teej

[quote name='OldGit' post='486609' date='May 13 2009, 08:38 AM']Er hardly
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5436&st=0&p=56924&#entry56924"]Thread about what it's really like playing weddings and why wedding bands get paid so much more than pub bands paying the same material[/url][/quote]

+1 OG

We are able to charge more precisely because we [i]don't[/i] approach the gig in that way.

We're 3 professional musicians in Red Jackson and we do a bit of everything really. Aim for £600 for the trio, and no that's not from pubs/bars. It could be in a hotel, or a marquee, or even someone's living room or back garden. We do weddings, parties, corporate and festival work, but also accept less for little country boozers, smart restaurants, arts centres. It's all the same material, but often handled differently - no compromises, we just play our mix of traditional blues styles from 20s-40s with a little rockabilly thrown in. We travel very light, small pa (yamaha stagepas-500), guitar combo, upright bass goes into the pa and the kit is just kick and snare. The whole set-up and 3 guys fits in a sierra - just!

We also busk regularly all year round (which is how we get nearly all of our gigs, from people picking up our business card in the street). We'll make more on a day busking than in 4/5 pub gigs. BUT - we're good at it, over 15 years of experience.

I enjoy playing in bars, but I don't go out of my way to get that work, and don't always accept it when it comes calling. A lot depends on what the bar is like and how it fits in with our private clients and/or our diehard blues fans. And, of course, no one gets married on a Tuesday

[quote name='teej' post='315718' date='Oct 27 2008, 01:36 PM']Got a reply today from Bridgewood & Neitzert Limited, who are the folk behind the www.vivaceviolin.com site that I linked above, and their 8mm shafted wheel is 19cm in diameter, and .68kg.[/quote]

Finally got round to ordering this wheel. Arrived very quickly by First Class Royal Mail (less than 24 hours!).

I did the sawing the end off and pushing obstruction back into the body of the bass thing, and then Josh my 9-year old fetched the metal stub back out again through the f-hole with one of those telescopic pen-type magnets, while I shone a torch in. He got it first go, took seconds.

I tried it out last week on a very local gig (10 minute walk), and experienced the problem I was expecting - the round shaft will twist around no matter how tight you fasten it. So a couple of minutes filing a flat face on one side and it functions perfectly. Took it for a longer trip down Brighton way by train last night to record a track for The Ukes of Hazzard - smooth ride, steers easy. Had to remove the wheel to get on the train, but that's no big deal.

Very pleased!

[quote name='nobody's prefect' post='482656' date='May 8 2009, 06:59 AM']btw, if someone can recall the song where the guitarist/singer does this thing where he names different blues guitarists and then plays a lick in his style, a Bluzeman point is awarded immediately. It's an excellent intro into the vast differences between different sorts of blues, to boot. (as the band changes styles as well)[/quote]

well, i've seen buddy guy do that live, don't know about on record...

Well, Red Jackson gigs: 30 mins average, if we're pushed, much less - could be ready in 15 probably, but like to allow an hour to set up in a relaxed manner, with most of the time spent on off-topic banter (we get on very well). But with a Red Jackson busking sesh, it'll get spread over 2 hours or more as we slowly put bits together, chat, score coffee, wander off and inspect the charity shops for videos/cds/vinyl/books/retro clothes, waiting for the street to get busy enough to start. It all adds to the impression that [i]something[/i] is going to happen!

Some very good suggestions and comments, I'll add a few...

[b]Contemporary US dirty electric country blues not rock no soul no funk:[/b]
RL Burnside
T-Model Ford
Frank Frost

[b]Contemporary UK retro-ish not rock:[/b]
Errol Linton
Little George Sueref
King David Trio

[b]Classic US guitarists:[/b]
Hound Dog Taylor
Lightning Hopkins
Earl Hooker

[b]Classic US Pianists:[/b]
Amos Milburn
Professor Longhair
Dave Bartholomew

[b]Random bunch of classic bluesmen I don't remember anyone mentioning[/b] (but I could be wrong):
Little Walter
Sonny Boy Williamson [i](I'm thinking aka Rice Miller, before you ask)[/i]
Big Bill Broonzy?


And of course [url="http://www.redjackson.com"]Red Jackson[/url]

[b]If it's Saturday 28th Feb - this must be Kingston[/b]

We'll be [i]somewhere[/i] in Kingston this week - probably outside the Brentall Centre (Bentall, Brendall?).

Cheers, Teej

We hit a busy shopping centre every dry saturday in the year, sometimes fridays or sundays instead or as well (and we now have an invite into a covered mall we're keeping for rainy days), armed with a generator, pa, box of cds, flyers and plenty of business cards. Works a treat.

I 've used one several times at The Avon Beach Cafe, Mudeford, nr Christchurch (on upright, with a blues trio). The venue have 2 (well, actually the earlier model with the dish-shaped base). I was really pleased with the sound, which was excellent, and seriously thought about buying one, but just can't afford it right now. Definitely on the wish list, tho'.

I was going to embed some video of us playing there, but the sound quality doesn't do the bose justice at all. If you're interested check out:
[url="http://www.redjackson.com/video.php"]http://www.redjackson.com/video.php[/url]

[quote name='hatori' post='418591' date='Feb 24 2009, 05:48 PM']Im at The Royal Hotel Abertridwr on Fri 27th, Salisbury Rock and Blues club Swansea Tue 3rd,New Inn Abercarn Fri 6th, Dolls House Abertillery Sun 8th. By about wednesday life at work should be interesting! I work in the forest.....saws....axes....oh dear wheres me chainsaw trousers! My regards to Burke when you see him.[/quote]

Salisbury Rock and Blues Club - did that used to be the Tawe Delta Blues Club? I played there quite a few times with Swamp Things and Red Jackson.

Well, I play upright for a living - in [url="http://www.redjackson.com"]Red Jackson[/url], a blues trio, mainly.

I have a '69 B&H Excelsior with an Underwood pick up. I use a Fishman Pro EQ Platinum preamp and just go straight into our Yamaha Stagepas 500 pa system, via xlr cable. I get plenty of signal, fairly clean natural sound from the pa, but with an extra pinch of punch, which I like. No complaints whatsoever.

[b]Saturday 21st Feb '09[/b]

Outside M&S / Debenhams, High Street, Winchester
10am-4pm / free (contributions welcome)
Don't think anyone'll beat me to our first choice pitch in my hometown. Yes we're busking as usual on a Saturday, but this time we're also promoting...

St James Tavern, 3 Romsey Road, Winchester
8.30pm-11pm (bar open til midnight, I think) / free
Looking forward to this one - a funky little boozer with good food and Wadworths on the pumps.

Cheers...

Not really my cup of tea - but this is great...

This week we'll be bringing our show to Guildford...

Saturday 14th Feb, outside WH Smiths
10am-4pm, free (contributions welcome)

Looks like we're going to have to pull out of this gig sadly, as our violinist has just announced that she's pregnant and busy throwing up. She's also flying back from LA the day before the gig! A couple of weeks and she'll be fine, I'm sure. Well, congratulations anyway, Ellie...

[quote name='gusto' post='405416' date='Feb 10 2009, 03:05 PM']Hi Teej,

Thanks for the help.
I'm playing through various amps at practice none of them that big, but my own rig is a Mesa 400+ and a SWR 6x10 wich is overkill for us as we aren't that loud really, were playing all 50's rock n Roll.

I'll try bidding on the realist pickup. What would you suggest after the pickup? Straight in to my Mesa and see how that is? or should I just buy a preamp?

Cheers, Gusto.[/quote]

I don't bother with an amp - straight into the band's pa (yamaha stagepas 500) via the pro eq platinum using xlr cable. Sometimes have problems with monitoring, but generally it's all ok: more often than not set the speakers up behind us (never had any feedback problems). We aim for a low volume, compact set-up (we do a lot of busking, and often gig in tight corners, with all 3 of us and kit travelling in the drummer's sierra).

I guess the thing to do is try just the Mesa, and if it works, then fine; if not, go looking for a preamp.

[quote name='gusto' post='405303' date='Feb 10 2009, 01:05 PM']I have just got a 3/4 DB and have put a new set of Innovation Silver Slaps on it.

Can anyone help me with what pick up I should use?

I only want to get a cheap one for now and have been looking on ebay and saw these:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rockabilly-Duo-double-bass-pick-up_W0QQitemZ200288324129QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments?hash=item200288324129&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1229|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rockabilly-Duo-doubl...%3A1|240%3A1318[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ACOUSTIC-TRANSDUCER-ELECTRIC-PICKUP-DOUBLE-BASS_W0QQitemZ390028682007QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Access_RL?hash=item390028682007&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1229|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ACOUSTIC-TRANSDUCER-...%3A1|240%3A1318[/url]

But are they any good? or is there a better way of doing things for cheap?

Its only band practice so hasn't got to be amazing quality sound just loud enough for us to practice.

Any help or suggestions?[/quote]

I slap a lot and gave up on the extra pickup under the neck idea years ago, along with all the hassle of mixing the 2 signals and managing feedback, when I discovered that Rik Ramirez (with Wayne Hancock amongst others) didn't bother with one. Never regretted it. I use an underwood into a fishman pro eq platinum, and I get enough slap for me. But I don't play psychobilly.

£35 for the first (home made?) one sounds suspiciously cheap to me... and I don't see any way to adjust the mix levels or apply different tone settings.

£30 for a realist is a very good price, I'm sure. Reckoned to be a perfectly good pickup (I've never used one). It doesn't do the same job as the other one, ie picking up the slap separately from the note, but I'm kind of suggesting that maybe you don't need to. This is the one I'd go for.

I guess a lot depends on what you're playing and how loud the band is.

[quote name='steviedee' post='404581' date='Feb 9 2009, 06:01 PM']Hey Teej that's awesome man the tracks on the website sound absolutely brilliant...[/quote]

Awwww, thanks - we had a great engineer tweaking all the files in logic - [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=44196635"]Gillan Mclaughlin[/url] who is also an excellent soul/funk/jazz drummer.

By the way, and not meaning to sidetrack your thread, how'd you like your briefcase?

I used these 2 to record the second Red Jackson album:

[url="http://www.dv247.com/invt/34626/"]Tascam US-144[/url] - USB interface, used this to plug 2 mics into the laptop (mac/logic) and record whole trio live in stereo with a matched pair of Rode condensers.

[url="http://www.dv247.com/invt/38923/"]PreSonus FireStudio[/url] - actually I used the discontinued Firepod this is based on, firewire interface, used this to close mic instruments/guitar cab (up to 8 xlrs available) and record band live.

Used a Sennheiser e609 mic on the bass with the Firepod, sometimes with my Underwood pu thru Fishman pro eq platinum preamp as well. Mic seems to sound best about 12" (maybe a bit more, thinking about it, 18" perhaps) from the f-hole on treble side.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='404183' date='Feb 9 2009, 12:17 PM']Great name, guys, and I LOVE your version of You Got A Friend.[/quote]
Thanks , but you should hear the live version: segues into Walk on the Wild Side which segues into You Can't Always Get What You Want, before ending on a glorious R.E.S.P.E.C.T - it's our encore (at least I don't think there's any of that on the myspace version, hmm think I'll have to check - they recorded that one before I joined).

I'm playing with [url="http://www.myspace.com/theukesofhazzard"]The Ukes of Hazzard[/url] at Shunt, a new subterranean bohemian venue in the forgotten vaults and caves under London Bridge Station, on Saturday 14th Feb: lots of other artsy/theatrical stuff going on too. The ideal Valentine's Night Out for the alternative minded.

[url="http://www.shunt.co.uk/index.php"]http://www.shunt.co.uk/index.php[/url]

[url="http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandbars/shunt-review-18546.html"]http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandbars/sh...view-18546.html[/url]

[quote name='Ray' post='402726' date='Feb 7 2009, 11:50 AM']I would have to say...

Grant Green[/quote]

yeah, great stuff...

off the top of me 'ead...

Hubert Sumlin
Jimi Hendrix
Muddy Waters
Tampa Red
Big Bill Broonzy
Johnny 'Guitar' Watson
Robert Johnson
Buddy Guy

Jimi's probably top of the list

Saturday 7th Feb '09

We'll be busking in Windsor, most likely, outside the closed-down Woolworth's.

To make sure we got the pitch, check [url="http://wapdawg.blogspot.com/"]our mobile blog[/url] in the morning.