uk_lefty

I work with lots of "ex lawyers" doing far less glamorous and less well paid jobs. They love to tell you that they're an ex lawyer and try to butt in on anything legal and say things like "this is day 1 law school..." Before saying something obvious you've already covered. If they were a good lawyer, they'd still be a lawyer* *Unless they hated being a lawyer at all. But then they probably wouldn't go round telling everyone that.

Very frustrating but I think it's the typical story. Extensive life as a soundman probably means he worked in a cinema turning the volume knob in between the ads finishing and the film starting. Too many blaggers out there. It took me ages to learn that the guitarist in my band was a sound engineer for touring function bands as his full time job for years. He never really mentions it unless asked, and he is damn good at setting the sound up. Very reserved about his abilities on guitar too (he's excellent though genuinely doesn't believe so himself). I think those that talk the most, unless they can back it up with video etc are probably liars.

We play a mix of pub gigs, festivals and the odd function. At functions we once wore black suits and black ties, got told we looked like undertakers and it was hard to play dressed like that. So we got coloured ties and waistcoats. Not an issue. Then before last night's gig our guitarist keeps saying "we look like waiters" we were dismissing it having done that a few times now... While we were checking out the room to see how things were going and how long until we took the stage we got mistaken for staff. It happened again after I'd loaded my gear away at 2am! This is despite not being quite smart enough to look like staff ... We had jeans on, rolled up sleeves... And we'd been in the band playing on the stage for the last two and a half hours!! So how do your bands dress for functions to look smart but not get mistaken for staff? We like a level of uniformity but could happily ditch it for something we all agree on.

There is or was a medium scale MIJ or MIJ Squire Precision on Gumtree very recently.

Exactly. I don't know how you describe that mix let alone try to market it for paid gigs. Do they already get paid gigs or are they just saying that? Why did the last bass player leave?

Do you want to play an unpaid gig on an unspecified date? Sign up now!! No thanks.

You get that in everything. I hear the office triathlon bores all the time going on about their custom made protein supplements, £800 on new pedals for the bike etc. And then they're out of breath getting up the stairs. Any hobby that involves equipment will always attract those people more interested in having all the kit than actually using it effectively. I used to go in to a really posh gym years back with my knackered old gym clothes in a Sainsbury's carrier bag. I got some right dirty looks from everyone sat at the restaurant or booking a massage... As I walked to the empty state of the art weights section!

Thanks. I'm a novice with active EQ and the Sire is the first I've started to explore and enjoy but only with minor tweaks to the bass and treble leaving the mids flat. I've read the manual in more depth now so going to tinker a bit more. I also bought a Stingray in the meantime so that has had far more outings and the Sire is relegated to backup or songs that must have a five string!

I managed for almost four and a half years to limit the knowledge of my musical endeavours at work to "I played in a band when I was 17". This worked, people assume you own an instrument in the loft. I have over time confidentiality told a few people I trust but I just don't want: "oh great I got a six string Kay guitar when I was eight..." Or "brilliant at the Xmas party we need a work band" or worse still someone miming air guitar across the office at me! The only person who knows any detail of what I do musically keeps it discrete, has grade 8 clarinet and her dad was a semi pro bass player. Some others think I "collect" guitars which is fine because then you're not asked "what stuff do you play?" Magically. Overall I don't want people I don't know but have to work with knowing my band name and looking us up. I also have a "stage name" with my band so I'm not Google-able. A Dutch guy I worked with in an old company was on Dutch top of the pops singing some football chant while wearing a gold lame jacket and Elvis sunglasses, one of the lads found it by googling him. We didn't take him too seriously anyway for professional reasons but as soon as we saw that video we just couldn't stop laughing at him. I don't want the same happening to me... Even if I did make it on to Dutch top of the pops!

Didn't think of it that way!! Ha!

I know lots of people will love them and for them it works... I want one. I want to love it but I don't think it would ever work for me. I've played the German double buck back in 2006ish and recently a GPS double buck and a second hand German one. I found that either I don't understand the EQ options or the sound is far more bland than I anticipated, I'm not sure what it's own character is if that makes sense? Also I found the neck really thick. I like a thick neck, don't get me wrong, but this is something else. Overall I was expecting a big voice from it, a powerful pickup sound akin to a Stingray. I A/B'd one against a Stingray in December, keen to spend less on the Warwick and get the Warwick growl but I just couldn't get a good punchy tone from it. The Stingray just blew it away so that's what I bought. Maybe that's down to me finding the Stingray EQ far more intuitive. Tell me I'm wrong, I probably am because I didn't fully dig in. But you will make me think "if I just bought my own from new and spent just enough time..." So for alternatives I would suggest a non-USA Stingray. Or a jazz. Or a Sire M series. Or an Ibanez. You'll get lots of choice at lots of price ranges. And don't be afraid to buy second hand. A second hand guitar that's never been used beyond bedroom noodling will be in excellent condition and save you a packet that you can spend on effects and other spanky toys to enjoy.

What if spotty Herbert the Saturday boy tells you the £2200 stingray is £900 confusing it with the Sterling Ray? What do they honour at the till? I used to work on the basis "if you have to ask the price you can't afford it". Seems that's gone out the window. Could you spend an afternoon in there going round every bass saying "how much is that one?.... And this one? And this one? How much was that four string again... No the black one, the other black one...?" How long before the sales assistant explodes?

I am the polar opposite of an expert but I'm pretty sure you'd be able to cheaply get someone to either make you a cable for it with an ordinary jack at the other end of you maybe able to find an adaptor somewhere...

Good point.

What I don't understand, and there may be good reason for it... Hypothetical scenario to illustrate my point: Retailer stocks a bass, say a jazz, puts it on sale in June 2017 for £600. It doesn't sell. It's still there in March 2018 but the currency changes, costs go up. A new one in stock is now £650. The one stocked in June now goes up by £50 too. Why?

Great. You've now made me right handed in what is clearly a left handed bass shop!!! I just can't escape this wrong handedness! Incidentally what software or app did you use to do that? I've got a load of old holiday selfies that are mirrored and I need to re-mirror them so they're the right way round. Ta

Reflection of something on the chrome. It's absolutely fine for me...

Well that's a pleasant surprise... I registered the warranty for the bass on Weds night. Today I received a 25ft braided Ernie ball instrument cable from strings n things. Completely unexpected but brilliant!!

Took it to its first band practice last night. Wow. I know a lot of people love the 2 EQ version but I really like the mid bump I can bring in on the 3 EQ. I read elsewhere that keeping the mid flat, maxing the bass and giving a slight treble boost gets v close to the 2 EQ sound... whether true or not is irrelevant it gives a great tone! I can vary the tones but always get something that cuts through and sits nicely with two guitars. I love the neck too, I don't know of I've got rolled fingerboard edges because I don't really know what that means but it's just so easy to play. I'm finding the fingerboard very flat with the frets looking smaller than I was used to on my jazz. I like the rosewood board too, I think a maple board with the ash body and the huge pickup might be a bit too much, I need to calm the highs on this quite a bit as is, and my Sire is ash/ maple and can sound brittle in the highs. Overall I'm blown away by this. If I was buying a "recording bass" for studio work (I don't do any) or just playing at home I'd have got a new USA Fender jazz, but for playing 80's covers at functions I just wanted the big, round punchy sound from a bass I know will only ever sound excellent. I'm a happy bunny. You can see where the extra money goes. I didn't play it but I picked up a bottom of the range SUB on a shop months back and found it to have some sharp fret ends, scraggly bits of pickguard not tidied after cutting and generally plain looking neck wood. I don't think it would have felt anywhere near as nice to play. However if my Stingray love in continues to the point where I can't use anything else I may be buying a SUB as a backup and/ or to de-fret. Top marks again to Wunjos, it's nice when you feel that someone genuinely appreciates your custom when spending new USA Stingray money, and they accepted my MIM Jazz in trade "warts and all" as it was a well used gigging bass.

Did see one in a charity shop recently. My singer was contemplating it.

This has killed, cremated and scattered the ashes of my keytar idea. And I'm ok with that. Big red, you did look cool back then! Thanks to you all!

Having been born in the early 80's I grew up thinking long hair and keyboards were cool. They were when I was a kid. Now I hate keyboardists and can't grow long hair anyhows, but I am drawn to the keytar. I love 80's music of most types and would love a keytar to add to the visual effect of nothing more for my covers band. Question is this... I have read loads about midi controls and all this stuff I just don't understand. Is it not just something I can plug in and play? Does anyone play them live here and how does that go? Or if you saw someone playing a keytar live would you shake your head in pity and just walk away? Thank you