jacko

Roger Glover. My Bro took me to see deep purple in 1972. He'd been trying to teach me fingerpicking on the guitar but after that gig all I wanted to do was play bass riffs on the bottom 4 strings. Didn't get an actual bass until after I'd seen chris squire in 1974.

[quote name='Thunderpaws' timestamp='1336501070' post='1646551'] Have seen Rush twice and I'm sure Geddy Lee DI's (correct me if I am wrong) and he sounded great both times [/quote] The trouble with these big bands is, although you think they're just DI'd, they're often going through a full amp rig too - just not pointing forwards. Geddy is actively endorsing orange heads so you can bet there'll be one in his signal chain. Another example is John Myung who everyone assumes just runs into a sansamp (or whatever) and usually has an appalling stage sound - when he can be heard. The fact is he has a full mesa rig on the side of the stage pointing away from the audience but mic'd up so he gets a proper bass tone in his in-ears. Shame that isn't pumped into the front of house

[quote name='Blink' timestamp='1336307416' post='1643725'] If we don't support the only specialist UK bass mag then it will disappear for ever and we will threads complaining that there is no specialist UK bass mag.. [/quote] On the other hand, are you really suggesting we each pay the best part of 4 quid for a magazine that (from the majority of the prior comments) holds no interest for us? Who benefits from that? I stopped my BGM subscription over a year ago but my better half bought me a copy a month or so ago (with dave ellefson on the cover). I really wish she hadn't - the mag doesn't seem to have changed in the 14 months since I last read it.Took me 10 minutes to flick through and take in the articles that I thought would interest me. Maybe they should just make it an e-mag then we can read whichever bits we want and donate a suitable sum. I reckon the bits I founf worthwhile should have cost me about 50 pence. Going back umpteen years to when I was a 15 year old hanging out at rock city music in newcastle, the only magazine I found interesting at the time was International Musician and recording world. i still have some of those early mags and often re-read interviews with folk like Jaco. I don't think I've ever re-read a BGM.

Nice to hear some musical slapping for a change.

last one this month. Saturday 28th april. Brightons Inn . Polmont. from 9.30

Don't miss BT in Callander this saturday. 9pm at the waverley.

Like several others on here I'm a devoted player of Alembics, having bought my first (an epic) new in 1995 for £1200ish. Since then I've added a fretless rogue and a Signature. If I had the money I wouldn't think twice about dropping it on a series 2. One of the things that impresses me most about them is the fact that everything apart from the machine heads is handmade at their workshop. Of my three, the latter two were custom built to my exact requirements. I was able to talk to the craftsmen (and the MD of the company) whenever I wanted to discuss the builds / choose laminates / string spacing etc. Granted they cost a lot more than any other basses I've played but - and this is where the 'haters' get bogged down - I absolutely love playing them - to my hands they are perfect and I can get any tone I need from them. Another important consideration - I'm lucky to have a very understanding other half who has allowed me to splash out once in a while. Others maybe aren't so fortunate. The owner of this bass - http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_romanconq.html paid somewhere in the region of $20,000 in 2004. Sadly for him he didn't tell his wife and once she found out the cost it ended up for sale. p.s. I'll be visiting the workshop in September - a dream come true.

I have Labella deep talkin flats on my dragonfly and they sound superb.

Love Bonnie raitt so I'll be buying the CD. I also love Hutch's playing but when I saw them a few years ago in Glasgow (souls alike tour) he changed basses every other song with no discernable difference in tone.

Nice rant but I have to say it sounds like every time I've ever tried to use rotosounds.

Most of the next 6 months we'll be playing weddings and private functions but we do have a handful of pub gigs coming up... Playing at... Whistlebinkies - Edinburgh 13th April. 10pm The Waverlay Callander 21st April 9pm Brightons inn. Polmont 28th april 9pm whistlebinkies edinburgh 13th may 10pm see www.bigtuna.co.uk for more

[quote name='kjb' timestamp='1334082424' post='1610726'] Maybe one or two of the posters on here should actually listen to the album properly, after reading his reply. I don't understand why people have to use so much time and energy being negative. . [/quote] Surely the artiste shouldn't have to explain his album for one to appreciate it? And as for people being negative, that's all down to personal taste and perception. Some like that stuff, others find it tedious. I'm afraid I sit in the latter camp. As for Hadrien Feraud being on fire? I lost interest after 2 minutes. Did he ever warm up? I find his tone to be really annoying. I've heard him twice at bassday through Mark bass kit and it just sounds too muted and lacklustre. For a bass solist on fire look up any TM stevens or Doug Wimbish clips on youchoob. That's Fire.

I've used hotrox in the past and found them to be fine... http://www.hotroxuk.com/matched-valves-links-page-12ax7-6l6-909-0.html

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1332252257' post='1585574'] So we can make an Alembic by adding two glass jars to our basses then? [/quote] They already have an Alembic in their logo.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1332247029' post='1585427'] I am glad I am not the only one who thinks Alembics are designed by blind guys. Their custome jobs are almost universally gross. I think there are a couple of old Series 1 and 2 basses that I would play and the Stan Clarke model is not too bad but some of them.... Have a look at this freak show.... [url="http://www.alembic.com/info/fcvault.html"]http://www.alembic.c...fo/fcvault.html[/url] [/quote] There aren't many instruments on that page I wouldn't want except maybe the ones with more than 6 strings. Having had a fender precision for longer than I care to remember I can state quite happily that I'd never want to buy another one. Way too boring to look at. In fact I'm unlikely to ever buy a bass with fewer than 5 strings and even then it would have to be neck-through with some pretty special figuring in the wood for me to show any interest.

Also has a chance to feature some nice Kate Bush segments too. I know which I'd prefer

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1332069514' post='1582680'] Ah, mission control, Jack Casady's Alembicised Guild. [/quote] Actually Phil Lesh's heavily alembicised guild. Source of some of the world's coolest music.

We've been playing around most of the decent pub venues in central scotland for 7 years and we've never seen a need to go for more than a pair of powered wharfdale 12" units on stands for FoH. we initially started off with these and a 12 channel behringer mixer but over the years have gradually added monitors and a second 8 channel mixer for the odd occasion we need to mic the drums*. We usually only put 4 vocal mics and the 2 guitars through the PA. More established pubs like whistlebinkies, behind the wall and finnegan's wake have their own PA although with some it's usefull to take your own monitors and mics. We also use our own PA for weddings and never have a problem filling decent sized halls with enough music to suit even the fussiest bride. Remember also, the more kit you have, the more you have to transport/setup and break down after a long night. Keep it simple. * we only mic the full drum kit and bass if we're using the venue's speakers - our sound guy prefers to use our desks rather than the house one as he's familiar with how it works.