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Just read this right through, I don't get the people saying 'do the gig, it looks good on your CV' - we're talking about a pub band here, not some corporate entity. I absolutely wouldn't play the gig in your position, nor would I communicate that to them - they've kicked you out, you don't them any consideration. If they haven't got a replacement lined up, then they're going to look pretty silly if they arrive at the gig without a bass player. Well, they should have thought of that before they did the dirty on you. Walk away and forget them. Some people aren't worth remembering.

Hello, OP here. Yes, we’re just a pub band, nothing special but with enough integrity for me to always want to do the best I can - for me, my band mates and the punters. That integrity extends to being as dignified as possible over this whole sorry matter. Inside I want to vandalise the social media accounts and call them all sorts of words that the Basschat swear filter would censor. But as a grown up man who likes to think he knows how to conduct himself I’m keeping my feelings to myself, publicly at least. The local scene is small and cliquey enough that I don’t want to look like I’m wingeing. I put something on my Facebook status and I’m surprised, touched even, by the responses from friends, mates in other bands and people who come to see us regularly. Also, I know how few bass players there are locally, I may well have the last laugh yet. All there is to do now is move on and enjoy a bit of a break until the next thing comes along. Happy Christmas 🙂

Out came the (not actually) Dremel precision router base and the trusty 1mm bit and let the routing begin! Headstock ones done ready to glue: And the 12th fret ones:

Well. It here. It’s a thing now.

Finally got round to gigging it last night. It sounded so clear the band commented on it. Actually they were also impressed with it with the weight and finish of it. loved it, I was pretty happy. now I just need a bag, don't want it to get dented up like the tc 112s (must remember to tuffcab those)

woohoo! No offence to JK.

@Andyjr1515 Just to add on here, it really doesn't seem to matter which bass I use, I know what my desired tone is, so I'll shape my outboard gear to achieve this; any perceived difference in tonal output after installation of a new bridge will be lost in a band environment, too.

She's finally home with her sister.

Count your lucky star that you swerved a U2 video!

metronome as a parting gift?

And look how it turned out for those losers 😕

I picked up an Ashdown MAG600 from here earlier in the week and was keen to try it out last night. I think the model is an EVOIII although it's not labelled as such, it just has the 15th anniversary logo on the front and all the facilities found on the later MAG's. It's well equipped with the usual Ashdown VU meter and passive and active inputs. It has a five band EQ entered around very useful frequencies and deep and bright switches. The EQ can be switched in and out from the front panel. It has a one knob compressor and an octave down facility and overdrive, again switchable from the front panel. The distortion can also be operated with a foot switch. The Octaver is a bit of a waste of space - sure it works well and sounds good but without being able to foot switch it in and out you could only really use it for a whole song. On the back it's just got an IEC mains in and switch, two big fans and usefully, a pair of Speakon/Jack combo sockets - so all round, a pretty well equipped amp. I played with Stray, a fairly loud but not stupid loud, Classic Rock five piece at Leo's in Gravesend. It's a nice rock venue with a medium stage and a good sound engineer and PA. I was running the amp through an Eden Nemesis 4 x 10 which is an 8 ohm cab rated at 500W. I've used the cab with other heads and it's never been lacking volume, but of late, I've been running a 2 x 12 stack to get the sound closer to my ears (which are protected with ear plugs). Tonally, I bloody love the thing. The EQ, as mentioned is really useful and the tone is solid and clear but warm with a hint of grit when pushed. I played the first set with a Jazz Bass and the second with a Ric 4003 - two different beasts and the Ashdown really brought out that difference. In isolation I was over the moon with the tone. I had the deep switch in and each EQ knob pushed a bit past noon with a bit more top and high mid than the rest. Once we'd kicked off sound checking though, I had to really crank the master volume and by the end of the night it ended up around at around 3 o'clock. Bear in mind that with my Class D heads (A GK MB500 and a Bugera Veyron 1001T) I seldom get the master volumes past 11 o'clock - so this surprised me a bit. Having said that - the tone did not break up at all - it was sweet. I think - having not used the 4x10 for a while, the perceived lack of volume may have been down to all the sound coming past my knees. I know I was pretty loud cos the Jazz fed back a couple of times. I'm also going to experiment with not having the deep switch in, so I can drive the front end a bit more. To summarise - the amp is well equipped and easy to dial in great tone, but the verdict is out on for the time being on volume. I'd be interested in the collective opinion on my observations.

Which is why I’m going to hell in a handcart.

I wonder if she’d make it through the month if he only managed $52,000?

On behalf of a grateful membership I welcome this communiqué and wish you the greatest of joy in your purchase while observing that recent events have gifted you not one BJ but two.

new prices are crazy crazy.... secondhand prices aren't. My top tip for buying basses ... decide what you want (model wise) look around the internet for one... then just give @warwickhunt a bell and see what you can make him part with - he's got a collection of very very good warwicks, and normally early (ie pre 1991) models, and if you ask nice some of them he's not super attatched too.

... well, at least it’s removable

This ^ On both counts With my unquestioned qualification to an opinion by being a crazy b*****d who will mod pretty much anything with anything: - functionally and sonically, there is nothing wrong with the standard bridge. The Jazz and the Precision aren't world leaders for no reason - yes, a different bridge will look different, it will feel different and it may sound different. Not better, just different - if you have to drill different screw holes, you will almost certainly reduce the resale value of the bass, however fancy a bridge you put on. If you swop to a 'drop-in' bridge and subsequently want to sell, put the original bridge back on and sell the new bridge separately The Gibson three-point bridge is one of the worst designed bits of metal I've ever come across relating to bass guitars. What on earth were they thinking!!!! As @NancyJohnson says, there are improved drop-in one's available. Same advice if you come to sell, though. Put the original one back on and sell the better one with it as an extra or separately. That's my view, anyway

Musicians..? With an ego problem..? Unheard of 😀

Played with Stray at The Red Lion in Gravesend. We had a reasonably sized and very enthusiastic audience - a great night. One young lad turned up with his dad and a bag full of LPs. He told Del he'd been listening to them all his life and asked him to sign them as they were his inheritance. I used a new (to me) Ashdown MAG 600. It was paired with a Nemesis 4x10 and I was keen to try it out. The tone was absolutely to die for, but to be honest I had to massively crank it to hear myself. To be fair, I wear earplugs and I was standing close to the cab so mebbe it was all passing my knees, but it didn't sound like a 600W head to me (or whatever it is into 8 ohms). I'll persevere with it though and try it with a taller 2x12 stack next time. I think having the deep switch in might also have limited the amount I could drive the front end - hope I can make it work for me as it sounded schweet. Anyway - last gig of the decade for me, next up we'll be supporting Hawkwind in January at Minehead 😎😎

Same way a dog uses a lamp post.

He looks really well these days (his teeth are implants - but hey...)

My old 4004:

Here are some I own/have owned: My current 2:

Here's hoping we don't get Stadium Arcadium 2 instead.

Hope they recapture some of that BSSM/Californication magic.

Seriously? Far too much Christmas spirit of good will going around here! Reputation? It's a pub pand for chr1sts sake, your rep will be tomorrows fish n chip paper. Me? I'd tell 'em I'd do the gig and then on the day just not turn up, stuff them, appalling behaviour and I hope it brings them crashing down in a pile of flames. You put in over 4 years of faithfully turning up to gigs and rehersals with a car crash of a drummer and this how they treat you after all you've been through? Can't believe people would even think about "honouring" this forthcoming gig, you don't treat people like that and then have the bl@ddy nerve to ask them to play on! What?!! Scr3w 'em all!!!! Edit..written after drink was consumed and I'm not really that Mardi-honest!

you can take Frank out of Essex, but you can't take the Essex out of Frank

I played a song with three accordions in it last night, and survived.

+1. With my new found knowledge I can say with 70% confidence that is a 4003 in Jetglo. Perhaps. Or maybe a 4001? Blast.

I've a feeling I played that one at the last SE Bass Bash, it's a nice bass 👍

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-f0qFeIpPEnY01jWkw3enNaMzQ/view

I have been caught out like that. I did service at church a while back during which we prepared and cooked two sponge cakes on the platform as part of the service. Used my phone as the countdown timer, plugged into the PA so everyone would hear the cakes were ready and I would stop preaching. Of course just before the end I had a phone call. From my mother who thought it was Saturday morning! Flight mode is your friend!

Another cab underneath will cause more earthquakes than the local fracking concern 🤣

Usually in inverse proportion. All the best musicians I've played with have been ego-free and their own harshest critics.

Often seems the ego is unrelated to the talent.

Played a pub which shall remain nameless. Been there several times, landlord is not my favourite person on earth, place could be nice but is a bit filthy. Bouncers are excellent which is a good thing as there's usually a fight and twice now our guitarist has been attacked by an angry punter. I put my Bugera Veyron through a Trace 15" cab which is loaded with a Bugera metal coned speaker taken from an old Behringer cab. Left eq flat but eventually tweaked bass down / mid up as the room was a bit boomy. Dirtied things up with Sansamp type patch on Zoom pedal, P-Bass with flats and it sounded phenomenal. Good crowd, got paid, hideous journey through a lot of rain and standing water, then crashed at a friend's house en route home as its a long drive. Closer to home next weekend, but not as well paid. Swings/roundabouts.

That's a far more eloquent way of expressing my sentiments 👍

I can't help with your quest but I can tell you what not to do, that would be use your phone for any type of sound reproduction. In a previous band we used to start the second set with Blockbuster, we had one red and one blue police light on top of the PA speakers and I had a five minute loop of the intro siren on my phone which was plugged into my Line6 X3. We'd turn the band lights off and just have the two police lights going while my phone blared the siren through the PA, it really was a great start to a set. We'd all kick in with the riff and I'd fade the sire out with the rocker pedal on the X3, it would keep looping and I'd fade it back in in the middle and end. The problem was when someone phoned me in the middle of Blockbuster once and as I faded it in for the middle build up, instead of a wailing police siren we had an old fashion phone ring, it completely threw us off. 😂

Similar thing happened to me , I was "released " from a band that still had one large gig to play , rather than throw my toys out the pram , I just sucked it up and played the gig and took the money and run . I'm in a new band now , but more importantly ,I m still very good friends with one of the previous band members , who is a great singer / guitarist who has helped me out by recommending me to other musicians looking for a bass player .

If he fell out with you then the frontman can expect the same thing as he argued with both of you. Sounds like an overgrown bairn that needs a good slap. Rest of the band come across as spineless jerks to say the least. If he's not a good drummer based on your description you'd think they would just replace him if he's the main problem. Does he own the PA. ? You're best out of it now i reckon and move on. Dave

Go to the gig as a punter with a better looking, younger band. Make a big fuss out of every joke and make sure you’re in their line of sight all night...

I'd play the gig, personally. Making sure that we had "a last drink together to toast our farewells and no hard feelings". I'd anticipate a decent laxative kicking in after about 40 minutes so one would need to time it so that things get interesting about third song in...... Oh, and a few minutes after sound check and before showtime with a spanner to detune the drums, alter the throw of the kick pedal, smear vaseline on the guitar strings and generally make sure that whatever they tried to play sounded awful. So I'd deffo play the gig. But then, I'm not one to hold a grudge, me. No sirree.

Nothing Ever Happens - Del Amitri. Seems terribly appropriate these days.

Sorry to hear that, seems pretty bad conduct on the part of the band, especially the drumtard. Us bass players are sensible and responsible folk, so I would suggest you offer to do the gig and give it your utmost, HOWEVER since it is now just business they need to give you half of the fee (or whatever makes you smile). That way you remain professional and your reputation even increases, but you screw them on the money. If they refuse to play ball, all they could complain about is that they could not afford you. My 2 p.

Walk away on the day of the gig 😃

I wish much joy to those who play, buy, trade and otherwise cherish Rickenbacker basses. I defend to the death their right so to do. That said, the controversy occasioned by these legendary events is such that I have recently been dabbling in a Western movie screenplay which I intend to shop around the major studios at such time as it is completed. I reproduce below two key scenes which go to the heart of the matter The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this draft script are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.