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Two days later I'm just about recovered from Mustang Sally's NYE gig in South Somerset so here's the report! Due to last-minute illness and domestic problems our usual 5-piece line-up was reduced to just three of us on the day before the gig - drums, bass+BV (me), plus electro-acoustic rhythm guitar+Vox, so no KB nor LG. I'd put a setlist together the week before to cope with having no LG numbers, but that all went in the bin once we found the KB guy wasn't going to be able to play either so no sax numbers, and no second lead vox. All a bit nerve-wracking, but the show had to go on... Luckily our lady singist cut her gigging teeth many years ago as a solo act (G+Vox), although very much in the Country/Irish/MoR pop vein. She sent me a list of the titles from back then she still felt confident in playing, from which I managed somehow to make up 2 x 60 minute sets using some of our standards as well. Many of her numbers had no keys against them - never mind, I said, you'll remember them once we start playing, just make sure I can see your fretting hand (although this involved me mentally transposing on the numbers where she used a capo!) Still, we got through and amazingly enough the punters loved it - maybe there's a takeaway there for us, a complete change of genre from our previous line-up where we played quasi-metal and hard-rock with an ex-stadium-rock gitrist... Oh yes, so what about my debut on BVs with this band? I've studiously managed to avoid doing BVs while playing with three other consecutive bands over the last 8 years, but needs must on the 31st, so I dropped a couple of VocalZone lozenges and went for it - a bit like getting back on a bike after years I suppose, I fell off a couple of times but once I got some decent foldback from our sound guy it went OK. Shame I suppose, as now the singist is thinking about us doing 3-part harmonies when the KB guy comes back! Mrs G came along with me, determined not to let her Parkinson's get in the way of a night out, but leaving home at 19:00, 100-mile round trip, and getting home at 02:30 was a long session especially for her - but she enjoyed herself and thankfully had none of her balance problems, largely thanks to kind people who helped her through the evening. So it's on to 2025 - next gig is near Minehead (North Somerset coast) on 25th January - another 100-mile round trip and new ground for the band, so let's hope for mild weather (the Exmoor area can be a bit wild in Winter) and a full band!

On New Years Eve I played with the CoStars at our annual booking of the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne. A couple of hundred people (mainly in the 50+ age bracket) in full ball gowns/dinner suits enjoying a slap up meal with dinner jazz..... and then dancing to us afterwards. Kicked off around 10.30 and played a 50 min opening set then took a 20 min break and continued from 11.40, across midnight until 1am. A mix of tunes to suit slightly older tastes (Carpenters to Dolly Parton to EW&F to Sophie Ellis Bextor via Gloria Gaynor, The Beatles, Frankie Valli and more), with a punky 'Auld Lang Syne' followed by Sinatra's 'New York New York' and The Proclaimers' '500 Miles' at midnight and everyone seemed happy. Broke out my Spector Coda 4 for this one and was pleased how it handled the variety of styles. Home at 4.30 and in bed by 5am....zzzzz...

Just noticed a new Bass Rig Roundup from Ian King is just out... Terrificly good.

I like using mine for country gigs. It’s probably the only bass I need, but sometimes I need more bite. I’ve had both lined and unlined. I like the lined, especially when reading charts in jazz situations. Never had a ponytail.

If you have 47:50 mins spare over lunchtime then this is a strangely relaxing video to watch - YouTube luthier Tanya Shpachuk goes through the process of replacing a truss rod and frets on a Tbird in close up detail. I found it equally fascinating and also somewhat twitchy, as someone who is an absolute klutz with tools would have had that thing reduced to firewood in 5 minutes. I really do admire people with skills to do this sort of thing and the patience required too. Getting that fretboard off... ooohh!!!!! (Ignore the odd bogey nail art.. it doesn't last long.)

Simplifier is simply the wrong name for that piece of kit

I have never had a bad NYE, I have had a couple that weren't that great, but most have them have been just like a pub gig only busier and paid double for being up an hour later. Actually, that is the same with wedding gigs for us - not sure why anyone would book us as a wedding band, as we are going to do most of the same pub set in pretty well the same way with maybe a special song, but I guess for a wedding band we are cheap compared to the silly rates people can charge, and people who book us are people who have seen us anyway, so they obviously want what we do.

Sounds like a successful night and great gig Dave. I left at 2:00, arrived at 2:19. Hauled my gear in. Easy load in but still a painful experience for me. We started at 4:00 and played till 7: 15 ( 15 minutes over). With one 15 minute break. I stood upright the whole show. I didn't have to use a stool. Great atmosphere tons of fans and friends. I set up a little " meet and greet " area for myself in a cool booth with a cool chandelier hanging over it. Nobody wanted to talk to me. Lol Daryl

Well that was the shortest gig i've ever done. BLOCKBUSTARZ Glam were booked to play Mayfield Community Club near Dalkeith 5-7pm for a decent fee. We struggled to get any details about whether PA and lights required plus running order so that raised some concerns and alarm bells were already ringing. We turned up at 2:30pm to get set up only to find the event was already well underway since 12:30pm and there was a guy singing some great old classic 70's songs and i have to admit i was really enjoying it as we set up. There was a DJ filling in the gaps between acts. We did a very quick sound check at 4:30pm for approx 10mins and then went back to changing room Organiser came in and asked if we would start 5:30pm as the other guy had ran a bit late and finish at 7pm. Apparently another band was on after us. There were 2 stages one in each corner of the back end of the hall so that was convenient. We had the larger stage. Started at 5:30 and got to 6:10pm the organiser came over the DJ microphone saying one more song from the band. ??? We were actually shocked and thought it was a mistake but nope that was it. We had visions of not being fully paid but were handed an envelope with the full fee. Audience were shouting at the organiser to let the band play on as many had seen us before and had come along solely to see us. No joy. People were coming up to us as we packed up asking why such a short set. They had seen us before and we had played for 2-3hrs in some venues. We had to tell them it was down to the organiser who appeared well pissed when we arrived. Singer saw him talking to the "other band" that turned out to be a guy and a woman with backing tracks. It was directly after that the organiser announced the ending. We suspect they were friends of the organiser and they wanted us off stage long before they went on for whatever reason ? They were on 7-10pm apparently. Either totally "up" themselves or didn't want to follow us who were putting on a proper show with all the glam gear etc. As we were packing our gear they started their set. Can't say they put any effort into their clothing. Old jeans and a black shirt ? Anyways that was our first gig in 2025. Very short and sweet but a decent full fee was paid. We definitely won't return to that venue again. At least my fingers weren't sore after todays gig I do feel sorry for those that came along specifically to see us as it was a ticketed event. We have learned a lesson tho. Pay more attention to any bookings we accept and thoroughly check what the event actually is. We don't want a repeat of that fiasco. We may now go down the route of proper contracts clearly stating what we do and when we start and finish. Dave

£18.50 on the door, £0.95 saving and not funding AXS greed. Works for me.

I play in the house band at an open mic and for a long I only took my fretless. One time this guy came over at the end and very earnestly asked "why do you play fretless" and at the time the only reply I could think of came out "because I can!". He duly walked off leaving me thinking "pretentious? Moi?"🤣

Here is a small video I did, gives an idea of the tone of the bass.

I see no issue with this as long as the PCB is the exact same one.

The only audition I’ve ever done was for the first working band I joined. They were touring around the local circuit , power trio with some blues background but leaning into Jeff Beck territory. Lesbian couple. Mostly original material. I was the only one that showed up for the audition , we jammed for about an hour and a half , I got the spot. I had been doing photographic work , traded a Nikon F2 for a 72 Pbass. Still have that old Pbass. Got a Marshall head on time. It was the mid 70’s. I’ve been playing and gigging ever since.

I’ve enjoyed reading this NYE gigs part of the thread. I have refused to play any gigs on December 31 for many a year. There was never a good one, so I’m happy to see some of you managed a decent evening.

Bland NYE gig in Cornwall. I did think it was a tad risky doing mostly ska & new wave originals in a pub full of partying young locals, especially as the majority of the material isn’t known or released. No surprise that the covers went down well. Obligatory rig pic, loving my lightweight Sandberg - no back pain!

Played at The Palm Court Hotel in Scarborough last night for a NYE dinner dance. Despite horrendous weather warnings we made it there okay, the 50 mile journey affected mainly by high winds. Got set up in the hotel lounge whilst the guests were dining - took my usual Rumble 100 combo to use with a Squier SS Jag bass which has been given to me on permanent loan by a friend. Sounded fine and easy to play for the three long sets we did, starting around 8pm through to 12.30am. We were well looked after by the hotel manager - we took our partners and they were given lots of bubbly and stuff, and we had a few drinks too although as I was driving I stuck to water and coffee. 🙁 Playing wise it went okay. Had a keyboard player with us ( old mate Steve ) as well as singer guitarist Doug who is well known in the Scarborough area. Songs requested and played were the usual dance standards ( Sinatra etc) right through to slightly more recent stuff. I got a request to sing ‘Dead Flowers’ by the Stones - slightly unusual choice for a NYE do - so duly obliged , along with some other 60’s and 70’s stuff and of course ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at midnight. Got packed very quickly and then had a dreadful journey home - roads were virtually rivers in places, with biblical amounts of rainfall. My trusty Skoda didn’t miss a beat though, so back around 2.30am, absolutely knackered! Not the best of gigs I’ve done recently, (made worse by wearing dinner suit and bow tie which I despise!) but a lovely venue and being well paid made up for it. Mrs CP had great fun too, and after the terrible few years she’s endured health wise it felt like we were celebrating the start of better times. Here’s hoping. 😃 A very Happy New Year to all BC people, may 2025 be a great one for you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025 everyone. Hogmanay gig for BLOCKBUSTARZ Glam band in Airdrie working mans Club. Sold Out and according to the organiser its the first time they've ever sold out for Hogmanay. Left house 3pm, got there 4pm, doors open 7pm then found out we were not going on until 9:30-10:30pm then back on 11-11:45pm and then 00:15 to 00:30am ish to allow for the DJ to play some traditional old Scottish songs for the bells at midnight. We decided to mix with the audience at midnight rather than sit in changing room which turned out good fun with many wanting hugs and kisses from the band as well as pics. Band played well, no noticeable mistooks. During the 3rd song a woman came up to me and attempted to hand me a note while i was playing the chorus of Cat Crept In so my wee fingers are up and down the neck. Not sure how she expected me to take the note mid song but luckily the singer clocked it and came over and took the note requesting a song by Fleetwood Mac. This was a sold out, fully ticketed night with advertising and posters well in advance with the band on stage in full outrageous Glam gear so why would you make a request for Fleetwood Mac. ? Sometimes there are just moments during a gig where you wonder. We've been booked same gig next Hogmanay since 2023 so that's good. Other surprise was we got paid £100 more than the agreed fee for some odd reason. That was nice. Usual gear Sandberg VM4 into Keeley comp, Shure wireless, Mesa TT800 Boogie channel, Mesa 210/115 cabs. Packed up and on the road by 01:30am and home 02:30am. Quick coffee and biccie and bed. Dave

This is ace. Full run through of his di rig for bass guitars, DB, and synth, all with playing examples. Few anecdotes about when things have gone wrong too. PAGE 2 has a new rig video from him.

I've had several fretless basses, and loved them all. I find that the defining factors are neck width and depth, and attack, which are essential to the overall feel of a fretless. Dot positions etc are a distant last to these considerations. I have been drinking whisky, so take these remarks as you wish to. Bliadhna Mhath Ur, everyone.

Classifieds. You are looking for an old combo with a bit of poke. Trace Elliot, Ashdown, Peavey. 150w and 15" speaker. If your practice amp is in good condition you might not take too bad of a bath px'ing at a shop.

Why would you need to re-order? The supplier needs to make things right and send a replacement as part of the current order, no? If you mean order it from somewhere else because these guys can't/won't deliver then I think I'd be inclined to take pity on your situation - you made every effort to get it done and dusted before the end of the year and it's not your fault it has failed to arrive.

One thing to keep in mind with IEM's is that while they can "protect" your hearing to a certain degree if used properly they can also just as easily damage your hearing by monitoring too loudly. This happens quite easily if the stage volume overwhelms the isolation of the ear piece. Even with the custom plugs I've used over the years, 26dB and 37dB of isolation seems like more than enough isolation but the low end backwash from big PA systems will make it impossible to monitor at low levels. As you turn up the volume of your IEM's due to the sealed nature of the device you create pneumatic pressure in the ear canal that can damage your hearing. The other aspect is that while playing without an amp may be appealing for some, the band is now at the total mercy of the person mixing. The band no longer plays dynamically with one another because everyone is in their own universe.

To sum up the thread: You are wrong! You are all wrong! No one can tell the difference in the mix, and most people doesn't even know the difference between a bass and a guitar. You should be more like them, you know normal! Realize that no one cares about your bass, or you for that matter! Just quit!

Really great to watch a top draw pro doin his thing. Great work on 'Dancing Queen' ghost notes a plenty.. super tone too.

I've used the Hotone Ampero control really successfully with the FI Four footswitches but will also accept additional TRS switches or EXP controls and then route the midi out to FI. Fully programable over bluetooth with a nice and easy phone app so you can set program changes or CC as you wish

Fully agree Cliff! I stopped doing NYE gigs about 6 years ago, mainly for the excessive hanging around, early start, late finish, and under appreciation (not that I ever did it for the attention!). Weddings were even worse - knocked those on the head even longer ago! Pleased that folks are still out there entertaining on NYE though, and as long as they're doing it (mostly) on their terms, then crack on! 😁🤘

this is a very exciting delivery!

If your tech/luthier deems a new nut to be required then in their professional opinion the current nut is faulty/defective/broken. Replacing broken things on a like for like basis is ok. RE: strings - some people change bass strings with wallet frightening frequency because they simply must have the zing of new strings for their sound. Also breakages, whilst rare, do happen. Some people only own one bass (also unusual but does happen ) so what are they supposed to do if that happens - give up bass for the rest of the year? These are a few reasons why strings are allowed.

It's an honourable status, but you would still be out having brought new gear into your possession. People have kept track of the net in/out of gear on this thread. We could have a separate "2025 Gear Budget Maintenance Thread ", where one posted the maximum net expenditure you planned and then had to stick to that. Not sure that's a runner.

I have been using IEMs for a few years now and have been frustrated by them. I instigated the move to IEMs as I run the sound, but started to regret it. I have been through shure se215 which to me were lifeless compared to my KZ ZS10 pros. But the most frustrating thing was playing through either the Behringer P1 or P2 belt pack. It wasn’t being tethered that bothered me, it was the mono mix and what seemed to be load of hiss on the aux channel. Anyway, my wife bought be a Behringer P16 monitor mixer. I can now pan instruments about, grab my mix easily and also the hiss has gone. It’s like playing along to a record. AMAZING Strongly recommend trying one if you are using a Behringer digital mixer. Game changer for me. Another thing, for the first time on IEMs, I didn’t miss having my amp behind me as I put me in the middle of the mix and my bass sounded huge.

It's not so much the lines as you dont look at them, it's more of a case of where the dots and lines are on the side of the fretboard. On an unlined it's either dots or blank spaces. On a lined its dots and lines on every fret which to my eyes is super messy and confusing.

Well done @neepheid! 2025 could be easier, as I may be skinter...

Ok so I'm going to put a counter view to @Dood's on a couple of points, based on my own pub/function gigging experience. I personally don't think wireless is a waste of money and you can get decent Xvive U4s for < £200, if you want the freedom to move around. But that will very much depend on your own performance style. What I would say, however, is that freedom to move goes hand in hand with having a wireless set up on bass, or a wireless mic if you're a singer. But it does make sense to start with wired to make sure that IEMs are for you. Not everyone is a fan, particularly guitarists in my experience, whereas singers often seem to really love them! I can highly recommend the KZ ZARs as in ear headphones. They're < £50 from Ali Express and folk who've A/B'd them with much very more expensive kit have often said that the top end KZ's were as good. For us the cost of getting a desk to enable a stereo mix is indeed an expensive luxury (we've other pressing priorities!). Sticking with mono has been fine for us and we get the same balance as the audience does, albeit a personal mono mix still allows you to bring up / keep in the background whatever elements from the band are going through the desk, if your desk has the ability to provide a tailored mix. Good luck!

Great night, great gig. Daryl

Nice little NYE dep job for a great local cover band, here in Sussex. Very slow start crowd wise for the first two sets but it all came good in the end. Pretty pleased with my performance and the stingray sounded fab through the LFsys Monza. Appy new year folks ! X😊

Not long in. A jam-packed night at this legend of a boozer in Bromsgrove. Great crowd on their feet from the start.

Good gig at a retirement village tonight in Bedford. Not sure what time we will get home though.

I'd just leave it in BEADG and play the notes as written. Thus you have consistent patterns up, down, and across.

Unless the people in question are musicians whose work is on Spotify, and what they want is more money.

And here I am in my new fretless player suit, way better, no?