Ben Jamin

Yep there's so much admin! 😅 Okay that's a good point, thanks! I guess it's all in the communication - if it's not clear where money is going and why, totally understand the frustration. In my view the responsibility is on organisers to be clear with this stuff, otherwise the void gets filled with assumed intentions and it can get messy pretty quick for everyone, even if everything is actually fine. But we can always ask for clarification, and if everything's above-board and communicated well, no scheming going on, we can just say yes or no? Shame on these venues/events that use 'charity' to their own end though, that sucks.

Sorry it hit a nerve! If organisers are using 'for charity' as a guise to get free bands for their own benefit, then that's a distinctly different situation to playing to support a genuine fundraiser. Definitely agree that if an event is being listed as 'for charity', then it should be really clear who and why etc, and the event should centre on that. If there's uncertainty about where money is going, then it's understandable that folk would want their fair cut. Maybe I've got a blindspot to this, as I work mostly in the charity sector, we're always really explicit about what we're doing and why. And so I'd expect it to be a clear, non-pressured decision on donating time or not. I can see how bad actors might exploit this though.

Ah okay, thanks that helps me see what's going on, that is unscrupulous! Using the term 'charity' in bad faith is pretty low, and that should be 100% called out!

Right. I work with our local Foodbank and Community Grocery (pay a few quid for a week's worth of food and toiletries etc). First of all, if folk are wandering past free fruit, it's about dignity, not a preference for haribo. A lot of people feel ashamed to take free help, especially publicly. This is why the Community Grocery model has worked really well, alongside Foodbanks, as people have the dignity of paying a small amount. Almost all of the food and supplies for the Community Grocery is donated by supermarkets. Supermarkets also sponsor and make regular large donations of food to Foodbanks, which also saves a lot of food going to waste. They leave baskets out at their stores to make it easier for you to donate food too, if you'd like to. I don't understand why anyone would be angry about that. Frankly this is a problem that shouldn't exist. More people need and use these services then you would think, or stereotype. On the wider issue of charity events, it's not a gig for you, it's a fundraiser. That's the whole point. Don't expect to be paid, but donate your time if you support their cause. Or don't. It's pretty simple.

Poor thing! Looks like it's been dragged more than it's been carried. Bet it still sounds good though?

To be fair there are lots of different types of charities, and I think being asked to perform and donate expenses etc is a different story depending on who's asking! I've done a lot of freelance work for big NGOs with huge support, regular funding and large budgets in the millions. Their events are usually sponsored by various businesses and organisations, and well-budgeted for, so I'd expect to be paid something as part of their budgeting for services for the event. I can donate too obviously, but separately. I currently work for a small charity that is really dependant on individual giving and securing small bits of funding. We've built some reserves but we operate almost paycheck to paycheck on modest salaries just above the living wage. There are plenty of other charities that exist in the health services and community sector that have to constantly bid for grants/funding to keep running. Performing for a fundraiser for my charity and others like it, I wouldn't expect to be paid - the situation here is that I'm fully giving to support the cause. Anyway there are bigger charities, smaller charities etc, it's just a type of organisation. For me, whether I'm paid for playing at a fundraiser depends on other factors, like their financial context. As others have said, you don't have to do anything.

Agreed, G&L all the way. The pre-amp and pick-ups sound ace and are really flexible and genuinely useful live. The bridge is indeed fabulous. Sires are great but it's just an active Jazz init. G&Ls will never be made again.

Joe Dart's career is built off cheap frankenstein basses and his Mexican Fender, before the Musicman collaboration. To be fair even the Musicman collab is all about creating the simplest instrument possible - he currently gigs the cheaper Sterling version. Here's a crowd singing along to his bassline on his MIM Jazz.

Just be to a bit nerdy, it sounds like we could think about how expensive something is as the ratio between: How much someone can afford : how valuable the object is. Affordability : Value So maybe 1:1 is great, 2:1 is a decent deal, 10:1 is super expensive. Both sides are relative, as we all have different incomes/lifestyles etc, and we all perceive value differently. I think the value factor is equally important, in the sense that you might think a £500 bass is expensive, but we all would probably think a £500 car is cheap. For example, my disposable income wouldn't let me spend more anywhere near £500 on a bass right now, but I don't think a £1500-2000 USA Fender is expensive. However, I do think a £1500-2000 luthier custom is expensive. For me, the value of a Fender isn't as much in the component parts or particular build quality; it's in the value of it being a known entity. Sound engineers, other musicians, even some punters - we all know what a Precision bass is about. Engineers like it as it's a familiar/iconic sound. It won't go wrong and no-one worries about it. It'll retain its value pretty well too. The luthier custom would probably be a much better instrument objectively and hopefully fit the specific need, but there's no familiarity factor, it's a risk for a sound engineer, and it probably wouldn't retain its value as well. However if I was in the position to splash out, I'd be more excited about the luthier job than a USA Fender Precision. We're weird creatures.

You folk are using money?? I bought a Mexican Fender Jazz back in 2008 and have straight swapped my main bass on here ever since 😇 Thank you Basschat ❤️

This is an ace thread! I'm in an originals band called Fred The Fool - it's folk(ish) pop/rock. The name's from a silly old Lincolnshire folk story - our frontman's an archaeologist and a lot of the songs draw from local history around Lincoln. The line-up is: lead vocals/acoustic guitar, piano/accordian, mandolin/acoustic guitar, drums/percussion, bass/upright (me!) We've spent the last year and half forming and recording about 12 songs, which are in various stages of production now. Some of them feature cool musicians - Graham Rorie from Gnoss plays some really nice fiddle on a few of our tracks - amazing how many folk are just an Instagram DM away! Currently working on our live set for an album launch gig in February 2026. The plan's to record/film that too, circulate it with some promoters we know and see what happens? We did our first little gig the other week and it went pretty well - we've really just been focused on recording and producing the songs, so it was a fun challenge to try them out live! Snazzy website: https://www.fredthefool.com

Picked up a lovely double bass in a trade with Lawrie. Pleasure to deal with and very grateful for the tips and pointers to get going with upright! Cheers!

G&L is pretty '80s! https://richtonemusic.co.uk/g-l-tribute-series-l-2000-left-handed-bass-3-tone-sunburst-2nd-hand/

Looks like a lot of the stock from the factory - bridges, tuning machines, pick-ups and misc. parts/electronics - as well as a bunch of BBE Sonic Maximisers and other outboard pre-amps.

Why? So much disrespect. They could've listed them in the Recycling section here at least?