JTUK

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1425490099' post='2707879'] Well it sounds that the problem is with the guitars eq/drive/reverb etc. If they`re willing to try it, get them to reduce bass, gain and reverb all by one, say from 7 down to 6 on each. See where you are from there. [/quote] It is down to the sounds they have and they way they play... Two LP's..?? WTF..!! it will be a fight...as will any gtr with humbuckers and a thick sound. If there are two gtrs in the band, I like to see if they bring along a compatible gtrs.. and whether they even contemplate or think about it.. and then how they actually play..? I can't think why a band would pick two gtrs who play in the same style and use the same sort of sound... but there you go

I like the SL112's with a TH500, I favoured that against the CN112. I do have a DB212, which is great, but I run that with a DB amp. Policesquad and I demoed these 3 great 112's; CN V SL V TKS, and we both thought the TKS was the clear winner. You'd have to try really hard to get a bad sound out of any of them but the TKS had the little X factor, IMO.

There is only so much space to occupy and a 2 gtr band is a bad place to start unless they can play together and stay out each others way. That takes a degree of sense and if they can't avoid each others space, they're going to be oblivious to yours as well, most very likely. Simple test...start with drums playing straights 8's on the bass and you should be sitting well with well tuned drums.. and then invite the gtrs in... most gtrs will fail at this point and you'll lose the bass mix there.. You either ALL realise what the problem is and sort it or you try and educate them... and when they go back to their own old habits, you accept they are too selfish to play with and you move on.

[quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1425472340' post='2707642'] While I agree with everything else in post #67 JTUK - the problem (for me) is the 'How does someone define cheese?' I hold the view that there are many songs, which are untouched by the majority of cover bands; these songs entertain people, get people dancing and make a 'refreshing change' (actual quote) from that served by other bands. [b]I feel that it could interpreted as elitist to say something is cheesy.[/b] [/quote] I guess it could be perceived as a degree of elitist, but I'd prefer to slant it as people just doing it better and with more idea. Of course, you can have all these ideas and directions and if you are playing to small audiences, you've still 'failed'...but cheese to me is bands shaping their set to be totally populist above all else... and you'll also probably find little imagination with the numbers they've chosen... you might also find they choose numbers that say 'wow' look at me' aren't we great.. It may be all cover bands have an element of this so it comes down to conviction and amplitude..?? Anyway, the most obvious are easy to spot... If the band don't play very well, and still pick tunes like Alabama etc etc, the choice is mostly a get out of jail choice, rather than a suitable and rousing rendition....

There is definitely a 'cheese' line that no one should cross, IMO,...but it wont stop a few bands as that is all they have to get bookings... but once you have a half decent set you need to look at what else the band has. Is it a good playing band, do they have that extra factor that sets them apart..? They are the bands that will put distance between the normal fare and get to charge reasonable fees doing predominately what they want to rather than what the local market expects.. i get out to see quite a few bands and I'd be hard pushed to recal a handful of above average ones.. That is what kills local music, as much as anything else..??

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1425461724' post='2707483'] I would not get upset at 3.5 hours. He might have read it and been on the way out to work or something. Couple of days- certainly. But not less than a day. [/quote] Agree.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1425373684' post='2706554'] Well words were spoken, and sulking happened. [b]Basically what I got from it was that a few of them aren't bothered at all about gigging or not (would you have guessed?) and my suggestion of cutting rehearsals went down like a lead balloon.[/b] So decision has been made and I will inform them I'm leaving after our last gig before the long break. Massively disappointed as I like hanging out with them all but I'm in a band to gig because thats where the fun and memories are for me. In other news, I've got an audition to be in a rock 3 piece on Sunday [/quote] So, they expected you to continue to travel 2 hrs weekly just to hang out and play a few tones..? I guess that is why they were 'happy' that you took care of all the things that they/YOU needed to gig as they weren't bothered if it happened or not.. I think you leaving will finish off the band unless not gigging was a position shared by all...??

I'm replacing a band as I didn't agree with a personel change. I accepted it had to be done but 2 of us didn't like the new direction/player so we vetoed it. Apparently that set us on a collision course so we left. I tend to leave if it isn't working musically... I can put up with a lot but the musical reason trumps all.

[quote name='Waddycall' timestamp='1425322345' post='2706218'] I'm in mid cornwall. It's not easy finding shops with cabs to try round here! [/quote] I was going to suggest you hear TKS at BassGear but they are nr Reading .. I can vouch for the S112 which is a remarkable little cab but I don't advocate single 12's and always prefer 2... but there is no reason why a single 112 shouldn't as capable as a 115 and the S112 is a great cab. Maybe see what others who have more time on the H115 have said in threads here..?

TH500..??? 2xTKS S112's ... no question. If a single 115 was required, I'd call BassGear to see what TKS15's they have in demo... A quick play with one recently showed they are exceptional..and I am no 115 apologist by any means..

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1425304429' post='2705981'] Yeah I completely see your point here but its been me thats done absolutely everything already so far: Out of my own pocket I have bought/ had made or sorted out: Our website, business cards, flyers, posters, band banner, stage lights and PA system. We had it agreed I 'd sort out all that and the others would find the gigs, so I sort of feel mugged off for all the effort and money I put in. Especially the website because I spent loads of hours on that! [/quote] All that work/admin and expense is the reason you MUST gig, IMO..and I would think it reasonable to ask for extra payment. It HAS to be worth another equal share of fees to do all that...especially if you haul the P.A as well.... If the gig is worth £250 and there are 4 of you... then you get a 5th share. We only used to pay out over £250 as we wanted to pay each member a min of £50, but on the better paid gigs, it worked out quite well, but also only fair. Anyone not being able to see, appreciate and pay for the work you do is indeed treating you like a mug...IMO. I don't mean to wind this argument up..but suspect you are there or thereabouts anyway.. hence the thread..? I'd lead the meeting tonight with all the extra work you do and where are the gigs as their part of the deal..? Then I'd hit them with the exe's thing but do be prepared for that to be a deal-breaker to someone. Someone who hasn't got a clue, no doubt, but you can guess where it might head..?

[quote name='Waddycall' timestamp='1425300472' post='2705917'] These cabs use one of the best 15" drivers on the market. I have owned one from new since 2009 and still love it. Thanks Machinehead - do you use your as a standalone cab? [/quote] Where are you based?

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1425300342' post='2705915'] You haven't played a Hartke LH amp, have you? They are a mid-range desert... (as opposed to a mid-range dessert, which would be something like a Sticky Toffee pudding ). [/quote] No, I haven't but the OP doesn't say that is his problem..???

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1425247298' post='2705594'] A badly-tuned kit will sound like crap whether it's hit correctly or not. [/quote] As will a well tuned kit. Some drummers hit correctly and some slap it and it sounds horrible. Nothing they do will change that...and that 'style' will likely define them as a drummer.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1425252134' post='2705654'] I agreed. [b]If I'm really interested in a band I will know the audition material inside out [/b]before I proceed. Sometimes the enthusiasm for wanting to be in a band trumps how well you you know the songs. Good luck, hope it works out for you. Blue [/quote] See, now I wouldn't. I'd say I knew the song or had listened to it and would give my 'off the cuff take' to demonstrate that I was a pretty quick study and can get the job done straight away so I wouldn't need 3 months of rehearsal to be up to speed. I'd approach it from the view point that I am going to make the track sound good straight away...as that is what a bass players does; knits everything together.. so I'd want to make it obvious to them that this is what I can do. Gtrs might wait 3 months for a track to work, but bass players shouldn't.. Case in point... last night watching my mates bands and it was the 3rd time I'd seen them and they were really starting to gel, especially the bass and drums. My thoughts were, what took them so long. Why didn't the bass and drums have that going on at the first gig 10 odd weeks ago... ?? it is not as though they played the notes/songs any differently..???

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1425289223' post='2705778'] Is it possible to boost my low mids, with a 3 band EQ - bass; mid; treble? [/quote] Why do you want to do this...? Any amp should get you there..???

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425294288' post='2705836'] I owned a Jazz for a while. I found the shape uncomfortable and sold it. I could see the point of making a posh Fender style bass if it avoided all the design compromises that had to be made on the original due to cost and the technology of the time, but [b]very few of them do, so what is the point?[/b] [/quote] Again, if that is the case, you've picked the wrong guy. My Fender 'copy's is 10 times the bass that most Fenders are... to me. I quite like the later Amercan deluxe model but not for the new price and I've not felt I must have one yet at SH prices. As you say, not quite there...

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1425297124' post='2705872'] That would be my preference as well but unfortunately I only have time for one band! I think I would stay longer but I can imagine after a while I would want to be gigging songs that I enjoy. [b]Trouble is noone seems bothered about getting more gigs,[/b] it been mentioned that one a month is enough for them which for me would be okay as well if we rehearsed less and this band could be pushed aside for something else. I will probably mention that tonight. ... Yeah I think I just need to be completely honest... [/quote] There may be common ground for you all if once a month was the figure you wanted to work to... but getting gigs is also a worthwhile skill or talent so it would probably be you who had to pursue this. I think any band that works as infrequent as you do doesn't really have gigs as the reason for the band.. so money isn't the issue, and neither is playing live.. This sort of situation/band ethos is to be avoided at all costs, IMO.. I'd mention tonight that 1 gig a month needs to be the goal.. you might find that someone will leave before you as that doesn't suit them..and therefore you'll have the answer that this band isn't working any more...??

The sticking point for me would be the two hour round trip weekly. I would only justify that myself if there was a good reason for it and you'll probably find that you don't make enough money gigging with that band to cover the rehearsals. I'd form a position that more gigs or less rehearsals is the way from me to go and if they didn't like that idea, I'd leave.. I undertand that putting a gun to people's head is also not the way to go about things but I think you've given it a good commitment and things now need to change.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1425234176' post='2705394'] Which in turn is only achievable if he can tune a kit properly. Not all drummers can, strangely enough. [/quote] Still wont make any difference unless he hits the skin correctly.

Well, don't buy a bitsa made up of parts then and pay the luthier's premium for putting it together. I'd want to watch the guy making/building it from his selection of woods in his shop and have it customised to the dims I ask for.. so wouldn't be impressed with a pre made neck from a 3rd party if I'd paid for a custom build and the luthiers expertise

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1425140716' post='2704444'] Played through a 2x10 Ashdown combo on Thursday night. Although most of the Front of House sound was handled by the PA, the combo sounded great on the stage and pretty well-defined and loud [/quote] I was told the amp supplied on a stage would be a TE...which wasn't the best news so I wasn't sure when I found an Ashdown 210 Combo with the amp config as in the 410 above. I didn't need a great deal of time to get a working sound and it filled the 5 x 8 mtrs stage with minimum aditional monitoring so I was pleasantly surprised. I only used it as the load-in was stupid so I wouldn't rush out and buy one but I wouldn't worry if that was the amp supplied on that stage size again. If you put another 210 underneath it I would think it would be pretty capable. I've also hired a basic 115 combo as well and that was very light and mobile and that did ok as well. But...you have to be reasonable what you ask amps/cabs to do and in what context..

I don't like the feeling of being underprepared or under-cooked so I'd tell them that you aren't at the level you were and it will take a few months to get back to that... as long as you believe you can, that is, and then just look to gell and communicate. Good luck with it..

The graphic on the SVT 3 pro is pretty awful anyway and best switched out.. One reason why I prefer the PF soundwise...

I don't use Ampeg and I've got +12db on the bass so my amps never has much bass on then..around about 12' o'clock.. but I don't set up the bass sound any different for any gig. I get it to sound good to me and I wouldn't contemplate sending the engr a mix that he 'wants' to the determent on my playing sound. I know he has more power than me off stage anyway..which is why we are using him.. so we just need to get my signal along side his. Even if we play in a bit of a dustbin, I've never had problems with too much boom on stage..and I'll have my rig up to a volume that the band can hear it and maybe with any additional help from the monitors.. I don't get or subscribe to the 'middy' duff solo sound ... if I play a solo sound I want it to sound good there as well...no question.