leschirons

[quote name='Benplaysbass' timestamp='1320416431' post='1426627'] Played at a Halloween dinner dance on sunday, some very strange gigs we play out here. Me and the good woman waiting for the punters to finish eating............... And playing a spot of music with some old dudes.............. [/quote] I resent that, he's 40 years younger than me.

[quote name='bass_by_name' timestamp='1320419330' post='1426685'] Its always bad to lose a specialist bass retailer. Sad news. [/quote] This +1

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1320354924' post='1425880'] That actually does add up. The village pub I used to frequent was in Goldhanger (The Chequers), some 6-7 miles from Maldon. So if she/he/they lived nearby...etc, etc...not completely outside the realms of possibility. [/quote] Probably moved on by now but she used to live in Great Waltham (or Little Waltham) it was difficult to tell where one finished and the other started.

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1320259587' post='1424557'] Never been keen on any of her stuff apart from her first 3 singles (schoolboy crush) 48 Crash is my favourite and still cuts it with me today for pure energy! I used to frequent a village pub years ago in east coast Essex. They had a cover band that played there every Tuesday night ('Pray') which was always a crowd puller from the surrounding countryside. Rumour has it (allegedly) that Suzi Q used to pop in on occasions...alas I was never there when she was (very early 80's). I'd have loved to have met her! Made a nice story back then...I've no idea whether it was actually true or not...perhaps just a little rumour put out to fill the pub... [/quote] Her ex (Len Tuckey) used to play in Maldon with Bill Legend and I believe, the bassplayer from Eddie and the hot-rods (The White Swan I think) Don't know if that's what you're thinking about. Think she'd turn up there occaisionally. Met her a few times for various reasons over the years and she always comes across as a nice balanced individual who's not up her own backside. My mate Glenn took over her bass duties a while back when she was touring with a broken arm.

[quote name='phatkat' timestamp='1320348296' post='1425746'] Im in an odd place at the moment as well, I didnt start playing anything seriously till I was 40, I had played guitar for years before ever playing in a band but soon moved to bass because the usual... lack of a bass player. Soon got to love it. I've played in a few bands for fun for years doing the odd gig, problem now is that we have changed singer/guitarist for the umpteenth time and this guy has been there and done that... my problem is that without a proper grounding in bass and lack of technique, im finding it quite hard to keep up with new material. Dont get me wrong, i'm really loving the pressure but dont want to hold these guys back... would lessons benefit a set in his ways 56yr old? G... [/quote] Re your last line of the reply, yes they would. None of us stop learning and improving, if we have a mind to do so. Go for it.

Just an after-thought but I heard a mate make a fabulous job on fretless of the Floyd's Coming back to life, basically playing the vocal melody line and adding some bass harmony lower down.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpnho5zBvaM&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpnho5zBvaM&feature=related[/url] Try Dune Tune. Very pleasant to listen to, bit old hat, but still nice.

[quote name='Gilby' timestamp='1320269347' post='1424724'] I recently bought the rush documentary DVD and was really surprised that Neil Peart decided he needed lessons despite being in the band for twenty years! (this was in 1994, he would of been 42). Just goes to show that despite being rated as one of the best in the game there is always improvements to be made. (if you watch earlier/later performances you can see a big difference in his actual style of playing). [/quote] Never knew that. I wonder who someone like Neil Peart actually goes to for lessons!!

Had an idea it may have been, perfect for this version. Thanks.

That's really nice. Yup, she plays that beatifully. Any idea who played guitar?

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1320187450' post='1423667'] I often feel exactly the same. I go to a gig, watch someone 15 years younger pull off an effortless gig with some amazing playing and making me feel like a bit of a faker, despite playing 2-3 gigs a week and having more dep offers than I could ever fit into the 52 weeks in a year. Then I remember just how far I've come in my 20+ years of playing, how the busiest bassists are the guys who keep it simple and get the job done, how I'm playing much more and much better and in more diverse styles that I ever have before. If that doesn't work, I try to remember how may people have come up to me at the end of a gig to compliment the band, my playing, or both. The chances are that the player who impessed me would be impressed by my gigs - you know your stuff better than anyone so you see the minor flaws in your playing whereas an audience member (bassist or regular normal person) just sees the song. It's good to be humbled occasionally and it's good to be able to recognise and work on the weaker points of your playing but don't beat yourself up about it. I bet if he guy you watched came to one of your gigs, he'd be impressed by your playing. It's all relative. [/quote] You've made some really relavent points here and it's easy to forget what you have accomplished in the years of playing but it's no excuse for me to have sat back and been lazy which is what's happened

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1320185607' post='1423632'] I think really it's hats off to you for recognising this. Sometimes it takes a jolt and a reality check for us get the push to improve. It might feel a bit uncomfortable, but you wouldn't really want to be one of those smug gits who think they've got it all nailed would you? I'm sure you're being hyper-critical of yourself too. A last thought. Those classy and subtle basslines he was playing. Have you considered that maybe he didn't compose them? [/quote] Unfortunately, I was (albeit not a smug git, that's not me) turning into someone who thought that they had it nailed but now realise that I was possibly getting gigs as I sing sans French accent or have a rehearsal studio in the barn. Of course, your quite possibly dead right about his basslines not being his but they were all executed to a standard that made me really look at my own ability (or lack of) Thing is, I've found it very easy to become the greatest bassplayer around where 98% of the population are cows and sheep. I really believe no-one can improve unless they are a bit critical of their own ability. Yes, you can go overboard but I don't think I have. It's been a good, overdue kick up the backside. Moreso because it wasn't Victor Wooten or Marcus Miller that I'd been watching. Just some guy that had bothered put the hours in.

Now dedicated to a minimum of 2 hours playing every day hook or by crook, get more theory under my belt and try and seriously improve my crap fretless intonation. May also consider taking up lessons again if I can find someone good within about 50kms.

This is not intended to be one of those lack of confidence posts. It's just that something occured to me over the weekend. I got a good gig last Friday opening the guitar festival here in France. Gig went well, great money and good reviews / feedback etc. Rock / blues trio doing covers. Since living here, I've had no shortage of offers to play in bands, do loads of deps etc and always seem to be playing but on the last night of the festival, I went to see Jennifer Batten. She was supporting the Michael Jones group. He's the ex guitarist for Jean Jacques Goldman and to be honest, I'd never heard of them. Anyway, I was watching the bassisit for the whole set. He made it all look so easy. Didn't play anything flash or outlandish, classy and subtle basslines and totally nailed it. Minimum movement on the fretboard and was so tight with the drummer you couldn't get a Rizla between them. Made me realise that I'd really got complacent. For the last 8 years, I've assumed I was an average to good bassplayer but watching this other player made me realise that I've not moved forward as a musician and just sat on my arse and now, have a serious amount of work ahead of me if I'm going to be satisfied with my playing. Big fish in little pond syndrome? Guilty.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1319919240' post='1420192'] Could be F for Fender. [/quote] That's why my wife bought it for me for my 50th birthday. I was seriously into Jazz basses at the time but it got me thinking about F basses so I tried one and thought ooooh yesss.

Bloody great. Opened the French guitar festival last night for lots of money for a one hour set, during which we dragged three really good guest guitarists up on stage to have a blast. Large appreciative audience, played two encores and found myself all over the festival TV system when I went back today. Best gig I've done since being here.

Played a gig (on drums) supporting prog rock trio T2 back in the 18th century at Cloud 9 in Peterborough. During my big solo the bass drum kept creeping until it finally dropped off the front of the stage, giving a young lady a fairly serious head injury. While she was being stretchered out by St John's ambulance, we were asked to leave and had to get our stuff out through the crowd.

I have [b]B4SS F[/b] on retention now (as I sold my F bass last year)

I give mine to a local guitar teacher who passes them on to the kids at the music school who are learning bass, and probably skint. I'd also heard somewhere that Herbie Flowers has a set of 35 year old strings on a jazz bass, that he still uses, so maybe I'll send the next set to him.

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1318706185' post='1405490'] Bot exactly ugly, but looks at it closely. [/quote] That's brilliant. Have they just cut and pasted a headstock on or a whole neck?

Bought some strings from Shep. Posted same day. Top service and top man. Easy to deal with. Thanks

[quote name='DirkThrust' timestamp='1318598352' post='1404163'] Thanks for your replies. Looking on the Interparcel website, as far as I can see they only offer insurance up to £1050. As I'm selling this bass for £1400 that's quite a shortfall. Are there any other couriers who will offer the full amount? [/quote] I think UPS will offer insurance to a higher value as long as you pay the extra premium. I had a bass shipped here from the States and it was insured for the full price. However, that was from a shop and it was brand new so they could prove the value (invoices, customs etc) The French postal system (La Poste) will only offer insurance to 800 euros but there are private French companies like GLS who have reciprocal arrangements with UK couriers and it could be arranged from this end by your buyer. They also offer supplimentary insurance to a higher value.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1318415975' post='1401751'] Thank you muchly, sir. Too wide and heavy for me, as I suspected. One went for not very much on eBay this morning - £84 - and collection only from just up the road in Basildon. I think someone somewhere is happy! [/quote] To be honest, I've never been a fan of Stingrays and I don't mean the sound. Tried a few and never felt comfortable but I got this one cheap to defret it and it's really great. Very comfy to play. I have small hands and am not a big guy (despite usually on a 6 string bass) so if you get the chance to try one, do it. Surprised me, I love it.