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[quote name='Bass Culture' timestamp='1480530626' post='3185169'] Was hooked as soon as I saw them doing 'Southern Central Rain' on some BBC music show in the early 80's. 'Life's Rich Pageant' was my personal highlight from the early years, and I've always thought 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' represented one last hurrah in an otherwise increasingly irrelevant roster of latterday albums. First time I saw them was on the Work 'tour' (one gig in the UK, I recall!) at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1987. All I remember is Pete Buck playing the opening chords of 'Finest Worksong' and turning to my mate, who had the same stupid grin on his face as I did, as our ears were assailed by this complete wall of sound. Bloody brilliant! [/quote] I was at that Hammersmith gig, too. Life changing. "Radio Free Europe" played at Ramones speed with all the house lights on...Robyn Hitchcock on 12String for "Fall On Me". What a night. And 10 000 Maniacs were the support. Oh yeah. I don't remember a BBC version of "S Central Rain", but there was a killer version of it on The Tube... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AinyLYhEpOM[/media]

I became obsessed with REM in the mid 80's. The IRS label albums are all brilliant. My "Desert Island Disc" is "Murmur" - just perfect. And Mike Mills is a wonderful Bassist.

[quote name='ukulelelab' timestamp='1480448447' post='3184526'] 2009 Highway 1 body and 1974 'A' precision neck: [/quote] Beautiful.

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1480287693' post='3183163'] Make sure you have a back up computer and line in case you loose the connection [/quote] If anybody needs me, I'll be in a dark room, crying.

...but seriously, as long as you have some spare strings, a spare lead and a spare power lead you should be fine. A tuner of some sort is useful - clip on ones are cheap and (sometimes) cheerful. Pen and paper are surprisingly useful, especially when you have to scribble down the occasional set of lyrics or when your charismatic frontman (who has one admin job in the band...) forgets the piggin' set lists again. A pick or two (if you're that way inclined) in the wallet and you're set. It should all fit in the pocket of your gig bag, too.

Jeez, I'm scared to leave the house now. I'm doing the rest of my gigs via Skype.

I've used a couple of wireless systems - a Line 6 G30 and a Smoothound. Neither have had interference issue and sound quality was great with both. The Line 6 developed an annoying dropout, which seems to be a fairly widespread issue with that model. A great shame. The Smoothound is the mutts nuts. I had an odd issue with it initially which was to do with the length of cord between the receiver and my multi fx, which Chris at Smoothound HQ sorted out for me with indecent haste. I saw Sammy Hagar at the Brum Odeon sometime in the eighties which was notable for a few appearances of local taxi firms over the PA, thanks to Sam's prototype wireless dealio. Fortunately, he laughed it off and reached for a lead...

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1480268644' post='3182960'] Same here - I go out the front with the iPad that controls the XR16, and set up the sound. Then when I am playing I don't stand on my lead, which actually seems a lot easier to do in a small space than a big. Do I mind that some professional bass players are amused that I am using wireless? No, really don't think about it and if I did, I couldn't care less, I am sure there are many other reasons they could find to look down on me! [/quote] It's surprising how many punters notice the lack of wire and comment at the end of the set - genuinely interested in how it works. It's not indulgence or overkill - it's a practical consideration. I've found that it's the tight spaces where people are more likely to trip/tread on/unplug a lead than larger ones. The hotspot tends to be around soundcheck time, when people have their instruments on and they're making adjustments to amps, PA's and pedals, sometimes without due care and attention. Lots of loose cables to trip over. I went for years thinking that a wireless was only for people who played on big stages, until I joined a band where both the singer and guitarist used them. It was a real revelation. Easy to use, incredibly quick to set up and thanks to quick-charge rechargeable batteries, not a huge expense either. I wouldn't be without mine.

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1480266015' post='3182924'] I honestly can't think of a time where I've tripped over my cable. I'm a big boy too and not exactly nimble on my feet. If it works for you then great, but for me the supposed benefits for a pub band setting doesn't warrant the extra gear/ expense / complications. [/quote] My experience is a little bit skewed as I used to teach music to secondary school children. I once saw a year 8 student go for a wander with his guitar on, still connected to a PA head...it came crashing off the stand, hitting the floor and shorting all the electrics for the whole floor. That was fun. In my current band, we're all pretty mobile (for old blokes) and our singer/guitarist is the kind of person who will trip over anything that isn't perfectly flat or lashed down with a mile of gaffa tape. I use a Smoothound - the transmitter attaches to my strap in about four seconds and the receiver sits on a board with my Zoom B3, so no complications. It cost £149, but (for me) the extra mobility, the ability to go into the hall for soundchecks and having one less trailing wire for the band to fall over, justifies the expense.

There are people who have never had to change a tyre. There are people who have never had to make an insurance claim. There are people who have never had to go to the doctors. Yet most of us have a spare tyre in the boot, we pay our insurance diligently and we don't begrudge our NHS payments. It's not arrogant or self-indulgent to have a back up instrument with you when you perform. It's just a bit of insurance for something that hopefully will never happen.

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1480262657' post='3182877'] I often think about this too. I have never in my puff had a bass stop working. I've never seen a brass player (for example) take a spare. I put it into the same bracket as people taking 2 4x12 Marshall stack to play in the local boozer, or folk that have wireless systems who never move an inch from where their pedals are. All the gear, no idea. Reaks of amateurism to me. Obviously if there is a functional need for a different bass (different tuning for example) then it's fair play. [/quote] I think the prohibitive expense of a decent trumpet/violin/cello rules out taking a spare. They're less prone to electrical issues and even though some brass instruments can be incredibly complex, they seem more resilient to wear and tear- possibly because they're played in a less "physical" way - ie no nutcase bassplayer swinging it about (as I am prone to do when excited...) I play with a Viola player and he can tell quite a way in advance when a string is going to go, so he's never popped a string on stage. As for the wireless thing - I play my share of pubs and clubs with cramped stage areas and I always use the wireless. In my experience, you're more likely to trip over a trailing lead in a situation where everyone is practically on top of one another than on a big stage with lots of room between musicians. I don't think that's amateur. I think it's common sense to have as few wires on the floor as possible. ...the multiple 4x12 Marshall thing always baffles me. Maybe it's for tone. Or maybe it's just for showing off. 9 times out of 10, my humble Genz Benz Contour combo is perfect for the gig and the extension cab stays at home.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1480254790' post='3182800'] You only need one failure and it'll change your mind for life. [/quote] Beautifully put.

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1480211280' post='3182588'] I am planning to have myself cloned in case I stop working mid gig too. [/quote] Ha! The world ain't ready for two of me... I have a "gig box" full of spares of everything, including a DI, just in case the amp goes phut... I've used everything in it - apart from the DI.

Always two. If space is tight, one stays in a case but I haven't taken just one bass to gig in over ten years. I saw a Bill Nelson show in London a few years ago, where in the space of a 14 song set he played (approximately) 11 guitars. His roadie must be the highest paid man in showbiz.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1480166401' post='3182158'] Misuse of the word 'epicentre'. Plus, what's the point of this nonsense anyway? Bah humbug. [/quote] Epicentre: "The central point of something, typically a difficult or unpleasant situation". Sounds like playing the Bass to me.

I make "Fedner" decals for my bitsa basses, so I'd call it the "Fedner Purpleone" ...

Great stuff...more power to yer elbow!

My old band supported Stackridge a few times...a great band and lovely people.

I've used them both. They're ace. The B3 has the edge for me as you've got the facility to use it as if it were three easily tweakable pedals. It's sturdier, but I never had an issue with the B1.... As I needed a multi fx for live work, I went with the B3 as I find it easier to use. The B1 is great, but if you use a number of patches, it can be a faff to swap between them quickly, unless you plan out your pedal changes in advance. Sound quality wise, I'd say there's nothing in it. Both are really logical to use and build quality is great for both. For noodling at home or recording, I'd go with the B1. Great sounds at a pocket money price. For live work, it's the B3 for me.

Bought a Billy Sheehan DVD from Cliff - lovely comms and speedy delivery. The guys a gentleman. Buy and sell with confidence.

I play in a Dr Feelgood style, edgy R&B band...two guitars dovetailing nicely, so not a lot of room for anything too floral on the bass....check out Andy Frasers early stuff with Free, Norman Watt-Roy's stuff with Wilko and the "Beano" album, with John Mcvie playing like a badass.

Love Crowded House. Musicians at the top of their game. I saw them a load of times in the nineties and they never failed to deliver. They'd often go off into lovely little improvisations, which sounded better than most bands' carefully considered compositions. Nick Seymour is a cruelly underrated player and a great visual artist, too.

Any 14 year old metal heads fancy something gruesome that they'll grow out of in six months and then bury in the garden? Ta-dah! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BC-Rich-Mockingbird-guitar-customised-T800-Terminator-themed-/172385705205?hash=item2822fd1cf5:g:fOAAAOSwn7JYDiIG

I'm in a four piece, raucous rhythm and blues band who play in the back rooms of tatty (and some not so tatty) boozers in the Midlands and I bloody love it. My hat is off to guys who are happy jamming along in their bedrooms to tunes or who are "hired guns" and can step up with minimal rehearsal and deliver. My sight reading is closer to "de-coding" than fluency, I'm afraid. I love to play in front of people (even if it's just two men and a dog...) and I'm fortunate that my current band plays regular, paying gigs. Not enough for me to jettison the day job, but it keeps me in strings and plectrums. Playing live is, for me, the logical extension to all the back bedroom practice. When the day comes that I can't get out and play with a band - and I hope that day is a long way away - I'll still tinker on my lovely basses, but right now, my favourite part of being a musician is live performance with a few like minded fellow travelers.

I laughed a lot. Then I stopped because I embarrassed myself. Then I started laughing again.