stewblack

Some videos are very good as learning aids, others are just folk enjoying playing the bass. I don't laugh at someone who is clearly inexperienced and just having fun, plenty out there who could laugh at me if they wanted to. I prefer love and support to criticism and sarcasm - but then I'm a bit soft. Learning someone's interpretation can be a great starting point, assuming the ultimate goal is to improve one's ability to 'hear' a bassline and produce our own interpretation. If the cover deviates from the original that should be the first thing to stand out to us. We can then find where it should go and thus our skills improve. So any video ultimately can be a learning tool. Even one we might deem as 'wrong', assuming that term can actually be applied to music.

Now stop talking about it - my sellers remorse is building!! Might have to buy something just to make myself feel better.

Aw, but I want one

Ah OK. Put it to standby first, let the tube warm up, once light comes on you're good to go

Have you tried it at home at least?

Indeed it isn't elegant to look at but bear in mind I'm cycling to rehearsal and therefore minimising weight. The bottle can be carried empty or I can drink from it en route.

You referring to my velcro weight solution or the rehearsal room bottle solution?

I suppose the answer to that is if it bothers you it's a problem if it doesn't it isn't. The Hohner travel bass is literally unplayable to me. My left hand needs to glide freely up and down the neck not act as a shelf bracket

The bottle counterweight solution

🙏🏽

I've experimented with many solutions and the most effective was still a little inelegant. I have a canvass pouch designed to hang from a belt or bag whilst out hiking. This pouch holds a water bottle. So when I cycle to my rehearsal with my tiny travel bass I take the bottle from the bike, fill it with water at the rehearsal room, clip the pouch to my guitar strap (at the bum end of course) and the weight of the water precisely balances the instrument without me having to carry anything heavy on the bike (which would kind of defeat the object of travelling light). I carry the bottle anyway and it becomes lighter throughout the ride as I consume the initial quantity of H2O. So I rehearse with a bottle swinging at my hip. Perfect if, as I say, inelegant. I am therefore adapting the idea for when I'm actually gigging with a neck heavy bass. Quite simply velcro attached to the back end of the strap and a certain number of curtain weights sewn into a flat pouch with the other half of the velcro sewn to the pouch. Balanced bass? Remove the pouch, neck heavy? Velcro it on. The 'certain number' of weights is arrived at through trial and error but by using three smaller pouches rather than one big one I can stick on differing amounts of weight to suit each bass on a case by case basis. Or a bass by bass casis. A bag of curtain weights, yesterday: Pictures to follow. When I've actually done the sewing.

You won't be running it above 1 and 1. Unless you have some demolition work to do. I'm with HJ - 8 ohm cab use it set to 8 ohm. Two 8 ohm cabs switch to 4 ohm.

🤫

I'm always alone so public nadger cleaning isn't a problem! . Price is important. On site parking is important. En suite shower and loo is important. Otherwise I'm easy.

If the cabs are 8 ohm then switch it to 8ohm for one cab and 4 ohm for when using both. Enjoy!

I have put up a touring band before to save them sleeping in their van. They were so grateful for the shower and hot breakfast!

Always a catch. They cost nearly two grand.

Now that is awesome!

Drove up to the delightful west Midlands to meet Geoff and buy a couple of carpet covered boxes. He was a splendid host, cup of tea, juice for the drive home. Allowed me to punish the cab when I tested it and was generally an all round good bloke. Fair price, great comms, recommended.

Yes! *punches the air*

@Jakester exemplifies everything good and decent about Basschat. I sold an amp to a BCer based way out East. Neither of us were keen on employing a courier and the drive is not a pleasant one and over long. After an appeal for help Jake stepped in and offered to deliver the amp for us. He works not far from me and happened to be travelling towards my buyer not long after the sale was agreed. Great communications, helpful and selfless. Top man.

Swindon is stacked with live venues. Moonrakers , the Steam Railway, the Messenger, The Deer Leap, the Kings, RAFA club, the Vic, Jovial Monk off the top of my head.

Thanks folks. I'd not tried Premier Inn as they always seem quite pricey but I'll look into booking farther ahead. Booking.com add £££ at the checkout so their cheap rates often aren't. I have a phobia around being in other people's homes so Airbnb is not an option. Didn't know about the voucher website or the theatre trick. Thanks again

Have you found a knack for sourcing cheap hotels when gigging away from home? I don't earn much from my bands and while I sometimes get lucky with a travelodge room for £25 I wonder if there are seasoned, wiley travellers who know their way around the murky waters of the cheap bed.