Doctor J

Over here the protocol (on the originals circuit) is generally that the headlining band provides the backline (drum shells and cabs) and you bring your own head. No head, no gig. I bring my head, my own IEC cable, my own speaker cable, make sure I treat the other guy's cab better than I treat my own. On a guitar playing gig recently the band before us had a Marshall head fail during their soundcheck and asked for a loan. Given the circumstances, I said ok and loaned the guy my brand new €1500 Fryette head, partly so I could get to hear it out front. He didn't mess around with anything, played his set, all well and good, but then didn't bother to even say "thanks" afterwards... just really sucked the good feeling out of what I thought was a fairly noble gesture on my part. Next time, ask my balls. As for the O.P.'s situation, if it's the promoter who wants it to cover one of his line-ups and isn't prepared to cover damages, then tough sh*t to him, end of story. I'd have no issue at all in telling him where to go. If he can find the money to hire the venue, then he can find the money to hire backline too.

Ahhh, art.

It's all about momentum. And hip movement.

[quote name='TimR' post='989242' date='Oct 15 2010, 02:32 PM']As I understand it only the lyrics and melody are copyrightable. If you're only coming up with a bass line are you actually performing your own material?[/quote] No, didn't Queen sue the bejesus out of Vanilla Ice for the Under Pressure bassline? Chic also insisted on getting paid for Rappers Delight.

In the current band I write all the music and I'm happy for the singer to do whatever he feels best over that. Unfortunately I'm playing guitar though. When I was putting the band together a few years ago, I just didn't want to be in a band with a real guitarist ever again. Now we've a guitarist playing bass I record a load of stuff at home where I write and play everything, even do the words and vocals, drums, everything. In my last bass playing gig I wrote a lot and contributed a lot too, never saw the point in sitting back and waiting to accompany something, get stuck in!

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='988364' date='Oct 14 2010, 07:58 PM']Not sure if I already said this previously, as this thread is so long, but I play covers at gigs. But when I play for my own practise and enjoment, I play my own riffs.[/quote] I'm the other way around, I usually play along to other band's tunes to keep my chops up when fluting around at home, but for gigs I've always played originals. I just love the creative effort, the buzz of living or dying by the power of the music you create from nothing. I did sub in a mate's blues band for what turned out to be a few years, but I hadn't actually heard most of the songs before I started gigging with them, it really was a last minute thing and got thrown into the deep end. It was ok, but when it was time to refresh the set a little, they always looked at someone else's tunes rather than writing their own, which was at odds with my instincts. Even with my current band (where I'm playing g****r, sadly) the lads have mentioned prospective covers "to help win the crowd over" and my reaction is if we need to drop one of our own songs for someone else's then we need to write better songs. We did record a Celtic Frost cover a few years ago for a compilation album but we've never played it since. I think originals involves more thankless graft and substantially less pay, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Can you use them for other things, though, non-musical, yeah?

Interesting to see covers outnumbering originals, I wouldn't have expected that.

[quote name='thunderbird13' post='985894' date='Oct 12 2010, 04:34 PM']I'm currently in 2 bands - one original ,one pure covers . Can I vote twice [/quote] Yes, yes you can

[quote]is also possible that the string tree is slightly redirecting the string a little towards the nut[/quote] Isn't that what it's suppose to do? If the truss rod really is off-centre I'd take pictures with the strings off and a ruler measuring to each side of the neck. He calls it a "cosmetic issue" but that's just crap workmanship which is not on for that kind of money.

Just curious to see what everyone's gig is, seems to be a lot of covers and tribute players on the forums. What say you?

Though if it's pissing you off, send it back. Just don't count on the next one being flaw-free either, given that the necks and bodies are CNC'd you'd expect the same tolerance issues to be on every example.

For a long time I only had my ESP J and I was very happy so it would be that one. I'd be upset having nine empty spaces in the Bassdrobe though.

No friends? We've got the instrument for you!

[url="http://mixonline.com/recording/interviews/audio_mars_volta/"]http://mixonline.com/recording/interviews/audio_mars_volta/[/url] [quote]For the bass, we had Flea play a beautiful '64 Fender Precision P bass through an SVT bass head and 8×10 cabinet. I used a Neumann FET 47 on the cabinet and a Demeter DI. I compressed with LA-2As on both channels. It was a slightly different sound for Flea, but he is such a talented musician that he fit in perfectly. The bass needed to be full and present, because, essentially, the bass was the foundation of every track[/quote] So probably alder body, maple neck and rosewood board. Regarding the J pickup, no shouldn't have any effect when you solo the P rock fury.

You could buy a Matsumoku era Aria SB for 350, easy. I don't get these at all.

Not a lot, to be honest. Generally poorly routed, overly heavy and chances are you're going to have to butcher your neck or the body to convert three bolt system to four or vice-versa. A refin will affect the value for sure, but since it's just the body you're not exactly dealing with an all-original specimen anyway, but there's no hard and fast rules when it comes to the value of old Fenders, seemingly anything goes. Honestly, I don't want to poo-poo on your parade but I'm mystified why anyone would actively seek out a body from that era. I used to have a 70's J and the pickup routes were frankly embarassing, I would also recommend you test whatever neck you're planning on using for neck pocket fit before you purchase, too, don't buy yourself a problem.

I would expect the MIJ to be a much better instrument, but I know not to expect the price to always reflect this.

Nets? What are nets? You shouldn't listen to your cousin Eric, putting a left handed neck on your bass will not increase the string tension in any way shape or form. A higher gauge of string will, however. As for rust, these days people will pay more for a brand new bass already with rust. Don't worry about it.

How much was the item you traded?

It's nice alright, but it looks more like a JJ Burnel sig

Nice! I've never seen another white one! I'm getting a little emotional here The mint scratchplate really sets it off, much nicer effect than a plain white one. Regarding Fender Japan, I think the ESP headstock is a little thicker than any Fender I've played, USA or Japanese, also the curve on the underside of the head is slightly different to Fender, but very close otherwise. I played an 800 series in a shop here, would have been 89 or 90, I had just started playing so wasn't really in a position to take it all in. What I remember of it was that it was ash bodied (I think), trans purple, gold hardware but otherwise not too different from the 400 I would buy a little later.

Yeah, the J looks like a Yamaha. Not sure about the P, cream covers, but it didn't look like a DiMarzio.

[quote name='fede162162' post='975463' date='Oct 2 2010, 10:03 PM']Great instrument, I had a Sadowsky before this ESP, the Sad is a wonderful axe, but it hasn't got the vintage grunt and vibe the ESP 400 has![/quote] Same here. Every time I reached for a J bass, it was the ESP, so I moved the (albeit excellent) Sadowsky on.

P being for Philo, of course There's a music expo on in Dublin at the moment, incorporating an exhiition of Phil Lynott artifacts including his main P bass. Nice.