FinnDave

My #1 gig rig is an Ashdown ABM 500 evo II into a Barefaced Super Twin, but for the last 4 months it hasn't left the house as I have been using my Ashdown Touring 330 1x15 combo instead, which weighs about double the main rig, but sounds so good it gets used everywhere.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1482233345' post='3198618'] PMT don't. Cranes never did either. Only place I know of that sets up their guitars before selling is Gamlins. They get quite a few people buying stuff in PMT & then taking it to them to pay for a set up because PMT don't have anyone that does it. [/quote] Either PMT in Oxford does, or I have been exceptionally lucky with the two US Fenders and one Mex I have bought there over the last few years, all were set up exactly to Fender spec.

In 2016 I learnt to play with a pick (after an accident left unable to play finger style) and at the end of the year, my playing and tone are better and clearer than they ever where in my 40 years of playing with my fingers.

I hope I've finally learnt not to buy another Jazz Basses, they just aren't for me!

[quote name='Ashweb' timestamp='1482192813' post='3198439'] Cropredy means only one thing to me, and that's Fairport Convention. It's a brave band that plays in their back yard You didn't see Dave Pegg in the audience did you? I believe he lives just down the road in Banbury. [/quote] The pub we played in is the one featured on the cover of Fairport Nine. Small pub but a long tradition of music there. I'm afraid I wouldn't recognise Dave Pegg unless he was pointed out to me, so I couldn't say whether he was there putting up with our noisy old blues or not!

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482192709' post='3198438'] Dave, Last Saturday night we had our first snow storm. Took me 20 mins to get to the gig before the snow.An hour and a half drive home. Blue [/quote] No snow here (yet) but I got used to the white stuff as I lived in Finland for 16 years. The drive to and from last Saturday's gig was made slower and more difficult because of widespread fog. What should have been a 40 minute drive took about an hour each way.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1482191105' post='3198424'] Nice Sounds like fun and close to home. Blue [/quote] Close for me, not so close for the rest of the band as they live in or near Swindon (25 miles west of me). But the last 6 weeks I have had to drive to or through Swindon, so it all evens out.

We had our pre-Christmas gig last Saturday in Cropredy, next gig is New Year's Eve in my local pub, just mile down the road. Ten pm until everyone is too tired to carry on, which could be well into 2017!

I have 2012 and a 2015 US standard Precisions, and both are excellent basses, so I would say you've been particularly unlucky. Keep trying, I am sure your luck will change.

Just back after a foggy drive back from a Wirebirds gig near Banbury. We set up in an almost empty pub, were served good food free of charge and as soon as we started, an audience suddenly materialised. Two one hour sets, which went down well, plenty of dancing, sold a couple of CDs and had a enquiry about more bookings from a local in the audience. All in all, a good evening.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1481972887' post='3196660'] That`s a beauty, Karl. [/quote] You can't go wrong with black n maple!

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1481540235' post='3192991'] You had me up to "talented" [/quote] But that was the first word! My former singer was, erm, 'friendly' with Bill Nelson.

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1481882546' post='3195884'] This is a very complex issue but one thing I can say for sure is that if you own a Barefaced cab you do not need to worry about this! [/quote] Good news, I'll stop reading this thread now!

I have the same problem with Jazz Basses, sound great in the shop but the music I play sounds much better with a Precision in a band. Still keep buying them, though, then swapping them for Ps later. I never learn!

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1481649973' post='3194049'] Cant believe how serious its become around here. 19 replies and no one has said "Eleven, because its one louder than ten" © Nigel Tuffnel [/quote] One of my bands has a harp player who plays through a modified Fender Bassman combo. The volume knob is calibrated to 12, and is frequently set wedged wide open, though the damn thing kills most forms of life at anything above 4.

I turn my amp up as high as is needed, the numbers mean nothing.

With The Wirebirds, I play bass, find and book gigs, negotiate fees, run our Facebook page, print set lists, liaise with landlords, and sort out the money so we all get paid. The bass playing is the easy bit! I have recently been doing some gigs backing a guitarist singer, all I have to do for him is turn up and play. Being a three piece, it pays better than the Wirebirds despite the main man taking a bigger cut (nothing sneaky there, it's his band and his name up front). Recently joined another 4 piece, yet to gig with them so we'll see how that works, listening to the first rehearsal right bow ready for another tomorrow.