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The London Bass Guitar Show 2014


Silvia Bluejay
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[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1393855379' post='2385038']
I just can't be a55ed with shows anymore.

Looks like I didn't miss much... and I don't feel the need to blitz people on facebook with me with various name players, which seems to be this year's trend.

Yup, I'm a grumpy b4stard this year.
[/quote]

Haha. :)

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[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1393860160' post='2385125']


No, that was my first recommendation and I did name check you..! :)

Barrie (Merton) had been talking to someone about the Star Bass and as he's tried mine mentioned me and how I was knocking around. Just after I then went over to Bassgear to say my cherios and Barrie ran after the guy, brought him back and then we had our chat, my second Warwick Star Bass endorsing session of the day. Actually, I could not help mentioning to Lee Sklar that I had a Star Bass too.... :P (forgot to mention it was a cheapy mind)
[/quote]

It was Sibob :)

Actually I think I deserve the commission payment given that I chased after him and tracked him down at the coffee stand in order to recommend a brand that BassGear don't sell :) :)

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[quote name='HartkeUK' timestamp='1393852713' post='2384986']

Not sure where the "management got involved" came from cause they certainly never mentioned anything to me or the other guys as far as I know.
[/quote]

I think it was when the Eden guy challenged the two players on the Hartke stand to a slap battle and volume war. They played louder and louder and louder (and one of the buggers was out of tune which made it even worse). You could literally see the Eden guy pushing them to play louder and retaliating by turning his rig up.

People were physically wincing and putting their hands over their ears (luckily I found my earplugs but even then I had to leave our stand because the noise was intolerable).

I then saw someone disappear to get help because it was so objectionable and saw him heading back to the stands with an organiser. Two minutes later the noise war stopped so I can only assume the organiser got them to shut up and show a bit of respect to both other stands and the show visitors.

The Hartke players weren't on the stand at any other time so I think they must have been visitors and not official Hartke people. The Eden guy was definitely one of their demo players. He repeatedly played nasty clicky clacky bass off and on throughout the Sunday sessions. Even his finger style play was very percussive and, at the volumes he was using, was really unpleasant to hear.

Edited by molan
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[quote name='Russ' timestamp='1393856814' post='2385064']
The noise was irritating sometimes, but I came away from the show wanting to play more bass. That can only be a good thing. :)
[/quote]
THIS is what it's all about.
I shall try my damndest to be there next year.

Edited by Telebass
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I really wanted to go to this there was not really any named players there that I wanted to see and to be honest I had only heard of a few of them anyway but I would of liked to of gone just for the crack in a way I am glad I did not go as some of the comments others have made about the show made me think I would not like it and to be honest it would of been a really expensive day out for me and my son it would of cost us about £100 just to get there and buy the tickets so I am going to wait and go another time when players I really want to see are on and also more exhibitors I am interested in but I am glad most of you guys enjoyed it and had a nice day :)

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I really enjoyed the show and got inspiration from unexpected places. Frank Bello and TM Stevens made come away really wanting to play, despite being players that I've never listened to! I appreciate Jeff Berlin's skills, but afraid that he had the opposite effect on me...

Really enjoying my Ortega Uke-bass. Wife also appreciates that I can sit on the couch with a bass and not take up all the space!

Some photos:

Got in early for this comp and made it to the advertising!
[URL=http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/iamtheelvy/media/2014-03-01135017_zpsb04582b2.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y440/iamtheelvy/2014-03-01135017_zpsb04582b2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

'Every time you slap a bass today, a cute puppy gets it..'
[URL=http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/iamtheelvy/media/2014-03-01142453_zps09886c7f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y440/iamtheelvy/2014-03-01142453_zps09886c7f.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

How Frank Bello started his masterclass:
[URL=http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/iamtheelvy/media/2014-03-01161147_zps9754f6f9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y440/iamtheelvy/2014-03-01161147_zps9754f6f9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I meet the Thrash-metal legend. And I pull this face. Great.
[URL=http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/iamtheelvy/media/2014-03-01172046_zps4a97457c.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y440/iamtheelvy/2014-03-01172046_zps4a97457c.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Queue for John Taylor. I didn't even bother:
[URL=http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/iamtheelvy/media/2014-03-02155441_zps94b55ba0.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y440/iamtheelvy/2014-03-02155441_zps94b55ba0.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Say YES like a MAN!!
[URL=http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/iamtheelvy/media/2014-03-02162709_zps26e053df.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y440/iamtheelvy/2014-03-02162709_zps26e053df.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

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[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1393929087' post='2385841']
I really wanted to go to this there was not really any named players there that I wanted to see and to be honest I had only heard of a few of them anyway but I would of liked to of gone just for the crack in a way I am glad I did not go as some of the comments others have made about the show made me think I would not like it and to be honest it would of been a really expensive day out for me and my son it would of cost us about £100 just to get there and buy the tickets so I am going to wait and go another time when players I really want to see are on and also more exhibitors I am interested in but I am glad most of you guys enjoyed it and had a nice day :)
[/quote]

It definitely depends on what you expect to see.
The masterclasses, shows and the chance to have a chat with famous players are a big part of what I like about the show. I saw one of my idols, Frank Bello of Anthrax, and another bassist I admire a lot, Roger Glover of Purple. Didn't bother with John Taylor, despite being a fan, because his audience was clearly full of ex-teenaged Duranettes (now my age) who would still "do him", and his talk equally clearly geared towards reminiscence and non-bass chat. From the reports by friends who were there, it seems I was right. Next time :)

Edited by bluejay
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I went on Sunday and had a great day. Just walking around, having a look and listen soaking up the ambience of it all....

Saw Mo Foster and Lee Sklar who I thought were both great. Lee Sklar I found particularly inspiring even to the extent that when I got home I downloaded 'Rubberband Man'....... I haven't stopped playing it since. Even now I'm getting fidgety needing my fix!!!

Yes there were issues with the sound levels etc especially when trying to speak about gear to exhibitors. Hopefully if the organisers read these comments, then they may change their approach for next year. However, it's the same comments that crop up year after year. What do they do at drum and guitar shows to kerb the volume? Can anything be learnt from the organisation of these?

As said, I certainly would not like to lose the show and will continue to support it year after year.



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[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1393929087' post='2385841']
I really wanted to go to this there was not really any named players there that I wanted to see and to be honest I had only heard of a few of them anyway :)
[/quote]That is maybe the reason you should go. I had never heard of TM Stevens, but i thought he was inspirational. A bit American in his message if you get my drift, but very good all the same. In fact i had only heard of Roger Glover and Roger Taylor on the bill before i joined basschat and got to know them. Sometimes, the people you have never heard of can be the better than the people you have

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There seem to be plenty good and bad reviews, but I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Didn't find the noise particularly unpleasant, and I didn't really find anything [i]too[/i] loud.

Got to meet our dear leaders, of the peoples republic of Basschat, and a couple of other Basschatter's too. Had a lot of fun trying out various basses that I wouldn't normally try in a music shop and was surprised most of the time. The best part of the show, for me, was meeting Adam Getgood and having a chat with him, as well as trying Eve basses. Those things are beautiful instruments and cost less than an American Fender.

My only regret is that I didn't get to try out any ACG's as Alan's stand was mostly always packed full of people! Not that I'm complaining, they definitely stood out that's for sure. :)

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Couldnt make it anyway, but its not really my thing, having been to similar in the past. The reason for the post though, is the photographs on the blog, that contain basschatters, will they have their real names or usernames added. I've noticed in the past, that similar pics from events and gatherings etc, show photo's and captions such as; "steve, bob and paul....", whilst this is great if you know them, in which case you'd know their names anyway, it doesnt help the majority of us basschat folk, who only know most people by their usernames?

Just a thought,

Really looking forward to seeing the blog though, as you always do a fab job bluejay, and will be good to see what many of us missed.

Rick.

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[quote name='molan' timestamp='1393890518' post='2385634']
It was Sibob :)

Actually I think I deserve the commission payment given that I chased after him and tracked him down at the coffee stand in order to recommend a brand that BassGear don't sell :) :)
[/quote]

OK, you'll get your usual %......! Thanks for the name of the chap I spoke to too!!

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[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1393929529' post='2385848']
John Taylor, despite being a fan, because his audience was clearly full of ex-teenaged Duranettes (now my age) who would still "do him", and his talk equally clearly geared towards reminiscence and non-bass chat. From the reports by friends who were there, it seems I was right. Next time :)
[/quote]This was hugely disappointing and I left after 15 minutes, it was as if Joel McIver was doing a magazine interview and JT reading from his book was just shilling a product; it certainly was not what I expected from the 'live stage'.

On the hearing what you're playing issue, a guitar show some years ago had a closed side section where you could try amps and basses/guitars that you were looking to buy, it didn't keep the noise down particularly but did allow serious buyers to do so with confidence on the day, so it can be done and many musical instrument shops have them in their far more limited spaces.

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[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1393941658' post='2386064']
Couldnt make it anyway, but its not really my thing, having been to similar in the past. The reason for the post though, is the photographs on the blog, that contain basschatters, will they have their real names or usernames added. I've noticed in the past, that similar pics from events and gatherings etc, show photo's and captions such as; "steve, bob and paul....", whilst this is great if you know them, in which case you'd know their names anyway, it doesnt help the majority of us basschat folk, who only know most people by their usernames?

Just a thought,

Really looking forward to seeing the blog though, as you always do a fab job bluejay, and will be good to see what many of us missed.

Rick.
[/quote]

Rick, I posted the real names of people here on this occasion, but I always use BC names in my blogs.
Incidentally, this time I will seriously need the help of those whose photos will appear on the blog, because I seem to have lost my little scrap of paper where I noted down their names, and so I've forgotten several already! (Yes, old age etc. I know.) I'll make an appeal at the time of publication... :rolleyes: :blush: :D

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Have to say that I enjoyed the day, as I did last year. Sunday visit, therefore, nice quiet drive up from Bournemouth, park free near the venue, and no congestion charge. Yes, there are numerous wannabees, playing exactly the same as the previous wannabee, but somehow I managed to blank that out. It was good to see close up just how good the GB basses are, you don't seem to see them all that often, plus the several new names, all of which look to be of good quality. I must say that walking round the stands of all of the new amp/speaker manufacturers they sound good and powerful, but a tad "middly" for my taste. I enjoyed listening to some guy testing the Ampeg 8x12 set up which sounded wonderful. I wanted to see/listen to more of the performers this year and got to see Mo Foster, Lee Sklar (my hero), and TM Stevens, who was a complete unknown to me, until I learned of his pedigree! Each of these had really good advice and spoke from years of experience and none of them spoke down to the audience.
I only bought two sets of strings, as I'm in offload mode now, but there were plenty of bargains for those who were shopping.
Although I had a late gig the night before, it was well worth the effort, and I'll be there next year, hopefully.
Graham
[URL=http://s1268.photobucket.com/user/graham1945/media/Bass%20Chat/IMG_0279.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj578/graham1945/Bass%20Chat/IMG_0279.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s1268.photobucket.com/user/graham1945/media/Bass%20Chat/IMG_0283.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj578/graham1945/Bass%20Chat/IMG_0283.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

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My son and I went on the Saturday and we had a brilliant time, hi light of course was meeting Bluejay.
There was certainly less to see but I found that the number of people slapping the hell out of high end basses was vastly reduced. This allowed talking at a reasonable level most of the day.
I got a lot out of the master classes, Lee Sklar, MT Stevens, Roger Glover and Frank Bello.
Looking forward to 2015 already! Keep supporting so it continues.

Edited by jonunders
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For me, I always go to see the live stage / masterclasses and the exhibition is the bonus.
I really enjoyed Leland Sklar ( love the 'producer switch' story). Mo Foster / Jeff Berlin were also interesting to listen to.
John Taylor was as interesting as his book ;)

The whole event enthuses me which can only be a good thing but I fear that some people will only appreciate it when it's gone.

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