FinnDave

I've never had much luck getting hold of John by email - but phone calls work and the number is on his website. I've been round to his place several times and you couldn't meet a nicer or more helpful chap.

I could only tick one box, so chose covers as that includes both bands. We didn't rehearse for the wedding at all. It was a cool wedding, they basically held a private festival on a field for all their friends and family, and we were the band. Probably the best gig I'll ever play!

I wasn't sure which box to tick, as I play in a blues band which is 90% covers plus a couple of originals, and a band which only plays the music of the Grateful Dead, who were themselves at least 50% a covers band. I have only played one wedding, and despite reading about how much wading bands get paid, it actually cost me money as I had to pay the rest of the band. Still, I can't really complain as it was my daughter's wedding.

I assume it's music you'd want to run away from (or leg it).

Are you sure you're not Boris Johnson??

We used to have a former 'name' vocalist fronting our band. She'd get all emotional when introducing the next song which has always meant so much to her, etc. - then pull out a crumpled piece of paper with the lyrics on which she read as she sang them. Not very impressive! Most bands I've played with get very sniffy if you need so much as a chord sheet to refer to - nothing more than a set list allowed on the stage.

No, it doesn't, it was a reply to the posts in this thread about reading vs non-reading musicians - not reading requires a very different but no less useful set of skills to those of a reader. Guitarists winging it badly because they couldn't be bothered to learn the song are simply lazy and are unlikely to change - best asked to leave the band in my opinion (on the basis that having them taken outside and shot is generally frowned upon, even though it could be a useful source of capital when you sell his gear).

My next door neighbour plays Viola in several orchestras, and has been amazed when she comes to one of my gigs that everyone remembers their parts without any sheet music - something she, as a classically trained musician, finds impossible.

I haven't seen any altered decals on a Jazz, but I can visualise what a difference change of vowel would make!

Damn, I thought I was being original!

That's exactly why I bought a Player Precision last week - but within a couple of days of it arriving, it had flats on as well! I'm not so sure anymore that the bass needs to 'cut through' so much as just sit in the mix - stop playing mid song (preferably not at a gig) and hear how much is missing even if the bass wasn't prominent.

I just got home from a rehearsal where I use the new Player Precision I got last week and have re-strung with flats - sounded great and the rest of the band thought so as well. Three out of my current four basses have flats on them and I suspect the fourth will have them soon as well.

A Fender Imprecision Bass

I've never played it either, nor have I heard it, so I have no idea what it is like.

I hate not gigging. I have absolutely zero interest in recording, whether solo or with others, the only thing that lights my fire is playing live to an audience. I especially like gigging with material that has room for improvisation. I enjoy the fact that the band and the audience know we are never more than a few seconds away from a complete train wreck, but still somehow stay on the tracks. The guitarist in my main gigging band will shoot me a certain look when he is about go way off piste - it's a kind of challenge he likes to lay down, and I enjoy following him into the unknown.

Absolutely - except I'd say that anything else is no longer a Precision. It might be as good as a Precision, or even (however unlikely this might be) better than a Precision, but take away the simplicity of the standard Precision and it becomes something else.

That bass is truly a joy to behold.

I don't notice it under my plucking right hand, it's the fretting left hand that feels plucking wrong.

I've used various Ashdown amps for some time, but my main rig for the last year or so has been an Orange LBT and Barefaced Super Compact - both small and light, but a few days ago I bought an ABM 500/2x10 combo which is certainly no lightweight - but it sounds incredible - played it at rehearsal last Sunday (day after buying it) and even the guitarists were moved to comment favourably on the tone - even the one who was conscripted into helping me carry it down the stairs! I have to keep hold of the lightweight rig for places with difficult access, but it certainly doesn't have that huge enveloping warmth and clarity that the ABM combo has.

Is that before or after severing the arm at the shoulder? Some just can't take a simple hint. To be fair, the last keyboard player I was in a band with was very good at not treading on my toes (metaphorically), especially as we were always close together on stage and he was aware of the potential headache caused by an accidental swing of the bass.

That really is a beauty.

Thanks, Lozz - the Precision will get a tort 'plate soon - I'm fairly sure the one I have that's not currently in use came from you originally - copper tape shielding on the back - ring any bells?

Two New Fender Bass Day. By a strange coincidence, I received two new Fender basses today. This morning I took delivery of the MiM Precision I ordered on Saturday and a couple of hours later the replacement for my faulty Vintera Jazz turned up. Each has had a quick once over, been tuned and played along to a few songs, and both sound and feel fine. I'll get them set up to my taste over the next few days. I know have a Precision with flats and a Precision with round wounds, and two Jazzes, one with flats and one with rounds. I sill prefer the feel of the rounds and the sound of the flats, but at last I can chose without having to change strings.

It's unlikely. Most people will use an amp as well! Not gigged my combo yet, but did take to rehearsal yesterday and the sound was even praised by a guitarist. I told them that the sound came at a price - willing helpers to get the beast up and down the stairs at the rehearsal room.