molan

I've been cutting down on the weight of basses for a while and my Ritters are both around the 7.5lbs mark. I thought I'd really given up on anything over 9.5lbs but then a pair of Celinders somehow appeared in my house and both are over 10lbs. I've gigged the heavier of the two twice now and, to my huge surprise, had no issues at all with weight. Somewhat bizarrely a Sadowsky I had was about 8.5lbs and gave me all sorts of problems. Really made my left shoulder sore and started getting wrist problems as well

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1370378843' post='2100120'] From your OP it does sound as though the band have little clue, but IMO that's all the more reason for you to behave in as professional a manner as possible, and that should have involved saying "no thanks" as soon as you got the final song list. [/quote] I agree. Unfortunately I didn't get this list until Sunday afternoon and wasn't able to look at it until late Sunday evening. I had a proper chance to go though it last night but wasn't able to actually listen through it until this morning. I spent maybe 3-4 hours labouring with it before realising I really wasn't enjoying it. There were some songs on the list I liked but playing them back to back highlighted how I interesting they were. It was only then that I realised what a mistake it would be to take things any further. I sent a very humble and apologetic note as soon as I decided that I'd be wasting their time by auditioning.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1370373341' post='2099983'] No you're not being too picky. However OTO wimping out of an audition with less than 24 hours to go is very bad form. If you were booked into a rehearsal room and the terms are anything like they are here in Nottingham then the band you should have been auditioning for will have just lost at least 50% of the room rental. If that happened to me I'd not be a happy chap either. [/quote] I have to admit I hadn't thought they'd lose money on the room. My usual place allows regular bands to cancel inside 24 hours without penalties. There's a loose arrangement that anyone who uses the facility regularly gets a few free cancellations and then after that have to pay up but get a credit against a future booking. It was a daytime slot too so it won't have been heavily demanded and should be easier to cancel. Also I didn't even get confirmation of the booking and songs until Sunday afternoon and today was the first opportunity I had to really sit down and work my way through them. I thought it was fairer to 'walk' now rather than go through the audition and then part ways Having thought about this more I'm sure it was the right thing to do. The way things were arranged and a couple of things the band leader said seem to demonstrate, in hindsight, that he might not be the nicest of people. I've also discovered they have a regular bassist and were advertising anonymously to try and get someone else in before they fired him.

So my band fell apart recently and I've been looking for something new to try. Thought I had a good option but I've just turned down an audition and got a mouthful of abuse from the band leader because of it. It was booked for tomorrow so obviously it's late notice and I can, partially, understand his frustration. However. . . When first contacted I was given an outline of types of music which sounded interesting so thought it worth trying out. I was then sent a list of 70 songs to review. A quick look over them showed quite a few I quite liked the look of and I thought would be interesting to play. After a lot of faffing about we got a date booked (I had been super flexible throughout in terms of availability). I was then sent a revised list of 25 songs to learn for the audition. I've never had to learn more than 4 or 5 in the past. I was told to let them know if I wasn't able to learn all 25 but that I was expected to have at least a dozen sorted. Seemed to be quite a strong implication to learn all 25 though. When I looked closely at this list it seemed that they'd picked the most 'obvious' / cliched ones and this should have sounded some warning bells. I decided to give them a bash anyway & booked today to go through them all. I quickly realised just how 'samey' they all were and got bored playing them quite quickly. Odd thing is that they range from some 60's stuff through to 90's yet all seem to have the same groove & feel to them. At this point I used by good old 'acid test' - if I went into a pub and heard a band playing these songs would I want to be in that band. The answer was a resounding no. I tried the list on a couple of other people who had similar views. So - am I being too picky by only wanting to play songs I like (both in terms of listening to and enjoying playing) or should I bite my tongue and take a gig because it'll get me out & playing again. . .?

Apart from the physical size and weight issues I think you'll also have problems with the 'throw' of the low end frequencies. In a lot of pub sized venues you're going have a low rumble hitting rear and side walls and bouncing all over the place with a lack of definition. Landlord / punters will be asking to have the low end tamed and you'll need to cut bass frequencies on the amp and then you'll be kinda defeating the object of having the fridge with you in the first place. You may well also find the lack of space will mean you're standing really close to it but that the way it's chucking volume out into the room means you might not be able to hear yourself very well unless you chuck loads of mids into the mix. There is a time and place for the venerable 8x10 but I'm really not sure it's in a pub. This could be a reflection on why used ones are available for so little money these days whilst, conversely, 1x12's, 2x12's and 2x10's are holding values much better.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1370174878' post='2097191'] +1 on this . In certain instances for less than three grand , you can get new custom - order examples of some of those listed above , as well as a few more besides . And that's not even bringing secondhand into the equation . I haven't tried the Pino - I expect it's very good , but I don't like the colour or the relicing myself personally - but there are so many options if you are spending big money on a P Bass that it's just one option to look at . That said , if you are paying cash you should be looking to get a big discount off the retail price of a Fender and so maybe you could get a good deal on one . Getting the Fender Custom Shop to make you that Pino Signature bass but just how you want it would be a viable option if you are prepared to wait a while for it , but I would think it would be several months , minimum , maybe longer . Speak to a Fender CS dealer and get an idea from them . Other custom builders are usually quicker than Fender CS at the moment though , on the whole . [/quote] Fender CS build to delivery time is 'officially' 4-6 months. However, I'd maybe add another 2 months on top to be safe and, if there's annoying out of the ordinary which starts edging it towards master built territory then a fair bit longer on top as well I must admit that the two Pino's I've played we're both uniformly excellent. I owned one for a while and really liked it. Only sold it because I don't really get on with that wider nut and chunkier neck profile vs a Jazz neck.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1370141304' post='2096927'] Wobbled? How so? [/quote] The amount of micro-tilt adjustment was so extreme that it seemed the whole neck was 'balancing' on the one point. Any sort of aggressive playing would make the neck move in the pocket, in both vertical and horizontal planes

And it visited a BassChat Bash today too

Just be careful how you string them up. Watch out for strings twisting as you wind them on. Can kill a string dead really quickly if they aren't put on properly.

My local luthier detests the micro-tilt operation. Given the chance he will add a shim rather than use The micro-tilt. I must admit that I saw a '76 recently with a neck that wobbled all over the show. The luthier took the neck off. Set the micro so it wasn't working and shimmed the neck. Transformed the action and playability and the neck is really solid now.

Forgot to say I'll bring a few accessories along too. Maybe some Mono straps, the new cool stretchy straps Phil has in, Fretwraps that sort of stuff. Everything reduced for people at the event today That includes all instruments as well. . .

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1370017357' post='2095639'] You may face a fine for wearing the Arsenal shirt!!! [/quote] Maybe I'll dig one of mine out - another season ticket holder here

And now residing in leafy Oxfordshire . . .

I'll bring a pair of Bergantino CN112's with an Aguilar TH500 and the funky Aguilar pedal demo rack. The pedals will have : Tone Hammer, Agro, Ocatamizer, Filter Twin and TLC - all chained up and ready to play. If I can fit them in my wife's car (which she has kindly loaned out for the day), I'll also bring an ATS312 cab with an ATS500 head. This is a real little hi-Fi quality rig. Very articulate and clear. Not sure about basses yet. We get some people saying the stock is too 'high end' at bashes so maybe I'll throw some cheaper stuff in that's still a bit different. Possibly a Carvin custom or two, a Godin Shifter, maybe some F Basses. If anyone wants to try the Fodera hand-made strings that Phil is now selling in BassGear hen let me know and I can bring some along. He's got a big range in both nickel and stainless and 4-6 string sets. I won't be able to take cards but I can sell some in the day at a special bass-bash price. 4 string sets at £20, 5 strings at £25 and 6's at £30. I'll need to know in advance what to bring so check the range here http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product-category/accessories/strings/fodera-strings/ Then PM me with anything you fancy and I'll grab some on the way over. I think they are great strings and definitely give DR's a run for their money. I reckon these prices will be a good £5 cheaper than equivalent DR prices

Chic, Chic, Chic, Chic, Chic, Chic Great band, possibly not the greatest lyric writers

I was offered one of these for £800 but didn't buy it because they have a poor rep for build quality and an even worse one for tone!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1369762026' post='2092471'] With the Metro's now being rather expensive, and out of sight for the market they were (IMO) aimed at, (eg a slightly more boutique and well built Fender but not NYC) I'd get an NYC made and sent direct to me, without a dealer. Metro prices now are extreme, but then again a lot of manufacturers are raising prices to rather crazy levels. [/quote] Roger used to refuse to sell NYC's through dealers but does now allow limited stocks. I can't be sure but I guess it's partly so that people can get to try a new NYC without having to fly to New York. In real terms it shouldn't cost any more to buy through a dealer than buying direct (unless you bring something back at lower than standard import duties and VAT).

I've owned a few NYC and Metros over the years and personally I much preferred the NYC models. As others have said, I'm not sure there's a huge margin of difference in terms of tone but the NYC models exude some class about look, fit and finish that the Metros don't quite capture. Like everything there are going to be better and worse examples of both out there. I recently played a Metro that was particularly nice and maybe one of may favourite Sads. I've also played an NYC with appalling neck dive - I should say this is extremely rare and a set of ultra-lite tuners sorted the worst of the problem. In terms of value on the used market the NYC's are, almost always, easier to sell. They are very desirable and move fast. In the shop I help out at from time to time they are the single fastest selling pre-owned basses that ever come in. One thing to add, if you haven't played one before, is that some Sads have really, really flat radius boards. I had one very nice bass but found I was getting bad wrist ache playing it and it had the flattest board of anything I've ever owned so I put it down to that

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1369744887' post='2092193'] I've recently bagged an uber rare Wilkinson VS100C in gold. The C stands for convertible so it's possible to have the best of both trem and hard tail worlds. Wilkinson stopped making them quite a few years ago and this was the first one I'd found for sale in 10 years. I had a look at alternatives like the Stetstrem but the Wilkinson was still the most elegant solution and easiest to retrofit into a strat body. I haven't fitted yet as it was delivered to Chez Ped. Through the Steinberger forums, I know of a guy in Ireland who hand makes hard to find pieces of guitar hardware. I'll try and dig out his details as he might be worth approaching and the trem arm might be relatively simple to make. [/quote] I have a feeling mine is a Convertible. If you release the trem and let it drop it swings vertically downwards and locks the bridge in place. Great idea but I seem to remember it needed a fair bit of setting up.

Have you seen the Carvin micro-bass combos? 250w heads and voice of 1x10, 2x10 and 1x15. They all weigh nothing, are made in USA and priced at between £400 and £470 depending on which speaker configuration. The 210 probably has the most mid-range projection but even the baby 110 sounds good for such a small box. The heads have plenty of inboard tone shaping, a useable compressor, headphone socket, decent DI etc. Worth a look anyway

Pretty sure Thomastik have some classic short scale strings as well. I was helping sort strings at BassGear the other day and I remember seeing some 'specialist' short scale ones buried away in the new stock items May have had some of the La Bellas as well but can't remember off the top of my head

Depending on how many of us are available it looks like we'll be able to bring a couple of nice new demo rigs for people to try. Probably a pair of the new Bergantino CN112 cabs, a CN212 with whatever spare heads are kicking around (one will be an Aguilar TH500). Might also bring the really cool new ATS 312 with their 500w head. No idea what basses yet but up for requests from Ritter, Fodera, F Bass, Carvin, Godin, maybe a vintage Fender or two, Brubaker, Yamaha Attitude or BB, maybe even a funky Laurus