msb

For gigs I usually play a Dano Longhorn , there’s just something about how it’s woody thump slides under the mix , but my favourite thing to play is easily this little Gibson DC Jr. It’s light , sounds wonderful and is really fun to play. And the Ric , well it’s simply a gorgeous old thing.

With some old friends down at the local blues dive , we’ve been doing a Sunday jam there for around twenty five years, some of the usual suspects.

Gotta say the cheapos of today are often very playable instruments , that wasn’t always the case. I have an Epi Flying V! And love the trashy little thing , picked it up used for a good price. I love it , and it’s doubtful I’d shell out Gibson money for one. Last year I picked up a Squier Bass VI , my first Squier. Again it’s unlikely I’d spring for a vintage or Custom Shop VI so I’m thankful for the Squier. And spend a surprising amount of time on it. No complaints about the build quality of either.

I’m in the House Band that’s done a Sunday Jam for the last twenty five years , and sometimes the Sunday jam will be the most enjoyable gig of the week. Certainly the case last night. Oh there were some moments of horror , no jam is complete without both extremes , but there was certainly some great playing , and a great case of fun. Here’s a bunch of the usual suspects.

I mostly play short scales these days but still have some classics around. The Pbass is a 72 and for many years was the only bass I owned , whenever someone would pick it up they’d inevitably say “this is a nice one”. I missed out on some great gear deals back when things were cheap because I thought I had all the bass I’d ever need. The Ray is about twenty years old now and for years was the bass I kept handy beside the couch. I just love that fat chunky neck! I’m normally a flatwound guy but I keep fresh Slinkies on the Ray. Two very different basses.

I remember an interview with Abigail Ybarra , the legendary winder , and she mentioned that winding pickups was like knitting.

Welcome Manish!

The upper end Squiers deliver a great bang to buck ratio. I was thankful they did VM and CV versions, the vintage originals fetch silly money , and the Custom Shop ones are still pretty pricey. There was a Mexican run but they’re long out of issue and hard to find. I’m still surprised at the time I spend goofing around on mine , no regrets whatsoever.

I’ve played a good number of them , some friends have them (and love them). Unlikely that I’d spring for one. I’m quite happy with the selection of basses I have , already have twenty something basses.

I’ve never been happier. Got the cabs first , and then decided I should try the amp.

No , I have a ton of headroom. For most gigs my rig is a single cab solution , however I’ve found that sometimes dual cabs are needed. And two smaller 8 ohm cabs are more convenient than a single larger 4 ohm cab.

That’s lovely!

Welcome! I’m a Longhorn fan too.

I know people that have removed wire to improve the pickup sound. They swore the surgery was successful. I have never been tempted.

Usually run my amp around 3 . It’s a Bergantino Forte , so I have a ton of headroom left.

I have a 112 and 210 combination , they were designed to be used together , both are 8 ohm loads. If I need volume , or am outdoors I use both , but for many gigs I can easily get by with a single cab. So a modular rig works best for me. I’m usually in mid sized rooms , and often not in the PA. I have to fill the room.

Being an old geezer I remember when used stuff was cheap , and the term “vintage” hadn’t come into play. Used meant cheap , and I wish I had been able to invest at the time. Could have picked up EB3s for around $300. Pbasses were 4/5 hundred bucks , some were pre CBS , there was no distinction at the time.

Jack White covers the Little Willie John Classic I’m Shakin.

I would think Yamaha could give you guidance , and recommend the nearest service center . They should give you excellent support.

The Jr is probably my favourite bass to pick up and play. It’s a gorgeous little thing.

I think the battery solution is the answer , so I’m looking forward to the update.

You don’t need no girlie contours.

You can’t go wrong with a basic Jazz. Gold standard. Always been a sucker for burst, rosewood , tort. Classic! Congratulations!

I’ve never done cruise ships , But living in Halifax I’ve known a lot of people that have. And the ones that have … have all had music degrees , and were excellent sight readers with great improvisational skills. They had to be able to instantly deal with whatever was tossed their way. Some have loved it , and many bailed at the first opportunity. And they found much of the work boring , but the money was good. Some of the combos on board were said to be wonderful , and some were simply god awful. So I’m not at all surprised the advice has been contradictory.

I’m fine with lightweight cabs and Class D heads. And I’ve had them repaired and serviced. I have a GenzBenz Streamliner so when I realized agedhorse was still servicing them it was a no brainer. Off it went to California. It’s now like a brand new amp . My main practice amp is a tiny GK MB200 , and it sees heavy use daily. It developed the famous “ pink ring of doom” and was seen by a qualified technician. The fan had stopped working and the ICE power module had to be replaced , it was fixed , and is back to rigorous use. Class D heads can be serviced. My main gig amp is a Bergantino , I’ve yet to find any issues or problems. However should anything happen I’d call Bergantino , their customer support is legend. The Berg and Liner are completely different amps. The Liner has a three tube pre and can do that warm tube thing , the Forte is a stripped down clean transparent slam. I enjoy the differences. I like them both. I recently picked up an SWR Headlite for a song on the local kijiji buy & sell. The amp is clean , everything works just as it should , and I’m aware some parts are no longer available , so when it eventually goes it might be gone. I was quite aware of that when I bought it. For the time being it fires up and sounds just as it should. I expect years of future use. I gig every weekend , and use Bergantino HDN cabs. Never had a better stage sound , I smile every time I lift one. I’m fine with D heads and lightweight cabs. But I have friends that run multiple tube heads and big rigs and swear by them. To each their own. I’m fine with that too , but I’m thankful to be using smaller and lighter gear. I think my back is too.