mcnach

I gigged mine a few times too. It sounded great and required no 'upgrades'.

J&D Jazz for me. It felt and sounded glorious. I know some people changed the pickups but I *loved* the sound of mine. Rough fret ends are sorted in minutes, don't let that put you off. Alternatively... a used Squier Jazz. It's hard to find a bad one if you stay from the Affinity range.

The pickup can be pretty microphonic, even if it doesn't sound bad. But one I had I just put a Wizard Thumper on it and it was pretty decent. If someone wants a cheap but decent Precision, this would be a good option. I still have one, converted to fretless. I preferred it to my Japanese beautiful natural/maple Fender which I ended up selling. The neck has a deep profile but it's not very wide. I wish it were a bit wider (and shallower). But it's a comfy neck.

I did get it and it was fine. Nut was cut a bit roughly but no worse than in any other budget bass (I bought a replacement, they're cheap). Fretwork was reasonable (minor fret levelling to get the best out of it). The finish will not win prizes, but it's not bad either, it just shows some minor imperfections in the lacquer... it clearly was made fast. It looks good, and the tint was exactly what I was after. They did a reasonable job replicating the logo of my original Squier. It's not identical but it's ok. It is fine. Nothing more. Which is no less than I expected. If you do your own setups and are happy levelling the odd uneven fret and cutting slots on a new nut, then it's just fine. I end up having to do that in a lot of the instruments I buy, no big deal.

I'm the same... but with a Jazz bass. I've owned more Jazz basses than any other type by far... they just don't quite do it for me, but if I don't have one, I just need to get one. Weird!

And your reaction to that didn't get you arrested? I admire your restraint!

That sounds like typical Stingray to me (as in, that's what I go for and I use one 90% of the time - a lot of the times when someone 'demos' what they think is a typical Stingray sound to me it sounds blergh)

and this is the mixer I use with the QR10PA. They do a mono version which was cheaper, but the stereo one gives me the opportunity to plug in more than 4 sources should I need to... so why not. https://www.amazon.co.uk/ProSound-Channel-Stereo-Microphones-Instruments/dp/B000KFXFIY

No problem There are other versions, with a 12" and a 15" speaker, but the 10" one (the one I have) does a great job and it's just perfect to carry about: tiny and light. The wheels are not much use unless the surface is perfectly flat and even... I often just carry it by one of the metal bars at the back. I used to have a little trolley-bag where I could put that plus all assorted cables, clothing etc... I've used it with my bass, a mic to amplify a cajon, a vocal mic and an electric guitar through some FX box and coped very well. Then there were two other guitars with battery operated Roland amps, a trumpet and a sax. Plenty of volume for busking. The bass sound is not going to win any awards, but it sounds decent. I was using a passive Precision for a while, and it was ok. The built-in tone controls are a little limited for "instrument tone shaping" and my Stingray sounds a lot better through it because I can use its preamp to adjust the sound better. There's a bit of hiss, but it's not noticeable on the street, only at home. As I said, mine is 4 years old and the battery still holds its charge very well. I was wondering how long it would last and how I could replace it when it finally dies... but I'll probably just buy another when it happens.

They do look sexy, those VdKs...

I love it when they do notice you and they just suck their fat belly in... yeah, like that's going to help

Oh I so hate those gigs... In places like that we tend to make a little 'barricade' with a couple of monitors and my bass cab cases: two 210s, the cases are foam but thick and stand on their own so act as visual deterrent. The problem is someone has tried to sit on them on a couple of occasions and fell I've been in places when they come on 'stage' (always women in their 50s, extremely drunk, who think they're the soul of the party), who think it's ok to take your hat off and play with it/you, try to take the spare sax on the stand, etc etc... It's a good test of patience. Fortunately I don't play many of those, but once a year is already once too many. What makes people think that's ok to do? We have had people onstage many times, people we know, or we talked to earlier, or introduced by someone else who knows us... and we have fun and it's great. It's the random drunk who thinks the stage is their playground that irritates me no end. So you bought a few G&Ts and you think you own the bar and its contents? Ugh.

Hi Dood, do you still want some clips? I have a MarkBass Octave that I'll happily record for you. It's pretty clean, not like an OC2, but it's very nice and tracks really well.

I don't think their Vox amps look 'great'... just conservative and subdued. You look like a 21st century bassist: reasonably sized gear that looks good and sounds better. Don't change it!

Yup. I bought my two from Bass Gear but also quite a bit less than half, with a very nice cover, custom vinyl colour etc. Aguilar's pricing in the UK is crazy.

QTX QR10PA It doesn't look like much, and it doesn't cost much, but it works very very well. It gets louder than you'll need and good battery life. It has two inputs but only one effective volume... however a little battery operated mixer (I have one 4 channel one that cost me less than £20) takes care of all that. I have had mine for about 4 years now... Ignore the wireless mic that comes with it, 'though. It's useless. But you get a usb and aux inputs which are useful for backing tracks etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/QR10PA-Portable-Wireless-Microphone-Connection-Black/dp/B017KO0K1C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524938278&sr=8-1&keywords=qtx+qr10pa

If you can do fret work, you can do nut work. Just be patient when filing, because if you over do it and the slots are too deep you'll need to do it again. But it's easy. Plenty of videos on youtube will help you. It doesn't take long either.

Unfortunately I think this is the case. I used TruBass strings a while ago and they were FAT.

Hmmm... I feel like I arrived late to this thread and I'm standing by myself with a glass in my hand. Just me, and the bartender, who is about to go too. Oh God... I'm THAT guy!!!

I played a gig like that once, where three of us had wireless... and would occasionally pop into the other room, still playing, watch the screen a bit, try to make eye contact with someone and entice them in, and return after a failed mission. We had no more than 10 people coming and staying. We still got paid and the bar told us "I knew I shouldn't have a band during the match"... The thing is we thought it was a bit early for a gig on a Saturday and we double checked and asked if they wouldn't like us to play later... Ah well...

No, but I'd pay to watch it.

They behave like that because they know people will not intervene. If after they threats what they get is the other people around them stand up and mob them out, they'd think twice next time. Same reason why two idiots in a bus can make a trip a nightmare for 30 or more people travelling along. If one person stands up, they rarely get back up. They act like bullies because we let them. I almost end up fighting an idiot behind me in the cinema. Nobody stood up for support and both of us almost got kicked out. It was only at the end that an older couple intervened and told the cinema staff who was the trouble, and the idiot and his two mates were expelled (while making noise and throwing their drinks around). It frustrates me no end that collectively we allow a small minority spoil it for the rest, when we have it in our hands to stop the bad behaviour, and it would not require any violence at all.

which is fine, as long as your drawing doesn't extend to your neighbour's wall...

I use straplocks (well, the rubber washers... after years of Schallers I moved to the rubber washers and never looked back). But once I had a strap break during the 3rd or 4th song of the 1st set. Not the strap itself but the loop that joins two parts. That was fun. It'll probably never happen again as it must have been an odd defective one (didn't have any signs of wear and I had it for only one year or so)... but now I also have a spare strap in my gigbag.

Sure. But that's not the issue, is it? The issue is that some members in the audience decide that they don't need to pay attention (and that's their right) and subsequently they prevent others from enjoying the show. It's not about what the band thinks or not... Just like when I go to the cinema. If an idiot three rows down finds the movie boring and wants to start playing with his phone illuminating everything or chatting away, we are going to have a problem.