uk_lefty

I have grown so tired of the "all the EXPENSIVE gear, no idea" brigade. Rehearsals are not to play through the songs, it's show and tell of "I've got a £1000 effects pedal, listen to this" before producing a sound you can never ever think of an actual use for. It's one of the big warning signs when auditioning people and why the audition should go on for 3 or 4 sessions so you can let their bad habits creep out.

Absolutely! We threatened to do something worse than death to our guitarist who always did this, and it worked he now doesn't do it. Widdling a signature part of the next song just before we count it in or while the singer is charming the audience. It delays the count in for a start! It also ruins the show aspect. And, as Jakester points out, makes you look like rank amateurs. A video or audio clip from a gig may really help demonstrate just how shoddy this is if he won't take your word for it. If the response is to pack his gear up in a huff and drive off then you could tease him about whether he needs to try turning the engine over two or three times before his grand exit, or you could have just saved yourself a job later down the line.

Remind him that the only person who cares about the difference in sound between songs is himself. It's letting the side down, it needs to stop. Everyone should have their gear sorted to quickly go from one song to another. What if you're running short on time and the singer rearranges the set? You need to be on it. Simplest way is to only have 2 or 3 "sounds" you use. I know it's easy for a bassist to say, personally I like to have mid scooped or mid boosted as my sounds and I might occasionally use an effect. Not quite the same for guitarists but they have to know that almost nobody else cares, and if they do care then they're an absolute trainspotter who's going to go up to ANY band and say "you played a Bb when on the original it's a Bm, also you're using the wrong gauge strings because Gary Moore used..." yawn. I find it mind boggling with the sheer number of options on my Helix that even go to cab configuration and distance of mic to cab... Its nice to have and it may make a difference with recording but switching these parameters while playing live in a busy pub or function? It will make zero difference whatsoever! Get a good core tone and play the darn thing!

Any chance of a DNA sample?

Nope.

I've never met a keys player who can actually play. They all have expensive gear and moan like nobody's business about poor PA equipment etc but when it comes time to actually, you know, play the song... Suddenly Billy "my keyboard is bigger than yours" is a bit quieter.

Hang on, ignore the fish and chips? Not possible.

He could well be the guitarist form my 80s project... Wanted to play synths instead. Owned a £2500 Nord. Couldn't actually play though.

Yeah, he told us he had a Britney style headset mic so he can do lead vocal on one or two songs... What a mistake we made passing him up....

Mate..... I auditioned a drummer who ended the night by kicking the room door closed as we were leaving, turning out the lights and getting out his glow in the dark drum sticks. In a break he had already told us he wants the stage set up with drum kit at the front and us behind him. He hadn't remotely got the gig even before that comment.

Ah I thought the very cheap ones were far East made, not European.

This x1000 is what I've learned from trying to form my own band over the last year. An audition has to last more than 1 session. It's in the 2nd, 3rd and maybe 4th session that you see people get comfortable and show their bad habits like not learning songs, suggesting Katy Perry songs (for your 80s covers band!!!), wanting to play other instruments, wanting to bring their mates in, all the daydreams coming out when really you just want to get a good handful of songs learned properly.... You may well get that call and you get your opportunity to say "is it funky? Slap or not, is it funky? Yes? Then that's all that matters."

I've seen far, far worse ads! At least it's honest, in attitude.

A few months ago I had an opportunity to buy a 300watt Trace Elliot hybrid amp. Yes, it's not a Tube/ valve amp in its purest sense but it gives me the option to dial in tube overdrive. Its a 300w Trace Elliot for goodness sakes so I'm sure it's responsible for a few points on the richer scale, it has the volume for sure! I think it's one of the last "proper" Traces, it's under its cover now and I haven't had it out for just over 4 weeks so can't remember the exact model number. However, dialing in the valve overdrive with a mid boost on the graphic EQ and playing my Bitsa with a DiMarzio model P gives me a lovely, warm, pillowy motown style bass tone, up to a Geezer Butler type sound - that big round bass with a fuzzy dollop around it, like you've dropped a chupa chup lolly under the sofa and it's come out with hair and dust on it. It's not distortion, this won't go full distortion for me, so I imagine replacing the tube could do that if I were so inclined, however I have pedals for that and that's not really my sound anyways. So, being a Trace it's loud, it's heavy, and it's darned good quality. I quite fancy the little Joyo pure tube head but I've now got two gigging rigs in my tiny office/ music room and no gigs for the foreseeable future. I'm thinking of having the Trace head unit removed (it's in a 2x10 combo) but as the whole thing is in showroom condition I'm really reluctant to, even though I'd want the choice of Trace head or RM500 with a singe lightweight cab, depending on the gig. I think I could be spoiling something special... Anyhows. Its good.

I feel your pain. It doesn't take much to listen to a song and write down "4 times the intro riff... Verse (G C F, G C F, F#) Chorus..." on a bit of paper! I'm auditioning for an originals band next week where the EP was recorded with the guitarist playing all guitar and bass parts. He has recorded videos of him playing each song all the way through on bass and sent them to me. I have absolutely zero excuses for getting a note out of place, given its three songs and I have 2 weeks to learn them! If I turn up not having got the songs 90-100% then I don't expect to be asked back. It really is that simple! Yet I've had "band mates" not learn the chord changes, and even sit out whole songs saying "this works with just bass and drums, you don't need me" the song? Wherever I lay My Hat. It's a bit empty without any keys or guitar!!

Wow. If the hammer price is what someone paid, even plus 26%, then someone got a Euro Spector for £350+ 26%. Bargain.

They were the PBX and JBX I think, so i assume these are the standard ones. They were OK and I think they cost me about 45 quid maybe. I went cheap to see if the bitsa was viable then very quickly realised that "buy cheap, buy twice" definitely rang true. I had to widen the P route for them, and I'd had to widen other screw holes in the body too so didn't think anything of it until I upgraded the pups and now I've got some big gaps to fill or cover up, sadly.

We use Time Tree so that, in theory everyone puts up their holiday dates etc so if you're talking to a venue about a gig you can whip out the calendar and start pencilling in dates that we should in theory all be able to do. Everyone gets notifications of new events added, etc. As already noted, its worse than herding drunk three legged cats through water. People don't put up their holidays etc. OR they agree to gigs without considering key members of the band might be away AND IT SAYS SO IN THE CALENDAR. Or they suspect that being away for 3 days for a wedding is too long, so of course you can do the gig... Not realising travel up might before, go to wedding, stay the night, travel back next day.... People, eh?

I had Entwistle PJs in my bitsa. It was acceptable. Then I put DiMarzio model P and model J in and the bass is freakin awesome. Pickups are something I'd try not to save cost on myself. Be warned, Entwistle P pups are slightly wider than most so you can end up having to widen the route out. Not great if you replace them later!

I don't know of I'm imagining it but I think I've seen cabs where you could switch the "Ohmage", to me that would be the ideal solution. Obviously I've either imagined it or its completely impractical, hence why the likes of Ashdown sometimes to do the same cab in 4 or 8 ohm versions, but if it was practical and affordable it would probably help most of us out I think?

Having heard great things about TIs I had them on my 70s P bass to replace the Steve Harris signature Rotos. Did not get on with them at all. I didn't like the sound or feel. I put them on my Ray and they did not last long there either. I'd like to put some decent flats on my Ray to see what the fuss is about but to me the Ray needs bright zingy rounds... I've used Chromes, Fender flats and EB flats that come in the blue packet all on other basses but never on the Ray, and there's nothing about those strings that makes me think they would work for me. Maybe I just need two Stingrays!

I really, really wanted the jazz in that finish! A bit split on whether to go for it at the mo for various reasons, but that looks so so good!

It's my error and over simplification on translating from "standard" tuning to this. Pedants may stand down as it is an error, not me stating a fact.. My thought process was "take D down half a step = Db" which after a night's sleep and a prod from Nancy Johnson reminds me, that's the note formerly and formally known as C#

And I've just realised my mistake...! 😁 Gb indeed!!! I'll get my coat.

Does describing the same note as either sharp or flat make one of us an optimist and the other a pessimist...? 😉 Thanks for the advice on the string guages, much appreciated!