ezbass

Mmm, a Waluszyczk.

Yep, my JMJ is my heaviest bass, which is odd given it’s the smallest. Lightweight tuners definitely make a difference (certainly more than the just the numbers suggest). My love affair with the JMJ may now be over, after nearly 5 years. I’ve gone back to my 33” scale, customs. Will probably move it on.

A signature sound? No. However, a sound that I’m currently really happy with and can’t see a reason to change is my passive, MM type pickup, fretless bass, into a Sadowsky SBP2 preamp, then into an MXR M87 comp (Dr Pepper type setting), then into a Tech21 VTDI which adds some grit and high end sizzle. These are on all the time and I ride the tone control (0.1uf) for smooth or a bit more aggressive tones (I’ll also use a pick for more attack when required). This seems to work with the 3 different amps I’ve used the set up with (EQ set flattish). My own rig is a Phil Jones Flightcase into a powered PJ cab.

Thank you. It is my original, Maruszczyk, custom build (33" scale, passive). It fell out of favour for about the last 3 or 4 years, as I was not digging fretless (except upright) at all, especially that MM fretless tone. However, I took it to rehearsal as I was feeling a bit sorry for it and, in a band mix, with some drive, it sounded awesome, bordering on Ric like. Since then I've used nothing else live. It's the easiest neck to play of all my basses and with the drive always on, I just ride the tone control for different tunes for everything from reggae and Motown, to full on The Jam, treble heavy, aggressive tones. I'm (currently) a very happy bass player.

Ah ha, it was you who suggested the side by side set up. You, Sir, are a genius! It worked a treat!

Really wasn’t looking forward to tonight, but it turned out way better than expected. We were told that 44 tickets had been sold beforehand, but clearly some folk just turned up on spec and I counted about 70 bodies. A promoter for a local event came to see us, stayed for both sets and seemed genuinely impressed. A couple of senior moments, as ever, but mostly on point. The last time I played this venue I couldn’t hear myself and had a good old moan about it on BC. Some bright spark (on checking, it was@Beedster ) suggested this set up, rather than stacked, for potentially better monitoring: Absolute genius! Whilst not crystal clear, it was near enough - I thank you 🙏 way of the future. As you can see, it was my usual Phil Jones rig, Maruszczyk Elwood L fretless plus pedals (mini Pitch Black, Sadowsky SPB2, MXR M87 & Tech21 VTDI). EDITED for set up credit.

Going for some sideways action tonight to try a facilitate better on stage monitoring. Addendum - it worked a treat!

Very much this^^^^ and who knows you from seeing you play in other bands. That is not to say that advertising on Join My Band, etc doesn’t work too (I got my current gig through JMB) but the ‘network’ is where a large percentage of gigs come from.

Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now - The Smiths

Tonight’s gig may actually be badly paid, ticket sales have been low (which I completely understand, given it’s a halfway point between Christmas & Hogmanay) but it’s never been about the money for me. Hogmanay will be OK money-wise, but I’ve never liked doing it as a gig and only do it with this band so that the band leader can get a good paying gig (he’s a top bloke and I don’t want to let him down). The thing is, I like the band, I really the guys in it and I actually enjoy rehearsals, it just gigs that I find a complete faff/turn off. Maybe it’s over 50 years of gear lugging, hurry and wait, tear downs, load in & outs and the inevitable (mostly late night) drive home that have got to me. We have a Sunday afternoon gig in late January, in Dundee, so it’ll be interesting to see if it’s the time of day that’s the issue (I suspect not). I may well have a sit down with the boys tonight, if the opportunity presents itself, just to let them know how I’m feeling. I’m not about to just quit, I wouldn’t do that to them and, if I did, I would still stay on for any gigs until they got a replacement, who I’d happily share my charts with, if they were required. Definitely a case of watch this space.

Tonight and couldn’t feel less like doing it. Another on Hogmanay, which I’m totally disinterested in too. Maybe it’s time to hang up my gigging spurs?

Novocaine For The Soul - Eels

Gah! ‘Twas ever thus. Been there, missed that bass.

Funky Monks - Red Hot Chili Peppers

I’ve settled on .73 mainly because of seeing & hearing Bobby Vega. I only use anything over 1mm for guitar.