Leaderboard

Picking this up next week from Mark! Ordered it a few months back on the basis of the great reviews and to be honest completely forgot about it! I think it's based on a 65 p bass from what I remember, with lake placid blue over white. Not sure what to expect when I first get my hands on it. Hoping it will just feel like a nice, worn p bass that I can continue to add my own character to it as it will no doubt get from use. It certainly looks great! Apparently his camera has made the blue a little more vivid than it actually is. My trust worthy Fender Jazz 75RI has a neck problem so instead of replacing the neck etc I thought I would retire it (12 years of touring and playing and the frets are gone and it's done it's job!!) and get a p bass, after looking at fender US basses and playing my brother in law's 70s p bass these limelights looked perfect and incredible value in context to a US fender!

Hey gang Following a recent fling with a '63 Precision, which made me realise the early 60's neck profile isn't for me, I'm back in the bosom of the lovely fat early 70s P neck. I picked this up a few days ago - it's a '72, with a neck stamp dated the month & year of my birth. It's light (about 8.5lbs) and resonant, original black, with a maple neck. They're just teaser pics at the moment as it needs a little bit of love, but I'll post the full story soon. In the meantime, I can barely stop playing it...

Had a wee support gig for friends Status Quo tribute band who were back together after few yrs off. Not a huge venue. Doors open at 7pm we started at 7:30 with a reasonable crowd who were extremely enthusiastic after every song. As the set progressed more and more people came downstairs from the bar area and it was about 60-70% full by time we finished. Couldn't believe the applause and cheering after every single song. Not bad for a support band in a wee downstairs club in Glasgow. Finished our set 8:30, packed up, changed (Glam Rock covers band) and on the road by 9pm. Home by 10pm. That was a nice wee easy gig. Used their bass rig (TE rig) and their drums. PA was in house with an engineer who knew his stuff and did a good job for both bands. Dave

It's business. If I need something in return, I know where to find you. Thanks for the nod, @skankdelvar. Everything's in hand, @Ricky 4000. I've found us some nice transport - my procurement team of McThug and McPliers obtained a luxury coach with the minimum of unpleasantness, and we're on our way. It's an excellent vehicle - they've learnt well. All being well, your children will be returned unharmed in a few hours. I would however recommend that if you should encounter incidents like the below before you and they are reunited that you avoid becoming involved. Leave it to the professionals - we'll deal with it. It'll be sweet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdnA-ESWcPs

I think I'd tell the pub (politely) to shove it if they try and take the wee wee again............. 😎

It's a live stream from Santa Ana, California of a Rickentank being taken out by a Standard Fireworks 'Merlin' rocket (£5.99 from all good retailers). The entirely useless Rickentank is constructed from Rickenbacker's shoddy R tailpieces which explains why it flies apart like a Vegan finding a pound of sausages in his Tesco home delivery.

I would just add to the above, take someone who knows about basses if you can.

I have just spent about half an hour reading this thread from the beginning. Plenty of good points. I don't understand why anyone would be gigging if they don't enjoy it, unless it is an important source of income to them. I've done my time in pub bands, schlepping my gear in and out, through bars with pushed up punters, who ignore you, chasing up the manager to get paid, etc. I still did it because I enjoyed the moments when everything gelled, and I am never as focused as when I am performing. I don't dance about, barely move most of the time, certainly avoid taking solos, but enjoy being part of a good band in full flight. Start of last year, I joined a tribute band, and after a few months of that had quit my pub bands to concentrate on that. Fewer gigs, for a bit more money, but the main difference is that we play venues, not the corner of a pub. We're not interfering with anyone's evening in their local, people pay to come and see us. There's a fair sized core of the audience who do their best to see us wherever we are, so we are basically providing a mobile party, with the band as the focus. Being in that sort scene is a world away from being stuck in the corner of a pub for a bunch of people who'd rather you weren't there. The audience is loyal and we are 'their' band. If we weren't playing, we'd probably be in the audience, we are all the same type pf people, we just channel the music for them - they provide the energy and inspiration, we just try to do that justice. Over Friday and Saturday, I drove abut 440 miles to play two gigs, in very different type of venues in the west country. Today I am totally exhausted and have barely moved since I got up, but it was worth every minute of it, even catching a bit of extra sleep in a lay-by near Bristol before last night's gig. Tiredness is forgotten as soon as the audience starts pouring in. If (when) I have to give that up, I can't see any good reason to keep my equipment. I do play at home, but purely the music that we are, or will, gigging. Without live gigs to look forward to, I'd give up.

Talk by a country mile, for me. Such a wonderful, uplifting album. Highly underrated, and not accepted by most Yes fans, which in my humble opinion, is such a shame.

Bow down, mortals!

Hope you enjoy it! You could also try going to a Bass Bash - they are better than any show!

Absolutely this also. What is the point if you are not visually attracted to the instrument in the first place. Although there *are* some practicalities to consider, for example the scale length as I mentioned, the attraction to an instrument really has to be at the top of the list. To slightly add to the point also, I remember when I went to the music shop when I wanted my first "proper" gigging bass. I already had an Aria which cost me £50.00 from the same shop a few months previously, as that is about all I could afford at the time. It had no real vibe to it and most likely had no decent setup. The moment you see "the" bass is a weird moment though. Everything else in the room just seems to disappear, a bit like eyes meeting across a crowded room. The bass for me in question was a Washburn B200. I remember the guy pulling a face as if to say, "nah you don't want that one, there are *better* (and more expensive) basses over there".. I wasn't having any of it though! I picked it up, held it ,played it, and that was it … that was the one, it played great, I did not want to put it back on it's stand and walk off from it! It also started my love affair with all things Les Paul shaped from then on. I'm sure I'm not the only player to have had such a moment, and one of the best feelings there is especially when learning to play bass is all a relatively new thing, and you are not too bogged down with comparing all the more advanced technical aspects of instruments.

Right.. here's more pics & the lowdown. It's had one previous owner, who bought it new in San Bernardino, CA in 1972. He's played it ever since. and did the usual tinkering 1980s (Dimarzio pickups, Badass, replacement pickguard). Dave Wilson has restored to its former glory, with a couple of bits from Limelight, and it's a beaut. Light (7.5lbs-ish) and incredibly resonant. It lives again, and it's going to get gigged to hell. Happy days.

This won't be everyone's cup of tea but shows how widely Knower (Louis Cole and Genevieve Artadi) are respected these days. Look out for bass player John Goldsby. Usually better known as a DB player, but here he shows his skills nailing one of Louis Cole's off the wall bass lines. This also shows why having good pick skills can be really useful for some lines.

Looks like it could be a good project for somebody. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SQUIRE-BASS-GUITAR-FOR-RESTORATION-PROJECT/133150405992?hash=item1f0061f568:g:RfgAAOSwWMRdYTKg

+£1.30 postage! 😂

Should be working now. I hope it is - otherwise I'll have to nail the URL shortener's other foot to the floor.

Whereas my advice would be get one you like the look of. Worry about the sound and feel when you get the next one.

We've got twins! For the record, mine is an absolute cracker. Enjoy yours 🙂

Not for me it ain’t. Every band I have been in including every member of them were not in it for the money, enjoyment in playing was the main factor. Hate is a very strong word as stated in the thread title, if you hate gigging, simply don’t do it.

'Round Midnight.

Talk is quality, worth it for Endless Dream alone

Red stuff !!!! 😁

Another vote for the Yes Album. I remember listening to "Yours is No Disgrace" on Dynatron headphones at an exhibition in the very early 1970's. Hooked from that day on. I agree that their interpretation of America is fantastic. I first came across this on an "Atlantic" sampler album. Strange: there is not much talk of "Talk" in the thread.

Looks like you put them in upside down !

Five inches turned out to be the optimum port size for the cab. It's just unfortunate that nobody sells a commercial five-inch loudspeaker port. A six-inch port would be too long and a four-inch port (or multiple smaller ports) won't handle as much air at high power. The five-inch port I found is used in air conditioning systems, which I suppose is why it's only available in white. But it is cheap and you get two ports for a couple of pounds. Normal plumbing pipe is available in black but not in this size (unless someone knows different). A white port doesn't actually look that bad in practice and, of course, if you're using a fabric grille or foam behind your metal grille it doesn't matter what colour it is. I think most people would prefer a black port behind a metal grille and the Euro Car Parts primer offers a cheap solution (if you can get them to deliver).

Given that £50 is about right for an empty Hiscox I'd say you did alright! I'm not sure I fully agree that your first bass should be easy to play. A bit like having a crappy first car - it gives you a greater appreciation of decent equipment later on.

Pretty much as I work. Like you say, it can and does start to become "a theme-for-theme thing".

I imagine Stevie went for cheap, available as a short length and nationally easy to buy as the main considerations

I use the program transcribe to help me loop/slow down the passage if it’s tricky to hear. I’ve been transcribing frequently as part of my practise regime for many years now. The process starts off slow and inefficient, but as your ears and musical knowledge get better, you don’t need to search for every note, you’ll be able to hear that a phrase is scale X, or scale Y with chromatic approach notes etc. If you transcribe a few solos from the same person, you’ll probably start to hear they have their box of tricks and you’ll be able to recognise them more quickly. Have fun!

New parking enforcement in action in Devizes. Cuts down on repeat offenders......

That's a very interesting perspective. Then it would becomes a job I don't particularly enjoy, pretty much the same as every job I've ever had. But it would certainly beat working 12 hour night shifts in a factory. So in that respect there would probably be a mental shift to it being not a bad way to earn a living. But the actual standing on stage in front of people and playing? Maybe if I was doing it "as a job" several nights a week I'd get used to it. It's surprising what you can get used to when you need the money. But would I actually learn to "enjoy" it? It's difficult to answer that as a metaphorical question. I honestly don't know. Edit Having thought about this some more, and taken on board what Bluewine said about "choosing the wrong band". As part of the same thought process, I do wonder if I'd enjoy gigging more if we were doing original material? As I said earlier, hanging around with my mates and making music is where the enjoyable part of being in a band sits for me. I like the creative part of it. Churning out cover versions has always felt a bit like serving up junk food to me. Yeah people will take it, and they'll probably enjoy it, but where's the satisfaction? (I'm not in any way having a dig at covers bands. Just expressing a personal view about where my own creativity lies) So maybe a change of direction is the way to go? Which is probably something I've been telling myself all along, but in the spirit of "compromise" I've just kept going with something I didn't particularly derive a great deal of satisfaction from. Anyway, it will be interesting to find out. 😋

I beg to differ.

I had a listen on Spotify, out of morbid curiosity. It wasn't pleasant. In a similar mindset I watched some recent footage of the band playing Gates of Delirium. Absolute car crash viewing. The whole thing threatens to derail several times causing Steve Howe to visibly conduct the rest of the band back into order. Geoff Downes simply isn't up to playing Moraz's parts (or Wakeman's for that matter) and bemusedly stumbles through. Davison and Sherwood are competent but complete charisma vacuums. And saddest of all is poor old Alan White, literally propped up beside a small drum kit next to the main one, limply tapping away. I know he's been unwell, but come on. I try to never begrudge an artist from continuing to tour their material, even if it no longer interests me (Brian May and Roger Taylor). But the current Yes is pretty shameful.

She doesn't over play within the context of the record although her bass is out there, a nice fill here and there. In small parts she follows Luther's vocal parts near the end which is very clever. Just absolutely fantastic playing from her. imo. Oh... and to one of my favourite records.

New amp day yesterday! We'll see how it performs on a gig next Saturday, but impressed with the quick go I had last night! WOW its loud and so much bottom end for a 2x10 combo! Hoping I can get away without adding another cab, but it's not the end of the world if I have to. 😊👍 Anyone have any tips /advice for getting the best out of these? Recommended settings etc? Many thanks.

The best thing is that we can take or leave both the tongue in cheek Trace Elliot Watts and the ultra technical A Watt is A Watt. Certainly no reason for anyone to get grumpy. For me the exciting thing to come from these threads is when I learn something. By staying out of the brouhaha I can do that.

I've been on and off with Chromes and D'dd flats, but don't care for the feel. Back to D'add rounds and just wind back the toppiness on the bass.

I didn't mean the brand (vintage)! I've had Squier affinity which was far better than any pre 2014 MIM fender I've played.

I tend to agree here about ease of playability. I had a really hard-to-play bass, with pretty crap pickups to start with. I had to really work hard, to try and get anything like a decent sound, and I feel that has helped my tone in the long run. In my experience, most music students start on pretty ropey instruments. Mainly because their parents can’t afford to, or don’t want to invest a lot of money initially.

Oh Lord *breaks down*... Thank you, Skank, and thank you @lozkerr ... how can I ever repay you(s)?? *sob* 😔 Obviously, I could record a jaunty theme tune for each of you, on the bass? 😀 (That's a super-cool video by the way, Mr DV. 😎 Is it from the Salisbury and District Tourist Board website? )

I've ordered the primer from Euro Car Parts for delivery as it's not in store locally - no problem. Also, if you order in the next couple of days, there's a discount code that lets you buy it for £2. Check the banner at the top of the web page, it's currently BANK70 but not sure if it'll change tomorrow or Monday.

A different America that is blindingly good... hope I don't get lynched for mentioning the Nice...

Lutes and theorbo’s et al are such glorious instruments! They sound so warm and “olde”, unlike the modern classical guitar. I play lute, not terribly well. There isn’t a great deal of consistency in the written music as there are at least four ways of writing a score - French, German, Italian and then modern piano. If I have it right the French and German methods use letters instead of numbers for the frets (a = open, b= 1st fret etc) and the Italian method uses numbers. They were not always written the same way up, either! Generally, the Italian method could be written “right way up” (high string = on top of the tab staff), or upside down, and you don’t know until you start playing the piece which way up you are supposed to be reading. Note values are written once at the first occurrence of that value and stay in place until the value changes - it makes so much sense when you play it! Much better than the modern piano nonsense. Tuning - well, my lute is in Renaissance tuning. From low to high it runs ... D F G C f a d g. 8 courses but fifteen strings. Octave pairs until “f” then they are unison until “g” which is a single string. Many guitar chord shapes work very well in this tuning, thankfully, as the G-d strings are a tone down from standard guitar tuning. Lutes with free floating ie no neck, bass strings are generally tuned in some kind of scale. I don’t know enough about this has I can neither afford nor justify one of these baroque lutes, but I’d like one! Needless to say, it’s a bugger to play and tune!

That makes it look really camp!

You missed a trick there, fishy mcfishface

That's why I asked what qualifies a bass as a 'beginner' bass. I wish I'd started learning to play on a playable bass rather than the POS that i did start on ( a 300lb Kay PBass with skyscraper action and a neck like a baseball bat). The easier to play the 'better' for a beginner. IMHO price should be irrelevant.