Nicko

Our vocalist came with a PA which seems logical. Geerally we dont DI the instruments so PA is essentially to support VOX only.

My US special Precision is described as having a "slim C" neck profile. To me it feels like a jazz neck profile but has a PB nut width. Is this a total one off arrangelemt for a P bass, or is there a reissue series or signature model that would replicate the same neck profile and width?

[quote name='Grassie' timestamp='1473246477' post='3128275']. He's more successful than you. [/quote]

......a la Duff McKgan. I'm never sure whether this is 'cos a) hes so wasted he cant remember what he payed last time round (although he claims to have beem sober since the mid 80s) he gets bored playing the same phrase repeatedly c) he's so good he wants to show off his knowledge of the fretboard and capacity to come up with an infinite number of similar themes d) he's a frustrated lead player As a player I like a bit of variation, but aside from bass players I doubt most of the punters really realise what I'm doing anyway.

I played guitar for 30 years and took lessons up to grade 5, but was in all honesty not very good. I was working overseas on a construction camp where there was nothing to do except watch telly, surf the net or go to the bar. When someone told me they were looking for a bass player and I offered to give it a go using borrowed equipment. I played my first gig about 2 weeks later and realised that I was capable of playing bass to a decent standard. I bought my first bass a couple of months after that and haven't looked back. Interestingly, playing bass in a band has improved my guitar playing massively and desite the fact I dont play it much I'm able to not only compose better but also can play things now that I could never play before starting with bass.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1473192678' post='3127936'] Why should 'every player whatever style' be able to play them? [/quote] Because even if you play originals you will learn a lot from playing stuff that other people have written.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1473233444' post='3128118'] how about the major and minor scales? [/quote] Despite my original post this is of course correct, all bass players need a grounding in theory. Even in a overs band its useful to at least understand what you are playing.

We've all seen them on Yootoob, you know the thing, ten must know licks. So I got to wondering what BC would come up with. Although I play mainly alternative heres a few. These are not my fave bass tracks, just songs I think every player whatever style should be able to play 1. Chic - Good Times 2. The Jam - A Town Called Malice 3. The Clash - London Calling 4. Pink Floyd- Money 5. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean 6. Green Day - When I come Around 7 RHCP - Under the Bridge 8. Walking bass line 9. Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion 10 The Doobie Bros - Long Train Runnng

How do you value a bass fo trade in or sell when you cant find an equivalent on the market? I have a bass that I bought new, but I cant remember the price I paid. I suspect I paid about £450 in 2007/2008, but in those days I was being paid a lot of moey so it could have been more or less cos I did't buy on cost. I bought it instead of Fender Jazz (probably not a US) - at that time I preferred it. I hunted for the receipt but with no luck (unusual for me). Its a reasonable brand, and the US versions are plentiful, but I cant find anything equivalent on EBay, and the model is no longer made. I cant find an old list price either, although I did see something on one thread that the US cost was about $700 when I bought it. Its been well loked after and looks new apart from some mineor discolouration on the bridge.

Jimi Hemdrix playing Like a Rolling Stone at Monterrey. it appears on one of the Hendrix box sets andIMO tis is the finest piece of recorded guitar music ever." 'scuse me for a minute" [url="https://vimeo.com/73759775"]https://vimeo.com/73759775[/url]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1471969713' post='3117350'] I think that a lot of modern cars no longer have a spare tyre. But anyway, why a spare tyre? I have blown more engines (or related things that make the car go forward) than I have tyres, and I have never blown a tyre away from home - except once on a bike, which A) didn't have a spare and put me in hospital so wouldn't have really helped. So yes, a spare engine would have been a lot more useful in life. [/quote] Because tyres are a consumable component, like strings or batteries in an active bass, and eventually will fail. In failure theory there is something referred to as Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF), and this is subdivided into failure categories. If you looked at tyres you would have a high, and predicatble wear rate failure, and a small but unpredictable puncture MTBF. Since the puncture failure is considered a "catastrophic failure" provision is made for carrying means t repair - even cars without spares have roadside repair facility. Engine falures are relatively uncommon on modern cars, and catastrophic failures are even rarer. Its also impractical to carry a spare engine or spares components for all the engine components ttat could fail. For this failure case the normal solution is the AA/RAC/Greenflag.

My (10 year?) old Roksak is on its last legs. The Fender traditional is around £25, and the urban is £33. Is the urban worth the extra? Anyone have good/bad experience with these or is there something equivalent that will save me a few quid? Its really only for carrying the bass from the car to rehearsals or gigs.

I recetly became unemployed from my "day" job. Formerly I was a hobbyist, earning some beer money. Now music is my only paid employment. I still wouldn't call myself pro though and work is very sporadic and very poorly paid. My share of payment from a gig at a local pub would net me less than my weekly tax deductable expenses in my previous job. IMO pro means earning enough to live with no other rersources.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1471809171' post='3116081'] Tough question. I play music in a rock band for a living, but I'm not sure that makes me a musician or a pro. I think when people outside of music business recognize you as a musician or refer to you as a pro at that point your a musician. Blue [/quote] Blue, I'm sure you do this to wind us up. I'm sure you permit adjectives over there and theres nothing that prevents you from calling yourself professional musician, or for some of us to consider ourselves amateur musicians. Being paid has nothing to do with it.

I went through a similar thing with my tex-mex telecaster 6 string to which I had a SD Hot Tele set fitted. Again cost about £100 including fitting. The standard fit Fender pickups are shockingly bad compared to aftermarket stuff. Its easy to see where they are saving the pennies.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1471810531' post='3116103'] Big and round it's a P bass. More punchy and growly, it's a Jazz bass. P bass thump with a Jazz bass growl, it's a Stingray. [/quote] I like this definition. Despite my original post I do have a Peavey Cirrus which always sounds growly and lacks the thump and to my ears distinctly less pleasant than the P, My band mates like the sound of it, which is probably why they dont play bass in the first place.

I always thought I played an instrument. Then I was in a band. Then someone heard a recording and said "I didn't realise you were a musician" I'd never really thought I was when I was playing covers, but when I considered the comment I could only see we were making music, and therefore yes, I was a musicin.

I play a P Bass, because it feels good and is simple. I think it sounds great most of the time, and even using different amps in the practice room its pretty much plug in, sounds OK, lets go. I see a lot of positing about tone, and how one particular make or model sounds great in the mix. I listen to lots of music, but most "big" bands have bass players who swap between P, J, explorer or something exotic and I cannot differentiate between different basses on different tracks. Sometimes I hear a track and think the bass tone sounds awesome but I am outing myself here and saying I just cant tell that much difference between individual bass tones pre production, and in a shop environment I am completely lost on the subtle difference between basses. Give me a pointy hat and I'll stand in the corner quietly.

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1471520479' post='3113609'] If I'm interpreting the initial post correctly you're worried that if you had to switch to the Peavey you wouldn't actually be able to play it properly and what's the point of taking a back up bass anyway if you have no confidence in playing it? I always take a spare and have never needed it, but it comforts me to know that it is there. If you like the security of having a back up then I'd ditch the Peavey and get another P bass. [/quote] Thi was exactly the point I was making. The Peavey is a good bass but not suitable as a backup to the PB. Do I ditch it and buy a VM Precision? There does't seem to be much consensus here, but I have the space in the car. The only question is do I have money in the bank, or can I trade the Peavey in.

Well, the bass is tucked away upstairs, but if asked I wouuld go with Love Cats. My Simon and Patrick SP6 is an ornament downstairs, and Dee is my party piece. Oh, its a baroque classic, no its Ozzy Osbourne.

Pretty much every time we had to cancel whoever caused the cancellation will offer to pay. I cant remember a single time when the offer was accepted, and the float payed the bill. We are a 5 piece, and the room costs £35 quid, we each put a tenner in every time we practice.

I took my (far east) Peavey Cirrus to practice and realised tht while it feels great to play for some songs, it is unsuitable as a substitute for my P bass because I can't play some of the songs in the set on it. I think this is because there is not enough width on the fretboard and not enough meat on the neck, the result being duff notes and painful left hand, I also find it difficult to play this guitar with a pick (about 30% of the setlist). I played and gigged the Peavey when I first got it (it was my first bass), so it seems either my technique has changed or I'm playing more complicated stuff. I only own two basses so the question is how wise is it to gig without a backup?

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1470685170' post='3107677'] How do you determine the standard of the bands..? How much for a saturday..?o you know any of the other bands that are on their rosta? [/quote] I say they must be expecting a fairy high standard because everywhere ese we have payed has always given us positive feedback, and I've seen plenty of live bands elsewhere. We are considerably slicker and mre professional than most pub bands but are amateurs at the end of the day.. I haven't seen a saturday night set there though. The venue pays £400 for a Saturday slot

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1470661640' post='3107416'] The petition cites the US rules, but looking at them, it seems all they say is that if you haven't reserved cabin luggage space for your instrument, you can take it as cabin luggage if it will fit on a first-come, first-served basis, and you should be able to buy a seat for it as long as it's lighter and no larger than the average American 10-year-old. [/quote] This seems like an invitation for me to make a wholly inappropriate national stereotype

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1470661430' post='3107411'] Where can you find this information? All I can see is import duty at 3.7% and VAT at 20%. It might be important as I'm going to New York, New York in October. [/quote] T'internet is a wonderful thing. [url="https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu"]https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu[/url]