casapete

Think you’ve hit the nail right on the head there. The difference between earning a living from playing and doing it as a hobby is exactly this. I think that’s why many bands from the latter bracket struggle to maintain members and momentum - the minute it stops being fun then understandably why would you want to devote your time to it? For people (like me) who do it for a living, you have to have a thicker skin, know when to keep quiet and learn to put up with stuff without throwing a showbiz strop! I’ve learnt to be able to do this (in varying amounts!) in order to continue working for nearly 30 years now. Fortunately my current band doesn’t mean I have to do this much, so am very lucky. When I dep for semi pro bands I’m sometimes surprised by how intolerant some band members can be to things that I’d normally just let go. Also envious of how much better gear they own too. 🤣

With Jack Daniel’s what? 😆 Actually I’m in Yorkshire, where we use vinegar off us chips for such purposes....

Isn’t all MB stuff made there now?

Whilst silver tape will do the job, there’s a good chance it will leave residue which can be a bug*er to remove. Best thing to use is ‘pro console tape’, designed to be easily removed with no mess and also easier to write on.

I always find that if at all possible it’s best to keep the keys and bass separate on stage (if you’re using amps/monitors etc.) That way you can avoid clashing over the low end stuff so much, although ultimately you both need to get together and decide how the songs are going to be played too. I used to play with a pianist who delighted in regularly exploring the notes which were below those possible on my 4 string bass, so one day just before the first set we gaffer taped them up so he couldn’t use them. Think he got the message.

Afraid I’d be tempted to take a less valuable bass but still in a hard case. ( If it’s only for one gig then bite the bullet and remove the stress?) If that’s not an option then would recommend the SKB case with gig bag inside method as mentioned above.

I nearly always find that my sound at soundcheck in an empty room is not altogether what I'd like to hear, but later on when the audience is in it's usually more or less how I want it. Glad it's not the other way round......

I think a lot of this mindset goes back to the 70’s. I remember being handed various guitars back then ( Fenders, Gibsons etc) and being told to ‘feel the weight of that’ as if weighing more than a small planet was some sign of a quality instrument. This was before they had fitted all the brass hardware too! It’s taken a while for people to realise that resonant quality instruments are usually not the most cumbersome, something I believe the classical music world has known for a long time. 😄

Also preceding the above, there are two Bonnie Raitt concerts on BBC4 starting at 9pm with The Four Sessions, followed by an OGWT special at 10pm.

Aguilar is top of my list for my next change of amp - currently gass-ing for an AG700. 🤪

As I've got older my gear has progressively got lighter. I've gone from full valve Ampeg SVT through the Trace phase, then Ashdown (both got just too cumbersome) then found a Loud Inc.410 cab that changed the game completely. Still have it, 1200 watts and quite manageable for a 410. From there I've ended up with Gallien Krueger for my main gig - their non-class D stuff is still okay for me, currently using a 1001RB which at 22lbs isn't hard to haul. I use this into a GK Neo 410 which is 64lbs, again not ultra lightweight but manageable. For smaller one off gigs I use a BF Compact and either a GK MB800 amp or my favourite old GK800RB. The Barefaced cab was a real game changer for me, and enables me to carry on gigging without any issues at the age of 64. When the bigger GK rig gets a bit much to handle I'll probably go further down the Barefaced route so I can continue working without worrying about the load in / out. As ever with bass amplification, it is a balance between sound /performance and practicality for me - weight and ease of shifting it around. Were this not the case then my beloved SVT rig would never have left my side.

Just back from doing a dep at a local rock n roll club - the band’s usual bassist has got Covid. Had quite a good evening, plenty of people dancing etc and just a 3 piece band so had to be ‘on it’, no hiding places etc! Used my old Precision but made the mistake of not taking my amp and cab as had the use of the usual bassist’s Markbass 2x10 combo. Thought this would be okay but at anything like stage volume it sounded like the speakers were complaining, so used a DI into the (rather small) PA to help spread the sound a bit. Ended up being okay but annoyed with myself for being lazy - lesson learnt if there’s a next time. Anyway, two 45 minute sets flew by and home before midnight so happy days.

There’s a couple of Fender Rumble combos for sale on here at the moment, (including a 200 for £225 which is a great deal.) I have the 100 model which is great for practice and also small / medium sized gigs, loud and sounds fine. Incredibly lightweight and portable too, can’t recommend it enough.

Sold Steve a gui*ar. Easy transaction, arranged a meet up rather than courier and all went well. Top feller, deal with confidence. Cheers Steve!

Think I’ve said this before on a similar thread, but anyway.... IME hotels and council run theatres / halls are the most likely to ask for the PAT details. We keep a file of all our PAT certificates ready for inspection if needed - theatres like to see these well before the day of the gig. My tech mate said that when asked for them, always ask to see the venue’s Electrical Safety Certificate to ensure what you’re plugging into has been tested recently. Think you’ll be surprised how few venues have these to hand. 😉

Of the USA models, the Sterling was kind of their 'Jazz' neck as opposed to the Stingray's 'Precision'. I've had a few of both, and while I found the Sterling okay, I always preferred the Stingray for feel (and sound too come to think of it). There was a blue Sterling for sale on here recently with matching headstock IIRC, for around £850 I think, which these days is a good deal.

I’m sure that ( like me ) there are a lot of Barefaced cab users who don’t give a hoot about matching rigs. 😆 Having said that, I also use a GK amp and cabinet set up, and have been very happy with it. Horses for courses and all that......

If you’re into Indian cuisine I can heartily recommend Mowgli Street Food. They have a place on Water Street not far from The Cavern ( and another restaurant in the city too ). Wonderful food and not overly expensive. www.mowglistreetfood.com

I’m always caught between either a) eating before a gig or b) afterwards. Option a) is the more usual. We’ve normally driven a fair distance, set up and sound checked and then have a couple of hours to kill before the gig so it seems the best plan. Usually eat somewhere with some band members and crew, and I really enjoy the social side of this. Try not to eat too much so I stay alert and up for the gig - used to have a beer too but just lately find that can be detrimental - damn getting old. Our band has a policy of finishing the gig and then getting home / to our accommodation ASAP so we never stop for takeaways after a gig. Option b) is rare for me. On local gigs I’ll have something when I get in ( sarnie or toast etc) but these days I can’t go to bed soon after eating a lot without feeling lousy the next day. When I first started playing in my late teens every gig was followed by a late night curry or burger, happy days.

On BBC4 tonight ( Friday March 25th) there is the 2018 film ‘Amazing Grace’, all about Aretha Franklin’s 1972 gospel album.

Assuming it's not fixed, then it must be on some people's radar? 'The UK's Top 100 biggest singles of midweek is compiled by the Official Charts Company, based on sales of downloads, CDs, vinyl and audio and video streams ...' From what I've seen , I would think that there aren't that many people on here who follow the charts - historically the singles chart has been dominated by the choices of (dare I say) it a younger demographic. When you start questioning their choices then you're probably just too old - I know this from experience, my interest in Top 40 stuff having been steadily on the decline since the mid 1990's.😄 My old band played one or two times a week at a city centre bar for 15 years. We used to keep our massive set list 'topped up' with the big tunes of the day, and some of the punters appreciated it. Once the song had left the charts though, the majority of the requests we got were for old standards and classic rock stuff. People want to hear something they know in these situations, the trick is covering the big songs but adding a few forgotten ones too. Once you start getting self indulgent and just doing the tunes you like, the audience will move on somewhere else.

Don't want to be that guy but.... https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/uk-top-40-singles-chart/

I could almost forgive her for the dodgy notes, but when a singer can’t even keep time and phrases everything so badly then it’s just not going to work. (Unfortunately that has nothing to do with her age either!) Coupled with a drummer who struggled with style and tempo of the reggae horror ‘mash’ then it was never going to be great. Of course, this is all made for TV jeopardy gold.....😄

We did Scunthorpe Baths Hall and Sunderland Empire Theatre this week. Scunthorpe gig is one of our nearest so always enjoy it. A great venue with top facilities and a good sounding room. Sunderland is another of my favourites - modern building containing an old style theatre, great crew and always an appreciative crowd. A really enjoyable gig.

Like you, I’ve never needed to change a set of tuners ( or a bridge either come to think of it ) in all the time I’ve been playing. Some basses have had better tuners than others, but never felt that they were so bad to justify the outlay on a new set. My 63 Precision has the original tuners and bridge still fitted, and both still doing the job after 60 years of service. 😊