knirirr

I use nothing but flats myself, for both the tone and the feel. From what I hear in a jazz context an electric bass with rounds doesn't sound right and gets in the way (though others may disagree), but it's probably quite different in other genres. To answer the question - pedals. Over the years I have tried various ones, e.g. reverb, wah, fuzz because I thought I ought to but always end up discarding them and plugging straight into the amp.

Some from Oxford: Blackwell's, which used to be a good place to go for sheet music. Later, it became a discount bookshop and then a restaurant. Now it's part of Wadham college. ABC, where I got my first decent bass amp (Trace Eliot BLX130) in 1994. Later a Threshers, then Sainsbury's, now to be demolished. Russell Acott, old location shown here when they had moved out of the centre and the site had been taken over by All Bar One. I never got around to visiting after they moved and it's too late now.

Sound Control in Dundee; I bought a Gibson Flying V there in the early 90s (worn out and so "cheap") and it was a source for tutorial books, accessories etc. when I was an undergraduate there. They closed fairly recently after spending years under another name: https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/money/14363301/music-store-to-shut-after-20-years-dundee/

My other half (brass bands) informs me that bandsmen consider anyone whose brass instrument (inc. saxophones) isn't silver or brass lacquer to be a coxcomb. The pro jazz players I know use them and they play very well, though I realise that this issue isn't going away. Eventually, there will be complaints about those performers who have iReal project chord charts into their peripheral vision via smart glasses or ocular implants. An irrational prejudice of mine is against acoustic guitarists who confuse their preference for performances where the audience sit in silence listening to Dylan covers for a universal truth that the acoustic guitar has a pure, clean and true sound, unlike nasty electric guitars which sound bad and are always too loud (so if your genre uses them you should switch genre). Though I generally avoid them they end up living rent free in my head.

Amongst the jazz pianists some I know take pains to practice rootless chord voicings, given that the roots are the bassist's job, as well as playing more sparsely. Playing with these pianists is great. Others play as if they are playing for themselves and/or a singer, and leave all the roots in, which is less fun and muddies things up. I recall one at a jam telling me that he hadn't got any charts, but I could just watch his left hand to find out what all the roots of the chords were...

Some developers near where I live have had a planning application to build houses accepted where the directly adjacent neighbour is the shooting club. Next to the chaps firing rifles (and not just .22) there are the Rugby and football clubs. I suspect there will be a few noise complaints once those houses are built. Before moving I took a few late walks through the area and asked locals; the conclusion was that it was a quiet area. What I didn't discover was the plans to build a hotel nearby, with my street being on the quickest route back for hotel guests who've been trying the local pubs. New windows have dealt with most of the nuisance from that.

Never had a strap fail (yet) though I did once enjoy something like this on stage at a jam:

At present I've only got this: I'd quite like another fretless but I almost always end up playing double bass these days so it seems a bit of an extravagance (and I will be knocked out of the gear abstention challenge). This one (with Villex pickups) also crosses over with the fake Fender decals thread... Taking the neck off reveals a "Fender" stamp due to it being licensed (the body's from the same source). The decal (easily removable) is only there for the "well, you didn't bring a proper bass but at least that electric one's a Fender" crowd.

I will admit to having been compared to Mr. Tickle, but I'm afraid that in this case I cheated, as my best bass is this:

Number of strings: 4 Number of frets : 28 Scale length: 41.5" Number of pickups: 1 Number of controls (switches/knobs): 0

I sold mine (eventually) via this forum, during one of the lockdowns, for a lot less than the £404 I paid for it in 1994. Though it never failed to provide sufficient volume I definitely don't regret selling it; the weight was far too much.

This is certainly an unusual-looking instrument: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116684725531 I wonder if the lack of frets near the top was simply because it's too hard to reach that part of the neck. The same chap has a Roland Cube of the sort jazz guitarists like, but this one is filthy: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116691148146

Year Started Playing : 1993 Number of basses : 4 Music Theory : 7 (*) Technique : 3 Groove : 5 Swing: 7 (nice!) (*) I think my theory sucks, but I did manage ABRSM grade 5 (classical) and understand jazz chords so this score will perhaps suffice.

I'm not sure about any other genre but in the jazz world there are more bass solos than one could ever need. I even use the bow for some and yet the solos keep happening.

In Chipping Norton there's a "community piano" provided by the town council for the use of the general public. They even tune it from time to time and most of the keys work! This afternoon we used it to do a bit of busking as a means to promote the local jam session. A recording of Blue Bossa (a well-known jazz standard often used at jams) can be heard here. The public passing by seemed to like it; a few compliments were received and around £19 and four cans of beer were dropped into one of the drummer's cases. A nearby bakery offered free pies/cakes which the pianist was pleased to accept. The only passer-by who appeared less than fully pleased was one who commented that we needed a guitar in the band (we don't agree).

As a main band I'd have to say Mingus Tree, which I joined probably 4-5 years ago. Most of the members are based in Charlbury and we mostly play around that area, e.g. at the beer festival or other Cricket Club events such as the Oktoberfest. Also fetes, pubs, and sometimes private parties. The gig schedule is pretty relaxed, which suits me nicely. The material is jazz, though the tunes are quite accessible with fairly simple arrangements, catchy grooves (sometimes Ska or Reggae-like) and lyrics to some of the pieces; listeners who "hate jazz" have often told me that they enjoyed our sets. It's almost all original material written by the trumpet and guitar players (who founded the band long ago). There's not much I've managed to get on record but there is a video of us struggling through some bad weather at Ramsden fete and a song from a Charlbury gig where I was recovering from an inner ear infection and struggling to stay upright. I'd like to get a proper recording done but never managed it.

Normally I only listen to instrumental jazz and don't pay attention to lyrics. But, I found these entertaining and thought the song not bad at all:

That's a bit like my situation, except that anything I buy and don't like I leave gathering dust in a corner or give away because no one else appears to like it enough to offer me money for it. Similarly, though I am trying to resist as there's nothing I actually need right now...

For this gig we were supposed to play various sets around the festival site to spread our jazzy vibes (according to the site). I guess that this made us look a bit like buskers - at one point a child accosted me between tunes to offer me 50 pence. Nice that it was the bass they liked best. The audience appeared to like what we played, but it's quite accessible jazz. The weather was quite good:

Last night I did a dep gig for a U3A jazz band as their usual chap has various health issues and had been advised by his physician to take a rest. He actually turned up to watch and, fortunately, appeared to like what he heard. Not many in the audience, but it was a fairly rural venue. Nice building, though: https://thehallevents.org.uk/ Gigging again tomorrow: https://www.charlburybeerfestival.org/live-music-and-entertainment/ ...then a jam on Sunday.

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but I saw this: https://bsky.app/profile/oxfordpedestrians.bsky.social/post/3lsgqfm6hlk2v ...and wondered if the building being demolished is the one ABC Music in Oxford occupied during the 90s.

My best (and most expensive bass) is an acoustic upright so that really ought to come out for jazz gigs. It has only been broken once (neck crack from a fall when unloading afterwards). For a local jam in cramped quarters I use an EUB I got cheaply on Ebay. I would do the usual trick of a fancy carved bass for gigs and a cheap laminated one for jams, if I had space for two acoustics.

I tried that for a while, before the other eye also worsened. These days monocles only appear to be made in certain set diameters and gallery depths rather than made to fit the wearer; if those standard sizes are right for your eye then you should be fine. Otherwise, it is likely to fall out frequently and be uncomfortable to hold in pace.

Three acoustic guitarists, two saxophonists, a brass player, a drummer, a singer with amp and mic, plus me playing unamplified. Somehow, I managed to be complained at for being too loud.