Leaderboard

OK. Gap Year. Stick with it. It's good. This was a memorable gig for all the most cringe of reasons. So... this was down in Cornwall on a massive private estate in the middle of nowhere. It turned out to be for the wedding of the son of a Lord (I won't divulge names as he's quite trackable). Working through some of the events of the day - 1. We were asked to get changed in the servants quarters in the house. We were told that "Tarquin" would let us in and show us to the room where we can get changed. As the good lord told us - "Tarquin. Philippino bloke... but awfully nice. He'll show you the way." I don't think Tarquin was Tarquin's real name - and I don't know why a he would be anything but awfully nice... but there you go. 2. We went off to get changed and whilst in the toilets, a tin box was noticed on top of the back of the toilet cistern. It was inscribed with William and Cathrine. After some keen googling, I found out that it was a cake tin from the Royal Wedding. That was the first indication that these folks were connected as up until this name, we only had the name of the events organiser. For anybody interested, the tin looked like this: 3. We went through the hallway (on the way to our holding room with the hired help) and the place was full of the family with their more famous family members... including one who probably wasn't sweating in the photograph and a picture of the lord with Charlie boy. As the evening progressed, we realised that we were in the company of some quite notable people... and our "warm up" act (who was providing the music during pre dinner drinks) would appear to be somebody of pop royalty (I'm shocked that they didn't just get her band to play). Anyway, that's probably a story for another day... Carrying on... 4. The marquee was built onto a hillside - a platform had been built on stilts to have the marquee on the level - but give the infinity views out the side of the marquee. Pretty impressive stuff. This marquee was absolutely massive - with large lounging areas, separate bars, the main eating area, indoor fountains... just think of something completely over the top and multiply it by ten. The band area was a separate "surprise unveiling" - in that it looked like (from the inside of the marquee) it was just the side of the marquee... but it then opened up into a.. err.. nightclub in a marquee. So this brings us to our first notable incident. We were running on a generator - presumably the same one that was powering the whole of the marquee. There was a lot to power - and probably of note was the huge chandelier and hanging illuminated pinata (but more on that later). As we soundcheck, there was what I could only describe what felt and sounded like a bomb going off. The whole ground shook and the sound was just louder than anything I'd ever heard. Everything inside power wise, was dead. We went out to the generator was located, and there we found that the top of the generator had been blown clean off. Cue the electricians (whole team of them) trying to get phone signal to source another generator. To be fair, they sorted it pretty quickly. They'd got a make shift generator running and then another lorry turned up with whatever was needed to restore power. I had thought that would be the end of events... but turned out, that was only the start of the fun. 5. We went to the catering tent - and jeez, you have seen nothing like it on this planet... Curiously enough, despite the immense catering facilities, outside the marquee, there were two complete stoners (like, obviously stoned) cooking up some dubious looking meat in a dubious, patently unsafe oven, out in the open for all to see... with their rust bucket of a van parked next to them. Clearly there was something not quite right... so being a member of the band (which gives you the right to speak to folk, right?), I struck up a conversation. Turns out these chancers were cooking the meat for one of the main courses - which I seem to recall was something rare and oxen like. I asked them how they got the gig... and apparently, the client had been ringing around catering people to see if anybody knew how to cook this thing. It would seem nobody else would go near it... but this pair told me that they had said "yes, do it all the time, no problem". I looked at him... and he pre-empting me, he responded, "yes, we've never cooked it before, but I mean, how hard can it be?". You could see and feel the tension between the catering crew and the stoners... who by the end of the night couldn't stand due to their alcohol consumption. Hilarious. From a bystanders point of view. And no, I didn't partake in the food. Come to think of it though, I can't actually recall eating anything. Probably had a bag of crisps in the van. 6. We'd all sound checked and was waiting in the house ready for "the call" after the speeches. It was delayed... and delayed... and delayed. The speeches hadn't even happened... so I went out to investigate. Turns out that the best man had told the groom not to marry the bride whilst waiting at the altar as she was only after his money. She clearly was... just after the money. He - socially awkward, dweeby, pretty ugly (trying not to be too unkind here) guy... her, super model looks but not the err... supporting pedigree shall we say. It was clear who her guests were and who the grooms were. Anyway, turns out, one of the brides friends had overheard this and told the bride. Naturally, the bride went off the hook at the groom shortly after the matrimonial vows had been exchanged. Unbeknown to us, the whole day was running late as the bride and groom had vanished and spent the day arguing in the grounds. The wedding breakfast had mostly gone ahead without the bride and groom being present. 7. Eventually, about 11 o'clock (that's PM), the speeches happened. There had been some cooling off by this point and the best man got up to do his speech. Lets just say, he started the speech with (and I paraphrase here), "it all started as an unlucky chance meeting on a gap year in Ghana where the "happy" couple met. He then proceeded to rip into the bride. The father of the bride then ripped the mic out of the best mans drunken hands and kicked him out of the marquee. Then started another half hour of chaos and guest awkwardness. The father of the groom came across to me and apologised and said he would still try and make the first dance go ahead. 8. The first dance. Probably the most memorable first dance I have ever had the (dis)pleasure of seeing. About quarter to midnight, the "nightclub" was revealed. Bride and groom were dragged onto the dance floor (literally) and told to dance as they were causing embarrassment. (I found this so funny - like the most embarrassing thing for the family at this point was the reluctance to have a first dance?! ). We played "You're Too Good To Be True". I remember this sequence of events like they were only yesterday - a - band starts b - bride and groom do nothing c - singer prompts - "this is your time to shine x and y" d - nothing e - father of groom appears with a sword f - groom puts his hands awkwardly on brides hips g - bride removes grooms hands from her hips h - bride is standing there, groom is dancing in front of her like an awkward Alan Partridge. i - father of groom gives sword to groom j - father of groom whispers in groom ear k - groom jabs heart pinata with sword l - confetti falls on the happy couple, causing the bride to roll her eyes and storm off stage m - we finished song with groom just quivering in the middle of the dancefloor, the guests having remained absolutely quiet and motionless (even whilst the band was doing the baa daa baa daa!! bit...) n - the singer turns around and asks what we should do next, we just shrug - the dancefloor is now empty and some of the guests are dispersing o - father of groom comes over to band and mimics the hand to the neck movement (cut it there) p - he speaks to me - "you're only contracted to midnight and I dont think anybody is in the mood for music anyway" q - we start packing up at about 5 minutes to midnight in absolute silence. No music, no talking, nobody in the marquee was talking. I don't think the band spoke to each other until we were all back in the van. r - father of groom gives me an envelope "for our troubles". (I should have mentioned we had already been paid up front anyway... so I think this was embarrassment money) s- we drive out the venue, having packed up, past the bride and groom who were arguing at the gate which was at the perimeter of the field we were in. We wound down the window and thanked them before wishing them a very happy life together. So yeah. that was a memorable one. I've never been paid so much for 4 minutes of playing. (If you are wondering, my rate that night for playing was £150/minute)

Many years ago I was playing in a covers band. We had a gig at a caravan park. During the gig someone came up and asked the singer if we could dedicate a song to his father as it was his birthday. The singer duly obliges "this next one is for Joe Bloggs, happy birthday" We launch into the next song on the list. Half way through our rendition of knocking on heaven's door we notice a guy in a wheelchair being pushed up the front wearing a large home made badge with the number 80 on it.

Funny feeling, after more than 20 years of owning at any one time between one (rare), several (often) and at the most seven (madness), I've just sold my last electric bass, with the aim of focussing on upright from here on. It's part financial with a house move coming up, part technical in that I want to really focus on DB, and part organic in that I've found it harder and harder to play electric bass as I get more into upright. I think I'm going to miss the tinkering, setting up, swapping out components, building bitsas etc as much as the playing to be honest, but it's gonna save me a fortune But man, when I look back at some of those basses; all original LPB '64 Precision (i blamed @Happy Jack for that particular purchase, and @Clarkyfor a significant percentage of the remainder), '97 Modulus Flea (played itself), a Modulus Sonic Hammer (a Rottweiler in bass clothing), a '69 Jazz FL (made me feel like Jaco for a while), Takamine TB-10 (best looking bass ever), several 70's Precisions, pre-EB 'rays, numerous Rics, a couple of Sadowskys.... Man, I was lucky enough to own some awesome instruments, the sort of thing I could only dream of when I was growing up with my Satellite Bass in the late 70's. And don't get me started on some of the rigs I've owned........ Anyway, as you were, just thought I'd mention it

OK, so now I'm back at a keyboard... I was depping for a pub band - nice bunch of folk that alway seemed to go down well and get some great gigs. Anyway, I get the call and I ask for the details. 30th birthday party. I duly get the name of the pub - The Red Lion - (Main Rd Brereton), Rugeley way. No problem. Get the set list, business as usual, I'll meet them there. As it happens, I got there pretty early and parked up. I remember parking up next to a battered Astra and as I went to scope out the venue, I remember a rather large black police lady leaving the venue and getting into said battered Astra and then driving off at speed. Nothing too untoward - but I did think the car was either some cover or the budget in Staffordshire constabulary needed a cash injection to improve their cars. Anyway, I went into the venue, which seemed quite busy. A guy came up to me, quite flustered and asked who I was. I introduced myself and said I'm with the band. It was a this point I realised that something didn't feel quite right. Everybody was dressed in suits and me, being in a jeans and polo shirt, suddenly felt very undressed. Turns out that it was a wake. << Oh. Awkward. >> I apologised as I had clearly got the wrong venue and made a quick sharp exit. I went back to my car and got on the phone to the rest of the band who were still on their way. I explained that we needed to figure out what had gone wrong as I didn't want any rest of the band to go in and make the same mistake as I. Anyway, the band leader did some phoning around and got to speak to the client. Apparently, the band leader had just taken the "Red Lion" in Rugeley and said he knew where it was. Anyway, turns out that there is another "Red Lion"... that being one at Longdon Green, Rugeley. Still being the closest, I said I would meet them there. So off I drive to the Red Lion 2 and duly park up in the carpark... next to a familiar Astra. I get out car... and so does the policewoman. She comes over to me and asks me - did I just see you at the other Red Lion? I confirmed that yes, I had been there. She then asks me if she knows if this is the venue for a birthday party? I confirmed that it was - to the best of my knowledge. At this point, the penny begins to drop. She then goes, "Oh my God, you would not believe... I just stormed into the other pub, asking for the birthday boy before I pulled out my t1ts..." "Oh... so you're a.... right...." We both started feeling a bit uncomfortable before laughing. "Ah well, I'm sure the old boy would have appreciated your stripping if he was there to see it". Anyway, the band arrived, got inside, setup and started to play the first set. I had spoken to said police lady that a good opportunity would be to let us play for twenty minutes before coming in to investigate a noise complaint. Needless to say, it was a memorable night. Now, I'm no prude - but I learned quite a lot that night. This wasn't stripping per se... it went far, far, far beyond that. Lets just say the birthday boy got very lucky... in public.

Hey, we haven't argued about this for over a month. here is something!

Two that spring to mind: 1. We had a gig the other side of London and the drummer offered to help ferry across the PA that was stored in my garage. When we finally arrived at the gig, instead of picking up the mixing desk in its gig bag he'd brought our camping table by mistake. Fortunately the landlord had a spare desk, otherwise it would have been a four hour round trip to retrieve our desk. 2. A guitarist in a band I played with in Bristol had the disgusting habit of walking over during a song and letting rip right by me. He'd then saunter off leaving the smell behind him. One night he turned up with his brand new Les Paul and was cradling it like a baby all night. During the gig he sauntered over as usual, let rip and managed to follow through! The look of panic on his face was priceless. The Les Paul was swiftly unslung and propped up against his amp (or so he thought) while he clutched his buttocks and minced off the stage. Unfortunately for him, the guitar slid off the amp and he ended badly bending a couple of tuning pegs.

I know it's fairly early in the thread, but I think we have a winner already: ' The resulting gig was a train wreck saved only by the didgeridoo solo at the end.' 😁

Our roadie forgot to pick up the singer on one gig. He arrived at the gig with the PA and no front man. We were bass, drums and guitar, and had to scrape a couple of set lists together in 20 mins. We all sang a couple of songs (even me) and played a few instrumentals, then we asked if anyone in the audience would like to do a number. A guy in a suit got up and sang some rock and roll in the style of Johnny Rotten on speed. This was 5 years before JR. We also had a guy who was transitioning into a woman! He got up and did a strip to us playing Green Onions. He got everything out, meat and two veg and a pair of boobs!! We made it through the night and even got an encore! I wish someone had recorded it.

It could crash the whole site. It's a very worrying development

700 (do you mean £s) for a Westone seems somewhat excessive!

I knowwww...it was about 1984, tho when I was a callow and frivolous youth. To compound the 'Doh! In Hindsight' factor, I sold it to buy one of these... 😕 Did I mention it was 1984? 😁

US ‘62 reissue early eighties ..

Same band as above but this took place a few months before that story. We had a decent support slot on a Saturday night with a quite popular local band at the time. When we went into the dressing before soundcheck, there was a guy in there who we didn't know but was quite chatty and seemed sound. He was damp, though. Damp, as in wet, from head to toe. He claimed he had been "in the Liffey" earlier. As I said, though, he seemed sound, so, no harm done and assumed he was meant to be there. At some point, our singer and the main band's roadie got chatting and, eventually, shared a spliff - something our singer had never tried up to that point. I went about my business for a while and returned to find the lads a bit stressed out. They had been getting along with the damp guy, who turned out to be a harmonica player, so he and our singer had a harmonica jam, which I'm glad I missed. The damp guy then said "Anybody messes with me and they get this!", took an iron bar out of his jacket and started whacking the dressing room wall. The lads had to get security and this guy was removed. This had spooked our singer immensely, which would have repercussions later on. We were stinking out the place, really going down badly with the biggest crowd we had played to up to that point. The singer from the main band used to dress up as a Vegas-esque character, which our singer was not aware of. The main band guy came on stage to try to get the crowd on our side a little. Our singer, quite stoned, seeing another weird looking character coming towards him, reaching for the mic, rammed his elbow into yer man's throat, screaming "You're mad!" and an onstage scuffle ensued. Security swiftly entered the scene and we wisely left the stage.

So, late May this year with the prospect of lockdown ending I was invited back to my old band to do a series of DB gigs. Absolute pleasure to be playing music with great guys after almost two years out. Problem was that they're not the most organised in terms of sound management and playing a 4/4 DB in what was a pretty chaotic soundscape at times was proving challenging in terms of feedback and hearing myself. I decided I'd get an EUB, and while ideally searching for an SLB-100, I was very happy to find a Clifton, and even happier when the owner offered to drive from Yorkshire to Kent to deliver it in person. Long story short, we had a great chat, turns out he'd played bass with a lot of musicians I listen to, and it was both entertaining and educational to hear the tales of Nashville perfectionism. I told him a about what we do and he said "Sounds like you're after a Wood Brothers sound", and I seem to recall thinking "Never heard of 'em". He left, and I thought I'd take a quick listen to these guys and see what I think. Bloody hell!!!!!!! No joke, this was the band I'd been waiting to hear all my life. Lovely bluegrass/Appalachian feel, extraordinary musicianship and some fine songwriting. And then there's Chris Wood on bass. The first thing I thought was "Wow he's good". Then I thought "Wow, he get's a lot of space in the mix (what a conversation on Talkbass described as high levels of 'acoustic real estate'), but what I really loved is that he plays a very Jazz oriented style in an ostensibly blues/Americana band, and does so with great style and with great technique. I tried to find stuff on here and wasn't surprised to find that @Clarky had discovered them years ago But it's not just the DB sound he gets, he plays a lot of electric also (a Hofner Violin Bass) with the same style and flair. Do check them out folks, as Clarky suggests, the recorded BD tone is pretty impressive, but so's some of the live playing. Check out some of this for example... I'll post some more when work eases down a little

So after a quite honestly disgraceful 2021 of buying and selling, followed by an equally disgraceful January 2022, I've arrived at this lot: Back Row L-R: 2015 Thunderbird/Guild Starfire 1/ Hohner B2A (not fully working). Front Row L-R: Stingray 5 Special (strung with rounds)/ Stingray 5 Special (flats)/ 1989 US Fender P Bass (flats)/ 4003S/ Fender American Pro II P Bass (rounds)/ G&L CLF L-2000/ Custom Fretless. My Ibanez EHB1505MS is not included as I've put it up for sale. I spent a really nerdy day yesterday, cleaning and setting up this lot. I must say it was rather fun I'd really like to think I'm done and ideally would like to lose a couple, although for the life of me I can't decide which ones. If anything, I've got a hankering for a lightweight G&L SB-1 but we'll see...

My main instrument for many years used to be the fiddle, which meant I was booked for a lot of folky jobs. Back in the day, medieval banquets were very popular. They were utterly inauthentic and formulaic - large quantities of iffy food and drink, an MC who dressed up like 'Enery the Eighth, singalongs, folky tunes and songs, plus various speciality acts/entertainers (strongmen, magicians, knights in armour who staged sword fights and so on) - all for a bargain basement price. I played in a tourist trap near Tower Bridge for several years. Some of the entertainers were a source of great merriment. One guy in particular used to cover for several of the performers. He was a physical fitness fanatic who seemed to believe he was indestructible. His enthusiasm always got the better of what little common sense he had been born with. We used to wonder whether he took steroids – there was always a pungent smell, reminiscent of bulls and horses, about him. He came in one night as a dep. for the regular strongman, who used to hammer a nail through a plank and pull it out with his teeth. He bounded onstage and hammered the nail through the plank in fine style. Bending down, he gripped it between his gnashers and straightened up with a flourish. There was a chorus of squeals from the audience as the nail stayed where it was and a couple of incisor teeth fell to the floor, to the accompaniment of a spurt of blood and a lot of curses from our hero. Nothing daunted, he had them replaced with metal ones, which made him look a bit like Jaws. On another occasion, he stood in for the magician and managed to set himself alight whilst fire-eating. He ran about with his hair ablaze, beating himself about the head to try and put out the flames, until a barman appeared from behind the bar and put a fire blanket over him. Some of the punters stared in horror, while the rest, believing it to be intentional and part of a comedy turn, roared with laughter. Luckily (largely thanks to the barman's quick thinking) he was only mildly scorched. My mate the guitar player stared at the spectacle for a moment, an expression of utter disbelief on his face. “Christ”, he declared. “What’s he going to do for an encore? Cut his d1ck off?” I'll have a trawl through the diaries for some more.

Had to use the wide angle lens on my phone for this one. From left to right, top row: Dingwall Combustion 5 - 1994 Music Man Sterling - 2018 Fender JMJ Mustang - 1971 Fender Precision - Sterling CA34 w/ Status fretless neck - 2001 Yamaha BB N5II From left to right, bottom row: 2013 De Gier Bebop 5 - 2001 Blade B2 Tetra Bass - 1966 Fender Jazz - 2001 Fender Standard Jazz fretless - 2019 De Gier Soulmate 4 In the stands are two Sadowsky MetroExpress JJ basses in sage green, four and five string.

How to make a "boutique" pedal. 1. Find a design from the 60s or 70s and copy it. Make sure that your version uses at least one germanium transistor even if the original pedal didn't have any. 2. Make sure that one of the controls and one socket is in a completely ridiculous place. Say they need to be there in order to improve signal cross-talk from the original design. 3. Give the pedal a name that only a 13 year old boy will find amusing - ideally some kind of knob joke. 4. Give all the controls unintuitive descriptions like "spatter" or "fragrance" and write them on in a barely legible scrawl. Do not put any other markings on the controls, and if you're not using chicken head knobs then have ones without any position markers on them. 5. Pedals with three or fewer controls on them should be in huge chunky metal cases, with the controls positioned at random and in an order not consistent with the signal flow. Pedals with lots of controls should be in a case so tiny that it is virtually impossible to adjust one without inadvertently moving at least one other (also see point 2). 6. Get a five year old to do the graphics. Ideally every pedal should have a different "graphical design" even though the electronics inside are identical. 7. Charge at least £200 for it even though the parts and labour cost to make them is a fraction of that.

Ladies and Germs I give you The Flealight Jazz.

Anybody want any more? I've just remembered a couple more - "Gap Year", "Trying to avoid getting arrested in Oxford", "Nice day for a red wedding".... "Inappropriate TV stings"

Came across this on a random web trawl. I remember this band and how engaging, how passionate Sam Herring is. But I also love the clank that's going on with that Jazz and I'm sure the bassist kicks in a nit of distortion at certain points. Future Islands

I really want one!

Squier Contemporary Active Jazz bass, Sweetwater exclusive, no longer being made. Matching headstock and roasted maple! Comes with a hardshell case, too. Not sure if the strings are flatwounds, but I'll probably be putting on a set of GHS black tapewounds.

Just took ownership of this lovely bass. Sounds like a classic Stingray but with the extra string! Little bit heavy, but manageable for me. Been after one for a while & got offered one from a private stock in January 2022 Got a session coming up on Thursday so I'm going to take it along p.s. It matches my fretless 4 perfectly!

I think you have your answer here. I've just sold a pair of 25year old Yamaha speakers fitted with Eminence drivers. I've loads of speakers 10-15 years old and a 40 year old Peavey driver that still works fine. MB's Italian drivers are all well made speakers. If you didn't like them then that would be a reason for changing but there is really no reason to change them if you don't. New technology isn't really an issue either if you aren't looking to change the sound

There’s an Ibanez musician for £700 on bass players U.K. market place, the seller’s probably on here aswell I’d have thought.If you want Japanese 80’s quality get that if it’s still available, streets ahead of a westone and most Arias. Just a thought best of luck x

A Jamaican super group

So gigink produced this pickup surround for me to cover up some bad routing. It's not a standard part so there was some creativity required from them and I got a printout template to check fit and measurements. I've not even fitted it properly, but look....

Just be aware that many of the Arias imported have really, really narrow string spacing at the bridge. If that's not an issue, cool, but it would be a deal breaker for me. The ones with the oval and dot inlays on the neck are usually normally spaced, the necks with just dots are usually very narrow.

Decided to go with it...damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!

I've had that. The cat must have been asleep inside my Mesa Boogie 118 when I loaded up the car. At the gig I put the cab down on the pavement and was surprised to see our tabby fly out and freeze!! I managed to get a hold on a back leg and throw it into the car. No gentleness or niceties, we were on a very busy road and by that time the bloody thing had scratched my arm and hand to pieces!

I would say almost without doubt that mikes is solid quilted maple, as I cant recall ever seeing an SSD era bass from the USA with different front/back. Without seeing the specs, I’d fancy the back is reclaimed redwood, which is why it’s darker. Did you spec that or is just how it came? she really does look lovely mate, on a dark stage she will look awesome!

I was in a band for a while that was like a train wreck in slow motion. A reggae outfit complete with backing singers and brass. Rehearsing in London week after week, we all had high hopes as the people involved were 'connected'! Eventually though, rehearsals took on a pattern that never varied... waiting for everyone to arrive the brass section would neck red stripe, then the rest of the band would start on the weed, this would continue for hours while the singer and band leader would nicpic over arrangements and playing nuances. When it came time for the singer to do his thing he was always too far gone. In 6 months I never heard him sing a note! I still can't believe I lasted that long before moving on. For all I know they're still rehearsing.

We drove halfway across the country for a fairly standard club gig. We opened the back doors of the van and the BL’s cat shot out and promptly disappeared into the nearby industrial estate. The BL swore his missus would have his nuts if he lost the cat, so we promptly set out in pursuit… took over an hour to find the moggie. We were really late setting up that night… great gig, though.

My current method of dealing with this issue... I possess the worlds worst bass, a Jedson tele bass with a 24" scale (!), the only way it can be tuned is A,D,G,C, and intonation is impossible above the 10th fret. I hand them this bass.

Ah I have so many of these, mostly with one band. Back in the 90's my band were doing our first headline show and, foolishly, the guitarist and I consumed a quantity of... let's say... stuff before doors opened. As we were getting ready to play our set, the guitarist came over to me, looking quite pale, and said "I can't feel my hands." He couldn't really feel his feet either, as it turned out, so had to do the gig helplessly wobbling atop a small bar stool, his hands fumbling for notes in the fog. Not a great look for a rock band, it must be said. I was physically fine but, instead, was experiencing intense paranoia and every gap between songs seemed to take an excruciatingly long time. As a result, I was giving the singer a hard time between songs, pleading with him to hurry up introducing the next song so we could finish and I could hide somewhere. Unknown to me, what had started as banter between him and some mates in the crowd, had turned nasty as the set progressed and there was huge tension between him and a lot of the audience. During one of the following songs, our singer simply walked off stage, went straight through the crowd, out the door and did not come back. When you've tried to figure out how to do the second half of your set without your singer while a rather hostile audience looks on, in the midst of a paranoid meltdown, it changes your perspective of what 'train wreck' really means 🙂

I know a bass player who forgot his drummer once. I had to drive all the way back to collect him.

Cabs are the one part of the rig that I don’t have backups for. I’d stick with the NYs til they actually give up, unless a change of sound is desired, they’re great little cabs.

Following on from my previous post about my MIJ 75 RI i today fitted a tort plate. Not sure whether i prefer it over the black or not….

Two AVRI 62 Jazzes (82 and 99) and a 72 P bass with J width (A) neck

Well you can . Ryan Martinie does it too and you can find Jonas Helborg and Michael Manring using slap techniques on a fretless .. but they never get the twang of Mark King, Stan Clarke, Marcus Miller or Ryan on his fretted thumb basses. I spent much time and money trying to configure a slappable fretless .. ( bright strings, slap plates, brass plate under the bridge, active electronics) but now admit that frets work better! Anyway slapping is so out of fashion it's almost illegal, I don't dare in public, So not really an issue. Makes sense now. 😁

You’d have to be careful not to slip on it,

Before my back op (and certainly for the next few gigs) I used one of these which is just high enough for me to perch on when needed. I can also do the key-change stand up thing that Boy Bands do too as and when required. It folds own nicely too for transporting.

Shielded my JMJ Mustang’s cavities with copper tape as there was nought but the ground wires to reduce hum. By adding a small strip of the tape from the pickup cavity to the control cavity over the top, it connected with the metal control plate and is now quiet as a quiet thing. I can’t remember who pointed out that the shielding needed to be earthed too, but if they hadn’t, it would still be buzzing away (I knew this, but had managed to forget as it’d been years since I last shielded a bass), so thanks for that.

While subbing for a mate's blues-rock cover band, we played a Sunday night gig in a pub which had recently been renovated/transformed from a dingy hole well known for live music, into a trendy, modern superpub with jukebox pop music blasting loudly in every corner. The gig started with us playing to the barman. After a while, an oul fella came in and stayed for a few songs. Then he left and the barman left too, so we played to the empty room. The drummer then announced he had to go to the toilet, something which required ascending two flights of stairs, so that took a while. While the remaining three of us stood around like idiots, waiting for the drummer to come back, my amp -an old Peavey MkII - made an odd squealing/ farting sound and then went silent. When the drummer came back, we packed up and left.

I played a wedding once, the church bit not the party but. there was a hastily put together trying quartet - decent cello player, very very good violin player playing viola, rusty violin player who played by knowing where to fret and a ok violin player who played by ear. Bride enters to adagio for strings or something - sounds great. Bride gets to front of church … song keeps going for ages! anyway wedding, church type song happen with our band… bride and groom go to leave to what was supposed to be (randomly) a non vocal version of verve’s bittersweet symphony- odd choice but had sounded amazing in rehearsal. string instruments- a church that’s got a lot hotter since the opening… everything’s out of tune… one violin player puts her fingers in the right places even though she’s no longer in tune, the other guy corrects to play the notes I tune and the viola player forgets she’s playing the viola and starts reading the violin line. nightmare. It didn’t sound much better when bass drums and guitars launched in. Marriage didn’t last either

When she finds out - give me first refusal please! (On the bass, I've already got 1 wife and mother in law)