geoham

It's one of the reasons I prefer smaller gigs. I saw Lake Street Dive at Oran Mor in Glasgow (capacity around 500) in November, and the bass sounded amazing - even my guitarist friend commented on how good it sounded.

I'm not sure what I'd class as my first gig... my school's music department were quite cool and put on a few shows each year. By the age of about 14 (around 1995), I was the most competent and willing bassist, so I played in most of those. I preferred guitar at the time, but was a far better bassist!

Gear wise, it would have been a school owned 'ZZ Top' branded P copy through a Gorilla 1 x 15 combo, or perhaps my Squier Strat through my Laney 30w, 1x12 combo.

My school also gave my first paid gig! A year after I left, they were putting on Grease, and the guy who was supposed to be playing simply wasn't good enough. I was asked at two weeks notice, and was payed the awesome sum of £50 for three shows! I used my own Tanglewood Rebel 4K. The drummer from my own band was still at school, and did the show too, so was quite enjoyable!

My first non-school related gig was with an originals band, Silent Haze at Strawberry Fields, Glasgow in late 1999. I used the same Tanglewood through a shared backline - I remember it being an Ampeg head & 2x10 cab. I didn't own my own bass amp at the time!

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1486913531' post='3235452']
I'm curious, what is the perceived deterioration in flats? I've had a set of Status flats on for about a year and not noticed and difference in sound or feel. Unless the frets wear the winding out, I can't see how the strings would change. Enlighten me please, this is my first experience of flats.
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I suppose it's possible that whatever oils or others substances come from your hands could have a effect on the string.

I'm on my 2nd set of flats (first set sold with a bass). I've had these Chromes on my Jazz for about 2 years. The definitely did sound a bit brighter when new, but I'm still perfectly happy with how they sound!

I think that EBay is now dominated by business sellers rather than private individuals, hence 'Buy it now' being so common.

Many private sellers are now sellers my via Facebook groups or even sites likes this, avoiding EBay and possibly Paypal fees.

I currently have a P-bass strung with round-wound strings and a J with flats (Chromes). I'm going to switch them around - I have some brand new rounds that are going on the Jazz, but am considering just reusing the flats.

So - how long do you keep flats for? I know rounds sound their best when new, but to me flats don't degrade in the same way.

Ideally I'd have two Ps and two Js - they both sound great with both types of strings. Until such times that I have a bigger house and pay-cheque , I'll need to make do with what I have!

A fair few... for starters:-

Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
Guns n Roses - Knocking on Heaven's Door
The Clash - I Fought The Law

Looks a good lineup, Minehead is a fair trek from Glasgow though!

I was at a slightly more tame Butlins event in Skegness last week. It was the first such event that I've been too, and really enjoyed it. Lot of good acts, including some I'd never heard of before. Reckon I'll get another in at some point.

I was at this gig last weekend and had a bloody good time!

The Butlins camp is its own little self contained village with a few good sized stages and a few pubs. Our apartment was as far away from the stages as you could get, but only took 15 minutes at most to get to the entertainment.

Skegness itself isn't the greatest place in the UK, but Butlins is disconnected from it entirely!

Moreland & Arbuckle were the best band of the weekend. I also enjoyed Sugarman Sam and the Voodoo Men, The Texas Flood, Marcia Ball, Toronzo Cannon, Joanne Shaw Taylor and of course Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.

Apologies for the old thread resurrection!

I'm driving down to Skegness for this! I've taken the kids to Butlins before, so I have an idea what to expected.

I'm quite a big fan of Steve Harley and he hasn't brought his full band to Scotland for years, so making a weekend of this.

My friend and both our wives are going down. About £450 for the weekend - not bad for three nights entertainment and accommodation.

We've not heard of too many of the bands, but we've looked up most of them on Spotify. Moreland and Arbuckle sound decent - will make sure I catch them.

Should hopefully be a decent enough weekend!

[quote name='roceci' timestamp='1478876306' post='3172325']


I've had a look (don't you just love Friday afternoons in 'work'...) & can't see any ads matching the clues so far. I take it it's definitely not this one tho https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-musicians-wanted/bassist-needed-for-queer-cabaret-pop-band/1196055562
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Ha - looks an interesting gig! Probably a bit flamboyant for the likes of me though....

I got an email today from them. Apparently there were two bassists called George who responded to the ad and they assumed we were the same guy. The other George called off on them, hence the cancellation! They were really very apologetic and sound genuine. I'm tempted to give them a bash... I'll mull it over!

[quote name='roceci' timestamp='1478869573' post='3172243']
They're after a bassist, we're all bass players...chuck us a link to the ad so we can string em along a bit
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I really shouldn't! But the ad is from about 2 weeks ago in the Glasgow area...

[quote name='HengistPod' timestamp='1478791627' post='3171683']
My fave Floyd-related moment is "Amused To Death". It is utterly fantastic.
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Agree 100% - very good album - and the political points are just as relevant today.

Good point regarding the silver lining! Hadn't thought of it that way.

Just a wee rant from me today! I really can't understand how people think sometimes!

All of my bands are inactive just now for various reasons, so I was looking on Gumtree for something new. I responded to an appropriate looking ad for a start-up band. Guys aged 40+ doing classic rock - seemed like fun, and at 35 I was almost the right age!

We exchanged a few emails and arranged to meet at a rehearsal room last night. There for four songs I was asked to learn - one was fairly proggy and not exactly straight forward - but I got there! I work about a mile from the rehearsal room in a city centre - so just took my gear on the train to work with me, hung about the office an extra hour and walked down. I also normally need to take care of the kids in a Thursday, but arranged a babysitter. So, a fair amount of effort on my part. I arrive at the rehearsal room, to be informed by the staff that the booking had been cancelled!

The guy from Gumtree is now totally unresponsive. (I was polite!)

I can't fathom out how anyone could think this was remotely acceptable. A quick email or text would have saved me a lot of hassle!

Really appreciate all your suggestions - few things to try here!

I'm especially interested in trying a pick rather than fingers. I almost always use fingers, though sometimes a pick for when only 'that' sound will do! I'm definitely not as comfortable with a pick - but going to give it a bash,.

Cheers guys! I guessed practice was the key... Always the way I suppose. My hopes for a lazy solution dashed!

Wonder if any of you have any advice...

My covers band has recently lost our drummer - who did all our backing vocals. The replacement drummer can't sing at all!

I can actually do most of the harmonies well enough, until I try playing bass at the same time! If I'm playing something really simple (Gimme All Your Loving for example), or if the vocal is the same rhythm as the bass - then I'm fine.

Anything else - I'm rubbish! Either my bass rhythm starts following the vocal or I just stop singing!

Can anyone else's brain only deal with one rhythm at a time? Has anyone got over it?

Have a listen to the Christian McBride Trio - do an awesome version of Carwash!

JapanAxe - Thank you very much! I [i]much[/i] prefer notation to tab (tab nearly always has crap fingering - I prefer to decide myself), so this is exactly what I'm looking for!

That would be truly awesome!

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a decent transcription for The Seahorses Love is the Law for a 90's project I'm working on.

I'm fine jamming round the chords for the main song, but can't quite get the little breakdown with just bass and vocals, and I'm struggling to find any structure in the outright guitar guitar solo.

Thanks!

I think the S1 switch on basses was basically a series/parallel switch. I remember a salesman telling me that it made J sound a bit like a P and vice versa.

For someone with a low gear budget such as myself, I'd normally say Behringer is a great choice. I gigged one of their Ultrabass amps for years and it gave me no problems - not to mention it sounded great. Had few of their pedals too, which were always fine (except the EQ's lack of centre detent which I found annoying!).

[i]However (!)[/i] - my band were playing at a small festival yesterday, and my guitarist's tuner pedal (a few week old, second time out the house) suddenly died on stage.

I quite fancy them for my Lakland 5501 - reckon they'll be okay for the 35" scale? (Obviously just through the bridge, not through the body for flats!)

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1459692496' post='3018654']


That has to be the same guy who contacted me, and I wasn't even looking for a covers band!
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Ahh... I've just realised you're fairly local to me! I'm guessing there's not two Sting-less Police tributes in Central Scotland! Was definitely the funniest response I've had to a Gumtree ad. I included a couple of video links, so he must known I'm no Sting look-a-like!