CamdenRob

OK so this is me now, after much buying, selling and trading over the last few years I have arrived at this setup. It both sounds the way I want and is portable enough for me to actually get it to gigs. Am I done with buying gear now?.... ... i'd never be so presumptuous, but I do feel I have arrived at an unbeatable setup for my current needs as a gigging bass player, involved in several projects and needing to travel on public transport to gigs / rehearsals etc. I feel very content.

[quote name='zawinul' timestamp='1438424260' post='2834382'] maybe it could be repaired but I'm not dropping £1500 on something that really isn't playable [/quote] Just return it and get something else... Seem like the best plan to me, it sounds like more hassle than its worth. Basses are supposed to be fun... This one is clearly not fulfilling that purpose for you so just get a different one.

I was there and your assessment is bang on... It was crap...

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1438368982' post='2834068'] More like the proliferation of NO bass players in popular music. [/quote] Yes quite... Woe is us and so forth...

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1438368522' post='2834060'] Come to think of it, the only position that could get away with a substandard player is the bass ! [/quote] Unfortunately you're right... Hence the proliferation of sh*t bass players in popular music...

If a pb shorty comes up we should group buy it for the young lady just starting out on the wheelchair suitable basses thread...

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1438366084' post='2834030'] I'd say you are only as good as the weakest member [/quote] +1

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1438350157' post='2833809'] there are a fair number of Excelsiors floating around at the moment. [/quote] That looks so cool I want one even if it sounds sh*t ... *edit - I've just checked out some of the other pawn shop amps and the Ramparte is even prettier..

IME the 7th needs resolving back to root as quickly as possible.. I use it as more of a leading tone (I use it alot going down from the root), If you hang it out there as a sustained note under a standard triad it clashes pretty badly.

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1438342672' post='2833706'] i think playing covers has to be looked at like doing an adult nursery school sing a long......... [/quote]

I already miss mine and they haven't even been picked up yet... I only moved them on because I need the portability of a 210, I always travel to gigs on public transport and they were just too big to manage... They we're quite large cabs for a 112 20"x20"x16" but they sounded great and excelled at volume. Deep and bassy without being boomy or wooly. Mine were delivered about six weeks after I ordered them and at the time there were a little cheaper than the other quality 112s available. The new design looks smaller and lighter but I hope it retains the same sound as the older bigger cabinets.

[quote name='Biglump' timestamp='1438330683' post='2833548'] Many thanks for all the advice so far. She looks in on this thread and has been blown away by your positive 'do it' attitude and sends her thanks. She's currently looking at a Thoman shorty P bass. But come to think of it, I haven't laid hands on my fretless U bass for several weeks... Wonder if I'll ever see it again... :-) [/quote] Let us know how she gets on... I haven't had a shorty P but i have had a couple of other Harley Benton basses recently and the quality for the price has amazed me. Those shorty P's are about £50 I seem to remember and I reckon you'd have to go quite a bit pricier than that to find any notable improvement in quality. It'll need a decent set of strings and possibly a bit of a setup tweak but I reckon it'll be a great bass to start on

Mrs C has been intimating she'd like to have a go at something like this as she's very arty (as opposed to myself, I don't even know which way round to hold a pencil). I'm on the look out for a HB Deko for her to have a go at.

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1438287605' post='2833349'] Deko alert! 5 String Acoustic Fretless: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_35fl_nt_acoustic_bas_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...ic_bas_deko.htm[/url] Jazz Bass: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_jb_20_sb_standard_seri_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...d_seri_deko.htm[/url] edit: Jazz sold out as I was posting this. [/quote] Nice looking Jazz there... good job it's sold out

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1438307317' post='2833483'] Now that I will agree with. When 20 somethings walk in on one of our gigs ( we do 70s hard rock & blues ) they leave immediately. That's ok, we have enough of an over 50 crowd to support the band. We don't need them. Blue [/quote] I think that's the important thing to remember There is a whole world of music enthusiasts outside of "the young" (who generally listent to what ever the "in" music of the day is). The over 30s,40s and 50s are still a large market and also a market that can afford to go out and watch gigs and buy beer (which will keep the landlords booking bands). Whilst the young may find rock music old fashioned and amusing, for the over 40s / 50s Rock is alive and kicking and those are the guys that actually go to gigs... So Rock may not be relevent as fresh new sound, it may not be cool, it may even be ridiculed by the vlogger and man bun generation, but it's not dead as long as those who remember it when it happened are going to gigs... It might fade away when those people people get older and lose interest in going out to gigs, bu for the time being nothing fills the Dog and Duck like rock covers.

I always get through a 2l bottle of water at rehearsals.... and a four pack as well

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1438245557' post='2832778'] Alternatively, it means you're older and more opinionated. [/quote] +1

[quote name='BassBunny' timestamp='1438245620' post='2832780'] I went to the Manchester one and we did have the pleasure of Yolanda Charles, it was her last gig with the tour. What happens is that the Band chart the history of the 4 American Series instruments, Telecaster, P-Bass, Stratocaster and Jazz Bass by playing what are considered Iconic tunes that featured those Instruments. As a "for instance", a bit Dr Feelgood and Police for the Tele. A bit of Floyd and Chic (?), for the P Bass etc. There's a video at the beginning of each instrument with the Fender corporate "blurb" No Vocals and a fair amount of talk about the instruments. There were a couple of instruments available to try, and I do mean a couple, and a fair amount of interaction with the audience. They are also carrying round an unknown, (well to me anyway), Indie band who did a set at the end. I actually enjoyed it although knowing Yolanda Charles and Rob Harris can sing, it might have been an idea to introduce a few words. Yolanda was singing along to most anyway. For free, I thought it was OK, but I certainly wouldn't have paid. [/quote] That sounds like it's worth attending then

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1438243649' post='2832748'] From the original post..... [i]I was on Instagram this morning and spotted Fender promoting a Fender UK tour, designed to discuss and demonstrate models from the American Standard range. Whilst this is a great chance to try out some gear and talk to the guys at Fender, they also have the All-Star band with them.[/i] [/quote] Yes that's what I thought it was (and why I got a ticket for the London one) but the feedback from those who have been seems to be that it's just a gig with people playing fender instruments?