JTUK

It starts with the bass anyway so anything after that stage may only be a rescue job. Your bass sound should be full but not bassy..IMO.. so learn to play clean. You can always add more bass, very hard to get rid of it in difficult rooms or with P.A's...

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1390913054' post='2351130'] The scary thing in that scenario is who decides what a "good" band is? Like it or not, a lot of the bands that draw decent crowds, certainly in University towns like Cardiff, are not what most muso types would call "good" bands. [/quote] yep.... Local band sold out a venue of 350 plus in 29 hrs..so they say and I can believe it. That is pretty decent going by any stretch .. IMO. What you may think of the band tends to become irrelevant... But there are too many bands and too few venues which is why the bands are desperate to play..even for free. Everyone knows this..and venues know this, for sure, and there is nothing to break this chain. The bands wont do it and the venues wont want to... Who decides who is a good band or not...? yep, scary..!! I think a good band in any area is the band that other bands rate, so as long as they pull in people, then that is about all there can be to it, IMO.

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1390910075' post='2351073'] So what are you suggesting, some sort of union closed shop that only allows 'good' bands to play anywhere? [/quote] Kind of....

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390856354' post='2350586'] Agreed. I'm worth it, and I greatly prefer to get paid. Not because I do it for the money (I have a grown-up job for paying the bills) but because that tells me I must be doing something right. BUT that really only applies in one of my four bands, a pub-rock covers band. The other three bands, I don't do it for the money cos there isn't any. Sometimes we get a tenner for the petrol, sometimes we get a few beers. Sure I could say: "[i]I ain't getting out of bed for less than £50 a man[/i]". And then I could stay in bed. Given a choice between playing for nothing and not playing at all, you know what? I'll play for nothing. If people like your music enough then they'll come to your gigs. Then you'll get paid. If you're playing to three members of your own family and a guy who was asleep at the bar when you arrived, then your audience is trying to tell you something. [size=1]Very quietly.[/size] [/quote] We will have an originals sets...admittedly from the same main band..and it will not make any difference to our fee structure. It makes it slightly easier to be a known entity and do an mixed covers set... but the main thing is that people buy what you are selling. I've known original bands that travel the lenght of the country for a spot on a bill...and to my knowledge, they don't get paid. They have been going for more than a few years.... and I think they should have given up eons ago. Nobody cares enough about hearing what they do..if they can't get paid. Music is pretty good like that.... it tells you pretty quickly if anyone is listening. The point about promoters should promote is true............ but then bands complain that they don't do anything..forgetting that they have that responsibility as well.

It can't be too low for me.... I will have it choking unless I am standing upright. It is just the way I play. Many people couldn't play my basses and I wouldn't play theirs... You do what works for you....

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1390851775' post='2350444'] Outstanding work gents. So nobody here plays music because they enjoy playing music? If you're not getting paid, it's no fun, right? Ah well, must just me be then. Again. [/quote] Nope.... I hate that idea. I think I'm worth it. The punters think we are worth it, I find it insulting that a promoter might think I work for free...but he wouldn't be able to ask the bar staff or the security or themselves to do the same.

I am sure there a more than a few good valid points here but I can't get past the 'decent venue, playing for free, concept. That does not make them a decent venue as far as I can see. There must be pay back... and the point about a free showcase venue in the old days was valid then but not today. But............................... I don't think you can complain about the rip-off joints exisiting if you continue to play there so to that extent, you deserve what you get..and if you feel you are being ripped off, then....????????? Around here, bands want upwards of 40% of the ticket sales. The venue has no product without decent bands so I can see the point..just..of doing a loss-leader one time only so everyone knows the score...they like you, you like them etc etc but you have to back yourself at some point and demand they either pay you or you don't gig there. This is all old news... but do the paying guests know bands don't get paid..??? Can you take a bucket around...??

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1390811407' post='2349650'] The currently-available micro-heads that I've tried just don't have it. They have to do all sorts of nonsense to 'sound' loud, which isn't quite the same as 'feeling' loud. IMO. Give me a lump of iron, please. [/quote] This....

I was going to say the amp weight is probably half as much again than the cabs... so the amp is the issue as that is a lob-sided lift IMO but have that covered. I'd trade my AE112's for DB112's like a shot..no doubt about it. If you get your head around the weight of DB's...and it sounds like you have, then there seems not much point keeping the other stuff. The only reason I keep my Berg rig is because of the weight and carry on certain gigs, but I am always a little let down when I have to gig with them...seeing as I know I have left the A rig at home.

Always liiked him... you can see why so many people have used him, he's got everything.

I'd say they are adding, or need to add, these features as they lack the true sound. My current fave amp is a DB amp...and that has very basic EQ by comparison...but the sound is ALL there. It doesn't need anymore.... even its rivals, or my version of rivals, generally used a graphic as well. Never liked that part of them...talking 400 and SVT 2 here... and shouldn't have been necessary.

I probably wouldn't search one out, but if I came across one and liked it Enough, then I would have it... if I didn't, I wouldn't.... but being happy with the whole deal is also part of it so I can't really see me owning one.. That is not a comment on how well made they are or coming from Mexico... I can just get very picky about something so personal....

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1390521759' post='2346525'] I'm going to say Aggie DB112s all day long! [/quote] And so will I, on the basis that I run a DB212 and it is bollocking. Best cab solution I have...and I have DB210's and AE112's to choose from,.. is the DB212 so 2x112 should be the same IF they have engr'd the boxes to do that. A simple check on the dims should sort that.. I don't consider 40lbs anymore than a 1 hand lift...so altho not NEO light, you'll get that back in the sound.. IMO. Not wanting to derail the thread but I consider the NEO sound more lightweight. Others don't agree, but there you go. That is why I'd saying DB...

Yep..get him something sensible... If you are really stuck go for decent heads or sticks as they can always use these. A traps bag... ?? GAK were selling a good Pearl 38" bag which is strong and robust.

Depending on what chassis' the SWR cab has..?? finding that out was tough and getting hold of them nigh on possible. I tried everywhere including all the American cone stockists It made me buy 2510 NEO's in the end ...but that was for a 210 cab...and never worked for me, anyway. Buy SWR by all means but find the good cabs ...

SWR PAS chassis' were very good, IMO..and I used their 10's a lot, but my point is not so much they are bad speakers with problems ( they weren't, IME ) just that when I had to replace a pr of 10's..I couldn't get a replacement PAS speaker in Europe. I was told the U.S still had coning kits but to buy them was very expensive..so I never got to see if this was possible or whether they were official PAS units. I also seem to recall that they changed from PAS units at some point but getting clear info from SWR, U.S and Europe was tricky. By this time, Fender had taken over and they were useless. If you get a good cab that has been looked after...you'll have a fab bang for buck cab..IMO.

Used many an Ampeg 810 and wasn't knocked out. Quite prepared to accept that they had had a hard life but far prefered the Boogie 1516 which was the same size, albeit a different config. Ashdown 810 was undefined which has been a feeling of mine about most of their stuff....and again, it may have been hammered as these were provided rigs. Since I am a fan of Aguilar DB cabs, I'd be on the hunt for a DB810 myself but also I'd say a 610 is a very nice compromise ( Aguilar don't make one or I'd have one like shot ) unless you are playing BIG stages. SWR 610 would a cheap option but make it a good one as replacing 6 speakers would be costly and you can't get PAS units easily. Maybe the U/S has coning kits... but that is a maybe, ..... forget about finding them in Europe.IME...

Never seen much point in 15's myself and in this instance I can't see a 15 adding anything at all that another 112 underneath would not do. With decent 2x112's you'll not be wanting more bass.... IMV. 2 cabs or the same model should stack cleaner as well... but not sure of the dims of the 15 you have in mind...

Best gig ever was H&O at the Town and Country. Saw them 6 months later at Hammersmith and not a patch on that gig. It was still good but the first gig set quite a bar... Might check out H&O dates...

The thing about so called plodders like Adam Clayton is that they will invariably have a great sound to fit the band. The feel must be there as well. You don't always need a great technical facility but you do need to sound and feel good. If that is playing straight lines, then so be it.. but if the band or studio can't get all that from the bass payer, he doesn't survive.

I think on-stage sound is very important...as it goes to the performance of the band. If you think your stage sound is not good then that could put a downer on the performance.. Also, if your stage sound is a compromise, then what is to stop that being transmitted out front. You wont know until you get feedback from it after the fact and when it is too late. A good on stage is no garuantee of a great FOH, but at least you know it isn't you guys who have stuffed it up. Because sound checks are a fraught with time issues... we would want 2hrs including set-up time, but this doesn't always happen, of course, so we work on the basis that our stage sound is simple, good and uncluttered. We know this works very well for small dates without P.A support as we are constantly told our sound is good. Since we can hear everything from our playing area, we expect this to transfer and be true anyway. There is no reason why stage sound should be different from what you want to put out front....certainly not to the point of compromising the bass. Other instruments don't tolerate this, so why is bass different?

Depending what you are comparing them with... but I'd recone as per the manufacturer..especially f you know and like the sound. EV were a decent name but if you go for new chassis from a new maker...then the sound could be quite a leap of faith. It didn't work for me... despite many saying it was a good swap..

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1390300320' post='2343649'] I always go for a horrible middy, clanky noise when I use my combos as stage monitoring just so I can hear myself properly on the stage; FOH it'll be chunky and solid. [/quote] If you have to do this to be heard, then I think your collective band sound needs looking at.... a lot. How many in the band..??

I agree that there is a lot of samey stuff bands play at weddings .. We make a point of not doing any of it..for any function, as it happens, and we do pretty well, IMO. We do say to the bookers that they should know what we do, come and see us and forget about any requests...so I think it is possible to get the good work and do something different. Having said that... all you can do is be straight about what you will do for the money and if the booker is well informed, they will make their own choice. FWIW...the best wedding band I recall... as in very different for me at the time, was a Celidh band with a good caller. Got everyone involved as no one avoided the dances as everyone looked as stupid as everything else.

My rig is a bass monitor... but also has to be a monitor for the band on a loud stage so it needs to be powerful if need be. It will cover all basses. The FOH is the FOH and unless we take an engr, it can't occupy too much of our thinking, tbh. That is just the nature of the gigs we do.