Len_derby

Welcome to the Uke Bass world! There's two things I'd say. Firstly, in my experience the silicon rubber strings on most Uke basses need a lot if settling in due to the initial stretching period they go through. So, just keep at it. Secondly, the intonation of these things never seems to particularly good. Even on the expensive models. A lot of players seem to gravitate to fretless to mitigate this.

I tried a set of cloth-wrapped metal strings on my bass Uke. I think they were Pyramids. It didn't work for me. The Uke is a Countryman cheapy and doesn't have a truss rod. Maybe they're all like that, I don't know. Anyway, the extra tension of the strings bowed the neck enough to knacker the already slightly dodgy intonation and also make the action too high. I've still got the strings, if you want to give them a go let me know.

It must have been quite a thing to sit in the congregation when JS Bach was pumping that big old organ of his.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1472461703' post='3121192'] avoid greasy nibbles and knick-knacks before the gig too - i once had some pork scratchings or something and just licked my fingers clean and wiped them down my jeans then spent the whole gig with my fingertips feeling like they were sticking to the strings [/quote] I played a pub last year where I tucked in to the free samosas offered at the break. They turned out to be very expensive as I forgot to wash my hands and then covered a nice new set of strings with stinky grease!

Funny, I was dealing with this yesterday in a hot and humid pub. Apart from always trying to make sure my hands are clean and dry before I go on (not always possible, I know), I wear a towelling wrist band on each hand and give my fingers a wipe between songs.

I've played with several drummers who never do any drumming outside the rehearsal room or live venue. Usually because they said their domestic circumstances made it impossible to play or even set up the kit at home. It wasn't surprising that development of technique took a long time.

[quote name='M@23' timestamp='1472282667' post='3119986'] The usual: hot and sweaty cocktail bar. the unusual: 'mod' weekend on the Isle of Wight, meaning there were 5000 or so scooterists in the space of a square mile, so it was absolutely heaving. Also, I borrowed a Roland Bass Cube 100 as there was no parking and I had a bit of a walk. I'm really impressed by it, no PA support, volume on half and it filled a decent size room. It was a loud gig too. [/quote] Yes, great piece of kit. I've been very impressed with mine after 10 years of service. If it had a built in tuner like the Roland micro cube it'd be perfect. Never been fashionable though.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1472259793' post='3119936'] This is one of my, so far, unfulfilled dreams. I'd love to play with 2 drummers. The Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Allman Brothers Band and the Doobie Brothers all sound great with 2 drummers so it can be done. [/quote] Plus the Miles Davis band in the Bitches Brew era.

I think it's just another confirmation of the mind-state of people who spend a lot of time on the Internet! They can't be watching Glasto on the tele either!

Funny you should mention this. I used my Mexican Fender jazz 5 string last night and wondered how much of its weight was due to the thick paint job.

I have a 2003 P deluxe with a DZ serial number. Looking at your photographs I can see the following differences. Mine says 'Precision Bass' on the headstock, the plate fixing the neck to the body has 5 bolts and a curve at the top. It is also stamped with 'Fender Corona California'. The control layout and pickups look the same. Mine has an 18v preamp and consequently 2 9v batteries. I don't whether this info helps or not, but it migh be of interest. I know very little about the variations or vagueries of Fender production.

A classy player for sure. I first heard him with a band called Mogul Thrash. Anyone else remember them?

I'm more or less in agreement with the Japanese Axeperson. In my experience the cheaper Uke Basses have poor intonation, with little option for adjustment. If I was buying again I'd go for Kala. The feel of the rubbery strings needs getting used to as well. What about a semi-hollow bass? Their looks might be acceptable to your band and if you're going have to use amplification a bass of that kind would be versatile for other ventures. Options; Chowny, Yamaha BEX, Fender Coronado, Ibanez, etc. Usually something good for sale on this forum!

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1470901537' post='3109186'] You CAN get a decent low B in a cheap instrument. I've owned a few 5ers up to the £1.2k price range, and the £280 Warwick Rockbass Streamer I have blows them all out of the water and can seriously hang with the super expensive stuff I've tried out. It has a stiff multi laminate neck and very tight neck joint. There are tons of expensive boutique basses out there that just use standard woods and traditional construction methods, so price isn't always an indicator of how well the low B will perform. The most important difference is the right strings, and making sure they are fitted properly. I've had bad Bs made great, and great Bs made bad, just by changing the string type. [/quote] Which strings have you found good?

I've got aYamaha TRB 5 which is 35" scale. Very good instrument, but it might b a struggle to find one within the budget. However MrMcgoo1964 has, on this very forum, a Yamahs BB425 5 stringer for sale within your friends budget. You'll see from the photo that this model has an extended length B string at the bridge. I'm not sure if it takes it to 35".

I used VistaPrint. 2.5 metres by 0.8 metres, PVC, metal eyelets. Just the band name in a fancy font (bear claw font), black on white. £40 including postage. Cheap and cheerful, but it does the job without us needing to get precious about it.

Another successful gig last night with 5 Hills Out. It was at a rural pub in Derbyshire, The Yew Tree in Ednaston, that has a young landlord who is a big music fan. We picked up a nice follow-on job, a private birthday party for the end of September. Not bad for a folk-punk band playing only originals. The only downside of the night was that we playing next to the pub's pizza oven. We were all wringing wet by the end.

The originals band I play in do songs in various tunings so I found sticking to a 5 string bass in concert tuning suited me best. Plus, if you're trying to build up a flow and momentum in a set I think swapping instruments and/or retuning is best avoided.

Great news. Thanks for the update.

Just back from the YNot festival in Derbyshire where my band 5 Hills Out played two sets, one on Saturday afternoon the other early evening today. We played on two of the smaller stages and had big, responsive audiences for both. It's just as well it's only a thirty minute drive home. I'm knackered.

Hi Chris, I use my Roland Cube 100. Seems to do the job ok. Maybe we can arrange a get-together if you fancy a try.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1468748238' post='3092995'] I've said before the vast majority of bass players need a P bass because it does what most people need it to do. If I hear a bass with a weak sound..it very very often isn't a P.. [/quote] Would you say this extends to 5 string too? Genuinely interested if people think that the 5 string P or P clone corners the market in a similar way.

The Facebook page 'Official Brand X' posted the item below today. I know not everyone on here uses FB so I've pasted it. Welcome to "TALES FROM THE BRAND X FILES". Start the week off right, "Tales" runs each and every Monday morning. Today's feature: PERCY JONES (Bassist of Brand X) A lot of people have been asking about Percy's Bass, and of course about his unique style and approach. Percy says: The Bass he's using right now with Brand X is a customized Ibanez Grooveline Five-String, with Piezo pickups. Percy's added some weights to the headstock, which "shifts the frequency response slightly and gives the bass a bit of a tighter sound." Percy uses a standard Bass tuning for the regular four strings, and has the lowest string at "C". "So how the hell does he do that? many ask." Percy can get rapid-fire triplets flowing by using a three finger approach reminiscent of a Classical Guitarist. So he's sometimes plucking the strings with all three fingers in quick succession, and will also use his thumb occasionally as well. One of Percy's trademark sounds is hitting a hard note and simultaneously hitting a harmonic as well, and then sliding the note up on the fretless. Check out the beginning of "Nightmare Patrol" from Livestock CD, or just come to one of the gigs and see him do it live. When asked what Bass he used on those first three classic Brand X albums, he replied: "I mostly used a Four-string Fender Precision Fretless (see 1st picture), though I also used a hollow-body Gretsch (fretted) on one song, and an Upright Bass on another." Effects? A lot of Percy's unique sound actually comes from his playing technique and how the bass lines work within the context of Brand X compositions, but what few know is that he used home built effects on the old Brand X recordings! Nowadays he's using an Eventide processor at the moment. The first run of shows for Brand X will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday 12th) and go from October 19th through 25th, with more coming in November?

We tend to adjust the set list to try and suit the venue and crowd mix. So, it's not always the same each time. I think one of the lesser talked about skills of a performing musician is the ability to play the same material time and time again and keep it sounding fresh. How many times must BB King have played 'The Thrill Has Gone'? He always, to the end, made it sound like he meant it. It's probably a rare skill. I don't think I have it, but I'm working on it!

[quote name='rungles' timestamp='1464646331' post='3061172'] I usually find that with a new band, cancellations are always a good way in. It's tough to get gigs but if a venue has your number and they are in the sh*t, chances are you will get a call. Word soon gets around. [/quote] Yes, this is a good way in. I've found that if you're nimble and ready to go as a band a lot of work can be picked up this way. I've linked in to most of the local live music sites on Facebook and every weekend there's requests posted for bands to fill cancellations.