mikel

Don't sweat it. A few acid burned hippies put together a sound system, for Woodstock, that could be heard about 5 miles away. And it was reliable.

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1495189186' post='3301958'] My band are in a similar position having just become a trio following the departure of one of our guitarists. We decided pretty much straight away not to replace him, but his leaving has necessitated a complete rethink of how we continue, which has been trying but exciting. The first few rehearsals without him were strange but we've gotten used to it and have all enjoyed the process of editing and reworking the set.[b] I in particular an revelling in the space I now have, and the fact that I only now have one humbucker / Marshall combination to compete with...[/b] If you do choose to rip it up and start again I'm sure the mojo will soon return. [/quote] Yep. The one drawback with 5 instruments is that they tend to fill all the spaces up. I love playing in a 3 piece as its liberating, but everything you play can be easily heard and is crucial to the sound, even to the none musician.

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1493377701' post='3287887'] There are two reasons to re-badge a bass: Snobbery. Fraud. [/quote] You missed one....Fashion. My bro bought a Precision in 1981 when we were in the same band, as it was the bass to have, it was a Fender after all. It had a number of dead spots on the neck, and he was not surprisingly for a newbie, a little shocked. He was told by experienced bassists to learn how to play around them. He wished he hadnt traded in the Rick.

So, this guy wasnt technically very good, and the band feel they are better off without him, but the last rehearsal was not as pro sounding and even shocking? Sounds like the guy may not have been a guitar wizz but he was a band musician in the truest sense. Some people seem to bring a creative buzz to a band and cement the whole thing together, regardless of perceived technical ability. We lost a keys player like that, we only missed him when he was gone. So we had a band meeting and we discussed the direction and the songs we wanted to do, and came up with another formula that is working for all of us.

I think the show got it about right. Not accounting for personal taste, there were well known acts and a mix of fairly obscure and older stuff. I think its better than simply putting on a load of acts that are only on because they have a new album out.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1495018571' post='3300452'] One of these I believe... (but with four strings obviously...) [url="https://www.public-peace.de/maruszczyk-instruments/mi-bass/frog"]https://www.public-p...ts/mi-bass/frog[/url] [/quote] I know its subjective, but that looks like baked vomit.

I enjoyed Naturally 7 very much. A bit like a Boyz n the Hood version of Fishermen's Friends.

As a piece of music I found it boring. Technically very good but music isnt an examination piece with judges holding up score cards at the finish. I think the guy really wanted to be a guitarist but bought the wrong instrument.

Same here..... and I was never comfortable with the bass up high like slap players, just found it very uncomfortable. Logical thinking would suggest it should be lower for playing with fingers as you can reach further with an open hand than you can making a fist to hold a plec.

What is Graham Norton for? If you have to try as hard as he does to be funny, you invariably are not. Get Mark and Lard to do the voice over next year.

I remember when ESC was fun to watch, now it sounds like all the songs were written by the same composer. Boring, boring, boring.

Ha. From the title I was thinking "How do you break a digital duck, and what platform was it fixed to." Just my analogue brain, I suppose.

TCE 208. Super small and loud for the size. If you do the speaker mods, mentioned on a thread on BC, you get the full power output without using an extension cab. Then it really is loud.

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1494418197' post='3295766'] It wasn't an assumption, it was an explanation given online on an American site about 10yrs back. Googling it now confirms it is about "brain dead or retarded guitarists". I accept others may feel it has different origins but there is certainly a school of thought that says it doesn't. As I said, I am not denying anyone free speech, I just prefer not to use it myself. [/quote] Well....dont. But dont assume anyone who does use it is being vindictive.

Personally I love new, bright, zingy strings. Do you use rounds of flats? If rounds why not try flats or the hybrids out there?

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1494359808' post='3295384'] I understand why musicians have a cheeky knock at each other, that was never my point. My issue is solely the origins of the word being given a new life. I guess as a moderator I could have taken an issue with this a long time ago... and I didn't. I don't feel personally comfortable with the word myself so choose not to use it but I wouldn't want to restrict the freedom of other's speech. I do think there are cleverer terms we could be using though. And Les, I guess it is open to a number of different interpretations and I massively prefer your one. [/quote] As you say, why naturally assume it is has anything to do with being retarded? It probably relates more to bastard, that is a closer match to the much maligned over loud, widdle merchant guitarist. And I for one have no problem with that word, despite being born out of wedlock. Sometimes you just have to assume that any banter is not personal or vindictive.

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1494349111' post='3295250'] In my family we actively hate the phrase retard as my step son has Down Syndrome & it is nasty term occasionally used by thick people to describe my step son. Thankfully although still common place in the US, it appears to be in the decline here. The Guitard is clearly a play on that word. I've never publicly challenged anyone for choosing to use the word but I personally find it distasteful and wish people wouldn't use it. Banter can have it's place (I love a laugh and a joke with my friends) but banter can often be a polite phrase for bullying too. That's not the same thing. It always used to be drummer jokes, it seems to have shifted to bass and onto other instruments. I respect all roles within a band but this is more to do with egos and people who don't live up to the role. Thankfully the guitarists in both my bands are class acts. I have worked with a couple of difficult singers in the past though. The difference is that Billy is taking ownership of his own condition and I agree that is the best of what Brits do. Laughing at easy targets though isn't (not that I'm suggesting that is what YOU are saying but I think this is where some tend to get it slightly wrong). [/quote] Agreed, but the difference is that most guitarists dont have an illness, any jokey term is not used because they are ill and an easy target, because they are not. Its a joke. If it were aimed at someone who was ill that would be entirely different.

Thats why Billy Connelly starts his latest tour shows with "Shaking all over" For anyone who is not aware Billy has Parkinsons, amongst other things. He refuses to be beaten down by his illnesses so he laughs at them, to make them smaller and less threatening. It's what the Brits do.

Most of us on here are Brits, I believe, so we all get the piss take sense of humor. If we start gasping at any word with "Tard" in it then the thought police have won, and I will move to a country that retains a sense of humor.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1494266624' post='3294544'] I tune up just prior to sound check and then again at half time and that's it. [/quote] Same for me, If it was constantly going out of tune I would sell it and get a Status, my Bro has one and tunes it about once a year.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1494135780' post='3293463'] I spent years doing every gig that came my way but several years ago culled anything that was a bit sh*t and now only play gigs I want to do. Comes out at around one a week but I am happier for it. I have also stopped practising bass as I have all the chops I need for the gigs I do. This means practice time is fun too. [/quote] +1 with regard to practice time. I decided a long time ago that I practice what I need, to play what I like to play, and I only practice when I really want to and really enjoy it. I don't play for the money I do it for enjoyment and If I don't enjoy practice, for whatever reason, then I don't do it. That would be like work.

Am I missing something???

Its a scratch plate, just put it on the instrument.

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1493977598' post='3292263'] Unfortunately there are plenty of bands out there just like that, where only input from one or two members are welcome. It doesn't sit too well with me either - I'm pretty opinionated and don't like holding my tongue, but I have done just that on occasion [/quote] Agreed. For me a real band, as in pro attitude and input from all, is an amalgamation of its parts. Even playing covers, the different input from the different players can make an old standard sound new and fresh. For me music is about creativity and we all bring what we have to the party. If the way I play is not a fit then I need to find another party. If you dont want a musicians input then tell them at audition time, "we make the decisions and you play what we want you to play" If that's acceptable to the musician then all is fine. Not for me though.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1493967058' post='3292148'] I know a fantastic bass player who was sacked by the management because he was "too ugly" [b]and a guitarist because he was "too fat".[/b] A drummer I know has just been kicked off a tour because the band leaders son wants to play drums. Some people are the authors of their own misfortune and many are not. Just make sure your networking is good enough so that being fired doesn't matter. [/quote] Thats awful, but on a lighter note, do you think the Stones would have remained as popular and as great a live draw if they had not been skinny whippets? This is completely my opinion, and should be taken with a large pinch of salt, but I think bands in there 60s+ can get away with it if they are still skinny, but old fat bands just dont look cool. Its purely from a Rock and Roll perspective and nothing to do with the quality of the music, merely aesthetics.