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I've just put some flannel in the 'memorable gigs this year' thread, and it made me realise how important Basschat has been to me. I'm self employed and work from home, so having a few forums to share the day to day with helps keep me sane and cheerful (not an exaggeration), particularly in what's proven to be a challenging year from a personal perspective. For perhaps 10-12 year music and bass in particular was the main part of my life. Then it all went away for 23 years. Rediscovering the sheer joy of making music with others has been like finding myself again. I have to thank my brothers for their support and encouragement, and of course the musicians I've linked up with. But Basschat and more importantly basschatters have really made a huge difference to my enjoyment and commitment to the bass, helped me out of some holes, see when I'm talking trough my butt (sometimes). I've enjoyed meeting several of you, including at the Midlands Bass Bash. So I'd just like to say thanks to everyone whose paths I've crossed on Basschat, sorry to anyone I've offended by shooting from the hip or with my unusual sense of humour. This is a great community, thanks for welcoming me into it 🙂 Looking forwards to 2020!

I give it three years.... and then they'll produce the same instrument, change the tuning peg angle and stop paying Sadowsky for the license

Apart from mention Rickenbrexit.

Oh I’m not doing the gig, decided. They can stick it up their collective a***s. I’m just keeping from slagging them off everywhere, as much as I’d like to. It wouldn’t reflect well on me.

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

Don't know about you guys but I like the look of this...

Sir! Sir! He said it, sir! He said that word what you said we weren't to say, sir!

My custom made 64 4001s/1999...Dale Fortune

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 🙂

woohoo! No offence to JK.

A very Merry Xmas from the Junkyard Dogs:

Let's just have a close look shall we

So I've read most of this thread... I'd be tempted to do the gig. Naked. And play only the root note for each song. By that I mean if the song is in E, only play the note of E. Timing is optional. Or you could play and shout at the drummer "KEEP TIME YOU STUPID C***!!!" every time he speeds up or slows down. In all seriousness I wouldn't do the gig if I were you. If the drummer speeds up and slows down unless the rest of the band is ducks-bum-tight enough to cover for his deficiencies then it really shows and makes everyone look rubbish. If he's that much of an derrière too chances are everyone else on the scene knows. So your cv will not be at all blemished by not doing a gig after you've been fired and reasonable musos will probably say they can't believe you held out so long without walking away. Or you could do the gig naked, smash a bass before the end of the first half, shout at the drummer, set fire to the singers hair and flounce out the door. Your choice.

Okay, I get that they're humorous but I'd not be doing any of the things such as cancelling the day before, or messing up the gig, etc. I'd simply say my short farewell "good luck in the future", hand over the admin of the social media (WITHOUT vandalism of it...) and look forwards from that point on. No moral requirement to do the gig, no band should have a "make or break" gig, they can cancel it and carry on or whatever else the others want to do at the point they have no bassist. Put simply: in issues such as these, take the moral high ground. From the original post and the way they've treated you, this is a very simple/achievable thing. Good karma, and all that.

Not in my possession yet, won it on eBay last night, just wanted to tell the Basschat world. Really pleased to get one of the UK built ones. Try and make this one a keeper, the couple of Chinese made ones I have had in the past have been sold to fund other things, but I keep coming back because they sound so good. Going up to Peterborough to collect on Saturday, bit of trek but will be worthwhile

Yep, for me his Wal tone beats all the others. You can hear the Leigh Gorman influence; “swimming in the sound of Bow Wow Wow”. 😉

this...using a looper like a genius. Love this song, and performance.

Or this superb version: And I still think this one has a lot to say:

Where do you want to spend your energy? Getting bitter and twisted? Planning 'revenge' sillyness? Badmouthing them? Playing it over and over in your head? Or you could accept that phase is in the past and don't waste any more time, energy and emotion on it. Instead, look forward and upwards and start working on getting your next gig. I've been fired from more than one paying job, and that's what you have to do. Forget the past, the injustice etc. Get yer erse in gear and start on the next phase. Because that's what you really need to do. This time with a drummer that can keep time... Cheers! Graham

Looks like you may need a swivel head Allen key?

You could do the gig and near the end of the set announce that this will be your last gig as the band decided to sack you 2 weeks ago but you didn't want to disappoint people that had bought tickets. Makes you look good and them look like the bunch of T****rs they are. Dave

And from personal experience of pretty much exactly this, make sure you have an Ampeg 810 that you can't shift on your own, so you have to ask for a lift with... Worst. Flounce. Ever.

Be the better man? So that the band get what they want and continue to think the way they treated the OP is ok? My 2 cents: do the pros of wanting to do a great gig, outweigh the cons of doing a gig with people who have treated you as they have? If you choose to to the gig, as someone said earlier, I'd asked for half the fee. FWIW I would not do the gig. Though had the split been amicable I would have.

Personally, I’ve quit bands with 3 months or more notice, simply because my reason for leaving has usually been that I’ve just gotten bored with a particular band, and not for reasons like falling out with anyone. It’s common courtesy really. The exception was with my last band, who cut me out of a number of gigs at a certain venue because they wanted “more money”. Their keyboard player is a talented guy, and was able to cover bass parts. I quit on the spot, with four days until the next gig.

Mate - as said before, be the better man and forget the revenge stuff. But by asking you to do the gig they're taking the pee. Take the misses out for a nice meal or do something else you really enjoy instead. And if anyone asks why you didn't do the gig, just tell em you were sacked. No one will think any worse of you. Move on bruv x

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!

Well. It here. It’s a thing now.

Quitting band etiquette. Shout "fx#@ you guys. I'm done" at the top of your voice, then stomp to the door and slam it as loudly as possible behind you. Come back five minutes later and spend an awkward half an hour sheepishly packing up your gear whilst trying not to make eye contact with anybody.

Happens to the best of us, to be fair...

I've owned a couple of F basses. A BN6 that I only had for about 6 months just before I moved away from 6ers altogether due to the onset of arthritis, and a BN5 which I had for nearly 3 years. They are incredibly well made, and with a huge tonal palette. The standard (for F Bass) scale length of 34.5" goes some way to ensure a great feel to the low B string. My BN5 had a Macassar ebony fingerboard which I found much nicer to play than the maple ones I'd tried. The basses balance well and I found I could cover more or less any type of music that required a specific type of tone. They're not light basses by any means and that shape is not for everyone. In fact, the BNf shape, like the Alain Caron sig, I hate. The preamps are fabulous and the basses really hold tuning well. The lacquer can sometimes be prone to cracking but is purely cosmetic. Seriously fast and comfy necks. I bought mine new for just over $4,000 from Bass Central. If you're going that direction, bear in mind the import taxes, VAT etc. The only reason I sold it was that I wouldn't take it to gigs for fear of it getting knocked over, scratched etc. Ergo, it was only getting played at home so pointless having it.

I’ve played maybe 3? I thought they were ok, except for 1 which felt like the most clumsy feeling ‘70s Jazz ever. The neck felt huge and the whole thing just felt horrible, one of the least “me” basses I’ve ever played. They’re very well made, but very much not my thing. However I’ll add I don’t really get on with Jazzes and despite the looks, the basses I played had a lot of Jazz in their DNA, I felt. YMMV. Obviously Scott’s does. FWIW I generally haven’t liked the Foderas I’ve tried either. Nothing against boutiques though as I love Alembics and Seis, amongst others.

Uffff... finances are tight now, which is fortunate, because I really would like a nice Precision style bass and this one ticks all the boxes and a few bonus ones too.

God save the queen.

I think of him as, for want of a better description, the Van Gogh of guitar playing. He’s not trying to be beautiful and technical. I remember first hearing the solo to I Could Have Lied and really not getting it. Then one day it fell into place, in the context of the lyrics that precede it, and that was it. FWIW I love Californication, every bit as much as BSSM. It’s just different, more song orientated. My favourite RHCP track is actually Venice Queen. I love BSSM but I don’t need them to be that band forever. I’m quite happy that they’ve evolved; it’d be bloody boring for them - and me probably - if they hadn’t. Them not constantly redoing BSSM shouldn’t mean anything; they still did it and it still exists. I’m actually not that mad on Mother’s Milk, to be honest, at least compared to some of the other albums.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6I4sgHAYOp/?igshid=1n6x9q5dda8sd limited edition vS4, pink and roasted maple

Yeah there was something, Mike Patton took the Wazz out of Anthony Kiedis and it went back and forth a bit. All early 90’s nonsense.

I just put some D'Addario nylon tapewound strings on my Warwick Streamer. I'd never tried any strings like these before and I normally play with roundwounds. These are silky smooth to the touch... like playing with a silk glove on the hand. Very warm and thumpy. I tend to be a fast and heavy pick player, and was worried that I would simply tear them apart when I play, but they seem to be really robust. However, the tapewounds are a lot more quiet than the roundwounds that I just took off... but I have a GK Legacy with 800 Watts and there is plenty of headroom... so I just turn up the volume. It's a bit of an experiment, but I have to say that I'm quite pleased with these strings at the moment and they gave me a very good first impression.

I'm a recent Tape convert. I use the LaBella Copper White Nylons - they look and feel killer and are still bright enough for a lifelong rounds player. Apparently the standard White Nylons are even brighter so might try them next.

Their first release is an Abba cover - Alimoney-money-Money 😅

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

Could’ve made a decent single disc album that - think it was a sign their egos had swollen...

I Yes there was a 4002. It was a high-end model with an ebony fingerboard, Birdseye maple body and low impedance pickups in different positions to the 4001/4003. So, in a nutshell - although some of this will be covered above - you have: 4000 - single pickup, unbound, dot inlays. Through-neck up until ‘73, when it became a set-neck. 4001S - twin pickup version of the above. First through-neck, then set-neck, now latterly through-neck again. 4001 - twin pickup deluxe version of the above, so with body and neck binding, triangular inlays, stereo facility (although a few S models also had this). 4003 - replaced the 4001, in both S and Deluxe. Different truss rod system (note, on the 4001 you do not adjust the neck like on most other basses - you have to release the holding nuts, move the neck into position by hand, and then tighten the nuts to hold it in place. This is where loads of people wreck the truss rods or pop the fingerboard, by adjusting the rods like on other basses. However the 4003 system can be adjusted like most other basses). 4002 - boutique (and rare) take on the 4001. 4004 - various versions, e.g. Laredo and Cheyenne 1&2, but essentially an unbound, scratchplate-less, twin humbucker equipped take on the 4000 series basses. Addressed all the issues people complain about on the 4001/4003 but wasn’t popular. 4005 - big-bodied semi-Acoustic. 4008/4003s8 - both 8 strings. 3000 series - different bass entirely to the above. 4001v63, later replaced by C series. Modern take on the ‘60s 4001s. 4001CS - Chris Squire Signature. Numerous limited runs of 4000 series specials, Blackstar, Tuxedo etc. Rickenbacker 4003 - Al Cisneros signature. And probably others I haven’t mentioned, like the twin necks and 5 strings. And as stated in the other thread, necks, pickups, pot values, exact body dimensions and details etc etc etc have varied hugely over the years. If you can’t be bothered trawling Rick Resource, get Paul Boyer’s book, otherwise we could be here for years. 😉 I honestly do not get where the weight thing comes from. Even the heaviest 4001/4003 won’t be over 10lbs, and typically - and I’ve played at the very least several hundred - they’re around 9lbs. Some, like mine, are lighter. They’re more consistent weight-wise than Fenders. Oh, and it’s “Jetglo”, “Fireglo” etc. There is no W on the end. If you don’t get the book or trawl RRF, take what’s provided and Google; there is simply far too much information for one thread. Heck, the whole of the RRF covers all the differences!

I'm not suggesting letting anyone down last minute. What I'm saying is dont feel obliged to carry on for months in a situation that can drag you down or make you ill. (I've seen it happen). If you have made your points why you are unhappy and/or suggestions to improve and they completely ignore you or dont even attempt to rectify anything, then why should you go out of your way when they wont move an inch for you? Being the adult, is putting your points across, or listening to others points and respecting them and doing what you can to help everyone. If people Ignore or mock you when you tell them things your'e unhappy with, they dont deserve your continued effort.

...or do the gig and just play absolute nonsense on the bass with your foot up on the monitor and introduce every song as a tribute to the former leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Klement Gottwald.