gjones

If your cab can handle the volume you normally play at, then there's no need to change it if you're not planning on playing at a louder volume. Keep the master at a reasonable level and don't boost the bass too much. Just because you now have a more powerful amp than you previously had, doesn't mean you have to use all that power.

He liked it so much he bought one, it seems. and they do look big. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D2ZPrG_iKA

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1493544368' post='3288983'] I did a gig last weekend with a newly formed outfit. Girl singer - absolute dynamite, young guitarist who was good, myself, and completing the lineup..... the worst drummer I've ever had the misfortune to play with!! Spreading up, slowing down, and drum fills that sounded someone throwing a drum kit down a stairwell. His timing was so bad that I couldn't even play straight 8th note grooves as the foundation was constantly shifting. Bloody awful! Strangely enough, the band did get a couple of other bookings from audience members (which was definitely due to the singer Judith being fantastic), and I had quite a few complementary comments regarding my own playing. However, the drummer was so awful that I had to excuse myself from committing to any other gigs. The singer says she'd love to perform in another band setting with me, so I guess I'll have to hunt down some of my drummer associates who actually know how to count to 4!! [/quote] I was asked to join a band a couple of years ago by a guitarist I knew. I turned up to a couple of rehearsals and although the singer and guitarist were good the drummer was beyond awful. I'm no prima donna but, having put up with some shocking drummers in my time, I wasn't prepared to do it any longer. I told the guitarist I'd only join if they bumped the drummer (he didn't even own a drum kit). At the next rehearsal there was another (much better) drummer sitting on the drum stool. Maybe you just need to speak to the other two members and tell them that the drummer is rotten and you aren't prepared to join while he's in the band. If you have another, better guy that you can recommend, they may be prepared to bump their drummer for yours. Edit: and 2 years later we're still together

[quote name='SubsonicSimpleton' timestamp='1493463990' post='3288529'] It doesn't really matter if people want to shred on 6/7s etc, back in the 80's Mark King spawned legions of fans who were manicly slapping their 4 strings(mostly in a way that wouldn't perform a useful musical function within most bands) - this didn't lead to everyone abandoning more traditional playing styles. Based on purely anecdotal evidence, of the bass players I have talked to that have tried extended range instruments, all but one have reverted to more traditional fives or fours because the extended range (and visual presentation) is largely useless for the majority of their playing in a band context. If someone needs a bass player, they will take someone who can fulfill the role and make everyone else sound good over a 'frustrated lead guitarist' every time, unless they specifically want that shred approach. This is beautiful playing and shows the musical potential of extended range instruments [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwMoiKaNOY[/media] But lets be honest not many people in their right mind would think that it would be a good idea to carry all that extra weight and have all those extra strings to damp if they had a long gig playing punk/rock/blues/folk/soul/funk to get through. [/quote] It's a nice sound on the lower strings. I wonder what key the lowest string is tuned to? As the note he plays at 45 secs is at a frequency that, up until now, I thought only elephants would be capable of producing.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1493460003' post='3288465'] Respectfully disagree, in my part of the world those clubs would be the exception if they actually existed but they don't. In my part of the world when 20 something's walk into a club with live music, they walk out no matter how good the band is. And just so my observation is perfectly clear, I mean they walk out immediately. End of story. Blue [/quote] Well in my town there is only five venues that provide that level of frontline PA and quality bands. But two of them are owned by the same company (a couple of years ago they opened the second one). I assume they feel there is money to be made, in a sector which is under exploited. I have to say that Edinburgh, where I live, gets a lot of tourists visiting and has a lot of students studying here. That may be the reason why live music is so popular. In that regard Edinburgh is not a typical UK city. I suppose I could say the same about Nashville, New Orleans or Austin, in the States but they are not typical American cities either.

It's true that the bars with sticky carpets and a dodgy band playing in the corner (between the pool table and the toilets), where the landlord or bar manager has no real interest in music, are dying off. The bars I play are busy and have music 7 days a week. People still want to see live music and venues can make money if they invest in a good PA and make sure they hire good quality bands and sound engineers. These bars rely on music to exist. If they had no music they would be empty. And they're not full of grey hairs and nae hairs, they're full of young people in their 20s and 30s who really love the fact they can spend their night listening to really great live music, in a venue that has invested in a good PA and excellent bands. So mediocre bands playing in unwelcoming, mediocre venues, are becoming thin on the ground. All that means is both the venues and bands have to up their game. I'm sure there's an audience out there, who wants to have a great night out, listening to music, if they can be offered a better and more professional experience. Edit: which, when I think about it.......has nothing to do with the original post But at least I got it off my chest.

I try to get all the tuning pegs, on my Jazz Bass pointing in the same direction when my bass is in tune. I haven't managed it yet but I'll keep on trying Edit; they have to be parallel to the headstock or it doesn't count. Edit #2; Preferably pointing North

Surprisingly, despite the fact that Edinburgh hosts the world largest arts festival, the council, for a while, were dead against music venues and they were clamping down on bars with music relentlessly. The problem was, that in order for a venue to lose it's licence, all that was needed was for the music to be 'audible' to the complainer. There was a campaign started, by local musicians, to change the local rules. There was a lot of support and eventually the campaign managed to get the rules changed. Now there has to be an 'audible nuisance ' caused by the music instead of it just being 'audible'. If your local council is being a pain, you should start up your own campaign to change the rules, just like Edinburgh. Here's the link to more information [url="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/licensing-board-votes-to-relax-noise-test-for-live-music-1-4240995"]http://www.edinburgh...music-1-4240995[/url]

My band plays stuff nobody knows. Well I certainly didn't, until I had to learn it. As long as a song's got hooks and people can dance to it, they don't care. We play 70-100 gigs a year so we must be doing something right.

The Waterboys and Hothouse Flowers took about 20 years to get my attention.

I could get a very low action on my Geddy Lee Jazz. But I had a problem gigging with the bass, as any change in temperature meant the wood of the neck would expand or contract and the strings would start buzzing and notes would choke. I ended up having to take the action up a bit, just so I could gig with the thing.

I remember the good old days when you'd get the local taxi radio coming through your amp or PA. It doesn't happen anymore. I assume because amp and cables are shielded better these days.

Rocks by Primal scream?

I think I've got over gas. i have bought and sold a lot of stuff over the last few years and I have to admit to myself that I have everything i need. I have an excellent amp and cab, I have a great playing and sounding Jazz Bass, with a J retro fitted (which makes it incredibly versatile), i have a P bass as a spare and I can't think of anything I need or want.. It's quite sad really.

It depends on the song. Long train running has a pretty simple structure so wouldn't take long. It depends on if I know the song by ear. I've got a good ear and pick stuff up pretty fast.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1492357523' post='3279641'] Those are pretty useless IME, you want something like this .. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BDeals-Wax-Removal-Ear-Syringe4oz-Stainless-Steel-Surgical-Veterinary-Instrument-/262857878171?hash=item3d338cea9b:g:SAEAAOSwx6pYpzgr"]http://www.ebay.co.u...AEAAOSwx6pYpzgr[/url] [/quote] That's for artificially inseminating cows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8vte7AxoqY

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1492454001' post='3280413'] Just found this article as I was about to raise my own topic & did a search first.... I missed out on a beauty of a Zon bass in the BC classifieds, listed & sold within 2 hours.... Now, less than 3 weeks later & it's on The Gallery site for 50% more than it was offered on BC. I appreciate if the buyer gets it, doesn't like it & wants to resell or trade-in. Selling through a shop who wants commission, the 50% probably isn't too far off the mark. But, why not punt it back through BC and give someone else the opportunity? It's supposed to be a community after all. [/quote] I had a Basschat member, buy a Geddy Lee from me and trade it for a Stingray, with somebody else on Basschat, within hours of me handing it to him. The Stingray was up on Gumtree, within a day or two, for twice what the Geddy cost him. The guy told me he didn't play bass when I met him. I think he hangs around on here checking out the 'for sale' and 'wanted forums' . I assume he buys from the 'for sale forum' and sells to the 'wanted forum' and takes a cut each time. For somebody who doesn't play bass or own an amp (which is what he told me), he seems to be able to get his hands on an awful lot of them. He's been very active on Basschat for at least the last 5 years.

You can loosen the neck (probably best to remove the strings first) and pull it upwards towards the E string. Then re-tighten the screws while holding the neck in the new position. when you put the strings back on you should see an improvement. If this doesn't work, then you may have a slightly out of position bridge. In which case you would have to re-position it. Of course it may not bother you. In which case just carry on as you are

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1492211522' post='3278776'] Get some gigs for the band. Yeah, just like that, get some gigs, it's real easy. You just call a venue and say you have a band and they'll just book you right on the spot. I think there's a lot more to it than; "Get some gigs" Blue [/quote] At the local Womans institute, old people's care home, open mic night, go busking. It doesn't have to be a support slot with a reformed Led Zeppelin (although that would be cool)

Get some gigs for the band. The thought that you might f*** it up, in front of an audience, usually helps to concentrate the mind of the lazy musician.

There's some great bands in that line up - old and new.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1491837305' post='3275758'] Are the pickups out of phase? That'll cause a Jazz to sound weak and trebly. [/quote] [quote name='AnAnInginAneAnA' timestamp='1491795969' post='3275381'] Hey guys. So a few months ago I picked up a new (to me) Squier Jazz Bass 70's natural in a trade, and even with the bridge pickup off and the tone control rolled off it's just way too bright and lacking low end for my liking. However since I absolutely love the feel of the neck, the the body shape, and the overall weight of it so much, I'm not quite ready to give up on it just yet. I've already tried flatwounds on it (which I didn't really like), and pure nickel strings, neither of which had that much of an efffect. Possible options I'm thinking of are new bridge, new pickups, or even modifying it to a P/J configuration like my other basses. I was just wondering if anybody here had this problem with this bass before? And, if so, were you successfully able to modify it to give it a more rounded or bassier sound? [/quote] Have a fiddle with the wiring. Pickups that are out of phase with one another will sound as you describe.

If they're out of phase then you will have to swop the wires around, however sure you are that you've soldered them correctly until your ears tell you that you've got it right. I've done exactly the same and been sure I wired everything up as they should be. Then realised, when I plugged the bass in, that somehow I'd got it wrong. It happens, It won't take long to figure out where you went wrong.