neepheid

I used to be in the "bass and go" camp (80s shampoo ad reference, you bloody millenials/zoomers). My change in stance says more about faith in my own ability to modify/maintain my basses than anything else. I recently did a rewire job and I ballsed it up completely to the point where I couldn't face debugging it and handed it off to get done. That shook me up and made me question the stability of all the other basses I've either modded (Freeway switch in the Reverend Triad) or copper shielded (you're welcome, G&L, you lazy gits!). Since then, I've taken two to the gig.

Honestly, it doesn't get much use being a backup thing and all, but it's worked every time I've dragged it out to do a bit of home recording. Apart from that, it rattles around in my gigging bits and bobs bag (admittedly in its box) week in, week out. Consider this - at the price they are available for does it matter if you have to replace it once in a while? You can buy like 6 of them for the price of a Sansamp. I highly doubt you'll make 6 go pop in your lifetime. #justsayin

I have one of those as my get out of jail free(ish) card in case of amp failure.

Do you have to understand? I hope it doesn't keep you up at night.

I can personally attest to the fact that the Custom Shop Ripper replacement pickups are excellent. If you've got a Ripper to restore, don't waste time waiting for potentially dodgy old Ripper pickups to appear in the second hand market - just noise up SD.

Or a Mastermind specialist subject...

This sounds like the kind of microscopic, nerdy af detail video I could get on board with

+1 - pretty much the whole reason I ended up getting a Mojomojo for my overdrive - being a guitar pedal I would have probably never even looked near it without seeing his review/cheap bass overdrive shootout.

Eh, I see people videoing all the time at gig, but it's just for their goldfish bowl instagram following, or whatever the f tiktok is - we never see a thing.

Mistakes are but fleeting moments in time. Back when I was starting out, Mrs. Neepheid had way more experience than me, singing and playing sax in bands. She took a teatowel in her hand and said "See this? This is your mistake", then quickly scrumpled it up and threw it behind her over her shoulder. I'd say one's own personal mistakes on bass - don't dwell on it, just keep going. If it's a bad one, take a breath, join back in at the next phrase/repetition of riff/verse/chorus. In more widespread muckups, if the singer skips to the wrong bit of song, go with them or else it's going to sound daft. I have learned to make light of mistakes - a smile, a nod, a laugh between band members looks way better than scowls and looking daggers at each other. 'Twas not always so - my drummer is still mentally scarred from the Death Stare of '09...

I think this is one of the reasons I didn't used to bother taking a backup for years. "Who does this jumped up twit think he is?" etc. Nowadays I do, but the backup is waiting in the wings, still in its bag/case.

FFS can we please just get back to generic moaning about not being able to afford shiny things whenever we want?

Not at all - no sarcasm. We all get on great and we get next to f all done (probably because of the calmness?)

You can't have either of my highly harmonious, somewhat productive bands, they're mine!

Search for The Inevitable Teaspoons on Spotify or whatever. Will never be a hit because I'm making you search for it. Obvs that's the reason... EDIT - yeah, that didn't work either

Well indeed, the last time we were here I had to have a rather painful fire sale and I'd rather get ahead of it this time and avoid that if at all possible.

I've shut up shop right now. Too much adulting to do. I've noped so many tasty looking things by saying "that's a car clutch", or "that's getting my utilities account back on an even keel", or "that's money I need to save to insure against whatever the next effing domestic disaster is", etc.

That was good fun. Private party in a big old shed, a new one with insulation in the walls/celiings so not quite the echo chamber that some sheds I've played in were. The organisers had prepared well - we even had a large, homemade stage to play on! We got fed and watered and it was a good gig - a small but enthusiastic cohort of dancers, a lot of people stayed outside and listened until later on because it was a warm, dry evening but we got lots of nice comments from people and a decent pay too, more than our usual fee. A worthwhile endeavour. Team G&L FTW (CLF L-1000, with Tribute LB-100 lurking in its gigbag behind)

Hey horse, you WILL drink this water I have led you to.

This question always goes tribal in the end.

I've only recently started taking two, so no, not needed yet, or ever thus far. Figured that after about 15 years I had chanced my arm long enough.

For the longest time, one. I've recently started taking two when I can be bothered, but the second one is in its case/bag lurking in the shadows as it is strictly the understudy in case anything goes wrong. I'm not changing basses part way through a show - it's just rock covers (or original tunes no-one gives a monkeys about) - who is this jumped up so-and-so? Oh look, he's changed bass. Yup, still sounds him, playing a bass.

Death to Jazz basses.

Because his signature is a bit ambiguous, the rest of my band refer to my JC Signature (and me by extension when I wield it) as "Slack Casady". Funny guys