bassace

Sorry, it's oriented strand board. It's the random looking 8x4 boards that you see timber panels made up of in house construction. Mainly the type that self builders use in Grand Designs and the plethora of other house construction programmes.

My garage is quite well insulated and I've also built a large cupboard in OSB. It's big enough to take all the amps on shelves plus the ply DB. They all stay ok right through the year. The 'wood' double basses live in the house, upstairs.

From HipHop to HipOp.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1490910067' post='3269065'] If you're doing 8 acres with the harrows at 76, it may be time you treated yourself to a tractor or something. [/quote] No Jack, Iron Man I'm not, I have a red tractor. If my photo skills were up to it I'd send you a pic but all I could do on BC would be a thumbnail on its side.

76. I mucked out three stables this morning while the Mrs swanned round the lanes with a friend. Then I got the harrows out and put everything together and in the meantime mowed two lawns. Then before supper went round half the paddocks (8 acres) with the harrows. Gig tomorrow evening so I'll take it a bit easy. But don't let the above fool you, I'm really feeling old these days.

Pardon?

In fifty years my wife has been to a gig probably twice. I was looking forward to playing at the Stables at Wavendon a few years ago and so invited my wife along to hear the band. She stayed until the interval and said all very nice but I'll go home now.

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1490129506' post='3262515'] Would leaving it in place if amplified using bridge wing pickups still cause damping? [/quote] Yes, that's what I noticed. The clip on was right next to the Underwood element. So close that it couldn't fail to have a dampening effect.

Kind thoughts Steve. Thanks.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1490117220' post='3262328'] It's really not the same on kazoo ... [/quote] But we did try. African nose flute was a fair approximation.

Saw Booker T at Cornbury last year. He put a great show together, sang. And his son is a very accomplished guitar player. Green Onions in an Oxfordshire field! I think they're at Cheltenham Jazz Festival. I remember being blown away by Green Onions first in 1962 which makes it 55 years ago. We used to play it, minus Hammond.

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1490099118' post='3262126'] Maybe on your bass mate - on my East German plywood, it just makes not one iota of difference to the shininess of the turd. [/quote] Actually Dave, it was on my 'umble ply where I first noticed this.

Seems obvious, but don't leave a clip-on on the bridge while playing. It has a dampening effect.

Yes, there is a variable control. I've got a new Super Midget but when turned full up I still can't hear the tweeter. I presume it was tested before despatch.

That's all the physical stuff taken care of. And those of us of a certain age definitely benefit from the brain exercises from the concentration that playing, and particularly reading, requires. I'm sure it's doing me good, although time will tell.

MM was the paper the musicians read back then; NME was a bit pants. I bought an EBO from an ad in the back in '64, not sure whether it was from Pan tho. Incidentally the fragrant Mrs B and I celebrated our 50th two weeks ago so we have good reason to remember 1967. I remember I had to make an effort at 'being married' so I retired from playing, only to quietly slide back into music some 20 years later.

In my little black book where I record these things I see that, during my long stint as a double bass botherer, I have played with round about 60 different drummers. A few have been a bit dire, the great majority have been great to play with and some have been nothing short of inspirational. A bell curve if you will. I don't like a drummer who's heavy on the kick drum anymore than I do a keyboard player who is down the bottom of the scale a lot. But my preference is always to play with a drummer, he can provide the forward direction while I can surf the pulse above him. A good piano bass drum rhythm section always makes me smile. But I am finding these days that a lot of my work is without drums, due to tightened economics or the need for a smaller, quieter group. I'm happy enough to do it but a different technique on the bass is needed; I have a greater responsibility for keeping time so my playing has to be that much more rigid. And I can't do it all on my own, I need the guitar and/keys to help out with the rhythm and they don't always 'get' this. Remember, it's the drums that make you tap your feet but the bass that makes you swing your hips.

I dep a lot. Same.

I use a Koenig and Meyer stool from Thomann. It's got a very comfortable seat and has an optional backrest. I don't use this because it's just another item of metal rattling around in the motor. https://www.thomann.de/gb/km_stehhilfe_14045.htm

Is that important or impotent? Just asking.

Bloody disgraceful. I feel your pain. I had a new Upton double bass from Boston, completely undamaged. Yet these clowns can't manage 400 miles.

I've had a new tune thrown at me with the pianist saying 'plays itself' and generally you can see which way the chords go. When I started I played in a jazz quintet that was reasonably well organised. Often when playing a a club for dancers the two tenors at the front would segue through a series of standards and while one was playing the other one would hand me a handwritten book of chords, open at the next tune. I learnt most of my standards that way. I still get the odd one come up that I've never heard before and most often it's a great discovery.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1487933910' post='3244257'] . . . . just poor choices! The last time I told this story Bilbo nearly threw his Zimmerframe across the room! I was asked to do some gigs with a Jazz piano trio. I said OK, knowing I didn't know any Jazz tunes. hey it was a paying gig. One piece of advice I was given a few years before worked a treat. [i]Never hit the same note twice in a row. If you do you've made a pattern and it can be right or more likley, wrong. Use different notes and you're either playing the right note, a harmony or a passing note[/i]. I guess this is ancient dance band philosophy and it's pretty close to Victor Wootens, [i]You're only a semi tone away from the right note[/i], but it worked for me. Turned the volume down, bass full up and set up on the other side of the drums and no one noticed. I did that gig for about 4 months. [/quote] Yes, there are still a few bass players around like you, doing jazz gigs. Unfortunately.

Phil Jones Earbox?