Wombat

I play in an originals band locally so we ‘punt our stuff’ at a few OMs, often in pubs we play in (mostly covers). Initially it was annoying as they all have a 3 song limit and our 3x3min pop originals was taking err, 9 mins (ish) and other bands were playing ’Freebird’ like songs AND putting extra verses in! Our response (which seems to be accepted) is to simply look at the organiser and say ‘as our songs are really short can we play another’ and so far it’s been accepted. No frowning on the 3x9min songs as yet but we’re working on it! Can completely understand why organisers don’t want to p people off but surely there comes a point when you ‘ave a polite word? Also, taking ages in the switch over can be annoying. The originals band use a helix & pedal boards but we have them under one arm (guitar under the other) before we’re called. At the OM where I’m in the house band one bassist took over 5 mins trying to find a power supply for his compressor to get ‘his sound’! Which he was hoping to achieve through my amp, which has a compressor on it!

I’ve a number of ‘boutique leather straps’ for various basses but for a rather anchorish P I’ve gotten back into playing I was recommended a 3in Lekato Bass Strap from eBay by SparkyMark of this Parish. They do do colours but I went for plain black. This one I think. Not the fanciest strap I’ve got but boy does it make a 4+kg bass more comfortable to play.

I’m normally over 15k steps 😉

You sure you meant walk?

At ours it’s sometimes ’bandioke’ where someone sings or plays guitar with a band - often for the first time. People have to pop their Cherry somewhere! We’ve had people who were truly awful - but so encouraged they come back again getting better & better each time.

Yes, but so does a Kay and many other basses. It also looked old, although it was loved so not terribly ‘worn’. I think I was prolly more distracted by the next person up calling out the song & key and the bassist coming off handing me his bass and asking me to play it than really noticing what it was. I do remember not thinking the strap was too low or too high so that was a plus. But thinking ‘is this made of balsa’ it felt so “fragile”.

Playing in the house band at our open mic I was asked by another bassist if I would play his bass so he could hear what it sounded like (sigh). Cherry red P. As he handed it to me I only got a glance at the headstock and I thought I saw a circle with a ‘K’. Played a few runs on mute and the neck was ok. When I ‘pressed play’ it was awful. The two outer strings had no volume at all so you had to dig in to them. The two inner were so loud if you touched them they were overwhelming the band mix. The only ‘plus’ was that it was really light! Afterwards he thanked me and said how great it was sounding and as I handed the ‘Kay’s Copy’ back I noticed there was actually a pick in the strings over the headstock logo that made me think it was the Kay Logo. Underneath I saw an ‘F’ so asked him what it was. 1962 Precision was the reply. Owned since new he’d basically ‘given me a treat’ to play an awesome Vintage Bass! I was very thankful I’d thought it was a dog as it would save me thousands as I now didn’t want to own one! Unfortunately that was short lived as he brought its sister, a blonde 1962 jazz, to the next OM. That was LOVELY!

I'd be happy to let Nathan East play any of my basses. Get photos and videos of him doing it and you just added loads to the value 🤣.

Aye, I was thinking that. As a Londoner who lives ‘just down the road’ I can, if I’m still available (Mrs Bat hasn’t organised for me to be somewhere else!) arrange a tour of interesting places, where tourists don’t get so ripped off etc. Or at least offer advice as needed! Some sort of International Bass Bash seems sensible. Be rude not to!

Booo

So you are supplied by Thames Water too then?

We, could have done that one for you as we’re in Bromley! We would have played to the 3 people and our fans would have only been 30 miles away!

Push Fit Copper? Is that a good name for a metal band? 😂

So what's best? Push fit or copper?

Ah, ok. I see. When I was playing just covers I felt I was taking a ‘slot’ that pros could use. The current band is more originals and it’s great ( and hard!) to get our music out there.