mep

Enyoyed the blog. Well done for getting it together.

Never had any problems being heard with a 150 watt amp. Are the other 2 that loud? Or is the amp lower powered. If you want to change then get something 2nd hand. A combo of at least a guaranteed 150 or 200 watts should do.

Saw them on a TOTP repeat recently anf know what you mean. Buzy but tasty.

I can play both types of music. Country......, & Western. Sorry, couldn't help it. Was watching The Blues Brothers on Sunday afternoon.

Ok. That's the 2nd derailment lately. Let's get back to the waistcosts!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1362252914' post='1997672'] He will henceforth be known as 'Twerk of the Trussrod'. [/quote] LOL. I think sums him up. I'll have to get to his thread and paste the post.

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1362225701' post='1997171'] Baddly made or baddly set up. I read a post elsewhere recently that talked about a good setup making a cheap bass play like a million dollar bass. [/quote] A Mr M Phillips will sell you a seller refurbished guitar on ebay if you want. Apparently all it takes is a file to the nut and a twerk of the trussrod. He had his own thread. I can't paste the link as I'm on my phone posting this.

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1362141915' post='1996316'] He looks like the sort of tosser who pretends to be a wild child at the gates of oblivion but then goes out to work as a bank clerk. As far back as 1982 I was at least making an effort to look as if I'd come round your house , throw up on your carpet , eat the contents of your freezer as a milk shake and f*** your dog. [/quote] I nominate this as quote of thread, month and so far this year! Keep away from my dog.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1362091737' post='1995828'] You asked for it! Who'd have thought 32 years ago that I would have anticipated this thread! Do I get extra points for authentic specs? [/quote] They don't make them like that anymore, thank God. I didn't know Harry Potter played bass

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1362085961' post='1995678'] Tsk! You're only saying that because you've got one! [/quote] Yeah I am. I'm also a veggie so don't eat horse or any other meat

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1362078842' post='1995519'] Reading through the trajectory of this thread I can only conclude that if Lord Lucan had played the bass we would have found him , no problem at all . [/quote] Nice one, although I don't think he has a web site which would gave him away. [quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1362086363' post='1995689'] Top effort mep But I can't help thinking theres a scale issue with these two pics , Fran looks like he is short than his rig , You look like you are taller than your conservatory [/quote] I thought the same looking at the photo. I'd put him at 5' 7" with a huge stack. I'm 6' 2" with a mini stack [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1362086968' post='1995697'] I am disappointed that you haven't done your hair. [/quote] What hair

This thrread is going off track. There are other threads for horse meat jokes. Waistcoats only from now on please!

I have found my waistcoat and duly started the photo tribute to 90's Bassist & Fran. [attachment=128721:Fran & Me.JPG] Conservatory / Sun room location - Check Waistcoat - Check. Ok it's leather but I bought it in the 80's Flightcased Trace Elliot Head - Check Twin speaker stack - Check I'll award myself a bonus point for slipping in the original Bassist magazine Who's next?

[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1362007572' post='1994538'] I'm amazed it's him! Great team effort! Never would have found him without mep's investigations, and to be honest I'm still not exactly sure how I tracked him down. I'm going to buy a suede waistcoat to celebrate [/quote] Be sure to post a photo of you in your waistcoat posing next to your rig In fact, in celebration of our collective detective skills, our appreciation of 90's Bassist & Fran's new found legendary status on Basschat I propose that we all rummage in the back of wardrobes or ransack charity shops for waistcoats and pose with our bass in the the style of Fran next to our rig in our conservatories, porches or sun-rooms. Points can be awarded for attention to the original detail of the shot. Right, where's me waistcoat..................... PS whilst writing this post there were 2 guests looking at this thread. Was Fran one of them?

[size=8][b]Fran is our Man!!![/b][/size] At last I have found the proof that our mystery bassist Fran, that tedmanzie discovered, is the man in the article. Thanks to Beer of theBass and BassTractor for steering me in the right direction. Bassist did indeed name him in the August 1997 edition, 2 months later. In the letters page at the back Richard Banks wrote in about the article. Editor Gibson Keddie responded and named him, although only by his first name. That is enough as we already know about what he is up to at present. Fran does not need to confirm our suspicions as we have the proof. He is welcome to join in the fun we have at BC, if he responds to WoT email. Or he can just bask in the glory of his heady days of the 90's where me made the national press. Fran we salute you. The letters page has been scanned and uploaded for you all. Sorry about the quality as the magazine is quite old and the paper has deteriorated over time. [attachment=128652:Fran The Man - Highlighted.jpg] Now we have solved this mystery, what about Rob Jones & his Rickenbacker 4003 that I posted before. Perhaps he has sold the Ricky and joined a RHCP or Biffy Clyro tribue band with that chest! [attachment=128653:My Bass is a Rickenbacker 4003.jpg]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1361961112' post='1993558'] From my memories of reading Bassist, the name Fran Pettifer is ringing a bell. I know they missed his name out of the article, but did they print it as a correction in the next issue? I could be imagining it, but if someone has a stack of the issues they could check. [/quote] I have the next issue & will check ASAP when I get home and let you all know if they indeed confirm his name. Top tip, thanks.

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1361923435' post='1993285'] IMHO, the bassist in question has already solved this mystery himself in a reply much earlier in this thread. [/quote] Care to quote the post?

I thought we was younger too, but he said he was pro in the late 70's. Aged mid 50's now is a must. Edit. We have an email address on his webs site. How long do we leave it before someone contacts him? If anyone is up for it. If I was him and found out about us I would anonymously view the site and thread before making my mind up on joining and fessing to the article. We should seek to encorage him to put us out of our misery.

Maybe a Google Alert that will let him know.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1361919267' post='1993207'] [url="http://www.bandmix.co.uk/fran-bass/"]http://www.bandmix.co.uk/fran-bass/[/url] Yeah, but who's going to hit the "Contact" button? [/quote] Wateroftyne will have to of course. Another picture of Fran Bass for us. [attachment=128588:Fran Bass.jpg]

[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1361918429' post='1993186'] Good work so far... but that is not your man. I reckon I've found him: [attachment=128586:Screen Shot 2013-02-26 at 22.39.12.png] Experienced bass player, have been gigging around the Midlands areas for years. EQUIPMENT LIST Yamaha TRB5p 5 string bass, Line6 Bass Pod XPPro, [b]Trace Elliot 1x18 and 4x10 cabs[/b], Martin of London PA System, DMX lighting rig, Home Studio, Akai, Novation, Lexicon, Drawmer, Studiomaster, Tannoy, AKG, Rode & Shure Mics [/quote] This is interesting. Who is this guy you found, and where did you find that photograph. We need more. The Trace cabs are the same and he is still playing a 5 string.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1361914816' post='1993124'] Well, I reckon you've found our man! Nice one! [/quote] [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1361916131' post='1993151'] Someone must now make contact and let him know about all the fuss! [/quote] Wateroftyne. Thanks for sticking the photos next to each other. Great job, I'm impresed and more convinced about our guy. If we made contact with him and he fessed up what are the chances he would join Basschat? Imagine his post in Introductions!, or would he even need one.

Basically speaking, I don't play basses with 5 strings, so 4 it is. +1 for Guy Pratt. [i]Let's not bother with those, they're silly[/i]

Ok. This thread inspired me to get out my collection of Bassist magazines for another look. I have an extensive collection that includes our mystery bassist. I have read the article again and it's really strange how they don't mention a name. I have checked some others and he is not alone. So what do we know about him. He was based in Coventry and played in a 4 piece covers band called Teazzer (or was that a typo and it's Teazer?). He went pro in the late 70's to early 80's. This article is 16 years old and I would guess he was at least in his late 30's when the photo was taken, if he was pro 20 years before? So he must now be around mid 50's now. I can bet that hair didn't last long and he may have put on some weight. He may still or may not be wearing glasses, who knows. I had a quick search for bands called Teazer (Teazzer yielded no relevant results) and found a band based in Banbury - just south of Coventry. The bassist is called Andy andtheir web site is www.teazermusic.co.uk/index.html and his page states. [i]I started to play bass when Rob and I used to play Beatles songs together when we were at school. This lead to us to forming our first band called TRAVELLER.[/i] [i]I left TRAVELLER to join a Walsall-based band called FACE 2 FACE. I stayed with the band for 8 months during 1982 and then joined AMETHYST briefly as a Keyboard player and then later on Bass.[/i] [i]I joined TEAZER MK I in 1986 and also played with ONE FOOT IN THE WARDROBE. During the break I joined Birmingham band FERRARI. I left to have children and play cricket before reforming TEAZER in 2000. [u]Equipment list[/u]:[/i][list] [*][i]Dean Edge Q4 Bass guitar with Bartolini pick ups[/i] [*][i]Dean Rhapsody 8 string Bass Guitar[/i] [*][i]Washburn XB120 Fretless Bass guitar[/i] [*][i]Washburn XB2000 Bass guitar[/i] [*][i]Peavey Grind Bass[/i] [*][i]Trace Elliot 7215 300w 1 x 15 Bass Combo[/i] [*][i]Trace Elliot 4 x 10 Bass cabinet with horn[/i] [*][i]Boss Bass chorus pedal[/i] [*][i]Ernie ball super slinky bass strings[/i] [/list] His band photo is [attachment=128581:andy.h1.jpg] So what do you think? Is this possibly him? At least I've had a go at unearthing him. Sure he looks different (so do I 16 years on). Does anyone know this band and can confront him about his past? If it's him he is still using Trace amplification and wearing a waistcoat! There is another band called Teazer based in Telford, but I don't think it's him though www.myspace.com/teazerrocks Anway. If that's not enough for you all to digest. I have another bassist for us to post over! From the July 97 issue it's [i]My Bass is...A Rickenbacker 4003[/i] At least he has a name - Rob Jones where are you? [attachment=128584:My Bass is a Rickenbacker 4003.jpg]

Used to be in our set for a while, but has been dropped. It's a great tune with a great Duff bassline. As an exersice try playing the main verse riff without looking at the fretboard or even with your eyes shut. The song went down well in most venues and is quite well known. Gor for it.