ossyrocks

My friend is reassured and has purchased said bass. He is very much looking forward to receiving it. Thanks, Rob

What’s the nut width on a MIJ P reissue from the 80’s? Asking for a friend… https://bassbros.co.uk/product/1987-fender-japan-pb-62-precision-bass-reissue-mij-original-box/

I tried and tried to love my AVRI, it was beautiful and sounded immense, but the nut width defeated me in the end. The Vintera is the same, 44mm. My 70's P's are 41mm, it doesn't sound like much of a difference, but it feels like a lot under my fingers.

As a guitarist in my previous life for decades, I would say that the one who can’t change key, can’t play, end of. That shows a complete lack of any basic understanding and you should let him go. The other one just can’t be arsed. You also have a keys player, so you only need one guitarist. I wouldn’t want to play in a band with two guitars and keys, even if I was playing guitar. Rob

Cheers. All good info. I do have a mate who owns/runs an agency, but not for our type of stuff, he books name bands, but he might know who's around. I think in house PA is going to be the main thing we'll need to be in place. I don't fancy running a rig of our own big enough to do this!

I've just sold a cab to David. Great comms, prompt payment, really easy. Top gent, recommended. Thanks, Rob

I don’t think any of them would call themselves a jazz musician really, especially me, even though I play in a jazz band. I have an aspiration to be a jazz musician, and I suspect I will aspire to it for the rest of my life. They just seem to be sensible folk, competent on their instrument, with experience of bands and playing live. The guy who’s assembled the band has done a good job, but I do see that he’s got lucky in many ways. It could have been very different. I do know what you mean about some JMB ads though. I answered one a while back, before this current one, where an “established band” were looking for new members inc bass. He told me about some of the gigs they had done, and I was able find them, including video of the events. I soon realised that the “established band” was just him, and the rest of the band had done one/sacked him. When I noted this in conversation, he ceased communication. I’ve even auditioned for bands from JMB, where I’ve had to drag the rest of the musicians through the songs like a ball and chain on my ankle, and I’m the one auditioning! Then to be told, yes, you’ve got the job, and me to say politely, no thanks. It can be quite disheartening searching for the right band/people. Rob

I've been following this thread. I have nothing of importance to add though, you guys have it all covered. I went into Promenade Music last week to discuss wireless options and see what they had. I wanted something simple, and there were a number of cheaper alternatives, but I was recommended the Boss WL-20's for what I do. That's what I now have. I've done two rehearsals (two different bands) and one gig so far with them, and another gig today. Going wireless has been a liberating experience! I couldn't go back now. Our sax player is wireless, so I've made sure she's up and running before pairing mine, and no issues so far. Rob

I don't know the version yet for that one. For the first nine of the second batch we have youtube links, for this one we have two voice notes on whatsapp, which is a bit of a pain. I'm just going to absorb a few versions so I can play something suitable when I hear what everyone else is doing. It's interesting you're in a similar band with similar line up. I think the intention with this band is to have two female vocals too, but we've made a start after finding one. I've been in big bands before, 8 to 10 piece (on guitar in those days, 20+ years ago), and I know how hard they are to manage. I just hope this one can get off the ground and hit the point of minimum rehearsal, maximum gig. I'm well out of the loop when it comes to venues and bookings though, it's been a few years since I dealt with that for a band like this, not that it's going to be my responsibility with this band. I can book little gigs for £200 for my jazz band, but this is going to have to be £more, with the potential for a lot more. I'd be interested to know where you play with your band and what kind of money you go out for, you're not that far away from me, and this band is based around Preston. Also do you have an agent? Maybe PM me if you don't want to share publicly? Cheers, Rob

Well, I take it back. I Wish is not that hard when you actually look at it. Got the notes down in about 15 mins. Playing it in time, with that tone will take practice.

I should post the setlist so far, especially as I'm going to find one or two of the second 10 a bit tricky. Song, Artist version Brown Eyed Girl - Reel Big Fish Hard to Handle - Commitments Rocks - Primal Scream Superstition - Stevie Wonder Valerie - Any Winehouse Son of a Preacher Man - Moonraisers Tainted Love - Gloria Jones Hot Ska - Skameleon Hold on I'm Coming - Beverley Knight Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac (live version with horns) Lady Marmalade - Patti Labelle Piece of my Heart - Beverley Knight Rescue Me - Fontella Bass Mercy - The Third Degree 10/10 - Paolo Nutini Gangsters - The Specials I Wish - Stevie Wonder Unchain My Heart - Joe Cocker (2002 live version) December '63 - Frankie Valley Seven Nation Army/Sweet Dreams mash up - ska version It's varied and interesting for sure. Lots for punters to like, and lots for me to like in terms of interesting and cool bass lines. The first 10 are more or less there after one rehearsal. I have much less time to work on the second 10 though, and I think "I Wish" is going to take me a while....... There's going to be another 10 released upon us after the next rehearsal. For the time being I'm happy to just be a part of this, and I'll learn whatever gets thrown my way. I guess in the longer term, the rest of us will have more say in the material that gets added. Cheers, Rob

I’m with you. I’ve always known people beforehand, known what and how they play, jammed, talked, hung out, been the pub etc. Usually bands were formed with friends. This is totally new to me.

I’ve been progressing steadily in my playing since taking it seriously early last year. I landed a gig with a local jazz band, after meeting folks at the jazz jam in Lancaster and getting to know them, and we do the odd gig. We played yesterday at the Ribble Valley Jazz & Blues Festival and went down well. However, I’ve kept looking for other opportunities, JMB and Facebook being the main searches. Anyway, a few weeks ago, someone posted on JMB and Facebook looking for musicians for a soul/ska weddings/functions band. I answered the add, and after a bit of to and fro was sent 10 numbers to look at. This guy is a trumpet player and has sax and trombone already lined up. Basically it’s a horn section forming a band around themselves, and they’ve been playing together for about 20 years. A WhatsApp group was created, and over the course of the last few weeks, new people have been added to the group and introduced along the lines of “welcome Joe, our keyboard player”, “welcome Suzie our vocalist” etc. In the end it’s ended up with nine people in this “band” on WhatsApp who don’t know each other from Adam, and have never met, played together, or have any clue what standard anyone is at. Male and female vocals, keys, drums, guitar, bass (me), and three piece horn section. A rehearsal room was duly booked, and everyone showed up, to meet each other for the first time and play these 10 tunes. It was a nice room, plenty of room, with good PA, back line and drums provided. I had a Hartke head through 2 4x10 Ashdown cabs. Now, based on past experience, this could go in any direction, however, from the first count in of the first number, there were grins all round. Everyone had done their homework, the keys player and drummer are great, the guitar player knows what he’s doing, the horns are in tune and locked in with each other, and the singers can bleeding sing. We rattled through the 10 numbers twice, only pausing to fine tune starts and endings, agreeing where the pushes should be etc. I couldn’t really believe it, it was like a good band from the very first note. Some tunes we did again after wondering whether that perfect run through the first time was a fluke, but it wasn’t, it could be replicated. Get home later, the WhatsApp group is happy, another 10 tunes are distributed, rehearsals are booked and there’s talk of booking gigs already. I’m still not sure how this actually happened, I need to pinch myself. Is this a unique occurrence, or does this happen often? Anyway, I’ve got 10 more tunes to learn in the next week and a bit, and some of them are a bit tricky, so I’ll be practicing every night I can between now and then, as I know now that the whole band will have them nailed before they arrive. Rob

I am curious about the new Little Marks myself. I really like my LM3 and I’ve been wondering how they compare, and whether or not they’ve taken everything I like about them and sprinkled a little more magic on top. Have use got any experience of the older models?

Without being in the room with it, it’s hard to compare with mine, or my Elf. I do know that I found the Elf too noisy to use in the lounge as a practice amp. I suppose if you do need to mic a cab for recording, you could setup the amp itself away from the cab and use a longer speaker lead. That’s easily doable in a studio setting, not so easy to do on a stage. Perhaps you could also find somewhere that stocks your model, and go and take a listen to compare, maybe even take yours. If it’s much noisier, then you may have a case for a warranty return or repair. Rob

I don’t have a new one, but I do have a Little Mark 3. At home, fans seem to be far too loud with almost any amp that has a fan! I even posted here about a “noisy fan” in my Trace Elliot Elf. But at rehearsal, it’s a non issue, I just can’t hear them. So I suppose what I’m saying is, it depends on the setting you’re using it in. Where are you experiencing the issue? Rob

The least powerful one is Loctite 222 (purple). Green is the next strength up. I’m looking at this issue myself at the moment. I had to replace all the height adjustment grubscrews on my ‘73 P bass as they were so full of some gunk substance they wouldn’t move. Someone had previously tried to do this job, but maybe with glue, and I could only remove them by screwing them down and out of the bottom of the saddles. The new grubscrews work fine, but they do have a tendency to move on their own, particularly on E string. My solution at the moment is to just check it before rehearsals and gigs and adjust if necessary. I’ve ordered the purple Loctite as it’s the easiest to release but will hold the screw and prevent it from moving on it’s own. Rob

That's the one thing I haven't tried yet on my Jazz. I've had Labella 760FS (45-105) and Labella LTF's on it (currently on there). Yesterday, for rehearsal last night, and my two gigs this weekend, I swapped back to TI's on my Precision, from the LTF's that were on there. I am coming to the conclusion that I prefer TI's on P basses. They are less deep, and more pronounced in the mids than the LaBellas, which suit my Precisions more for what I'm doing.

Oh, and just a little Public Service Announcement. Richtone have a used 2019 LM3 in stock for £299, which I think is a rather good price for a shop, and shipping is less than a tenner. I nearly bought it myself, but I had a little word with myself and thought better of it. Rob

Like many people, I go all around the houses with cabs and amps, most recently with Barefaced cabs, of which I now have two, a One 10 and a Two 10. I did sell one of my Mark Bass 102P’s, but I kept the minty one, and I have recently reverted back to that setup - LM3 + 102P. I’m gigging that rig today, and on Monday, with the Elf in the bag as backup. It really is a great sounding rig. It’s a sound I haven’t found in anything else I’ve tried, and I can’t put my finger on what it is, like there’s a little magic dust in the air as you play it. Interestingly, I also feel I don’t need the compressor when I use it either. I also set everything at noon with filters off as a starting point, and rarely change it. When I get a little time, I’m going to do a side by side with the BF Two 10 and the 102P using the LM3, and just see what I think the differences, strengths and weaknesses are are with both. Rob

I have LaBella LTF's on my Jazz. It's a mexican roadworn with pickups and pots upgraded. I find Labella's particularly deep sounding when compared with the other flats I've tried, which are only Picatos and Thomastiks. So they've given my Jazz a really deep tone on the front pickup, if you want it, but it's still pretty honky on the back pickup alone. I more or less have the tone rolled off the whole time too. I had some fun the other night with my Mark Bass rig, a compressor and the jazz on the back pickup, trying to cop that Joe Dart tone (not the chops I'm afraid). Rob

Good luck! I did my first on bass last November. Parts of it went well, parts of it were “challenging”. Roll on a couple of months and I’m in a band with the house bands drummer. Above all, try to enjoy it, all the pressure is coming from yourself. Rob

Sean Hurley has been a busy man! https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sean-hurley-mn0000948491/credits