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Last nights outing with Emergency Exit punk covers band at The Dreadnought in Bathgate. Love this venue with both bands. PA and lighting already in place with great SE's. Owner or Manager whichever is there on the night are both top guys and look after you really well and are so easy to get along with. Has to be one of the best run venues i've ever known. Anyways the gig wasn't very busy maybe around 20-30 folks in. It holds approx 150 but they were all up for a dance / pogo almost all night from approx the 3rd song. We did our usual invite to "Big Hastie" to come on stage and sing Into The Valley with us and as a treat we let him sing Hurry Up Harry as well. Just great fun. From what folks were telling us including one of the SE's who was on his weekend off but came along to see us, that Fri nights have been extremely quiet recently and tonight was fairly busy for a Fri night. My attitude to quiet gigs is that they are just paid rehearsals. Band played well altho guitarist had hand cramp a few times but he carried on like the trooper he is. Only one more gig this year before the band takes a break and considers whether they want to continue. No ill feeling within the band but a personally a little disappointed. Guitarist has been doing it originally since 1977 but on and off over the years. Been constant last 16 yrs and i think he's getting a little bored with it. We'll get together in the New Year and see how folks feel about it. I've only been with the band 3 yrs so i still enjoy playing the songs as they have so much energy and the band are all just really nice people. Used my Sandberg MarloweDK into Shure Wireless and then the Mesa TT800 and SW 210 & 115 cabs. The Marlowe sounds amazing thru the Boogie channel on this amp. Every note is so clear across the neck but has a wonderfully warm deep tone and with the flick of the Brightness switch i get a terrific edge for those more rasping type songs. So happy with this Mesa rig, plus i can lift the amp with my little finger whenever needed Dave

Precariously placed double bass. Was a good gig at a great Bristol pub. Brings my total weeks gig earnings to £500. Feel like a pro!

Pile o' sh!te last night. Played with Nine Lives last night at the Balaclava in Fraserburgh. First half was dire - about 10 folk in the bar and absolutely none of them gave a flying f hole if we were there or not - in fact they would have prefered we weren't there as they got one of the bar staff to come over and tell us that we were a bit loud and they couldn't talk at the bar - cheeky bar stewards! I was quite hacked off by that, angry enough that at half time I postulated to the rest of the band that we offer to end it now and take half pay. The drummer sorta half agreed with me but the other two wanted to carry on and see if things improve. Thankfully, some extra folk came in during the break who were actually up for a boogie and improved things immeasurably and I ended up having an OK night, but it was very much a case of the second half cancelling out the first. Hey ho, got paid, packed up, went home. Gear - Squier Affinity Jaguar H then Yamaha BB1200 into the usual Markbass tone cubes.

No reason other than its particularly good pic of my Wilcock Mullarkey on the couch.

Watch Fender launch a multiscale headless jazz bass with an asymmetric neck and humbuckers next week now...

Well, she's done. I changed the pickups for a pair of Limelight units which are 1960's voiced with a lower, more vintage output than the ones I originally had. I bought these from our very own @Spoonman, and they sound superb. The nut has been cut by the fabulous Rob Williams (www.robwilliamsguitars.co.uk) and the action, which was high and stiff, is now lower and slinkier, to the point where it feels like another bass. I have to say that it sounds amazing, even through my PF500, which is a bit farty and clanky for my liking, so when I get it through the big Eden rig I reckon it will be even better. It plays well, too, the added width of the Precision neck giving my clumsy (and injured) fingers a bit more freedom. The wiring loom I bought pre-assembled; normally I would build my own but I found a deal I couldn't say no to, which included a great big green Russian capacitor. What effect it has on the sound I don't know, but the sound is great, so it gets my vote - the combination of CTS pots, that capacitor and those lovely pickups just works. Now all I need is my finger to finish healing (that'll take a while) and a band to play in! Cheers, JRK

If you don’t want music and want a blether, go to a ‘Spoons; FFS! Punters, eh?

Just got in from a great gig at Moor Brewery in Bristol. I've had to run home after our set because my daughter has chickenpox so there is no guarantee that I'll get much sleep tonight. Strange but cool venue. It's literally in the warehouse. There are tanks brewing things next to where you play. The sound guy also just wanted the amps to do the work in the room, so we got to turn up LOUD 😬 But, it was the most engaged crowd of the night (so far). Lots of people headbanging, which is great. A mate said lots of people were pointing at my Dingwall too. I think we're really honing in on our live sound now after 8 or so gigs. Love, love, love the Digbeth too. It was an 8Ohm cab, so I was putting half power into it, but I still filled the space at about 6/7 on the volume controls. Didn't manage to get a pic of the stage, but I was playing my Combustion into my pedalboard, then Digbeth head and another band's Matamp 610. We've curated a night there for December, and I'm really looking forward to it now!

A hit tune is always great art: "it speaks to the souls of a million strangers" Not my words but the words of his Jazz tutor Ted Dunbar to a young Nile Rogers. Nile was complaining about having to play Sugar, Sugar by the Archies in his covers band, the rest is history. Without that advice he might have gone on to be an obscure jazz guitarist playing to six people admiring chord sequences in downtown bars and unknown to the world. I can't tell you how many wonderful nights I've had dancing to Chic or indeed Mustang Sally as a teenager or how many rooms full of people joyfully singing "ride sally ride" I've played to. It may not be music you listen to often but there is often something joyous about music touching the souls of millions. If you are a covers band you aren't creating art you are copting it and hoping to give people a good night out basking in the glory of other people's creativity. You don't have to play any particular song or style of music to do this but are you really so good you can look down on people who do. Anyway Tommy Cogbill is one of my favourite bassists

I know many will disagree, but I don't really buy the idea of the unplayable 70's Fender (unless of course the neck has bowed which happens to manufacturers other than Fender e.g., EBMM and Ric). I've played some in shops and at a seller's house that have played like dogs - bad setup, dodgy electrics, neck not on straight or badly shimmed - but while I often declined to buy them at the time, I'm not convinced any couldn't be recovered! I bought a maple neck '75 Precision unseen on eBay and when it arrived it was a disaster, neck like a suspension bridge, strings nowhere near poles, more dead spots than Margate in winter, but I got it playable with some work. OK, it was VERY heavy, but I've nevere been that worried about weight.

There is a school of thought that vintage Fenders were never intended to have neck pockets with a super- tight precision-engineered fit like a lot of modern basses have nowadays. That's because at the time it wasn't consider a priority; that's a much more recent preoccupation. Also, Fender thought that some space was necessary for the neck to be easily removed for truss rod adjustment and repair ect. They thought that if the neck pockets were too snug that the shoulders of the neck pocket would be prone to cracking or even breaking due to bumps in transit, expansion and contraction of the wood and general wear and tear over the years. As others have alluded to, at the time no one anticipated Fenders becoming holy relics with people agonizing over the fine details. They just wanted to make something that worked okay. They were pragmatic. I've had boutique Fender- style basses that had neck pockets so tight that it was a struggle to detach the neck when all the bolts were removed. I've also experienced cracking in the paint finish on the sides of the neck pocket on one of those basses exactly because it had such a tight-fitting neck join, just like Fender sought to avoid, so maybe they had a point.

Hey guys! Finally finished yesterday and gigged last night! Really pleased with how it turned out, and it plays and sounds fab! Lighter than my BBN5 too 😊👌

My tribute to Tony Levin...

I've just put said duvet cover on, and can confirm that I would gladly have paid someone 30 quid to do it

At one of our regular acoustic gigs, the booker actually asks people not to talk while we’re playing when he takes their reservation! Whilst this is probably nice in a folk club environment, for a cafe bar IMO it’s maybe a bit much - when we first started doing the gig I found having the punters so near to me and totally silent a bit unnerving! It’s also a bit like ‘jazz club’ where they applaud my mate’s guitar solos too sometimes, but as it’s such a fabulous gig/ audience I turn a blind eye to it. Better that than pub punters asking you to keep it down so they can chat I guess. 😁

Hey if he is going to put a duvet cover on himself for a tenner, imagine what he would do for £20!

Its difficult when that happens but i've always just thought to myself "Lets use it as a paid rehearsal" and just try to enjoy it for what it is. Unfortunately being told you are too loud and we cant talk at the bar is a bit of a blow and for the bar staff to actually deliver that message is poor from a venue point of view. They hired you and should be telling punters to keep the noise down. I've never understood people that go to pubs where bands play and then complain they cant hear themselves talking at the bar. If they want to talk then go to a pub that doesn't have a live band. On a happier note i do like that Yamaha bass. Never tried one but like the look and tone they have. Onto the next gig where it will be a belter. 👍 Dave

Everyone ends up playing a Fender P. It is as inevitable as arthritis. I know some of you are doing your best to push back against your ultimate fate, but you will succumb, or die young.

To be fair to sound engineers, both experienced and fresh, if Barry on keys is playing as if there is no one else in the band, has reduced motor skills so is smacking all sorts of extra notes, is riding that sustain pedal, is giving it his finest Con Belto with octegenarian vibrato while speeding up and is partially deaf so cannot hear anyone else there is not much you can do. I am fully aware that was a long sentence. Obv I changed Jim's name to Barry to hide his identity. But the point stands. Any band, no matter what the venue, can suck badly if there is no musical discipline or any mic technique. The nature of volunteers is that this could happen on a Sunday morning or evening. And the congregation/audience will presume it is the sound bod cos the band must be OK. Sound bods do not have it easy.

You'll never guess who make them.......

If a pro is someone who earns their living from music then I am one and you have out earned me by a very long way!

My 1969 Gibson Les Paul Bass and my self built copy from 2015. The copy features Gibson lo-z guitar pickups instead of bass pickups.

A load of random design features resulting in... whatever that is, is not innovation.

Hello Basschat friends! I'm excited to share that my band, Harmonic Swamp is playing at the fabulous Corn Exchange - Hertford on Thursday 24th October as part of Juice BoxHerts 'Amplify' new music nights! Amplify new music nights provide a platform for artists to perform their original music and gain exposure to a wider audience. So, if you're local to Hertford and a fan of live music and artists showcasing their own material, please come along and show your support - it'd be great to see you there! We're playing with two other talented artists, The Peilroccos and Isla Brent, so it's bound to be a great night! 🎶👍😊 Doors open 8pm. TICKETS: £6 Adv / £8 Door Here are all the links you need : https://www.facebook.com/harmonicswamp FB event - https://www.facebook.com/events/1371971117472725 https://www.cornexchangehertford.co.uk/whats-on/amplify-110924 https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/isla-brent-the-peliroccos-harmonic-hertford-corn-exchange-tickets/13598454 Corn Exchange, 39 Fore Street, Hertford, SG14 1AL https://www.facebook.com/share/r/zrfg6q68QB2bYTMg/

That to me says to turn up, the fact that they thought they could try!

I've owned two. I now have arthritis. So now we know cause and effect - eschew the P, save your joints!

I choose death.

You do. You really do. . . . if you and the band play your best and the audience likes what you do.

Catering will be unaffected in terms of quality and quantity, as a lot of it can be prepped in advance; you might just have to queue a bit longer for it 🙂😋

A ways off at the moment, but we’re supporting local heroes, The Owls on St Andrew’s night or, as it is being named by the the organisers, St SKAndrew’s Night (which I think is quite clever, even if they’ve missed the apostrophe 🤦🏻).

I have to say that the Squier Paranormal SS Rascal has some small innovative steps. The range of tones from the two wide range humbucking Pups makes it a very versatile bass indeed. The bridge Pup is 12ins from the 12th fret ( exactly the same as the SS Stingray) and delivers a very Stingray-like tone. While the body shape is not everyone's taste it does play and balance quite nicely. I would like to see a SS Squier Jaguar with the Rascal Pup layout and controls.

I used to have a very big chip on my shoulder about this song after playing it for so many years. I vowed after finishing in a previous band I wouldn’t play it again. My current band were asked to play it as a request at a wedding as the bride and her friends love it, so we happily obliged and it has been in the set ever since. We do a good job of it I think, we have a great drummer and guitarist which makes a difference to giving it a good feel. Everyone has a sing along even drunk lads in their 20s when we play a pub, so I have learned to just roll with it and not take everything too seriously. I have no musical credibility, I’m in my 40s playing covers in pubs for £40 a night 😄.

It would be the musical equivalent of Harley Davidson, except that changing legislation meant that Harley had to move on and eventually abandon its old models. There's nothing to make Ps and Js obsolete in the same way, and they're functional and have plenty of fanbois. It's just annoying to non-fanbois that Fender keep pretending they're doing something different when they're just putting out a different set of colours.

Evening all!! I used to be a regular around these parts with various incarnations of my enormous and underutilised synth/funk pedalboard. But I haven't played much and therefore haven't had a board in a few years.... but that changed today.

Punchline is a little large 😂 but fits on the XPND nicely. Gone through a lot of fuzz pedals to decide on a boost for this weekends gig.

Bands play Mustang Sally because it was in The Commitments. They play Sweet Home Alabama because that was in a film too. Alright Now was in a chewing gum ad. Films and TV have been responsible for many cover band staples. I think the reason these covers mostly suck is down to a, “That’ll do,” attitude.

My Dano Longhorn still has the factory strings , it’s from the first batch of reissues so they’ve been on since 98 or so. I have some TI flats on a 4001 that are probably five or six years older. I think the strings on an old 72 Pbass might be older. I’m mostly playing short scales now so it’s unlikely I’ll be changing any of those now , I have a set of LaBella flats set aside in case I lose a winding or break a string on the Dano.

Funny, I often found the opposite… I’ve been playing ampless and on IEMs and folks have come up to me to complain that I was too loud and should turn my amp down… 🤷‍♂️

The worst problem I ever had with dead spots was on a Status Graphite bass, which theoretically is immune to such problems. With Fender basses I've never had deadspot a problem either, and I've had loads. Maybe with Fenders it's just part of the sound. If everything was even and consistent, it wouldn't sound like a Fender.

You could stick a very thick pick in the neck pocket gap of my old '63 P, still sounded awesome.

I think you have been lucky. I've owned, and probably still do, several basses where a particular note on the G string fades much quicker than others; typically one between fret 5 and 9. It's never bothered me though.

I put together a small board to be more portable and suit the Squier CV Bass VI, with a Harley Benton combo PSU and Tuner to start. It's not the neatest with those power cables sprouting out the back, but it otherwise works great. MXR Bass Octave Deluxe - don't know if I really need it on this board, considering getting a small compressor for this space. My Orange Kongpressor is twice the size. Mosky Silver Horse "Klon": I might get a Golden Horse to replace it on this board, since I don't need both modes and it's not a lot of money. Nice for just a bit of dirt / mid boost. Tone City Matcha Cream, green Russian Big Muff clone. Brings the dirt. The Boss MD-200 is back for now since my JHS 3 Series Phaser has apparently died on me. It's a bit overkill and I could fit two pedals in that space. I have a mini size chorus/tremolo (Mooer Soul Shiver), the space could fit that and another mini phaser. Sonicake Sonic Ambience: delay/reverb, pretty good if a bit fiddly. IK Multimedia ToneX One: I have it on this board as an amp/cab sim with headphone and USB interfaces at home. Won't be needed if playing through an amp, but could be useful in a direct to PA situation. "The Fridge" preset gets used the most but I also have a cleaner Trace Elliot model on there.

While I reckon this statement is reasonably accurate, if I see bassists using Fender stuff it's almost like marking the whole band down a point. It was like this when I saw Geddy Lee photographed with his Jazz bass on the inner sleeve of (I think) Farewell To Kings. 'That's not a Rickenbacker,' I almost shouted out. I'm so glad that guys like Mick Karn, Jeff Ament, Eddie McDonald, Muzzy, Pete Vukovic, Overend and (early) Nikki Sixx bucked Fender. Despite owning three Fenders over the years, 10+ years since last ownership, I despise the brand.

For the money and superb performance it’s got to be LFSYS Monaco Awesome cabs and sound larger than they look

My IKEA bass was delivered today

Just in from a very enjoyable evening at the Harbour View Speakeasy in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear. This is a very popular buskers type night with a featured player or band given 45 mins at the end to close out the night. I played tonight with our acoustic’ish trio doing a set of country & Americana tunes to an appreciative audience. Only my second gig entirely on EUB and i just about got away with it. Lovely to see a pub full of music lovers on a Thursday night.