Yank

Excuse my ignorance, but what is "panto"?

Sometimes at home I'll run through a chorus pedal for that classic "Jaco" tone, or break out an Ebow, but it would sound contrived, live, as it doesn't fit with the style of the band I play with. I much prefer the tone of the fretless straight into the amp. It can be fun, though, using effects as home toys.

Yeah, I roll off the tone with flats.

When did musicians on a local level start bringing spare instruments to a gig? During the '60's, '70's and '80's guitarists and bass players that I played with only had one good instrument. When they bought a new one, they traded off the old. In the '90's, when I played guitar, I had a second for open tuning, but for bass gigs, just the one. Is this a millennial thing?

I'll take items out of my gig bag between gigs, but always leave it unzipped until they are back in. When it's closed and zipped I know I can grab and go.

Hey K.P., I started as a wee lad playing drums an singing. Never thought much about it. Come to find out it's considered difficult. When I started playing guitar and bass always sang along as I was learning. The trick is to start singing on something with a very easy bass line or one that you have down so you can let your hands play while you put your mind on the vocal. It's toughest when the bass isn't right on the beat, doing something syncopated, or the vocal line is at odds with the bass part. Tuffest one I ever did was playing the synth part to Stevie Wonder's "Very Superstitious" on bass and singing lead. It took me time to get them working together. I read an interview with Sting where he said he had to work hard to get some songs down. He said that was why he stopped playing fretless live. He said it just complicated things.

I'm in the market for a new clip-on. I've been thinking about the poly-tune. Nice to see good reviews about it. I don't like leaving tuners or capos on a headstock so only have them on to tune.....and no, I don't use a capo on a bass.

I've got a Mesa Walk-about that I got to do a duo gig where I was doubling on acoustic guitar and bass. My Gibson acoustic sounded beautiful through it.

I've got a D-800. More power than my Walk-about, and not so many knobs to tweak. Very easy to dial in great tone. Right now, just have the 2-10 cab, with a 1-15 on backorder.

Hey ikay, I got mine from Rondo. I don't know about UK distribution.

Earlier this year I picked up a Douglas, Chinese made unlined fretless violin bass. I love this bass. Now my MIM Fender lined fretless jazz sits in the case. Anyone else play one?

Thankyou for the welcome. Josie, I'm up the coast in Hancock, just outside of Ellsworth.

The last few gigs, I've just brought the one. In the past I've had a spare onstage on a stand or left it in the jeep. Either way, it's one more thing to pack/unpack, load in and out. I could cite pro's like B.B. and Chuck who only traveled with one instrument. So I'm lazy or a minimalist.

Greetings from across the pond. I play and teach drums, guitar and bass. Currently playing guitar in a duo and bass in a 5-piece alt. Americana band. I play a Douglas, Chinese made, unlined fretless violin bass thru a Mesa/Boogie Subway D-800 into a 2-10 and 1-15 cabs.