Cat Burrito

Pickup & in through the PA - feedback only comes when I have an inexperienced sound engineer which depends on the gig /venue

[quote name='cocco' post='962268' date='Sep 20 2010, 03:14 PM']The only problem is the classic Ampeg reliability issue.[/quote] Perhaps I have been hiding under a rock or something but I've never heard of this. My Ampeg stuff is all 15yrs old and never let me down (I hasten to add that it's all secondhand). Sounds like you've just been really unlucky. Have Ampeg really got a reputation for this?

With the bridge and pickup you'll generate a bit of interest but unfortunately these mods whilst improving the playability and tone of an instrument don't earn the invested money back for you. I think you'd do well if you got much more than £150, especially in the current climate.

[quote name='Bottle' post='961956' date='Sep 20 2010, 10:41 AM']To answer another question that has come up - no, I'd stick with just one bass for the entire set, unlikely I would swap out a bass mid-set, unless there was a major issue with the first bass[/quote] I'm the same unless it's a really big gig and I take the upright bass as well as a bass guitar. However normally it's just a bass guitar [b]or[/b] the upright for most gig situations

Not certain but probably just standard Squier pups. It's only recently since the VM series that the Seymour Duncan designed pups have come in & even then bear in mind they are "designed" not made by SD. It really depends what you are looking for pickup wise. Personally I use Seymour Duncan and Wizard pickups as they suit my style / budget but there are a million pick up makers out there. I go for the 50s / 60s traditional sound but you may want a bit more beef etc. Stating what sound you are after might get you some more helpful responses. But certainly putting in a replacement pickup will bring the bass to life a bit more

er, no link?

I've seen better & worse examples of this type of selling. I see it didn't sell

Avoiding the obvious choices & sticking within the genre I play; Skip Battin Chris Etheridge Chris Hillman

A transducer pup in the bridge is definitely the way forward. There was a thread ages ago but it's finding it that is the trick! I use a Shadow Transducer pup and love my sound. It's not coloured in any way & was easy to install. Not heard anyone on these pages mention them but it came as a recommendation away from Basschat

[quote name='Lozz196' post='961098' date='Sep 19 2010, 12:30 PM']I think the sound a Thunderbird makes can be put into many types of music[/quote] I agree & I think just because an instrument is associated with a genre it shouldn't make it exclusive. Les Pauls are always seen as rock & blues guitars but I've heard people play country on them with sometimes great results. Equally Rickenbacker fits right in there with the Mod scene but I don't think Lemmy fits in with the Carnaby Street In Crowd!

Well done Chris. I did my first one only last year myself & no doubt felt a similar sense of achievement to what you feel now. I think the sound engineer can often be a barrier in that they don't fully understand the instrument, especially those used to normally doing rock gigs. Art Centre gigs I always get good monitoring & a great sound, it's the pubs where I struggle more as a rule

A couple of camera phone shots of my current set up which I very much seem to have settled into for a while now

Welcome to Basschat Rhodri

I'm more surprised you have so many people in the audience who 1) know what the bassist does & 2) notice the difference in the tones! Ultimately if the difference is slight I'd go for what feels comfortable as personally I play better on what feels right

A rare local gig so a friendly faced crowd & we played well / were well received. I took my newly flight cased Fender Bassman head (1978) out & had a great night. One of my more favourite nights

It's dawning on me that I have done all my electric gigs over the last 6 months on the same bass. (must be worth a prize! ) Some of you have over 10 basses and most Basschatters seem to own more than 1. Just wondered whether you chop & change to match your shoes or whether you have certain basses for certain bands... or how you arrive on the decision to play what you are playing? Personally I'm settled into my bitsa 70s P-bass right now as it doesn't matter if it gets knocked about, it's set up beautifully, has a great tone and I spent so many hours stripping and sanding it that I built a bigger bond with it than at the height of my GAS when I'd almost sport a different instrument to match the shirt. I'm sure the other 4 will get a look in one day Over to you...

Definitely G-eddy not Jeddy... We used to struggle with Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley at school - is it Fray lee or Free lee. We decided it was Fray lee

Welcome to Basschat Ben

Completely agree, it's quite bizarre... although I hasten to add I think it's very much the instrument not the playerwith me! First time I took one down to the local Open Mic I suddenly had loads of people I'd seen month in month out suddenly come up and talk to me. I was inexplicably promoted to "one of those clever b**tards that can play anything" (my previous performances on other instruments hadn't warranted such an observation) and I suddenly find that despite playing similar lines the perception of the bass player goes from "crap guitarist" to "musician". FYI it also seems to work for mandolin, although in a slightly less dramatic way Around here everybody also seems to default to a Carry On Film status and remark on it's size too

I've always said those Jags will be future classics, like the JV series in a few years. Ultimately if it's not happening for you, it's not happening. But I do agree don't rush a decision.

Sometimes if the string is cut too short you can get a rattle. If you rewind between the nut & peg so there is more of an angle it can sound better. I had the same problem this week with my A string

2x instrument cables 2x speaker cables 2x vintage guitar straps Kettle lead Folding Hercules Guitar stand Spare Capo (not for me, for the boys - there's always one!) Spare Strings (never use them) Electronic tuner Blank Postcards with chord patterns written on them Jim Beam bar towel

It does look good. Reminds me of 70s Glam

I'm still concerned some folk thought my avatar was John Peel!?! I can't say it bothers me massively what people use & the images mentioned aren't pornographic or offensive. An avatar is a personal choice & something that reflects you. If the thing you want to say with yours is "I like this girl", so be it. Perhaps it isn't the most inspired choice? I can try to intellectualise why I've used mine but ultimately it's just a picture of a bass playing hero / influence. It's your choice to go on a site when you should be working (I occasionally do it too so just an observation, not a criticism) so equally it should be a question of choice for which avatar an individual selects.