neepheid

The "wish I'd gone to the loo before we started" The "bum note" The "I'm playing an RD Artist, ha ha!"

Difficult to say. The last time I left a band, I told them at the end of a rehearsal. I was going to wait until after our last gig for a while but my hand was forced when emails started going around about some potential upcoming gigs so I had to make my move. It was OK in the end, everyone was sad but nice about it, and they made a fuss about the gig being my last, even presented me with a card and a bottle of bubbly. In my remaining band, if we're not gigging, we're creating new stuff, and that's fine by me. We've not got any more gigs booked (enquiries have been lodged with a few festivals, waiting to hear back), but I can probably get us a gig at a local venue in the not to distant future if we decide to air some of the new stuff. But my real aim this year is to get some recordings done. Something to hawk at gigs. Something to talk about if we get interviewed by blogs/'zines/community radio/whatever. Something to get better gigs with. Band kitty has been (very slowly) building so hopefully we'll be able to spit out at least a 4 track EP or something.

I used to be a bit of a tinkerer, but I've calmed down a lot. The only one which survives from that era is the Epiphone Les Paul (not so) Standard: Physical changes - pickup selector switch installed in the rightful place. These basses didn't come with them, even though they had the internal routing for it. Doesn't look like a Les Paul without it, so I did it myself. Taking a drill press to a carved top instrument was a bit of a scary moment, but it turned out OK in the end. Cover on the back is a little tight and difficult to remove, I made the rebate a little too snug. Internal changes - guts ripped out entirely and replaced with 2x EMG-HB pickups (split P rails in a guitar humbucker sized package), 2x volume plus selector switch fed to an EMG-BQC 3 band EQ. Controls - vol, vol, bass/treble stack, mids/mid sweep stack. Somehow managed to squeeze a battery in there too More recently, I changed the neck pickup on my Gibson Midtown Standard to a DiMarzio Model One. Not trivial - the Model One doesn't fit in the hole left by Gibson's "I look like a mudbucker but I'm really a TB+ in disguise" so I had to enlarge the route a bit. Just did it by hand with the chisel - only needed a couple of mm each side. Found a spare push/push pot, so I have series/parallel selectable on the volume pot.

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1425244862' post='2705563'] I've never owned one, but if I can make a teensy-weensy observation/comment it's that the headstock on the above models is way better than the[i] chewed by a bear[/i] ones on the later models. Message ends. P [/quote] Wrong! Eye gouger FTW.

Barrel jack? Replace it, not much else you can do, everything's internal. http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/neutrik-nys2203-635mm-stereo-long-reach-chassis-socket-n39gb

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1425123073' post='2704147'] Music (like every other bloody commodified product) is very much prone to supply and demand - so no doubt there are lots of originals bands playing creative and inventive music in Milwaukee - but what blue is saying is that there is no market for it there, which is the [i]really [/i]sad and depressing thing about it. Mediocrity abounds. [/quote] That's what I was trying to figure out - no market for it, does that mean that originals bands still play but get naff all, or do they just not bother airing their stuff in public at all because no-one wants to hear it and no-one cares?

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1425095379' post='2703916'] I think the OP wants to gig and possibly be paid.If there are gigs for original bands in his region fine. Here in Milwaukee it wouldn't be the best route for those that want to gig. There is no local market for originals bands in Milwaukee. Blue [/quote] Man, it's all about the bottom line with you, isn't it? Also I find it really sad to hear stuff like "There is no local market for originals bands in Milwaukee." - you mean the originals bands get next to naff all money, or that there are no originals bands playing anywhere in Milwaukee? Originals bands getting f all isn't anything new. But a dearth of local originals bands even playing? I'd find that worrying and rather depressing. Where's the inventiveness? Where's the creativity? Aberdeen (Scotland) can be a weird place, but it has a decent number of venues putting on a decent amount of originals bands every weekend, and even through the week. You get paid a token amount, but at least you're gigging and getting your tunes in peoples' ear holes.

Originals or covers?

Where the hell are these £250 gigs?

You've been really unlucky with the people you've met. You can't keep being this unlucky. Try originals for a change of scene/pace? Completely different set of frustrations to contend with Write your own stuff? If you'd told me 5 years ago I'd be writing and performing my own songs, I'd have laughed at you.

Oh, the strings round the wrong sides of the tuners - be still, my aggravated OCD!

Even later in replying to feedback received lately because the forum had lost my following setting - Marc bought a G&L Tribute M-2000 from me last year. Picked it up in person, had a pleasant yap before sealing the deal. Straight up guy, deal with confidence.

What's not to like - a 3 string bass, plenty of room on the generously proportioned fingerboard for string bends and the like

I was so disappointed by the last bit. [s]They shafted that guy. Uncool. This has put their company in a dim light as far as I'm concerned. I'm surprised that we even got to know about it if I'm honest.[/s] EDIT: as usual, there's more than one side to the story and it seems that some spin might have been put on this for the sake of entertainment. Until there are more facts, I retract most of the above statement.

I turn 40 at the end of the year and I do find my interest in new music has dropped off big time in the last 5 years or so. I don't recall the last time I bought a music mag (Q and the likes). It does concern me, so I joined a wee new music "Jukebox Jury" type thread on our local music forum to try and force myself to listen to new stuff. Regarding bands, I don't have a problem with ages. My current band has an age range from mid 20s to early 50s (I think). I'm the middle kid of 5, age-wise. Last year I was in a band where everyone apart from me was early 20s. Didn't bother me, or them it seemed. Only reason I left was because I wanted to buy some spare time back, go back to being in one band only and I was writing songs with the other band so felt a bit more creatively invested in it.

I don't think it's reverse GAS. If it was pursued with as much passion as GAS is, you would have no basses ASAP. All you're doing is being sensible - selling basses which aren't getting sold is just logical and healthy. Makes room for ones you might want to play more

Graeme bought an ODB-3 from me, paid promptly and kept me up to date on what's happening. Smooth transaction, deal with confidence.

I use an EMG-BQC [i]control[/i] with two EMG-HB pickups and I think it sounds great. EDIT - I don't use a BQC [i]system[/i] because it's a Les Paul bass and I don't want a blend control. I have a volume for each pickup (25k pot which comes with the pickup) and a traditional selector switch instead - the summation of all that then feeds into the BQC. I care not for blend controls - I end up using them as switches anyway. I'm sure it makes a difference if you use 66% neck pickup and 34% bridge, I'm just saying that I don't care Obviously, an EMG system as opposed to a control is a waste of money and components on a single pickup bass!

[quote name='briansbrew' timestamp='1424901249' post='2701794'] Can anyone tell me what is to be gained from upgrading to premium, seem a bit pricey at 9.99 a month [/quote] http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/125771-spotify-free-vs-spotify-premium-what-s-the-difference

[quote name='1970' timestamp='1424880523' post='2701524'] hmmm nice, but i'm gagging for a short scale single pup model... someone make me one? something about the design screams short scale to me... [/quote] Yeah you'll have to go custom for that. Gibson did issue a short scale reverse Thunderbird a while back. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Bass/Gibson-USA/Thunderbird-Short-Scale-Bass.aspx

I have one of the recent remakes. "Reissue" is a bit of a distortion of the truth, they have been remade sort of like how the current Thunderbird is in relation to previous incarnations. I'm pretty sure they're discontinued now. 34" scale, set neck as opposed to the neck through of the reverse Thunderbird. Some pics of mine - note that I changed the black hardware to chrome, I felt it suited the bass better.

Although I can't speak specifically about your 1991 Thunderbird, any time I've worked on a three point bridge the earth wire goes to the post nearest the control cavity, the one nearest the G string ball end. Having had a couple decide to part company with the wood of their own accord I can tell you that they pull straight up, they are not threaded. Same sort of idea as these guitarry ones... Removal? Screw the bolt into the insert then use the bolt to pull up on the insert. Or do what I did once - have the audacity to want to stretch my new strings.

Last time I was in a guitar shop worth the name, I nearly walked out with an Epiphone Toby Deluxe, saved by the fact that they only had one finish in stock and I didn't like it Ridiculously good for the money, didn't care for the electronics/controls but at that price, who cares if you mod it?