chris_b

Years ago I was on a festival and Wilko was on the bill. This was before he got his all clear, and he was dire. Didn't keep in time with the band and just played badly. He filled the room and kept the audience until the end! The band looked very unhappy. Exasperated musicians and happy audience. . . . why stop if people still want to pay to see you.

The Doors didn't use a bass on gigs, but weren't brave enough to record without one.

IMO "chuggy-metal-type bands" will die out before bass guitars.

Not really. Radius is another thing I didn't know existed let alone could be a preference!

I've changed strings a lot since the 1960's and I only discovered tension was a "thing" when I got on the internet!!

This. You gotta sound good. Use the gear that makes you sound the best you can be, but what you play gets you the gigs. I've played with many guys who have asked if I'll join their side projects. I've also been asked to join a band by a band leader who was in the audience. Every gig is an audition. I'd say you can play any bass as long as you make it sound good and play well, but @Doddy is right, the further you travel into the pro world, more is expected of you and your gear.

That is not about music but all about selling magazines! Not difficult to work out.

I see this a lot. So many people seem to divide up bass lines into 4 string songs and 5 string songs. I've never understood that. I play everything on my bass, which happens to be a 5.

I spent 25 years playing a 4 string Precision, then moved to 5 string basses. That was one big switch which is still paying dividends.

I watch these videos with admiration and a large amount of jealousy, because they are nailing stuff I couldn't play in my wildest dreams.. These bass players are very talented people. I appreciate talent. I see no reason to be negative about it.

I've used a Korg Pitchblack since they came out. I'm also looking for a clip on tuner. I've been recommended the Korg Pitchclip. Does anyone have experience of this tuner?

I used to select the bass based on the sound required for each band, but I was told I make my J5 and PJ5 sound pretty similar so these days I just play what I fancy on the day.

I have 2 gig bags; Mono M80 Vertigo and a leather Harvest Buffalo Retro Vintage bag. Both give excellent protection and ease of use. If you play decent basses you have to protect them with the best.

Get some flats and never buy a set of strings again.

Duck Dunn Wilton Felder James Jamerson Nathan East Tommy Cogbill

People buy bass gear for a number of reasons: They like the look. They like the sound. They think it's better. Their hero plays one. That's all they can afford. They joined the club. They joined a tribute band. They have a wad of cash burning a hole. The became a session bass player in New York. CNC and automation has made the bass we play pretty irrelevant to the sound we make. The players from the 50's, 60's and 70's etc, would still recognise the basses we play today, but the bass gear, amps, cabs and pedals have totally changed the game. In reality, all the songs I've played in the last 30 years could just as easily have been played on a second-hand Squier, Sire or Sue Ryder bass, and would have sounded just as good to an audience, and many of the bands. The basses I bought were actually my vanity project. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

At least you got there. So did I, and in the process I learnt that having to take wild swings at the EQ, meant I had the wrong amp.

. . . . or equally bad. I'm not judging.

That's the beauty of most musical instruments, you can be an idiot or have a PhD in Music and you can make an equally good sound.

A flat sounding amp is like cooking without salt. Boring. Find the amp that sounds good with the controls at 12 0'clock. Congratulations, you've found the amp for you.

I use the foam filled aluminum cases. Similar to this one. . . .

Can you get a 4 ohm 212 of the same make as your 8 ohm 112? As your amp can run at 2.67 ohms, you'll have the option of 112, 212 and 312 rigs.

Nothing is perfect, but I'd vote for The Band, brown album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUPbIbHUem0&list=PLE31AAD9114F343C4&ab_channel=Nalencer Little Feat, Feats Don't Fail Me Now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-bfli0B4ss&list=PLz6cAheObZcg_WXTIn-YKPOr3PUOkrXG0&ab_channel=SouthernRocker

I always use the unused fingers on both hands for muting.

We used to play a particularly nice pub near Reading, which was somehow full of the scummiest people you could imagine. They had every last detail mentioned in this post off pat. Including the guy who stood in front of the singer and pulled his pants down (his, not the singer's) to display his massive pink torpedo! Some sort of weird local mating ritual or just boasting? Our singer was an ugly 60 year old bloke, so we were never sure what his objective was!!