post='3348561'] Yep if your drummer knows how to tunew and play his kit it will balance perfectly if you place the mic over his right shoulder about a foot above him,pointing at the center of the snare. In a pub stereo drums are pointless ime... [/quote] I used to play with Dave Mattacks and his minimum was always a single mic over the shoulder (left, in his opinion). Add kick if necessary. I figure he would have some kind of inkling.

I use my two sunburst Japanese reissue P basses for gigs, they are identical but for the fact one is ash bodied. I don't carry a spare fretless although I use the A/E for 3 numbers at the moment. My spare would always have to be the same to maintain the same sound etc. That said, it's more for comfort as I have only ever needed to swap basses 'in anger' twice in over 40 years.

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1504356037' post='3364345'] Our drummer buys and sells to make money since his early retirement. He bought a 1983 Premier Projector kit on eBay for a bargain price. When he picked it up the seller said it was one half of custom kit that had to be recovered when resold so as not to break endorsement rules. The original white and red barbed wire design is still underneath the vinyl which our drummer has now removed. Turns out it's Saxons drum kit that was used on the 'Rock the Nations' tour. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gxWnZ0cO1Y[/media] [/quote] I used to gig with Nigel Glockler and I remember helping cart that entire kit up 3 flights of stairs to a gig in a nightclub in Eastbourne. I believe it was it first outing just after he got it.

[quote name='Gottastopbuyinggear' timestamp='1504180105' post='3363184'] Based on your original post I think we're in a similar position, playing cramped pub "stages" in the main, and we're currently looking into getting some new monitors. Our current floor monitors are lacking in power a bit, and the drummer in particular has a problem with hearing much of the rest of the band, so I'd already been wondering about a small monitor mounted at head height for him. How did you have your side fills mounted - can you get small footprint speaker stands for this? [/quote] That's what I use, short speaker stands. They work brilliantly. It is situated between the drummer and me and provides plenty of the vocal.

Either leave it alone or refinish with nitro and let the mojo happen at its own pace.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1504093600' post='3362611'] I'm happy with Rotosound Roto Bass. I played the SS Swing Bass set for years but after a dalliance I realised I preferred the feel of nickel version. Roto bass are just unsilked nickel Swing Bass, but a lot cheaper. I didn't notice any major differences tonally if I'm honest. [/quote] I use Jazz Bass (flatwound) strings on all mine bar one and that is strung with Nickel Swing Bass. I find the nickel strings to sound more 'organic' although that sounds horribly pretentious!

Bought a guitar stand from Graham. IT was delieverd straight away and well very packaged up. Thoroughly good guy and highly recommended. Steve

A few years ago I played in a Dire Straits tribute band. I wasn't massively keen having endured years of hearing them on the radio. As rehearsals got under way it became clear what brilliant songs MK wrote and just how beautiful his guitar playing is. A whole new appreciation started which has continued.

Have to say I think the body would be better about 20% smaller. Blue and tort - hate that.