JapanAxe

From Wikipedia: “The hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, is the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes.” ...e.g. acquiring new kit!

I’ve spent many years finding out what does and doesn’t work for me, and trading up to the best examples I can afford. I have no problem taking this kit on gigs - I intend to play live as long as I have breath, and after all, that’s where all my gig money goes!

When I arrived the drummer's van was parked in the marked loading bay outside so at his suggestion I parked next to it and loaded in. Only when I went to load out did I realise that he must have moved it while I was setting up, so I had been there 3 hours on the assumption it would be OK. There was no ticket on my windscreen, but if they work on cameras, I am screwed. There are all-night multi-storeys a couple of minutes' walk away, but tbh I didn't want to leave my kit unattended. Just gotta hope nothing nasty arrives in the post!

Yay, can't beat 90s pub decor!

Not in Swindon! The Horn in Reading. Without doubt the most cramped playing conditions I have ever encountered.

Is that the Duke (pub)?

Dep gig on guitar with a punk/ska/rockabilly covers outfit in a city-centre pub. When I arrived at the agreed time, there wan't even room to jam my amp between the drum kit and the main door so the drummer had to move over a few inches. There was so little room in front that I soon gave up on setting up a mic for BVs, or even using a guitar stand, but not before I trapped my RH pinky in it, causing a bleed that (in the absence of plasters) I was obliged to stem with gaffer tape. There was no room for my pedal board but I didn't think I could live without slapback echo, so I pulled my delay off my board and installed a battery (which involved unscrewing the base) and stuck it on top of my amp. Then I found my clip-on tuner had a dead battery, so I had to replace that - fortunately I had a spare. By then it was kickoff time, and as we launched into the first number, I realised I was standing right in front of one PA speaker. The vocals were at apocalyptic volume (as was the double bass - visible speaker cone movement anyone?), so I moved to one side, ending up with one foot just in front of the flightcase that had my amp on it, and the other resting against the front of the bass drum. The volume there was just about tolerable through my earplugs, but anyone coming through the door still had to squeeze between me and the folks leaning on the bar. I hadn't had a rehearsal with the band (although I had watched YouTube clips and seen their gig the previous week), and the band plays everything very fast, so what with all the other factors, I can't say I gave a particularly slick performance. The crowd loved it though. I realise it's possible be too precious about 'your' sound, but this venue was a bridge too far in terms of the number of challenges to playing well. I'd probably dep with the band again, but not in that pub.

I hear banjos...

That would grind my gears too! I can think of some deal-breakers that didn't seem daft to me, but might be inconsequential to others: Band member who is obviously a passenger. Rehearsals conducted at ear-crushing volumes. Expectation that all kit would live in band van (in farmyard lock-up) between gigs.

For me, yes it is. I have used it through either a Barefaced Super Twin or Barefaced Midget, in pub gigs with rock/pop covers and blues bands, and on country gigs in some large halls. It’s never yet run out of steam. When I’ve pushed it, it has sometimes started to sound delightfully ‘furry’ - not obvious distortion, just the onset of pleasing saturation. Would it work for you? Depends! 50W doesn’t sound much these days but as I’m sure you know, a 50W valve amp behaves very differently to a solid state head when pushed. If you need limitless crushing power to do battle with Animal on drums, and guitarists equipped with Marshall half-stacks, you might need something different. I don’t know - I haven’t tried that!

I bought my Demeter head. I thought the Ampeg wouldn’t get a look-in after that, so it would be pointless keeping it. Fast-forward a couple of years and I snag an Ampeg PF-50T, and now the Demeter sometimes stays home while the PF does the gig!

SVTIII? Ampeg sound, not especially heavy to lug around. They come up reasonably often in the BC market place. I had one, liked it a lot.

This has happened to me more than once in my long and not-so-illustrious playing 'career'. As is the consensus, express disappointment, thank them anyway, offer yourself as a dep if required. Also from the band's POV there can be advantages in having a band made up of existing friends.

I had this happen with an Ashdown ABM500 once. I found it was a broken solder connection on the speaker - one of the braided leads going to the voice coil had come adrift. Having said that, there are any number of connections in any amp that can go bad and cause intermittent operation.

Any fule kno that to reproduce the sound of a bass guitar correctly you need a 4x10 on top of a 1x15, preferably topped off with a tweeter box. Then you can lunge to your heart's content. While wearing a waistcoat.

You're both right: 50% on the source 50% on the amp 50% on the speakers

My son has just bought a 50s style Vintera P - maple/white/anodised. He went and tried quite a few Ps in shops plus my 2. I haven’t had a play of it but he reckons it combines the comfy neck profile of my 73 P with the gutsy sound of my 63 AVRI. Sounds like a win.

Thanks Blue!

Hi Roger! The gig was at the Old Road Tavern in Chippenham. I expect we'll be back there at some point. Our next gig is a ticketed show at the Old Court (Arts Centre) in Windsor on 7th March. We have a couple of private parties, then the Rifle Club in Portsmouth with Kingz of Leon on 11th July. We are also looking at staging a special event somewhere in the Swindon/Bath/Bristol area - if that comes off I'll definitely post details on BC. In the meantime, here's a clip from our last visit to Windsor:

It's down to pattern recognition. Eventually se a rhythm written and you recognise it and play it, rather than having to work it out.

I initially set the Cali76 'Limiting Amplifier' by eye using the LED ladder - hardly any lights lit during normal playing, but around 20dB of compression on peaks when slapping/popping. Then I tweaked it by ear to sound 'right'.

I’ve recently had to address this issue! Having been pedal-free for years I am now playing Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes live. For me it’s the pops rather than the slaps that jump out in volume. I have tried a cheap Biyang Dyna Comp clone, which seemed perfectly adequate when set appropriately, and a big-box Cali76, which was rather easier to dial in.

Just got home from a splendid evening with my Bowie tribute band. The venue was a pub with a dedicated concert room at the side, with house PA and sound man. Just before we went on there were about 6 non-band people in the room, but once we took to the stage the place filled to capacity. We played 2 hours 20 minutes straight through, no breaks, and the time just flew by. For once I was standing well forward of my rig (Demeter into Super Twin), and both basses (AVRI Precision and Dingwall PZ5) sounded glorious. Mrs Axe commented afterwards that the bass came through loud and clear. Happy moments like this make life good!