4-string-thing

My band played at one a few weeks ago (before our drummer broke his wrist) I personally don't like jamming with strangers, so contacted the organiser first and he said it was fine for us to all come and play a short set. It was really good, went down well and got loads of positive comments. We'll be going back and doing another 4 or 5 songs in October, provided the drummer is able... Drums, Backline and PA all provided, so it's like gigging without the ball-ache

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1441356791' post='2858158']
One thing I'll add is in my experience higher quality basses are easier to play because they're easier to set up properly.
Because they're easier to play it's easier to improve your technique and everyone's a winner.
[/quote]

I have to say, in my experience it's just the opposite. For me, my £50 no-name jazz is easier to play than my 1977 Fender P. Both are set up well, and the build quality of the Jazz is easily on a par with the Fender. The quality of the woods and hardware probably isn't as good though, but the Jazz neck just suits my hands better and makes it easier for me to play stuff that I would struggle with on the Precision. Budget instruments really have improved that much over the last 20 or so years. I'm not knocking anyone for owning high end basses, I would say my Fender and my Warwick are both high end (some may not) Each to their own etc. Thing is, if I am playing the Dog & Duck on Saturday night and some drunken punter pours a pint down my Jazz and kicks it off it's stand, I'll be annoyed. If he did it to my Warwick or Fender, I'd be devastated (after I'd finished beating him to a pulp) And if the BAND sounds good with me using a cheap bass, then I'm happy.

I doubt many punters would know the difference between my £50 Jazz Bass copy and my 1970's Fender Precision. They are both the same colour and to their ears (and mine) both sound the same. A muso in the audience might, but would they really care that much? As long as it sounds ok and is in tune only a "gear snob" would worry surely?

I've often wondered about lessons, I've been playing since the age of 15 (I'm 53 now) never had a lesson which is why I'm probably not very good. I get by, but there's lots of things I can't do. I was once told by someone who studied at The Conservatorium Of Music in Amsterdam that I was "better than you think you are" So perhaps you can do ok without lessons?

If I had my time over though, I'd find a good teacher and at least have maybe a dozen, to get the basics right. There's more to playing the bass than knowing notes and scales etc.

Hofner violin bass?

Yup, too many people out there who have no vision and get too hung up on trying to replicate a recording rather than covering a song...

Our new drummer has just suggested Black Magic Woman and Gloria .... He won't last long!

I bought a pair of B&C drivers from an ebay shop called Audio Clearance Sales a few months ago, when they arrived they turned out to be Proel, who I believe used to be the Markbass distributor? You could try them, I only paid £60 for a pair of 6" 16ohm drivers and as you say, it's a ten minute job to fit a new driver yourself.

Actually, not the Markbass distributor, I meant B&C distributor...

Brown Eyed Girl

500 Miles

Or anything by Queen, Led Zeppelin or Stevie Wonder...

Get a mate to knock you out with a spade, and when you come round, tell you you're Mark King....

KC were a contestants specialist subject, so the threads title was a bit confusing (well, for me it was at least!)

I have to admit, when I saw the thread title, I thought Robert Fripp was actually on the show... Well, after his triumphant appearance with Toyah on Mr & Mrs ....

Surely if you have more people that is needed, ie, you've doubled up on some instruments, it could be run like most Sunday league football teams? If you don't turn up for training, you don't play at the weekend! And as he'd not bothered with rehearsals...

Never done a wedding gig as a bass player, but did a couple as a sound engineer a few years ago. Both seemed to involve a lot of waiting around, leaving home around noon and getting back around 1am. Life seemed too short to be doing it too often.

This has left me baffled, quite bizarre behaviour.... How on earth does he think it's ok to do this? Have you asked anyone else in the band what they think?

I have to say my precision has sounded good through almost everything I've ever played it through. One or two notable exceptions (Peavey, Behringer, Laney and Ampeg) found in rehearsal rooms though. Conversely, my Acoustic 220 has made every bass I've ever heard through it sound brilliant. One mans meat is another mans murder etc....

What's the difference between a drummer and a large pizza?

A large pizza can feed a family of four...

I used to be in a band where I owned the PA. I stored it, loaded it, unloaded it (having arrived at the gig two hours before anyone else) set it up, with lights, between set music etc... After the gig, they would help me load it into the van (which I also owned, insured, taxed MOT'd, maintained) when I got home I would unload it all on my own again. The singer would turn up with a mic and a pint glass holder to clip on to one of my mic stands, usually 20 minutes before start time. I never thought of asking anyone to follow me home to help, nobody offered and nobody offered me a bigger share of gig money either... Oh yes, these would be gigs that I went out and found, booked and organised because nobody else could be bothered. No wonder I got fed up playing gigs...

Guitarists comment when I told him I'd had enough? "You can't leave, what are we going to do for a PA?"

In previous threads I've said that I've always found gigs to be more trouble than they're worth, you can probably see why now...

To the OP, tell 'em you can't do it and as it's the singer who uses it, it's his problem.

Does anyone know the way? There's got to be a way to Blockbuster...

Why do you treat me like you do?

How can I be sure?

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xODjbfYw8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xODjbfYw8[/url]

In my opinion, there are two types of bass player.... Solid and flashy, I have also been described as solid, I took it as a compliment and so should you!

Was once offered a gig for free beer.... Some of the others were keen to do it, I pointed out that as we all had to drive to the gig, it was basically play for a few soft drinks. They reckoned we could stay over and get totally bladdered on his "free beer" but after a bit more arguing, turns out the offer was for one free beer each.... We didn't play the gig!

Insulting and lazy keyboard player, singer thinks he's gods gift and they all expect you to lug their gear around.... I'd have told 'em to find someone else long ago...