police squad

I had a flea bass when they were first released. It did a lot of gigs and by the time I sold it, you could see more primer as the top coat was rubbing off nicely. It was a lovely bass too. Great pickups, I shoud have kept it but fancied something else.

done

What desk do you use now? I love my Allen and Heath desks, very very musical eq and the vocals sound so warm but it is analogue

Just before lock down 1 I decided to buy a wireless mic system. After much research I was none the wiser, digital, analogue? Shure? Sennheiser. After some discussion with EBS_freak I plumped for the Sennheiser EW something or other. It has been brilliant so far. I'm about to start rehearsals for an Americana touring band and am thinking about going wireless for this too. From what I've read I think it'll be te Shure system that Walshy recommends. Back in the day, I used a Samson Stage II wireless that was racked mounted into my Marshall Jubilee 300 head. I even managed to solder in a four way plug to the marshall power input, which left the receiver wired in and ready all the time. I literally took my bass out of its case, put the strap on with the transmitter pack already attached and was ready to go. It's this approach I would like to take here I think, the Shure looks rackable and it could be all wired in ready. Spare (backup) leads would be ready in case of failure, as would a spare amp

I saw them in Folkestone in the 90s. great band We covered 2 princes for a while, was a challenge to sing and play bass

I like this man. I almost spat my tea out when I read that. I think you're right here but one of the guitar things and amps, you do need a certain amount of volume to make the guitar feedback, if that's you bag. As a guitarist too, I enjoy that air movement and the guitar vibrating. That just doesn't happen on a silent stage but I just get on with it. I am yet to play bass this way but I do have a tech21 thing that sounds like an ampeg and I hope to try it at some point. I also appreciate that some people don't agree but the IEM mix, as you move about, doesn't change which as the singer is lovely. I have pretty bad tinnitus these days and have IEM because occasionally the on stage sound is too loud (thinking small pubs here, right next to the drummer etc) So I gave it a go. I was hooked from gig number one

The foam, under the pickups, on my '73 P bass is so knackered I actually cant adjust the heights, which is annoying because my A string is slightly quieter than the others. It been like this for most of the 33 years I've owned it. One day, new foam and I'll adjust it all up

I used to be very much like that. What key is it in? and off I'd go. Some fills need to be there, like on the record as it's sometimes a key part of the song. Feel like making love by Bad Company. I've always played it in drop D and played the D in the chorus (where there is actually no bass) No one ever pulled me up on it but in my Police tribute, I am much more faithful to Sting's bass playing

I recently went IEM for my 80s duo. I've always used a vox tonelab pedal for the guitar, into the PA. We used a small behringer monitor. It all worked very well. But since going IEM, I love it. I can move around the stage area and my monitoring is the same. The same great balance. A simple 'FOH' sound is all I need. I use the same set up with the full band version of the duo. Everything is in the PA and I still get the FOH sound in my ears. We're not particulary loud on stage, drummer is great and can really reign the volume in if required. Bass player is the same. No egos here and no mega volume I'm depping with someome next week and I'm pretty sure my IEMs won't be any good here, I'll take my ear plugs and my very light RM500 Evo II plus RM 4x10

Franl Allen said it was the first of their 7 comeback tours 🤣 I'd never bothered to go and see them, I don't know why as they always come to Folkestone and that's a short trip for me

Having played in a 60s duo/band nearly 25 years ago, I learned lots of Searchers/ Gerry and the Pacemakers/ Freddie and the Dreamers etc So I thought, last chance to see the Searchers. They were incredible. Frank Allen is 80 years old and John Mcnally is 82. Their voices were excellent. Fabulous harmonies, all the high notes were there too Big shout out too, for Spencer James (the new boy, joined in '85). Great Voice If you get the chance to see any of their remaining dates, get along

I know about half the set, just a brush up really but the key stuff is the ska, I've never covered it, so there is some learning. I keep a bass in my office and will be practicing at lunch times

I have a bass dep to do with my mates local band called Heroes They play mainly new wave and ska. plus some Jam, Police (easy) and the Clash I never knew playing songs by madness (One step beyond) Bad Manners(Lip up Fatty) and the Specials was such fun. I've got 2 weeks to learn and brush up on about 35 songs. Pump it up by Elvis Costello, wow what a great bass part

Nickel has a yellow hue to its colour and tarnishes much quicker than chrome (which has a blue hue) Underneath chrome is nickel (and sometimes underneath that is copper) There is a way to strip the chrome off and just leave the nickel. You could take the parts to an electroplating place and ask them to strip the chrome (we used to do that occasionally).

I must add this. I can tell the difference between woods. I can hear a difference between fingerboards and body woods. I play guitar a lot and it is very noticable, especially a maple board strat versus rosewood board. Similarly bolt on neck versus through neck (let's not go there😅) I do not prefer either, if they sound good, they sound good. My favourite '73 P bass is alder and rosewood but I have 2 maple boarded P basses too. I have a guitar playing friend who simply can't hear the difference, that's ok too. It's a rabbit hole he won't go down. At a gig, different story really. Can't really hear very much when the drummer starts and all hell breaks loose

yep just leave.

the home of Manson, then Fingerbone. Lovely place. Who do you play with?

cool. He was a great bloke. Still welcome to the forum mate. When abouts in East Sussex are you? I'm in kent and used to play a few gigs in Hastings a few years ago

Did you get the Fingerbones from Paul, new

hey Steve, lovely to see a Manson and the Fingerbones. I've had 3 Mansons (one just sold at auction) and my brother had a Fingerbone Strat-a-like. Class

mad money. lovely though

proper playing with dynamics. We do that in my 80s band. 😀