JTUK

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1415895078' post='2604968'] One of the biggest self-delusions in amateur musicians is the idea that its not having a magical piece of equipment thats holding you back. We've (nearly) all done it---spending hours drooling over the "perfect" piece of gear because its the missing piece of the puzzle when actually the missing piece is (nearly always) just practice. [/quote] It's just as delusional to think it is just practice..if you don't have any talent...and then there is talent and Talent.

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1415897860' post='2605028'] I know of several musicians whoa re so good I'm sure they could do it for their day job, but they'd rather just keep it as a hobby and do it for free. Saying that good players won't play for free is a bit insulting [/quote] Ok, but I'll say it... I don't know any..not round here, and I think I know a lot of players.

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1415885843' post='2604822'] I know plenty of good players who work for free, and some brilliant players too.... Again, it all depends on whether they are earning a decent enough wage elsewhere, and how much time they have, how much they enjoy the music etc But I think you'll find many good musicians work for nothing, or next to nothing You could say that financially hurts those who need to earn via playing - but that's also another thread of course [/quote] Not round here, and the social sites are full of them bleating about poor paying gigs as well. And some of them wont pay for rehearsals either and want petrol costs. I haven't got a problem with that as long as the gig can afford it... and they have to be reasonable as well with what gigs can sustain, but I would say I don't know anyone any good that does gigs for free. There would have to be a very big carrot for them to play for free...and once in a blue moon a big carrot might appear but mostly it is all about how much, not how little. And since these guys comes from all over the south of England, I don't think our little area is unique. Preofessionakl standard people want paying and the standard doesn't always have to be that high. They might define the pro 'standard' as someone who does nothing else..?? Even the Jam nights have resident house bands on 'wages'.

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1415873090' post='2604634'] Yes, I agree I realise that for some people, making money out of music is more important, or even essential, if it is a big part of their main income source For me, music is my hobby - I love it, and I wouldn't want to be part of anything that I didn't particularly like I've also found that where money is, or becomes a big part of a bands' focus Things tend to fall apart, or get ugly I couldn't see myself playing with a band I didn't like, or playing music I disliked just because it paid well..... [/quote] Well, good players wont work for free, so that is a limitation you'll have to consider, IMO. But agree on the second point, but it is possible to have a good band that does stuff you enjoy ..( I'll enjoy it a lot more if we do it well ) and get paid .. but you do have conside rmarketing elements as well...as in most things where money gets involved

The TH does the Ampeg thing very well, IMO. We ran one last week.. a PF500 and a TH500 side by side and they both did a good job. The observation by the owner of the PF500 was that he may swap it out for the TH500 as the latter is lighter and also, in light of the reliability issues, it makes sense. The PF500 has done around 120 gigs tho..so..???

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415874331' post='2604661'] Nah the deluxe sucked! Weedy preamp, naff in passive mode [/quote] Really... ?? I tried one recently and I thought I could make it work. I look at things more from a playability POV first off though.. so things like sustain and resonance are key as they aren't easy..if at all, to fix. You can swap out the rest, not that I'd want to spend £1k and have to do that, Have to look into these things ..but one needs to come up first.

I practice for the gig..which basically means I like to amuse myself. In a song I'll come up with something I want to do and I'll indulge myself... it's only a pub gig, I think I can step it up if I have to, but for £50, I want to have fun. I like to think I have the taste thing in check as I see some people go way over the top, but if the drummer is going thru the gears..and he really out to be, IMO.. I'll want to go there too My aim is to have my practice regime and gig thing as close together as possible. If I can do everything I have worked on at a gig..I'll be happy. As for jams.... why should it be all about the gtr...?

Being sensible for a moment, you can have too much for the gig... and if you are running big amps, you'll find that the drummer is turning green and the bass is right off the back walls, so you should find this out pretty quickly. The big amps are able to put the sound OUT there and you are going to be louder in the room than you will be closer to the rig. This might sound great payback for the drummer but you have to be very careful otherwise you are just running too loud. This is why the comparitively 'weedy' small amps are a better bet for a pub. As with all these things, you can't be oblivious to the overall effect and especially so if you have no one out front.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415813603' post='2604060'] So I had an 8 page thread about 5 string jazz basses and no one mentions these?!They look great imo, I really dont like the 3 and 2 or even 2 and 3 headstocks BRX, I've never had all the problems you always mention with string lie etc, even my Fender has straight strings and holds tune just fine for hours on end, it also has the lightweight F tuners so no neck dive even with a light for a Fender V body [/quote] Because it was more entertaining not to.... and I still think the Deluxe was the model, anyway. Plus... I've not seen one in the flesh so ..??

I was looking at a song of theirs the other day and I came across a live concert from way back when. Great band and he does enough. Not my cup of tea, but it worked in context...

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1415868167' post='2604544'] Strangely enough I've just started a new band playing local pubs, etc that plays a mix of 70s & 80s hard rock / metal (WASP, GnR, Cult, Kiss, etc). We have only played 6 or 7 gigs, but one thing for certain is that there is certainly a market around here! We are doing a Steel Panther cover that I thought that no punters would know but I was completely wrong on that one - it goes down really well. [b]An agency backed band playing Lady Gaga tunes will get more gigs and make more money, but there is certainly a market for 80s rock in many areas if you're any good. Despite what many here would like to think, a lot of 30/40 something punters love that stuff...![/b] [/quote] Same here...as well as some grunge bands.... but it is VERY hard to get more than pub money so they are stuck in pubs and some pubs just wont have them either. The market here is 80's clasic rock..but again no one does it well enough to do more than pubs and cheap parties, Bigger gigs want more modern stuff and too much AC/DC and Muse puts people off. You have to be a lot more imaginative with the set than that....which isn't hard as there are so many songs.... but initially bands go for what they think works with the majority of other bands...( which means the sets are pretty samey ) but the limitaion is a £450 party gig no matter how well you do it...IME.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415829096' post='2604334'] Im not a fan of Rotosounds but I'd rather play a bass fitted with them than a super low action, [b]initially when trying someones bass that is low I think it great, after a few days or a gig I'd be raising up I assure you.[/b] [/quote] Why..?

I think they'll be looking for quite a time

I've always wanted and needed a low action... and always been picky on strings for feel and touch. Maybe I'm just picky. Of course, it doesn't matter how anyone sets up a bass, ... but most people find mine easier to play that their own.. Makes me wonder why they don't set theirs up like that.

Why not..?? if you think you have the gig for it..??

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1415787064' post='2603675'] Ive been using Markbass amps for years, and have to agree with you John. Thats not to say i dont like them, quite the opposite, but i find they need something in front of them to bring them to life, especially with a passive bass. I do think the older heads like the SA and LMII series had more life than my F1, but i look on it more as a power amp that can be tweaked a bit rather than a tone shaping amp. [/quote] Sure, Dave, it is no big deal to me as people have the sound they have for whatever reason.... I find them a tad sterile which is fine at quiet levels but louder they need tweaking and then they still sound 'hard'. Don't doubt they are good amps, but not for me... I prefer the PF500 to the LM11, tbh..at least that has a bit of personality even though it is pretty much a one trick.. but if that tricks is good, who needs anything else..? I guess I'm trolling a bit about MB.. but then the guys probably know that.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415784451' post='2603649'] Surely not, lol [/quote] Yep.... surpried huh..?? I've always found them souless when I've had them thrown at me.... and I wasn't really able to rework her EQ settings, even though I think she should have done that anyway. Nice player but dull uninspiring sound. I've used them at rehearsals and at quiet volumes they sounded good to me but they tended to lose that when turned up. Maybe I just need more time with them... but I'm not inclined to seek that tbh... and I have class D covered anyway. I've heard them sound great with one or two guys but mostly not.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415728467' post='2603158'] But we are all different JTUK, your boring and easy line to the next person might be quite hard and rewarding for them, for most players that DJ5 would be a good enough instrument to not inhibit their playing, if its a jam you either play it and enjoy it or take your own single cut 37" scale 9 string half fretted half fretless next week [/quote] So, I did. The bass player was most surprised I didn't want to use her bass. As it happens, I could have done all I needed to do on that bass but the thing about jams is that you don't know what you will get asked to do...and you wont know the bass until you get called up. I'll be doing a few more and just like a guitarist will take his gtr, then I'll take my bass... The real problem was the Markbass rig, anyway...

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1415749205' post='2603491'] I can respond to that. Because, your average person going to a club has very limited musical tastes. What Greg is doing will go over their heads. However, a marginal performance of a Katy Perry or Lady Ga Ga song will keep them happy. Blue [/quote] I get that to a degree and the punter is often pretty limited in what they listen to, (but then they can also surprise you as well but best not to always assume you are educating them ) .......... but most people recognise something a bit more special. They can't quantify it...or understand it but it registers. Some of that 'factor' maybe dressed up in flamboyant ways but we have a local star around here who really connects to an audience...just as that same audience might be wowed by a top class act at a major venue, so they understand that much, I find. They might not look at it in the same way as a musoc might be able to...and some muso's would miss the point as well.... but I find that good players connect as well as they play. That is what I call the 'X factor'

No, no and no. Define pro... ?? someone who teaches all day...someone who does cruise ships...etc etc ? All that means is that is how they make a living. Doesn't mean anything else or elevate them to anything else. However, if you are talking about someone like Jeff Berlin... He wont be playing a dog and he will have it well set up. You can be pretty certain of that by the way he plays, IMV..

Doesn't make any sense at all to me... WTF..???? Why is that..??

Facebook is good in that you are already friends with a lot of players. That is its sole purpose as far as I am concerned so I tend to look within the muso pools that I know ... I'll call a few friends and ask them if they know of someone and I'll get 3 or 4 names off that. I tend to want to see an online playing presense like youtube or even soundcloud and most people who are serious will have this to various degrees and certainly if they are 'pro'. That goes further than a recommendation but you need a name in the first place. I also generally ask around amongst my 'friends' to see if they know of anyone looking. Turning up at a few 'jam nights' tends to remind a few people as well... As for going in 'blind' then that is just pot luck and more 'pot' than 'luck' so I tend not to want to do that...

Yep, I saw that and the look great pics for the money... You'd have to see one up close tho... but nice looking effort all the same.

I think a TH500 can get close-ish but it lacks the heft of the DB750. I find both amps plug'n'play and the TH is very pleasing soundwise but the DB750 has something else. It has BALLS and this is what you get in a big block that you just can't get otherwise..and certainly not class D. So, the TH500 maybe a pretty close cigar but it isn't the DB750. But.......... depending where you get to play, the DB750 may be overkill and this is why class D may be a valid alternative...and why I also have a TH500 as well as a DB750

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415714707' post='2602943'] I think the term unplayable is the problem I suppose in fairness if a particular bass stops a person being able to play a piece they can on a different bass then to them that bass is unplayable even if that music sounds like a load of frustrated guitarist noise, even the worst bass with a setup and proper strings would be able to be used for something making it playable in the strictest sense of the word. [/quote] Ok...but who would want to do that...? I did a jam night the other day and the 'house bass' was a DJ5 and it played ok... ( as I picked it up at the end of the evening after I asked the house bass player..) and I could busk a few standards on it, but these jams are boring for most except the gtr at the best of times, so why would you want to do that under those circumstances..?? I wouldn't.. so you have to be able to make it interesting..?