leschirons

Regarding the future of bass playing (and bands in general) in the 13 years I've lived in France, I've sold loads of redundant gear for whatever reasons and every time, without exception, it's been to, or for, a young player who wants to join a band and play live (or is already doing so) I've found it most refreshing to see young people's enthusiasm regarding getting into playing and forming bands. It's not all doom and gloom. They're out there, and they're keen.

Sorry, I thought you said dessert rock.

Instrument-wise, I play in a trio. For me, the important thing is whether the guitarist realises that all those great solos they do sometimes depend on some chord work behind them. Of course, the bass can imply the same thing but your guitarist will have to seriously think about what they do also to avoid a song falling flat and sounding thin. We still manage to keep numbers like Freak out and Blame it on the boogie in our set but that's been down to the guitarist being open to suggestions and change. All said and done though, great fun. Hope you enjoy it.

Despite not being a luthier, I've defretted three basses in the past, two jazz basses and one stingray copy. All turned out great. Lifting frets can be a little dangerous if it's a really old fingerboard but otherwise, not a problem. I bought a cheap sheet of veneer to fill the slots on two of them and simply used filler (plastic wood) on one of the jazz basses. Didn't bother repositioning any side dots as can't really see them anyway at my age. I did however put semi rounds on the Stingray and flats on the jazzes. All sounded superb after a bit of a setup.

Just watched it. All the usual averagely talented bunch like Stevie Wonder, EWF, George Clinton, Average white band, Kool and the gang and Graham Central station and Herbie Hancock etc. Phew! Lucky they also included one of the real heavyweight funk acts like Beck😋

Ramones.... Wonderful world. Lots of fun, well known song, crowd singalong big finish or encore.

This comes to mind😂 Maybe you'll be the Ying to her Yang.

The upside of being an old git in his mid 60s is that I've heard hundreds of thousands of songs over the years. I only play in covers bands so the chances are, I've come across 90% of the songs I'm likely to be asked to play even if I've only heard them once or twice. It's still an advantage. Obviously it depends on the song and a lot of the French songs I get asked to play are unknown to me but I reckon I can do a passable version of anything pop or rock in about 30 mins. At the last gig, we had a request for "I want to break free" Only the guitarist had ever played it and only at home😂 Singer seemed to know the words and the guitarist had learned it in D. We had to up it to E and then went for it. It's not a hard song by any means but familiarity is the key. It was perfectly gig-able and is now in the set.

I would have thought that as you're discussing issues that are "threatening to tear the band apart" a nice meal in a restaurant is not an ideal situation anyway. If it all gets heated and goes 🍐 shaped just before the main course arrives, that's going to feel like a very long and uncomfortable evening.

If the Many worlds theory is correct, there will be a universe somewhere in which Dood wins £80 million quid on the lottery and this thread doesn't exist.😂

Were you playing on the D string around the 3rd to 7th frets? Many jazz basses suffer from dead spots low down on the D string. I have even heard of some people increasing the headstock mass to correct it.

Played a pub/restaurant by the river here a few years back. Usually all closed by 11.30pm. At 1am, we had 100 punters in front dancing and singing, another 50 along the bridge above us. Owner admitted it was the best night and takings in the 4 years he'd had the place and gave us an extra 20% on our fee. Never got another gig as the guy said he wasn't really into covers bands.!!! And there's me thinking he was running a business😂 He's since had original acts that have cost him more who've played to 6 people.

Very sad news indeed. Sincerest condolences to family and friends.

65 here. First of this year's band gigs on Saturday as there is a season for most covers bands here (April to October with a few Xmas dates) I'll play about once a week and that's enough for me and the two French guys but the singer would gig 365 nights a year if she could so, she has another band. As been said already, if you want to continue playing to suit you, find like-minded people.

It would have to be B, but only if someone gives me a lift and lends me an amp.

Heavy cross by Gossip Pretty vacant Pistols And although I'll probably get some stick, With or without you. Oh, and Stand by me.

None of you get it do you? It's like a drug dealer building up a market. Blue IS Andrei the Russian. He's got you all hooked and stands to make thousands when you all send your 50 squids in. How else do think he's going to pay for the half eaten Eccles cake that Macca left in a Liverpool café in 1963 that's come up on eBay?

You can edit the patches and then save them to the "user" section. Setting your amp flat will then give you least colour but if you like your amp's usual settings, edit the patches to suit.

Normally, they'll say what the gig is paying (only ever depped for bands where the split was equal) up to me then whether I take it or not. Odd occasion where it's been more as you're really getting someone outta the crap but it's never been me who's asked for more as most of the bands have at least been people I knew, if not pals.

Hohner cricket bat Steinberger copy and the dreaded 8 ton Peavey combo 300😂

Thanks for your replies.

Most of the time I play a Status Energy 6 string but over the last few months, I've noticed I'm having trouble with the string spacing (19mm) I have a few finger joint and wrist problems and it's starting to get harder playing it. Been looking at the Yamaha JM basses and the Yamaha website states that the JM has a 35" scale and the JM2 has 34" which would suit better. I've never had the opportunity to try one and there's nothing on the Yamaha site that gives the string spacing. Anyone got a JM2 and able to confirm the spacing? Thanks in advance. Your opinions on the bass generally would also be helpful.

Usual story. Mate calls, wanna form a band? I turn up with Strat and combo... Er no, we need a bassplayer😂

Strangely enough, the song I found the hardest was one I could have played the easiest just for the sake of a bar gig, however, I wanted to try and nail the actual bass playing on the recording. Son of a preacher man (Dusty's version) She recorded this in Memphis and I believe the bassist was Tommy Cogbill. The recording doesn't offer a good enough mix for me to really pinpoint what he's doing and normally, I would've said that he'd played about 5,000 notes too many but it seriously works on the recording. Not even sure if I've nailed it 6 years down the line😂

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1487799778' post='3243121'] What was that stuff popping up during The 1975 slagging them off, ironic or disgruntled employee? [/quote] I assumed it was part of their performance or some ploy as the singer had been getting vocal earlier about speaking up about stuff. Update. The messages were out-takes from the actual video of that song.