uk_lefty

Somewhere out on the internet there's a drum forum, a singers forum, a keyboard forum... Where every single one of us is getting a virtual kicking...

Keyboards Dave was almost as weird as the drummer.... So eight years ago I got together with a guitarist and singer to do 80s indie I guess you'd call it. I liked the two of them and we clicked so we got some songs together as bass, two guitars and vox and looked for a drummer. Drummer answers ad saying all the right things. Except he wants to rehearse a long way away, being the only one with a car out of the three of us I'm happy to drive us there. We get there and the drummer, I think also a Dave, is flapping around with the studio staff because the kit isn't right and he needs something really specific and can't believe they haven't got it... Etc. We play one or two songs and he's ok. He can't stop talking though. He keeps telling us how it would be great if we did Crazy Horses by the Osmonds, Robbie Williams Let Me Entertain You... We are fixed on Talking Heads, Camper Van Beethoven, the Waterboys so we don't think this will fit. The guy just doesn't stop talking about how his last bands were so great playing the Osmonds. We have a drinks break and we can't get a word in edgeways. Drummer keeps saying how some people don't like him because he has all these ideas but surely we should just talk about it and agree or disagree. This is a valid point though his actions are suggesting he will talk until you agree with him. He gave us a set list he thinks we should do... Having not met us before, not registered that we've already been working on something, and not registered that we aren't doing karaoke in a flat-roof pub type songs. We play some more. He tells us how on stage he wants us to set up with his drums at the front because nobody else does that. He tells us he has a headset mic and wants to lead vox on some songs. When we are leaving with all our gear packed up he runs over, slams the door shut, turns off the lights and then starts playing with glow in the dark drum sticks. We leave confused, slightly scared. And never contact him again.

I see your singers and raise you a keyboardist. This is where my lifelong distrust and aversion for keyboardists comes from... Once upon a time I answered an ad for a funk band with female singers. It was like an X factor style audition being run by the guitarist who was a decent enough chap but the songs were more indie rock. There were loads of other guitarists and drummers there but only me as a bassist so I was kept. A week later and we audition a keys player. Dave shows up, long hair, looks like he wants a job in IT support but isn't bright enough, spends forever setting up his scaffolding for all his keyboards while talking about all these festivals he's played where the soundman didn't even have x, y z but of kit we've never heard of. Eventually he's ready to play a song. He hasn't listened to the audition songs or come prepared in any way. Stereophonics song? "Oh..... Errrr, Welsh band aren't they? I think I might have heard them on a cassette. My girlfriend is Welsh." Ummm thanks Dave. He plink plonks a couple of notes while we play. He doesn't even try to overwhelm us with weird sound effects, he just stands there looking confused the whole night, even when we tell him the chords. Guitarist invites him back the next week if he can learn some of the songs. Next week. Dave has clearly not learned anything and I doubt if he could achieve Grade 1 piano. After bashing through some songs hoping he will catch up guitarists says "let's pack away and when he goes get all our gear back out". I've packed away and Dave is still dismantling his huge keys rig so I get bored and say F this I'm off home. Half an hour later I get a call from the guitarist through gritted teeth: "I know you haven't got them, but can you check all your pockets and cases for Dave's car keys? We've turned the place upside down and just can't find them." I didn't have them. A long while later I get a text. Dave's car keys were eventually found after checking everywhere including in the till of the pub. They were in the pocket of his hoodie all along. I never saw Dave again. I've never played with a keys player since.

It's possible!

I think the problem is that the Facebook reviewers team spend their days looking at and removing some absolutely horrific and criminal stuff of the very worst kind. Someone trying to rip off the gullible for £65 really won't be on their list. Sadly, there are far worse things going on in the world.

HB pickups are really good. I also see no need to replace mine. The tuners, not great but they do they do the job. Pickguards... Mine doesn't actually have one, it's the "jaco" style fretless, but if you want a new pickguard get one made by GigInk (that's who I'd use) or something of the others that are often recommended on here. It's cheap and you get what you want instead of hoping an off the shelf buy fits or looks as good as the stock photos.

I've listened to this yesterday and today. I really like it! I've followed Vincen on Instagram for a while and really like his playing. His tone is very consistent regardless of which bass he is playing and I really like it, it's not complex but it's punchy and at the front. I'd love to be able to play like him!

The manual should help you, it's worth reading through the lot of it because the GT10-B is absolutely awesome... The standard patches sound great but the many ways in which you can change the controls etc really lets you personalise it. I quite miss mine tbh. If you don't have it already I recommend this software for editing patches. https://fxfloorboard.sourceforge.io/info.php?model=gt-10b

I've still got a stack of these in my loft. Going free. Buyer collects.

Please PM joining details. Thank you

Had no idea they did these in left handed. £595 is competitive at the moment too. Keen to hear more!

Looks amazing from behind!

If I may join in with the car analogy... A Stingray is a ridiculous American muscle car. Noisy, completely impractical because all it does is LOUD and in your face, but tons of fun. I made Mike from Zoot/ Iceni laugh when I said my Stingray is like having a big, stupid dog.

The SY-1 is very good, it can actually track your playing. For a synth pedal that doesn't cost an arm and a leg that's not always possible! The EHX Bass mono synth has great sounds but is very limited in that you have to play very slowly and deliberately to get anything out of it, if only they'd upgrade it...

I love a clean tone, big, round and punchy, that I can add to with different flavours of drive or fuzz.

Looks fantastic

My drummer has done the same, invested in an awesome Roland kit that looks acoustic but is fully electric. He has also gone to in-ears, one guitarist is in-ears and the singer is going for it too... Just leaves me. I really don't want to spend the oodles of money required for the set up so I get round this by saying "what if the PA cuts out? We need someone who can hear FOH!" and I can have a little monitor all of my own.

Tricky one, I guess it depends how you sorted the cost of things like the monitors already? . If someone in my band wants a new guitar/ pedal/ IEMs or whatever they buy it themselves. Lighting, the PA, the bag of hardware, insurance costs, etc. are paid for out of the band fund which is 50% of our gig takings. I know if I leave the band I leave that kit behind, same with other members, and I'm fine with that.

This is really helpful... I am toying with replacing both my practice and gig rigs with one of these.... Tempting!

I've used mine a little now, mostly at home but then last night doing "silent" practice via PA and headphones. The drummer wasn't going the whole hog with the gigging kit and the guitarist brought an electro acoustic, lead guitarist not present.... So far what I've noticed is that the punch and depth or thickness of the tone is not lost. That's the winner for me. The actual distortion sounds Alpha and Omega (or Omicron?) I have to be honest are not too different to me! I've got the duality fuzz and the two modes are very different, with this I'm not hearing as much of a difference. Nevertheless I want to get this tried in the full band mix at volume to hear what it gives. Having used guitar pedals with mixed success and needing very precise settings I'm just pleased I've got a tool made for the job. Not sure I'd pay the full shop price but second hand off BC I'm pleased with what I paid and can't see me needing to change this.

It's one of the most eye-openingly bat-sh!t crazy places on earth, from an English person's perspective anyway!

Right now, as an almost forty years old with a wife, two kids, and a dog... No. Not unless I won the Euro Millions (no email telling me to check last night's results so I haven't) and money was no object so I could basically be in my covers band as a "full time" job. As a younger man I'd like to have given it a go with a band. I have never been good enough a player to adapt to instant instruction on new material so I would never get remotely near studio work, sadly. Having acquaintances who tried to make a living out of music I know it's really, really tough. One quickly became a teacher, the other worked for a music hire company. One travelled all over London rarely breaking even on his travel and expenses to play gigs for anyone who'd ask, the other was in a band who were desperate to "make it" and wanted a lot more dedication than he could give. Weirdly they are good mates together and both moved to London with a band trying to make it in the first place, probably early 2000's.