Leaderboard

Yeah, when space is tight it seems like it's always us that gets the short end of the stick Here's how I handle it; " There's not enough room for your amp, you'll have to DI through the PA." Me; "No , I'm playing through my amp" Blue

Oh and I almost forgot. We got a booking for another festival off the back of our performance. So we can't have been too bad. 😁

So I received some cash for my Birthday and decided I would buy myself an nice ash p bass body but with jazz routings. I looked thenm up and for a one piece it was going to cost £230.00. A lot of money but if thats what they are. So I contacted the firm to see if i could see a picture of the blank they would use ....they wouldnt do that until I had paid. So I declined as I have seen some lovely ash and some awful looking ash. A little dissapointed I decided to see if I could build one myself for similar money. So I purchased off of sphock a Bandsaw, pillar drill, router. £95.00 total Tempate kit £55.00 Bit of ash 38.00 total Router bit 22.00 I have no woodworking skill at all...what i do have in abundance is ...stupidity that this is going to be any good....who knows! If the body turns out ok I am goi g to have a go at a neck.

That picture should be on the no room for the bass player thread.

I find all these posters who are taliking about similar attitudes from other members of their bands quite unbelievable. Are you the bass player? - yes. Is this the band you play in ? - yes. Give or take the odd weirdly shaped stage or playing area, do you always put your amp in roughly the same place? - yes So, the rest of the band know where you go and roughly how much space you need for your amp - so what's with this crazy attitude? It must get the night off to a really bad start if this is happening. Some people need to b****y well grow up. You're supposed to be making music together, not having ego wars.

Well I can honestly say, after the self induced stress of getting set up through someone else's sound system, I thoroughly enjoyed that. The evening didn't go 100% according to plan. We were supposed to be the first band on at 7 o'clock. But due I think in part to the heat, there was absolutely no one there when we were due to play. So the organiser did a bit of a warm up set and we ended up going on about 9 o'clock once most of the crowd, and the other bands had arrived. We did an hour set, and although far from perfect, (mainly because the sound man didn't seem to know what he was doing) the band played a blinder and we went down really well. So much so that the drummer from the band that was supposed to follow us on broke his ankle dancing to our set. Oops!

There is something wonderful about the phrase ' resting my nuts on the hi-hats'. could be your autobiog title.

This is the way to do it. Stick yer guitarist behind the PA where they belong 🙂

The main downside to mixing cabs is that once you have a sound with both cabs you`re happy with you`ll never get that sound with just one of them, whereas have two of the same cab, both for gigs, one for rehearsals, makes life easy.

My bass set up is just used as backline and does not go through the PA. I did use two Markbass 15 inch cabs, one on top of the other. I now use one Markbass 15 inch cab and a 2 x 10 Markbass cab on top, the sound is miles better with this combination IMO.

I can't believe that anybody has commented on MARK King having MARK Bass amps. It's all a bit cheesy isn't it? Where's the STEVE Bass? Of course, the biggest trick that MB have missed is having a set of MARK King cabs. Just replace the tweeter, job done. Want Mark's sound? Then you'll need to buy the cabs, naturally. I've got this marketing malarkey down, I swear.

Slowly, slowly...…. Finally got a little bit of time to get on with a few jobs on this build. I've been waiting for some fret wire for about 3 weeks and finally it turned up so off we go! First up I cut the fret wire to length and nipped the tangs at the end so I can fill in the ends of the fret slots with ebony powder and glue. This should leave the slots looking nearly invisible, but if not, at least very tidy. I have a small block of wood I keep the cut frets in so I know which one goes in which location. Next task was to use a radiused sanding block to radius the fretboard. Checked my measurements and used a 16" radius block starting off with 180 grit, then 320, 500 and finished with 800. I'm pleased with how this piece of ebony looks and how it has finished so far. I have an arbor press fitted with a fret caul and it makes fretting a neck reasonably straight forward. I've used masking tape on the board to protect the ebony whilst I do this. First few frets fitted: then some more... all fitted.. I've trimmed the fret end but they still need filing level to the board before I can fill the ends. Getting there, finally!!

They're good basses, I can't see me selling mine, but my word what utter tosh. If only for the fact that the basses have a considerable range of tones available, due to the onboard preamp, I should imagine that thing could be made from ply, with knobs made from baked bean tins, and it'd make no difference.

Aren't we all meant to all be talking about how great Mark Bass are anyway? 😉

Another BassCamp story, sorry. So here I am, on stage in the bar, playing/trying some basses. To avoid playing a riff composed by one of the bassists around, I chose to play some Obscure, french tune called "Soul Music Airlines" by Michel Jonasz. (look it up, it's a cool song). I get out of stage, and then Etienne M'Bappé (you know Etienne ? ) approaches me and says : That's a nice riff ! I said thanks, it's a song from Michel Jonasz he says : I know, I composed it. That's why I think it's a cool riff. badum tsss.

I get Billy Joel sometimes. Sadly, it's Billy Joel now, at 70, not in his "I'm married to Christie Brinkley" phase. And yes, I know...it's a guitar.....

+1 Truss rod tweak. The recent heat is most likely to blame.

Yeah this was an equally low key affair. Not exactly Glastonbury but a great chilled out atmosphere.

Or you could just kill them, and then spit on them afterwards. They won’t do it again

But you are the bass player.....you should be arriving long before the rest of the band setting up where you want and rest of em will have to fit in around you!

So, it looks like it's actually happening and the 30th of August will see the release of the fifth Tool album, who's title has just been announced as Fear Innoculum Also, from this Friday almost all their back catalogue will be available on streaming sites. I was getting worried that it had got to the end of July and no title had been announced or pre-orders available, but it looks like it's actually happening

Just two and a=half years ago I took posession of my custom built "Mouradian" by AndyJr1515. I am posting after all this time to say I am still besotted with this bass. It is now my go to bass and in my mind the best I have ever played. (biased? maybe!) It has always been rock steady. I have never needed to adjust the neck or string height. The cream finish has aged a little and is slightly darker now.

Anyone else catch the performance by Public Service Broadcasting of their Race For Space album live from the Royal Albery Hall at the Proms. OK, so I love that album already but the addition of a choir, orchestra, horn section and visuals was nothing short of stunning. For those who don't know the album it's inspired by the race between the Soviet Union and USA throughout the 60s to conquer space and reach the moon. The music is accompanied by lots of voice over recordings from cosmonauts, contemporary news reports and mission control recordings. It makes for an absorbing piece of music ranging from ambient to full on funk. Some pretty cool bass sounds from J F Abraham. It's still on iPlayer for the moment... https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00071mr/bbc-proms-2019-public-service-broadcasting

Have you seen the orchestra of the enlightenment? I’d never heard of a theorbo until I saw them. I believe the neck is hinged.

Or it will exceed expectations and we'll all be back for more... See you there hopefully! Crikey this thread has made dismal reading from time to time, and not just this post! The show website is being added to fairly regularly, both in terms of artists and exhibitors, and it certainly won't be a success if it is not supported by both the community and the industry, and I for one don't have any issues about allowing guitarists to share our event if it means that it attracts the likes of Fender and Ibanez and other names who (while they may not be your cup of tea!) definitely wouldn't be there if it was a bass only show... If anyone is interested in going, then go, and if it doesn't meet your expectations, you'll then be fully qualified to an opinion. Oh, and bass players will always rule... and some of us prefer to be glass half full types...!

Yup, as in - I Wish (I could play this properly) 🤪

Annie, I'm not your Daddy Kid Creole and the Coconuts 👍

A few more sales/purchases since Apr 2019 so updated list of current 72 basses (with newbies in BOLD ) (PRE-KRAMER) SPECTOR SB-1 USA 1976 (Walnut/Maple) (PRE-KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Cherry Sunburst) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Black) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Black) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Gloss White) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Tobacco Sunburst) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Red/Black Lava Crackle) - Ex-Barry Dunaway (Yngwie) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Red Stain) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2A (Gloss White) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2A (Black) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2A (Black) (KRAMER) SPECTOR NS-2A (Teal) SPECTOR NS-2 USA (Custom Holoflash Black & Abalone) SPECTOR NS-2X USA 'Spectorbird' (Tobacco Sunburst & Abalone) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro CR (Holoflash Black) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro CRFM(Dark Purple Stain) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro CRFM (Plum Stain) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro CRFM (Forest Green) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro LX (Gloss White) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro LX ‘Ian Hill’ (Black) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro LX 'Rachel Bolan' (Black/Silver Sparkle) SPECTOR NS-2 Euro LT (Violet Stain) SPECTOR NS-2 JA-CR Euro RI (Gloss White) SPECTOR NS-2 JA-CR Euro RI (Black) SPECTOR Legend 4X (Holoflash Black) SPECTOR Legend 4X (Black Stain) STUART SPECTOR DESIGN NS-4 Euro (Red Stain) DINGWALL D-Bird (Blue/Purple Colourflip) WAL Mk1 Fretless(Mahogany with Stained Maple facings) WAL Mk1 “Geddy Lee” (Black with Gold Hardware) FENDER Precision ‘70’s Jap RI “Phil Lynott” (Black/Mirror) FENDER Precision ’62 Jap RI (Vintage White/Red Tort) FENDER FSR Precision PJ Deluxe Active (Sea Foam Metallic) 1 of 150 FENDER FSR Precision 70's RI (Nat Ash) FRANKENSTEIN Tele neck/P body '"Billy Sheehan - The Wife" JACKSON "Kip Winger" Sig (Cherry Lacewood) JACKSON TBX-Pro ‘Jacksonbird’ 1 of 56 made (Black) JACKSON Ontario ‘Concert Bass’ (White) HAMER Impact USA (Black & Gold ‘Marble’) HAMER Impact USA (Red) HAMER Scarab USA ‘Rick Savage’ (White) KRAMER Forum I (Flipflop Blue) KRAMER Forum III (Dark Teal) KRAMER Ferrington Electro/Acoustic (Black) ESP The Surveyor 1984 (Blue Stain with Blue fingerboard!) ESP PPJ-160 ‘Masayoshi Yamashita’ Sig Model (White) ESP/Zep-II PPJ-160 ‘Masayoshi Yamashita’ Sig Model (Black) PEAVEY RJ-IV “Randy Jackson” Sig Model (Red Sunburst) PEAVEY RJ-IV “Randy Jackson” Sig Model (Grey/Silverburst) PEAVEY “Rudy Sarzo” Sig Model (Dark Natural) TOKAI ‘Hard Puncher’ P (Black/Mirror) TOKAI Works TW801? (Black) FERNANDES MV-65NS “Nikki Sixx’ Non-Reverse Spectorbird (Black) FERNANDES MV-65NS “Nikki Sixx’ Non-Reverse Spectorbird (Black) FERNANDES MV-65NS “Nikki Sixx’ Non-Reverse Spectorbird (Black) FERNANDES TB Ltd Edition ‘Thunderbird’ (Off-White) FERNANDES PJ-50 Ltd Edition P/J (Red) YAMAHA BB3000 (Black Sparkle) HARTKE XK-4 Active (Black/Chrome) GUILD Pilot (Purple Burst) GUILD Pilot (Red) HAGSTROM Super Swede "Rutger Gunnarsson" (Dark Mahogany) EPIPHONE Thunderbird Vintage Pro (Black) ITALIA Imola GP "Ricky Phillips" (White) HOHNER B2A w/D-Tuner (Black) FELINE/SPECTOR "Gene Simmons SB-1" Copy (Black) FELINE/KRAMER "Gene Simmons Axe" 1980 Hybrid (Black/Silver) PUNISHER "Gene Simmons" Ltd. Edition (Signed/#’d) (Black) AXE "Gene Simmons" Ltd Edt (Signed/#’d) (Black/Silver) CORT “Gene Simmons Axe-2” (Black/Silver) CORT “Punisher GS-2” (Black) STACCATO MG Active (22 of 34 made) (Black/Magnesium Alloy) I also have 10 'guitards'....

That's why we make quite a few different amps... Saying that we have sold way more GB heads than we originally planned for. We were simply happy to work with and make an amp for someone we consider a true bass legend. It was never about sticking his name on an amp and hoping that will equal sales... Lol, so we have heard... To be fair its not just the UK... We will happily put the Rootmaster 500 up against any lightweight amp, class D or not... If anyone wants to come and do this here you are more than welcome just let us know and we will get the coffee prepped.

When two people are very much in love...they share a ‘special hug’...and nine months later... oh, the thread?

Thanks @Raymondo for the heads up! Pleasure to catch up with you at The Prince Albert on Fri night, really enjoyed playing our set Thanks for par-taking in the purchase of the new album too- hope you enjoyed it! @TeebsBrilliant- looking forward to meeting you at the Blues Challenge, it's a bit nerve wracking, but we're really enthused to be asked to play, especially since we're really on the fringes of the "blues" genre. In any case, we're well chuffed!

I was a bit surprised by that as well Marcus generally seems more down to earth than that. I saw a clip of him talking about why he uses the ashtray pickup cover on his basses a few years ago. He started off talking about how it improves his tone by altering the magnetic field from the pickups.....before revealing that he's only joking and the only reason he uses the covers is because it never occurred to him to take them off when he got his first Jazz and he's so used to them now that basses without them feel weird to him.

Yes, Teebs and Reggaebass are quite likely to be correct During the past few weeks, I've had the same thing happen to two of my basses The 2nd one, whilst it was at my local guitar shop, just having been set up They confirmed they'd had several guitars in the shop which this had happened to as well.... It also happened to me last year, but I think that was when the temperature had lowered suddenly. If you're not sure how to do it - perhaps ask a friendly local BC member? And remember not to do too much adjustment each time. I've heard people talk about doing just a quarter turn every hour (or is it half hour?) to let things "settle". Also, don't be tempted to force the trussrod, if it feels really stiff.

After a gig I was approached by a lady asking me if I was that bloke from the Fine Young Cannibals

As @Jack_Stroud_Bass is far to busy practicing his stage dancing to update this I'll let all you eager beavers...I'm looking at you here @Teebs ..Know the details... Venue as in the OP Time ...doors open 18.30 finish around 23.15pm Tickets £17.50 (plus booking fee) seated and £15.00 (plus ...well you know the rest!) standing Advance sales only https://www.seetickets.com/event/2019-ukblues-challenge/bluefunk-rhythm-blues-club-poynton-cheshire/1392483 Here ends a public service broadcast by Raymondo on behalf of the very wonderful band...……. The Achievers Get them while they're hot ladies and gentlemen.

Sounds like a truss rod adjustment is needed, it could be the excessive heat we have had lately , I had the same thing on one of my jazzes which I stupidly left on my stand in front of the window 🙂

How dare you insult the man! It's obviously a 6 string high octave bass.

If it's just in the centre of the neck that would suggest it needs a truss rod adjustment. Although I'm my (granted somewhat limited) experience, getting the action right almost always requires a combination of the two.

Now that's getting a bit extreme. I think if that were me, the room I'd be playing in is my living room at home.

👏👏 We have a winner!!!! 👍👍

I was just wondering whether it would be good to have a stolen gear category, having been the victim of a couple of thefts over the years? As most stuff will probably end up on eBay, second hand shop, or similar perhaps it would be cool to be able to upload photos of what's gone missing here? Any thoughts?

well done and be happy knowing it only gets easier and more fun my current original band's first ever gig was at an outdoor music festival. OK,it was a tent on the footpath outside a CD shop, but it WAS an outdoor festival, we just weren't on the main stage, they reserved that for Uke bands............

Done a couple of jobs on it. Had a week of family commitments, but also been trying to sort some decent electrics before I put the back on it. Just ordered the stuff. I'll update the thread shortly

Just wait until December when you’ll have to compete for space with the bloody tree!

I remember a bassist in another local band coming up to me a bit worse for drink and telling me how much he respected me for standing my ground against the rest of my band and persuading them to let me use a wireless kit and get out at the front with my foot on the monitor, as he’d tried to have that conversation and been told the answer was ‘no’. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that no such conversation had ever taken place in our band and I’d actually be more likely to get told off (jovially, of course) for just standing there at the back and not putting on a show! Maybe if I had a mic set up for backing vocals and/or constantly needed to do the pedalboard tap-dance I’d stay a bit closer to my starting position, but as it is I don’t even feel the need to stay on the stage all the time. Get wireless, go walkabout, throw a few shapes and take up some space! 🙂

We play a pub where I have to lift up the neck every time the driver from the attached Indian takeaway wants to go past. There is also a great moment we recorded on our last visit where one of the takeaway guys walks past with a massive bag of onions on his shoulder. It is one of my favourite venues though, great landlord and great crowd every time we play.

Time for a diplomatic but assertive conversation!

This isn't exactly being mistaken for someone famous as such , but at a pub gig somewhere in Birmingham years ago a rather nice drunk person wobbled their way up to me between songs and shouted "god you're an ugly fu**er, but you're a sh*t hot bass player". To someone who is a) drunk and b) probably never even seen someone play a bass guitar before, anyone playing the damn thing is going to be "sh*t hot " 🤨 At the end of the same gig while loading cars etc... we were told "you lot should of been playing Wembley f*ckin stadium not a pub"... Due to look on their face , we didn't take that as a "you should be famous" compliment but rather something to do with everything being turned up to 11 on our amps for the past 2 hours. 🤪

A light rub down with 600 and the result was good so two coats on top just to be 100% sure and I think the spraygun can go back in it's drawer You can see the reflections are looking relatively straight bar the orange peel