urbanx

We do in our home town, it's just harder getting out of town venues to book us as a single band (understandable). So hoping that teamed up with two locally known acts we'll be a lot more attractive to them.

We’re an originals band, quite niche music - fusing heavy punk and hip hop. We generally do 30-40 shows each year, usually 3-4 band bills, and we're usually very well received. However... upon reflection we’ve found the biggest let downs from us has been when the ‘promoter’ has matched us with wildly inappropriate bands. While we admit that we are pretty niche, but generally we sit well with any 'rock' crowd. The Bollywood night, and the Euro-pop night were disasters. So, here’s my idea. We ‘team up with 2-3 other bands that we get on well with musically (and socially) and approach promoters as a gang of 3 bands to offer a ‘ready made’ night for them. Standard gig, just a slightly different chronology from the usual ‘putting a night on’ - as we’d have all the bands sorted first. The only downsides I can see are: 1) The ball ache of finding dates that all three bands can do. Hopefully a communal online calendar will sort this. 2) Getting bored, or boring our crowds with the same 3 bands. I only foresee these being 10-20% of our gigs. Additionally promoters may add another band etc. What’s everyone’s thoughts?

Ah cheers dude, they're the standard Schaller S types ones. They had a good bite going in (thicker than the fender ones) but yeah, both unscrewed quite a lot during a short 25 Min set.

Awesome one at a venue that’s new to us. 280 capacity, and a nice big stage. The singer and my eyes lit up at the tall drum riser, as we often like to have an ‘jump off’ competition during our set. First outing with the Mustang, which was flawless, although I did notice the strap buttons were about 1/3rd unscrewed from the body by the end of the set, I’ll be supergluing them in tonight. That face...

Exactly this. Mine (above) is Pau Ferro as its a 2018 model - Fender are starting to use that as its easier. But as you say there's so much rosewood in circulation, it's a nightmare. I have 5 basses, the other 4 are all rosewood. The law has gotta be simplified sooner or later, I don't think the spirit of it is meant to apply to a few grams of it in fretboards.

Cheers dude! It's a three-way (Ooh Err) : Bridge Pick Up Both Pick Ups Bridge Pick Up

Preface: I’ve always wanted a mustang bass in a pale blue / green. When they announced that they would be producing it in Sonic Blue my heart lept and with memories of the Sonic Blue Jagstang in mind, I went as quick as my hatchback could take me to the music shop to try it out. The spotty Saturday child proudly handed me the bass, proclaiming “Sonic Blue” in his squeaky voice. “Sorry Son, this might be your first day, but this is Olympic White”. He then handed me the Olympic White one, or was that the blue? They looked the same, far too pale. My tail drooped and I left the shop. My Dream Bass: 2018 arrives and I notice Fender release an overpriced Seafoam Green Mustang. It’s not the green / blue I wanted, so I start getting quotes to buy a new one and have it refinished in the colour I had in mind. While surfing the web for colour codes I spot it…my dream colour. And hang on….it’s on a mustang bass, and it’s for sale from an actual shop! Seconds later, it’s added to the cart and I hit check out. So end of story? No. The retailer says that they aren’t willing to ship the item outside of the U.S as they “won’t be to promise their usual high level of customer service”. I mail them, offering them whatever costs they need to send it, with the promise I won’t cause a fuss. They still refuse. Even more angering is the fact that this is an exclusive deal with Fender – They are the only shop in the world allowed to sell this bass and they wont ship it to me. I’m not willing to fly to Indiana. So the story ends. Against All Odds: A glass of wine or seven later (that’s only one in dog glasses) I have an idea and fire up Google maps. I find where Sweetwater are based and start looking for pawn shops / secondhand music shops in the area on the slim chance someone has part exchanged one. Highly unlikely as they have only been out a few months - Then the unthinkable happens…I spot one. I mail them asking about it, they respond within minutes explaining that it had a ding in the back, and the shop selling them could no way put that on the shop floor as an exclusive, so let him have it. He attached a photo of the tiny ding. For the princely sum of £120 he would courier it 3,875 miles to my front door. Done and Done. Customs: Five days later I get a phone call “Hello Mr Smith, it’s Customs and Excise here”. They had my guitar at the airport, it’s now only 30 miles away from me. They’re concerned that the fretboard is Rosewood (its not), and that it will need certification. They ask me to put it in writing that it is not rosewood, and that if I lie it’s a criminal offence etc. As she hangs up I swear her mutter something about Leroy getting a new twink for his cell. Hours later the same number pops up on my phone, the lady is a bit more chirpy and thanks me for my confirmation. “And it’s just the extra tax to pay before we can release it”. What? Why did no one mention the 20% import tax! I finish reading out my credit card number through gritted teeth. “Thank you Mr Smith, now I just need to take our admin fee for that transaction”. Arrival: The next day I hear the postman whistling as he walks down the path, I run to the door, tail wagging. Instead of something the size of a bass he hands me a box about the size of a pizza box. Minutes later I get a call from the customs lady, “We’ve tested your neck, and it’s not rosewood, we can now release it”. Oh FFS! “We just need to take the import fee for this oh and our admin fee”. For the next 24 hours I made suggestions about what she should do with the neck, that I won’t repeat here. Then I hear the whistling from the path… Like some sort of weird sommelier the postman is holding the neck like a posh bottle of wine, or the world cup. I bolt everything together, string it (hybrids) strap lock it (new Schaller S types) and it plays like a dream. Would I do it again? Not sure. But I now have my dream bass.

I gained a 4 way adaptor at our last gig! Definitely wasn't me that picked it up and put it in my guitar case tho - it had unspeakable fluids and hairs on it...

What do the big bands do? Just wondering if the logistics were much different when tens of guitars / even more countries are involved?

No! only because it hasn't happened before though! i.e. amps from Thomann, camera from Japan etc. This sure makes up for it! It was a bass exclusive to one shop in the U.S so I had no option. Postage alone was well into the three figures. I really want that bass!

B****cks! I got charged import tax on my US Import too last night. 20% ransom or they wouldn't release it from the airport! (oh then UPS added a £12 admin fee onto the payment for themselves!)

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but I ordered a bass with a Pau Ferro fingerboard last week. I have just got off the phone from Customs and Excise who are holding it. I have signed a declaration saying what type of wood it is, and am hoping they do not have to test it. But yes it seems like they are taking it very seriously.

We mulled over video ideas for months, storeyboarding stuff out, arranging models etc. But nothing worked out. Our singer suggested "Shall we just get drunk?" So here's the vid, a feel-good band pub crawl and a gig, it really captures the spirit of the band, its a bit of a silly song too.... 😛

Yes please, I've been very good this year! I know there's a lot of love for Mustangs on BC. This is my second fave colour - I'm still holding out for Fender to do the right thing and make it in Daphne Blue! https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/fender-american-performer-mustang-bass-satin-surf-green?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInOTvuemN3wIVFJ7VCh03-QO6EAQYASABEgKRnvD_BwE

If that happens, simply replace the "www" in the URL with "mbasic" it will open up the mobile site on your desktop, then you can right-click save from there.

We've been looking forward to this one for a while: We were so grateful to be asked back to play the John Peel Centre. Shortly after arrival the exited manager tells us its sold out! We knew we were in for a good one! Sound was awesome, crowd were awesome, no technical hitches. Why aren't they all like this?

What an awesome night! There's are video stills from the camera at the back of the stage behind me. I'm sure there's more to come out of it! The stage is lava... Me: "I promise I'll play the bass part straight, I wont show off or showboat" Also me: Me in crowd - bass solo, drummer on his phone...

The gain is fairly sensitive, but never a problem to balance it with volume. Not had any actual clipping problems, I think the clipping LIGHT is very sensitive! I don't think there's any settings where the light isn't permanently on when I'm playing, but the sound is perfectly clean, even at high volumes. Oh, I play an ACTIVE Jaguar bass.

Apart from no soundcheck and the middle band having some politics with the venue it was a good one. One tiny faux-pas.... I'm wireless now, so thought "I know what would be really cool! If I wander out into the crowd and stand on a chair while busting out this bass solo like a God, everyone around me will gasp in amazement at my super human bass ability. Literally nothing can go wrong with this plan" It didn't fail in the way you think... I just couldn't find a free seat and I really couldn't bring myself to ask someone to stand for a sec while I amazed the rest of the crowd, so I just wandered around a bit like a lost usher before returning to the stage.

The unfortunate truth is most promoters and venues will gauge someones success / popularity on that number on their FB page. Usually bands tell the venue they've barely sold any tickets, while pocketing the cash...😂

I've just taken delivery of a BQ500. Tested it briefly in the garage (just to make sure everything's working) and it's chuffin' loud compared to my Hartke HA3500. Will keep you all updated to the finer nuances of sound quality after a rehearsal. In the garage it rattled everything :p The aux in sound wasn't great, although I'm putting a lot of that down to a 410 cab not being designed to play music from an iphone. The knobs on the front do not alter the aux-in sound, only the bass guitar.

Hi Guys, thanks for your help. I have decided in your wisdoms not to upgrade. As a few of you mentioned a few extra watts probably wouldn’t make any difference in those situations anyway. Just a little more background on the two festivals mentioned - We ‘headlined’ both, and were also the only ‘full band’ to at each: The first was my home city’s first ever Pride Festival – a cause close to my heart. I was so thrilled to be accepted to play, I would have played it whatever the conditions. It is a completely free festival. The ‘sound man’ was a volunteer who owned a PA. Act before us was a choir, whom he used 5 mic’s for. “Happy days” we thought, “Two for our vox, two for our amps, and one on the drums”. Unfortunately when it came to our turn to play he could only get ONE mic working, and none of the monitors! Much fiddling, crowd getting ansey, so we just had to start playing. The second one was very similar: Festival at a hospital, essentially a party for staff and patients, few stalls other bits and bobs etc. ‘Sound man’ was a staff member who was in a band, and had access to a PA. Again he didn’t want us meddling with it, but also couldn’t seem to be able to get sound from our cabs to the PA. Neither ideal, I’m now a lot wiser about what gigs we’d accept, and what to expect. Would I play these two again? Absolutely.

Here's the story: Current rig: Hartke 350w head - Marshall 4x10 (600w) The Band: One guitar, one bass, drummer singer. Loud, brash, rap metal / grunge. The Problem: OK my rig is overkill for 99% of our gigs where decent venues run it fairly quiet on stage, and loud out front, that's fine. BUT (and that's a big 'but') We've played two outdoor festivals this week where they have been unable / unwilling to DI or Mic any of the amps. Yes really. One was a headline slot at a 5,000 person festival, just played through amps alone. I know how crap this is. I'm wireless and was in the crowd by the first song - on my side of the stage the maxed out amp was all you could hear, a few steps over and it was pure guitar. Awful mix, but the volume just wasn't there. 6 days later, headlining another festival, exactly the same. The situation is far from ideal, and I know a lot of peoples reactions will be "Concentrating on playing better organised events than getting a bigger amp" But the fact is a struggling originals grunge / punk band cant be choosers. It's happening more and more and more that that we're playing through amps alone. I need to move more air. The constraints: I own a hatchback, I cant get an 8x10 in. Solutions: This is where I need your help. Ideas so far have been: Use a 6x10 Add a 1x15? Upgrade to Hartke 500w head, my cab can take it. Will adding a few watts even help? Bite the bullet - 800w TC Electronic head & Hydrive 1000w 410. I love the idea of this rig, it'd fit in my car, but would it even really be much louder in an outdoor festival situation? Help! I know all you ol' hands will say to try and improve the situation, but TBH the nature of our band / gigs really doesn't match that model. Our guitarist just bought a SM57 and mini mic stand this morning in the hope that might encourage sound men / women to mic him! Argh!

We were honoured to be asked to headline our cities first gay pride event this weekend. Fantastic weather, and 5,000 people in a good mood. It was the first time I got to bring my two year old son to see us too, was awesome to get out and dance with him for a bit. We threw in YMCA and ‘Gay Bar’ because why not! After we played, a 7ft drag queen closed the festival by singing “I am what I am” whilst stripping appendages. I was crouched behind my stack unwiring everything when I got hit by a prosthetic boob, very disorientating as I didn't know she was stripping. The next thing I heard was my two year old shriek “NOT a lady!” Top day.

"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a covers set today" etc.