gjones

In a situation like that just stop and tune up fer f@cks sake. As a pro playing to thousands she should have a back up. Don't sack the bassist sack the bass tech. Interestingly she's tuned up properly to play the last song...........unfortunately too late to save the day. By the way, I bet 90% of the audience didn't notice there was anything wrong with the sound and only 2% of them knew why it sounded so bad.

Chris 'Me And My Bass' recently played in a production in Glasgow. I'm sure he's give you an idea of what's needed. profile link [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showuser=8335"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showuser=8335[/url]

[quote name='amnesia' post='1275922' date='Jun 20 2011, 02:18 PM']Mine most certainly is. For me the weight is a price I am willing to pay (for now) just to see the look on peoples faces when it gets stacked 6 ft high! [/quote] Have you seen the link I put on my post, at the start of this thread, to the youtube vid showing the Ampeg 32X10 cab. Ampeg provide a free artic and 15 roadies with every cabinet...............oh and a cherry picker so you can reach your amp perched on the top.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1275873' date='Jun 20 2011, 01:42 PM']I feel your pain, literally. I put my back out twice lifting my Mesa Boogie cabs. I think it's time to review your needs. I can't do away with a rig; I play in too many different situations but my weight limits are 30lbs to 40lbs depending on the cab, 10lbs for an amp and 10lbs for a bass. These days there is a fantastic amount of gear to be had within those limits.[/quote] It could well be the time to bite the bullet and wave goodbye to my monster combo and buy something with less character but also less potential to wrench my shoulder out of it's socket. On another note - I notice you're playing with Robin Bibi's band. Will you be at the Harvest Time Festival in Ireland with the band in Sept? If you are I'll come say hello. My lot are playing there as well.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1275763' date='Jun 20 2011, 12:00 PM']So you've got an amp that looks good but is too heavy to take out! What's the point of that?[/quote] Um....a big boy called Ed Friedland told me to get it...................and then he ran away (and bought himself a Genz Benz shuttle).

I notice a lot of people who are pro amps are owners of Genz Benz gear. It was that effing Ed freidland who got me hankering after my massive bassman after I saw his bass whisperer review. He sung it's praises to the rafters and went on and on about how great it was. But does he own one? NO he does not! What does he own? A GENZ BENZ SHUTTLE thats what! B@ST@RD!!!

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='1275636' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:32 AM']I've got a 900w amp that weighs next to nowt and has a lovely DI. I have two nice cabs that are an easy lift, but I usually only use one. And I quite often get mic'd up.[/quote] I dream of having a 'loud but light' amp and cab. I got my bassman because most bass amps are anonymous black boxes while the TV bassman range are beautiful tweed covered retro designed objects of desire. But they are INCREDIBLY heavy, have one puny handle on top and are frankly a pain in the arse if you I live in a flat up 3 flights of stairs (like I do). The thought of getting a hernia puts me off using it for run of the mill gigs so I always take my ashdown combo, which is a lot lighter, for smallish gigs that need an amp. I hate the idea of getting a boring lightweight black box type amp and cab and getting rid of the Bassman but I hate the idea of a hernia even more. Personally, I'd go the Sansamp way if I could.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1275595' date='Jun 20 2011, 10:00 AM'][/quote] Time to eat my words methinks....you let me down Geddy, I'm very disappointed in you

The type of gig I do means that I very rarely get the chance to use my main amp. With the smaller gigs I take my little 150 watt Ashdown combo and for larger gigs I use whatever they have for onstage monitoring (usually the foldback is enough for that purpose and I end up turning the on-stage amp down). There's so many great amps out there capable of pumping out megawatts of juicy bass goodness but why have a 750 watt amp (like TC have just introduced) when nobody out front will ever hear it - the sound guy will tell you to 'turn that bloody thing down onstage!' so he can D.I. you through the P.A. I bought my 350 watt Fender TV fifteen Bassman about two years ago and, although Ive done 50 gigs since then, I've used it at about 4 of them. It sounds great but nobody ever gets the chance to hear it in it's full glory turned up LOUD. I know of a few bass players on this forum who turn up with a Sansamp or a POD and just plug straight into the P.A. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of those famous 'endorsee' bassplayers do the same. I know Geddy Lee won't be endorsing any amp manufacturers anytime soon (although I've heard he just got a new deal with Hotpoint recently ) This video illustrates my point. It compares the Ampeg Micro-VR and SVT with 32x10 (yes I said the 32x10) [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPWikFPwYFc&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPWikFPwYFc...feature=related[/url] I know which one I WANT.................but do I need it?

Bought a MM SUB from Chris. Nice bass nice price. Straightforward and easy transaction

Gayle Anne Dorsey because David Bowie had her in his band for years which means she must be good. And she's a fantastic singer. Ooooooh, and cos she's nae good at slap bass (and neither am I).

I've not got to that stage yet but in these uncertain times anything could happen. The keepers would be my old mightymite P/J, because it has very little resale value but great sentimental value (my 2nd ever bass) and my Japanese Squier, because of it's versatility, great sound and also lack of resale value (early 90's Squiers don't fetch much on ebay). Although I would be sad to see them go, the others would all be expendable.

The comments about the sound being better with a higher action are very valid it is a much cleaner sound. I do like a low-ish action and I can get away with it and a bit of fret rattling when playing live but that fret rattling sound can be irritating when recording. I used to have my Geddy action set ridiculously low. So much so that many times I used to have to adjust it at the gig to ensure it didn't choke (as the neck is very temperature sensitive). I think a lot of bass players assume setting up a bass is a mystic art and are afraid they may damage their truss rod if they start tweaking it (like I did for a long time). What I was interested in was if people specifically choose to have a high action and it looks like a lot of people actually do.

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1266156' date='Jun 12 2011, 03:11 PM']1cm at the fifth fret sounds impossible.[/quote] Yes, that's what I thought as well. That action was on a old US precision bass (complete with a rusty nail as a strap button) played by the son of the bass player in a very well known 70's classic heavy rock band (he probably inherited it from his dad who now plays alembics) . He's an excellent bassist who has been playing professionally for the last 15 years and this is (as far as I know) his main bass. I only played it for a couple of songs and the bass itself sounded great but there must be something seriously wrong with the neck to be able to get the action that high. A couple of times I've toyed with the idea of offering to set these peoples basses up for them and make them easier to play with a couple of tweaks of an allen key or a screwdriver but I'm afraid they'll take it as an insult to their 4 stringed pride and joy.

Recently I've played a few different basses belonging to other bassists. All the basses had two things in common. The first was they all belonged to experienced and very able bass players. The second was that the action on all of the basses was really very high (in one case it was more like a bow and arrow than a bass). Once I got over the fear that I was going to break something by tweaking with my trussrods I've always liked a lowish action on my basses because they're easier to play (ie my playing improves when the action is low) and it takes less physical effort to actually fret a string. But I've been wondering why all these very competent bass players have their action so high (in one case the E string was about 1 cm high at the 5th fret on a precision bass). Am I missing out on something? Personally I can't figure it out why you would want a high action when you can adjust your bass to have it much lower - maybe they just can't be bothered? Are there bass players out there who are well aware how to achieve a low action but prefer a higher action for some reason?

I did the same a couple of weeks ago. I played a 50's classic P with a maple neck, a Mex standard with a rosewood neck and a Squier CV. The best sounding was the Mex standard as it gave me that woody sounding punch I always imagine a P bass should have. The 50's classic was a bit clanky for my taste and the CV pickups sounded a bit on the cheap side. I have also recently tried the US standard and it beat the others hands down but like you I hate the idea of carting around a bass I paid £1000 for which will instantly depreciate by about £400 as soon as I take one step outside the shop. I'm seriously considering buying a 2nd hand Mex and popping a US standard pickup in it.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1264781' date='Jun 11 2011, 11:48 AM']are other instruments stomping on your frequencies? There are two guitarists in my band - I remember a rehearsal when the guitarist put changed from Martin electroacoustic and telecaster to Gibson 335 & les Paul and I continued with my jazz bass. The overall sound of the band turned into a mess of low end mush even though we didn't sound any louder - everyone was contributing to the low and low-mids so there was no definition in that part of the audio spectrum. It sounded so bad it was pointless carrying on with the song until they worked out how to eq their amps so that everyone had space[/quote] +1 I agree with the above. Individuals should pick a frequency range and stick to it and then everyone's happy. Otherwise you get to the stage where everybody tries to be louder than everybody else because they can't hear themselves in the general mush onstage. Also it's worthwhile getting a long lead and standing a decent distance from your amp and experimenting with different sounds while the band are playing. As someone earlier said your favorite EQ settings may sound fantastic when your bass is played on it's own but disappear in the band mix, while an EQ setting that doesn't sound so great when you're playing without the band, fits in nicely with the mix once the band start playing.

Would this help? [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GU6FYI/ref=s9_simh_gw_p60_d6_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=10XSQJ22J6EADP932BG9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GU6...;pf_rd_i=468294[/url]

I agree with all of the above and it also looks disgusting. Unless you're getting it for a tenner don't bother, buy a nice new one made in China.

I played an old USA precision with a nail for a strap button and and action like a bow and arrow the other week at a jam I occasionally go to and it sounded great. I had the chance to listen to it while others were playing and it sounded fantastic with the band as well (incidently it had roundwounds on it). Today I put a set of La bella flats on my ancient and usually disregarded P/J to record a bluesey bassline on a track I've been working on...........with a sponge mute fitted at the bridge what an instant motown sound. I think I'm going to have to get myself a Precision. After all these years of dismissing them I've been persuaded. Anybody out there want to trade a Jazz Bass for theirs?

Mike scott, of the Waterboys, wrote out 10 rules of how to be a Rock 'N' Roll star on his web blog. Rule number 2 is....... [size=4]How to choose a musical instrument (it's the way it looks, stupid!)[/size] Is that your number one consideration when buying a bass (like 99% of Rickenbacker owners it seems) or are you deeper than that ? By the way I've included the other 9 rules below...........just in case you were curious. [size=4][font="Courier New"]1. How to dress like a proper f**ing rock'n'roll star (rule one: dress the same offstage as onstage. And I mean dress offstage like you would ON, not on like you would off) 2. How to choose a musical instrument (it's the way it looks, stupid!) 3. How to write HOOKS. (If your songs ain't got 'em, get another job) 4. How to play your instrument not with your head or fingers BUT WITH YOUR LIFE 5. How to confound your audience's expectations 6. How to creatively joust with the mysterious race of beings known as ROCK JOURNALISTS 7. The lore and evolution of rock'n'roll (and how not to GO BACKWARDS. Rolling Stone magazine take note) 8. The occult science of the killer song intro 9. The occult science of the extended outro (rule one: earn it by preceding it with a disciplined and economic song arrangement) 10. How to get people to do things for you (eg take care of the money stuff) without surrendering your power or authority to them [/font][/size]

These are Mike Scott, from the Waterboys, 10 rules of how to be a ROCK 'N' ROLL STAR. Please pay close attention to rule number 2. [font="Courier New"]I've been looking at the website of one of these rock schools where you take courses in how to be a performer. Maybe it works for some people but that kinda thing wouldn't have drawn me at the age 16. Rock + school just don't mix. So I think I'll start my own ALTERNATIVE ROCK'N'ROLL SKOOL. Courses to include: 1. How to dress like a proper f***ing rock'n'roll star (rule one: dress the same offstage as onstage. And I mean dress offstage like you would ON, not on like you would off) [size=5]2. How to choose a musical instrument (it's the way it looks, stupid!)[/size] 3. How to write HOOKS. (If your songs ain't got 'em, get another job) 4. How to play your instrument not with your head or fingers BUT WITH YOUR LIFE 5. How to confound your audience's expectations 6. How to creatively joust with the mysterious race of beings known as ROCK JOURNALISTS 7. The lore and evolution of rock'n'roll (and how not to GO BACKWARDS. Rolling Stone magazine take note) 8. The occult science of the killer song intro 9. The occult science of the extended outro (rule one: earn it by preceding it with a disciplined and economic song arrangement) 10. How to get people to do things for you (eg take care of the money stuff) without surrendering your power or authority to them[/font]

All I can find in my Fender book is an active Precision Bass Plus which looks similiar to yours has the same font on the headstock and was manufactured in the early 90's along with a Jazz Bass Plus. Sorry I can't help you more.