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Well I think the bass is a hit!!..... 👍🏻

Last night's gig rig. Alembic F1-X and SF-2 into a Synq 1K0 power amp and Barefaced Big Twin II

Colin Moulding - XTC He, Tina Weymouth and JJ Brunel were the reason I bought my first bass, a Columbus Jazz, in 1981.

I'm a big fan of Ewen Vernal, the original bassist from Deacon Blue who's gone on to other musical ventures such as playing with Kate Rusby amongst other. I always find his bass playing so creative and integral to the song without being overstated. Tracks like Your Swaying Arms are (to me) absolute bass playing gems.

Friday’s rig…:

A wedding gig at a stately home in the Peak District. A typical long day, there from 15.30 until 23.30, but were looked after well. An extra bonus was wandering through the parkland by the light of the full moon during the breaks.

First gig for the covers band last night, as a private party for one guitarist's birthday/friends of the band. Bonkers audience all waving their phone torches for 'with or without you' much fun but sometimes felt like chaos on stage. Really fun friendly night and some nice appreciation from audience.

There is a loft space above my garage so when I sorted the workshop I put a reasonable sized loft hatch in. It's really handy when it drops down... And, with the door open today with it being so sunny, I had a visitor

My daughter started at 8 on an Ibanez Mikro. An excellent little bass in it's own right. She's still using it 5 years on (but casting not so subtle glances at my Lakland Precision 🙂).

This is my latest rig I went for the GR 2-12 and 1-12 I can walk into a gig with one in each hand the 2-12 is 11 KGs and the 1-12 is 7 KGs it sounds the nuts and has a small footprint,it’s every bit as good as my Vanderklay rig which I might move on oh yeah the bass is my latest Status five string say no more about these beasts

Not exactly 'my', not exactly 'a gig', and not on bass, but............. My first 'gig' since lockdown: I joined a band (on vocals) for 4 songs at a pub gig. Punk covers, went down really well, got some good feedback from the crowd and it felt great to be back performing. Still buzzing!

progress should BE ready Soon

I've made a new template, cut the fretboard roughly to size and started cutting the side slots. The fretboard extension for a thumb rest is starting to take shape.

We did Scunthorpe Baths Hall and Sunderland Empire Theatre this week. Scunthorpe gig is one of our nearest so always enjoy it. A great venue with top facilities and a good sounding room. Sunderland is another of my favourites - modern building containing an old style theatre, great crew and always an appreciative crowd. A really enjoyable gig.

Turns out it's all well! Thanks all

I have done both and enjoy both. Unfortunately the only gigging originals group I have done was not very original and also had written there stuff, so it was basically like being in a not very good covers group, in that you had to do all the already written music that someone else had written, rather than just the good stuff that other people had written. You also get a lot more flexibility with covers than with other peoples originals. Actually, I also spent some time in a punk 'originals' group, but to call that original would be pushing the line of 'original' a bit far.

Markbass do a Velcro one that attaches to cab handles etc. They're very good https://www.andertons.co.uk/markbass-bass-keeper-basskeeper?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuOSRj8bU9gIVE-vtCh3FwAAnEAQYASABEgJG0_D_BwE

Well that was interesting! Guitarist had just arrived when he got a phone call regarding a family emergency. After a while it was still not clear whether he would be able to do the gig so I nipped home and picked up guitar, amp and pedalboard. On the way I called another bassist to see if he could dep, but to no avail. I played the first set on lead guitar (no bass) which I have done before but don’t enjoy because it feels very exposed. Guitarist appeared in the audience during this, so at the break we got him to set up. This he did with no apparent regard for the stage space I would still need. I moved my mic stand back a fair bit which made things tolerable, but he’d also left stuff on the floor which made it more cramped than it needed to be. Given the somewhat pressurised situation I didn’t address this with him, I but I certainly will if (when) it happens next time. Not the most enjoyable night but the club audience seemed to like us and the BL paid me extra for bailing them out.

The mention of them being a Rebellion type band makes me even more eager to find out who it is.

Ah...! First couple of days with the 5HH and loving it - took it to practise yesterday... It came really well set up and I didn't have to touch the action, just the truss rod a tad bit when I changed the strings to Chromes flatwounds... Slamming tone and lots of flexibility thanks to the extra pickup. Depending on the type of player you are, one pickup is plenty - I don't see myself using them all in the 5HH for live gigging in my punk rock band, but I will defo use some of the tones in the studio. Positions 2 and 4 (inner and outer coils from each pickup combined) add a very very cool character! What I'm saying is, if you have a chance to get a HH version go for it, but if you want to scratch the itch of having a Stingray and you only have single pickups you will not be miserable. For me, it does the job where my base sound is on the 4H, whilst the 5HH lets me do other genres (soul/neosoul forays) and different tones out of the pickup positions. I can see myself using both evenly, keeping the 4H with NYXL's - the string choice adds a lot of flavour of course...! I will change the pick guard to pearloid most likely, and that switch tip to black of course, why'd they use white when the hardware and knobs are black....!

I have a 5 string: Mine was a display model from Andertons, which was on a deal. I've had it for a month and a half now. Mine had no shielding/noise issues like 'Low End Lobster' had on his review model. They are expensive for a Mexican Fender but they aren't a standard Mexican Fender, they have a better quality bridge, Di Marzio noiseless pick ups, rolled fretboard edges and all the flash colours. This was my first fiver and I bought it to coincide with a time I would be spending at home while work was being done on my house, so I've played it a lot. I like mine. It's a good bass for the money and I like the sounds I get from the DiMarzio Jazz pick ups and the pre amp. Mine weighs about 4.5 KG or a bit under, ok for a 3 hour rehearsal. There only issue with mine is that it is a bit neck dive. This is my 7th bass and 1st fiver; it's the first bass I've owned with neck dive and I found it irritating at first. Fender spent all the extra on the bridge , pups, gold coloured bits etc, why didn't they put on ultra-light tuners? That would help. I have decent 4" straps so I can live with the neck dive and apart from that, I like it.

I think that “most people” are probably unaware that Macca played bass. As far as they’re concerned it’s just another guitar.

I’m going to suggest one who is not well known despite being in a very well known band. Doug Yule was in the Velvet Underground after John Cale ‘left’ and played some pretty cool bass lines. But he has been airbrushed out of the band history.

The Soup Soup Song (It's in His Kiss) ～ Cher

A 2 hour journey to spend time in a studio with an artist you like? I’ve done the same playing for people I don’t like. 😂

Just took delivery of a Sadowsky Masterbuilt. It’s an amazing looking thing and I hope it sounds as good as it looks! That’ll be a job for this evening.

Before buying my Two10 I looked all over t'interweb for consumer reviews, but there's not a lot out there - lots of love for its little brother the One10, which was a good sign, but not much stuff about living with the Two10 day-to-day. The one question that I struggled to find the answer to was, "Can it replace my 4 x 10?" If you're in a similar position to me - keen amateur/semi-pro tired of lugging a "normal" - (i.e. not Barefaced) 4 x 10 to pub/club gigs every weekend, I can say, "Yes! It's plenty loud enough and more." What cab is the Two10 replacing? My old cab is a Genz Benz Focus LT 410. It's light for a 4 x 10 (64 lbs), it's well designed, plenty loud and has a nice tone. OK, it's not a top-of-the-range "Uber" cab, but it's done me proud for the last three years, and I love it's tone, volume and reliability. If the current cab's so great, Why replace it? It all comes down to weight. I sustained a back injury this year, and although now on the mend, I can't manage to lug a 4 x 10 about on my own. I've always used a sack-truck, so for a flat, level load-in I managed OK, but I still had to lift my cab into my car, and any venues with stairs, steps or raised stages were becoming a very literal pain. Preconceptions Before the Two10 arrived, I hoped that despite having half the cone area of the Genz Benz, if I really cranked my amp through the Two10, I should be just about able to squeeze enough volume out of it to keep up with my loud drummer. I expected a drop in performance, but hoped that the reduced handling effort would make up for a shortfall in SPL. First Impressions I was able to A-B the Two10 against the Focus 410 in my front room. First, I played through the Genz Benz, which sounded great as usual. Without changing the controls on the bass or the amp, I swapped the Speakon lead over to the Two10, set at 4 Ohms. Bloody hell! - I didn't have an SPL meter, but to my ears at least, the Two10 sounded louder than the 4 x 10. More bass, more mids, just more of everything! I was puzzled at how this could be possible, but I guess that the Two10's 4 Ohm load was allowing my Markbass LM3 to output its full 500W, as opposed to 300W through the 8 Ohm Genz Benz. I tentatively tried cranking the amp a bit beyond front-room levels, but was forced to stop when the ornaments on the mantlepiece started to jump into the fireplace. The door burst open, and I was confronted by a very angry Mrs TheBass wanting to know what exactly the f**k I thought I was doing. Verdict - IT'S LOUD! First Gig (Quiet band) The next day I was able to try out the Two10 in more appropriate surroundings. A gig with my originals band - two clean electric guitars and a refined drummer with an above average grasp of volume and dynamics, swapping between brushes, rods and sticks. We play an eclectic set ranging from quiet acoustic ballads to heavy dub-laden ska numbers. I'm playing a fretless EB MM Sterling through the Markbass LM3, and the Two10 doesn't miss a beat. The venue has its own PA, so my rig is for stage monitoring only. One of the guitarists uses a lot of phase and flange - think Cocteau Twins - which can sometimes bury my bass, but tonight it's easy to find a balance and sit nicely in the mix. The LM3 is barely at tickover. The load-in and out is a joy - I can lift the Two10 with one hand, and by back is thanking me almost as much as the drunk punter who we played "Happy Birthday" to. All in all, a very good night. First Rehearsal (Loud Band) The following night is rehearsal night with my loud punk/rock covers band. Two deaf overdriven guitarists playing through 4 x 12 Marshall half-stacks and a shed-building drummer who thinks that John Bonham played like a wuss. We're really loud, especially in a small rehearsal room, and I'm glad of the 18dB of volume-reduction from my Alpine earplugs. I'm running an SVT amp-sim through the Markbass to give me a bit of "Grrr", which sounds great through the Two10. With this band, I'm playing a fretted Sterling, for lots of bark and fret-clank. It's a small rehearsal room, and my rig keeps up easily without needing to be pushed. I notice that I've had to wind the master level anticlockwise from its usual setting with the Genz Benz, and cut some of the Lows and Low Mids. First Gig (Loud Band) This is the acid test - my loud band at full gig volume. The venue is a medium sized pub - the room is actually the ground floor of three terraced houses knocked together into one open plan space. I set up as normal, and DI into the PA. The bass drum and both guitars are miked up, and the guitarists are packing a Marshall 4 x 12, and a 2 x 12 respectively. We're fortunate to have an ex-pro soundman who knows how to get a good balanced mix, and manages to keep the volume to a realistic level. He's got a great pair of ears and a wealth of experience, and I trust his judgement. After the soundcheck, he beckons to me, and I walk over to the desk. He points down, and I notice to my amazement that the fader for my bass is at zero - my new little rig with its tiny Two10 cab is doing 100% of the work, with no reinforcement from the PA at all! Verdict My Two10 doesn't just keep up with the "ordinary" 4 x 10 it replaces, its louder. It's not just about volume though - the tone is great, and the sound fills the room better than my old cab. I originally thought that I'd end up getting a pair of Two10s, but that would be absolute overkill for my situation, even for my noisy covers band. At first I was skeptical of Barefaced's claim that the Two10 could replace a 4 x 10, but in my experience, that's absolutely the case.

I sticker bombed a pickguard recently. Stickers all over it, scalpel/razor blade around the edges, sprayed clear satin varnish over the top - I have this anyway for other hobbies, but Halfords stuff will do fine. Be careful with cold and humidity - both can result in clear coat coming out cloudy/powdery. Do a test spray on something else and dial in your distance and number of passes based on that. I know my choice of stickers will not be to most peoples tastes, but I don't give a monkies.

My Tribute M2500. First time for me owning an M series G&L with the 18v 3EQ circuit

One band I was in… we’d pile on the stage, pick up our instruments and someone would shout “Go!” Worked a treat.

True dat and applies to pretty well any "originals" outfit, whatever the style.

My TC Signature StingRay arrived this afternoon. I must say I’m really very pleased with it. It has passive electronics (series; parallel; single coil pick up settings. Boost on the volume control (or cut if you use it that way round), and passive tone control. It weighs around 8 lbs, has a nicely figured two piece swamp ash body, roasted maple neck with a very dark ebony board. All the hardware is black, including the hardened steel strings through bridge with mute system. The sound through my Mark Bass LM3 and 2 x 10 Traveller is great - I think I prefer the series with the tone control around centre. It has a perfect Musicman sound, looks, feels and plays excellently - the neck is, as always with roasted maple and the Musicman oil and wax finish, incredibly slick!! Some photos……

Our pronunciation comes from Norman French. 'In lieu tenant' i.e. when the main man isn't here, this one is the boss. The Normans, and some other regions of France pronounced it 'liev'. So the Americans aren't wrong to say "Lootenant". Not sure how much more Norman French there is in English still; 'warranty' for guarantee is the only other one I know. The spelling of English has become standardised with the advent of dictionaries. Prior to dictionaries, spellings were often regional, presumably following the local pronunciation. Sorry, I'm one of those with an interest in these things.

Had a good gig last night at a 70's/80's event last night in Brean. No photos of it yet but I did take a shot of my rig, which actually is better looking than me anyway. DI & mic'd cab meant some heavy reggae bass was felt last night.

Musically last night went well. Good set up, good sound mix, no major clangers with anyones playing. Sadly turnout was diasppointing. We'd plugged it to death on our FB page and sure enough some of our hardcore fans turned up, but the venue themselves had done nob all to promote it. Don't get me wrong, it was still a decent turnout, but were used to venues being absolutely packed. Still, we got paid just the same.

I think @skankdelvarraised all the salient points (with the exception of the prostitutes). I've been playing long enough and am old enough in the tooth to see this is not going to be a get rich quick/cash cow thing; it shouldn't impact on my day job and I don't see touring on the horizon. I could see them playing second or third on the bill at Rebellion. If I lived in East Landaan, I'd feel more excited about it. The main thing here is the travelling, expense thereof and the loss of my recovery time (weekends). I can record from home. I'm already shattered most of the time and this will just contribute to that. As things stand, I'm just waiting for the phone to ring, so to speak.

A 60th birthday party to a mainly ambivalent audience, although the birthday boy said we were his favourite band and paid well. A rare picture of me smiling, lifted from a video taken by the DJ.

Broth ers and sisters. Blur

Ok I’ll whip this bad boy out. My 1963 Fender P in Lake Placid Blue. It absolutely sings💙

Took my BB2005 for a little spin recently with a new crew. Played through a DG AO 900 and BF BB2:

I've never played originals and have never had the urge. I get a great deal of pleasure from learning new songs and playing them to an audience. I've also never understood the musical snobbery that some people have regarding playing covers vs originals. After all the Beatles, Stones, Chili Peppers all played covers. It's all music after all. No one gets their panties in a twist when an orchestra "covers" some long dead composers music do they?