gjones

I've been in a band where repeated rehearsals never got the band anywhere, due to lack of musical ability (except for me of course!). And I've been in a band who never rehearsed but managed to put on a decent show, because the individual members were talented and experienced. The second band irritated me the most, because we had the ability to be so much better if we just put a bit of work into the songs but the band leader was a lazy sod.

The original Ibanez Prometheans are rare beasts. I also remember the days when Barefaced Compacts were few and far between; they'd be sold, within about 10 seconds, after they were posted up for sale. But that was before Alex figured out, that creating 'The only cab you'll ever need', was an extremely bad business model.

Top of my list would probably be one of the new Fender Rumbles. They are cheap, loud and very light. I'm sure you could get a 500 watt one for £350 secondhand. I played through the 100 watt version and it kept up with a drumkit pretty well. I'm sure there are many satisfied Rumble owners on Basschat, who will agree.

I really like this version of Senor Blues, by Taj Mahal. The bassline was originally played on piano, in the Horace Silver version. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpPXgjsjgAw[/media]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1495732939' post='3306243'] If you have an old set of strings on, simply taking them off and putting then back on again can make them sound brighter. I guess it's the same phenomenon as this, just without the slapping! [media]http://youtu.be/s8OYeN9mAL4[/media] [/quote] I have been saying this for years but everybody thought I was just iNsANe! Edit: Well of course, I am insane......but it still works.

I left a band once because of the bar they played in. It was in 'Trainspotting' territory, full of hookers and junkies and someone threw a full pint at us just as we were about to start. I had a vision of myself being stabbed,and bleeding to death in the adjacent alley, if I ever played there again. The band went back for another gig the next week, without me. I asked the drummer how did it go and he said somebody got glassed for wearing the wrong football shirt and another guy got clubbed unconscious, with the heavy end of a pool cue. One of my better decisions I think.

The Kinky Jazz Kittens?

Many years ago my band auditioned a guitarist. He set his stuff up and we jammed along nicely but I noticed that he was playing just very fast, flashy lead guitar. So I said to him 'Your lead is great. Why don't you try out a bit of rhythm guitar now? This song is in E major.' He said 'How would I do that?'. I said ' Eh, play an E major chord?'. He said 'I don't know how to'. I looked at him in amazement and then, after lifting my jaw off the floor, showed him how to play an open E chord on his guitar. Just in case you were wondering............he didn't get the job.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1495329807' post='3303031'] You guys still have hippies? Blue [/quote] Crusties is the new term.

Bonham and Jones were big fans of Motown. The bass and drums in the solo of the Lemon Song are awesomely funky. The quiet second solo especially. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyhu2ysqKGk[/media]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1495304156' post='3302881'] Weather permitting, I'm supposed to be playing guitar with my band at a private outdoor party organised by hippies. There will be some sort of sound system and generator, though it's a complete unknown quantity. It's in a location you can't get a vehicle right up to, so I'd imagine it will be a little portable setup, and there's unlikely to be a proper stage. Sounds pretty dodgy, right? I'm a bit wary of running my usual valve combo on this kind of supply, since the grounding might not be done properly and the voltage and AC frequency might vary. The only solid-state setup I have is my small bass rig of a GK MB200 and 1x10 cab. It seems like the switch-mode supply of the GK is less likely to be stressed by power supply variations, and it might feel less risky, it's a bit lighter to carry too, but it's kind of squeaky clean for guitar. Which way would you go in these circumstances (other than not doing the gig)? Any other tips for coping in this situation are also welcome. [/quote] Interestingly, not long ago I played a gig in a big old tent, powered by a shonky generator, in the middle of a muddy field. The generator kept on cutting out, for a few seconds, intermittently, which resulted in both the lights and my digital amp head, switching on and off throughout the gig. The guitarist and the harmonica player, in the band, both had valve amps and they weren't affected in the slightest. I can only think that the big capacitors in the valve amps stored enough electricity to keep the amps running during the breaks in current. So if the gig is rescheduled, take the valve head instead of the GK as, according to my experience, it will deal with a dodgy power supply better than a solid state amp.

I have owned my original PJ bass for 33 years. It's in bits at the moment, as I've chopped and changed necks and pickups but it will live again, in the not so distant future.

If you have to tune down for one song and can't be bothered to do it during a set, then the capo could be used to play in normal EADG then when you remove the capo...Abracadabra....you're in drop down tuning. Replace the capo and you're back to normal tuning. I've never done it but it sounds very feasible.

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1495183660' post='3301878'] This meter reader = idiot. Smart Meters: There was a program on radio 2 Jeremy Vine about these. They all have a compatibility problem from one supplier to the next. They don't work properly and the program highlighted several customers being overcharged by thousands as a result. (although they did get it sorted out). One expert they had on said the tech was already out of date and it would be too expensive to upgrade the whole network so that they would work satisfactory so the whole concept as it stands is flawed. So really its a "Not so smart meter." [/quote] But if you don't pay your bill on time, they can change your meter to a prepayment meter at the touch of a computer keyboard. They can also set the bill on it remotely. No more need to bother with warrants or locksmiths to enter your property and change your meter. Just one day your electricity or gas will switch itself off and you'll get a payment card in the post. And people though it was all to do with lowering energy usage and accurate readings...........yeah that'll be right.

Demand a discount!

I think you're right. The back of the machineheads are identical https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/?iid=112402724177&&&adgroupid=33676502101&rlsatarget=pla-270397365723&abcId=893836&adtype=pla&merchantid=114889302&poi=&googleloc=1007326&device=c&campaignid=707291931&crdt=0&chn=ps

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1494633958' post='3297551'] There was a thread about the futility of taking a spare bass to gigs on here but I can't find it now, and I recall that some people suggested you could take it as far as taking a spare amp if you were really paranoid. At tonight's gig I had a brand new amp delivered to my house shortly before I left to drive to the gig. I tested it while the guy from the shop watched. I decided to take my old amp as well. The new amp lasted about 30 seconds into the first number before losing all power. I was able to swap it over for the old one (same speaker, power and speaker cable) and continue. Had I not had a spare amp in the car, it would have been a disastrously short gig! I was using a Fender Jazz bass, bought new last March, for the gig tonight. During the between sets break, it was in a Hercules stand when I saw stand and bass fall into the drum kit. No one was near it at the time, and the fall left some damage to the fingerboard and left the G string unplayable due to it hitting a cymbal. Again, the gig was saved because I had a spare Precision with me. I think the only things not duplicated in my gig kit now are speakers and me! [/quote] You should bring a spare bassist next time.............accidents do happen

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1494450496' post='3296172'] I know this is a different performance: ... but as a member of the audience, would you feel cheated that the band clearly aren't playing live? [/quote] Why do you say that? The bass player looks like he has a wireless wotsit in the jack and the guitarists have leads.

[quote name='mep' timestamp='1494272852' post='3294636'] This is something that has been bugging me for a while now so here we go. There is a tendency by some to refer to a guitarist here as a guitard. We all know what this means and personally I find it quite offensive. I have had the pleasure of working with many fantastic guitarist and none of them would fall into this category. I'm I being too PC or just overreacting? What do others feel about this term? [/quote] I think it only refers to the type of egotistical guitarists, that think that the world revolves around them. I've met plenty of them.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1494200742' post='3293999'] Two 3h gigs (three sets with a small break each) at a very nice bar in beautiful Mallaig just off the Isle of Skye. The weather was amazing, and I got a room to myself with great views included in the deal, which was great as I brought my girlfriend with me (the location, weather, and full weekend business made it a really attractive option). Saturday night was indoors, Sunday afternoon was outside in the beer garden. I love outdoor gigs. Everything sounded great This is a band I joined last summer and well known in this place. Apparently I'm not as handsome as the previous bass player, but I'm more exotic A pair of small TKS S112 cabs and the Markbass LM3 with the Stingray. I wasn't sure it would have the 'oomph' for the outdoors gig, but it worked really well (it wasn't extremely loud, it wasn't a festival, but a place where it could be loud enough for people to dance close to the 'stage' but not so loud that people on tables farther away could not have a conversation). Lucky I had my hat. It's not often this sunny here, but when it is, it bites! [/quote] An outdoor gig in Mallaig, now I've heard everything. They're hardy folk up there.

Why not just buy another amp for the cab? Then split the output from your bass (with a splitter pedal) into the separate amps . You can then EQ them any way you like. Makes things much simpler.

I play with a good band and we play some nice venues and festivals for pretty decent money. On the other hand we do also play some toilet venues just for the cash (we go out under a different name for these gigs). It helps, in these situations, that the band is good and I enjoy playing with them. Playing crappy venues to knuckledraggers is bad enough but if the band was crap, I'd probably prefer to be sat at home watching TV. Recently I depped for a band in a nice venue and for decent money. The problem was that the drummer was so shockingly bad that, from the first song, I just wanted to grab my gear and run. They asked me back again, the next week, and I had to turn them down, even though the money was good, because every minute I was playing with that drummer was torture. I know......I'm a Diva

I'm not hugely knowledgeable about TE gear but about a year ago,I used one of these at a gig I played and I really was surprised about how good it sounded with my Precision through it. It was more than loud enough to keep up with a loud drummer, even though it's only 150 watts. The seller is looking for less than £150 for it. I personally think it's a bargain. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trace-Elliot-GP7-715-Bass-Guitar-Amplifier-/332203318699?hash=item4d58dc5dab"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4d58dc5dab[/url]

I have played house parties before. You need a very quiet drummer who can play with brushes and preferably a large house away from neighbours.

I got myself sacked once. Joined a band and instantly regretted it but was too cowardly to just tell them, 'you're just not my thing guys'. So I made excuses and missed rehearsals, until they obviously realised I just wasn't into the band and eventually I got the 'Dear John' text (thankfully).