blue

I don't think it was all that long ago that Ronnie became a real member. Rumor has it that Jones earns over a million for each tour. Blue

[quote name='sprocketflup' timestamp='1480460642' post='3184671'] Reading this, I think I may be in a 'professional' band. Hadn't really thought about it before.[/quote] The band has been together for 12 years and we gig a lot, make decent money, however we are not a professional band IMO. Blue

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1480444997' post='3184500'] same here Blue, but I'm not sure I'd fancy driving a few hundred miles to play to 12 people and get back a 3am [/quote] Depends on the pay, we have one gig that's a 2 hour drive, but we charge 1.5k Playing to 12 or 1,200 people makes little different to me. It use to. I think I've played to a 1200 people once in my life. Blue

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1480412233' post='3184077'] our drummer used to play with a 'professional' band, i.e. they played originals gigs all over the country, he had to quit because he just couldn't keep getting to gigs at the other end of the country on weekdays, if you're a self employed plumber or something it's doable, but if you're got a 'proper' job I don't see how, and it doesn't sound like it will pay enough to support you if all the others have jobs, Another band I know have sold 5 - 6K of their latest album and haven't seen a bean, all the money goes on 'promotional expenses' according to the small record company anyway [/quote] I'd be a good candidate for a pro band. I'm not married,no girlfriend,my kids are adults and I don't have a day job. I can get up and leave anytime on short notice. Blue

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1473413107' post='3129905'] Just out of curiousity Blue, have you read the book? And does it work in the USA? I'm not too sure my overly British humour would work, and if the situations would cross the atlantic too well. Not sure whether to start pushing it in the US or if it would be a massive waste of time? No worries if you haven't, just looking for a US perspective. [/quote] No, I haven't read the book.I'm not much of a reader. However, this book has got my curiosity going and I plan on reading it. Blue

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1480371264' post='3183891'] I use wireless at rehearsal. why wouldn't you, not like it takes any longer than connecting a lead? I can wander round - there is always more room at practice. [/quote] I moved to the Line 6 G30 wireless in 2009 and will never go back to using cords. The wireless signal is stronger and more reliable than a cord. Going wireless brings advantages to both the big stage and the postage stamp size space for the band to play in small pubs Blue

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1480367359' post='3183823'] I find a mixture, in some places the landlord can't be found and a handful of young bar staff are left in charge with no idea a band were even booked!, others will have cleared a space and stopped daytime drinkers taking over the area where the band goes, plenty of power sockets and a round of drinks or two, then there's everything in between [/quote] I find most bar owners where we play are oblivious to the fact that bands need room to set up gear. Blue

Don't forget to ask what the job pays, and how and when you get paid. Blue

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1480233487' post='3182609'] Most of the places we play have barely enough room for me let alone any spare stuff! I think the drummer has room for a couple of spare sticks , but that's about it. [/quote] With small spaces do UK pub owners realize how rough that is for bands, or do the leave tables and bar stools in the way making it even harder for bands? Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1480248494' post='3182741'] That is reasonable, but I'd far rather keys than a 2nd gtr.... I find 2 gtr bands 'can' be quite one dimensional altho that is more down to the player than the 2 gtr idea. At a local level, mostly it doesn't stand-out.... depends on the gtrs and set-up, of course. 3 pieces..?? [/quote] Good point, I think the best formula for 2 guitarists is the way Kieth Richard and Ronnie Wood play against each other weaving in and out. Blue

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1473413107' post='3129905'] Just out of curiousity Blue, have you read the book? And does it work in the USA? I'm not too sure my overly British humour would work, and if the situations would cross the atlantic too well. Not sure whether to start pushing it in the US or if it would be a massive waste of time? No worries if you haven't, just looking for a US perspective. [/quote] Funny is funny. For that American TV series about a wedding band that was very short lived. My 1st thought was, this show could not have been written by anyone who had ever been in any kind of band. My idea, would have been to script a reality show with an actual real band. Blue

Don't tell them you don't care about money. Blue

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1480209796' post='3182581'] It's ok if your Jimi Hendrix because well your Jimi Hendrix and that's the sound you need, if your playing a couple of Hendrix numbers amongst dozens of artists then you are going to need a couple of distinct sounds imo. In a previous band our front man had a strat for most of the set but he also needed a Gibson for some of the songs, he had a guitar tuned really weird for some killers tracks I think they were and one that was totally detuned a semi tone, the other guitarist just used a strat and a les paul. The guitarist in our trio has a Variax [/quote] Well yeah I get that. And an LP is a totally different sound than a Stat. Funny, Jeff Beck used to play LPs. You hardly ever see him with a Paul these days. Blue

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1480210128' post='3182583'] I'm just back from tonight's gig, and as usual, I had a guitar stand with 2 basses, both black n maple Precisions . Obviously, there was only one in the stand when I was playing. I take a spare as years ago I had a Precision which would suddenly stop sending any signal to the amp mid song, and have never forgotten that feeling. I just feel more comfortable having a spare there. I used the same bass throughout the gig, but will continue to take two because the law of sod dictates that if I don't, the one I take will fail. [/quote] I hear you, always have a back up. It might seem like a waste of time. I say dont get lazy, like it's to much trouble to bring 2 basses. One bar we play is so small there really isn't enough real estate for 2 basses. In that case I keep the spare locked in the trunk of my car Blue

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1480203071' post='3182554'] Last night's gig saw me with three on stage. My main Stingray which I played through most of the set, another Stingray as a back-up, plus a 5'er for the songs that required it. They were all hung on a triple Hercules of which the footprint is only marginally bigger than the double version. [/quote] Understood, I guess the other reason I'll have 2 on stage and play them is because I paid a ton of money for some of my basses, for what. To have them sit at home? No way. There has to be some utility. Blue

[quote name='josie' timestamp='1480200681' post='3182537'] I've been thinking about this for a while. Typical rock or blues/rock gig, the lead guitarist will have four or five guitars on stage, and sometimes will only play two of them. It's like he (almost always male) just wants to show off his collection. How often do you see a bass player with more than one bass on stage? I know one who had a second because some of the songs were in a different tuning and it saved him re-tuning, which makes sense. Are electric guitars really that much more different from each other in sound than basses, or does the lead guitar sound vary more through a set than the underpinning bass sound, or is it just that lead guitarists tend to be show-offs and bass players just enjoy getting on with our back-room, backbone role? [/quote] It might be different for guitarists, guitars might actually sound different. Even with with that in mind most "greats" I've seen only had one guitar on stage. Jimi and Jeff Beck. I really think it's for show. I usually have 2 basses on stage. It's not necessary. I have a few cool vintage basses, so it's more showing off for the local bass players that come to our gigs. Blue

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1480008719' post='3181010'] Here's a few snippets of a dep gig I did last weekend. The band & set are great fun.[/quote] Nice! Blue

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1480014145' post='3181075'] She's 14 (when she made this vid at least - 17 now I think), she's French, and (there's really no easy way to say this, but) she's a girl. In spite of all this, I reckon she's pretty good... I'm interested to know what others think, but before being overly critical ask yourself "what was I doing when I was 14?" She has her own YouTube channel if anybody wants to check it out. [/quote] When I was 14 I was out gigging and entertaining people. Do I have her ability? No, and I never will. The young lady is probably smart and gifted. Meaning understanding scales and how to use them came to her a lot easier than most. She "got it" at an early age. Blue

[quote name='Kitsto' timestamp='1480115427' post='3181874'] I am relatively new to all this, still in my first band. But already I'm learning things. It's a democracy. But the front guys (singer/rhythm gtr; lead gtr) inevitably decide what we play. Drums and bass can veto. But essentially vox has got to be able to sing it and lead to play it - and both have got to want to do it. It's taken me a while to grasp this but I'm cool with it now. I'm in a tight gigging band, which I never expected to be, quite so quickly. Some of our set list isn't quite my thing, but most of it is. The other guys are easy going. We all have our quirks. But the good far outweighs the bad. I feel lucky. [/quote] You are lucky.Bands with good paying solid bookings are hard if not impossible for most to find. Blue

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1479977914' post='3180682'] They look beautiful if you remove the pickguard [/quote] Good point, I took the black pick guard off of my MIJ 1951 Precision reissue and it looks kick arse now. Tried to do the same with my MIJ Sting Signature bass but found routing for a thumb rest. So it didn't work out and I left the white pick guard on. Great bass but it comes with a cheap single layer pick guard. Blue

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1479984955' post='3180742'] Blue is right much of this is subjective - a lot is aesthetics. They're pretty well consistent throughout in terms of sound, playability and functionality. [/quote] I know the StingRay had been a favorite to a lot of bass guitarists for years. I could never get pass that round pick guard. Thanks for all the detail on the specs and history of the StingRay. Blue

Make sure you know what the gig pays. If the agent tells you a gig pays 2k, if should be 2k not finding out it was 3k when it's to late Also being at the bottom of their list of bands they handle is not great Blue

All these responses are subjective. It depends on how, when and where your using it.And whether you like it. Things like what year it was made make little to no difference. I assume when you guys are commenting on the sound of a bass your talking straight bass to amp , no eq. Blue

I must be blessed. I've heard about issues with dead G strings. I haven't had that problem even with 50 years of playing under my belt. I've owned a lot of different brand cool basses too, currently rotating 7 basses. I've never owned a StingRay because of those round pick guards. Good luck Blue

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1479936074' post='3180465'] This is all really useful. I've been a musician of one sort or another for over 40 years and can read and have pretty good theory knowledge. However, the 'freedom' of improvisation does not come easily to me (30 years of playing percussion in orchestras and brass bands). It's something I aspire to. As I say, I get by, but I'd like to be better. [/quote] Your knowledge of theory should help. I would think it would help a lot. Blue