Sean

[quote name='Machines' post='204718' date='May 23 2008, 07:10 AM']I suppose at those prices they can afford to .[/quote] Lakland made a profit for the first time last year - the Lakin family business was propping up the bass business for years.

I have superglue in my gigbox always but using the amp is the best tip as per OTPJ point 2 above. Prevention being better than cure.

The combination of string spacing and the profile of the neck are well worth considering as a whole. My Lakland 55-02 has 19mm spacing but the neck is really very slim (low profile) and makes playing quite easy. The Squier 5s (19mm) I've played have been completely unmanageable for me by comparison due to the neck profile. I bought an Ibanez SR1001 a couple of years ago and found I just couldn't get on with the 16.5mm spacing after a while. Again, this is one of those cases where you just have to go and try them. I've always found Status 5s easy to play and they have near enough 19mm spacing.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='202033' date='May 19 2008, 12:23 PM']Nor do I understand the association between light weight and cheapness.[/quote] +1 I know that the US Lakland basses have lighter wood (on average a pound lighterthan a Skyline) and Sadowsky basses are extremely light. My 44-02 (7.25 lbs) and DJ (just under 8lbs) are very light. Who the hell wants a heavy bass around them for a four hour rehearsal?!!

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='201308' date='May 17 2008, 11:50 PM']at that price i would take it![/quote] Instant profit and then you could buy something you fancied. And it had to be worth it just to have the story to tell!

I use an Alesis and it's great. If you're a singer songwriter doing demos I'd recommend drum loops like the ones at drumsondemand.com but for doing your own patterns or putting together customised practise patterns the drum machine is great. I've tried using software ones but as I don't have a notebook portability becomes an issue and for me drum machines are more intuitive. Either way, learning about drumming and "the groove" in general is an essential part of growing as a bassist - it's something I'm pushing myself to do more with. With the Alesis units, the SR-16 or the SR-18 they have the ability to program in swing quite easily. It is done as a percentage and there are three "amounts" of swing that can be programmed in. I wasn't sure from the specs whether the Boss DR-3 or Zoom units had that function so I went for the Alesis. The new Alesis SR-18 has instrument input and runs off mains or batteries so it can be used as a practise amp too.

For me it would be a Lakland Darryl Jones 4 but with a P/J pup (Fralin) configuration, D-tuner and an oiled neck. The Lakland Duck Dunn is a modified Bob Glaub so I don't see why I can't modify someone else's sig bass to be mine! Oh yeah and it would be in Black with a rosewood board and pearl PG. There's only £3k and 9 months waiting stopping me!

The Funk is a journey not a destination.

I reckon this would make a good sticky.

Does anyone in a function band have a system of carving up the money paid out to band members based on what their contribution is? E.g. We have looked at splitting each fee into 40ths so for a £1000 gig there are 40 x £25 available. Each band member gets a base payment of 3/40 and the keyboard player who is also the DJ for the function gets 2/40 for that job and depending on what your contribution is you get a nuumber of 40ths until all the money is gone. We haven't actually done this yet but the first gigs are coming in July and we'd like to know if anyone has any good ways of splitting the cash. One way I reckoned was each band member has a base percentage, say 7% each, then there's expenses (travel, subsistence, consumables etc.) and on going running costs (marketing, CDs, website, phonecalls, business cards, etc.) and then anything left gets left in account to invest in new gear/costumes etc Anyone have a system or spreadsheet that could be adapted? Thanks Sean

Are these Auralex pads any good? Gimmick or really useful piece of kit? Does anyone have any experience of these? [url="http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_gramma/sound_isolation_gramma.asp"]http://www.auralex.com/sound_isolation_gra...tion_gramma.asp[/url]

I'm sure they used to be called Classic Rock UK and I seem to remember singing I Can't Explain with the singer somewhere once when they were on the same bill as my old band. I remember gassing to one of them for ages after the gig - I think it was the singer and he really does look like Daltrey. They used to do mainly stuff by The Who but also threw in some Free and Bad Company numbers. Very good entertainment and thoroughly nice chaps, I just wish I could remember more about it all. I promised the guy I would go and see them at a gig but if you try to Google the old name, "Classic Rock UK" you've got no chance of finding them so I'm glad they've sorted that out. I really like Bongos but can't see myself ever having one. What's going on with the tape on the pick ups here...

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Yamaha-Billy-Sheehan-10th-Anniversary-Signature-Bass_W0QQitemZ200220779814QQihZ010QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Yamaha-Billy-Sheehan...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] £60 for UK shipping!? It would be worth it if Billy Sheehan turned up at the door with a takeaway curry, a few cold beers and gave you a lesson for a couple of hours!

Richard Finch. He was one of the founders and has worked with tons of people over the years.

[quote name='Galilee' post='196419' date='May 11 2008, 11:10 AM']I'd buy the book to get The Real Me anyway.[/quote] +1 Dreaming From The Waist (Live) from the Maximum R&B Box Set is gorgeous and shows his awesome ability to improvise. My Wife has to be in there too, Stu. Especially if it's the one from the same box set. Great news anyway can't wait to get my sticky mitts on that book!

[quote name='King Tut' post='194923' date='May 8 2008, 07:24 PM']He's is/was the bass player with Van Halen[/quote] WAS! Kinda got kicked out in a weird bitchy way.

Does it come with a "Teach Yourself The Worst Bass Solo in the World" Book signed by Mad Mike himself?

If you look at it quickly, it says "BSlut"! I just can't wait to get my hands on one of those. Looks like it has loops and that expression pedal looks like it moves about two different axes. The build quality will be superb if it's up to the B2.1u which it just looks to be a bigger version of. The quality of the effects should be spot on too if the baby one is anything to go by. Yum yum.

[quote name='sk8' post='192863' date='May 6 2008, 12:49 PM']i'd say a Zoom B2.1u and then you can use it to decide what other effects you like/dislike[/quote] I have one and love it. It cabn also be used as a balanced DI into the PA in case the amp goes belly up. And it's an interface for recording into the PC too.

[quote name='The Burpster' post='191063' date='May 3 2008, 08:51 AM']The Beedsters spot on there! ^^^^ [/quote] The J pup gives me the slap tone I need. The P just doesn't do it alone when slapping. For fingerstyle and pick stuff the J is rolled off.

A P with a J pup in it. Or even better what about this heresy? Rip (carefully remove) the neck pup out of a Lakland DJ and pop (do some routing, soldering and mounting) a P pup (Aero) in there. So just to feel included in the lame gay theme does that make me Bi???