Lozz196

Pretty much the best playing/sounding Precision you`ve ever played - in that case it doesn't matter if resale is only a quid, just snap it up.

Sorry to hear about this, sadly happening a bit too often nowadays.

I`ve just picked up a VM 70s Precision. Nice bass, very light, once set-up and new strings on it I reckon it will be fine. For just over £100 it`s a great bass, I`ll only use it as a backup but it`s amazing how good the cheaper instruments are now, in comparison to what was around when I started.

Whenever I`ve ended up with gear that I`ve kept for a good while it`s usually through either using it as provided rigs for a while - Ashdown - or through hearing plenty of other bassists use it - Markbass - and liking it in a band setting.

And Markbass amps pair very well with Precisions - imo of course - so that would be ideal for the music being played.

GK rigs are brighter sounding - if required - than Markbass, but having had a few GK amps, though not one of those, they can do a nice Precision "thump" very nicely. Only thing with that rig, it`ll be a beggar to cart about, though I reckon it will sound nice. I`d do a bit of research though, just to make sure that the amp will be loud enough for the band - plus as the speakers have been changed in the cabs that may make moving them on difficult so something to bear in mind.

I`m pretty much there for what I need in my current band. The main factors are the Sansamp Para Driver, and how I play/hit the strings - attack on the strings is a major factor in peoples tone imo.

Think the thing with this is, are you after a more modern sound, or a more old-school sound. From there I reckon the recommendations will flood in.

Yep, watched it last night, a good programme and various bits in there that I`m sure we can all relate to.

I had to do roughly the same when I depped a few years back. 24 is a lot, so break them down into batches: Songs you already know how to play roughly Songs you know but don`t know how to play Songs you don`t know at all Then put a schedule together for cracking on with them. Prioritise those you don`t know obviously, and if 5 days in there are any you really can`t crack tell the band asap, see if there are any other songs in their rep that can be swapped in instead.

It`s now being advertised in Bass Guitar Mag, saying available from Aug 2017 - there, they`ve specified which year - so fingers crossed for you guys who`ve shelled out for one already.

Am in Derby tomorrow, but don`t want a TE set-up, and have no room in the car, otherwise I`d be bringing it back for Mick (The Greek), I don`t think he has enough TE gear at the moment.

I think The Horns in Watford would be ideal, get a Saturday night there and it would go down a storm.

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1499970162' post='3334927'] I have come across the 'it wasn't like that on.....' types and I have to say I don't like it when I see a band and they play exactly the same as the album version. Why bother? I may as well sit in comfort with a beer. I LOVE the variation that live music allows and that's why the bands that improvise and experiment stand out. [/quote] Yep, I`m in big agreement re having live arrangements for songs, some songs just work better in a slightly different format live as oppose to recorded. It takes a quality band imo to recognise that. But the thing is, those types who would notice a pro band missing a double chorus for example are quite possibly the same people who won`t notice that a pub covers band are playing, say A then Eb on a song that should have gone A then Ab.

I think the thing of "The Punters Don`t Know The Difference" comes from when you hear covers bands play songs wrong, as in, the wrong chords/notes. Providing the whole band is doing the same, most pub-goers watching a covers band won`t notice as it`s the singer they concentrate on. I used to watch a local band who played Gangsters by The Specials and they were right on the first note, wrong on the next, yet all the audience were up & dancing. Same with their version of Going Underground by The Jam, the bassist didn`t play hardly any of the bass riffs/runs, which to me are an essential part of that song, yet again, audience cheering, singing along & dancing. Why, imo cos the singer was good, and in the right key, with the vocals being plenty loud. Now go to fans of originals bands, and you soon hear people saying "so and so was a bit off on the guitar solos this eve" "they didn`t start with the drums like on the album" "they only did one chorus at the end instead of two". Different world, and that`s why the pro-bands have to put the hours in, to always play as if it`s the bigest gig they`ve ever done, and not just put a shift in - they`ll get found out otherwise.

Makes sense, we only ever have gig backline at the same volume as rehearsals, if necessary I can play fine without hearing myself too well, as long as I can hear lead vox & lead guitar I`m fine.

When you look at how many hours are worked, for the amount paid, does it even come into the earnings bracket that is taxable? Leave at 11am, drive to Morecambe, get there at 7pm, play the gig, get to hotel at 1am the next day. £200 between 3 of us, deduct petrol and accommodation costs. Yep, much better that the tax-man has my band in his sights rather than Amazon or Starbucks, Knock Off paying tax would sort the economy and end austerity in some 19million, 200,000 years or so.

I wouldn`t be able to do it but would be interested in seeing the band, love that stuff, do you do anything Herts/Beds/Bucks/Essex way at all?

It seems to be the "in thing" as many a band I`ve heard have suffered this, all kick drum and booming bass appears to be how many sound-guys want bands to sound.

Having had ash and alder Precisions I found that the ash ones had more presence in the highs, and less in the low-mids, so sounded a lot more aggressive/punchy.

The SPB-2 is famed for having more mids and as such being more aggressive. The Custom Shop Precision pickups are anything but, they have a lovely tone to them - I`ve two US Standards that have these in, warm rounded P-Bass heaven imo. Given that the output of the bass is also a lot quieter than your others I`d reckon on some wiring/connections/solder joints maybe being loose. If I recall correctly this happened to me on an install that a mate did once, all that came out was high end at very low volume - uninstalled the pickup, resoldered and all was fine.

Will it get to 10 posts before someone asks which is best for metal

Although I do indeed love Ashdown, given that you have the TE sound already I`d probably look at The Elf, that is, if it appears anytime soon. And given the liking for TE, if The Elf isn`t forthcomong then Ashdown would be a good place to look, as they came from TE. Forget the woolly reputations, Ashdown do far more than just the subharmonic generator. But I do agree with Frank, GK MB200 def worth a look, they get a lot of love and fit the bill pretty much exactly.

I`ve had this, and yes, it`s pickup height. Gary Macs height recommendations are a good place to start and, as one of those hard-hitters, getting the E under control often means lowering it more. However if you`ve done that and the bass is still too trebly I`d ask the person you took it to if they changed any electrics, namely the pots - going from the regular 250s to 500s will add in a lot of top end.