JTUK

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1444764849' post='2885824'] ... and this is [i]that [/i]much nicer..? Explain. [url="http://imgur.com/R3UHXFQ"][/url] [/quote] Not for me... Played a couple of Wals... sounded balanced but wouldn't/couldn't buy it. Oh well....

I find the thinking that types of pick-up models are all the same quite odd... they'll have a bias which can be controlled to a degree but depends on the QC and how they are made. The variables will be in how the bass is made and what the wood sounds/resonates like. One of those things where you can get good opnions on how a certain type works for people who have tried them... but you are really going to have to stick them in and fire them up to know if they work for you. my 2p.

I'd say a good Markbass 102 Combo will take you a long way as the sound is capable. Add a 210 under the 102 combo and you have a set-up that will do you on most places and if that runs out of steam, then it is likely everyone else will be and you'll be hiring in PA I've normally been quite critical of Markbass but the 102 combo is a gem, IMO... I wouldn't say the same about the 121 myself even tho it uses the same amp. Admittedly, I've disregarded your budget but you can thank me later Very very capable combo...IME.

To be fair though...that is probably because you don't pay them enough. The gig may be a LOT of work to learn for the money and they give it 'due respect' I understand this is not good enough from your POV..but they'll be thinking the money may not be worth what time it takes to work out the set. If you are paying £100 for the gig to the drums.. that is only 4 hrs work you can probably expect at £25 per hr. Bands may also expect a rehearsal in that... so the story cuts both ways. If we were paying £100 per seat... we'd get a good pro standard player..who may or may not be ideal... and they'd do 2 or so hrs on charts. It would only really be worth both parties while, if you had quite a few dates to spread the work and payments across. If we get a drummer down from London, which might be a 40 min drive minimum, we are having to pay £100 including travel. And as good as they are... the best we can get out of it, is that they are worth using again. Having said that..the drum seat is the most important as far as I am concerned so you'll have to pay.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1444739569' post='2885457'] I think any good musician will be in demand. Do Floyd groove, or is it more their overall, combined sound ? [/quote] Not with Mason... but Wallis gave it that edge... IMO.

Functions tend to be more formal... and can command better money, so the set-up might incur costs that need to come out of gigs. This means the split might not an absolute split and you end up paying a salary. If the band is very well run, you can get a weekly salary or payment but as always, nothing is for nothing and a few of the costs that you'll contribute to are..admin, PR, P.a and light hire, and maybe the cost of running a dedicated vehicle. So, for example..accounting for these costs and maybe a kitty, a £1k fee may only be able to pay £750 to the 5 piece band. and thereby open a can of worms of who gets paid what..

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1444733228' post='2885382'] It depends on the music/song doesn't it. Sometimes you can get away with a bad drummer, if the drums aren't that important. ........................... [/quote] Not really... IME. I don't know any good bands with bad drummers. And good drummers are always in demand.

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1444725766' post='2885287'] From what I've read from your previous posts the situation in the US is a bit different in that you've spoken about getting bookings on consecutive Fridays,Saturday's & Sunday's on what seems like almost a weekly basis. That's not really going to give you much of an opportunity to comit to other projects. [b]In the UK that rarely happens for non touring bands, certainly not outside of the big cities.[/b] Also different band members tend to have different obligations and commitments. For me,personally,apart from a lack of demand for my skills,as long as I remember to feed the cat there's no reason why I couldn't be out gigging seven days a week with different bands (although I suspect eventually the day job would suffer), whereas my mates with young families feel guilty if they commit to more than one gig every couple of weeks. [/quote] I know plenty of bands that will and do fill friday to sundays with gigs as these are the 'pay days'. I doubt they can make too much unless they are all 3 pieces earning £100 a gig..which is towards the top end a pub can/will pay. What else the do to earn money, I'm not too sure but teaching and deps etc might help out. This model is tough for £20k a year tho, I'd say. I'm hearing a certain brewery wants to Invoice bands... and that can go two ways.. Bands stop doing that gig..and if Breweries follow suit, you have basically killed the pub music gig.. IMO. or bands go more legit and charge accordingly to take account the extra exepense/tax ..so these gigs cost the LL about 30% more.. And I doubt that will happen. I blame the bankers as take take is the chase now and they will go after the rabbit they can catch..??

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444708051' post='2885198'] That's an opinion right, and a rather broad stroke. All cover bands are not the same. I play in a blues /rock cover band. I would venture to say we don't play anything the same way twice. And as a bass guitarist I am always switching lines up adding new riffs and accents. Changing how you execute your parts there's all sorts of ways to keep things fresh, fun and interesting. Blue [/quote] I agree...but the reason I say it is because it applies to the vast majority, IMO of bands around here...and I get out and see a lot of bands. You get to know which muso's play like that and which don't and if I saw 10 bands in a couple on months and I'd say 80% of them go for the blander, IMV, approach....and I'd tend not to want to catch them again. Having said that...the social part is there as well, so I might go and see a band because they are musical mates and to support a venue etc etc ..but musically we haven't really got much in common.

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1444683903' post='2885129'] That bit might need rephrasing, just saying. It's just there are so many smutty folk on this site, it might get misconstrued or some such something or other, or not. [/quote] there is a local hottie round here and she plays very well as well. Much in demand she is... and you know what it is about bass players..!!

I agree it is largely about 'full commitment' and you have to assume you are going to get diary clashes. The balance is the full time guys need as much work as they can get but they also need some of that work to be fluid as a better gig will likely present itself. 'Better' as in simply more money or 'better' as in more prestigious and career shaping and you have to accept that. With the best will in the world, these guys have to try and honour a diary but chances are you wont even get them unless you accept your pecking order as regards their priorities. If the guys have a tour come in..then they'll do it..and need to cancel their book. They'll find dates and deps as they know what goes around comes around, but you will not be able to hold them to your gig at the Dog and Duck. It just isn't reasonable to even think to try as they'll do the gig they have to do anyway and you'll either end up looking like a dick or you fall out. You know this when you book them... but it does make some gigs fraught...but that is the nature of the game and you make a choice. I would expect a guy with a tour/great dates to ring me up and say, bla bla, and feel a little guilty and try and make the next one. It is a two way street..I want them on the gig as these a great fun and they are very good players... and they want me to still have them in mind for a sweet gig as I get them money and find them gigs that they don't have to hussle themselves. I wouldn't take a saturday booking as that is the easiest date to fill and clash with... You have to understand and accept both sides. If I could earn what I earn in my day job doing what they do...I'd consider it as well... maybe, but that isn't happening so I accept what it takes to get them to play. If you play in more than one band it is about good diary keeping....

I know what I'd look for in a drumer.. but above all they have to feel good, sound good and have good time. I'd soon leave the band if that wasn't the case... and I'd not join one if I wasn't excited with playing with their drummer.

I do it by touch...I'd say it was very low. I can't or wont play many basses. What that equates to in mm...no idea. I'll set up the neck to choke if laying back comfortably on the setee so the weight of the strings cause the choke..

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1444654985' post='2884787'] Some dealers outside of the UK are popping up, but to be honest, bar having a few basses to try out, the custom process is still buying blind, even through a dealer, which as you mention, would add a mark up. There's been several very happy customers on here, there's bound to be someone near you who might be willing to let you check their bass out? If you ordered something and weren't happy with it, as long as you hadn't gone mental with the custom options, I don't think you'd struggle to move it on in the classifieds... Eude [/quote] Yes, maybe. but I know how hard I can be to please in this regard so just seeing one in the flesh is something I'll try and do..at some point. I've been talking about a Sei commision for 2 years or so now.. Other options are a S/H AC if the right model shows up...or a bitza from a quality maker like Sims who will scan everything... or this maker. I'm sure he does good work..but I ruled out Lakland so all I really need to do is view a bass and reconcile .. It doesn't matter so much about the price as long I think I will pay it. Will double my efforts to go and view one....

Had a quick look a round the website and the thing that stands out of the paint work. The sunburst looks well above the pay grade which is why I would be very interested to see one in the flesh. I think I'd rather have a Am del J5 second hand but this is making me think very hard..plus, of course, I haven't found the Fender for the same price and it make be impossible to do so, anyway. Obviously a U.K distributor would add a sizeable markup..?

I've asked the shop to tweak the neck...as I was seriously interested in buying. I don't think it is ok to ask otherwise. They did and told me it was as much as they could do...so I then realised any further action adjustments would only be poss with a skim. As it happens I haven't gone there yet... If buying privately, then the choice is either to get the woner to do it..or walk away. I'd tend to walk away. It depends how much adjustment you can see from the saddles or how the neck looks, tbh.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1444643259' post='2884659'] I play originals as well as covers, but if anyone thinks that cover bands are simply "painting by numbers" then I guess I'm trying to be Tom Keating or Van Meegeren. [b]If I can play numbers as well as or even better than the original then I'm winning[/b]. IMO the validation comes from others liking what ever it is that you do. You need gigs to find that out. That's all I'm trying to do. . . come out ahead and leave as many people as I can in my wake that are happier than when I started. [/quote] And a lot of bands wont do that... they'll just try and copy THEIR own part..but they forget or don't realise that the drums or so and so isn't quite the same and isn' quite working but the gtr solo is 'perfect' so lets go with that. I've no problem with covers that put a bit of effort in but really I want to hear the guys 'playing' and not copying. Otherwise, I might just as well stick with the CD...??

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1444639715' post='2884620'] I'm just sorry that most of us are not blessed with your obvious talent for writing catchy original material! [/quote] But I don't... I just write the bass parts...either for the original or for the cover...and I use the word 'write' very tenuously, but some of the guys want a credit just for playing on the track...as they feel they've 'written' a part that wasn't there or pre determined. And funnily enough, this issue was started by ............ drummers, of all people, so if it is good enough for them... So, stretching that ...we get to writing parts for covers as altho the part is on a track...if you don't copy it..how close to that is re-writing it.... drummers have argued this vehmently, IME. Obviously easier to swing on originals..IF, the writer is willing to offer a credit. In the grand scheme of things, it adds up to a big fat zero..but there you go..!!

I have to like the music... but that comes from the players, I have to be able to get on with the people but accept you need a lot of tolerance on this one. I have a 24 hr rule for some people... and I have to really like their playing. The last is most important as if we aren't getting anything back from everyone what is the point..? you are playing the music by numbers, which is my main issue with cover bands.

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1444559222' post='2884021'] I think this is an EQ thing more than a certain type of string thing. Maybe just put fresh rounds on? [/quote] Yep... if you are trying to clean up a sound with old strings...you'll be at it forever.

Got no problems with Blues posts... we differ about the gigs we might be interested in. He thinks it starts and ends with gigs..and the more in his dairy the better... I think gigs are where it is at...but only if they fulfil a certain set of criteria... What is in the middle is banter. As for the bedroom debate...I never ever thought the idea was not to get beyond that..and as soon as possible. I haven't practiced and crafted for all these years just to end up with ..well, I think I'm ok.. I play with other people who can teach me things...if only if it is to be...'not like that'... As chris_b says...you try and be the best you can be, and you need that 'opinion' endorsed by people .. otherwise it means not a lot. If no one gets to hear your efforts..?? what is the point..? Any nobody knows anything about them anyway.. oh well..!!

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444467087' post='2883424'] If I had never in my life, heard a live band that sounded like no-one in it cared what the hell it sounded like, I may have agreed with you but there are plenty out there who appear not to employ the "discipline" you speak of. One only need spend 5 minutes on You tube to see that there are a thousand bands out there who should be punished for crimes against humanity. To say that anyone making music in their bedroom for giggles (by which I assume you mean for their own pleasure) doesn't need to give any consideration as to whether it is good is a little shuttered. Good by who's judgement? Your definition of good? I'd guess that playing or composing music without the confines of whether others would deem it good has been a contributing factor in the evolutionary process of music and the production of some highly original and groundbreaking compositions. You're suggesting that only others can judge your music to be good or bad if indeed, "good and bad" exist. Leaving any financial issue aside, it would appear that many live musicians have an inherent need to be adored and ultimately accepted by their peers. Maybe, those who play for their own pleasure, do not. [/quote] If you don't put it out there..how would you know..? It is like me saying I can shoot 61 @ Augusta.. but not actually having any such proof I can. Not that it is that big a thing to me as they are an irrelevance, they aren't out on the circuit and no one knows they exist.

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444462593' post='2883369'] Well that's now two of us that don't know what you mean by "discipline" then. [/quote] So it seems. When you play for yourself and to yourself, you can basically do what you want, you don't have to consider anyone..their style or sound or opnions ..anything. You aren't putting it through anyone's elses reference... you don't even need to consider if it is any good...i,e others like it and will put a value on it. You may not have discipline as you may not need it. You really have to have confidence in yourself to be in control of everything with no other sounding board...but then if you are just doing it for giggles ...then no one ever hear it..so you don't need to care. For me... that is a complete waste of time... but there you go. Music is all about what you can give to other people, IMO. so to take that part out of it..?? hmmm ..??

Cancel....

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1444409717' post='2883111'] Surely anyone who works from home has to be disciplined otherwise they'd all lay in bed all day and get nothing done. I can't see that self discipline has anything to do with other people. You may have to conform or be flexible in some way but that's not the same. [/quote] wrong discipline