Japhet

Don't think I will ever forget the time we turned up for a function gig at a hotel and were told it was upstairs. We were then told we couldn't go up the main staircase but had to lug our gear up a fire escape. The memory of that and my SMX combo have become the stuff of nightmares. I would die if I had to do it now.

Keep on Running - Spencer Davis Group

Just picked up a TC Spark Booster off the forum and first impressions are very favourable. It's nice and flexible depending on what you're looking for and none of the options sound straight 'bad' which is nice. As to the topic of the post, I play in 3 piece bands these days playing mainly Rock and a bit of growl fills the sound out, particularly when the guitarist is soloing.

I'd go straight for a second hand Zoom B3. Probably pick one up for around £80 and you wouldn't even need to buy a board or a power supply.

My Mistake - Split Enz

I'm doubtless in a minority but I don't ever try to slavishly copy anything. To my mind, covers are versions of songs whereas tribute bands go for the 100% authentic approach. To that end, I usually listen to a song, noodle along to it, try to find something that sounds OK. Then I listen in more detail to the track and find bits that I like. Then I mish mash it up together, some of it original, some of it improvised. I'd find it extremely tedious trying to get every note spot on not to mention a bit sterile. Never had any complaints.

This is a pretty good starting point;

I have the 500 combo (recently acquired). I've gigged it once going straight into the amp just to see what it was capable of and it seemed plenty loud to me. Next time I'll be using my pedal board and I'm pretty sure my MicroThumpinator will yield big results. It cuts out all of the frequencies below 37Hz (I think) and those frequencies gobble up the output of the amp with no sonic benefit. I'd strongly advise trying one out because it concentrates the power of your amp in frequencies that can actually be heard and cuts out the woolly stuff that either sounds dreadful or can't be heard at all.

Green Earings - Steely Dan

Huge loss. Virtuoso is probably used too often but AJ definitely was. Going to listen to my favorite bass line now - Donald Fagan's Ruby Baby.

Picked up a Fender Rumble 500 (2x10) last week. Had it out on a gig last night and really pleased with it. My other stuff is heads and cabinets and whilst it's mostly light and manageable it's a bit of a faff carrying it all in and then hooking it all up, so I wanted something dead easy and the Rumble hits the spot. Used it last night with no effects board just to see how it sounded and it was fine. I'll probably use the board in future for the convenience of a tuner/mute and the Thumpinator which tightens up the low end. Would have gone for an 800 but this thing is plenty loud for pub gigs so that would have been overkill. All in all, couldn't be happier since it's also like new and I got it for £450.

Ibanez Talman is a cracking little short scale bass for not much money. I have expensive basses but I gig with my Talman more often than not.

Wish I could get a rehearsal. For the past 2 years I've done nothing but gigs where I'm sent a set list on Whatsapp a few days before and everything is on a wing and a prayer.

I'm Going Slightly Mad - Queen

Tri A Little Tenderness - Otis Redding