uk_lefty

I'm enjoying the punch from this. I need to put on my preferred strings. Going to replace the bridge with a BBOT and add ashtrays. I've also got some Sadowsky lightweight tuners which will hopefully fit. I wouldn't change the pickup, it's perfect stock.

Hi Zim... In truth the order is whatever you want it to be! Personally I would go this way: Tuner first so that you can mute the signal before it goes into any noise boxes; Then I'd test the way your octave and chorus sound with the drive before or after them, that can make a difference, and settle on what's right. If your Harley Benton pedal doesn't have an effects loop and you use it to DI I would put that last purely so you're giving an effected signal to the DI. If it has an effects loop then that changes things.

The HX Stomp is a phenomenal piece of kit. Absolutely amazing capability to it. But. You can easily get lost in programming it, trying every single type of chorus, there can be an overwhelming amount of choice. If you want to delve into it, it's all there. I found I spent more time programming it than actually playing bass, whereas with dedicated pedals you just turn three knobs to get what you need. If your pedalboard has noise it's probably worth persistence to solve it with better quality patch cables, power supplies and secure it all well. If you've got pedals that only get used once or twice a year then you could either replace them with a little, easy to use zoom unit or take them off the board until you need them. Long and short of it, you're happy with your board already.

It's really crazy, sorry you're struggling and that with all the pressure you must be under theres some idiots out there thinking they're funny or just taking their anger and stupidity out on you. On a lighter note... A mate of mine listed a pair of designer jeans on eBay for sale "never been worn". And the photo was him wearing the jeans... I could have commented on it as a little joke but didn't bother wasting my time and his.

22 years ago I got a fretless five, but I have to say I'm a four string guy. Though that bass is very special to me, my main gigging basses are 4 strings with a hipshot d-tuner. Drop D is big, gutsy and punchy, but I find anything lower just doesn't have the definition... On any fiver I've had at least.

Interesting one last night... The Horn in St Albans doing a 00's night. I get on well with the soundman, he's a former bass player and knows his stuff. I told him I might like to go DI pedal into the PA and no amp, he persuaded me to keep using the amp and I'm glad I did, fantastic sound. Gig-wise it was one of those where all the songs we never mess up we really messed up! Lots went wrong, I missed loads of cues, guitarist did also, drummer did... Singer broke two guitar strings... But, the place absolutely rocked. We were recording the gig and we don't really want to listen to it, very few songs were performed without fault, but we had a good time.

You need to arrange some kind of drum-off at your next gig and let the audience decide.... Or, more realistically, did he think quitting would make you beg him to come back and he can't stand it that you've moved on? Some people need constant reassurance but adults don't tend to do that so much for each other. There could be millions of other reasons but if it were me I'd invest time in the one who wants to be there and hasn't quit at all, rather than one who has.

The Desert Penguins at the Horn tonight (Fri 22nd March) playing rock and pop from the 00's. Loads of new songs in our favourite venue.

That seems very fishy to me. I don't for one second believe that Reverb, a business, has operated for so long paying taxes on behalf of their customers, it just seems like bullocks.

In the last year I've done probably half my gigs via a DI pedal instead of an amp. I've had an MXR M80 and now an EBS pedal with all my other FX in its loop. The sound quality I've had has been mostly very good. My band now owns active subs for the PA so on the most part I don't really need to be filling a venue with bass from an on stage amp. The drummer plays an electronic kit and one of the guitarist goes amp-less now. I've been toying with selling off my Ashdown rig and my SWR Working pro and going for one of the Boss Katana amps. I persuaded myself I'd regret that so took my amp to gig last weekend even though I didn't need it. We were using the venue PA and I had bass coming out my monitor which sounded different to my amp behind me. Depending on where I stood I was getting more of one source of bass sound than the other to the point where it became a bit distracting. Do I really need an ABM600 and two 15" cabs? It just feels like overkill now. I don't use it at all at home, preferring my SWR combo for quick plug n play. I worry that one day I might need the full wallop of the amp and regret not having it, but realistically I haven't had to run amp only with no PA support for over a year. What should I do...?

Took it to practice last night with a hipshot d tuner fitted. Really big, thick, meaty bass sound. I haven't directly compared but I think the output is a lot stronger than my US Jazz. Playing a precision after a few years without one just proves that if anyone tells you using the neck pup on a jazz "gives you a precision" they are completely and utterly wrong. Or trying to sell you a jazz.

I love this!! I think the Scots should have their independence as long as they take their bagpipes with them. And never allow English people to wear kilts at weddings.

Haha there's three other basses out of shot.

I knew that was coming at some point! Six basses is sufficient for now.

I think I sold my MIJ P bass during COVID to finance an MIJ Jazz that I really should have hung on to. The Stingray has been with me for years now, five years maybe? Anyhow, I've never had all three types of bass at once. I fancied a precision so bought this beaut from @kevham who is a true gent and I've now bought two basses from him. Black and maple Player P bass. Classic look, classic sound. I'm starting to use more drive and distortion and need to play with a pick for more songs so it was a good excuse. Just need to fit a D tuner (already purchased from Bass Direct) then decide later what strings I want, rounds, flats or tapes.... Really high output from the stock pickups in the two minutes noodle I've had.

The two that I wanted for my failed 80's project were: Cocktails and Dreams Dalton's kick Cocktails and Dreams being the name of Tom Cruise's dream bar in the film Cocktail. Dalton being the bouncer who kicked the sh!t out of everyone in Roadhouse. I just have a thing about linking films with music. I'm not a big film person but I think it really helps the nostalgia and creating the visuals for the band... To me anyway!

I don't know tbh, it was a new one out the blue for us last year and we've played there three times now. The singer is originally from Dunstable so he might know.

D'oh

Played the crooked crow bar in Leighton Buzzard on Saturday night. It's a funny venue, it used to be a Blockbuster video rental shop but now it's a live music venue. The boss, the staff, the sound people, each time we've played there they've just been so good to us. Not in the way of loads of free drinks or whatever but just in the sense that they really want you there and want to make sure you've got everything you need for a decent gig. I'd highly recommend anyone in this area to look them up. Anyhows, we are doing another specialist 00's gig on Friday so we trialled about five new songs and they went down very well, so we were pleased with that. Best part of the night: an artsy bloke in the crowd who fancies himself as a poet started peeling and eating an orange while doing some strange crouched down dance. Band's the Desert Penguins. Gear: Ashdown ABM600 with 2x15" cabs Bass: Stingray

If they did them in red could you do something like the Synchronicity digital logo thingy? That would be awesome

I agree with a lot of what's on here, the YouTube generation of bassists doesn't do much for me, but then we all know their names and what they do so have they achieved what they needed to? I can watch them for a two minutes "oh, that's clever" but couldn't listen to a whole album unless their playing is within a context that makes sense and is tasteful. In a band context there are no bassists I don't like per se, they probably play what the producer needs them to play so it works for the radio or recording.

I've been going amp-less a bit recently so decided to bring the whole shebang last night.

Yes and No. I bet Trump rallies pay really well, and no credible musical act allows the use of their material so could be an easy one.

Seems to be the way they're going. I'm seeing any shop selling used MIJ lefty basses trying to get as close to £1000 for quite common models that were £450 new ten years ago. I agree, it makes it hard to part with the cash but it seems to be the market rate.

The Desert Penguins rock the Crooked Crow Bar. A great venue and always a great crowd. 00's pop and rock covers. We will probably unleash a few new songs too.... Hope to see you there.