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Showing content with the highest reputation on 20/02/20 in all areas
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Well obviously those awful foreigners keep coming over here and taking all the well-paid gigs away from talented-but-starving hard-working BRITISH people who have paid for the social services and stuff that they want to nick and take back to foreign-land with them when they steal all our best tunes and leave talented-but-starving musical geniuses to rot in garrets while they take all the cash which should have been ours but it's OK cos we're going to kick out Johnny Foreigner and tow Britain out into mid-Atlantic where we can become the first-choice trading partner with North Korea and Peru.10 points
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I've designed a structure for the garden to house it. This is an architect's impression of how it'll look:7 points
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So after having had to leave my band at the end of 2019 due to it taking its toll on me I have a new venture. A group of mates have a jam session every other week and they’ve asked me to join in - as it’s not a band in the traditional sense, as in no gigging, no recording it’s ideal for me, it’s a laugh, we meet up and just enjoy playing for the enjoyment of music. We’re playing some great material, by bands such as Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Led Zep to name a few - a bit of a departure from my previous punk/Oi. The theory is select songs that will push us as musicians, and especially given there are no vocals it really makes you concentrate whilst playing. It’s great to still be able to play as I didn’t want to either give up totally, or to join another gigging band as I need a break from all that. Plus I’ve decided to use my Stingray AND a compressor, so def new beginnings for a new decade. Which is nice.6 points
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Sux. We are in a slow motion car crash being driven by a government who are only out for themselves and their mates. We have an impotent opposition and a media which is rubbing it's hands with glee cos they are getting their way. There, I got political.6 points
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I always quite liked Steely Dan. Not a massive fan, so I wouldn’t know the albums – more a greatest hits kinda guy! I have been following this thread with some bemusement – the British disease written large on Basschat. While I appreciate not everybody will like SD, I am surprised at how many ‘musicians’ so actively dislike them. It’s not just them though, consider the following common opinions on BC about a few big artists from this (and many other threads): Steely Dan – jazz harmonies and flavours combined with funk beats and a rock feel, combined in well crafted, accessible songs with razor sharp lyrics and stellar musicianship. BASSCHAT – ‘what do people see in the them, beige, how can anyone like this stuff?’ Jaco – a genuine virtuoso who revolutionised bass playing and transcended his chosen instrument in a similar way to a select few others (Hendrix, Coltraine, etc). Widely regarded by the general music community as one of the best and most influential musicians of his era. BASSCHAT – ‘he’s overrated / crap and if you disagree, you’re a deluded fanboy’… Foo Fighters – in an age of overly manufactured pop and contrived rock (and for that matter rap) acts, probably the last of the great classic rock bands. Massively popular with passion, a bit of charisma, decent playing and a set of incredibly accessible hit songs that reference grunge, Led Zeppelin, punk rock, heavy stuff and Tom Petty all in a recognisable style of their own. BASSCHAT – ‘there is nothing about them that appeals at all’. I should say that I only have a SD greatest hits album, the first Jaco solo album and the missus has the FF greatest hits in the house, none of which get played regularly. So given that I’m not exactly the biggest fan and I appreciate that everyone has their own taste, but jeez why are so many people on here so down on what is pretty solid music??6 points
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I have about 12 completed bodies/necks for the NT series basses (some 4 string, some 5 string) that the factory forgot to fit the carbon fibre neck rods for. I was originally going to bin them in India (which seems somewhat wasteful). But I don't want them getting out into the marketplace with my name on them - as they do not match our advertised spec. (not that they are bad by any means) Do you think it'd be worth bringing them over and offering them up on here (obviously for a small sum of money)? Are there enough DIY bass tinkerers to make this worth my while? TA! Stephen5 points
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Back in ~2006, Gibson made a limited run of SG basses in non-standard colours including pastel pink and TV yellow. I have long been a fan of TV yellow (Johnny Thunders, Buzzcocks etc) and so have been on the lookout for one for absolutely ages. This popped up a month or two back on Reverb and, after a decent price cut, I snaffled it. Its in superb 9.9/10 condition, weighs a shoulder-friendly 8.1 pounds, typical SG short scale ... and its minion coloured according to Mrs C 🙄. Great alternative to my 1971 Mustang. One happy bunny!5 points
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10pm and still here... so much AV kit to go in. As soon as the stage is clear we can get set up and do line checks ready for a 10am band call tomorrow... I'll sleep tonight.4 points
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Cultural enrichment can’t be replaced by Spotify. It’s regression, not moving with the times.4 points
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We're in the Arena this evening. There's still a bit of hanging around before we can get on the stage, though...4 points
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It's Ok folks, Ive realised the problem. He's been listening to this version4 points
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I'd say I much prefer being in an originals band and think of myself as a bass player for originals...but I've had a lot of fun over the years playing covers. Bit like @BigRedX, when I got into music covers bands were looked down on. This was well before tribute bands, and everybody knew that real bands wrote their own music. So apart from my first ever band with mates at school playing our favourite songs as we learned how to play, it was originals all the way. The fact that some of the originals bands slipped in the odd cover didn't change this. And the musical landscape was different - pubs wanted to put on bands playing originals. Also a time when you were only in one band at a time and if you wanted to play with anybody else you'd have to quit. Then about a decade or so ago, a mate asks me to join his punk covers band playing guitar, on the basis that their (pretty bad) guitarist had left, I owned a guitar, and it was punk rock so how hard could it be? I was in an originals band at the time but it was no longer regarded as cheating. the most fun I've ever had in a band - mostly because of my band mates, but a lot to do with how regularly we played and got paid actual money Since then I've been in a series of overlapping covers and originals bands, and while my preference will always be for playing originals I'm not averse to playing covers with mates...though the last originals band I played with was depping for a mate's band, and despite the fact that all of the other band members had recorded the original versions, really I was playing covers of them YMMV, but things I have learned: Originals bands can play the odd cover, but they should be used sparingly, and work best when it's a song from a completely different genre played in your style Covers bands should avoid playing originals - nobody wants to hear them You can learn a lot about music, songwriting and structure from playing other people's songs (regardless of whether it's in a covers band) You get better at playing your instrument the more you play live - technique doesn't care about who wrote the tune4 points
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Which is odd because it looks very much like you could get a Vauxhall Corsa to fit in a Marshall 8104 points
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Right... day one done. 9:30am-6pm. Knackered. We got a decent balance, ran about half the set, sorted a few endings, and ironed out a few bumps, and identified something we're all going to have to work on for tomorrow. Every time we run a tune, we can ask for monitor tweaks and they'll all be stored individually for each tune. That way, everything should be optimal for when we move into the arena. One weight off my mind is we've run the song which is the hardest work from a bass POV, and all the swotting paid off... it's going to be fine. Thank goodness. Tomorrow we'll be joined by our lovely backing vocalists, and the brass lads. Looking forward to it.4 points
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Open to trades P bass/Stingray/Cabs etc... Would rather not part it out if possible. £1000 cash price deal til Sunday evening. Custom Alpher Jazz Bought for a project I’m no longer doing and I’m not a Jazz Bass fan so up for sale. Custom Jazz Bass comprising a Pau Ferro / Ebony (f/board) handmade by Alpher Instruments.This neck was handmade to fit the Warmoth (USA) Alder Jazz bass body This has an added flame maple laminate top and finished in tru oil. In excellent condition (just a couple of minor marks/dings which may show in photos). Fitted with Fender Custom Shop 60’s Pick ups and brand new John East Deluxe Pre which works both passive and active. John sent me two additional plates 2 x chrome and 1 x black. All will be included I also have a passive VVT and another John East East Mid Sweep/Boost (active; 9v battery below bell-plate) which provides increased/additional tonal boost/variation(s) (or which can be dialled-out – or battery removed – to give std. Passive J tones. This is also included. The chrome hardware is high-quality Hipshot (USA) plus J. East original knobs (3 std. Plus one stacked). This bass has been totally overhauled and upgraded and is a killer Jazz. I just ain’t a jazz guy! Comes in a generic hard case!3 points -
Fender American Performer Mustang Bass in Satin Surf Green. The Cali-born American Performer Mustang is unique, retro aesthetic bass of pro quality. Fender have equipped the Performer range to deal with the rough and tumble of touring and years of ownership. Made in the USA, the Performer Mustang is kitted out with awesome Yosemite single-coil pickups, designed for rich, expressive tone. Body and Neck The American Performer is built using a lightweight Alder body and sturdy Maple neck, cut in a streamlined ‘C’ shape. Players after modern playability combined with classic looks will feel at home on the Performer Mustang. Its 9.5” radius Rosewood fretboard is a standard Fender appointment. Anyone with experience of playing a similar American-made bass or guitar will recognise the gentle curvature, in contrast to the retro style. The 30” scale length allows for extremely expressive fretting and makes technical playing a bit less of a stretch. Finished with 19 Jumbo frets that make for an effortless playing experience. Sound The Performer Jazz comes into its own thanks to the unique, crisp-sounding Yosemite pickups. Flat, staggered pole pieces increase the output of the Yosemites, while the shellac potting lets the coils breathe and keeps feedback under control. An exceptionally inspiring instrument. The middle position split-coil pickup has been replicated from the original ‘70s drawing. These produce a highly dynamic range of tones suitable for an array of musical genres. Under the hood you’ll find Fender’s Greasebucket tone circuitry. This lets you shape your highs without adding bass using the third knob. Specifications Body Body Material: Alder Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane, Satin Polyurethane Neck Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Neck Finish: Satin Polyurethane Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5” (241 mm) Frets: 19, Jumbo Position Inlays: White Dots Nut (Material/Width): Synthetic Bone, 1.625” (41.3 mm) Tuning Machines: Fender “F” Light-Weight Vintage-Paddle Keys with Tapered Shafts Scale Length: 30” (762 mm) Hardware Bridge: 4-Saddle American Performer Mustang Bass Pickguard: 4-Ply Aged White Pearloid Pickups: Yosemite Single-Coil Jazz Bass (Bridge), Yosemite Split Single-Coil Mustang Bass (Middle) Control Knobs: Black Plastic Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome Strings: Ernie Ball Flats To save any more PM's with Trades I would only consider Sandberg California in trades unless you have a MarkBass NY121 D2 Cabinet for trade?3 points
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3 points
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Gordy headless bass - this was handmade by Gordon Witham the other half of the original Gordon Smith partnership. Very good condition with some small cosmetic dings - see pics. It’s around 30 years old. The bass is lovely with a light action and a great active preamp. It’s a good weight around 9lbs and well balanced. Bought on a whim as I love Gordy’s work but I prefer passive basses. UK only no trades. Comes with gigbag and a set of grub screws for the bridge so you can use normal strings. It’s currently strung with double ball ended Status flats.3 points
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That's the thing... this the UK saying that going forwards, this is what non UK artists will have to pay and do to come here. As part of the EU, this would have contravened the FoM regulations. So you've got this the wrong way around... What a lot of people don't realise is how touring for all bands works when it's properly organised with crews etc. Having to organise and pay for visas will not only stop a lot of touring bands coming here, but when reciprocated, which it will be, will stop a lot of UK bands going to the EU, which frankly, is where a lot of the money is that pays for UK dates when the whole tour is considered. It's not just band members that will need visas, it's everyone on the tour. It's not just an EU visa either. A visa to work in France does mean you can work in Spain or Germany etc. We're playing a festival in Greece this year. It's already said it's the last one. Visas for 18 bands is too much for the organisers to cope with. We've become a provincial little island over night.3 points
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Is that a rubbish rhyme dissing American rap, or is it an embarrassingly poor typo in the middle of a diss, which makes the diss-pissssss poor, like a fool tripping on his laces walking out the door? I never heard anything like that before(!), but the lack of originality means my jaw don’t drop to the floor, so are you sure you don’t need to spell check yourself before you wreck yourself, coz mistakes in your posts are bad for your health.3 points
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I'm with @Al Krow - more BB colours please Yamaha...3 points
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We've often moaned about the lack of choice of colours on the modern BB range. Well this BB1024X was re-finished in surf green and has just sold in the FS. @nord1 please do spill the beans where you had this done. As you said in your FS ad, they've done a great job!3 points
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Three of my own basses provide the perfect answer for me personally...3 points
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I thought it only polite to wait until Dood had finished typing before I nabbed it 😂3 points -
Relatively new setup for me.3 points
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New rig... again...3 points
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Well update to the updates, have now tried Precision, Stingray and Jazz, all with Para Driver & Compressor and I’ve found that the Jazz on its own straight into the rehearsal rooms Ampeg is what works best. Me using a Jazz Bass, funny old game this music lark, at long last I’ve managed to get a Jazz Bass to work well for me, only taken some 40 years.3 points
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I think SD are wunnerful, but I don't expect others to. They are free to be wrong 😁3 points
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Day three... we're starting to relax a bit. ha ha. One of the songs has a particularly complicated arrangement that we've had to pore over a bit, but apart from that we've been able to play through the rest of the set mostly without incident. Only one key change surprise, which I consider to be a lucky escape. Another day in the rehearsal hall, and then we're into the arena tomorrow night...3 points
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Day one in the rehearsal house. I’ve done my prep.. I hope.3 points
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Hey gang! A couple of years ago I played two shows at Newcastle Arena, as part of the house band for Sunday for Sammy. It was lots of fun - two sell out shows of 5,000 each, and I got to play with the likes of Trevor Horn and Ralph McTell. Here's the last diary thread if you're interested. With it being a biennial thing, the time has come around again: 23rd February is the date - afternoon and evening shows, and a slightly larger crowd (7,000 at each show, I think). The shows have basically become a Tyneside equivalent of the Royal Command Performance, with music and comedy lots of local slebs (the Auf Wiedershehen Pet cast, etc.), visits from AC/DC's Brian Johnson, Mark Knopfler amongst others, and more 'national' faces (hence Trevor Horn, Ralph McTell). This is the 10th show in 20 years, and the second to be held at the Arena after 16 years at Newcastle City Hall. It's a HUGE production, which is also shot for DVD release. By nature of the show, plans can be a bit liquid which means it can get interesting, so I'm going to post a diary sort-of thing here as it all unfolds. To complicate things, the line-up is top secret until the last minute so I can't post any details of the show, songs, or names of guests. Apologies in advance. The core band for 2020 is largely the same as 2018 - Bass, drums, guitar (John Ashton, who worked with Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets), 3x female BVs (Including Lorraine Crosby, who duetted with Meat Loaf on 'I'd Do Anything for Love', brass section (headed up by John Waugh from The 1975). One change to the line-up is that Jamie, the usual keys player and MD, isn't available so Alan Clark (Dire Straits) is taking the reins. The band don't exist outside of these shows - I play with the drummer and other sax player occasionally, but that's it. With 3 weeks to go, I'm aware of 13 songs that are in the frame, in keys that are subject to change. I've familiarised myself with them already - some I knew, some I didn't. No nightmares so far. One of the tunes might even need a bit of slap on it. I'd better remind myself how to do that. What I don't know is any specific arrangements... yet. We've got a solid week of band rehearsals before the show, so I'll post more updates & pics etc. when it begins to happen. In the meantime, here's little video from the last gig, and a photo of my little bit of the stage.2 points
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Due to changing musical commitments this year I am now rationalising my gear down to pre-Gas levels I bought this on here 4 years ago when i got two 4 ohm cabs, But now sits in my room as a practice amp, has been gigged twice in that time as I now use a Mesa D-800+ which goes to 2 ohms. It is in very clean condition which is why I snapped it up originally and remains so as you can see. American made SS amp with warm valve pre-amp section and that unique SWR Aural Enhance feature. I have put it in a Maplin rack sleeve which is included. I have even PAT tested it for you 👍 Please PM me with offers and any questions. Happy to meet up Oxford, Swindon, Basingstoke, Reading etc but otherwise collect only, Now £300 collected2 points -
Hi everyone, new guy here. I've only been playing for about 6 years, and i recently discovered something interesting when it comes to doing your own set up (I've slowly eased myself into it as I didn't want to break anything) Due to lazyness, i suppose, I like to have the action as low as possible, but on a 5 string it can be really frustrating as the B in particular, clatters on the frets if you play really fast double time sort of stuff. I've discovered, however, that lowering the saddles tends to make this worse than lowering the action using the truss rod? Lowering the action via the truss rod has brought much better results, so I'm in the process of actually raising the saddles a bit (as they were very low and the B saddle was almost all the way down!) Has anybody else ever come across this? It's really been a huge learning curve for me, i suppose that it might differ from instrument to instrument, but I'm now able to get the action far lower, than by just lowering the saddles? Very happy! 🙂2 points
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What it really means for many people I know is forget about making a living from playing music and go and get a job in a call centre. Meanwhile, all the decent work will go to those with an EU passport.2 points
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The real issue (apart from the cost) is will a UK band be able to get the necessary visas at short notice to play five dates in 200 capacity clubs over seven days across Holland, Belgium and northern France when there is no reason why an Italian band couldn't do those gigs.2 points
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Think of how difficult it must have been for bands back in the 60s/70s to do all this without the benefits of the internet to help and take the strain. They all managed, why would we be so pitiably unable. Sure it’s more to do but those that want to do it will do, and reap the rewards that those that can’t be bothered let them take.2 points
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The first band that really caught my attention were a-ha back in 1980 something, then it was Iron Maiden and later on, Rush. There we are then.2 points
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Try reading Elegant Hipsters, Fagen’s autobiography. He is painfully honest about his character and his world view, and his defence, which was to adopt a cynical and ironic distancing style. I feel the songs capture and express this very well. To my mind, he found a match in Walter Becker, and between them they confected the Dan sound from their deep affection for American music, which arises from colossally dysfunctional American culture. For me there is a very powerful effect created by this queasy juxtaposition of The Great American Songbook and existential dread. He articulates all of this better than I can in his book, which is well worth a read.2 points
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One more happy owner of a v3, with an extra nice casing done by our skilled and honourable @GisserD2 points
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I came in at Out of the Blue, and went backwards through the catalogue (including the box set). Stayed for Discovery but Horace Wimp and then Xanadu was too much to bear... I like the recent double live album, nostalgia fest! I keep meaning to get 'The Night the Lights Went on in Long Beach' - for at least forty years....2 points
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Everybody should get the chance to play through a Marshall full stack at least once in their life. I once lent my (merely) 50w Mk2 and a 2x12 to a friend for him to play around with at home. I set it up for him in his home office, jumpered the channels, turned it up and then he hit a chord. He said 'Woah!' three times then couldn't stop laughing for the sheer pleasure of it.2 points
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I use the cruztools stagehand. All quality stuff and it's all I need and more to set my P bass up. Small enough that it slips into my gigbag too for on-the-gig adjustments. Think it was about £22 from bass direct.2 points
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As a Motorhead fan in the early 80's imagine my sheer joy to find myself, at a friend's gig at a club in Holland Park in London, next to Lemmy at the bar. We sat there for an hour or so, chewed the fat, he bought us a drink, we I think were skint so didn't return the favour but IIRC he didn't seem to mind. A really nice, calm, intelligent guy. Don't think he said one thing that suggested he was a famous musician. I do remember that I spent the whole night with my leather jacket zipped up desperate for him not to see my Motorhead t-shirt! One of rock's great characters. The story of how he 'left' Hawkwind is a classic2 points
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Ahh sorry, KioGon is BC member. His looms are somewhat legendary in these parts 😁2 points
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It's hard to sensibly criticise music when you don't like it. There is no way I would listen to 30 seconds of Oasis, so it would be impossible for me to critisise it beyond it being a whiney dirge. If you really don't like something it is hard to say why.2 points
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I have a Xotic XJ 5 string Lightweight bought from Bass Direct. I believe they are actually built in Japan and then finished off in the US. Overall I’m pleased with the sound and ease of playing however at an average of 8.6lbs it doesn’t feel any lighter than my Xotic XP5. Your bass is very nice if I didn’t already have a lightweight I would make you an offer as I was after a gold one. Good luck with the sale.2 points -
He wants 50% of anything he's worked on?2 points
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Only musically!2 points
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No matter what kind of music people play, I don't see why any bass player wouldn't spend time getting Motown basslines under their fingers, just to learn the art of propulsive melodic groove.2 points
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Cracking on today.. I’ve been distracted by this ‘63 that’s landed. It’s not mine, but I’m allowed to play it...2 points
