PaulWarning

I'm surprised how many E strings get broken, I would have thought that one would be the least likely to break, given how thick it is

I wonder if certain basses are more susceptible to breaking strings?

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1471550437' post='3113965'] I think you need to start a new topic on this because it's always mystified me too. [/quote]I've just started a poll

a poll on how many times you've broken a bass string, be interesting if it was pick or fingers

no problem with that, one of my favourite gigs of recent years was the Glitter Band, and yes they did Gary's songs as well, but they did warn everybody with "we're going to do some songs from a while ago now, so if it's going to upset you you'd better f*** off now" nobody did that's what they were waiting for

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1471548503' post='3113935'] How are people breaking strings ? [/quote]that's always mystified me, I bash away with a 1mm pick and never broken a string.

[quote name='RickyV' timestamp='1471519417' post='3113594'] Ha, I knew I was opening myself up to scrutiny!! Laziness is all. It's just how I have learned the songs and havent bothered to change it. I guess being relatively new to bass and gigging, the comfort factor is important as in I dont want to give myself anything else to think about. I will get round to making it easier for myself at some point!! [/quote]fair enough

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1471518717' post='3113582'] I've never used a backup. I have had a failure that I got round and since then take a backup but 1 failure in 30years? How high profile are the gigs? [/quote]must admit, when it's no fee, originals 30 minute thrash gig I don't take one, but, if it's gig you're getting paid for it would be really unprofessional not to be able to finish the gig because you've not bought a spare bass IMO

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1471517574' post='3113570'] I`ve seen a couple of bands have to stop their set short due to no backup bass, whereas all guitarists seem to take backups. Only time I don`t take a backup is if there are other bands on the bill that I know, so we agree before the gig to loan our basses as backups if needed. When there are three such bands on the bill you`re pretty safe doing this. [/quote]unless you're cack handed

sunshine of your love or Peaches, I usually mess up the Chain, and as someone else has mention I go up and down the G major scale

[quote name='RickyV' timestamp='1471516859' post='3113552'] I have 2 basses with me for a gig purely because a couple of songs are tuned down a whole step and i dont want to faff retuning all strings between songs so I just swap basses. If all songs were standard tuning I would probably wouldnt bother with a back up. I have spare strings and cables as well but thats all. [/quote]this is probably a stupid question but why don't you just have one bass detuned and play the standard tuned songs 2 frets higher up the neck?

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1471517023' post='3113557'] For a lot of people, myself included, it's a question of simply not being able to afford spare equipment. [/quote]I'd rather have a cheap back up, in my case a £40 Hondo, than none at all, I've seen a bass pack up because a wire came unsoldered

I usually take a spare bass, leave it in the car, I've never needed it, but I work on sod's law, if I don't take I'll need it, also have a backup amp that I've never needed as well

I've got a Zoom 506II which is a great bit of kit, in some ways I prefer it to my Zoom B1 on, which has taken over from it, I use the EG distortion which isn't spikey fuzz with maximum gain then EQ it to suit, EQ 0n 6, contour on 0, have the compression on C9 but I don't thing that does a lot with using the distortion, It's gets me into JJ Burnel territory, sort of. Just remembered there's a bassist in a local mod band who wouldn't use anything else, he gets a good sound too. IMO all amp sims are just distortion and EQing with presets

I think a guy called Darren Russell Smith is the main man

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1470905226' post='3109213'] Me neither Paul, was a great weekend, hopefully we`ll get asked back but when there are so many good bands out there you just have to cross your fingers and hope. [/quote]he does have his favourites though, our singer nags him relentless and we've never got back on, but some quite average bands seem to be on most years

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1470814489' post='3108570'] I suppose the bigger bands get paid, the names, but for us we got Access All Areas wristbands for the whole weekend, plus food on the day we played. [/quote]well I certainly wouldn't complain about that

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1470672135' post='3107529'] I've just bought a second hand MIA Fender P bass from a seller on this forum...it's a red one, but hey, I'll have to live with that! I'm hoping that this'll scratch that itch. After some thought, I realised that if i went for a MIM Fender or the Squier CV I'd spend all the time I had it wondering what the MIA would be like. So thought it would be best to just dive in...it's not [i]that[/i] much over my initial budget...really. Thanks to all that contributed to the thread. [/quote]a wise choice, IMO of course

not hate, but if you don't like the music they or there band are producing you're hardly likely aspire to play like them

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1470732054' post='3107921'] Yes, that was the case for me anyway, I guess it depends what stage you're on? You could buy a wristband for all 4 days for £50 which seemed like pretty good value. Unfortunately I had sessions in the studio so couldn't take advantage [/quote]getting dangerously near pay to play though, still I suppose he could give f*** all or even charge, and bands would still be fighting to play there.

how much do the minor bands get for playing these days? when I played there in 2008 we got wristbands for the whole weekend, I've heard now you only get one for the day you're playing

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1470658364' post='3107371'] The main job of an amp sim is to simulate the distotion/drive characteristics of an amp. But its probably true that many bass amps don't differ by much other than the baked in QE so this is probably why there isnt a big market for bass amp sims compared with the guitar market where the nuances of distortion dominate the tone due to common use of medium and high gain levels. Then theres the fact that behringer make a pedal that costs £25 quid that covers probably 90% of what a bass players would generally want and amp sim to do i.e. provide a bit of smooth overdrive for lowish gain sounds. [/quote]this is true, I've a BDI 21 and it does the distortion job, although is suddenly goes all spikey at about 3 o clock, I prefer a Zoom B1 on, it does a similar distortion job and has a lot more EQ capabilities (amp sims as well) and you can also have different patches for different songs

I've always wondered, aren't amp sims just EQ pedals with presets?

being a lefty I had to get a MIA P because strangely they don't do a MIM one, but I glad because if I'd got a MIM one there would have always been this nag nag nag doubt about how much better was a MIA one, and, in the end I would have bought one anyway. Get a second hand MIA P would be my advice.

the trouble I have with IEM is for the full mix everything has to be miced up, which is unnecessary for a pub gig, I saw a band on Friday that just used IEM in one ear, which allowed them to hear the drums etc with the other, I have asked this question before and was told it wouldn't work because you'd have to have the volume too high in the one ear, but I spoke to the band afterwards and they got on with it just fine