FinnDave

Watched my Fender Jazz and the Hercules stand it was on fall gracefully straight into the drums kit during the set break at a gig. No damage to the bass other than an almost completely severed G string where it had hit the edge of a cymbal. Changed to spare bass for second set, put a new string on when I got home. I've probably done worse, but too long ago to real any details.

I just discovered a picture which shows the Mark Bass rig I was using when we gigged at Quad about three weeks ago - I had completely forgotten what it looked like. Looks like a 6X10, but not sure about the amp. Sounded good, though. I was playing an Ibanez SR1006 with a John East pre-amp in it.

As you're Oxford based, it might be worth having a word with Dave Smart (Smart guitars). There isn't much he doesn't know about everything bas & guitar, and he is a damn good bloke as well.

When we rehearse at Quad, it's a 90 mile drive each way for me, and for some of the others in the band, it's longer than that. Still worth it, though.

I guess we get the pick of the rooms, as we play as Bob's guests, rather than as customers. I have to say that, having played in rehearsal studios in various parts of this country, and in Finland, that Quad is mighty luxurious in terms of space and gear compared with anywhere else I have tried.

I was explaining which room we use as I hoped it might help identify the bass rig I use there. I could always call and ask Bob, I suppose!

I'm sure you do know the answer - time to get your shoes on!

My band rehearses at Quad - the owner (Bob) is one of our drummers. I can't remember the number of the room we usually use, it's last on the right as you go down the corridor. There's a Markbass stack in the room, which until recently I couldn't get a good sound out of - to the extent that I took my own rig there quite often. Then I looked at Markbass's site and found out what the mysteriously named controls actually do, and set them flat (some are flat in the centre position, some when fully anti-clockwise) and it suddenly sounded much better. We played a gig there in the main reception area a few weeks ago and I was using that rig, and people commented on how good the bass sound was. Still prefer my ABM 600/Barefaced Super Twin rig though, especially when I have to move it around!

That's a good tip, I usually put mine in as soon as I arrive at the venue. Not only does it give your ears time to acclimatise, it also protects you from drummers dropping cymbals right next to you, or someone turning the PA on with the volume right up - my ear plugs have saved me from ringing ears more than once from both of these.

When I sold one of my Harleys, the buyer collected and paid six grand in cash. As soon as he had gone, I drove to the bank, and half a dozen or so of the twenty quid notes were 'suspicious' when they ran them though the machine. They were eventually declared legit, but it goes to show that even an apparently healthy wedge of banknotes is not necessarily safe.

Those moments when you get a roar of appreciation from the crowd as they recognise the next song from the first two or three notes - that feels so good.

I recently quit a blues band I'd been in for the last five years to avoid the routine of Saturday night gigs at pubs up to 50 miles away to indifferent audiences. Last year I played 50-60 gigs, this year about 20, plus five I am proud of that were played with a band who share my taste in music, to an audience who know the music and are there just to see us. I'd say think about what you really want to be playing, find some people who share that dream and get a band together, and you'll find an audience. You won't get anything like as many gigs as the local standard covers band but you'll feel so much better about yourself.

I've always fed my lead through the strap (and through a handle on the amp/cab, the idea being that if the lead gets caught, it puts on the strap/amp handle rather than on the plug. Even when learning new material at home, I do this, just a good habit to get into.

If people ask me what I do, I say I am a musician, simply because I don't do anything else, nor do I want to. If people ask me if I earn my living from music, I tell 'em to mind their own feckin business!

Surely that'd be the G, not the B string.

Does the job go to the highest bidder?

I've had the pro 17s for several years - wouldn't play without them. They did take some getting used to, maybe half a dozen or so gigs. When I first gigged with them it felt like I was in a different room to the rest of the band, but persevere, you'll get used to it. I also have a set of 20dB filters I use in the same plugs for loud bands or venues where I am very close to the drums.

I listen to the same band well over 90% of the time - this year over 99% of the time.

The Dreadful Gate, of course.

I listen to a range of music, from blues to country, ballads to rock, jazz to psychedelia. Luckily, all of those genres are covered by the one band whose CDs occupy a complete shelf above my desk.

I've had a bass and an amp fail on the same gig - at different times and for different reasons. The amp was brand new and failed during the first number, the fell off its stand and had a string almost severed by a cymbal. As I had a spare and a spare bass in the car, neither of these made any difference to my ability to complete the gig. This wasn't back in the dark ages, it happened in 2017! So now, I always take a spare bass, spare amp, and sometimes a spare cab - just in case!