Paul S

[quote name='dudewheresmybass' timestamp='1354695087' post='1889127'] Because of the style of what we do, we are a little limited in terms of venues ( classic rock /metal), When looking for new venues, I tend to spend some time online looking at gig listings of bands that play similar music as well as tapping up friends in other bands, and our drummist calls them and gives them the chat We have a pretty good success rate [/quote] I'm in the same situation with my band - a fairly new classic heavy rock covers band - and am going through this exact process currently using [url="http://www.livebandphotos.co.uk/pubs.php"]http://www.livebandphotos.co.uk/pubs.php[/url]. as a sort of guide. Round this neck of the woods it is a vicious circle - pubs want known bands that draw a crowd so book the same old same old every two or three months - almost impossible for new bands like mine to break through. The busiest venues are booked solid through to 2014.

A clash of personalities is usually insurmountable and effectively means 'him or me' but to actually offer that ultimatum can, I think, sound a bit childish. What I did earlier this year in an almost identical situation was say to the rest of the band something like 'I have been thinking a lot recently and decided I am stepping down. It is the last thing I want to do but X is driving me nuts because of [your list of reasons] and I can't stand to be in the same band as him, sorry guys' In my case they all said 'we'd rather have you than him' which gave me a rather warm glow inside, and off he went. Problem solved, we now have a brilliant new guitarist, courtesy of our very own Leschirons (thanks again Keith for putting Steve our way). If they don't say that, there is nothing lost as you were probably going to quit anyway and you haven't been perceived as having thrown your toys out of the pram either.

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1354275494' post='1884300'] I guess in a three-piece (guitar/bass/drums) combo mistakes could potentially be more noticeable? Maybe. [/quote] I'd say very definitely. Like most people on here I go to see a lot of live music and generally spend a lot of time listening to the bassists. I rarely notice mistakes. Recently I went to see a ZZ Top tribute band called ZZ Tops and their bassist made enough mistakes to be noticed. Couple of shockers - one particularly so, last note of the song was way out, where 'Billy' looked across at him. Largely, I would say, because of the cheap sunglasses - you could tell from the way he stood that he was sneaking a look from under his shades at what he was doing. Then again, overall they didn't cut the mustard IMO. I make several mistakes each time I pick up a bass, but then I am not a pro. I don't practice 8hrs a day 7 days a week. Maybe my expectations are too high but I always hope people who earned their living playing the bass made fewer and less noticeable mistakes. Usually I am not disappointed

Thought I'd post this on here. My heavy rock covers band - Xerocks - are playing at the Essex Arms in Brentwood on 14th December. We have an *extremely* good guitar player, well worth coming along to hear him if you are not doing anything. We play a mixed set of Van Halen (yes, he does a good 'Eruption'), Deep Purple, Whitesnake, UFO, Thin Lizzy, Hendrix, Velvet Revolver, Chickenfoot, Black Country Communion etc etc. The shame of it is that we are a new band with no following and it would be almost criminal to play to an empty room (again!). Paul

Bought a secondhand preamp from Tom - which arrived swiftly, well packaged and labelled. Thanks Tom!

Jez answered my plea for help and sent me a toggle switch he had spare. The kind of gesture that makes Basschat a great place. Thank you!! Paul

I tried moving DR Black Beauties, mentioned a few posts above, from one bass to another but they looked really odd with the fret/pick wear marks showing.

I believe these were the successor to the Precision Lyte? MIM? IIRC they were generally held to be 'not as good' as the Lyte, which as MIJ and rather nice. I have a P Lyte and it is good. Not like a P-Bass or Jazz, very much its own thing soundwise. Active (I now have a J. East preamp in it which is the mutts nuts). Light as a feather - around 7.5lbs - very thin and narrow neck.

I don't know if Basildon is anywhere near to where you are in Essex but I am rehearsing with my Streamliner 600 into BF Midget (or Compact, depending on which I grab first) this coming Friday at Honywood Studios Basildon if you want a listen.

[quote name='barkin' timestamp='1353508915' post='1875384'] What's the brightness like, only having (roughly) half the number of LEDs per can compared to the Stairville ones? [/quote] I have no direct A/B comparison, as these are the only ones we have! But they are fine for everything I've used them for so far. One time we played on a lorry trailer in a field in the dark with no other light source - they were fine.

I bought one of these [url="http://www.djkit.com/kam/kam-led-partybar.html"]http://www.djkit.com/kam/kam-led-partybar.html[/url] KAM Parbar V2 LED kit. Can't go wrong for £179. Well, they could but haven't yet - works just fine.

I ask this, not to start a row but becasue I genuinely don't know - what about car stereo speakers? I mean, they are subject to all the same forces that we are talking about but I don't bring those in every night. Are they different?

Me too. I recently switched from a TC Classic 450 to a GB Streamliner 600 which I find does all the Classic 450 will do but in a cleaner, clearer way.

I thought much the same. I am on the lookout for an EBO and they usually go sub £100 secondhand, even ones in good nick. The price is optimistic, to say the least.

I had a Berlingo for many years and the load space was nothing short of phenomenal, even if it does look like an icecream van. Took me, drummer and guitarist to a gig with all our kit plus some of the PA once. It did, however, start to expensively self destruct at around 60K miles. OK if you dabble in mechanical things but I don't. Also had absolutely no traction on a slippery road surface compared to most cars I have driven which, in the end, proved to be the end of it as I live on a steep hill and couldn't get up or down during icy periods.

Saw L42 last night at the Cliff's Pavillion in Westcliff and they were absolutely great. MK was on top form. I saw them maybe 5 or 6 times in the 80s and not again since - I'd say if anything his playing is better now. I think he had become a parody of himself and lost it a bit with all the 'stardom etc' back then. But last night what impressed me most was not just the slap bass, at which he excels, but the fingerstyle playing - totally brilliant. And he still sings well, which you can't say for a lot of folks from 25yrs back.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1350696576' post='1842509'] I also have a Fury II, which I like a lot (so far - haven't had it long). [/quote] That would be my old one? Nice innit! What a great neck! I kind of regret selling it but no point totally surrounding myself with basses I don't use.

[quote name='deanovw' timestamp='1351088900' post='1847180'] This /\ I was having massive issues on a hollow stage we used to rehearse on. Gramma pad solved all those issues. I dont use it everywhere but I have it at my disposal now. [/quote] And again. For the miniscule amount of effort and cost involved I use it every time. Although mine is the slightly cheaper Studiospares version, it has cured the boom I experienced in raised wooden stages. Maybe it uses the same laws of physics that allow bumblebees to fly?

Has anyone considered using Roqsolid covers? I have them and they are good. I recall someone reported using those blue tarp-material Ikea carrier bags as rain covers. Certainly cheap and are already vaguely cab shaped, I suppose.

I recently acquired a 90s MIJ Precision body that has a Mighty Mite Jazz profile neck on it - very nice indeed. I have a couple of other MIJ Fenders with Jazz necks on and this is as good IMO.

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1350917150' post='1845019'] Mine is landscape - so the side mounted handle is on top. Works fine for me, but you have to remember the handle is not centred when you put the cover on. [/quote] Indeed - and why is it that every single time I put the cover back on, it is the wrong way around? .... I have resorted to sticking a white tippex blob at the front side of the hole now.

I am endlessly curious about my basses so changing bits about is all part of the fun as far as I am concerned - if it can be put back to stock again easily within my limited skill level then no harm is done. As others have said, 99.99% of punters and probably 99% of other band members wouldn't notice if I played a floorboard, so it is all done for my own pleasure. My current darling is a 90s MIJ Fender lightweight P-bass body, Mighty Mite Jazz neck, Ki0gon wiring loom and Wizard Trad pup, soon to be swapped for a SDP-1 just 'to see'. One day soon I'll stick a J-East P-Retro in it... hmm.