FinnDave

"We will only consider requests submitted in writing on a twenty pound note"

I thought the price was a bit high - you'd need to be pretty flush to buy it!

I always take two basses to a gig. One to use and one as a back-up. It's very rare that the back-up is needed, but the law of sod will ensure that with no back-up, the #1 bass will have a problem. The last time I needed the back-up was when I had a bass fall (or possibly knocked by *someone*) off its stand and into the drum kit, causing damage to a string when it hit a cymbal. Quicker and easier to get the back-up out of the case and carry on than to dig out a spare string and tune it. Strangely, at the same gig I had an amp fail. Two minutes later I was playing through the spare amp I happened to have with me. Makes more sense to have your spare stuff with you than sitting at home!

I'm down to four - 2 Ibanez six strings I play all the time and two Fender four strings that I assume are still in their cases as I haven't opened them to look inside for over a year!

I used to have a classroom persona when I was teaching, it allowed me to hide the real me, though the gap between the real me and teacher me became harder to define as the years passed.

Thanks, Dave. That was at a festival a couple of years ago playing with my old band. My daughter took the pics, so there was a bit more rapport between stage and photographer for that one. I still prefer the candid shots, though, like this one from the same event:

Not so easy when the photographer is a few feet away and the lens is pointing straight at you!

The best pics Ive seen of myself on stage have been taken when I am completely unaware of the camera. If I see someone pointing a camera at me, I usually look straight at them, which sometimes works but usually makes me look like a psychopath. Like this:

I played a couple of gigs this weekend with my RM800 head and newly acquired Super Compact, no problems whatsoever. Powerful and portable little rig.

I don't remember posting any of that! Right now I'm not sure that any of my basses have flats on, all I have played for the last 12 months are my 6 strings, both with rounds on. I haven't opened the cases of my fours for a year or more. I was in a strange state last night, serious lack of sleep over the weekend, so I think I posted nonsense, though I probably thought it was relevant at the time! I think I stopped using Chromes a while back because of the sticky feel of them, and changed to LaBella flats. But for my current band, the sound of the rounds is more appropriate, and I prefer the feel of them as well.

most of mine have been on 6-12 months

I've been on and off with Chromes and D'dd flats, but don't care for the feel. Back to D'add rounds and just wind back the toppiness on the bass.

Half the band spent Friday night in Paignton (at my frend's place there). All made it to Saturday's gig.

With respect, the discussion has moved on from the original question, that's the way conversations evolve.

Money is nice, but I usually just want to cover my expenses. reward of gigging for me is the mix of band and audience energy that creates something unique.

I have just spent about half an hour reading this thread from the beginning. Plenty of good points. I don't understand why anyone would be gigging if they don't enjoy it, unless it is an important source of income to them. I've done my time in pub bands, schlepping my gear in and out, through bars with pushed up punters, who ignore you, chasing up the manager to get paid, etc. I still did it because I enjoyed the moments when everything gelled, and I am never as focused as when I am performing. I don't dance about, barely move most of the time, certainly avoid taking solos, but enjoy being part of a good band in full flight. Start of last year, I joined a tribute band, and after a few months of that had quit my pub bands to concentrate on that. Fewer gigs, for a bit more money, but the main difference is that we play venues, not the corner of a pub. We're not interfering with anyone's evening in their local, people pay to come and see us. There's a fair sized core of the audience who do their best to see us wherever we are, so we are basically providing a mobile party, with the band as the focus. Being in that sort scene is a world away from being stuck in the corner of a pub for a bunch of people who'd rather you weren't there. The audience is loyal and we are 'their' band. If we weren't playing, we'd probably be in the audience, we are all the same type pf people, we just channel the music for them - they provide the energy and inspiration, we just try to do that justice. Over Friday and Saturday, I drove abut 440 miles to play two gigs, in very different type of venues in the west country. Today I am totally exhausted and have barely moved since I got up, but it was worth every minute of it, even catching a bit of extra sleep in a lay-by near Bristol before last night's gig. Tiredness is forgotten as soon as the audience starts pouring in. If (when) I have to give that up, I can't see any good reason to keep my equipment. I do play at home, but purely the music that we are, or will, gigging. Without live gigs to look forward to, I'd give up.

I've played several gigs seated, some after an operation and more recently after my motorcycle accident - I had to walk into the venues on crutches, so standing wasn't much of a option, but I used bar stools, so I my bass hang on its star the same as standing up.

Also just back from a couple of gigs back to back in the west. Friday night we were in Tavistock, and despite the traffic, everyone made it before the gig started (only just in one or two cases, but the roads were terrible). Good venue, great audience, mixture of the curious & local and people who come to almost all our gigs. Several people there who saw us in Kent a few weeks ago. Saturday night we had a gig in Bristol, as once we had traveled that far, it made sense to pick up a second gig to spread the costs a little wider. Unpromising venue with no parking, but turned out to be a great gig, loads of our faithful were there, which made it more like a party than a gig. Hot night on a small stage made it tiring but we survived and I'm now back home. My wife came with me and it was good to share the experience with her, which included taking a nap in a lay-by saturday afternoon! Oh the glamour of the rock n roll life! I used my new-to-me BF Super Compact cab, my Ashdown Rootmaster 800 amp and a Ibanez 1206 bass for both gigs, no problems or complaints about any of the gear.

I try to avoid playing sitting down. All of my gigs involve standing and playing, and if I practice sitting down, I find I can't play properly standing up. I played 3-4 hours at home today, same as most days recently, and didn't sit down once while playing. Mostly as I couldn't be sure I'd be able to stand up again if I did!

Same here, but my decade starts with a 6 now. I have never played to such enthusiastic audiences, in such good venues, with such good musicians or been as well paid as I am now. Being in a rather niche tribute band (Grateful Dead) does slightly restrict the number of gigs we play, but those that we do are real events to remember. Two years ago, I could never have dreamt I'd be playing a three night run in the main band at a German festival - but I've done that this year. It's still hard work catching up with the very experienced other guys in the band, but it's worth it.

Nope, neither of them. I don't watch TV and don't listen to the radio, so I am not exposed to modern music except when in a pub or shop where music is played, but I have no idea what I am listening to. If I heard something I liked, I would make an effort to find out what it was, but can't remember the last time that happened.

That's the impression I have, and it's not limited to bass, I think there are fewer young people interested in live music these days. I might be wrong and hope I am, but I think most young people are more interested in using computers to make music - and the current fad of solo singer/guitarists. I know several musicians under 30 who are actively recording, but have never played with other people. Times change.

enough acid and they'll look any way you want!

I think there are more bassists closer to our ages than to what we might call young on here!

I can still hear the polar bear!