ern500evo

[quote name='Thurbs' post='1061180' date='Dec 17 2010, 12:12 AM']Hi all. After first picking up a bass this time last year I played my first gig ever last Saturday! Here is my story... The band has only been together for 8 or so rehearsals. We dont have a massave list of songs we can do but attempted to get about 20 songs in all. The gig was at a small village pub which has regular bands on. It wasn't a payed as it was our first and we had no idea how good we would be. I get there about 6 (we are on at 9:30) to set up and get myself all sorted. After moving about with tables, lugging speakers in and faffing about with new lighting gear we were given we were not sound checked and ready until 9! Yes, 3 f***ing hours... how did that happen? We did have sh*t loads of stuff but I think next time we need to thin down as 3 hours is just a joke. One thing which did come out of the sound check is dynamics. Our drummer cant play anything but f***ing loud and it really pissed off the punters and the landlord. We managed to get him to play just really loud instead of f***ing loud and we just about got away with it but at one stage I thought we were about to get kicked out! I even suggested to the drummer if he cant turn it down he should bring his electric kit... I dont think he was too impressed! What does everyone else do? And dont get me started about addressing dynamics between a quiet verse and a loud chorus, he just plays f***ing loud all the time... Anyway eventually it went 1...2...3...4... and we are playing! The first song was a but iffey as everyone is pretty tentative. The second song our singer/guitarist's voice started to go but we pressed on.. and it was getting better. Still nothing like the rehearsals in terms of quality but it was in "get away with it" teratory. Then came My Hero and boy did we cock this up, or should I say our drummer cocked it up. It was so bad at one point that me and the guitarist looked at each other as if to say "should we stop?". We carried on anyway with the drums virtually playing a different song to us and completed the song, but it was pretty bad. Our next song, Maybe Tomorrow, I read wrong on the set list and started playing Morning Glory (yes I know) and I completely cocked up the first few bars. Realised early and was in sync by the 3rd or 4th bar. I did feel a bit stupid and was getting further cross with my self and the band at the poor show we were putting on. Anyway, we carry on with the odd verse missed out here, the odd chorus missed out there and some songs we ended half way through a chrous or a verse. Now, I am no expert by any stretch. I think I made a small mistake in just about every song. A bit too slow here, a bit too keen there, cocked up a note, that sort of thing but we were making pretty fundamental errors with the structure of songs. At one point I just gave up focusing on what came after a bridge or a verse and had to virtually guess based on the drummers fill. Is this normal? I am trying to take some posatives from it as I was able to cover up and recover from those mistakes quite well, but it was quite unnerving. The other thing I commented to the band on is the break inbetween songs. When I have seen bands before once one song is finished it is straight in to the next one. We usually had a few minutes of faffing about and I didnt think it was very good. Again is this normal? Am I too anal? We ended much better than we started. All in all it was a good night and I was pleased with myself. The drummer I am not sure about but will give it a couple more months before doing anything drastic. They gave us £50 each in the end which is preferable to a kick in the teeth... Here are some of our "better" songs: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFChCZEUKI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFChCZEUKI[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUGxpQNQfBo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUGxpQNQfBo[/url] Set 1 Beautiful Day 20th Century Boy Heavyweight Champion of the World My Hero Maybe Tomorrow Sweet Home Alabama Have a Nice Day Run I Fought The Law Gimme Some Lovin’ Set 2 Morning Glory Bohemian Like You Monster Creep Use Somebody With or Without You Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) Wonderwall ‘59 Sound Sex on Fire Best of You[/quote] First gigs can always be nervy affairs, especially if you haven't had much rehearsal time. But it gets better the more you gig, and when it all clicks and you look out in the audience and everyone is having a blast its the best feeling in the world! As for your drummer, i know how you feel. Our old drummer was an animal, but he was also a fantastic drummer so it was difficult to to get too uptight with him! Drummers are a strange breed anyway, in my experience they are either normal and keen but not very good, or very good but wierd! Anyway good luck with the band/gigs, and remember, even on the bad nights it's better to be out there living the dream in a gigging band than be a bedroom warrior sat at home uploading your latest "look how fast i can play" video!

[quote name='ern500evo' post='1172239' date='Mar 22 2011, 03:58 PM']Has anyone got their hands on a Hartke kilo amp head yet, or even heard one in the flesh? I see some UK stores are advertising them but i was at the London bass guitar show recently and Hartke didn't even have one on their stand, which makes me wonder if the stores advertising them actually have any. The prices look really good, especially when you compare them to an SVT, Peavey VB3 or a Laney Nexus. Any thoughts?[/quote] I spoke to the guys on the Hartke stand at LBGS and they said the only one they've got had been shipped to frankfurt for the trade show there, hence it wasn't at the London show. I've spoken to a couple of the stores who are advertising them, one says they should have some by late May, the other store said they have no idea when they are going to have them in(which is pretty poor seeing as they will happily take your money for an order!!). As for price, the guys on the Hartke stand gave me a price list which shows an RRP of £799, but like they said, once people have stocks and are vying for your business a price of £699 is probably more realistic, which when you look at what you're getting is a pretty incredible price, especially when you put it alongside Peavey VB or a Laney Nexus. Just have to play the waiting game to actually go and hear one in the flesh!!

Been a memeber for a while but haven't got round to introducing myself. My names Lee, i'm 40 and from Bristol, been playing for over 20 years now. Started playing when two friends of mine started taking guitar lessons at a local youth club, i went along with the intention of learning guitar but when i got there was told they only had 2 guitars available. as i was about to leave the guitar tutor pointed to a beat up Precision copy in the corner and said "you can play that if you like" and i haven't looked back since! I've never taken any lessons and don't practice alone as much as i should! I was out gigging with a band long before i knew much theory, largely due to the fact that when i was learning to play i got far more enjoyment jamming along to Led Zeppelin, The Who and Cream than i did from sitting staring at a book of scales! Gear wise nowadays, i use a spector, i'm not sure what model it is, it was a present, it's a 4 string thru neck with EMG HZ's and cost about £550, I've had a hipshot D-tuner fitted to it and it just feels great to play. I've also got a 2005 USA Fender Precision in sunburst with a white scratchplate and maple neck, and which i've just realised after owning it for 6 years is absolutely identical to the Precision copy that i picked up all those years ago! Amp wise i use an Ashdown ABM500evo rackmount and an Ashdown 8x10, with an Ashdown James Lomenzo hyper drive pedal. I've also got a Boss GT6-B which i haven't actually got round to using live yet. Anyway thats enough about me, what's your story?

Has anyone got their hands on a Hartke kilo amp head yet, or even heard one in the flesh? I see some UK stores are advertising them but i was at the London bass guitar show recently and Hartke didn't even have one on their stand, which makes me wonder if the stores advertising them actually have any. The prices look really good, especially when you compare them to an SVT, Peavey VB3 or a Laney Nexus. Any thoughts?