Truckstop

Peavey gear's great!

I still dream of being able to get my Peavey Max700 out of retirement and plug into a few 15" speakers! Had a whiteface Firebass 700 for a while too which was an extremely flexible and tweakable amp.

Glad you're happy with it!

Looks like a Teisco?

Is it me?

It's me, isn't it?

Sounds to me like everyone needs to lighten up a little.

"Can I sing Mustang Sally?" yes mate, crack on; here's a microphone!

"Can I have a tambourine?" Yes my love, and make sure you dance while you play it!

"I'm going to get drunk and dance like an idiot" well, I don't approve but it's your Saturday night and we're here to make sure you have a good time!

Jesus, guys! Our customers want us to make sure that everyone has fun and stays in the pub drinking. It's literally what they're paying us to do!

Find some new music to listen to!

I've been using my Fender Rumble100 (1x12 combo) for all gigs for the last 8/9 months. Loud enough to keep up with a decent powered drummer and retains clarity of sound too. 100w.

Previous to the Rumble, I used an SWR Workingmans10 (1x10 80w combo) for two years at all gigs. Plenty loud enough and tiny! Wish I hadn't sold it actually because it had more character than the Rumble.

Gigs are pubs and small clubs, larger shows required PA support anyway. Genuinely terrifies me when people say they need 500w and a 4x10 to be heard. That's an insane amount of power and volume and you just don't need it!

Is the RB-IV or one of the original US made ones?

If going for a 'band room' it needs to be actually big enough for the band to move around in and have space for the various cases and pedal boards and stuff that musicians will have with them.

I once recorded at a place and the band room was tiny. Claustrophobic, hot, and the tension in the room was horrible because there was no space to move. The engineering room, on the other hand, was massive and everyone was clearly very comfortable in there!

I'm not sure if it's down the to studio to provide, but a good supply of healthy and filling snacks would be very high on my list of priorities. Nice yogurts, pitta breads and dips, fruit, fresh bread and cheese, granola etc. Water dispenser is also a plus. People need to stay hydrated and being wired on red bull and KFC can make things very unpleasant!

For me, the main thing is creating a space where people approach their work in a professional and focused manner. If the studio is a mess, then people will treat it messily. If it is clean, open, and in good order, then the clients should respect that and maintain a sense of pride in the studio and in their performance.

Really like it! Classy, smart, and you just know that theses basses are built to an amazing level of quality.

This or a vintage P? Fodera every time! Vintage P's don't have Aguilar pups or decent bridges.

Reminds of a BC Rich Eagle I had for a while.

Try some flats (I'm assuming you use round wounds?). They should be able to tame some of the zing you're getting.

It's possible that the signal from the bass is hot. Try lowering the height of the pickup; it might smooth out some of those clanky frequencies.

If you don't want to try flats, it might be worth experimenting with some new strings anyway. Some strings sound naturally harsh, some are a little smoother. I use LaBella Stainless Steels for this exact reason, I hate zing! The LaBellas are zingy for about two hours and then they mellow right down.

I wish I'd kept my Yamaha RBXJM1 so I could have played it through the Peavey Firebass 8x10 rig I had for a few weeks!

Monster bass, monster rig.

Funny, no-one seems to have much nostalgia for lightweight stuff!

Warwicks sound pretty gnarly?

Yamaha BB424!!

Around £200 second hand and really good basses. I've had mine for coming up 3 years, I haven't bought anything else since and it's done nearly 200 gigs and countless rehearsals with no signs of knackering out.

Even cheaper still are the BB414's. Slight lower quality build construction but sound and behave the same.

Boss ME-20b is a great little multi-fx and definitely robust enough to withstand a lot of punishment!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1451689943' post='2942603']

And I'm never sure about this "I don't need the money, I have a job". Seems like a slap in the face for those of us doing this for a living.


Blue
[/quote]

Many apologies Blue, I read this paragraph in the wrong way and took umbrage when I should not have.

Alex

Take your own router with you to gigs!

Are they all ACGs?

One.

About 50 gigs a year covering all types of conventional band music and I use my Yamaha BB424x. I have an RBX270 in bits which I keep meaning to put together so I can use it as a spare but haven't got round to it yet.

Anyway, PJ config means I can get from rock to funky in the flick of a switch, classic looks which suit all gigs, cheap enough to not worry about damaging it, cheap enough to replace quickly, good weight, great tone, super-reliable because it's Yamaha, and is all I'll ever need.

Sometimes I think I should get another bass to give me more options, maybe an active 5er. Or maybe a 425? But for the moment, one bass is all I need

Any other one bass heroes?

Ah, silica! Good idea. I've got a few lying around, I'll give it a go.

Thanks!

I once went to audition for a band at a gig. The first set was to be completed by one prospect and then I would play the second set. The band would go away and choose the next day or something.

I got there early so I could meet the guys and check out the other auditonee and talk about gear and stuff. He turned up with a pair of Dingwalls and he provided the rig for the evening too; TC Electronic Blacksmith and 4x12 Mesa cab.

Obviously he turned out to be completely useless and could barely hold a 12-bar. He stopped midway through a song to swap his bass! His rig sounded awful; too powerful for the gig and just so bassy. Couldn't hear anything other than a dull rumble and I just watched open-mouthed and half-laughing because of how ridiculous he looked shredding away next to a few middle aged guys playing blues covers. It almost sounded and look like two different bands playing at the same time.

Anyway, when they finished the first set he winked at me and gave me a look as if to say:

"Nailed it"

I would posit that 'pop' music is as eclectic and varied as ever.

Actually sit and listen to the top 40!

The Weeknd is making music that's really quite weird, Justin Biebers new album is a lovely mix of hip-hop groove and nu-soul while Jess Glynn (like her or love her) has really interesting beat based songs. 2015 was an incredible year for pop. Girl and Boy bands are dying on their arses and we're seeing the rise of super-producers.

We're just living in an era where the sound and production of the songs are as important as the actual music and singing. Instruments are old hat, everyone needs to get a midi keyboard and some song writing software!

Also I don't really understand why people are getting their knickers in a twist in this thread.

The OP wants to start a band to play some unconventional covers and is wondering what the reception might be like.

IMO, the reception from a normal pub crowd will be rubbish but they'll probably have lots of fun and kudos by playing songs that they really really like.

Blue; in the UK a lot of people have second jobs. I have three! Playing in a band for £150 a month is one of them. That money is food in my kids mouth and you're insinuating that I'm taking work from other 'real' musicians who do it for a living. That's not cool. My needs are just as valid!

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1451947694' post='2944990']


Yeah, it's like when my grandmother was in a home & they'd all sing Vera Lynn songs & think they were about to be bombed by the Germans.
[/quote]

There's a gap in the market! Who wants to start a band with me?

We'll play Vera Lynn songs and dress up as air-raid wardens!

GAS methinks!

Have a look at the Phil Jones Bass stuff, plenty of tiny amps suitable for small room practice. MarkBass also have a 6" combo which will probably sound closer to your big rig if you're concerned about that sort of thing.

If you're on a budget, I think the Fender Rumble (V3) 25 is an 8" combo?

Hello all, looking for a few tips!

I own my bands PA and at the moment it's all stored in the garage. Well, I say garage, it's more like a shed. Made of asbestos. With gaps between the floor and the walls and an inch gap between the two halves of the front doors.

It's pretty rickety but the roof and walls don't leak when it rains but obviously it's more or less the temperature of the outside environment which is starting to get pretty cold.

Everything is in their own padded soft case (tops, sub, cable bag and mixer) and it's all off the floor on a riser that I built. According to Mrs. T I definitely have no room in the house to store stuff so its all staying in the shed until further notice.

Is there anything I could be doing to prevent or reduce the chances of damaging my gear due to cold and moist weather conditions? Does cold weather affect the electric components much?

Because I'm worried about condensation, I usually get everything inside the house the morning of use (like a gig or rehearsal in the evening) so that it has a chance to acclimatise before being used. Does this actually do anything?

Any thoughts would be gratefully received!

Alex