gjones

I played at a venue in Edinburgh, last night, called Whistlebinkies. The bass amp they usually provide was broken, so the engineer connected up an Orange, Crush Pro 120, guitar amp, to the Ampeg 410 they have at the venue, for me to hear myself. Wow that thing was LOUD! I had the master at about halfway and the gain on the clean channel just under halfway. Now I can't figure out, how a 120 watt, solid state guitar amp, can be significantly louder than the 600 watt bass amp it replaced. The previous amp they had at the venue was a 600 watt Ashdown Mag and the one they had before that was an Ampeg PF 500 I would have to crank both of them up near their max to compete with the volume the Orange could put out, with the gain and master at approx 50%. I might understand if the amp was valve but there are no valves in a Crush Pro 120? I am officially confused?

Don't go to one of the early shows. Last time I went to see him at the Fringe it was the first show of his run. He was so nervous, I thought he was going to be sick. Go to one of the later shows. By then he'll have got the hang of it and be a lot cooler and calmer.

I saw this and wondered why he left the stickers on. If you decide to buy it, make sure they're removable and aren't covered with varnish, or something stupid.

If the tanglewood is difficult to play take it a tech and get it set up. You may not need to fork out for a new one if you can get the old one playing well. And then you can spend the money you saved on a new bass Edit: too late!

Because of streaming and the lack of CD/download sales, big, established bands are playing more live gigs than ever before. So there must be a huge audience for live music out there. I just wonder why TV companies aren't cashing in on the market. I'd love to see more live music on TV, both from the dinosaurs and the new kids on the block.

My experience of TE gear was mostly in rehearsal rooms (where old Trace Elliots go to die). I really disliked them as, whatever I did to try and get a good sound from them, I just couldn't. Then one day my band where playing a gig, supporting a Ska band in a club in Edinburgh. The bass player in the band let me play through his amp, which was a GP7 combo with a 15 inch speaker. I was playing my Precision through it and it sounded fantastic. It had a great ballsy, punchy, trouser flapping sound to it and, considering I think it was only 150 watts, was very loud. Since that experience, I have considered buying one from Ebay as the secondhand price is as cheap as chips. But all the sellers want the buyers to pick them up - I assume because they are the weight of a small planet.

I joined a band, just as the other members decided to have children. They were all popping sprogs and buying people carriers, like they were going out of fashion. We were paying for a rehearsal room that nobody rehearsed in. After 18 months inactivity I decided it was a lost cause and joined a band that actually gigged, occasionally. I make it a rule now that I don't join a band unless the members are serious. No chartered accountants, Doctors, lawyers,, orthopaedic surgeons, financial advisers or dentists, with young families, need apply. The members of a band need to be hungry and love music. I class myself as semi-pro, with a professional's attitude. I don't want to be associated with dilettantes (my former band mates were all lovely people but liked the idea of being in a band, more than the actual reality of being in one).

Hopefully this will help. It's a review from another basschatter http://basschat.co.uk/topic/77602-archer-professional-double-bass/page__fromsearch__1

There's Jools Holland. Up here, in Scotland, we have The Quay Sessions http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05x1ylt I can't think of any other UK TV show, that is set up to specifically, broadcast artists, playing live music? Considering how popular music is, it's strange that TV companies don't make more of them. We have hundreds of TV channels broadcasting, mostly, total sh*te. Why don't they produce more shows like Jools Holland's. Bands would be queuing up to promote their tours/albums and they would be cheap to make. Does anybody else know of shows that I'm not aware of?

Get in touch with this guy on Ebay. He used to import Mighty Mite necks, that were very good quality and cheap (£100). A rosewood ban has just been implemented and rosewood necks cannot be imported anymore but he may be able to source a maple one for you. I have messaged him previously and he is very helpful. http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/bluebass320

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1500756621' post='3340052'] Well, yes. Same here. . . I was remembering the old days. Some days the high point of the evening is looking forward to R4 or the World Service on the drive way home. [/quote] Or 'Whispering' Bob Harris

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1501322673' post='3344002'] Aside from the 4 hour set I dont understand why he would insist on at least 2 lead vocals i a 3 piece. [/quote] Just in case one of them loses their voice.....which is very likely. I recently did play for 4 hrs, when the band that was booked to come on after us, couldn't make it. Luckily we know a lot of songs and we have 2 vocalists. But we had 15 min breaks between the four 45 min sets we played.

I'd like to see him jump up and down, on the spot, for 4 hrs. Then if he was still alive, I would call an ambulance. I'm very fair.

Whenever I've played through Laney gear, in rehearsal rooms or occasional festival gigs, I've always been impressed by the clarity and volume from their amps. I recommend them to new bass players, because you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Interesting.

If the wires from the pickup to the preamp are live and create a buzz when touched with a screwdriver, then it can only be the solder connections on the pickup itself. I recommend disconnecting them and resoldering them.

This may be exactly what you're looking for http://youtu.be/uClOQOApS1k

I've replaced quite a few 'over playing' bass players in my time. Guys who think that, just because the guitarist gets a solo on every song, that they should too. Or bassists that like to show off their incredible slap technique, on a Johnny Cash song. I can play roots and fifths all day long, if that's what the song needs. I know this is an amusing cartoon of a drummer but the same thing applies in the case of bass players too. [attachment=249810:attachment.jpg]

Start with some easy songs, by status quo or ZZ Top, or whatever. Then once you've got the hang of simple stuff you can try more difficult songs.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1500107855' post='3335634'] No more than others bring up they're not in it for the money. Blue [/quote] I'm with Blue on the money front. If your band is any good, you will be in demand. It's irrelevant whether you need or want the money, if people value your music, they will pay for it. My opinion is that, if you have an amateur attitude to whether or not you get paid for your music, you'll also have an amateur attitude to the music.

Excellent. My bass was stolen out of my car years ago (I don't leave my gear overnight in my car anymore - I learned my lesson) and a year later I found it in a pawnbrokers window. I was well chuffed, so I know how you will be feeling now

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1500496456' post='3338308'] I'm about to start with a function band. Are wives / girlfriends / partners allowed at private functions. Never done those knd of gigs before and i'm just curious as its a similar theme to OP's Dave [/quote] At any wedding, birthday, corporate event, etc, etc, that I've worked at, they usually provide hospitality i.e. food, drinks etc. The event organiser may wonder why they are setting up an extra place for the wives/partners of the band, when they aren't actually involved with producing music. The rest of the band may wonder too. Probably best if you treat it as a professional job, not a night out.

If you're looking for comfort, what about one of these? I used to have a Levey's stretch strap many years ago and it was incredibly comfortable. I saw this video, the other day and it reminded me how great it was. I have a comfort strap with lots of padding but after a long gig it can still get uncomfortable. I'm going to try one of these again (my original got lost along the way). They're not particularly expensive either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ15SF_9f44

My old band got offered a gig at the HMRC fraud team's Christmas party. I kid you not. We made our excuses and wriggled out of it. I wonder if they would have paid us in cash?