Gust0o

So... a couple of months back I managed to destroy a pot on my Hartke 3500 head. A quick disassemble convinced me I knew absolutely nothing about anything worthwhile, and would need some expert help in replacing the pot without tampering with the rest of the head's electronics. I posted on here, and explored some options with Korg, before iCastle very kindly offered to lend me a hand - if I got a spare pot, not only would he replace it for free, but he'd show me how to do it too! Ok, so my wife binned the first pot I ordered; then she re-ordered a 100k pot for a 10k job, but yesterday Ian kindly put my head back together - with an explanation of the do's don'ts of soldering circuit boards Brilliant! Oh, and I got a cuppa too and a look at all his cool gear. So, I wanted to say thanks to Ian - this is a great forum we have and it's full of great people, who will make time to answer silly questions or lend a hand. I hope it never changes, as I'm certainly grateful. Cheers Ian!

We record ourselves at every rehearsal - sure, it sounds great when you're in the midst of all that noise, and imaging you're some kind of rock god; very sobering to listen back later, and it reveals a lot about what you actually sound like. 51mOn has some great tips, which I think I'll be borrowing myself! Interesting on the use of the flat EQ for the set-up. I guess that's the best baseline (bass line, eh?) for bringing all the instruments together. I think I would, left to my own devices, have gone down the route of rolling the bass off the guitarists - that's what you're there for, after all, and it's the one thing they think they need in spades.

I'm probably quite bad, but I had to read this thread to understand what a compressor did

Effects will never hide or compensate for sloppy playing. I use a single overdrive pedal now, with the odd bit of fuzz - I don't think I'm compensating for my technique, but I certainly am compensating for the lack of a second guitarist Or maybe just a good first one

Wow, that's quite something!

Mustang Sally?

Some very nice stuff there bubinga - not my usual cup of tea, so I would have strolled right past it.

My guitarist has enjoyed the odd foray into bass, including picking himself up a nice old Peavey which I get to borrow Kerley does make some interesting points above, which I think reflect my guitarists efforts - the assumptions that it's root notes and plodding along; that it's all melody and is almost an extension of the rhythm guitar. The reality is that it's more than that - and we all know this, in our little bassist fraternity. But that's why he puts the bass down and I pick it up

Good luck mate! There's pedigree in all this - didn't Lemmy get told to "make noises in E" when he got the Hawkwind gig? We were playing an awful number last week, which I didn't know much about - so I just knocked the volume down a bit and hid in the mix I'm sure you'll do better than that, mind - glad to hear you're excited, let us know how you get on

Bass has always been cool. Maybe it's simply that people are becoming cooler... and thus turning to bass?

Welcome in From York at this end.

Amen.

Hmm... I don't know. I don't think it addresses any of the real issues behind the Thunderbird.

Wow, this is going to be quite something!

The Greek beat me to it

As above, Red - though too many Grolsch will hinder your ability to hold your bass steady, regardless of how many seals you use I thought I was reasonably rock-and-roll, but I still polish the gear - I'm not sure I could go back to sticking gaffa tape onto my bass, or nailing it like some! Crikey! I did spy a guy with what appeared to be a US Fender Roadworn P held on with those plastic cable ties.

Minor and likely pointless mental meandering here, but thinking back over the last few gigs I've been to, both guitar and bass players seemed utterly obsessed with gaffa tape as a means of securing their straps. One managed to break, causing a brief moment of panic for the player concerned. I used to do this when I was a teenager and had just started out. I had some awful bulletbelt strap, which needed some adjusting for the "round the knees" playing fashion which I remember being cool. Is it still cool in some rock-and-roll-chic fashion? Or have people just not heard of straplocks? Seems odd to see so many relatively expensive basses bound up in tape!

Haha, I don't think it would last long on the EBMM forum - I think there is a distinct moderation line over there. Really sorry to hear of your troubles, MM.

I think I'd like to slap... but then I'd never use it. It's the MO of the every Saturday afternoon bass shopper, mind.