uk_lefty

I was rubbish for the first two years of playing. Didn't even have a tuner, just had one "learn bass" book but the cd was missing. I got a tuner, downloaded tabs for my favourite songs (on dial up internet, what a ball ache!) And tried to learn songs I liked. After two years I went to play with a band who were far and away miles better players than me and I was so embarrassed! I turned up with a 10w practice amp and they had pro kit, I had a list of songs I could play... Well! Playing with the band just released me. Making mistakes is fine, it's a symptom of enjoying yourself and getting lost and experimenting. I've been gigging fifteen years now, on and off, and I make mistakes time and time again! But when you play with others, that raises your level, if you listen and try to play with them instead of play your part independently. They will cover your mistakes naturally, they will compliment what you're doing and vice versa without a word ever being said and often without anyone consciously knowing. That's the magic of it. Keep going! Enjoy it. Take lessons, but if you don't like the teacher change them. Play with others, ideally people with more experience but a good attitude. Listen to good bass music. Keep challenging yourself and come back to the stuff that you just don't quite get yet.... I'm still waiting for my week to dedicate to learning portrait of Tracy! Keep going. Nobody was a bass genius on day 1. Or even day 700.

Do you take orders? The lefty is out mid March

There is a running joke I'm my band that on a tune with two solos I mimic the guitarists solo under his and steal his thunder. The drummer and singer think it's funny anyway.

Love it! Unless you're a Hendrix tribute I don't think many audiences really care about the guitar solos! I play with two very good guitarists but our purpose is to get people to dance, so they play solos that fit the original tune and keep the groove, it's not a w4nkfest. Thankfully. I have played in those types of bands and people really don't care. New one for the profanity filter: w*nkfest.

Great stuff! Glad you found "the one"

I know... I've got one myself

That's a very low starting bid!!

Thanks all. I have my eye on a small HOF. Didn't know if any of the cheaper lesser known brands on fleabay would be up to much, but they're all pot luck on quality I guess. Suppose with the HOF it's a "set and forget"?

I would like to get a reverb pedal for my fretless. The idea being to add some subtle "swell" and more fullness when I want to play something melodic. I am looking at the more compact pedals due to space available and I don't want to spend much. However, I don't want to buy a guitar pedal that won't cut the mustard on bass. So does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks!

We always try to have one or two new songs to work on constantly until they're gig ready, then we bring in two more, it stops us getting bored and means we can do the same gig/ party/ festival thingy two years running while keeping the staples in but freshening up with some others. It also lets us see what is or isn't working so we can change mid set. In other words, all the time! Keep your core songs that show who you are but play around with some others.

You and I have heard different versions of where that lyric came from, then. And he doesn't sing that line these days either. Anyroad, we just don't want to end up inadvertently offending anyone with it. I have heard the song for years and never picked up on it being "quoted" from someone or in character. Interesting!

I say keep the Aria, it will be worth next to nothing second hand and you can slowly upgrade over time. But if it's not perfect then go and get another bass, but make sure it's sufficiently different in terms of pickups etc so that you have two very different basses, not just an Aria jazz and another jazz-ish bass.

Andertons have more detail. Rumble 40 is £350... Rumble 800 2x10 combo is £769. I'll stick to my second hand Bronco 40 until I can get one of these second hand at a reasonable price.

But would you be offended if they didn't change the line? My band changes the homophobic lyric in Dire Straits' Money for Nothing. I wouldn't feel comfortable with a homophobic insult used in that context. However, if the op is referring to "I look all white but my dad was black" then unless I'm missing something in context or other lines I don't find this offensive, it's not saying being black/ white/ mixed race is good, bad or better one than another or giving an insult. Society still has a problem with race and mixed race and calling that out to think about is no bad thing... Unless I'm completely misunderstanding.

Do you mean the line "I look all white but my dad was black"?

Two things have happened since my last missive on this subject: I have been unable to register myself with Ableton recording software, just had an error on the fender site when trying to redeem the licence code... Have raised a support request to fender so no idea if or when that will ever resolve. Fender have just announced they're putting the newer version of this tech in to a 40watt rumble amp. Guess I should have waited a month!

I read about it via GAK and Gear4music rather than on fenders site... Hadn't thought to look there as I know it's often inaccurate!

I see that fender are bringing the Mustang guitar amp technology to their bass amps and updating the Rumbles (well, the 40watt and a new 800watt) to include the technology they have in the Mustangs. I recently bought the fender bronco modelling amp and despite initial reservations I have to say I'm impressed. Far easier to use than I expected, but the "old" usb cable and so on do feel a bit dated already. Depending on price I reckon that Rumble 40 could be a great practice and recording tool.

It looks like the promoters did what they could, offering the free carer tickets was a nice gesture in my view, then providing an actual interpreter is a massive gesture albeit forced by the legal threat. Do they provide a carer to help people with mobility issues in or out, or just a free carer ticket, etc? For the mum to then moan about no interpreter for the support acts is a bit too much for me. It's not like it was a festival where every act is a knockout, the support would have been some never-will-be act or x factor rejects I bet.

Nothing exotic here. The Hartke chorus is going to be replaced with an Eden in the next few weeks. I use an amp footswitch to bring in tune emulated drive and ashdown sub harmonics if needed. Amy advice on pedal order, saving space, etc. Gratefully received!

Out of interest I contacted the seller to ask what make it is. Just got told "it's a foreign custom bass, no make". Leads me to think it could be an Alibaba special.

Interesting. I do enjoy Google translate on these. "I will not send in the post so do not ask". That told us then.