4-string-thing

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1359062861' post='1949411'] Also - who stocks 'Acoustic' amps in the UK? I'm a diehard Jazz bass fan and want to know what the fuss is about. [/quote] Nobody, nowdays.... But that doesn't matter if money is no object, does it?

Whichever one suits you best. In my case it's an Acoustic 220 with a 402 and 404 cab.

Ok, so I went along in the end and enjoyed it, though the best bit was an impromptou "Mustang Sally" (yes, really) All nice enough blokes and I was thinking I'd probably go back( they asked me to join) but the next day I recieved an email from a folky band I auditioned for before about 5 weeks ago, asking if I was available to rehearse on Tuesday? As I'm a folkie at heart, it was no contest, so Green Fortune, here I come! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tyx_Z0Wqn4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tyx_Z0Wqn4[/url]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1357752540' post='1927888'] I suppose that might be this one then? [url="http://www.ayntskynyrd.com/"]http://www.ayntskynyrd.com/[/url] I'm amazed a 9 piece tribute is financially viable, maybe this is why some of them are looking to gig in a more manageable set up? [/quote] It's three of this lot.... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ES4d-vzos"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ES4d-vzos[/url] The singer, drummer and one of the guitarists.

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1357699957' post='1927014'] Don't know if you are active on it, but Talkawhile is a great folky forum, with plenty of muso chat going on, and you may find a session or a gig on there : [url="http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php"]http://www.talkawhil...abbse/index.php[/url] [/quote] Cheers for that Admiral, added to my favourites and will check it out tomorrow!

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1357752540' post='1927888'] I suppose that might be this one then? [url="http://www.ayntskynyrd.com/"]http://www.ayntskynyrd.com/[/url] I'm amazed a 9 piece tribute is financially viable, maybe this is why some of them are looking to gig in a more manageable set up? [/quote] No, its not this one, but from all sorts of points of view, any 9 piece tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd are never going to gig much are they? They themselves have said they can't get many gigs, mainly I suspect to a limited appeal and the logistics of getting 9 people available at the same time! Anyway, thanks for all your replies, I'm going and will hopefully get on with them and maybe suggest a few songs....

I don't have an issue with covers bands, or learning songs, it's just that i can see whats going to happen.... I'll join the band (if they ask me to) and after a few weeks realise it's not for me and leave. It's happened before, quite a few times actually! Which makes me think I should start my own band or just be a bit less fussy about what I play.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1357672323' post='1926495'] They don't fly to gigs, do they? [/quote] You'd hope not!

[quote name='thinman' timestamp='1357672465' post='1926500'] How about trying to form your own band? Not easy I know but you may be able to attract like-minded people. [/quote] Yeah, I have been trying for most of the last two years to find people and funnily enough, have found a guitarist/singer, fiddler and have roped in a drummer from the previously mentioned country-rock band. So that may well happen sometime soon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1357671130' post='1926460'] Can you stretch your definition of "folk" to include country rock? [/quote] Yes, I did join a country-rock band for a while, and while the music was ok, the personalities were not!

Hmmm... I didn't mention thay they are part of a 9 piece Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band, who don't get many gigs, so I am wondering how committed they are? I get the impression this band is a side project and won't be their main focus. The songs listed were just for the audition, so maybe they picked easy songs to help me out? It does leave me wondering just what the rest of the set list would be like though! I'm sure Mustang Sally and Too Hot To Handle will be in there somewhere.... As for needing the money, in my experience, pub gigs only just about cover costs and almost always leave me wondering why I did it! Mind you, the last band did take the mick a bit, using my PA and lights, expecting me to arrive 2 hours before them, setting it all up, packing it all away etc etc... Then expecting the money to be split equally between the six of us. Maybe thats why I have become a bit disillusioned?

Ok, I've got an audition on thursday, and I'm wondering whether to bother or not. To be honest, I'm not sure I can be bothered with the hassle of gigging again, it's been a couple of years since I've been in a gigging band and I don't think I miss it much. The songs they want me to do don't exactly inspire me much either: Johnny B Goode Brown Eyed Girl Stuck In The Middle With You Take It Easy Wishing Well Sweet Home Alabama Ok, all easy enough to play, but not really my cup of meat! So, is any old band better than no band? Should I wait around for another 2 years for the right band, or should I bite the bullet and get my head down and play 90 minutes of music that leaves me cold every saturday night? BTW, if you play in a rock covers band, there is nothing wrong with that, it's just that I am a bit of a folkie at heart....

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1357644694' post='1925754'] Very much this. Remember also that pop music was mixed to sound good when coming out of the small elliptical speaker of an AM radio as well a decent HiFi. Despite what "audiophiles" were trying to tell us we weren't missing out that much. [/quote] I remember reading interviews with loads of producers and musicians in "International Musician & Recording World" in the 70's and 80's and they all seemed to mix using auratone cubes, which was a tiny plastic speaker and apparently gave them an idea of what their music would sound like on a transistor radio. As that was where most people heard music, it seemed logical, as if it sounded good on a tiny radio, it would sell more.

Which one did you go for?

I have 2 cabs with 15's ones a 1x15 and one 2x15. I don't think 10's sound anywhere near as good. My amp runs at 2 ohms, so I can use a combination of 1, 2 or 3 15's! If I need more power I can add another amp to the rig too.... There is plenty there to fill any sonic space!

I bought one of these: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200613316399"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200613316399[/url] Cheap as chips, makes my double bass loud through my amp, what more can I say? Ok, so it may not be the last word in double bass pickups, but if you're playing alongside guitars and drums it will at least let you compete volume wise.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1356783472' post='1913513'] Not so sure about this. I have come across drum snobbery - a jam night where the guy that ran it (a drummer) once brought just kick, snare and hi-hat with the comment "that'll sort the men out from the boys"! [/quote] I'm a firm believer that the smaller the drum kit, the better the drummer!

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1356630974' post='1911842'] Hate to say it, but the biggest problem with music shops is that they employ musicians, who, with notable exceptions are more interested in showing how much better a player they are than the customers, who keep on interrupting their public ego w*nking. This is IMHO particularly true of guitar players, and, dare I say it , the odd bassist too IME. I can't think of any other industry which would tolerate this. [/quote] I agree, I can understand that you probably need to be a guitarist to demonstrate guitars to customers (though not really, as long as its set up properly) but employing musicians as salespeople really isn't such a good idea... You probably couldn't find anyone more unreliable! (this is in my experience as band member and studio owner) Now, a shop staffed entirely by bass players would be a completely different matter....

I wonder if this just happens in guitar/bass departments? I used to run a little studio, and as such, used to buy lots of keyboards and recording gear from a large outlet that had a "High Tech" department as well as the guitar/bass/drum sections. The manager of the high tech department was a brilliant young guy called Ryan, and we were on first name terms, talked a lot about football etc, etc. We got on very well and I always got brilliant customer service from him, he even used to ring me when they got gear in that he thought I would be interested in. I bought a lot of studio gear over a two year period and spent a lot of money. By contrast, the people who ran the guitar department were typical guitarists (I know I'll get flamed for that) rude, egotistical, ignorant, lazy and selfish. They would sit there widdling away on whatever strat/les paul they could reach without stretching too much, through some loud stack, annoying everyone else in the shop. Generally ignoring potential customers and moaning if you dared to ask them a question, or worse, asking to try some gear. The place went bust. I hope Ryan got a better job though!

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1356300171' post='1909037'] At the risk of returning to the original topic, the random guitarist that wants to muscle into the band is not that different from the punter that wants to get up and sing. What they don't realise is that you've [i]earned[/i] your place on that stage (even if it's the corner of a pub between the quiz machine and the door to the toilets). You've carefully chosen your kit and paid for it (you may still be doing so), you've worked on your technique, you've practised the material at home, you've rehearsed with the band, you've hustled for gigs, you've had setbacks and let-downs, you've carted shed loads of kit into the venue (and will reverse the process after you finish), and now (to quote Martine McCutcheon), this is your moment. You [i]deserve[/i] to be on that stage playing, and people that wander up and think they can have a go? They [i]don't[/i]. I'll get off me soap-box now, before I fall off. [/quote] Well said! We provide entertainment (hopefully) not karaoke!

I realise the new "Acoustic" amps have nothing to do with the originals (I still own a 220 and 404 cab that I bought new in 1980) and are probably made in the same Chinese factory as Behringer, Ashdown, etc. But I am a bit curious as to how they sound, and yes, I would buy one as an alternative to any other cheap Chinese amp just beacause its baby powder blue and has the word Acoustic on the front!

I think Guitar Center will ship to Europe though and being a lover of Acoustic gear, I'd be interested in knowing what they sound/perform like with a view to maybe getting a B600. They now do an 800w head which costs £390!

Normans list it as a "Zoom" EUB, but then state that you may get the same bass branded as a Stagg!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1356024682' post='1905970'] I have gone from curios idea to here in a week! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/194276-just-ordered-my-first-eub-total-noob-what-have-i-done/"]http://basschat.co.u...at-have-i-done/[/url] Thomanns delivered super fast but you could get overnight from PMT if you are really desperate to have it before christmas, they list it as an eastwood but its the same, even has Stagg on the headstock. Unless you are thinking full on Aria or NS design etc? The mods done to my Stagg this morning have already made it go from a £350 model to a £500 IMO and took no time at all I believe the Stagg is a rip off of the Aria too so you may well like it. [/quote] I saw an Eastwood (Eastcoast?) in PMT Birmingham the other week, it looked nowhere near as well put together as my old Stagg (the E string wasn't even in the bridge slot, and didn't look like it would stay there if it was) I bought mine from Normans of Burton on Trent who are selling them for £299 at the minute.

[quote name='OliverBlackman' timestamp='1355956419' post='1905102'] Your playing in Fleckney!? I would take any other gig you can get ;-) [/quote] Ha ha.... Mind you, Barrow isn't much better! Is this gig at the boathouse by any chance?