Stub Mandrel

I played live at Hammersmith Odeon. I enjoyed it so much, I put it on repeat.

I must admit, I feel 'resigned to playing covers now. In some ways it's good - unlike back in 1987 when I could just play anything that was vaguely in key as long as I got the 'signature riff' right, there's no excuse not to learn songs properly - or at least try! This I am finding rewarding because I like being stretched and I am a big believer that you are never too old to learn. On the other hand, having a crowd cheer songs that you were part of writing and actually call for encores at the end is a real buzz. I will be honest though, playing own material is, 99% of the time, easier because no matter how technical it gets and how hard you push yourself you always really know the material, always know your technique is up to it, you can improvise if you want and most importantly no-one (outside the band) can tell you you played it wrong!

A few thoughts -not meant as argument, just adding detail! Seeing as my 4x10 has had the Celestions swapped out for Alpha 10A it probably hasn't got brilliant bottom end. An A/B with the 15" confirms this and I like the tone I get with them both regardless of volume (plus it LOOKS the part 🙂 I was just mentioning that to give people an idea of settings 🙂 Really I should have it on 8 (clips if I really dig in) for that bass but of course it varies from instrument to instrument. two reasons for that (1) obviously it makes swapping instruments predictable (2) the input gain really is 'gain' not volume and appears to be wired to have a non-linear frequency response so where you have it affects the sound; in another thread people mentioned how having it too low gives a poor tone. I may be wrong, but to me it looks like it's wired to give a 'loudness' contour and roll the treble off faster than the deep bass - this possibly leads to lack of presence at low input gains? I'd be interested in a second opinion on this: No doubt another element of the TE sound, but no, it doesn't affect total power...

I haven't used one of these, but by definition it's only polyphonic in poly mode.

I got kicked out of a band for being too widdly. Got replaced by the rhythm guitarist, because they just wanted root notes. What hurt was that they didn't discuss it with me first; maybe it was something else? Probably that I thought I was in a psychedelic rock band and they thought they were indy-punk? I don't know, but it was better than being told I was crap... but my advice is (a) don't try and be too clever and (b) sometimes friendships matter more than the music. Good news is my next band hired me because I was the first person they found who could play the basslines the guitarist had written.

Cut the body off and fit a teachest 🙂 Sorry! Nearest you'll get is flatwound strings, ideally several years old (not a joke), bridge pickup, tone right down and some foam tucked under the strings near the bridge to kill the sustain (not a joke either - some basses have mutes - especially old ones). My late mum's story was that when her brother and his friends used to play jazz, the first job was to smoke cigars to fill the room with dense smoke... probably why she got into skiffle.

Or even buy a body of the 'bay. I made a strat-style guitar with two humbuckers and a hefty Floyd Rose type bridge and it only weighs just over 6lbs because the body wood si so light, unfortunately also a bit soft so it should relic nicely...

You can always turn to eBay for inspiration...

Phew. I thought you had lost the plot for a minute...

remind them what a DJ costs...

What do you think about that Captain America? "Err ... Avengers dissemble?"

Severe case of bridge lift...

Actually, at the Midlands Bass Bash everyone was pretty civilised volume wise...

Was it JJ Burnel or Jean-Paul Sartre who said 'hell is other bass players'?

Having now got my combo working 100% again, I had a go this morning and wired it up with an extension cab for a theoretical 300W, noting that the 4x10 speakers are now in phase, which definitely made the bass sound more solid. With the input gain on 7 (not near clipping the way I was playing), pre-shape and about 3dB of bottom end boost I cranked it up. At an output gain of 7 there were so many things rattling around the living room I chickened out of going louder. No sign of distortion. My perception is that it's louder than an Ashdown 500 through a single 15, but I would have to a/b them to be sure. But it is loud, very loud and I can't see myself needing louder.

Why is he wearing an Internal Revenue Service?

You'd look crumpled if you'd lain unworn in a draw for 20 years!

And that lot!!!!

A different America that is blindingly good... hope I don't get lynched for mentioning the Nice...

I did think of sticking it on my website...

Saxon, Black Star Riders and Girlschool on the same bill. Must get a neck brace...

Who needs genres...?

Dress to the left, bass to the right. You know it makes sense... Left leg resters? Come the revolution you'll be first up against the wall, together with guitarists who use a footrest and people whose strap still holds the bass up when they sit down. We know who you are!

Yessongs Because it has all the stand out tracks from the previous albums and most of my favourites. I think my collection covers from The Yes Album to Going for the One. I lost enthusiasm when they stopped having Roger Dean covers (always a sign of good music- Greenslade, Babe Ruth, Uriah Heep etc. etc.).