4-string-thing

Agreed, life really is too short to be doing something you're supposed to be enjoying but you're not! Years ago I joined a band in the Nuneaton area, who seemed to revel in the fact that they had got through 15 bass players. Needless to say, it wasn't long before I walked (the band leader was a complete t*ssp*t) they're still going but the lineup is completely different and they're probably on bass player 38 by now! And by all accounts, the guy is still a complete t*ssp*t....

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1444652325' post='2884744'] +1 The last band I played in had a virtuoso Guitard, my brilliance and a drummist who would announce at sound-checks.. 'erm, sorry can't do that one now, I've forgotten it' He pretty much used to clatter through each song the same. I threw in the towel. Shame, as the songs were good, just couldn't find the right sticksman [/quote] I used to play in a band where the drummer also "played" the same thing for every song. I didn't think it could get worse til one night the singer didn't turn up and said drummer announced "no problem, I'll sing"....

If you read the "[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/198205-worst-amp-you-have-owned-or-had-the-luck-to-use/"]worst amp you have owned or had the luck to use[/url]" thread, think of one thats not been mentioned, and BINGO, there's your answer....

Kettering is a fairly small town, so coming from a large city like Bristol, is bound to make things different. As others have said, if you don't mind spending up to an hour driving to rehearsals you have Leicester, Coventry, Northampton, Peterborough, Cambridge and Bedford all in reach. I recently turned down a really interesting band in Corby, just because they rehearsed at 8pm on a weeknight and it would have been too much of a rush for me to get there at that time (until recently my working day started at 5am and ended at 6:30 or 7pm) I've also seen a surprising number of bands advertising from the Market Harborough area, believe it or not. Again, just down the road.... Joinmyband is a good place to look, but as said before, advertise in the surrounding counties too....

Whilst gigging can be fun (or not) I don't see it as the ultimate musical experience that some of us do. I see it as a necessary evil (more often than not) in the circle of a musical career. I see it like this: 1: You buy an instrument. 2: You learn to play it a bit, in your bedroom. 3: You get some mates round who are also learning to play instruments, jam together, learn some covers and write some songs. 4: You form a band and start looking for gigs, because your songs deserve to be heard by the population. 5: You play some gigs. 6: Eventually, after playing loads of gigs, (some fun, some not so much fun) You are lucky enough to be offered a record deal. 7: You get to make records! This is the ultimate because once you have made your first album, you then go back to playing gigs to promote it. 8: You join Basschat, get GAS and end up at stage 1, buying instruments again... 9: 2 albums later, band splits coz you all hate each other and the main songwriter has lost his muse, and you return to.... 10: Playing your 5 or 6 basses in your bedroom.... Like I've said before, the right type of gigs with the right band can be an absolute joy. But the wrong type of gig with lazy, unprofessional, sub-standard bandmates can be an absolute nightmare.

There are any number of places you could get a perfectly giggable bass for around £100 (a Harley Benton P Bass is less than that, new) And a s/h combo from here, Facebook or Ebay for a couple of hundred would give you change to get a lead, tuner and petrol money to the gig....

Actually, I've never REALLY liked gigging..... I enjoy it when it all goes well.... good sound, good audience, good payday etc. But, sadly all too often it has just seemed like a lot more trouble than it's worth. I suspect that's been down to some of the bands I've been in and the "venues" I've played though, rather than the actual gigging thing itself.... Having said that, some 39 years after my first gig, I'm sitting here now, touting for gigs with my latest band!

I think I have 12.... Some at my house and some at my mums (she has better insurance than me and hardly ever goes out) Most are cheapies. I also have an acoustic guitar, a baritone uke, a 3 string cigar box guitar, a djembe and a chord organ. I really don't need 12 basses, but I usually end up buying a new bass every time I join a new band, just because my existing basses don't quite seem to be "right".... I find it hard to sell them on! I also have 4 bass rigs....

Thought so Chimike, to be fair I was using an Ashdown 575w amp with my 402, so replaced the drivers with Eminence Beta's and boxed up the originals. Funny really, as the rig sounded the same (to my ears at least) and no louder than with my 220.... I've since removed the Beta's for use in another cab and the originals will be going back in at some point.

I know (and see) loads of bass players who are better than me in local bands, and when I watch them from the audience, it does make me feel a bit rubbish. But you know what? When I get up there with my band, I feel like I'm the best bassist in the best band on the planet.... Dunno why, never suffered with stage fright or anything. They may be "better" or they may play stuff I could never play, but when I'm playing, I always feel great. I may have a dual personality or something, but when I strap on my bass, my confidence levels go through the roof.... Don't let it worry you, you're probably a lot better than you think you are!

[quote name='TransistorBassMan' timestamp='1443780191' post='2877587'] My old band used to state "timewasters welcome" in our Melody Maker ads [/quote] I once answered an ad posted by a drummer that had that as the last line....

Any good for metal though? Someone was bound to say it sooner or later, might as well be me.....

They copied my idea and reshaped the headstock.... Maybe I should copy theirs and spray mine yellow?

A similar thing happened to me on a facebook group a few months ago.... Traded my double bass for a jazz bass he valued at £350, I reckon my db was about the same, maybe a little bit less. Two weeks later my db is back for sale at £850! I felt the same as you, peeved but not exactly worried as I had a bass that I thought was ok. I sold the bass a few weeks later as it didn't excite me too much and I wanted a Markbass cab which was £350 new. Got £320 for the bass, delivered it to Bromsgrove and went straight round to Bass Direct and bought the cab....Happy days! I think he sold the db for £400 eventually.... I expect that kind of thing from FB, but if it had been a basschatter I might have been a bit more pee'd off....

Yup, my 404 has two circular ports at the bottom of the baffle and my 402 has a slotted port. Incidentally Chimike, why would they be better with replacement drivers? Both mine have the originals and they both still sound great.

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1443289306' post='2873637'] Exactly! It's how YOU feel, so f*** anyone else who doesn't like what you play. It's rock and roll isn't it? [/quote] Yup! And the first rule of Rock and Roll is that there are no rules....

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1443374299' post='2874209'] I can't stand him , or the Beatles! [/quote] He always speaks very highly of you!

I got a couple of A4 sheets of "Carbon Fibre" vinyl from ebay for about £3.50 to use on my cheapo jazz bass. It was advertised as bubble free and is a bit thicker than the vinyl they use for sign lettering, so you can apply it dry (no need for soapy water and a squeegy) .... Massive improvement. Again took about 20 minutes, using a small craft knife (not a carpet type, they seem too big, mine's more like holding a pen) [attachment=201584:jazz.jpg] [attachment=201585:jazz2.jpg]

Clearly written by a guitarist who thinks he knows about bass.... Having said that, I own an Ibanez GSR like number 7 (in black, so louder) and it really is a great bass for the money. I should now have no trouble selling it...

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1443123087' post='2872492'] or perhaps one of these, this is long scale but they did them in short scale too [/quote] Maybe I could persuade them to let me loose in their parts bin for a few hours....

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1442941560' post='2870815'] I'm liking that! [/quote] Thank you, it is a great bass (well, to me at least) but it sits in it's case at my mums house and hardly ever gets played. It was my first proper bass, after a Top Twenty and a Hondo Ric copy.

I'm a huge RT fan, and although "Still" is a good album, it's a long way from his best, and I'd forgotten about "Guitar Heroes" That's probably the weakest song on there...

Something like this, not sure about the red though.... Actually, it's a cross between the two that I really want. The bass on the right with the pickguard and pup of the one on the left!

Richard Thompson chose to play (IMO) the weakest song from his new album, strange thing to do, hopefully he'll be a bit more exciting on Friday!