CamdenRob

ah bugger... last train back into London is 11.12... night will just be getting started by then. However a cursory check of booking.com shows some hotel rooms for £50... although I suspect they will be equally as salubrious as this venue sounds

When are you guys playing there? Sounds like this place has all the ingredients for a BC drink up

[quote name='DrBike' timestamp='1416316616' post='2608932'] Going through this topic and reading comments about the variable quality of instruments it's made me wonder. What (if any) quality control is done in the factories and also shouldn't the shops do some kind of QC before hanging a bass up for sale? Since most guitars are going to come off a production line of a factory on the other side of the world and then get shipped (literally) in a relatively basic box in a container so the chances of them arriving in the UK retaining any factory set up (assuming that some is done) are pretty slim. Maybe I'm being naive but shouldn't the shop do some basic checks that the bass/guitar is of a saleable quality and at least has a basic setup to ensure that it's playable prior to selling? Plus if a guitar has obvious neck/body fit issues one would hope that it never makes it out of the factory in the first place or at least gets rejected in the shop before going on sale. Perhaps this should be a separate topic? [/quote] True... although a huge number of new basses are sold by internet retailers who would not even take the bass out of the original box before shipping on to the customer.

I got a mex 50s strat a couple of months back from GAK. it arrived in the same unopened packaging it left the factory... Was perfectly set up and pretty much still in tune.

Someone on here ordered one a while back but I can't remember who seem to remember shipping was pretty quick. Don't forget those prices will have import duty on top. They still look like a good deal to me though

You're much better of not knowing what GAS is trust me...

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415992372' post='2605978'] TBH most of them are off most of the time, I was pimping it for effect, lol [/quote] My Glockenklang has a green led that lights up when the EQ is engaged.... I run the amp flat but engage the EQ anyway because the green light looks cool..... I'm not proud of myself...

Nice of Damon Hill to drop by....

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1415965892' post='2605628'] I've got news for you - the cat thinks you're an arse and the other friend is imaginary. [/quote] If I'd imagined her she'd look more like the girl off the secret escapes advert...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1415965543' post='2605620'] The big problem is this: if you get into TB as well as BC you will get NO SLEEP and become even more ostracised than you are now. [/quote] This is a potential problem... I'm already down to two friends and one of those is the cat.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1415965173' post='2605612'] Yes, I joined up in 2010... it is far, far bigger than BC though and anything you post becomes lost in the general traffic quite quickly. Which can be a good thing, obviously. It is very useful indeed for finding out information about the more esoteric and unknown details of bass ephemera though... a simple search will bring up reams and reams of information on almost any subject you can think of. [/quote] Maybe I'll give it a go... I'm not convinced it would be the same without knowing a little about the personality of people who post, it puts peoples comments in context if you've learnt a little about them from their previous posts.

Anyone joined up? I don't think I could risk it... I already spend far too much time on BC, there aren't enough hours in my day for another bass forum. Is it any good? looks similar but much bigger? The thing I quite like about BC is that due to the relitively small number of regular contributers I've got to know people on here, as in who likes what etc. I kind of know how different people will react to various threads... I assume Talkbass is too big for this and lacks the familiarity of BC?

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415917188' post='2605319'] I have ended up with this! [url="http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-11/20141113_215636_zpsmmhtlanx.jpg.html"][/url] Set up with my practice 1x10 cab to test my theory..... Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.2 head that has 2 channels with an FX loop for each plus a global FX loop and EQ. Behringer BDi21 in/out of the Genz rear panel valve channel FX loop to warm up the Passive [b]Jazz bass [/b]into the valve channel, select the AB pedal to line 2 for electric bass then select the valve channel on the head using the Genz Benz foot switch. Same lead and AB line 2 but switch to fairly flat set EQ FET channel on the Genz head when using a [b]Stingray [/b]so no BDi21 unless you blend the two channels using the foot controller. Then when I swap to [b]Double Bass [/b]I switch the AB pedal to line 1 which is the other lead (maybe a wireless at a later date stuck to the rear of the finger board) and that brings in the Fishman Platinum Pro EQ to shape the tone and help with feedback, I must remember to select the clean FET channel on the head using the foot controller or I will end up with the valve and BDi21 when using upright bass! Lol, easy right? what can go wrong? [/quote] It's an LED feast.... I desperately want to get down to just bass plugged straight into amp, simple and easy to carry. But I can't seem to ditch the pedals completely... I keep taking a BDDI, then the thumpinator ends up in the bag as well.. before I realise what I'm doing the gigbag is full of stuff again.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1415895710' post='2604988'] ...Good players don't work for free.... [/quote] That's ridiculous... I've met loads of great players who play for free. Getting paid means your playing something people like enough to pay for, that doesn't necessarily translate into being any good... jedward get paid

I play for free, I'm happy to, music is my hobby and the sort of bands I want to play in don't get paid gigs. To be honest, I'm playing with singer / songwriter type people and if they got signed up a record company would replace all of us musicians with their own prefered players anyway. There is no carrot for me... I couldn't get the time off work to tour, so would have to leave a band that got big anyway. I do it because I enjoy creating and playing original music

Having gone from a 35" Spector to a 34" Warwick and a 34" Wal I can honestly say I haven't noticed any difference in string tension... The B string sounded good, strong and clear on all Three basses.

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1415810602' post='2604005'] It's a stunning bass, I don't blame you for selling up, must be a killer selling the Thumb though. My current fave settings (as I recall without looking): Bridge LP Fitler - 7 (pulled up) (frequently changing this filter +/- 2 notches depending on what I'm playing) Neck LP Filter - 8 (not pulled up) Balance - 1 notch towards bridge Volume - 10 (not pulled up) All into a Tech21 VT Bass Di, which seems to have been made for the Wal tone. [/quote] Ah good, another tone for me to tryout tonight... I've been running mine into a Glockenklang Blue Sky set flat although I did get some lovely smoothness running through a sansamp BDDI... lots more experimentation to be had I think It is a shame to part with the Thumb, it is a wonderful and unique bass. I just can't see a situation I'd be using it over thie Wal. Decided on the woods for the incoming sixer Paul is building for me at the moment and I've gone for one off Macassar ebony facings... it's this piece in fact, Should be ready next summer, the idea being to move this one on when I get the new one ... best intentions and all that

My newly purchased MKIII sixer has had a chance to settle in since it arrived last week, turned up in an apocalypse proof flightcase which weighs approximately four tons... W17195 Shedua facings; Not had a chance to take any proper pictures yet, but I'll do a proper NBD thread when I get the chance. I'm loving the tone, so much so that I'm selling all my other basses... I have a MKIII sixer of my own being completed next year and I can't see me using anything other than a Wal in the future. What are some of you guys favourite settings? I'm enjoying amongst others; Neck pickup - 2 (not pulled up) Bridge Pickup - 10 (not pulled up) Balance - 3 notches from full neck pickup Volume - 10 (pulled up)

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1415803270' post='2603942'] For me the song as a whole always trumps what the individual musicians play. If it's best for the song I don't care who wrote the part or how simple (or difficult) it is to play. [/quote] True... some of my basslines are very simple, I'm not one to overcomplicate things at the expense of serving a song. I just feel sometimes the input of a proper bass player is overlooked in many bands... Guitarists tend to feel that because they can physically play the bass they can write suitable basslines, when in truth the role of the bass is more rooted in DB than it is in guitar and the writing of a good bassline is very different to that of a melody. The electric bass is seen as synonymous with the electric guitar as they look similar and are played in a similar fashion, whereas in reality they are completely different instruments, requiring seperate approaches to composition. I guess my view stems from my experience of turning up to auditions having learnt songs where I know I can offer a better balenced bassline than the original (often written by the guitarist / songwriter as root notes of the chord sequence) and being told "you have to play exactly whats been written". Which to my mind equates to me standing on a stage playing something which I know isn't good enough.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1415802215' post='2603929'] If I liked the music (and that would be the primary reason for me joining any band) it wouldn't bother me that I'd not written any of the songs and not even having to play someone else's bass lines. But I'd be stamping my personality and creative ideas all over any new material. [/quote] That's probably one of many reasons your in a successful band and I'm not! I just couldn't bring myself to play someone elses basslines... even for a short period of time.

My overiding memory from last year is the roast dinner I had at the pub down the road... It featured the worlds hardest ever parsnips. As for a useful suggestion... I agree with the above, ditch the £5 ticket thing.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1415749572' post='2603495'] I would never audition for a band that did not have business on the books. [/quote] Conversely I would never join a band that did have business on the books, as this would suggest to me that all the songs were already written and I would have no creative influence...