lemmywinks

Info from the man himself: http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?s=9c378f5b2737d1f2378ffc114a3e7b45&t=2

That's what I do, clean DI to the desk then a post eq send to the monitor, I rarely need to tweak personal eq on stage but it's there if I need it.

If I had £300 max to spend on a bass then this would be my first choice: https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_v3_5_ts.htm 4 String for £237 https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_v3_ts.htm

I've never played one that I thought was a serviceable instrument irrespective of the price tag which reflects the general feeling that they are inconsistent and there are far less good ones than there are meh or bad ones. The question should be "what is one of the well made Riks good for?" as the average one you pull off a shelf probably won't be up to much. Worth keeping that in mind when listening to known Rik players on albums, they will have probably found a few until they got one with "that" sound we all associate with the instrument. The ones I've played sounded and played like cheapo basses, although I've never gone to much trouble to try many out. Maybe some people will never get on with them (the poorly placed metalwork and iffy necks put me right off) but I'd be up for playing more until I found a good one. Although they're ugly the new 4003 5 strings look a bit more practical.

They wouldn't file crudely cut slots in your bridge saddles and remove one of your machineheads to create a 3 string bass for those with big hands either. I also suspect if you went to a genuine luthier the nut wouldn't come back looking like this:

For just shy of £95 you can get the experience without ever having to step outside your front door! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guitar-neck-set-up-overhaul-by-post/192640896420?hash=item2cda4acda4:g:3rwAAOSwXqZbOiJy I wonder if services like sticking a J pickup in a humbucker rout, angling the tuners back for no reason and swapping pots out for ones off a 30 year old beginner bass are included in the price or cost extra.

Aye it's a good rehearsal space, we'd rehearse there even without a family connection (although we don't get a discount!) as I'm not keen on other local ones. Nice to have somewhere clean and warm where the provided equipment is adequate.

Yes that's our drummer!

I play in a party band called The Secrets but we do more out of town gigs really. Playing a wedding at Bartle Hall tonight in fact!

Thornton, well the derrière end of Thornton just before you get to Fleetwood.

Hahaha, I'm not sure there was CCTV then, certainly not in dark, dank Wigan!

I still remember getting a train from Poulton to Wigan to pick up a 5 string Warwick Streamer for £250, dodgy meet in a train station to hand over a bunch of used notes for a tatty looking gigbag. Best return journey I've had as there was nobody else in the carriage and I got to play my new bass all the way home. Good times!

I have a selection of OBBM speaker cables which I held onto even though I moved onto a powered cab, saw little point in parting with them in case I need them in the future. Fantastic quality cables which will last you a lifetime, could probably use them as a tow rope if your van breaks down.

Some of the comments do get a bit personal, I think it's fine to have a little giggle at some of his creations without getting too nasty, he seems like a pleasant enough bloke with some odd ideas about guitars. Not harming anyone, enjoys what he's doing and has some happy customers. I can see a genuine use for the wide neck guitar conversions even if the execution seems a bit Heath Robinson,. It's the odd bodging like swapping tuners, knobs and pickups for ill-suited non matching ones and trying to pass them off as upgrades that does me. As long as the buyers like 'em who cares though?

If you need a 5 then stick with a 5. If you need wider spacing than the 5 you currently own then sell it and get a different one. You don't need to break the bank, Sire 5 strings have 18mm spacing which is what I use. Sounds and plays every bit as good as the Warwicks and custom basses I've owned.

With the thicker straps get a 10mm (I think, don't quote me on that) hole punch and make a round hole in the strap for the straplock to go through instead of trying to force the leather onto it. There's a thread on here detailing how to do this. EDIT here it is:

I never feel any movement during transit, when the bag is zipped up it clasps the bass a bit more and the padded neck block holds it in place. I got mine pretty cheap (won an auction for a new one for £77) but I'd happily pay full price for one.

Used them for a decade, no problems. There's a guide on here somewhere that describes how to punch a hole in your strap which ensures a better fit. I just use the black washers off eBay now as I never take the straps off my basses.

Have a look: The front pocket isn't particularly bulky if it's empty and will flatten a bit against the bag. Here's mine fully laden with a large Fishman preamp, 3 cables, a compact power supply, 4 batteries and a few bits and bobs in the zip pocket at the front: With a J bass in the Blake has a a lot of free space around the edges, it was apparently designed to take all manner of basses and people on the other thread found the Chowny fits. I use mine with a compact bodied Cort and it's fine though, definitely protects the bass with no issues.

Haha yeah I started a thread on those cases when they were £30, I bought two! Possibly a bit on the big side but for the money they're the best out there, I prefer the pockets and features on the Gator as everything I use seems to have it's place. No doubting the quality of the Blake though - it's a true premium bag at flimsy gigbag money.

I use one of these for my Sire Jazz: https://www.thomann.de/gb/gator_g_pg_bass_guitar_bag.htm Rigid soft case which has a great array of features like a laptop/tablet pocket (I put my Fishman DI in it), cable velcro loops, string pocket on the front, large pocket at the headstock (can fit a standard DI pedal), inbuilt rain cover along with two handy pockets in the main compartment for 9v adapters, batteries etc. Although it's long it's very comfortable to carry and is very tough, the padding does a great job of protecting your bass and there is a large padded section at the bottom to cushion the strap button. Best gigbag you can get for £99 IMO and as good as much more expensive high end brands.

A Steinberger style cricket bat bass? Can get a cheap set of hardware on AliExpress for £30: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-String-Headless-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Bridge-Guitar-Part-Black-Alloy-Guitar-Bridge-Musical-Instruments-Accessories/32818598478.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.93.a4fb20aaSvqUiz&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10151_10065_10344_10130_10068_10324_10342_10547_10325_10343_10340_10548_10341_10696_10192_10190_10084_10083_10618_10307_10820_10301_10821_10303_10869_10868_10059_100031_10103_10624_10623_10622_10621_10620,searchweb201603_45,ppcSwitch_4&algo_expid=37c2491b-3fbb-46ac-a85b-b899e503d12e-14&algo_pvid=37c2491b-3fbb-46ac-a85b-b899e503d12e&transAbTest=ae803_2&priceBeautifyAB=0

Good to hear from you David and welcome to the forum!

Load the PA and drums in first, keep everything off stage. I set up the subs and tops, run cables to the desk which our guitarist takes charge of as he does our sound usually. Set up lights and run cables for them, do mic cable and stage snake runs. Then drummer sets up as we bring the rest of our gear in, I only use a small powered wedge, our guitarist has a little combo and the keys player uses in-ears, then I set up a little monitor for me and the drummer so we can hear keys and vocals, everybody else has in-ears for this. Sound check, put the banners up (they're the pull up type) then have a pint, unless the load in is difficult we are done in under 45 mins easily these days, some gigs where the access door is right near the stage we're done in half an hour. We've made loads of adjustments to our gear (both PA and backline) to get into a routine where everybody has something to do, it's mainly me and the guitarist but lackey work like assembling mic stands and packing cases away is done by the keys player. Next step is wireless lights I think.

Have a look at the Bartolini TC3