stewblack

General public don't notice nuance. They often are unaware of what it is makes them enjoy one band and not another. All the stuff we obsess over is a matter of extreme indifference to your average punter. I ran a live music venue for years and the bands which didn't quite work were invariably those with a substandard drummer. The crowd knew they didn't like what they heard but couldn't tell you why. The bands where drummer and bassist were super tight went down a storm. Don't expect Joe P to give a hoot about your rig (unless it's enormous and has flashing lights) but get into the groove with the monkey behind the kit and he or she will like your band.

A lot of Arsenal fans in last night got the whole crowd doing the Theo chant. Mr Katzman seemed genuinely touched.

Just made it home. What a collection of musicians. Unreal.

Queue is right around the building. Anyone not here yet just chill and enjoy wherever you are!

I'd given up. Late forties, couldn't get an audition never mind a gig. Too old. 54 years old and another band I'd not even heard back from contacted me, desperate. New Years Eve, they'd chosen someone else but he couldn't do NYE. Bit of a cheek but would I consider it? I still tease them now about the bloody cheek of asking after not even giving me the audition but I did it and now I'm their regular dep, playing bass in three other bands and hosting regular jam nights. Playing bass every day, taking lessons, learning to read music and having the best extra curricular activity I've ever had. Give up? I tried to. No point. Bass isn't a hobby, a job, an obsession, it's in my blood.

I'll be there Thursday. Very excited.

+1 for the charity shop suitcase route. It's my go to for gig bags. I turn up looking like I robbed the baggage carousel in 1987 but my gear is nicely stowed. The addition of some bubble wrap completes the job.

Even though my gear is well maintained I've still had stuff break on me. Markbass amp being the most recent. A wedding, I was depping. Approving looks from the band when I switched to my spare.

Amazon have a couple returns sub 200 quid...

Imagine killing it like this to a room full of feckin tables. I'd be on the damn table!

Don't know about your wardrobe but I'd like to raid your record collection. God you have great taste in music.

No worries, happy to help.

If you're knowledge enough not to get caught out by such number crunching and mischievous marketing then they won't influence your purchasing decisions. If like me you find all the numbers and their subsequent dissection by wiser heads a little difficult to follow then you'll probably ignore them and they won't influence your purchasing decisions. So really the numbers make no difference to any of us and consequently everybody is happy. I choose my amps based on such considerations as colour, size, name, weight, lights and handle design. If they turn out to sound nice and they're loud enough I keep them. The TC combo I bought here sounds nice. When I link my BF cab to the extension speaker socket it sounds even better and is plenty loud. I can't comment on its pre baked thrusting hefts I'm afraid as I'm not entirely sure I understand their use or effect on my sound.

Whereabouts on the Mendips are you Paddy? If you want to try before you buy another BF and you're round my way I can lend you either a 1 10 or a 1 15 for a gig. You could see how much difference it makes.

Pics?

Where did you find it? I can find anywhere has them in stock...

Played through my Terror last night. Married to a Barefaced it is a thing of wonder.

I use Barefaced or Markbass cabs and am happy with both. As you say your bandmates and a whizzed up pub crowd won't know or care what you sound like. I once played upstairs in the King's in Southsea and my amp died on me. Not entirely - it still produced the kind of flatulant distorted bellow one might expect to hear if oxen were being chainsawed in half in a steel warehouse. I battled on through the last couple of songs and no one else noticed. No one. Not in the band nor the audience.

I don't leave active basses plugged in and always unplug after a soundcheck. Good advice though.

Funny you should say that...

The only thing that ever worked for me was staying away from Basschat. Seriously. Bought nothing for years. Came here spent my retirement fund in six week.

Generally just in case. I dread equipment failure

I usually take 2 of everything. The basses I refuse to compromise on. Everything else I stripped back but no spare guitar? Never!

It is such a beautiful instrument

So we were asked to minimise kit in order to bring fewer cars and to help us with multiple stairs. Sounds great but the drummer looks like he's 10ft tall