JapanAxe

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1374824528' post='2153569'] And why CBS' introduction of a fretless Precision was a great indication of how little they understood their own product. [/quote] They should have called the fretless version the 'Approximation'!

There is no conspiracy! The group of sharps or flats at the start of the piece (and normally at the start of each line) is called the [u]key signature[/u], and it [i]does[/i] tell you the key, or at least give you a choice of two. If you are playing from sheet music, the mode becomes apparent if the tonal centre differs from that of the key signature. For example, a piece in G Mixolydian would be written after a G major key signature with all the F's shown as naturals, or using the key signature of C major (where all the F's are natural anyway). I expect none of that makes sense to you, but the learning of music theory has a pretty steep curve!

That's pretty rockin'! The only thing that spoiled it for me was the drummer pulling a face like he was trying to expel a grapefruit from his rectum

To start with, play stuff that includes the pitches available from the open strings (E, A, D, G), then you can compare these with your stopped (rather than fretted!) attempts to check that you are still in tune. Hope that makes sense!

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1374789990' post='2153393'] Check out my old Shuker 5 string PJ for sale at Bass Gear. It's a stunner [url="http://www.bassgear.co.uk/product/5-string-bass-guitars-po/shuker-custom-p5/"]http://www.bassgear....uker-custom-p5/[/url] [/quote] Don't usually go a bundle on PJs but that is a nice-looking 5-er!

White. Black is a bit boring really - if the instrument I am buying happens to be black, so be it, but given the choice: White!

Now that's quality!

That's Mark Plati on bass. My favourite Bowie [i]single[/i] (rather tha song) and a cracking version.

Just noticed this thread, which I'm now following. Currently uncommitted for this date, but always living in hope of more gigs! Is anyone bringing a skinny-string BTW?

MICE! They love to make nests in your speaker port, chew up the carpet and speaker cone for bedding, and eat through your wires.

Played to seated audience at a country music club in a village hall last night. Took a huge risk by singing the first verse and chorus of the opening song (country gospel number Wayfaring Stranger) completely unaccompanied, added guitar for the second verse, then bass player and drummer walked on and picked up the rest of the song. Then played lots of trad country. Went down a storm! Dep bass player did us proud - cheers Graham!

If by the gig you still need a few prompts, write them large and set your music stand low and off towards the side of the stage. There's nothing worse IMO than music stands up high, virtually obscuring the players' faces.

Gramma pad? Beyond that all you can do is build an isolated room that floats inside one of your existing rooms. Or Pod and headphones...

[quote name='hitchy64' timestamp='1374442477' post='2148884']Sounds bollocks to me [/quote] I concur!

As your man now plays a Dingwall signature you might be better going for one of those, always depending on the state of your piggy bank!

Although I had briefly owned an Encore P copy before, the first bass I bought with the intention of actually learning to play it, was a very forgettable Washburn PJ with 2 volumes, a tone, and a balance control. It was a hideous metallic mid-blue colour. I bought it thinking it was active (based purely on the number of controls) but it wasn't - d'oh. I gigged it a couple of times before upgrading to a Yamaha BBG. The Washburn went to a friend of my son in a complicated 3-way swap kind of deal, and said eejit then proceeded to thoroughly trash it!

Before you chop and change, do you know anyone that's into modding pedals? Having looked at a gut-shot, the main circuit board uses mainly full-size components (as opposed to surface mount which are a b@st@rd to work with). The [url="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_l3K_uu1rgsU/RyNJ7PHiPAI/AAAAAAAAAiY/MmquCa02_2Q/s1600-h/picklesch.gif"]schematic[/url] shows that there is a passive EQ network, and I would suggest experimenting with component values e.g. using a smaller value for C13 to roll off the bass frequencies after the clipping stages. You could always make this switchable from the top panel, i.e. a guitar/bass toggle switch. Just a thought...

Pah! Effects loops are for wimps! **scuttles off and hides under bed**

The Compact is quoted as having a usable frequency range of up to 4kHz (likewise the Midget without a tweeter). As such it is not 'hi-fi', but will reproduce [i]most[/i] of what a bass guitar puts out. If that's not enough treble extension for you, you'll probably appreciate something with a tweeter. Caveats: (1) My hearing only goes up to 12kHz in my better ear. (2) You may hear a difference with a tweeter, but your audience may not!

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1373993357' post='2143998'] For the outdoor gig last Sat I wore a pair of very thin black cotton trousers I usually reserve for foreign hols only and went commando. I found it quite a liberating experience. I think the fan at the back of the stage blowing cool air across to the drummer and me helped too though... [/quote] (1) Too much information? (2) That's one very dedicated fan you have there - must be some special band!

The only thing that puts me off Aria basses is sheer snobbery The ones I have tried have been light, nice to play, and decent sounding.

Happy twiddling. When experimenting with the EQ knobs and sliders on your amp in turn, don't forget to try cutting frequencies, as some of the best sounds can be found this way.

The chapters on scales in Otto Carolyi's 'Introducing Music' (Penguin), price from 1p on Amazon, really helped me back in the day. Also get a guitar chord book, write the names of the notes down for every chord, and you'll soon sus the formulas - I did.

If the cable is just carrying signal from mixer out to powered monitor in, then a guitar or instrument cable is fine. If you are running a second (passive) monitor from the extension speaker output of a powered monitor, use a speaker cable.