Woodwind

On 07/06/2025 at 08:50, Merton said:

Honestly think these are one of the best solid state heads ever made. Always regret selling my one, and now here are two.

Hmmm…

😀

Please buy them both so I can stop thinking about one 🤣

On 07/05/2025 at 20:23, Owen said:

..... any ideas?

 

To sit in with a large diaphragm condenser for detail work on acoustic guitar or Double Bass.

 

TIA

Bit late to this,

I love my Line Audio OM1s which I use as a stereo pair, or use singularly combined with a ribbon for close mic'ing.

Their CM4 is meant to be great as well and I very nearly bought one on eBay recently for live use where I would want a cardioid pattern rather than my omnis.

Line audio are made in Sweden in small batches and are at bargain prices.

https://www.lineaudio.se/

Since leaving the EU it's tricky to get them directly, but there is a UK distributer - I haven't used them as I bought direct years ago.

https://pinknoise-systems.co.uk/collections/line-audio---microphones?srsltid=AfmBOoqlo1VbCHSPNyRVw8t286EIRm_r-2ZJiQBzCkJPjHCxW_Fog9k2#

18 hours ago, oldslapper said:

Status Groove Basses. Best neck profile for my hands. Massive regrets selling mine. Never see them come up. 
 

All that aside….great to see D Grohl playing drums again. 😂

Only bass I regret selling. Groove 5 string.

Phenomenal bass.

I initially wished it sound more like a stingray, but then realised the sound was "better" - more useable.

And Yes that neck, damn.

I saw my old one up for sale and didn't move fast enough to buy it.

As you say, they're rarely on the second hand market

Is this similar to your current one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/177048483189?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nrhfh01pq1o&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=IEanl3fNSaK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

2 hours ago, The Saint said:

My wife's percussion instrument of choice is her washboard. Started playing it when we were in a skiffle band but we've since discovered that it fits in with most songs we cover now we have diversified. Seriously...! For the slower stuff she has a variety of things in her bag that she can hit, shake or rattle.

 

But after 12 years or so the washboard is beginning to show its age and is getting a bit thin in the middle. Unlike me.. !

 

So we've been looking for a replacement but can't find anything authentic. There are lots of examples on eBay and the like but all are just cheap toys.  A washboard similar to that used by Steve Ferrone on the Clapton Unplugged album is available, but she'd really like a traditional wooden framed one.

 

Does anyone have suggestions as where we can find one...?

 

Or maybe you actually have one stored away somewhere...!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I go to quite a few flea markets around London.

I have seen old washboards for sale on a couple of occasions, but as with anything at these type of markets it's when you aren't looking for it that you see it.

Car boots would be another avenue to explore, but as Reggaebass says waiting for one to turn up on eBay might be the best bet.

21 hours ago, xgsjx said:

I’ve signed up to hearthis.at & it’s just what I need. 
It’s like Soundcloud used to be. Looks very similar, it’s easy to use & the free version has an upload limit of about 50 songs.

Perfect for hosting to share, like sending song links to people or posting in the Basschat compo compo. 
 

When I get more time, I’ll have a look at the other options too. 

I hadn't heard of hearthis.

I will be in a similar position to you later this year where I'll need to share some works in progress and I was totally put off setting up a new SoundCloud account, so I will give it a look

You could use bandcamp for this, but personally I wouldn't as it's primarily designed as a sales platform for finished recordings.

YouTube is quite handy for this.

You can mark the video as unlisted so it won't show up in searches, but you can then send the link directly to players who might be interested in joining.

Obviously you need to upload a video, (which can just be a still image) rather than just an audio file.

I ditched SoundCloud a long time ago so I don't know how useful it would be in either its free or subscription form.

23 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

Has anyone used or had dealings with Gear Up Music?

 

They are based in London's Covent Garden...

  

 

I would take that Covent Garden address with a pinch of salt.

The address is very familiar to me as I have dealt with various companies and charities that use it.

It's an office complex that offers all sorts of services from postal boxes, to hot desking, meeting rooms up to shared office space.

Many, many companies are registered there:

https://open.endole.co.uk/explorer/postcode/wc2h-9jq

This is the thread you want -

1 hour ago, Pinball said:

Hi, For years I have been using social media to find gigs and opportunities to play, as well as for solo and band promotion but am finding it too difficult to navigate.

Thinking of just packing it in. Is it really getting more difficult or is it my perception?

I have been active on Instagram, X and Facebook 

It's not your perception.

I only use Instagram.

It's still immensely useful, but a poor relation to how useful it used to be up until a few years ago.

The algorithmic approach where it feeds you more of what you like is completely at odds with the organic way people search for things.

Previously I discovered many, many artists, labels and promoters through basic general searches (and was discovered in a similar way).

These connections proved very fruitful leading to releases, gigs, tours etc etc

Now whenever I search, Instagram just shows me stuff it thinks is related to what I have liked previously, Usually from an American perspective. 

Similarly people don't discover my stuff unless they search for me specifically.

A lot changed when they stopped you being able to search hashtags chronologically. It was great to see the latest posts tagged with #whatever, but now it's just the most popular posts tagged with #whatever, which could be years old and just become a cyclic regurgitation.

I don't know what the answer is, but I would suggest you're better off on there than not in the short term and look for something else in the meantime.

I never got Facebook or twitter to the point of being useful for me even with a fair amount of time invested and deleted both years ago.

2 hours ago, ScottyHill said:

A website makes a band look more professional and gives people one place to find everything. Social media is useful, but a site gives you full control over your content.

Professional is a relative term I feel.

If you're in a covers band that wants to generate bookings then I can see a *good* website helping. This isn't necessarily true for an originals act.

I have been a long term user of Squarespace. It's never been cheap, but the latest price increase has led to me cancelling the renewal.

The usage I get from it isn't worth the money it costs.

I've just put a one page site together with Carrd. As a concise introduction to my music it's fine, easier to edit on the fly than Squarespace and a tenth of the cost of Squarespace! 

https://www.thomasstonemusic.co.uk

Social media (mainly Instagram ) is by far and away more useful for me with the genre I occupy.

I don't even run an email list anymore, again replaced by Instagram and the messaging capabilities on bandcamp.

Just had a play.

Got some really interesting word combinations that were either perfect bands names for genres I do or have occupied or results that led to a train of thought that gave me new ideas for names.

Great work @Jean-Luc Pickguard !!

Out of interest have you got your new band name yet and if so did it come directly from this system?

30 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

Unfortunately not. I'd still love to do it, but it hasn't been a spending priority.

I totally understand.

It would look absolutely amazing though - I'm sure Laney would like seeing it.

On 22/02/2025 at 13:19, MichaelDean said:

I still love it. No issues at all. Great range of tones, looks the dogs bollocks, plenty of power. Couldn't ask for more. I've not played loads, but it's the best Class D I've played. The valve channel feels valvey and squishy when you use it too (despite there being no valves). Mixing the tube and FET is where it's at for me. 

Great feedback!

Any progress on the purple upgrade 😎

19 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I like it, sounds a bit retro. More punchy than my tube screamer clone.

 

No nasty noises on battery or run ftom my psu.

Thanks so much.

I'm sold 😎

10 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I haven't ssid how I've found it.

 

It's got two slide switches that give three rich, distictive fuzz sounds and one relatively weedy fuzz. The use of ring modulation gives an 'octave fuzz' feel.

 

The twin effect and clean levels workk like blend but better. The sensitivity control works.

 

You can use it to get a Hysteria type clean doubled with fuzz effect, or crank things to get a big clanky distortion  effect.

Sounds good!

Any sign of funny whines or hums or the like?

I've had cheap pedals before where there are odd sounds.

I think I'm going to do the preorder for 59quid amyway

This thread is really doing me no favours.

Getting very interested in the idea of a nice old trace head, mounted in a new lightweight sleeve partnered with a modern high power 12" cab (X2)

21 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

songs from another band with our name suddenly appeared on our Spotify page, I filled out a form and sent it off, credit where it's due, they soon sorted it out

 

edit, I think we were the originals, we started out in 1980

I perform under my own name.

So too does a chap in the United States and yes we have the same name.

His Spotify and mine became permanently entangled and despite numerous attempts with Spotify and the aggregator I was using they were never truly separated.

On 06/12/2024 at 15:03, ahpook said:

I built the FuzzDog clone...which makes me as bad as Behringer, I guess.

 

Down with me !!! Boo ! Hiss !

 

 

Not wanting to derail this thread too much, so happy to take this to messages if necessary.

How do you find the Fuzzdog? 

Good sound? 

Little extra noise?

Was the build relatively self explanatory?

As there is a huge pre-order period for these beringhers I am tempted I go down the self build route

On the hunt for a new fuzz to replace my dying Sovtek Big MuFF and this pedal has seriously piqued my interest.

Very keen to hear about these pedals from anyone when they do arrive.

On 11/02/2025 at 09:47, Chienmortbb said:

I have always shied away from reverb live as I was old early on in my bass adventure that is just helped muddy the sound. Unusually for me, I never questioned it. Any comments?

I was brought up on this wisdom too, but once I started amplifying acoustic (bass) instruments, I found the facility to add judicious reverb vital.

On 24/01/2025 at 09:48, SimonK said:

If it wasn't tucked awkwardly on the other side of London from me I would have had this, albeit no gurantee the guy would have accepted £100 - I think probably £250 would be fair for a GP12 & cab.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176794584421

 

 

It went for 126quid!!!!

6 minutes ago, iamtheelvy said:

Hey, we’ve moved again… Now Queen Victoria Street somewhere (no given address)… 

"...

2. Where will Bass Day 25 take place?

The event will be held near St Paul's Cathedral in the Heart of London at the CLS Conference Centre, 107 Queen Victoria St, City of London, London EC4V 3AL, UK.

..."

This is the City Of London School.

They have various rooms for hire listed on their website, one being a modest conference room, but there is no "conference centre" to speak of.

As a fellow bass woodwind player I thoroughly approve of this!

I'm a complete sucker for the Bari'. A covers band playing in a pub would normally signal my time to leave, but a baritone blasting out alongside some popular hits is going to fuel my night nicely.

I hope you can get some good bookings throughout the year!

As for suggestions I'm completely biased as I'd just be recommending things I'd want to hear - current pop (dua lipa etc etc), dance/pop stuff from that sweet spot 2015-2017, early 2000s hits intermixed with high energy anthems from the 1980s and 1990s.

All the best with this.

Please keep us updated 

Oh.....

This would have been my dream purchase to start the year with.

Sadly my ducks aren't in the row I would have liked for 2025 so far.