JTUK

Zoe is back... Have 3 dates this weekend... and two are jubilees.

You need the kit back in whatever form it is supposed to now exist..then you can judge what damage there may be. If it needs to be repaired they should do the decent thing and pay for it.. but I doubt they have the money. They may well have found it useful and still want to continue using it..and because of the time element involved thought it was given up by your parties..? All of which is irrelevant..you want it back because you want it back and they should give it back in the condition you lent it. If they don't have it...that is their problem so you need to put a figure on who much they owe you. Or you can just put it done to a sh*** experience and buy your mum another one. They are liable to you and you are liable to your mother.. you can't walk from this without a fall-out. IMO.

You can't equate this to a working situation unless money is invloved. Maybe it will be further down the line but there might just be enough here for expenses. The bass part is expendable on the track but the gtr can't do that live so he will need a bass player. If that is you...you just need to make sure you are in the right place at the right time..IF you deem it worth it..and you have gotten over this age old issue of someone doing a 'supposed' better or rather, more appropriate job..according to him-the man in control. If you feel betrayed or whatever... then that blows out working with him again..which might be the best thing for you anyway. If you want what he has..which is the promise/potential of nice gigs and a bit of a 'signed' band action, then you will have to get over this spat. There may be people queieng up to do this gig..there may not... If there is money in it...you will not be able to count the interest, if there is not... people will have to justify why they want to do it. All of this IF's and buts are not easy to get past. Who is going to rehearse to a decent standard and pay for the priviledge..?? This sopunds like a pro offer in nothing but name..which is what a lot of the industy is. Gone are the days of budgets for nothing.. It is far easier to get signed, these days..but what are they actually offering..? Have a chat with the Gtr.. you need to know where this is going and what the deal is..and then you can decide if it is worth it. A percentage of not a lot in terms of money..is..eerr... not a lot. Don't get seduced into what this may pretend to be..just ask him what he is offering you..or rather, what plans he has that invloves you.. diplomatically. If you become a pain to him.. he might not want to work with you anyway..and you miss 3 decent worthwhile gigs..or not.. Basically..see what the whole deal is without burning any bridges and then make up your mind if you want to do it..for your reasons that you can live with. Being a sideman... means you have no say at all..mostly..so at least get the money sorted..assuming there is any.

oh dear.... read back a few posts and then see if you can make sense of it.

Thoughts on Sanberg...? You can find decent ones for sure. They seem reasonable value for money but they haven't got Fender on the neck. Does this matter...err...?? would your market know one way or another...? Do you want a good bass or a bass that people will think is cool..?

Because that is the implication....

A quick generalisation that works for me. For a loud band needing to produce at times without FOH, then a good 300watts is required. Any 410 should be able to handle that sort of volume and the better ones, at least twice that So, the default age old rig would be a TE amp and 410. This is old, tried and tested and bombproof. A lot of more modern rigs should be able to p** all over this, but the TE is still going after 20 plus years...and that is not to be sneezed at, IMO. and cheap as chips. Ditto, PV but down a level, IMO. Current faves are Markbass which is solid. Good quality and SH prices make it worth a look. A bit Marmite-ish tho...maybe. Mesa and Ampeg get their kudos from their big valve jobs that used to be the main stay of large stage rigs..all valve and oomph.. EQ is ..err...??? ..basic.. .but valve power is THERE. Step up and plug in and most will love it..they just can't justify lumping it around..EXPENSIVE to own. Hybrids..they try to get the valve tone witha vlave in the pre amp with a SS power stage. SWR and Eden did this well and these rigs became the staple rig for pros from the 90's.. bollocking cabs to match and they raised the bar for on stage bass monitoring. Today..?? the valve is still there and will not go away... but simulation is there as well to get that sound, in the form of pedals and valve pre amps. Additional current players in the semi pro game are Genz Benz, GK, and Ashdown. there are others, of course, maybe Hartke and the like. The build of MANY of these amps has moved to the Pacific rim and China...which makes them cheap...but..?? For the benefit of the OP..I've tried to point out a very brief ball park summary of stuff..the type of thing that most bass players have come across in their time. Not difinitive by any means but you have to have some sort of experience to second guess this.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1338362718' post='1673144'] For some bizarre reason, I always thought of electricity and associated concepts as being pretty, y'know, sort of, well, scientific and pinned down. Like we [i][b]knew [/b][/i]about this stuff. Well some of us knew about it, just not me. Reading exchanges like this can be a real eye-opener. FWIW, in any discussion regarding amps/speakers/impedance, I'll always believe the Basschatters who actually [u][b]make [/b][/u]these things - successfully! - for a living (i.e. Bill and Alex). [/quote] But to follow that on logically, you have to put their opnions and thoughts below the producers who sell volumes of the stuff.

Just to add...the gtr might be in the driving seat atm but he will soon enter the territory of the pro gig..and everyone will be asking what is in it for them..? ie, how much.? You can put up with an awful lot of crap if it comes with a wage..esp musically, and altho he might be thinking he has moved up a notch on what HE wants, that will come at a price. If you are deemed worth it..he might pay you, just as he would anyone else. To be good enough AND free takes a exceptional set of circumstances and there must be a pay-off. He might want session players..but they will be hitting him with rates for gigs and sessions so he will have to find quite a lot of money quickly. People aren't going to do little gigs for no money for ever if that is how they earn..so they will bump these gigs for a wedding or a REAL payer or what THEY want to play. He might need to keep you sweet.................

Decide what you gig can take. It may well be that some gigs would fall about laughing if you turned up with some lightweight/small stuff as image and look can account for quite a lot. If carry and size is an issue overriding everything, then that points you in one direction. I don't see the point of lightwieght amps unless you want/need to wak into the gig after schlepping down from the train station so anything upto around 10-12 kgs brings lot of decent amps into the equation and that weight does not concern me. Cabs at around 40 lb aren't a problem either...but that's me. I might have a TH500 which I've demo'd, and I like the pedal, but don't see the need atm. I've tried a few Markbass but my worry is that the sound of them at low volume is lost at higher volumes. I tend not to like class D and NEO on the basis of my experience so far....

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1338357579' post='1673114'] Mark at Bass Direct is a great guy, (and I know I'll get shot down for this!) but I think some people on here think that his opinion is gospel and is 100% right all the time. Don't forget he is a business man and is there to sell ................... [/quote] Of course... but this applies to others on here as well.... The reason for that suggestion from my POV is that the OP does not seem to know much and is asking some pretty basic questions...so he needs to go to a shop with a large selection and hear for himself. He seems to be taken quite a lot of verbal advice whereas he needs to hear whats on offer. He seems to have gotten most of his ideas from people talking about stuff and then wants the view on here to endorse..or not. IIRC..he has asked about valves, Hartke and Ampeg.. as well as starting the OP off on Markbass.... so..err... quite a range of sounds there, IMO. The only correct thing so far has been to come on here and get advice to slow down ..rather than walk into a shop and come out with a bass, amp and cab and a few pedals..all in one hit. He needs to realise...and understand...as do quite a few others that parrot the same line over and over.. that the science falls behind the sound. You can't justify that the gear 'should' sound great scientifically, if it doesn't actually work out like that Buying blind and on heresay is not the cleverest thing to do .. and certainly not from a load of guys of whom you know nothing about in terms of what or how they play, like, want themselves, and if you do do that..then at least know your punt can go either or any way.

That is the music business and your pride has been hit. Ego's, control and agenda feature as much as anything else but in this case the guy is out of favours. Will you work for him on a wage...? because that might be your best deal as he probably thinks he holds all the decent cards. Are the gigs are good as you think and can you do them time-wise..? To be honest... getting this sort of exposure isn't so much the problem... the value of it is in what cash it generates...if any..? Then you can decide if it is worth pursuing. He has crapped on you once..and will probably do so again so you need to decide under what circumstance it is worth it. Do the good gigs for experience..? bla bla.. the whole industry is full of stories like this.

oh..and ditch the pedals idea for the moment..you don't want another huge variable getting in the way.

Just try as many amps/cabs combos that you can and let your ears sort out what you like.... It seems the best thing you can do is get some perspective..then go chasing after what the quality of some of the stuff you now have actually heard is like. You shouldn't go shopping on heresay...but you can use that to point you in a certain direction. Do your research and don't be too desperate to walk out of a shop with what you have been told is good gear...until you can back it up with a bit of knowledge and experience. You shouldn't buy what looks prety and then have to work at it very hard to make the whole rig sound ok.. The bass should sound great..which is why you buy it. The amp and cab should compliment its inherrent sound and hopefully enhance it a bit... Go chasing a certain sound is asking for a lot of trouble and frustration if your set-up doesn't lend it self to that sound. You'll turn up at every gig..trying to get this 'lost' sound and it will be a a big fat pain in the a***... When have tried a few things and have more focus, then you can narrow it down by make, quality, cab config and anything else that you decide you would like.

A few general goals like how many gigs per month etc etc ..and how you approach running the band..but the total deal breaker for me is how it gels at the first get together. I am not interested in the notes...I want to know if the band can go through a few gears and whether the guys can bring something different to the party. You may well share a large proportion of your set with other bands so what sets you apart...?? For me, it is the ability of the band to move through its gears and not deliver a one dimensional song/sound. If the band has that potential, everything else just needs to be aired and agreed on... you need a lot of give and take if partners and family commitments get in the way, so you need something that makes the guys want to come and play more in this band than any others they may be in. Good guys are always going to be in demand..

On one of my bases, I get months and months before I decide I need to change it..just as a precaution, more than anything. I used to use Duracell, but now am not fussed as I throw them away before they die anyway... or rather I put them in another bass for one show as that bass eats batts..

Do what you have to do..within the compromises you have accepted. You will only need one failing to decide whether you need to revamp your thinking...or not. Consider it as insurance but whether it is worth the cost to you...only you can say..or justify. Me..? I know and am happy with my level of cover.

NO. Ampeg and Boogie are iconic amps and sound best..to me.. if you can plug in and go... I tend not to like the EQ stages, esp the Ampegs, but do like the full-on valve power...I just can't be arsed to carry it for one thing..or maintian it. Have you tried to lift one..? If that was someone elses problem, then I would be condusive to either for SOME gigs. Some people try to get round this by introducing a valve stage to the pre amp design and this can do a reasonable job. Others use simulation from all SS and that can be variable. Thunderfunk's effort isn't too bad..but I stick with their clean tone anyway. If you like grind, then the compromise on mantenance and carry is the hybrid, and I prefer this approach to pedals, tbh. To service valve amps can be pretty expensive and frequent, whereas a hybrid valve pre...you might not have to touch that valve for 10 years or so,... time may tell a story one way or another. A good quality SS/hybrid amp should run for eons without you having to touch it... but now that Chinese and pacific rim amps are so cheap, that equation might not stack up so well.. If it were me, I'd be sourcing a U.S or U.K made amp known for quality ..like[u] early [/u]SWR's or Eden's.. or a modern Thundefunk. . plus a few others know for the QC.

As I said, firmly in the no black blocks for me camp, but have to admit there are one or two bass pics on here that aren't offensive at all... Not to the point that I would be lusting after one, but not the total deal breaker I'd assume, going by the way some of these basses can work. As always.. you have to see them and decide if the whole package works visually.

[quote name='bassickman' timestamp='1338195645' post='1670525'] Ok. Firstly thanks as always for everyones thoughts. A few more questions? Is it worth changing the pre amp to an east retro j deluxe? Will this work for Funk/Rock - Maroon 5/ Later Chili's stuff? Will a 500 watt Mark Bass tube power a 4x10 and a 2x10 and still have a little head room? [/quote] If you are expecting to carry a 410 and 115, room can't be a factor, so I would go for the 610 which admittedly would be a lump in one box but a better solution than a 410 and 115 stack, IMO... If you like the sound..which you must know about... then 500w is enough for anyone... most have it on tap but don't get near to using it so there is your headroom.... and I expect this rig to fill a decent sized stage around 100x30 ft.. and cover all but the biggest gigs. Don't know much about the amp, but am glad you have avoided the LMll/lll series..they are great little amps, but I don't like them when you have to push them. IMO, avoid the 115 at all costs as MB cabs can get a little loose so stick with 10's. If money wasn't a real factor, I might consider upping the ante on the cabs outside a 610 choice and go with another maker... like Berg, for example. Get yourself down to Bass Direct for a bit of perspective on alternatives. One final thing...there seems a lot of unknown variable in this wish-list... so I wouldn't touch the bass until you have worked all the way through the signal chain for the tone you want. And if the bass is lacking in that...I wouldn't be buying it to change it.. IMV.

First one back after an enforced 6 weeks lay-off and we were rusty in places but pretty good..weather was great, crowd were great and we needed to sort a few things. We let the sound go a bit mush in the last couple of numbers but all in all, decent enough. Always a good sign when the crowd are hanging around still 90mins after the music stops..so I'll file my reservations under 'being picky'

Love 'em.

Beautiful bass

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1338076580' post='1669460'] Maple with black blocks looks cheap. Rosewood with pearl blocks looks classic. [/quote] Have to agree, rarely see a black blocked maple neck that works for me... RW and pearl is a whole new ball game and definitely the one I'd go for. .......and don't get me started on stick-ons of any sort...totally wrong. I swear I saw a high-ish end bass with stick-on black blocks...What the f******* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Current fave is 'Get Ready' by Roachford followed by Love the one you're with by Luthe V. These two songs will form the basis of my next project/band.