Paul S

A band I was in for 5 years from start up. The singer had a few promotions at work and it seemed to go to his head, developing a bad case of LVS - Lead Vocalist Syndrome - and behaving increasingly like we were 'his' band, not the band we all started together. He believed he had the ultimate power of veto and that only his opinion counted as to choice of gigs, choice of material etc. He started to treat us like minions (banada!) and he and I increasingly clashed over things. It all came to a head immediately before a gig over something silly (by this stage anything would have kicked it off) and we ended up having a very immature and rather loud finger pointing argument. I believe I threatened to throw him off the fire escape He said to the band, after a very awkward gig, 'its him or me' and they chose him. I was relieved as I should have left months earlier. And, to be fair, although a prize cock he was a very good front man, so i would have chosen him in a similar situation. But it doesn't matter how good a front man you are if you don't have a complete band - they struggled to find a bass player over the next year until the singer left because of his new baby and, with no bass player or singer, the band folded.

Incredible - that will make someone very happy!

If it were me, and I still had a decent back, I'd go for a Trace Elliot combo.

Damn you Basschat, more expense.

Impulse buy on eBay, I saw one of these going for a reasonable BIN in my favourite B/B/M colour scheme, I like short scale basses, I haven't heard much of this model so thought what the heck. It arrived yesterday. Looks exactly like this (pic nicked off t'net): Weighs just over 7lbs, slim 38mm neck at the nut, through body stringing, nicely finished as you'd expect from a VM. Short scale, obviously. This one has a ICS11xxxx serial number, so I think that means Samick plant not Cort? Whatever the heck difference that makes - anyone know? I think they can both make good and crap guitars? Just had a couple of hours noodling at home but I am majorly impressed. What a lively little fella! Huge output from the Duncan Designed split coil humbucker - had to turn the input gain down quite a bit on my amp after using my go-to Precision. Some beautiful woody organic tones in there that have great character and huge amounts of heft way beyond its price point. A bit like a Precision but not quite. A bit like the Squier Vista Musicmaster I have but not quite. Mainly its own thing and a very nice thing it is too. The tone is almost like that of flat wound strings but with more zing - difficult to explain but it is lovely I can't think of anything I would like to change on this - everything seems just right. Really looking forward to using this with the band - I think it will sit in there just nicely. Just felt I needed to share, really. I said all this to Mrs S and she said 'That's nice'.

Black. No question

Bought a Markbass combo from Jamie and used it as an opportunity to visit the Kent coast to collect. Had a thoroughly nice day and picked up my bargainacious combo at the same time. Great comms throughout, couldn't be happier with the combo. Cheers Jamie, hope to do more business with you in future!

Looks a beaut. I asked how heavy - 4.6kg, so too much for me otherwise I would have a punt on it (and probably not flagged it up ) [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272229883129?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT[/url]

Too many. I *love* this, though. As though someone put all the funk tunes ever played into a leipzig condensor and this is what dripped out. band line up isn't too shabby, either. Fast forward to 30 seconds in to mis the anti-semite. No, not Ken. http://youtu.be/WdPzYVPDFyk

I had one for a while. Fitted the band perfectly. A tad heavy for me but balanced very well as the bridge is so far back(? - or the horn is forward - one or t'other!). Lovely to play, beautifully made. Not sure why I sold it, to be honest. Ed Friedland liked it, if you haven't seen this: [media]http://youtu.be/67Fo7AKwfA0[/media]

I jumped ship from playing guitar to bass and took my pick playing with me. I have always felt more at ease playing bass with a pick and can control speed, accuracy, attack, weight, timbre and all those other things far more accurately with a pick than with my fingers. But for the past couple of years I have been in a band where playing finger style is appropriate for an awful lot of the material so I have been practising and practising. I'm getting much better and can play finger style passably for a lot the the stuff I feel I need to. But my pick playing is and always will be more under control - it just seems natural.

Pics are fine for me, too. That is really small. A complete 8kg rig is just mental - awaiting your review once you have the BF 110.

1200 Trace Elliot Watts? The mind boggles. I use a 300W TE head and it hasn't ever wanted for headroom.

Unreliability gets me the most. I remember being about 6 rehearsals into a new heavy rock covers band with a very talented guitar player who was also a really nice fellow but totally flaky when it came to doing what he said he was going to do. Alongside those 6 rehearsals there were 3 cancelled ones, all for silly reasons. The silliest was when the rest of us were all set up in the studio waiting for him to arrive and his daughter turns up to tell us he had to take the family pet rabbit to the vet. Couldn't she have taken it, given that she had been able to drive up and tell us? I never found out.

We had double doors fitted. Seemed a more acceptable option that cutting out peanut butter.

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1462017061' post='3039622'] Any stubborn residue is easily removed with peanut butter. Sounds crazy, but it works. Tahini or sunflower oil will also work at a pinch. [/quote] Smooth or crunchy? No added sugar or honey roasted? We need to have the detail. I have a minor addiction to peanut butter so have plenty of material on hand to trial. However, it seems too much of a waste - as soon as I opened the jar I'd have to eat it instead. Today's top peanut butter tip is to use it as a dip for twiglets.

My band Illegal Tender played a venue we haven't been to (the Miley in Rochford) - microscopic bar area but decent stage. Place was busy plus we brought a few along and there was a great atmosphere. Went down really well, were asked to return and got paid more than agreed. Great night

I have a particular fondness for the early MIJ Squiers so, by necessity, most of my basses are and have been 'vintage'. Of those I own at the moment, my three best and favourite basses are 2 Squiers made in '84 and '83 and a Yamaha made in '73.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1461940129' post='3038971'] The handle is great! I've now come to the same conclusion as you - even 16kg is too heavy for my feeble, pathetic frame. And to think I used to throw an Ampeg 810 and an SVT-CL around the place without even thinking about it. Where are the snows of yesteryear?? [/quote] That's climate change for you. i used to be as strong as an ox, now I just look like one

For perspective, my ideal tone is my trusty Trace Elliot AH300-12 SMX, Pre-shape 1 selected, EQ flat and barely dialed in. Which I know is not everyone's cup of TE. [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1461933298' post='3038884'] Fender amps don't seem to polarise opinion quite like another brand I could mention... hee, hee. [/quote] Right - I'll endeavour to change that. My new hobby will be Fender bashing at every given opportunity. The Rumble In The Jumble Did I mention the handle...?

Just for balance... all IMO... ...I had one for a while and didn't take to it. For what I wanted out of a combo, it was light but not quite light enough. Loud but not quite loud enough for my loudest band without an ext. cab. And most importantly I didn't like the tone - I found it too punchy and mid-centred, even with the shape contour. And I thought it seemed to me rather flimsy as though a half decent knock would damage it, especially the big expanse of cloth grill, even with a roqsolid cover. Horses for courses and I do appreciate I am in a minority. Possibly of one

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1461869151' post='3038413'] Today I went to the Crematorium in Leeds to say goodbye to a friend from day 1 in primary school in Sept 63. Perhaps that was rather on my mind when I was thinking is all this really about another plywood box that makes a noise. [/quote] And that sobering statement, my friend, puts all this squarely into perspective. Thank you Karl for a welcome reality check.

My best and favourite is a mid 80s 32" scale MIJ Squier A series Precision. White aged to cream with a white plate and rosewood board. Electrics had been upgraded by the time it came into my hands and now sports a quality loom and pots with Fender Original pup. Sounds like the Precision bass in my head should, weighs around 7lbs, has a neck that pretty much plays itself. I have had and do have basses that are much more valuable but this is simply the best Precision I have ever had in my mitts and the one I will keep until I stop playing. Sorry Ted.

[quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1461846054' post='3038123'] Could form a band just doing the hits of dead people. [/quote] I remember a comedy show back in the 80s (Who Dares Wins, maybe?) did a sketch about that - big charity event. Rather than 'Live Aid', they called it 'Dead Aid'. Tag line was 'Feed the Worms'. It featured a row of mic'd up coffins of various dead artists. Perhaps not in the best of taste but it was amusing. At least, I found it so back in the 80s.