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Bass Guitar show review 2019


Chrisbassboy5

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*** THREAD HIJACK!

We've still got a couple of show stock items (Purple Chowny CHB-1, Black CHB-2, Red CHB-2, White SWB-1 passive, Retrovibe Volante, SWB Pro Matt/Walnut with tiny chip on headstock, White Retrovibe Vantage) available at show prices (as long as you don't mind buying a bass that was pawed by many strangers). 

DM for prices if you're interested.

**END OF THREAD HIJACK

Edited by Chownybass
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On 24/09/2019 at 10:49, MoJoKe said:

Can I just throw something into the noise debate, because I'm finding this all a bit tiring...  I do some work for Markbass/MSL (as a pro musician, not employee), and was on the Markbass stand all weekend.  Interestingly in the Exhibitor Manual for the show, there is no specified noise level, just a reference to noisy/quiet times.

I took my brand new and freshly certified calibrated db meter with me to the show (not a £25 ebay chinese jobby, a proper one... and before say you did the same with your phone, no mobile phone app can measure accurately over 90db, because of the limitations of the phone's microphone), and I left it logging for some long periods.

The noise levels measured at our stand rarely exceeded 97db, even when someone was slapping away (its a thing...  get over it).  That's nowhere near a standard concert volume, but is about as loud as a band should ever need to be at a wedding/function, but across the day the levels tended to average at between 70-88db.

Thats about the same volume as the vehicle noise standing at the traffic lights down the road at Pentonville Road.  OK, the frequency of the noise and sometimes percussive nature of it will contribute to ear fatigue, but I didn't feel the need to resort to my ACS moulds (thank you #hearformusicians) at any point during the weekend.  We also discouraged any jamming this year, and didn't have any ad-hoc performances on the stand.

Yeah sure it got louder than 100db at times, but that was very rare, and usually due to an ad-hoc performance at someones stand, and the coincidence of half a dozen or so people trying something out at the same time and resorting to the volume knob to try and hear themselves...  Everybody contributing, no single guilty party, and generally initiated by the visitors, not the guys manning the stands.

Regarding the show itself, I am beginning to struggle with what sort of show you actually want or expect?  There were definitely some other bigger brands missing, but they were either never, or rarely, there even when the show was at Olympia anyway. There were fewer smaller builders there, but they'll have their own reasons for that, and make no mistake, if people don't turn up and actually buy stuff it can be hard to justify, because believe it or not, directly or indirectly thats the only point of exhibiting!  ...Who knew?

Personally, I prefer the room, but didn't appreciate the extra 1 hour across London slog in the van before and after the show, but apart from exhibitor issues, those are my only thoughts on the weekend.

On another point, can I also say, if you didn't even go, why on earth are you posting negative comments here?  Thats not contributing to the debate in any way.

...and those of you who missed Cody Wright playing with Eric Gales to close the show performances (you probably didn't go because Eric is a guitarist not a bass player, and you just wanted a bass show...), you missed an absolute treat of the tightest improvisation and very best musicianship...

 I’m not going to whinge as I went along last Sunday with another bassist mate of mine and had a really nice day out. Yes the quiet time  wasn’t enforced, more headphones would be great, and why does everybody slap ? Kinda know what expect though tbh. However in spite of all that we met some nice bass folk, tried some great instruments,albeit unplugged apart from a Dingwall which had a little amp and headphones attached. Brilliant; other exhibitors please note. Really enjoyed Dave Marks’ and Paul Geary’s workshops. 

 

Edit: sorry this wasn’t supposed to link to the above but while I’m here was it you on the Markbass stand Mojoke that me and  my mate Steve had s chat about tweeter attenuators and second cabs? If so thanks; very nice to meet you 

Edited by lonestar
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1 hour ago, lonestar said:

...while I’m here was it you on the Markbass stand Mojoke that me and my mate Steve had s chat about tweeter attenuators and second cabs? If so thanks; very nice to meet you 

Indeed it was, and great to meet you too! Glad to help!

Alway good to help convert new people to the yellow side, but equally nice to meet other happy users!

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I’ve not been for a few years now, due to gig schedules. Despite the slap-fest and the fact that I’m a regular Precision player I love the LBGS, it’s a good day out. Get to  meet some Basschatters you only otherwise talk to on here and chat properly, plus listen to some very interesting talks from high profile bassists, and a chance to chat to the makers of some of the gear you use - for me that’s been Ashdown & Rotosound, and been very interesting. Sure the volume gets a bit much but hey, life ain’t perfect and I far prefer the fact that we have the LBGS to moan about than the alternative.

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22 hours ago, MoJoKe said:

Indeed it was, and great to meet you too! Glad to help!

Alway good to help convert new people to the yellow side, but equally nice to meet other happy users!

I went along to a LBGS show years ago, not long after I got my Markbass cmd210 combo and went on the stand and  told Marco de Vigilis how pleased I was with it.

Next thing I knew I was whisked off in a lift between him and another couple of guys, on a wave of  enthusiasm up to a conference room to see and try all the new line of amps. Knew then that I'd chosen the right product(even if it was all a bit surreal and scary in equal measure.

Edited by lonestar
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Just saying, and it's no excuse for the lack of enforcement of quiet periods, but complimentary earplugs were offered at the reception desk. Crappy industrial foam ones, but they were offered.

I guess we should be thankful.  The older combined music shows featured keyboard and drum manufacturers too.  Those drummers can be noisy buggers, and they don't come with headphones!

Edited by Greg Edwards69
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  • 2 weeks later...

For my £0.02, it was very noisy and there were issues with sound spill in the workshops. Really felt for anyone trying to deliver an acoustic workshop. 

But. John Patitucci and Gwylym Simcock. Worth the journey from Yorkshire. Truly awesome set from a legendary player alongside one of our own very best. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Different. I found the show layout and some aspects of its organisation rather confusing and/or offputting, but I think it was a case of teething problems rather than spectacular failure. There are lessons to be learnt by the organisers and also by us, the punters.

Clearly, we can't have the bass-only show back as it was before: this move seems permanent. So each of us has to decide whether a small-scale NAMM-style show may be to their liking, or whether not having a dedicated bass show is a deal breaker.

I'm perfectly happy with the new location and the addition of guitar-related exhibitors and performers. I'll definitely be going next year, hoping the issues we identified this year will have been addressed, and hoping that the bass section will look a little less like an afterthought.

Having said that, I do live in London, and travelling to the show is for me simply a 45-minute journey on one underground line plus a single stop on another.

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I’m going to go with ‘different’. The addition of guitars made for added interest for me and also meant I went with guitar playing friends (it was a cool boys’ day out). However, that addition impinged on the bass workshops and performances. Location was OK, it certainly allowed for a post show curry and a mid show beer, but the architecture, although brighter and nice to look at, was acoustically challenging. Will I go again? That will all depend on who’s appearing and better forward planning of the same from the organisers.

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I Will always turn up even though i didn't like any of the performers on sunday ,the exhibitors were great i tried many bass and bought few things ,great location.12,50 pounds early birds ticket for sale were great value..

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Went last year and this year. To be honest I don't think I'll go again. Open-space workshops surrounded by bass and guitar amps is as stupid as it sounds. The other workshops in separate rooms were very interesting. I expected to find much more to try and in a way that it is easier for everyone to sit down and try stuff.

Edited by Iacopo San
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