lozkerr

There's a coincidence! I was listening to a couple of RB songs earlier - Ballet Dance and Newz. The sentiment behind Newz hasn't aged a bit - in fact it's got stronger, if anything. I gather they're still going - do you keep in touch?

Welcome, Bill! I was in my fifties when I started, too! It's never too late!

I've started working on a very large personal set list - 140 songs across several genres. The plan is to get them to a stage where I can record some showreels and stick them on YouTube before chasing round trying to find another band. I've had another couple of tedious experiences with JMB numpties, including one who thought that Dakota would be too 'challenging' for me before disappearing into radio silence. Anyway, after I'd got over my sulk, I did a bit of soul-searching and decided to build up a decent repertoire of songs I like. I'm doing them in groups of twenty, with a mix of easy and hard songs in each one. Some of them have to be done by ear. If something turns up in the meantime, all well and good. But for now I'm concentrating on things I want to do, rather than scrabble about looking for yet another wannabe covers band. Aye, I am still a wee bit peeved. But I'll get ower it!

'Forceful' is how I think of it. Really give it some. Seems to work for me.

I'm In Love With A German Film Star. This is about as basic as it gets - two bars each of quavers in B - G - E and repeat, but I always lose count somewhere. It's probably because it's so repetitive, but it annoys the bejasus out of me.

Brass bands have four basses! Where's your sense of adventure, man? 😉

I was intending to call mine Transition Vamp 😉

I reckon this one's definitely worth going for. They seem a really talented and dedicated bunch.

I would never dream of doing such a thing. And I would certainly never fire up MuseScore and copy it into a stave. Absolutely not.

I've pushed the B string over the side of the neck a couple of times, but it doesn't seem to happen that often. The flats sound like a good idea - I might go for a set of them when it needs a re-string. I've got some leave to use up next week, so the plan is to treat myself to a studio day, setting up my pedal board properly and giving the full rig a decent workout. I'm dead keen to hear what it sounds like, too. I'm hoping to get a really full-on, rattle-the-windows, loosen-your-fillings sound. Like you, I don't look for much in the treble range - full warm mids and a deep dirty low end are where it's at for me. If it sounds OK and I can record it at a decent quality, I'll risk the laughter of da BC massif and post a video. Watch this space!

So I see! If we ever meet at a Bass Bash, it'd be interesting to see how the two compare.

That's interesting. I also have a Fender Jazz - the American Deluxe model - and the B string isn't floppy at all. It's tighter than the one on my Steinberger XT-25. What I have noticed is that the lower notes on the B string lack a bit of depth when playing through a 210 cab. Nothing that's a deal-breaker, but they're not as punchy as they are when playing up above the fifth fret. I've shelled out on a 118 cab which will hopefully fill things out a bit.

And - I've just sat down this evening after getting it back from him and I'm as chuffed as a very chuffed thing. What a difference. Intonation's a gazillion times better, it feels much easier to play and the wee thumbrest he fitted is a beaut. Far less string clatter, too. Not quite so impressed with the berk who strung it, though. Apparently it had strings for a 35" scale. On a 34" bass. Being double-balled, once the tuner's screwed down tight, that's yer lot. The daft cow who owns it didn't suss that out either. But no matter. Chris has transformed it. It might even be good for metal... hmm, perhaps I'd best stop here 😉

I get that impression, too. The only tabs that I trust - and even then not completely - are Songsterr's tabs that can be played back. Even then, I transcribe a stave before playing them. And it doesn't help that some of the stuff I'm working on seems never to have been tabbed. Passions songs apart from I'm In Love With A German Film Star, anyone?

Games People Play, by Joe South. I can still remember the huge buzz I got when I played straight through the bridge first time correctly by ear. Then I learnt Enter Sandman and the die was cast.

In the garden shed?? That would be a hanging offence in my book!

Thanks, folks! It sounds like Chris McIntyre is the guy to go to. I'll give him a call. And if he tries to flog me any extras - well, a thumb rest would be a good idea. The neck pickup is so deeply sunk into the body that it's next to impossible to anchor on it.

Hi folks, My Steinberger Spirit XT-25 is needing a wee bit of TLC. I've had it for a while as a travelling bass, and now that the newness has worn off, it's becoming apparent that it needs a decent set-up. The strings clatter like a tram going over a set of points, the action's high enough to drive said tram underneath the strings and the G string won't stay in tune. Could anyone recommend someone knowledgeable in Edinburgh who could give it a set-up? I know what to do in theory, but I don't want to damage the thing and incur a hefty repair bill. Many thanks, Laura

I have an MIA Jazz V and I absolutely love it. It's a wee bit on the weighty side, but a wide leather strap helps to distribute the bulk. Not neck-heavy at all, and it's a joy to play.

This - this - is the attitude to have. You have to pay the bills, but that doesn't mean that the thing you love doing automatically has to take a back seat just because you're a wage-slave. It depends on how you see yourself and your place in the world - are you Employee Number 12345678 or Stew the bassist who's putting some hours in to pay the bills?

Haste ye back!

You should resurrect it. We could have regular events - Funk Bonfire Night where we burn funk albums, Slap a Slapper Day... endless possibilities!