gjones

I only ever play stadiums.....

Don't buy basses buy analog synths! I bought a monophonic Roland SH101 in the mid eighties for £50 secondhand. Now I see them on ebay going for up to £1000. Now that's what I call an investment.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1359227462' post='1951964'] Also all those Jedson, Columbus, Satellite and Hondos that you couldn't wait to trade in for the real thing! [/quote] Nah! As an impoverished teen in the 70s I thought they were naff and even now I still think they're naff. Certainly not an investment. 80s Arias and Ibanez basses, now that's a different thing altogether.

Back in the 80s I lusted after one of these but technology has moved on. It's probably got scratchy pots and is a bit scruffy so I wouldn't think you'd get more than £70 (and that may be pushing it). Maybe one of these guys would like to take it off your hands http://basschat.co.uk/topic/66952-old-school-hh-amp/

[quote name='eude' timestamp='1358933173' post='1947134'] The power section in the MiBass is a lot more up to date than the one in the Superfly, and greatly improved, and you never know, the one in the 2.0 might be different again, and further improved. I think you're right though, it's unlikely that a class D of that rating is going to match a bag ass solid state amp watt for watt. Eude [/quote] My MiBass 550 seems to be at least as powerful as my previous ABM 500 III.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1359135315' post='1950575'] Tried asking TC Electronic first? [/quote] Good idea!

[quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1359047159' post='1949020'] Worth watching all of these vids. He shows here just how easy it is to adjust a truss rod. This is a single action traditional style rod but the same applies to dual action rods. [media]http://youtu.be/_cnfeyXy7Wg[/media] [/quote] Really interesting. I especially like the bit about having the strings tuned up to pitch, when adjusting the truss rod, which always made sense to me but I was afraid to do just in case something went 'crack!'.

Interesting interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm2V-EdM4NY

It's all in the fingers maaan. Although I did try an Ampeg all tube SVT head in the studio a few weeks ago and it did sound pretty ace.

[quote name='jackers' timestamp='1359026859' post='1948575'] I once got told that I didn't get the bassist spot in a band I auditioned for because I 'don't have a van'...you can imagine my reply I'm sure [/quote] I heard a story that, the fact that he had a van, was the reason Bill Wyman got the the job with The Rolling Stones. Sounds plausible?

[quote name='vmaxblues' timestamp='1359014636' post='1948390'] I am just curious, because in my main band for the last 9 years I have ended up running the guitarist and his kit around for every practise and gig. My second project band has me doing the same for the drummer. The singer in our 5 piece (main band) is retiring and we have decided to be a 4 piece, trouble is the keyboard player doesn't drive and has heaps of kit who the singer used to cart around and I can see what is coming on the horizon.... My question is: I am just a mug or does this happen to any of you too? I have a six seat car (Multipla) which has the back seats permanently out because of all this, and should I just buy a car that is just big enough for my kit? or better still just say, 'sort your own s**t out boys'. [/quote] I'd rather play in a band with a really good drummer with no car, than a crap drummer who drives a removal van. I figured this out a long time ago and have no problem carting our (carless) drummer around. My brother in law, who also plays in a band professionally, is always moaning that he has to drive his drummer to gigs. So much so, that he is talking about getting a smaller car so he has no room for his gear and the drummers. I explained my theory to him but he disagrees. He's much rather a crap drummer with a driving licence than a great drummer he has to cart around everywhere. Edit : But of course he is a guitarist so is pretty high maintenance at the best of times.

Buy an Italian silk suit wear shades and look miserable. Everybody will think you're a mafiosi.

Although I always played bass and enjoyed it I never really played between gigs or practiced. That was until I bought myself a Fender Geddy Lee bass. It's such a sports car of the bass world, with it's super fast, thin, neck (which allowed my to play the type of runs I never thought possible before) that it rejuvenated my interest and got me to the next level of competence. Although I no longer have the bass I still play most days even if I have no gigs that week. So my advice is to go and buy a Geddy lee today. You'll feel much better for it.

I quite like playing great songs with simple basslines, 'Jesus just left Chicago' is a good example. Simplicity and groove is the key. BUT on the other hand I'd LOVE to play 'Rhythm Stick' by the Blockheads before I die but since I don't play in cover bands that play that kind of stuff, I doubt I ever will.

There isn't anything specific I've learned, listening to pro players I admire, other than less can sometimes be more. Find the groove and stick with it. Don't be afraid to just play a root note and keep it simple if that's what's needed. Play for the song, not the other bass players who you think may be listening. That's what gets you the gigs.

Welcome to the 'music business'. Prepare to get shafted.

[quote name='Walker' timestamp='1358848057' post='1945842'] Thank you for this. This is exactly what I needed. For the initial fitting (number three), do I turn the truss rod so that it just bites or leave it totally loose? Thanks again, Chris [/quote] I doubt it will be totally loose. I've bought new necks and they're usually pretty usable as soon as you fit them. If the truss is loose there shouldn't be a problem with tightening it up a bit right after you fit it. As the tension of the strings starts to take effect over the next few hours the neck may shift slightly and you may have to adjust the truss rod again (I'd usually wait about 24 hrs as the neck will have settled by then). By the way I noticed on my last post I said 'screw holes where the marks are'. What I meant to say was 'drill holes where the marks are'.

Once you've fitted it I recommend you tune the bass up and let the neck settle for a while. After 24hrs you'll know whether you need to adjust the truss rod to get your preferred action or not.

I'm assuming there are no ready drilled holes. Number one: Make sure the neck is fitted nice and snugly right up to the end of the pocket. Number two: Make sure the screw holes are in the correct place. Best to fit the neck, then push the screws through the holes in the neckplate until they make a mark, then remove the neck and [u]drill holes[/u] where the marks are. Make sure the holes are a little bit smaller than the screws for a tight fit. Number three : Fit the neck, put the strings on and tune up. Leave the bass for 24hrs to settle before you touch the truss rod. If adjustment is needed you can tighten or loosen the truss rod the next day to get a perfect action. Allparts necks are great and I doubt you'll have much setting up to do.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1358840550' post='1945754'] The audition was 'interesting' in as much as the rest of the band couldn't play very well. I am amazed at how people have the confidence to want to put togther a band playing guitar based music when they are unable to play properly themselves. The drummer said 'I haven't played with real people for opver 14 years. Still, I've always been a bit of a busker'. And it went downhill from there. Anyway, I digress. You'll have a blast listening to and learning all this stuff - I did. [/quote] This is what initially put me off blues music. People think that since it's only 3 chords, it must be a piece of pish to play. It is.....but only if you want to play it badly. I'm lucky to have played with some really fantastic blues players over the last 20 years and I'm still learning (usually what not to play).

I depped in a friends cover band once. I'd always wondered why the words the singer sang, to the well known songs they played were correct, but the melodies were weirdly different and unexpected. It was only when I started rehearsing with them did I realise the reason was that all the chords to the songs they played were wrong. I made them aware of the fact and offered to show them the correct chords but they'd played their set for so long like this that they were set in their ways. It ended up with me having to learn the songs the warped way they played them. That REM song sounds just like them. Weird, weird, weird.

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1358805306' post='1945493'] Great - very 'lazy' (but in a good way)... i wonder how you'd stop pulling yourself back on the beat though [/quote] The object of the exercise is to sound like you're trying to drag the band back. Practice with the muddy waters band and you'll soon get the hang of it. Just make sure the rest of the band know what you're doing just so they don't think you're on valium or something.

Don't bother to learn scales it's pointless in blues it's not jazz......no extended bass solos. Listen to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7rv8pu-0z0 This is the Muddy Water's Band from the album 'Hard Again'. It's fantastic album but the best bit thing about it is it shows how a blues drummer and bassist give a lazy Chicago Blues feel to a song by playing behind the beat. Notice how late the drummer (Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith) plays the snare - it's just on the far end of the beat and no more. The rest of the album is also fantastic and shows what a great Chicago blues band (and rhythm section) should sound like. If the drummer you play with is not up to 'Big Eyes' standard, you can still play just behind the drummers beat, to give any song you play an authentic bluesy feel. There's lots of other, more up to date, stuff out there but listening and playing along to Muddy Water's Hard Again is one of the best blues educations you can get.

Maybe they're looking for something that ticks all the boxes like the Ibanez Promethean did, which became a classic amp pretty quickly. The MiBass and the little giants etc haven't.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1358798181' post='1945296'] Ok, I've got to ask... what is 'Post Rock'? [i]'Slow melodic themes', 'Seemingly ambiguous chords'[/i], you've got me interested. I'm an old geezer who doesn't get out much - humour me... any youtube links? [/quote] I looked up wikipedia and they weren't very helpful (rock instruments used to create a soundscape or timbre) but mentioned Tortoise. This is Tortiose and they're quite groovy [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfb58eB5oAA[/media] And I like the video too.