tauzero

I've got one of these - a straight one. I did have a second lead made up with one, not sure where that is. I found with the first lead that one or two of my basses wouldn't hold the plug in tight enough and it could slip out a little and switch me off (never used it at a gig because of that). I use it with my bass trainer at home - means I can unplug my active basses and save the batteries without having to unplug the bass trainer end first.

There's a couple of pairs of Sennheiser HD419s at under £30 BIN on That Ebay at the moment. Sorry, I got the pair that were under £25...

I rather like the fact that of my two main basses, one says Antioniotsai on the headstock and the other doesn't even have a headstock, and if you get close enough to read "Sei" on the strip by the bridge then my personal space is being seriously invaded.

Worst bass was also first bass: The green sunburst version of this, the Rosetti Bass 7. Body made of papier-mache, everything on it was sh*t. The other poor bass I've owned (not utter sh*t, though) was a Squier 5-string P with J pickups - the Squier Precision Special V. Rather clunky neck, the last fretted 5-string I bought before finding my ideal one and it got sold on quite rapidly. I have narrowly avoided buying a sh*t bass - a Hofner violin bass, approximately 60s vintage. Horrible to play but it would have been worth buying and sticking under the bed. The worst set-up bass I've encountered was a Fender Jazz (probably MIM) that was kept in the recording studio at a Birmingham recording and rehearsal studio for people to use if they wanted to. I say "encountered" as I didn't want to risk damaging my fingers just before a recording session by trying to fret a string. The action at the 12th fret was between 1 and 2cm high.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1365370694' post='2038779'] Good grief! That gives a whole new meaning to out in the sticks... Despite the fact that it's probably the high-end bass retailer that's geographically closest to me, not being a car owner The Gallery in London is still quicker and easier to get to. [/quote] Even though they'll pick you up from Hinckley station?

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1365360445' post='2038552'] I bought a Vantage double P-pup short scale off Ebay. It arrived wrapped in 1 (yes 0ne) sheet of bubble-wrap secured with one bit of sellotape (imagine it!) .......totally undamaged!!!!!! [/quote] I've had a BSX upright bass sent to me with the packaging being a bin bag wrapped round the soft case. Arrived undamaged. Recently someone sent me a network server which had been put in an empty photocopier paper box with a few of those big bubbles put in at random. Arrived with the box falling apart and the server very visible inside it but undamaged, so I think the courier must have taken quite good care of it. Conversely I've sent a bass out in a hard case and had it arrive with the bass still in good order but the case wrecked.

I parked my Mk3 Mondeo estate next to a current (is that Mk2?) Focus estate at work, and they seemed to be pretty much identical in size. Mondeo estate - 4x10 cab, assorted small cases, brace of 15" active speakers [1], brace of 10" active speakers, guitarist's Peavey 2x12 combo, suitcase-sized lighting rig, speaker and mic stands, and a brace of basses, me and Mrs Zero (and Minus Zero if necessary). [1] now replaced by Mackie SRM450s so there will be a bit more room

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1365192184' post='2036699'] And another one [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trace-Elliot-GP11-4x10-Bass-Amp-/330902323943?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item4d0b50c2e7"]here[/url] [/quote] "Serious offers only please." I don't think the seller has quite grasped how Ebay works.

Focus

Mrs Zero is the singer for one of my bands. Song list: [url="http://thelightning.co.uk/songs.html"]http://thelightning.co.uk/songs.html[/url] We're not bothered by the gender of the original artist.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1365021768' post='2034340'] the only exception i will add for necks is warwicks - love the tone to pieces but just feels like im trying to wrap my sweaty little mitt around a scabby old plank of 2x4 [/quote] You should try an early Warwick, especially a JD Thumb. It completely spoilt me for other basses.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1365112967' post='2035644'] Haha! I think the day when you commission a custom bass is the day your best friend should punch you in the face. Like your art is so unique it requires a bespoke instrument. Your art as a bass player - no other instrument screams 'accompaniment' like the bass guitar, nobody needs a bespoke bass built to their own specification unless they have a disability and require a uniquely accessible instrument. [/quote] What a brave new world you live in where "need" is the only criterion of what instrument you buy. What if you just want a custom bass, for no reason other than it's what you want? Is that some bass playing offence of which I should be aware?

The name www.rockartistmanagement.com rings a bell. And that looks considerably shittier than the average sh*tty genuine Fender.

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1364933530' post='2033018'] Women just don't understand us do they? [/quote] It's possible that they understand us all too well.

I do a bit of moving round, but the main thing is eye contact with audience members which I consciously try to do. Funnily enough, in both rock covers bands the guitarists have recently said "we" need more stage presence. This actually translates to the guitarists needing more stage presence...

Yesterday, at a rather cold and windy outdoor gig, I played, sang backing vocals, and held the front centre leg of the marquee down when it suddenly threatened takeoff. I can't talk and play though.

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1364381532' post='2025585'] I'm a righty but i sometimes debate on whether to get a lefty bass and learn to play that too. Partly because it'd be a challenge and partly because i could really f*ck with peoples minds on stage. I think it would be an intereresting spin (quite literally) on my bass playing and a bit of fun to try. [/quote] Why not do both? [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gACsPcbU1tg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gACsPcbU1tg[/url]

I'm not sure that it could be described as "stunning". If you tried to stun anything with that, it would fall apart.

[quote name='alembic1989' timestamp='1364284627' post='2024194'] I think the guitar is...manky..white fingerboard..how naff is that?? [/quote] The fingerboard gives a clue to how it was painted. Presumably it was dropped into a vat of white paint, fished back out again, and then the paint scraped off the tops of the frets.

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1364247273' post='2023898'] So do I take a chance on the Skoda of the amp world , or stick with the Battlestar Gallactica of the CS800. [/quote] The Europowers are built like tanks and make the signal that you stick into the input louder without making a lot of difference to it in other ways. I have had problems with one Behringer product - a PMX3000 that I bought with a blown PSU, got the PSU replaced, and some time later it blew again. I sold the remains. However, the other Behringer products I have and have had (including a EP2500 power amp that I sold when I went to active speakers) have been fine. I currently use a Xenyx 1002B mixer for PA duties for vocals in the covers bands and the entire band in the ceilidh band.

[quote name='D-L-B' timestamp='1364159516' post='2022752'] Just admit it guys, if we get right to the bottom of it, it's simply down to lack of imagination. Amirite?! Huh?! [/quote] Nonsense. If that was true, I'd have a Fender.

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1364155479' post='2022673'] Still trying to think of a way to remember that Hey Joe starts on C though! [/quote] That'll be Crazy Joe, then?