Leaderboard

Arrived today from Andertons and it’s just as amazing as I remember when I got one a while back. EQ is so simple but works ( easier than my old CTM100) The depth to the notes is something to behold.. now I recall why I like all valve heads… they just sound glorious Pbass straight in, pick played rock it just works .. perfect match. Its heavy but so is my SVT212AV cab !! Will be at rehearsals tomorrow ready for first gig with it Saturday 🤟

And also my collection of short scales. Left to right: Sandberg Florence; Callowhill MPB; Fender JMJ Mustang; Serek MW2 5-string; Nordstrand Acinonyx.

Saturday night at Redrum in Stafford. A charity fund raiser for North Staffordshire Hunt Saboteurs. The sound engineer started talking about the resonant frequencies of the room, and how terrible the monitors are before we'd even loaded in. He didn't like that we didn't have in-ears, he didn't like that my snare drum isn't damped, he said the bass rig was too loud before the bassist had played a note, and he lost his mind when our guys insisted on using their own vocal mics. SM58s. I realise other mics might be preferable, and sharing mics might save time, but we've been through covid, and there's no way we'll be sharing mics again. Anyway, the room was packed and we played well. The mosh got a little over the top at one point but no-one was hurt. Apparently they raised £1500 which is great!

Played a sea-front bar in Weston-super-Mare with a rock’n’roll band that I often work with. The positives: Nice location opposite the pier. Felt like I played well. My rig sounded great (‘73 P > Demeter amp > BF Super Twin). Paid gig. Second gig with Boss WL20 wireless setup - loving it! The negatives: 60 miles each way plus parking to pay for. Loading area near the venue full of parked cars - owners obviously read ‘LOADING ONLY’ to mean ‘FREE PARKING’. Never mind, just blocked them in while I loaded out. Guitarist’s DIY extension lead kept tripping the circuit breaker while we were setting up until I identified it as the cause. Very few customers in the bar. (New) lead guitarist hadn’t quite got his poop together. I’m fed up with pub gigs and looking for some better quality work next year i.e. function band or tribute act.

Busy weekend gigging of sorts. Saturday- surprise 60th in a neighbouring county, so nice to get off the usual turf and see how we do with the foreigners, early start and finish, sedate crowd compared to last week. I’ve been using my trusty ASAT for these gigs after a break and absolutely loving it. Got fed well by the client which is always appreciated, but the outside caterer had issues with his ice cream machine tripping his extension reel plugged in through an open window which he somehow firmly insinuated was our fault. After he’d finished to show his displeasure he unplugged it and started to tug it through all our kit as we played, each of us desperately trying in turn to make sure our light fixtures didn’t go all over the place. Home by 12:30, up at 6, preparing for three ‘gigs’. Job number 1, setup PA and lights at wedding fayre number 2, then onto Job 2, wedding fayre number 1, me attempting to arrange our set in my head on the fly on my acoustic as our female vocalist and band manager, Mrs Scalpy does her thing rather splendidly. Running low on kit I borrowed a HK nano from work and used my uad apollo as a pre for both of us, worked rather well. 2 hours of that then back to wedding fayre number 2, this time joined by our guitarist and tracks, easing my burden considerably. He’s a monster player too, and he had full permission to go over the top with the jazz chords and the like, much to our amusement. I’d be interested to hear how other people get on with wedding fayres, we struggle to reel in any customers at them. It’s almost like the public can’t talk to musicians unless they’ve had a skinful and you’re carrying two tonnes of kit at 1 in the morning- they have no problem then. Last job of the day- band call for a local theatre company doing 9-5. Back on the 5 string Shazza, a sire v5. Pro MD had programmed the whole thing on click. I’m well used to click in recording and band situations but this was my first time in the pit. A tough chart and I’m pleased we’ve got another run at it before the dress rehearsal, it was very difficult one ear in on an exceptionally harsh metronome and one ear on the room. Then it was back to band hq in the van by myself to unload. Next gig Thursday, dep guitarist of questionable preparation, wish us luck.

Mustang Sally gigged at a new venue (to us) last night - Milborne Port Social Club on the A30 Dorset/Somerset border. - not a big place, either the town or the club! Managed to cram all six of us in down one end of the bar, nice people (a free round of drinks to start with) and a constant 50 or so over the 9-11:30 playing time. Still in hand-over period getting the new KB guy up to speed before our rhythm guitarist leaves so still a few rough edges on the more involved numbers (eg Echo Beach, Geno, Sweet Child) - still, we're getting there. We all agreed that we seemed very LOUD on stage but the punters were happy with the levels out front - it's usually the other way around... I was amused to find myself staring at myself while having a pre-match slash, the first time I've seen a band poster in this kind of men-only location!

I’ve put the new SGFX Diamond BCP/EQ on the board and put the old BCP1 away for now. I nearly bought a Seymour Duncan compressor today.

Just got my 59 back after many years,….paint is still under guard and bridge

Pictures are a bit blurry (it's late and my phone is a bit s**t). It's showing up more red but its darker and browner in the flesh.

Enjoy your new Ric, purchased a 2023 myself , the necks are just amazing flat profile skinny neck back to front, The new bridge and one truss rod now. sounds and plays superbly. I have owned over 40 of them, this 2023 is the best of all of them.

Didn't post my gig from a few weeks ago for a couple of reasons. Number one was that I'm convinced the venue (which shall remain nameless) has something weird going on. Now, I'm not saying that it's a money laundering front. Just to clarify, I do not suspect at all that it's a front for laundering money. However, about 5 years ago somebody bought one of the best loved live music pubs in a particular town, changed all the staff pretty much over night to a load of people who still, after 5 years, have NO IDEA how to run a bar or speak English, and who spend all the time on their phones. There is no promotion of bands, no trying of any kind to get people in at all. Some nights, not every night, a group of men will walk straight in, go behind the bar and go upstairs. They will not come back down. About 4 people to show up to any gig. After the gig a burly man with a thick accent will tell you that you're brilliant, hand you £350 cash and book in you in for several more times. Secondly, I had to run home, catch about 2 hours sleep, and then be up at 4am for the North East Skinny Dip on the Sunday morning. I normally don't gig the night before, but there are only 5 gigs left with this band, so I didn't ask for the dep. Wish I had. The water is so much colder when you're sleep deprived.

FRFR cabs behind the e-kit would sort that out, if it was really that important. Even in small-medium venues, the kit is often present in the PA from a kick mic and an overhead, just to spread the mix for the room a bit better. It's all pretty moot, though; e-kits have come on in leaps and bounds in recent times, and sound very good indeed. Disclaimer : I'm a drummer.

Those who are regular attendees of these events will be aware of this scenario: Suggestions? Raffle - rather than sell 1 ticket for £1 and everybody buying at least 5 then the inevitable calling of repeat winners - shall we just sell tickets for a £5er which will make the raffle a smoother operation?

Another gem from the BBC archive.

I got a Fender Mustang (MIM) a few weeks ago and I'm finding I'm playing that over my 97 MIJ Jazz. Being able to change the pickups on a switch and the sheer ease of playing is wonderful. The more I play it, the more I want to play it. I love the Jazz but the Mustang is so much fun.

With WH I always heard the technique, Aretha on the other hand was all soul to my ear 👍

Attended the Leeds show today, and although a bit bass light ( like many of these shows ) there was a great display of vintage Gibsons on offer on one stand, including these ex-celeb examples.

It's gratifying when a concept actually comes to fruition like you hope it will. My track record of "improving" basses is chock full of "Ah, not all that after all" moments. This is all I hoped for.

If anyone sang like that in any pubs I know they'd be thrown out and barred

Move Over Starling Doris Day

You made me feel 41 years younger @Leonard Smalls. Always loved The Residents and saw them live once in my life when I was 17 years old (and had been a huge fan since I was 15 years old), I even "slept" at the Brussels Central Station with all the fauna you can expect. We were fired at around 5 in the morning and spent the rest of the night wandering in the streets of Brussels until the first train home arrived which was 2 hours later. Great memories with these night walkers always kidding, laughing, drinking, smoking, but taking care of the others and absolutely not vandalising anything (as opposed to what is believed).

No of course it isn’t, it’s an illegal gambling joint.

Yes, please; I'd like to avoid it in the future, too. ...

That's because you are organised, and is what I would do. However no every musician displays the same level of organisation as us, and unfortunately I have learned from experience that these people can't be told, and don't get that quite often you need to be able to set up and be ready to play in under 15 minutes. You either have to live with it or replace them with someone who is properly organised.

I agree they are equally amazing as they are heavy ! But this should be my last amp purchase !! This will stay put and even after I stop gigging it will be my home rig. Beautiful valve sound and that perfect Ampeg tone that works for rock At 63 I’m still fit and able as a big guy to carry heavy stuff from van to venue etc. Its worth it for sure

Just a bit concerned at the lack of feedback re raffle prizes. If those of us who don't have any bass-related stuff could just bring a bottle or something that would be great.

There is something just right about the Ampeg EQ. Lovely bit of kit 👍

If this is with regard to my comment about not being able to turn down our drummer, to be fair to him, I think he plays perfectly appropriately for the music we do. Drums are loud and for some reason live music venues continue to be surprised by that fact!

That's a nicer looking burst than most Fender basses, and I particularly like the matching burst on the back of the neck, which IMO is far more classy than a mis-matched natural neck. However the shape of the black in the body burst would suggest a fancy veneer over a plywood or butcher block body core - not that there's anything wrong with that. You'll need to neck and/or pick guard off to check the actual construction.

My fave WH song is her very first one, before she discovered all the vocal gymnastics, Saving All My Love For You. Before the addicitons kicked in as well, I guess. As has been said, what a tragic waste - she had everything but was it still wasn't enough.

I saw her at Wembley Arena around this time. It wasn't a particularly enthralling gig; it was very low on content and high on padding out. Every song ending was about five minutes long, with her just going, 'Oooooooohwahwahwahwaaaaaaaaah,' and she bought her mum out for another five minutes of the same. That said, her voice was incredible. What a waste. Just say no, kids.

Some notes I wrote somewhere else: "Thomastick Infield – Small gauge, extremely low tension. Very soft on the fretting hand but may require higher action depending on the quality of the fretwork as they are more prone to buzzing (in general that’s always the trade off wirh lower tension/gauge). They reportedly last forever (you hear of people that hsve them on for 10 years or so) and have very strong high mids for being flats. So unlike most flats they tend to stand up in the mix a bit more Labella – I have tried the Jamerson, the 44-104 and the low tension flats. Low tension flats are my favourite, they are surprisingly thumpy compared to the gauge. The round core in my opinion makes them more “bouncy” and expressive. I am a for lowish gauge strings in general for similar reasons. Other Labellas are stiff relative to their gauge (as most flats are, not exceptionally stiff). LaBellas apparently are the go-to strings for a vintage thump. They have both the thump and to my ear also an element of pronounced top end. To my ears, they sound a bit unbalanced unless the gauge is high (the E is too thumpy and can at times disappear, the G has that top end and not enough thump so may sound tinny with the tone rolled up). But that’s me, they are the most popular flats and maybe my ear is funny Dunlop flats – they have a thin core and are rather low tension, and a bit like the TIs have a somewhat roundwound zing. I prefer the TIs -GHS precision flats – I have tried 55-105, 45-95 and 45-105. The 45-95 are my favourite flats alongside the TIs. Not properly low tension but more pliable than LaBellas. 45-95 and 55-105 have unbalanced tension, with e much sofer than the G (and the 55-105 are hard work for me) – but I like a beefier G so it’s worth it. A bit less thump and more clarity than LaBellas in my opinion. Still, we are talking proper vintage thump, nothing like Dunlop or TIs. They take a long time though (weeks and months) to get to their best sound. At first they have some zing but not necessarily in a great way -D’Addario tapewounds. Not properly flats but, even more than flats, tapes reportedly last forever. They are strange in an interesting way. The tape wrap dampens the sound so they sound “weaker” than flats. Also, it gives them a double-bass like attack with string initial attack and fast decay. There is some thump to them but inside the nylon there are actually some quite zingy rounds. The result to me is similar to newish nickelwounds with the tone rolled of a fair bit (but with the different attack). The perceived “weakness” mostly matters in isolation, alongside other instruments they sound just fine. The G sounds a bit tinny to me though – LaBella tapes 60-115 A bit like the d’addario tapes but less zing and way more thump"

That's bloody stunning 😍

That look awful, really terrible. In fact so bad that I feel I need to take it off you just so you don't have to look at it what is, to be frank, a pretty bad guitar. There is no charge for this service, I do it as a gesture of goodwill that I extend to anybody with a pre 62 bass. Please, no thanks necessary, just let me know the address and I'll be round shortly. Please pack the bass carefully though. Thanks Rob

Go buddy go - the stranglers

Tone words. I played the Umm.....Bongo at church this morning. In a kind of strange analogy, it was like playing bass on an Aston Martin V8.

As visually incredible as it all looks, it’d be sensory overload for me and I’d have the worst migraine ever inside 10 minutes, and that’s without factoring in that it’s U2. I just don’t know with all of that going on if I could actually tell you if the band had been any good and/or entertaining at the end. But then, maybe that’s part of the point? A small ‘spit and sawdust’ venue with a band playing and living and dying by the simple sword of ‘just’ being up there playing to a room will always be more my thing. It is true though that, in recent years, tours and concerts (by the bigger bands at least, see also the bigger festivals) are being marketed far more as an experience and an aspirational lifestyle thing rather than ‘a gig’. So yeah, not my bag but that’s OK!

As I said on a previous post, I’ve been rejigging how I approach pedals and, as a result, I’m selling a lot of them, making boards with others, and collecting a few like a gear-hoarding magpie. I'm hoping to make several boards over the next few months but this is the latest. Since late last year, my main practice board has been disassembled. This was a big miss as it had been set up in the same form since 2020. I'm not sure what possessed me to think that moving the pedals from a flight case into their boxes for a flat move made sense. It meant that I was using only a BBA, tuner, comp and preamp for a clean signal or using pedals on a scattered ad hoc basis. I built a board of minis to help bridge the gap, then most recently a board of Broughtons, but I've been desperate to put a practice board back together. The intention is to have most types of effect on tap and to have some of my favourite pedals constantly ready to go. The signal chain is Broughton BBA (under the board at 18v) > Strobostomp > Cali76 CB (at 18v) > Octabvre > Doom 2 > Heliotropic > Parabellum v2 > MBD2 > Life v3 (with a TRS to the board for off-board expression control) > Rockboard patch bay (I have a patch cable running between two patch bay ports to I can add the JC Wah off board) > Calamity (at 18v) > XD > Empress Bass Comp > SLO (at 12v with Crux) > Element, with the SLO effects loop being Utility Knife > C4 > Echosystem > Reverb. It is ridiculously power hungry. I may also add dual lock to the space underneath to tie a couple of power cables to the underside of the board for easier transport. However, I'm not sure this will be going anywhere as it's intended for home use and weighs as much as a small moon. All of the settings are a bit out of whack because of the faff of wiring up such a heavy monster of a board but I look forward to figuring out the best settings again.

Going for a Thunderbird type burst finish, but I like pretty rustic finishes so it'll be a little less precise. Bit of progress this weekend, filled the grain with black filler and sanded back, then started the stain and oil process: Amber stain base layer Black edges blended with a little brown First coat of Crimson Guitars penetrating oil applied

Last night was an interesting one. The second time we've played the Black Abbot in Montrose. We were through in the bar this time instead of the lounge - a smaller room and we were worried that we'd be a bit loud but it actually sounded OK. Back to earth with a bump of course compared to Friday night, having to set up everything, move stuff out of the way, all the normal shenanigans of a pub gig. It wasn't very busy, had 20ish folk in with a further few coming through periodically from the lounge for a few songs then disappearing (but they kept coming back, so I'm counting them!) but the folk we did have were really into it - warm applause after each song (it was more like a concert than a gig) and some dancing. We got some nice comments after, and it was a nice early gig (8-11), so got home at a reasonable time for a change. Played the Sire D5 last night, it's a great bass - absolutely no nonsense '54 style P action and the neck is lovely. Small room so the amp got another easy night. We've got October off due to various holidays/work commitments, so that's all from me for a while!

Ernie Ball Stainless flats for 5 string bass - 25 squids on Amazon. And they sound marvellous.

They are usually OK, though?