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The Vista King Boat Cruise on Lake Michigan was actually a good gig and I hardly ever say that. It was a good gig because it was sold out at $22.99 per ticket.so the pay was top rate. I think it sold out because we did it on at Saturday night instead of Friday night. After 3 disasterous gigs for me I was finally happy with my sound. I had my MXR M-80 Bass Distortion pedal on most of the night with gain and level down pretty low Great enthusiastic young crowd. Very engaged with the band thanks to our front person whose also our star lead guitarist. We came out " Blazing" from our first song till the last. We played non- stop for two hours. Our front did an excellent job calling up songs. All up tenpo recognizable standards including if you can believe it, Sunshine Of Your Love, Boots Are Made for Walking and our take on Superstition. No originals or slow tenpo songs all night. It's so much easier and effective to manage 2 hours of material as opised to 4. Blue

Don't wait until you're nearly 50 before you pick up a bass ...

Is the tag line this lot used to sell tickets to the last gig I went to....one of the best gigs I have ever seen!.... It's fabulous to see a mate doing well. Bill, the guitarist, was a (brilliant) drummer in a band I was in a few years back...The Steve Mcgill band. I hope some of you enjoy it!

Looks good I love Japanese basses,have owned USA fenders etc ,but these days I have own mainly Japanese p basses,I have no regrets.

If I could go back in time, I'd go back to visit my 15 year old self and tell him 3 things. 1. Knuckle down at school, do some actual work instead of arsing about, perhaps you might actually get some decent 'O' levels. 2. When you hit 23, your drummer mate Keith will call you from London, begging you to head up to the Smoke and enrol at the same music college as him. Do it. Then maybe you will get a session career like he did. 3. Most importantly: stop being such a disrespectful little bastid to your parents. They are the best people in the world, and you will miss them dreadfully when they are gone.

Ι have build the tuners today. They also have to be painted black in the end. I installed the strings but didnt tune to pitch because the electronics are not installed yet. sorry for the awful fotos

Ok, so this is all finished! I didn't get many pics of the last bits of work, but what I did was... made a new wiring harness with CTS pots and the original cap, cleaned up the bridge sorted the pickups out and got rid of the tape and spliced wires ordered a new tort pickguard left all the screws in a bath of apple cider vinegar to clean them up new knobs Quick setup to get it playing better and strung up with Ernie Ball's, it's sounding great. Nice to have a P Bass in the fold again. I've recently ordered a Badass II and I'm going to get a black pickguard too, just to see what it's like. Really enjoying this one and good fun to get it back into playing condition. Cheers for all the help along the way.

Sunday festival gig. Don't talk to me about Mud. I've got a pain in all the diodes down my left hand side

I have new artwork! Come see my awesome new Avatar and cover art! I've been BRANDED he he!!

Back on the horse slightly. First gig in nearly a year and first ever with new band. It's looking more like a vanity project/mates thing than a serious gigging band but part of the reason I left last one was they played more often than I really wanted, tough to find the right medium. Still, see how it goes. I've been offered possible other work in a duo with backing tracks so I could end up doing both as neither project will be out every weekend. Also first time for the McMillan 12 step at a paying gig and went reasonably OK, a few fluffs here and there but not bad. Other band members seemed to think it was OK (we'd only rehearsed once in 2 months prior to gig so was always going to be a bit rough) and by start of set 2 we were pulling a decent crowd in considering other music events were going on elsewhere within walking distance of the pub. I knew I was short of match fitness when my left hand cramped up halfway through War Pigs and I had to improvise for a while without using my index finger which had locked up solid. Its a bit of a restart for the band as they haven't gigged since the original bassist left last November so we've had flyers printed and will start hitting the road soon to try to drum up a few gigs though most places will probably only be taking bookings for 2019 by now. Might pick up a few cancellations perhaps. VG newark by

Find a great drummer who can play as well quietly as he can full on.

The latest from Bernie - The GB Classic. It plays like a dream and has an incredible tone (as you'd expect from Bernie). Love it!

After @Norris said the pickguard looks a bit pointy for the shape of the bass it got me thinking so I made a paper template that I rounded the corners off to see how would look and I think it looks better (also Im liking it in white aswell) so good shout Norris!

I have a confession. I like Jazz basses. My very first bass guitar was (is, I still own it) a Vester Jazz. I had a wonderful Status Retroactive jazz for 10 years but sold it last year after realising I prefer a medium 32” scale. Alan Cringean built me a superb Finn 5 which I modelled on a Jazz but even that went when he built me an even more superb Skelf. So I am Jazzless at the moment, save for my Vester. I’ve spent all year playing around with ideas, considered Maruszczyk, ACG, Shuker, even contemplated trying to find a Fender MIJ medium scale jazz. I was going down the ACG route with another Finn but deep down I wanted a more traditional Fender-esque shape. Then I remembered Mike Walsh and Zoot. He’s been building stunning basses for a few years and his recent Funkmeister builds have been catching my eye. Several months of emails and playing with specs later, last Thursday I went over to see Mike and we thrashed out the final spec (probably). So this is very very early days but hopefully I won’t change my mind at all now “The specs?”, I hear you ask. Yes. My Vester has a very big ballsy Jazz sound thanks to its Schaller pickups; the Status was similar thanks to its humbucking J pickups and active circuit. So I wanted similar and spent a long time considering all the woods and pickups (you’ll see...): Zoot Funkmeister 4 string, 32” with slimmed down body to suit the shorter scale Idigbo body (similar to swamp ash but cheaper as less figured), gloss black finish with matching headstock BWB scratchplate, rear mounted V/V/T controls Maple neck, ebony board with MOP blocks and white binding, 40mm nut and 16” radius Nordstrand Big Split pickups Black hardware - Hipshot Kickass bridge and ultra lite tuners And that’s about it. It’s going to be amazing. Mike is a very infectiously enthusiastic bass builder and I hope he has as much fun seeing this develop as I will Pictures will appear when progress is made but this is such an early point in the process you’ll be waiting a while

Hard to believe it, the engine room of The Stranglers for so many years is now 80 years old! Cracking drummer, and the bands' 77-82 works remains peerless in my book. Jet's drumming certainly put them in a different league. I'm so pleased I got to see them whilst Jet was still with them. It was his last full. UK tour with them (2011 IIRC) and he was on stunning form all night. Happy Birthday Jet!

I'm starting with this one....

Hi All, I'm Sarah and I play bass. Sounds like an introduction to an AA meeting, but without the guilt! You don't want to know how old I am or any of that boring stuff, but if you are curious I'm sure you can Google me and find out. I started playing bass when I was about 13, after my Dad bought a Beatles greatest hits album (the red one, 1962 - 66), and I was blown away by McCartney's bass sound and the way bass made the song 'whole'. After a lot of nagging I persuaded my Dad to get me a bass for Christmas; he got if off his mate who had been in a band years before and since stopped playing. It was a 1965 Hofner Violin bass, which I dearly wish I still had, but I sold it years ago for a ridiculously small sum. Anyway, I joined a band and had a ton of fun. Not long after that, we broke up and other life things happened; marriage, kids, house moves .... all the things that happen during a lifetime. I stopped playing and didn't touch a bass for around 20 years, until my current partner surprised me with a bass and a little amp for Christmas in 2009. That started me off again and I started from the beginning, teaching myself to play the thing properly this time. I soon sold that bass and started trading up; I went from the Agros 'Starcaster' Jazz bass to a Vintage V940, then to a Peavey International, a Washburn Taurus T25 and then made the jump to a Mexican Fender P bass. I wasn't much impressed with the Fender, so I traded that for an Ibanez SR300, which I kept for about 4 years. During this time I started making bass cover videos on Youtube, which earned me a bit of a 'following' both in the UK and around the world, notably in South America for some reason. I still do the videos when I get time and the inclination hits me, and the videos I already have online (about 70) still get comments and views on a daily basis. These are almost entirely 1970's pop hits; there are a couple of 60's and 80's songs in there as well, but I've just chosen to cover songs that appeal to me or mean something to me. Then, about 4 years ago I fancied joining a band, so I advertised myself on Joinmyband.co.uk and got no serious offers, just a few time-wasters so I quickly shelved that idea. Then, 2 years later someone unearthed my advert and contacted me to say that their bassist was leaving their band, and would I like to join? I sent them some links to my Youtube stuff, we met, chatted, jammed and before long I was in! So the first thing I did was upgrade my bass (again) and I bought a beautiful Ibanez SR1200 Premium. Not long after that, things started to get serious and I bought and Ibanez SR 5000 Prestige as well! Realising I was spending far too much on basses, I sold the SR 300, the SR 1200 and my SR 300 DXF ( did I mention I had one of those as well - lovely fretless bass!), and spent the lot on a Rickenbacker 4003s! So those are the basses I have now, the SR5000, the Ricky.... and a Fender American Standard Jazz bass which my partner and I decided to go halves on about a year ago. I'm not buying any more now (unless a Rickenbacker 4001 comes up at the right price!), I'm just keeping what I've got as investments and for the gigs we play now. My band plays pubs around the Leigh / Atherton areas of Greater Manchester; we do covers of 60's 70's and 80's pop hits, a little bit or rock and generally feel-good drinking music! People seem to like us and we have a lot of fun doing what we do and entertaining people. So that's me. probably more than you need to know, but what can I say... I talk too much !

Not sure cthis comment is for this thread. So weird, last night Saturday night I was loaded my bass into my car and getting ready for my gig. I remember doing this same routine when I was 12 years old. I'm still doing it at 65 years old. I'm blessed, there's no real down side to this. Blue

Patience works with the nail varnish repairs - most people do it as a quick fix...I did this on a Washburn. worked well - the bass now lives in the US. I know your bass isn’t a colour finish - butbto those interested, you can achieve some great results.

It looks fantastic.

Been practicing lots this past week and have seen huge improvements already! Patience and perseverance really are the key. I've also booked in a lesson for next week, so I'm looking forward to that. I've never had a lesson before, at all, even in all my years of guitar playing. To put that right, I've booked a guitar lesson in also 😀 I have decided that these next 12 months will be dedicated to improving musically as much as possible. I hope to also get to the point where regular jam sessions become a thing. I'll also be using this thread as a log, so please bear with me 😄

Jack, you asked for something to excite you. Value for money wasn’t mentioned. 😀

Amen.

Much as I agree with this sentiment in principle, in practice my entire career was built on putting up with truly industrial quantities of sh!t. Deeply depressing and unenjoyable, but it paid for my early retirement. You pays your money ...

There is no competition. Ive had 4 now 3 5 strings and a 4. The best bang for your buck Jazz Bass is a Sire V7. The preamp can go from passive to active with no volume change. There on the most part very well made. Look amazing, Sound epic. Imo Sire's are hands down way better than any squire, or even a USA Fender imo.(unless its a American Vintage 74) They sound like a boutique jazz bass.. They are a no brainer..If they charged £1000 for a V7 I wouldnt think I was getting a bad deal.

Two more gigs done as dep with a Stones trib band. Friday night was really brill! Pub gig, loads of punters in, great atmosphere. Screens were still on showing the aftermath of some football match or other, but no-one was looking at them. Everyone was watching us, hurrah! Absolutely played my socks off, and thought we all sounded great. Loads of compliments afterwards. Last night... not quite so good. Gig in a pub garden - absolutely freezing. Nice friendly landlord, but the 'gazebo' he promised was more like a nylon roof on stilts. No side protection at all - thank goodness it wasn't raining. Fair play to the punters who remained for the whole set. I wouldn't have! It was so perishing cold my fingers were a bit numb and I wasn't playing with any precision at all on the fast bits. Added to which, while we were waiting to go on and had stacked all our gear up at the side of the performing area, a dog whizzed on the keyboard player's speaker! I've heard of playing to one man and his dog, but never expected the dog to make his opinion known in quite that fashion 🙂

I've spent years in therapy trying to overcome personal setbacks caused by my yellow skin and untamable hair... Some people just don't realise how deeply their words would!

Buy good ear protection. Use it. Don't sell the 4001, or either of the 70s Ps. Stick em in storage, and find the £200 somewhere else... 😕🙂

Don't put up with sh!t. Don't be unpolite and don't become arrogant but never put up with sh!t.

What if that wasn't a TV reflection and you've just caused @binky_bass a lot of upset? Very thoughtless if I may say

Don't spend the next 40 years in the pub and FOCUS, for f*ck's sake!

I saw him at a festival last year. Although I wasn't particularly a fan, his set was one of the highlights for me. He gave us a bit of his life story as he played through his hits. A very eloquent and entertaining performance. Oh, and it was fantastic hearing 5000 people singing along to Glad To Be Gay at the tops of their voices

After walking into a recording session and then an Orchestra pit on the same day, the musical director for both said to me "Son, make today, the first and last day you turn up without a flipping pencil"...."Now that's out of the way, get the beers in"...I then asked if anyone in the band had a pencil? So I could write down the band drinks order....

E E E E A A A A E E C C And so on.

I hope I didn't follow through when I slipped that one out

Great reward for a little effort. Are you christening it? May I suggest you call it Sideshow Bob after the TV reflection in one of your images?

Welcome Cicero... Scott Devine has a very good video on his site about "The floating thumb" technique which I've failed to master. Check it out and make this your default technique before you learn a "less good" style.

I'm really enjoying this I'm really hating this I can't remember what I'm meant to be playing Looks like the audience are loving this🖒 Why are the audience leaving? I should've gone for a pee earlier What time will I get home? I can't hear much apart from me and the drummer. Any more?

Well that's me told. Who do you think I am - Clarky?

Ignore that 6 stringed thing, play bass; rhythm trumps solos. Buy hearing protection before joining a band. Dont smoke.

OK, did some digging around: Mu-Tron III was used on Sir Psycho Sexy (sources are two separate flea interviews). Q-Tron will get close as it’s Mike Beigel’s version of the Mu-Tron III that he did for EHX in 1995. I’ve seen it on Flea’s board on rig rundown videos. Z-Tron is the Zoom clone of that

No, definitely not the herring. Never mention the herring.

When there are soooo many awesome sub octave fuzzed out there... Yes I think your limiting yourself if there is only one sound in the mxr that you like. Having had experience with one myself... I would send it back and try the oktonojs. The redwitch zeus is also another excellent choice.

My bitsa P bass. Body was £20 off eBay, no idea what it was originally but it's solid wood and weighs as much as a car. Neck was from my beaten up old Squier Jazz (yes I added the decal, sue me). Pickup is a hot Wilkinson off eBay, a tenner I think it was. Bridge was a fiver, pickguard was about 20. EMG active 2-band eq came from my spares box, had it for years and can't remember how much it was Vinyl pretend-MOP neck blocks were a fiver or so. Total cost, not very much at all, but it plays very nicely and sounds thunderous. I might get round to adding a J bridge pickup at some point. Shame it's so fecking heavy.

Hi Guys, thanks for your help. I have decided in your wisdoms not to upgrade. As a few of you mentioned a few extra watts probably wouldn’t make any difference in those situations anyway. Just a little more background on the two festivals mentioned - We ‘headlined’ both, and were also the only ‘full band’ to at each: The first was my home city’s first ever Pride Festival – a cause close to my heart. I was so thrilled to be accepted to play, I would have played it whatever the conditions. It is a completely free festival. The ‘sound man’ was a volunteer who owned a PA. Act before us was a choir, whom he used 5 mic’s for. “Happy days” we thought, “Two for our vox, two for our amps, and one on the drums”. Unfortunately when it came to our turn to play he could only get ONE mic working, and none of the monitors! Much fiddling, crowd getting ansey, so we just had to start playing. The second one was very similar: Festival at a hospital, essentially a party for staff and patients, few stalls other bits and bobs etc. ‘Sound man’ was a staff member who was in a band, and had access to a PA. Again he didn’t want us meddling with it, but also couldn’t seem to be able to get sound from our cabs to the PA. Neither ideal, I’m now a lot wiser about what gigs we’d accept, and what to expect. Would I play these two again? Absolutely.

I know that feeling. I want a fret scale template for my fret jig. 30", 34" 35" easy enough but no, I want one that is 800mm. Not 32" (812mm) that would be difficult enough but 800mm...….!!