Len_derby

[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.

Rural and small town Derbyshire, £200 - £250 for what usually amounts to 2 hours of music.

Another great bass-related day. A special thank you to Simon for all the background organisation. Also really nice to chew the fat with friends old and new. Brilliant cake again made by Jo Sharman.

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1462005276' post='3039441'] It's next week! Hopefully you're all excited and looking forward to it [/quote] Absolutely!

Newtone are very local to me. Great strings, great company. The person now in charge is Neil Silverman.

It sounds pretty shabby if it's as you describe. I don't think I'd want to go back. I've just come back from a pub gig where the professionalism of the landlord in his attitude to us was just about the opposite of yours. My point being that in this game you win some and lose some.

Congratulations SB. If this one doesn't work out, let me know. I have a few contacts locally who may be useful to you. As for an audience for that material - definitely. I have a bunch of mates who get as many gifgs as they want in the Derby area playing just that kind of stuff. They are called The Real Deal.

This looks brilliant Andy, your usual ultra-high attention to detail. I might has missed it on an earlier post, but are you installing any pickup system?

Firstly, welcome back! All of the basses you mention have fans on this forum, and hopefully some will be along soon to give advice and opinions. Personally I can recommend the Yamaha BEX. Not too easy to find now but a lovely hollow body bass guitar.

Great post. Thanks for putting it up. Nice to acknowledge your 'superfans'. We all need those, especially when far from home.

Hi John, Somehow missed your posts so far. Welcome from a fellow Derberian.

There's a venue in my home town that puts on tribute bands very regularly. A lot of them pack out the place and I think it allows them to take the financial hit on originals acts that don't sell so well. One thing I have noticed is that it's a noticeably different crowd who go to the tributes. I have non-musician friends who go out to see tribute acts but have no interest in seeing originals or even normal covers bands.

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1459353310' post='3015728'] Thanks Len .. I'm being swayed towards the micro cube even more now Just wondering ; if the model I chose has an xlr socket, could this be played through a p a to increase volume ? [/quote] It can indeed, there's a handy XLR socket just for that. But, unfortunately if you do that the combo's own speaker switches off which means you can't use it as a monitor. You can on the cube 100, which has been really useful at times. If you can live with the low volume the micro cube is grand. An inbuilt drum machine and tuner! The effects are a bit cheesy, but aren't they all? 😉

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1459352452' post='3015709'] Mmm, TBH I prefer the bass micro cube. May end up getting that , and or cube 60xl [/quote] I have a Micro cube and a Bass Cube 100. Both are, for me, great pieces of kit but neither in my experience will be loud enough do anything but a restrained drummer. The micro is a great practice amp and will hold its own with acoustic guitars and cajon. The 100 is great for small gigs but just doesn't go loud enough for anything but quiet drumming. If you were to jam with a drummer I think you'd find it underpowered. It has a small footprint but still weighs about 18kg. My Barefaced Midget and LM3 is even easier to carry and has never been drowned out.