gjones

I'll not be going back to my Carlsbro Cobra 90, oh no 😨

About 10 years ago I had an ABM 500 III which, although I loved the sound of it, just wasn't loud enough through the (very heavy) ABM 15 cab I also owned at the time. So I bought a TC electronic classic 450 and a TC 212. I didn't like the TC head and because I liked the Ashdown sound bought their brand new MiBass class D head. Which I really liked and went well with the Barefaced Compact I then bought. I went off on a bit of a tangent, by buying a GK MB500 head (which is exceptionally loud) but a few months a go I saw an Ashdown ABM 500 III (made in the UK) going cheap on ebay and managed to buy it for the stupidly low price of £134. It sounds as good as I remembered it sounding. I haven't had the chance to fire it up and play it loud, as most of our gigs have backline provided by the venue but I'm sure it will sound fantastic through my Compact once I do. Great amps..

Why didn't they do the honorable thing and disband the band, then two weeks later, reform it with the previous bass player and a different name? Isn't that how it's done?

I usually gig with a Barefaced Compact and an 800 watt amp, which is very loud. But in smaller venues i can use my Rumble V3 100 combo. They sound great, are a 1 finger lift and are loud enough to compete with a sensible drummer. I bought mine for £165 second-hand and is one of my better buys. I love the little thing.

They looked like they had a great time. But Rory never quite got that riff

I owned two fender curly leads. The first one just didn't work when I used it for the first time and the second one, I got as a replacement, sucked all the top end out of my sound. I gave it away. I now use a Fender custom shop lead (a straight one), so I don't have a thing against Fender, but make sure @happy jack has replacement with him, when he gigs with his curly lead.

12 basses

Ed Friedland, in his review on youtube, mentioned neodynium speakers but when the 6 foot 6 delivery driver refused to carry it up to my 3rd floor flat, I realised they weren't. Possibly Fender original plan was to fit neo speakers but it would have added a lot to the cost, which was £700 when I bought it new. So, gorgeous combo, but a total pain to hump around (with one little handle on the top).

I used to own the TV15. It was loud enough for pub gigs but it weighed the same as a small planet.

I have an Elite Precision. They replaced the deluxe and were only out for 2 or 3 years before this Ultra came along. The only difference I can see is the Elite has a wheel at the body end to adjust the truss rod, which is pretty useful. I have to admit the Elite was a rotten name, possibly designed to appeal to dentists and car salesmen?

He should just play the first verse and chorus and then on the 2nd verse you'll have picked it up and you can just join in. After all, it's only Chuck Berry. I you have a problem, record the rehearsal and play along with it in the comfort of your own home.

Playing in front of the beat sounds good if you want to put over a sense of urgency, like when playing a punk tune. Or you can play waaaay behind the beat, as in this Muddy Waters Song.

If you like Amy Whitehouse, you like The Dap Kings. They play on Back To Black.

The snare is just behind the beat. Which gives a laid back feel. Some drummers I've played with have no idea how to play behind the beat. They obviously don't listen to soul or blues. It's a difficult skill to master.

11 basses, 5 amps, 4 cabs, 3 guitars. I don't have any more room under my bed

I agree with the above. But you'll probably never ever slap again in your life. The great Ed Friedland has recorded instructional DVDs on slap bass (I bought one), but in real life no band he's ever played with, has ever asked him to play any

As a experiment, swap the strings.

Why did British Band Wang Chung get to No2 in the US charts, with this 1986 single, and only a measly 76 in the UK charts. Only the Gods of Pop know the answer to that question. Always thought the singer had an uncanny resemblance to Dr Zachary Smith from Lost In Space.

My GK MB500 and GKMB 800 don't get particularly warm when I gig them, I assume because they're digital. I've never noticed the fans.

You can pick up a Trace Elliot, from the days dinosaurs walked the earth, for next to nothing these days. They're great amps, that were hewn out of a solid block of iron. They're a bargain - If you're man enough to be able to actually pick one up.

Luckily the parking at the Edinburgh one is fine. The rooms sound great and have decent equipment - no ancient TE bass amps or drum kits with dodgy hardware.

Sounds good. I've had a couple of SUBs, they're great basses. I believe the seller was @mcnach . I'm sure he'll be glad to hear you're happy with your new (old) bass.

Occlusion – the booming effect we hear when our ears are blocked, caused by sound (particularly lower frequencies) being transmitted through the bones of the head to the ear canal. This is particularly a problem for singers and those instrumentalists whose instruments are in contact with their head, e.g. brass and woodwind, higher strings. The effect can be reduced by wearing earplugs deeper in the ear canal, or by using vented earplugs. From this website: https://www.hearformusicians.org.uk/hearing-protection

For many years I was in the same boat. But when I did start playing them my playing got better. Because some covers can really stretch you - they're not all Mustang Sally.

The CITES restrictions on importing/exporting rosewood instruments, will end at the end of this month. So there will no longer be a need for instrument makers to switch to Pau Ferro fretboards any longer. It mucks up Fenders plans as, if they switch back to rosewood fretboards, they'll be left with thousands of instruments with Pau Ferro fretboards, that nobody will want (unless they seriously discount them).