Grassie

[quote name='Urban Bassman' timestamp='1389007148' post='2328590'] Crazy, for all the reasons you state. 50+ gigs a year is good going though. Is there no way you, and perhaps the other member/s of band, could get them to agree to try doing some gigs, say a months worth, with a set list? Hopefully then they'll see the benefits - keeping the crowd dancing, better flow between songs, fewer guitar changes etc and so on. If they won't do that then I think you'd be justified in going sooner than that IMHO. [/quote] We do [i]occasionally[/i] use a written set list, but it's [b]never[/b] adhered to. Songs will be missed out or swapped about because "the crowd aren't up for it yet" or "the atmosphere isn't right yet" or some other BS. When the subject of a list is brought up it is usually answered with "well why don't you write one then? Why does it have to be me?" Fair enough, but it's not me singing them. I've been in this band for a year and another year is all I'm prepared to do. I have a holiday to pay for by May and all my gig money is going towards that. If I didn't have that financial incentive I would have finished on NYE. I've never before been one to say I'm only doing it for the money, because that's never been the case, but with this band it's sad but true.

The covers band I play in doesn't use a set list. We do have a list of around 40 songs that we can pick from, but we don't physically use a piece of paper with songs written on it in the order we're going to play them. This generally leads to some gaps between songs while the two guitarists (one of them sings lead) decide which song to play next. Add to this the gaps between songs while the singer changes his guitar for no reason other than a Les Paul or a Strat was used on the original, so that's what he has to play for that particular song. All this leads to a set that doesn't flow at all, and if we manage to get people up and dancing, the aforementioned guitar-changing-song-deciding-habit tends to kill the moment, and the dancers go and sit down while these two discuss the next song. This came to a head on Saturday when the guitarists disagreed over which tune to play. Singer wanted to play a Free song, non-singer wanted to play a Foo Fighters song. Non-singer started to play the opening riff, while singer told him "no, we're doing Free". This then led to non-singer getting stroppy and going "fine, have it your way", then started to play opening riff to the Free tune in a manner which suggested that he wasn't a happy bunny. Singer then decides to say quite loudly "Oh I'm not in the mood for this!" but eventually we all join in and finish the song. The mood then lightens toward the end of the first set and everyone is friends again. The joys of being in a band with no set list! We have 50+ gigs booked for this year, and I will honour every one of them, but at the end of the year I'm off. Anyone else have to deal with childish, ego maniacs while playing in a PUB COVERS BAND?

[quote name='BigBeatNut' timestamp='1388950086' post='2328047'] I have very similar plans. Start in April. Drummer lined up already, guy I really enjoy working with, and we have a huge overlap in music tastes. Galactic and Meters at the forefront of those. Not too bothered about having a vocalist, but I suspect that to get a decent number of gigs we may have to include some vocal numbers. [/quote] If I didn't have a holiday to pay for I'd have jumped ship and started mine by now...

By the end of this year I shall be done with my current band, no more "classic" rock (or rock in general) for me. My next band will be something like Vulfpeck, or The Meters, that kind of vibe. Originals, instrumentals, just some funky s**t all the way.

A Fender Herbie Flowers jazz bass would be cool.

If the question is "Which band would you most like to be in?" then the answer must be "Vulfpeck". Their track "Beastly" is my favourite. Class.

I see Mark D Phillips has started making video adverts......

The worst gig I've done with this band this year. Drums too loud, certain drums clashing and cancelling out my bass, vocals feeding back, songs played in wrong keys, and an ignored setlist. Horrible. New years eve better be an improvement or I'm off...

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1388277478' post='2320444'] [/quote]I now have 12 string GAS.

Didn't Hamer go under not long ago?

I have a precision and an ATK (which is very similar sounding to a Stingray). The P-bass works very well in some venues, while it can also sound a bit boomy in others. The ATK also sounds good when the P doesn't, so for me, it's all dependent on the venue I'm playing in.

Sounds OK (apart from that odd ringing, similar to the sound you get when you tap a scaffold pole), but looks like a gardening implement. Terrible aesthetics. Not for me I'm afraid. Daft Punk might be interested though...

That is very nice. I've always liked the look of Schecter's - well spec'd for the money. Nearly bought a Model-T a few years back, have fun with your new purchase!

Phil Gould, Reni, Alex Van Halen.

Subscribed. Love your work.

I don't mind some of these widdly-widdly guys - EVH and Satch in particular, because they have TUNES. Vai tends to get a bit otherworldly for my taste, and as for Mr Malmsteen - I couldn't get past the frilly shirts and gut. Or the total lack of soul, the pomposity and the scalloped fingerboard. WTF is that all about? Knobend.

Come 4th January next year I'll have been playing for 20 years, and I've never broken a string. Not once.

Guy Pratt's "My Bass And Other Animals" is a must, but steer clear of John Taylor's one - hardly any insight at all apart from drugs and groupies.

One of their former drummers (Stu Fisher) lives near me. He runs a recording studio down here with a friend of mine.

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1385381698' post='2287486'] Try pointing the extension cab [i]away[/i] from the window next time? [/quote] It was...

Saturday night at one of our usual venues, landlady's birthday so the place is packed out, good night had by all. Incidentally, new extension cab arrived Saturday morning so perfect timing to try it out. I'm set up by the window, bass sounds great, really clear and I can actually be heard over our two guitarists. End of the evening, the drummer's missus comes to pick him up and says "I've been sat in the car down the road and I can hear the pub's windows vibrating". That'll be me then... They might get some complaints.....

Chuck us an 'at over 'ere!

I've just noticed that if I touch the pole pieces on the pick up on my P bass, there is a very noticeable buzzing noise coming through the amp. A less noticeable buzzing occurs when I touch the bridge or the metal jack sleeve on my lead. I have recently replaced my pickups and my soldering isn't briliiant but everything is connected as it should be. Any ideas before I electrocute myself?

Status Kingbass Artist Mk1, four string, rosewood top, white LED's.

Rotosound swing bass sets - every pack I've bought have died after the first gig, Warwick yellow label nickel wounds - dead straight out of the pack (their red label stainless strings are marvellous by the way), flatwounds - not for me I'm afraid, tried them, couldn't get on with them, Elites stainless roundwounds - haven't bought any for years but always used to fade really quickly too. I once bought a set of Trace Elliott Mark King signature strings - beyond rubbish. It's Warwick Reds for me now, all the way.