neepheid

Less than two months to go, who's still in?

Quite a few of our usual venues have given us dates for next year. Playing some places for the first time before the end of the year so hopefully will get some repeat bookings from that too. We haven't had a discussion about putting up prices, but it's a weekend warrior type thing, not a money spinner.

I can't put my finger on why I prefer older BBs versus the latest ones either. I had a BB434 but I didn't keep it, it didn't give me the same feeling as my older BBs (300, 350F, 450, 614). It's more than just the reverse P pickup (the 450 and 614 had the standard P pickup and it still felt like a BB), it's the body shape, the ergonomics, the aesthetics. The new ones seem a bit streamlined and homogenised to me. Can't explain it any better than that.

Teacher's pet

Classy - the John Player Special of basses.

I know, but I never learn...

Mmm, free beer.

Sorry, you asked about practice setup. I have two. Proper, head down practicing: Yamaha Sessioncake SC02, headphones, mobile phone or laptop for Spotify/other backing tracks/drum tracks etc. Lazy, audible practicing: Laptop, Bose Soundlink Mini bluetooth speaker, Epiphone Jack Casady unplugged - loud enough if the backing is not too high. Look ma, no wires!

Blind panic learning songs the night before a band rehearsal sums up my practice "routine". It is routine in the sense that it always happens

Lots of things in this world aren't necessary, that doesn't invalidate them. Getting back to a point raised by the OP - no, I'm not jealous of virtuosos. I'm too lazy to put in the amount of work required to acquire these skills and I'm comfortable with the concept of reaping what one sows. They've clearly put the hours in, I'm pleased for them to be pushing the boundaries that lazy bass luddites like me can't even fathom how to approach. If my reaction to such playing is cold, that's because frankly I'm a bit lost. I'm good at other stuff. I'm an expert in a different field. I'm OK at playing bass, which is a boatload better than the vast majority of the world, and as long as it's enough to keep me from getting sacked from bands for incompetence, job's a good 'un.

Careful what you blame for that, now.

The Mariana Trench of my talents continues to reveal new depths.

Can't slap, won't slap. Doesn't seem to have affected my membership of bands.

You have a formidable legacy to live up to, all the best with it.

In lieu of obbm, the last time I needed leads (short XLRs because I was fed up of hiding 3-5 metre ones when the connection was less than a metre away) I used https://www.designacable.com/

I think you took me too seriously. Sorry my attempt at humour missed the mark - you can't win 'em all.

Yeah, ad nauseum Audiophile - someone who talks so much about listening to music you wonder if they have any time to actually listen to music.

Yeah, because it never happened, we've always been at war with Eastasia etc.

Hmph, don't get me started on "promoters"

Pillar drill + forstner bits. Never had a problem with breakout if the headstock is clamped to a scrap bit of wood underneath.

Aberdeen isn't too bad, despite my frequent bemoaning of its geographical location. It (and the surrounding Shire) has provided me with bands to be in since 2009, both original and cover so it can't be that bad

I miss gigging - we're half way through about 2 months off because 2 members went on epic long holidays back to back. Next gig isn't until 25th Nov. Good luck to everyone still out there performing while I sit on my hands

I've just had my first listen through and on the whole I'm thrilled with it, it sounds so fresh and alive. It's so much better balanced than the old hard-panned stereo mix - I don't feel like one side of my head is heavier than the other. I swear to God I felt a difference in the angle my head was at when listening to the new mix was straighter than before! More listens required but immediate highlights for me are Eleanor Rigby - I hear EVERYTHING, and the the yawn in the second breakdown of I'm Only Sleeping has been hilariously boosted. It surprised the hell out of me because in the old stereo mixes it's barely discernable - having never paid the mono mix much mind (a mistake, it would seem) I didn't even know it was there until now! One that bugged me was She Said She Said - I don't think the AI had a great time with the guitars so they sound a little wrong to me, a bit truncated - hard to put my finger on it but it caught my ear. All in all though, I am impressed. It certainly has breathed new life into one of my favourite Beatles albums.

I didn't really set out to sound like anyone. I was just amazed if I could make it sound half decent and get to the end of a song

I use the rounds it came with. If I get fed up of those, I'll put my usual D'addario XL nickel rounds on it. I like how it sounds with rounds. Actually, I have no desire to put flats on any of my basses - they've got tone controls if I want to suck the treble response out of them