Jacqueslemac

Played another gig with a covers band I joined earlier this year. Same pub as the first gig, but this time it was pretty busy. The landlady told us she loved us and one of the band's regulars reckons each time he hears the band we sound better than we ever have before. I can't claim all the credit but it'd be nice if a little of the improvement was down to me. I'm still the most animated in the band, though, which is a bit worrying. Apparently the Eagles were once accused of "loitering on stage" by a critic. Good job we don't get critics to our gigs!

Wilko Johnson's biography talks about him writing the song "Paradise". I hunted it out and soon after listening to it heard (purely by coincidence) the rather obscure"Curfew" by Steve Carl and The Jags (from 1957). I remember wondering whether it was possible that, in the 1970s, Wilko could possibly have heard it or had just stumbled on a very similar riff/feel when he was writing "Paradise".

I'm not sure what Orange did with the amp when it went back to them, but the jewel light didn't work and earlier this week, the amp stopped working altogether. The "active/passive" light came on, but the fan didn't and no noise came out. So back to PMT I go. To their credit, as soon as they saw it was me again they handed me a new one off the shelf and put my one aside to go back to Orange. So, I'm now on my third Terror. If this one goes wrong I think I'll be switching brands. Except that I left PMT with a 1x15 Orange cab and an isorbic 2x10 Orange cab, so I'll need an orange coloured amp anyway!

Just bought a Hipshot d-tuner. Quick, painless, easy transaction and it arrived within 48 hours. Many thanks!

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1421057429' post='2656535'] I'm really missing posting on this thread... [/quote] Me too. However, I went to a gig on Saturday night to see the band I've just joined (my first gig with them is a month away - their old bass player was playing). Hmm. Music wasn't bad, but they lack a front man. And a bit of stage presence. The guitarist spent most of the time facing the drummer and the singer sang with his eyes closed. The most animated person was the bass player, so it looks like I'll be taking her role on in more ways than one!

The amp arrived back from Orange today, so I picked it up and will try it at rehearsals again tonight. Incidentally, when I left PMT a delivery lorry blocked my exit. As I couldn't go anywhere, I helped the lads unload a couple of dozen boxes. When I finished I was presented with a set of strings and a pair of PMT socks. What nice fellas!

Well, last night my replacement Orange amp started cutting out again. Sometimes the jewel light was on and sometimes it was off, with no apparent correlation. I packaged it up and took it back to PMT. They told me they'd send it back again, but also remarked that there appears to have been a spate of amps going back to Orange at the minute.

An update: The covers band had its first jam session ten days ago. Except the stand-in singer didn't turn up. We did the best we could and the drummer sang a few songs, but it was a bit of a shambles, so no real conclusions to be drawn. It seems to be left up to me to find a singer. I've tried a couple - one who I've been in contact with before through Bandmix (no response) and one who was in my last band which doesn't appear to be doing anything since I left (no response either). I cast the net a little wider and may have found someone interested in a jam, but he's not into the heavier stuff at all. That may be good for the rest of the band (apparently weddings are on their target list), but the band may not be heading the same direction as me. I also contacted the established covers band on the advice of several posts. Unfortunately, they've found a replacement bass player, so that door has closed (although I'm now apparently on their dep list). Last night we had the first jam with the originals band. It wasn't bad and I'm sure we could get a half-decent set of (mainly blues) covers together, but it's re-affirmed my impression that it's only ever going to be a side project with recording rather than gigging as the main focus. So, three steps forward and two steps back!

For me, that was one of the downsides when I lived in Normandy - I didn't have anyone to play with! It's just a holiday home for the immediate future. Two of these bands are in Norfolk and one is in Suffolk. Part of the reason for my indecision is that all three options have downsides. The originals band (he's given me four CDs of good-quality recorded material, so there's plenty to work on) is going to take ages to get gig-ready and I know that getting gigs will be tough. There's plenty of scope for it to fall apart/fizzle out before that stage. The existing covers band plays material that just about every other local covers band plays (yes, including Sex on Fire), with only a couple I'd never heard before and I don't yet know if they stand out from all the others in any way. I also don't know whether I'll be able to influence their set list and make it a little more rock-oriented and/or drop a few of the clichés in favour of other good songs. In their favour, as has been mentioned, they already have a regular rehearsal slot sorted, plus they have gigs booked and most of those are repeat bookings, so they're organised. The other band will comprise a drummer whose other band doesn't gig enough for him, my guitarist mate who is desperate to get gigging, plus another guitarist whose situation is the same as the drummer. Finding a singer will be the challenge (the singer/guitarist from the originals band doesn't want to play more than a handful of covers or I could suggest him) and there is also the risk that if the drummer's other band or the guitarist's other band starts picking up more gigs, we'll lose them (I do know a few other drummers, though, so could probably find another). In its favour, being a founder member means I know I'll have influence on what we play, and it already sounds like we all want to play the same type of rock. I have my first jam with the latter band on Sunday and two jams (with different drummers) arranged with the originals chap in early December. All your comments have made me think about jamming with the covers band anyway, just to see what it feels like. They're gigging locally on Saturday, so I may go along incognito and find out what they're like first. Not sure I'm any closer to deciding which is the best option, mind!

Thanks for your input. I haven't actually played with any of the three bands yet. When I do, they might make up my mind for me. Not sure how my wife would react if I told her I might have three bands on the go! How I've left it with the covers band at the moment is that I'll jam with the others first and then get in touch, so I've kept the door open. The songs they play aren't my preference and I'd rather have two guitars than one, but I'm fully prepared for the rock band to fizzle out and for the originals band to spend ages going nowhere and don't want to be waiting months and months before gigging.

I've not been in a band for a couple of months, so finally managed to set up a jam session with a guitarist mate who I've been trying to play with for years. He's found a second guitarist and a singer (for just the jam session, because he's in another band) and I've found a drummer. As far as I can tell, we're all into the same music (classic rock with a twin guitar line-up). If the jam goes well, we're all up for starting a new band, except the singer. In other words, it could take ages before we find a suitable singer, if we ever do (from past experience) and get gigging. Almost as soon as that was agreed I was approached by a singer/guitarist who wants to perform his own originals. He sent me a bunch of tracks which sounded a bit vanilla/bland. My preference would have been for something more blues/rock, harder and more aggressive. When I asked him what he was looking for sound-wise his response was "something more blues/rock, harder and more aggressive". So I've arranged a couple of jams with a couple of drummers I know just to see how it sounds. It'll be a three-piece. I've not been in a gigging originals band before, so it could be interesting. And, at the same time, I was approached by an established, gigging, covers band. They sent me their set list (35 songs of which I've already gigged over 20 in previous bands) so it would be very easy to slot into their line-up and be gigging straight away. It's a bit more pop-oriented than the music I prefer, and there's only one guitar, but they already have plenty of gigs lined up. There's no way I can be in three bands. I could possibly stretch to two so long as they didn't both insist on a weekly rehearsal (I've tried it and it was too much), but one is more realistic. Anyone have any pointers I should have in mind when fretting about which band to throw my lot in with, please? I should mention that I'm not in it for the money, but to have fun and gig once or twice a month.

I believe the Fender P Hotrod that's made in Japan has a Jazz-width neck although the USA one has reverted to a P-bass neck. At least, last time I looked.

USA Fender Hot Rod P-basses did have a Jazz-width nut in the late 1990s. I know this because I tried one and loved it, but couldn't afford it at the time. PS Completely off topic, but if you're looking for a surf band to join I could put you in touch with a drummer and a guitarist who is desperate to find a decent bass player into surf music.

[quote name='namefail' timestamp='1414524868' post='2590289'] ep. 2 [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04n8wl5/foo-fighters-sonic-highways-2-washington-dc"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...2-washington-dc[/url] [/quote] Is it straight to iPlayer or does the BBC transmit it on a "normal" channel first?

When's the next episode on, please? My Sky + guide cannot find it. Thank 'ee.

I understand the theory and have tried to play ahead of and behind the beat, but it's difficult to keep up. I tend to slide back onto the beat. A drummer once remarked that he liked playing with me, because it didn't matter what tempo he did nor whether he got faster or slower, I just kept with him. That's kind of a compliment but also illustrates why I find it difficult to vary where I play in relation to the beat (usually the bass drum in my case).

There are several threads on Basschat along the same lines, which can't be doing Orange any harm at all. Orange replaced my first-generation one (well out of warranty) for no charge. The new one has the later DI too, of course, which is a bonus.

Not really what you're looking for, but there are several good ones in Norwich. I can't say I've ever seen a single one in Yarmouth, although I haven't really been looking when I'm there (I'm usually looking for chips, ice cream or where the pub is we're about to gig in).

Thanks for this. I've just ordered a brass Just-a-Nut III direct from the Warwick shop (roughly the same price as Thoman) together with other various bits and bobs I needed. The price of the two piece bridge is a bit eye-watering! That'll have to wait.

Welcome! Please tell me your weather is improving soon. I'm coming to Châtel with my MTB next week and it looks pretty wet.

Understanding apostrophes?

Via my local PMT they're £139. Steep, but still worth it I reckon.

Thanks for all this info. I just called my local PMT and they'll call me back for a time to go in and have my moulds taken. What I hadn't realised is that I can go for the straightforward protection option first and then later (when the band has a decent PA) simply remove the noise filters and install speakers to turn them into in-ear-monitors. Excellent! As an aside, after chatting for a few minutes over the phone, the chap asked for my name so he could call back with an appointment time after he'd spoken to the chap who does the mouldings. Worryingly, as soon as I told him, he instantly knew who I was. I must spent too much time in the shop (although I don't often buy anything).