jonnythenotes

Seriously folks, I would love to know if Jam sessions where people 'Jam' still exist. I know of a few local Jam, or Open Mic nights near Lichfield, but I feel like I have jumped in the Tardis, and landed In Grounhog Days'ville. Do any of you Basschatters know of any sessions near Lichfield (. 25 mile radius. Derby, B'ham, Burton, Cov etc ) where creating music on the spot, with people you may have never met before are up and running. The best two I was aware of, were The Clarendon, in Leamington, and The Funk Realm in Birmingham, which were once a month, but I think both have bitten the dust now... My idea of a good jam night is not recognising any, (or hardly any) of the songs. I am totally aware of how brilliant jams are to beginners, part timers, and people who don't want to be in a band, but that has nothing to do with my question, so don't burn me at the stake.... All I want are a couple of names, dates, venues, or maybe even a web site or two where you can turn up and hopefully knock out a few tunes.

Let It Roll by UFO... Ain't talkin ' bout love... Van Halen..... Prove It ....Telavision. Virginia Plain.... Roxy Music. Ships in the night... Be Bop Deluxe.

My second hand, and quite old Euro lx 4 cost about £750 as a trade deal... It's better than my Mike Lull 5 string which cost over £3000, and has since been sacked. Better than my Sandberg California £1500....sacked. On level terms with a Valenti Jazz, second hand trade deal and cost £750.. keeper, and I prefer the feel to my Wood and Tronics j4, £1600... keeper. So looking at the above, the basses I paid the least for are deffo the ones I prefer.

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It's just a bass players way of saying ' Black Hole' and 'Money Pit' in three easy letters. An irresistible and uncontrollable urge to spend money on anything to do with bass gear. Womens equivalents ( and some none bass players) are handbags and shoes.....

The only time I play in a set up with more than one guitar player is a local jam night... And I hate it. A one guitar band opens up space, gives clarity, improves you as a player (as there is no place to hide.) It develops creativity in having to always be 'interesting,' and develops a sense of being more important in a band, instead of being pushed to the back. It removes a lot of that low end clash you get from a guitar and yourself sharing the same tiny bit of space in smaller venues. You actually hear your instrument, and individual notes instead of being involved in a ear drum bustin competition. Financially, you are better off as its only a three way split, so what's not to like about only 3 of you...

It's great to see Pmt broadening their gear horizons a bit nowadays.... My impression,(rightly or wrongly,) was one of pretty safe and none adventurous gear being sold...Fender, Gibson, Marshall, Ashdown etc. A couple,of weeks ago, I bought an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 from them for a great price, which I was surprised was in stock. They had Spector basses on show, and a good old wedge of Sandberg gear hanging on the wall, and what I thought was essential, knowledgable and friendly staff, who in no way intimidate you with either pressure or product knowledge.

So is it the band you are in that drives a need for pedals, or do you introduce pedals to the band. I can sort of understand if you are an originals band, where you can do what you want as you build a song, or in a covers band where a certain sound or effect is used on the original, but where do they fit in if you are playing old syle tunes... Soul, Motown, Blues and a lot of early funk stuff. If you were auditioning for a new band advertising 'good bass player needed, must cover all styes,' what would you turn up with.... A bass and your rig, or bass, rig and bucket full of pedals...

Ref the first post of this thread...... I still have the Epifani head and Wood and Tronics bass, but they have taken a back seat for a while, and been replaced by an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500, and a Spector Euro lx 4. I still have the cabs...don't think I will ever trade them in, but this new set up sounds even better than my previous ( and very recent) 'best bass rig ever' Have any of you guys who commented on this thread previously changed any or all of your kit, and for what.. Or if you are reading for the first time, what is, or was your best ever set up...

I collected a brand new replacement TH 500 from PMT this morning, and I will always be grateful to the guys over there for sorting it out so quickly... If any of you from the store are reading this....thanks...

I don't think PMT are aguilar dealers, but on occasion they do have there stuff in..... Might be worth a phone call....

Discreet..... If you do see the perfect sex-bot before you croak, make sure you check thoroughly before you switch it on. I presume there will be his n' her models, and I wouldn't like you being ravaged by a bloke-bot...

The two most influential albums ever to me are The Human Menagerie...Cockney Rebel, and the supremely brilliant Larks Tongues In Aspic. Those two albums made my 15 year old brain at the time rethink all I thought I new, and was good about music.... Here endeth the lesson...

Hi Geek.... If 'er in doors does read Basschat, you are reading my final post as pretty soon I will be brown bread.....

Well, I don't know what Santa has got in his bulging festive sac for me this Yuletide season, but Its probably 2 or 3 set of strings for being a good little chap this year. Also, if I leave him my wife under the mistletoe for a while, he might chuck in a years subscription of Bassist magazine...

Thanks for the help chaps... As soon as it is sorted out, I will let you know....

It's a Spector Euro with Bartolinis going thru 2 Ashdown Neo 4x8 cabs rated 1000 watts each. I use 40 to 100 strings. The control is deffo shot as absolutely zilch happens no matter what you do with it....

This issue has now been resolved by PMT Birmingham. See thread titled 'PMT Birmingham. Praise where it's due...

Ealier today I posted a request for help and advice in a thread titled Tone Hammer Treble Control.... Anyway I phoned PMT in B'ham, and a new one is already on its way to the shop with my name on it..... No mention of repairs, warranty claims, forms to fill in or sending it back to the States, just a 'we will call you in a day or two to do a straight swap.' I really did not expect a result that quick considering Aguilar are in New York.... Well done PMT, and in particular the bass guy called Jay. I will be singing your praises from now on, starting here on basschat. The whole thing from purchase to resolution has taken 18 hours. It just goes to show that even though they are a national set up, customer service is a very high priority with them..... Felling chuffed to the max....

Thanks guys.....that was a speedy response.....Nice one..

I use a pair of Ashdown neo 4x8 cabs, which are really sensitive to higher frequencies. Also, I compared it with my Epifani PS 600 and Ampeg PF 500 set at the same volumes and frequency levels, and to my ears the two above mentioned work dramatically well, whereas the TH does nothing.... I thought that the treble may be more of an enhancer to work with the mid freq controls, but no matter where you set these, the treble has no effect, or if so, it is such a small amount I can't hear it..

Hi Mods.... Can you sort out a bit of a balls up on my Tone Hammer Treble post.... Please remove the top two entries. I think people might look at the top two blank ones, and not get as far as the third one, which is the one asking my question.... Thanks fellas...

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I picked up a new Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 yesterday from PMT in Birmingham, and its great.......I think. Could some of you existing TH owners clarify one thing for me though..... How effective should the treble control be? It might seem like a daft question, but with the one I have, the treble seems to make virtually no difference to the sound whatever you do with it, whether used with all other controls set flat, or in conjunction with any of the other controls on the front panel. Some bass amps I have had change completely when the treble control is turned either way past flat, and others are far more subtle in ther effect, but having had no experience of this amp before, I don't know where the TH should sit within this, but surely there should be more of a change between max and min than something so small, you are not even sure if it has changed. I am wondering if it is only apparent at gigging volumes, but I find this unlikely.. I am not to worried, as it is new, and has a three year warranty, but its a disappointing start... As usual chaps, any help would be greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance...