Huge Hands

[quote name='Tonteee' timestamp='1491561147' post='3273944'] I use Millennium's blatant copy of the RockNRoller RMH1. [/quote] Wow, I just checked that out on the Thomann site, and they are definitely blatant copies! I'm surprised they get away with that, especially as they are a dealer for the original. I bought a legit RMH1 from Thomann a couple of years ago. My only two issues with it are that one of the simple brace bars has snapped off at the back (but it doesn't seem to affect its strength) and the handle is a little too short for me when fully extended (I'm 6'3" so you have to stoop a bit to pull it). It's not a massive hindrance though, and mine has always been great.

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1489315029' post='3255891'] The Sire basses have a passive mode. Just leave the actives switched out and you've got a passive 5 string Jazz. [/quote] This is how I use mine 95% of the time.

I find the opposite to the OP. The current Mrs HH comes to pretty much all of my gigs across 2-3 bands and most people think she's mad. They ask her why she would attend them all. I remember that at the very first gig she came to when we'd just started dating, I ended up with two hot young ladies coming over and asking me about bass playing after the last set. I would add at this point, that this NEVER normally happens to me. Although in my youth I thought joining bands would get me regular attention from ladies/sex, it hasn't been the case at all for me in just under 30 years of gigging! It was bad timing being our first gig together, and the look that my lady was giving me while talking to them gave new meaning to the words "death stare". Since then, she started coming to all of the gigs. I believe that she has now grown to fully trust me and it isn't about keeping tabs on me any more, but more about finding ways to spend nights out/sharing experiences together, even if not in the most conventional "couple" sense. However, although no one has said anything directly, I have sensed some unease from my main band, almost like they think she is some sort of "Yoko Ono". As others have said, I love seeing her there, but there is always that unease from me that she is safe, and not being hassled or kicked around by a busy crowd. We do a lot of 2am finish gigs in London, so she is good to have as a companion on the 1hr+ drive home to help me stay awake!

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1490142961' post='3262674'] If it wasn't for the tuners, i would easily say this is Lakland Skyline quality. [/quote] I've said this before, but even though I agree the tuners do feel a bit cheap when you turn them, I regularly leave mine in a gig bag for a couple of weeks after having moved it in the car from/to a rehearsal and it always amazes me how little I have to tune it (if at all) each time I get it out of the bag, especially compared to most other basses I've owned. In conclusion, there must be something good about them! Enjoy yours. I've had GAS for years to get a higher budget boutique or custom bass, but I'm now GAS free after getting mine....until they release the new Precision version that is.....

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1488960935' post='3253194'] ....I've tried but I find it almost impossible to even hold the most basic conversation whilst playing.... [/quote] I do a lot of BVs and (very) occasional lead vocal. It takes a fair bit of practice, but I can usually get there. I usually struggle the most when the melody is rhythmically different to the bass line. I always remember struggling with singing "Your love keeps lifting me - [i]higher and higher[/i]" BV line over the bassline rhythmn! However, what I really can't do is talk and play. If one of my band colleague asks me something mid song, I end up sounding like a grunting, gurning cave monkey that's had a stroke when I try and reply.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1488360200' post='3248147'] actually what I'm really interested in is in a 5-string version. [/quote] Ditto. I may not be able to contain my urges if such a beast comes into production. I'm sure it will look nice next to my V7 5 string....

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1487679851' post='3241725'] You can just about make out the outboard if you really squint - two Yamaha SPX90 and 3x Behringer MDX2200..... [/quote] Wow, starting to sound like my old live rig from 14+ years ago! Memorieeeess!!! The SPX90's actually bring back horrible memories of me getting hooked on putting tap delay on certain vocal lines for effect to the point that everyone got sick of me! [quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1487679851' post='3241725'] It's funny how it's a different mind set than using the Yamahas.. [/quote] Totally. The thing I always preferred was the greater headroom on the input gains - if you had a sudden surge of sound from something, you were a lot less likely to get a horrible "clack" when you tickled a red light than you were with the Yamahas. We had several 02Rs and a budget Yamaha analogue desk (presumably all with the same analogue pre-amps), and they were all the same. That was the main bit that put me off the 02R. Obviously in studio world, you have more time to go back and deal with something like that! Good luck with your studio!

Totally agree Chris, I've "been there, done that" with a lot of your examples, hence probably being a bit paranoid myself about losing my main regular gig. I am happy to be man enough about it if it does happen, especially if this bloke is more available for them, I would just prefer it didn't. I was just trying to show York5stringer another example of why this might be happening - perhaps their normal bassist is also paranoid about losing his gig, so is trying to free himself up to not allow them to get comfortable with another player?

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1488152349' post='3246406'] ... if the No 1 Bassist was even remotely in the picture they should have said at the outset and I would have factored that in and been fine. [/quote] I don't know your situation at all, but it might be worth thinking of it from the other bassist's point of view. I play regularly in a band, but have issues with availability due to having my son every other weekend (which the band have always known about). However, the band leader is ruthless and will often book gigs on weekends that I can't do, and then threatens me with a dep each time. This then involves me having to spend ages trying to swap weekends with my ex and trying to free myself up. Of course, it never got as far as actually booking anyone to dep (and letting them down) but perhaps this is what is happening here? My own insecurities around the possibility of them gigging with and preferring a dep resulting in me losing my gig were what drove me to always comply, but this year I had to stop it as it was causing too many problems with my ex, and causing me guilt about putting the band before my son. I get depped for the first time in July - not looking forward to it!

I have Labellas on my V7 5 String. If memory serves, they are the 760FSB set. I didn't go "through body" with them as I was worried about string cores snapping (I've had this on another bass) and I love it! It felt like it took a little while for them to settle, but I couldn't be happier. Does everything I want in a bass.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1487767333' post='3242575'] Oo. Controversial. [/quote] I did put "all" originally before I changed it. I love Ms Kaye for other reasons, not Motown.....

I had this with a blues band years ago - I had a rosewood coloured Cort C5 at the time, and they tried to get me to change to a Fender. I took the "f**k them" attitude and stuck with the Cort, but after a short while I got kicked out. I guess if it's not your band, you need to be happy with this being a possible outcome. I was gutted at the time.

Paul McCartney probably got me into bass, but once I realised it was one guy playing most of the Motown hits I was loving, I became a massive fan of James Jamerson.

He was a fantastic drummer, as were many more of JB's stick men. I can remember trying (miserably) to play along to old James Brown grooves when I was learning to play drums as a teenager. Fantastic stuff! RIP Clyde.

The A&H ML5000 was one of the last desks I bought as an in-house tech manager around 14 years ago before I left and moved away from live sound. I bought it as an upgrade to the previous GL series we had. At the time, I felt the functionality you got for the price was second to none. I thought it was a great desk, and loved the VCA control on them instead of using subgroups. I never used one for studio, just live, so having no overlaid return channels was not a problem. To answer the modular question, if I know Allen and Heath, I would have thought that all access would be through the panel underneath. The channels are probably all individual boards, but the faders will be on disconnectable cables and attached to a plate 8 wide. I do remember ours being taken apart as it had an issue on delivery, but it was so long ago, I can't remember for sure how it was set up.

A bit late to this, but perhaps you could have tried Roland direct? I have the same hi-hat and upgraded to the moving stand based one thanks to an ex-demo offer they sent me via email. They were dead helpful when I had an issue it being badly packed causing damage - they sent me spare parts.

Maybe you should show her you're a keeper by not going for the most expensive thing you can find

I have two of the first Squier P5s which had Jazz pups. I got a friend to rout the body on one to give me an open cavity under the scratchplate to play with placement of a split coil pup replacement (I would need to replace the scratchplate anyway). I bought a set of EMG P6s from a Shuker bass which one of the regulars from this parish had taken out. I messed around for years and couldn't get the B String right - no matter where I put the pickup, the B string would have no attack as though it was coming out of the field when plucked upwards. Only last month, I decided to take a gamble and bought a new set of P6s. Lo and behold, the B string is great now. I noted that only the ADG coil is labelled on the set, so wondered if perhaps Jon had mixed and matched when making his bass to put a P4 or P5 unit for the B and E strings. According to the manual, all are the same casing size, but internally have blade pickups of different lengths depending on the model. EDIT: Either that, or the pickup was knackered! My only issue now is the G string is a little quiet on the new set, so probably need to move the ADG coil out a bit. I do like the sound though - but I'm not keen on them being active only, and I imagine placement would have been much easier with visible pole pieces. I am gigging with it a bit now though! [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]ANOTHER EDIT: I thought I'd better mention that as mine was not a take out/drop in job, it might be worth checking casing sizes before you buy - I'm not sure the EMGs are the same footprint/scratchplate hole size as others[/size][/font][/color]

I have a Jamhub in the house for my electric kit, bass noodling and playing music, or if mates visit for a jam. It is really useful, but as other have said, was expensive. I got a deal on mine from Thomann when the exchange rates were a lot better. My only annoyance was having to fork out even more to buy mono to stereo adaptors for the inputs as all jack ins are non-switchable stereo. Once this was done - sorted!

We, as a 1950's/60's blues group, whilst recently playing in a blues branded bar, got asked "do you do any ELO?" I thought that was hilarious! Seriously though, I like it when bands totally flip tracks around and do them in a totally different style. I would have loved to hear an indie/punk interpretation of a Luther Vandross track!

I used to live just along from there when I was a student, roughly 20 years ago! Good luck with the open mic. I wish I'd got out and about more and got involved in more live music back in those days.... I feel a dream sequence coming on.....

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1485135507' post='3221494'] Ok, cool. Someone tell me a little about Heinz. Blue [/quote] I'm no expert, but there is a lot of mention of him and his relationship with legendary producer Joe Meek in the documentary "Telstar". I assume I'm thinking about the right bloke - a bit before my time. I wasn't there of course, so can't possibly know what I'm talking about ;-)

Ashdown have pretty good tech service, and IIRC they are often active on here too. Might be worth checking with them into what they can do before you open the lid and potentially void any service warranties?

Oh dear. If they do this in a 5, I will be in trouble as the GAS will brew again! NJE - my V7 J works in passive mode as well as active (hence the switch) and I use it in that mode most of the time. You forget about the hundreds of knobs after a while!