Lozz196

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1508579033' post='3393026'] Is it good for metal? [/quote] With those looks I`d think it would excell at metal. Be a bit like Vyvyan from the Young Ones jacket, Very Metal.

Playing at the Ilfacombe Punk Weekender at this venue two years ago led directly to us playing on the main stage at Butlins Skegness Punk Weekender a couple of weeks ago. Where we played to probably 1000 people, and managed to sell a good bit of merch. The Butlins gig was a paid gig, so with our fee from that and merch sales we`ve managed to pay for our hotels for next years Rebellion Festival in Blackpool - all money from gigs/merch goes back into the band, we never take any for ourselves. So doing these types of gigs can really work for you long-term. Of course they don`t always pan out so good, but if you don`t give it a go one things for sure, payment and opportunities will certainly not come your way.

Very possibly, Rotosound steel rounds and Fender Precisions are it for me, but when I had a couple of Stingrays said Rotos just didn`t work for my ears, so put Ernie Ball steel rounds on them and hey, suddenly they sounded as I wanted.

Wow, that is an amp that looks like it means the business.

Check out Black Sweden, they put ABBA lyrics with the proper melodies over rock songs. Their version of Take a Chance On Me played over Metallicas Enter Sandmans music is pretty spectacular as it works so incredibly well.

Never a big fan, liked Dear Prudence a hell of a lot, Happy House, and of course Hong Kong Garden. Incidentally, John McKay, the original guitarist is my mates brother, though in the 30+ years we`ve been mates I`ve to this day never met him.

I`ve had exactly the same experiences as Luke, Fender Jazzes, just don`t work for me.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1508255601' post='3390914'] Lozz won't be happy....he has to pay for his Aguilar gear. [/quote] I`ve moved on Mick, not cos of having to buy Aguilar gear of course, switched to Ashdown as it suited my sound better. Edit - and I have to pay for that too.

Yes we played the introducing stage at Butlins last year, Paul, and won, so were fortunate enough to play the main stage this year - what a blast that was. So sometimes doing something on the cheap can really be beneficial, a case of speculate to accumulate, as long as you`re well structured and focused you can really make these events work for you.

I`ve found that learning songs from my very younger days - as in primary school age - makes me smile a lot. Of course the charts in the early 70s were a lot of fun anyway so that could be a lot to do with it, but it`s something to maybe think about. I`m unlikely to ever play those songs in a band context, but it takes me back to an age when life was very uncomplicated and happy, whilst doing something that I love in the present. Association I suppose, give it a shot, you never know.

I`ve not got a Jazz at the moment, but the only time when I have had one where I felt it suited better than a Precision was in a rock band that had two humbucking guitars and keyboards. The Precision just had too much bulk to it with all the other sound going on, so the more subtle finesse of the Jazz fitted in really well.

Nice one Dave, they are very nice basses. I found them to have a real aggressive snap to the sound - if wanted of course - in comparison to the US Standards. One of those "easy to dial out, not so easy to dial in" sort of things.

It`s not a bad gig at that venue, we`re playing there later in November. It`s one of those things, play for nothing but if you`ve got good merch and want to spread the word then you can make it work for you. Given your locality it might be a gas, and with free accommodation have a good social at the same time, given the performance time. I`d take it, and look at it as a fun day out.

[quote name='DJpullchord' timestamp='1508093801' post='3389709'] Sit down and write some songs. [/quote] [quote name='blue' timestamp='1508099980' post='3389783'] Do you write with an audience or what you think people will like or do you just write in hopes people will like it. I'm assuming the songs you write will be heard by other people. Blue [/quote] We`re the same, we just write the material, either the singer/guitarist will come up with an idea or I will, then we`ll all work on it together at rehearsal. We don`t set out for a specific format or formula that we think people will like, we just set out for the best version of the idea we`ve come up with. All of the songs we write are written with the aim of being performed live.

The other thing to always remember is whatever the thoughts on songs, if it`s not in the singers range, ditch it. I hate seeing bands where the singer has to drop a song a whole octave, like a hideous permutation of Barry White singing AC/DC. If the singer can`t get the proper range, bin.

Additionally in my old punk covers band we worked on the theory that if it hadn`t been in the top 30 many punters would be unlikely to have heard of it, so no matter how good a song it was, not top 30, we didn`t play it.

The pre-set"shape" feature on the Ashdown has to be pressed in to be switched off, starting there would be my first recommendation. I find that the ABMs can boom a bit, so knock the lows back some, to about 11 o`clock. The compression I find way too much so fully off, same with the Sub-Harmonic thingy. From there add a touch of high-end with the slider to the extreme right hand side and likewise with the treble itself, just pushing both these past their "flat" settings. That hopefully will put you somewhere in the same realm as the AG.

Go for regular gauge, so that when you break a string or need new ones you can quickly resource them, rather than have to hunt high & low for someone that stocks what you`ve gotten used to. Rounds/flats/tapes - well depends what type of music really, rounds can be dulled down to sound flat-like, some flats can be brightened up to sound round-like. I learnt to play on flats, probably easier on the fingertips of the fretting hand.

Yep, TH350 is loud, but you need to have Gain cranked as well for it to be really loud, so if uber-clean sound is required possibly not the best choice.

Issues with the specific amp methinks. I`ve had a couple of TH500s (and TH350s) and they`ve been incredibly loud litle amps. Also hooked up to Barefaced cabs, but played with passive basses, never came anywhere near to using them on full volume.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1507462303' post='3385557'] Thanks G I emailed Ashdown late last night and [size=5]got a reply!![/size] I've been invited to send the head into their headquarters in Essex where they'll service and repair the head [size=5]Free of charge!! [size=4]Love it when I get proper service especially as I haven't even given them any money - they're just protecting their reputation.[/size][/size] [size=5][size=4]I'll keep you all apprised.[/size][/size] [/quote] Their customer service is second to none imo, Mick. I`ve sent similar queries via e-mail and the response has always been quick and helpful, likewise with telephone enquiries, the help and advice given has been great.

If you don`t need to sell then prob best not to, having a backup amp is always a good thing. Next difficult question then becomes, which is main, which is backup.

Reminds me of my old CMD121P & NY121 "stack". Much more powerful and room-filling than would be expected, congrats, doubling up really makes a difference, I`ll bet a big smile occurs when playing it at volume.