Painy

Has anyone seen this yet? Only a very short clip on facebook but I think this sounds spectacular! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1029113007125178&id=113032905399864

Really good vocalists are always hard to come by. I always think almost anyone can learn to play an instrument to at least a reasonable level of proficiency with the help of a decent teacher and enough practice but a good singing voice is something you have to be born with. Sure you can learn to use your voice to it's best advantage but I think that the actual tone is largely physiological. We've been really lucky this time to get interest from several guys with really good voices which is why I'm quite enthused to do these auditions. I suspect in the end though it'll come down to the guy who is the least insufferable an egomaniac.

Our current singer (who has been with us now for the last 7 years) has recently been accepted into the police force which will clash too much with our gigging schedule for him to carry on. As much as I'm sad to see him go as he's an amazing singer and one of my closest friends, I'm starting to feel more positive now. When we were last looking for singers at the time that he joined we couldn't seem to find anyone decent for love nor money until he turned up so when he said he would be leaving we were pretty down-hearted. This time round though we've actually been contacted by several really promising guys which we've whittled down to 4 and I'm now actually looking forward to the auditions next Sunday!

I played my first gig with my current band 21 years ago and in that time I've played somewhere in the region of 1300 gigs with them. The most I played in a year was 152. These days, with all the band members having family commitments, we're down to 25-30 gigs a year. I now get to play 2 or 3 gigs a month with a great band and have the rest of my time at the weekends to spend with my beautiful wife and amazing kids. I wouldn't change it for the world really but if I'm honest I really do miss those 2 and 3 gig weekends and having gigs to look forward to every week - just not enough to sacrifice that precious family time (or risk the wrath of Mrs Painy whom I affectionately refer to as my little velociraptor). Even the thought of giving up gigging altogether though makes me feel miserable. When I'm gone I want an SVT and a fridge for a headstone and my coffin lid strung EADG!

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1493580998' post='3289250'] I knew one guy that worked for a courier (that shared a name with the lead guitarist in Spinal Tap) [/quote] There's a courier company called Nigel?

[quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1493365198' post='3287729'] Go on, get one. Get two and become a fridge magnate. [/quote]

Only one purchase this year. Picked up a Trace Elliot AH350SMX as I missed the sound I got from my old AH400. My Aguilar AG500 has now been relegated to a backup role but I have no intention of selling it as it does give me the option of another sound. I don't have any more purchases planned for this year although if a Darkglass b3k were to come up for a bargain price I might find myself tempted.

[URL=http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Richard_Pain/media/stuff/FB_IMG_1492856111097_zpsdbyeuviw.jpg.html][IMG]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/Richard_Pain/stuff/FB_IMG_1492856111097_zpsdbyeuviw.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I'm sure there's another joke in here somewhere about that joke falling 'flat' but I can't be bothered to work it out.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1492076897' post='3277678'] Rotosound Swingbass 66 steel rounds. Hate that they only last a month, but no other string gets me that sound. Looking at the plus side, having to change my strings every month means I also maintain the instrument pretty well. [/quote] Exactly this. I'd used Roto 66s for about 15 years but a couple of years ago changed to D'Addario Prosteels as a bass I bought came with them and they sounded decent enough and lasted longer. Went back to my old Rotosounds a couple of months ago as I'd been missing something in my sound and they just sounded and felt so much better! I'm sticking with them now.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1491844927' post='3275825'] The first track on that clip is the first time I've heard him use a bass sound that doesn't sound like somebody sexually abusing a duck. [/quote]

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1491237851' post='3271469'] Now Im confused, those 300 watts are tube watts and a hell of a lot louder than any solid state amp Ive had (up to 1400 watt power amp. 800 watt SWR etc) but thats another thread! [/quote] Watts are watts no matter where they come from but they are a measure of power not volume. It's all about perceived volume innit (basically solid state should in theory go as loud but starts to sound nasty before you get there whereas tube breakup sounds nice so you can keep pushing it - or summat like that anyway). Anyway I think 8x10s look much prettier.

[quote name='Raymondo' timestamp='1491168339' post='3271028'] Ha ha ha ha ...the joys of posting after a nice bottle of red! ( another first world problem ....that's not meant as a dig Bilbo ...it was a jest at my own expense) I don't think I will edit my post ....it's quite a nice typo! [/quote]

[quote name='Raymondo' timestamp='1491166172' post='3271001'] True but we live in the first world. I don't think that the op was suggesting that his bass being older than he thought, was more important than Boko Harem abducting twenty girls, or there being a draught in parts of Africa. We wouldn't be able to discuss much here on a bass forum if we only stuck to non " first world problems". [/quote] I now have visions of comic relief shipping lorry loads of fluffy, snake shaped draught-excluders out to Somalia.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1491129587' post='3270653'] I've met people like this - everything and everyone sounds better to them than their own gear because they cant grasp the idea that everything sounds different when your just listening with 100% of your attention vs listening and playing at the same time. They are very useful people to know though if you want to pick up perfectly good gear at knock down prices because somehow it doesnt have "that sound". [/quote] This is a really good point. The amount of times a support band's bass player has plugged into my amp and it's sounded far better to me than it did when I was playing through it myself in the soundcheck only for the other guys in my band to then comment that my bass sounds better.

Mrs Painy is a pharmacy dispenser which means standing for prolonged periods on a hard floor which can often lead to these kinds of problems. In the pharmacy they provide pressure mats (like small rubber gym mats) to stand on which help prevent it. Bananas may help as a source of potassium. Your doctor may also be able to prescribe quinine if needed but all the above is generally good advice.

Can't really get into it personally. I don't hate it but it's just doesn't grab me. Doesn't help that I can't hear Them Changes without thinking of the Grange Hill theme tune.

Picked up a Trace AH350SMX last week. My Aguilar AG500 sounds lovely but when I used the Trace at last week's gig it just filled out the sound of the whole band more and really hit you in the guts. As other people have said, it still weighs less than one of my DB112 cabs and is about okay as a one hand lift if needs be so I'm happy to have both options.

Running With the Devil - Van Halen. You Got the Love - Candi Staton. Edit:- If it's least notes that win bonus points then.... When Doves Cry - Prince.

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1483317009' post='3206210'] 4 basses currently (until I can convince Mrs Painy that I genuinely do NEED a Thunderbird anyway). Just 1 gigging rig though - Aguilar AG500 and a pair of DB112 cabs - but I do have a Behringer BVT4500H head at the back of the cupboard under the stairs as a backup. Other that that just a 10W Hiwatt Hurricane practice amp if that even counts. Money no object then I'd probably have a DB751 and either a 4x12 or an 8x10 cab for bigger gigs (plus a roadie to carry it) but my current set up really does all I need it to anyway. [/quote] Well yesterday I added another amp head to this. Having sold on my much loved Trace Elliot AH400SMX (as spares/repair after it stopped working) about 10 years ago, I've found myself missing that Trace sound recently. So although my Aguilar rig does indeed do what's needed, I grabbed an AH350 that came up on here which was local and at the right price. Having gigged it last night it looks like the Aguilar head will be relegated to a reserve role (the heft is real I tell ya!!!) but I'll be keeping them both. The old Behringer under the stairs will probably go though - if I can be bothered to dig it out.

Just collected a TE AH350SMX head from Andy. Really easy, friendly transaction and the amp has clearly been really well looked after. Definitely deal with absolute confidence.

[quote name='Ashweb' timestamp='1490310790' post='3264293'] Ah, so you've been to a Rockbitch gig.... Warning: Only look up this band on YouTube if: a - You are over 18 & b - You are not easily offended There's a reason I haven't posted a link... [/quote] Live sex show thing at their gigs aside, their first album Motor Driven Bimbo had some pretty awesome fretless playing on it.

Anyone seen this new pre-amp pedal from Tech21? http://www.tech21nyc.com/products/effects/qstrip.html

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1490200442' post='3263192'] I find the concept a bit weird - my 5 string stingray is the same width as a wide P! I'd be worried my fingers would fall through the gaps!! [/quote] There you go, just put a 5 string Stingray neck on it. There's a chap on eBay who specialises in modifications for people with big hands that could soon convert it to a 4 string for you.