Trueno

I have only a few pedals which fit neatly into a small diago case. Everything else went into a small wheelie suitcase aircraft carry-on type thing that I bought from a cheapie shop. Used to gig with my Warwicks, and their gig bags were great if you were going in your own car. Since I quit gigging I got an Am Std Jazz, and the flightcase is crazy... don't think it would even fit in the car, but it'd be great in a van. In my last band we used to rehease at the local footie club and we'd do a free gig every month or so to "pay" for our rehearsals. We used to keep our gear there, so it was great walking to gig with just the gig bag slung on my back.

Think I must have played with dozens of drummers (including deps) over the years. Some have been extremely professional and very good musicians. My view is that every band has one flake in it... which is why I don't gig any more. Not always the drummer, I've known flakey singers, keyboardists (shudder), bass players and trumpeters (from my sax playing days). I was just going to say I can't actually remember any flakey guitarists, but I've just remembered one... "My wife says I've got to be home by 9 to look after the kids..." I was outta that band the next day. And... nearly all of the drummers I've known have been called Mick.

Well... that was an enjoyable five minutes on a Sunday morning. Think I'll have another coffee now and look at them again. Cheers!

Great post, enjoyed reading that. Great bass, enjoyed looking at it.

Never thought a lot about the weight. I think the balance is more important and the way the bass sits against the body. For example, I once bought a Yamaha BEX4 because I was in a 60s cover band at the time. It was quite heavy, but also, because it was a semi-style, the reach of my left hand was really long. I tried it for one rehearsal... the next morning I could hardly move my left arm. I use a well padded comfort strap most of the time, but I think rehearsals are worse, because you're standing around a long time. I took to playing a short scale Musicmaster for rehearsals (why did I ever sell that one?)

I bought a cowboy-style string tie in Nashville... used to wear it when I was gigging and still got it.... really cool. I love US cowboy shops.

I did a road trip around the USA, but it was in 1991 so things may have changed. It was a bit of a musical pilgrimage so the first tip... I had a load of tapes (well it was 1991) so I could listen to the appropriate music in the appropriate place... like "Sweet Home Alabama" in Alabama (yes, I know they were Floridians, but it pleased me), Mellencamp in Indiana and so on. It's also worth tuning in to the local radio stations, but they are a bit parachial so fade in and out quite quickly. But it's great driving down a long empty highway with American rock blasting out. But keep to the speed limit while you're doing it... I was a bit underwhelmed by Nashville, but that might have been me... I've got far more into country music since then. Memphis was great and there is nothing like Beale Street at night. It's also worth a visit to Graceland, even if you're not an Elvis fan. Overall.. it was a fantastic trip... and it will stay with you forever. Another tip, hotels have to give you special cheap rates if you phone ahead, rather than just turn up (in 1991, at least). There is usually a Tourist Information shop on the Interstate just after you cross a state line... I used to stop at these and get them to book my room ahead at wherever I was going. Maybe you can still do this. Have fun... and don't get too drunk in Bourbon Street... the cocktails are like rocket fuel and come in pint glasses.

Years of buying and selling (and playing) various basses has left me with a preference for the J. But both is better.

Go for it.

I think my Roland Bass Cube is excellent. Great range of sounds and effects and some backing beats in various styles to play along to. It would bust your £100 budget but you may pick one up second hand.

Someone above mentioned the Markbass 121p... I've got one of them. I bought for the weight, had arthritis so couldn't lug around my old amp any more. I found it a bit clean sounding so have to mucky it up with an EBS Microbass for gigs. Quite small and light, so I can easily use it as a home amp, but loud enough for gigging. I used to have a 15" Markbass extension cab, but found I didn't need it... although that was DI'd through the PA. Expensive, though.

Good for you, I'd say. Shame the whole band didn't walk.

Wrong time of the year, but I've always loathed playing "Merry Christmas, Everybody" or whatever that Slade song is called. Other than that, I've never been too fussed what I play, and I've played loads of stuff I wouldn't actually listen to.

Cheers, everyone!

I'm pretty sure who this is... but I'm still not naming the business in case I'm wrong. I spoke to the guy on the phone and arranged for him to come round as I was selling two of my basses. He just didn't turn up or even try to contact me, and I live very close to Manchester. When I phoned him back it turned out to be really hard work re-arranging... so I gave up. He is wonderfully affable, but it wore a bit thin in the end. Shame... could have been the start of a beautiful relationship, where I ended up buying a load of stuff from him.

I used to gig German made Warwicks in rammy old pubs without much thought to the consequences. On the other hand I do think that the quality of most cheap basses is so good nowadays. I've begun to cast my beady eye over the Squier Classic Vibe basses. If it plays ok and sounds ok, what's not to like?

If you happened to pass Frank Hessey's in Liverpool in 1970... the spotty 14 year old with his face stuck to the window was me. I was drooling over the Precision and Jazz that were always on display. For some reason I always thought there was something unbelievably cool about playing the bass... an opinion that was only hardened by watching gigs in the smelly old Liverpool Stadium. Now... call me misguided, but I'm actually a sax player... I came to believe that the sax guy was even cooler than the bass guy. So most of my serious gigging career was spent playing the tenor sax. However, I did have a nice sideline in playing bass in local bands. Don't gig at all now, and no plans to. I now have a very nice MIA Jazz... wish I'd bought it on day one and saved myself the bother of buying and selling a load of other basses. Also have my trusty Warwick Thumb fretless... probably be selling that as part of my gradual drift towards simplicity and not having a bass I have to put a battery in! If you've managed to read through all this blather to this point... nice to meet you. Cheers Steve J