chris_b

Ahh. I hope you don't have a point, but knowing my luck these days I've probably jinxed myself!!

??

If you view a second bass like a "get you home spare tyre", potentially never to be used then I suppose you could go cheap, but even if your backup bass only cost £100 I think that's a waste of £100. I don't have "backup" basses. I'd been playing for over 25 years before I even bought a second bass. I've never had a failure on a bass, never broken anything, not even a string, so the need for a "backup" wasn't high on my list, on the other hand I do have 2, and occasionally more, #1 basses. I'll chose which one I play depending on the gig.

Get someone who knows about this stuff to look over how you play. A second opinion would be a good idea.

As well a checking for any medical reasons for cramping up, do you warm up or work out? Just keeping the joints moving will improve your playing. I'd also ask how is your bass set up? Do you have a high action, stretch to reach notes or dig in? Lowering the strings and focusing on playing with a lot less energy in your hands might work.

Take overs happen. That's always the risk when "mates" are asked to join. You're in good company with Brian Jones, Denny Dias and Syd Barrett.

Don't do anything. It won't affect your sound.

So I'm guessing you've not been asked to PAT test your gear?

So, you got fired. If it was your fault recognise the fact, learn from the experience and don't do it again. If it wasn't your fault just say flip 'em, they were a bunch of tossers anyway. I got fired once because the drummer decided he wanted to play with someone else. So he quit and his price for coming back was that I was kicked out. The band leader was pretty weak and gave in. Apparently this was exactly the same trick this drummer played on the previous bass player in order to get me into the band! Unless you have no social skills, no personal hygiene or have no ability, getting fired is probably not going to be your fault, so move on. There are many better bands out there.

Is anyone using DIY or made up extension leads? Anyone using an orange cable (ie 2 ply, or no earth)? Buy a voltage/earth tester, about a tenner from Screwfix, and check every connection in the band.

So you guys know more about making basses than Alembic? Of course you do. . . . !

I'll dig out 2 Super Compacts and either of my Aguilar amps. I wouldn't use 1 cab even if I was in the FOH. I'd need the stage sound to be full and enveloping. IME FOH can be a mixed blessing. I played with a Reggae band at a festival a couple of years ago and the stage sound was very good. When I heard the recording, taken from out in the audience, the sound guy had killed the sound of the bass by EQing almost exclusively towards the mids!!

I wouldn't own a car and not drive or own clubs and not play golf. From the first time I played my Spanish guitar with my mate Pete at school, I have loved playing with other musicians. IMO the music that people make together beats playing anything on your own. Then I discovered audiences and I was hooked. In my view, public performance is the pinnacle of being a musician. I've just got back from a pub gig in Solihull. Part of a Blues and Jazz festival that's being held in town. This was certainly a long drive, but it was a good band, good audience and financially worth it so, win-win-win.

The ramp gets in the way of everything. That's it's job. It's intended to force the player who uses a "full blooded" plucking or digging in technique to skate over the top of the strings. I'd use a ramp if you play like the former but want to change to the latter. It has no use if you dig in and want to continue playing like that, or you already play over the pickups. They are already doing the job of a ramp for you.

IMO, even with the pick there is the distinctive thud of flats.

It doesn't develop anything, but is supposed to prevent players from plucking too far under the strings. So if you already have a good technique a ramp will be of no use at all.

I would suggest Gibson already know how to make great instruments and they've already taken the first step on the road to recovery. . . they fired the old management. Apparently the idiots who ran Gibson set unachievable targets for the numbers of instruments that had to be made every day, so the only way to not get fired was to cut corners and rush the instruments out the door. If Gibson re-focus on quality not quantity then they might turn the company around. I would imagine everyone concerned has already had a Cease and Desist letter. Some guys will respond positively, ie Dingwall, others will drag their heels. If anyone is challenging these letters in court then the others will probably hang back and wait for the outcome.

Which amp? D class and SS just use 2 ohm. Valve might be different and need an exact match.

No. This is just one of many things the Gibson management will be addressing as they put their own "house in order".

I'l wear Spandex but I'm not sure the publicity will be the sort your band wants!!

All you guys who are gigging inspite of not liking it. . . . call me. I'll do all those nasty, uncomfortable, pesky gigs for you.

If that is true then the result of the case is wrong. Arrangement is not copy-writeable. When Puff Daddy made his version of Every Move You Make, Sting got paid for his song. Andy Summers didn't because, although his distinctive guitar line was used, it wasn't covered by copy-write. The Gaye/Thicke case was never the correct application of the law.

I still don't see how the Gaye family won this case. It's the same bpm and both use a cow bell but the songs are not the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziz9HW2ZmmY

Most of the boutique guitar makers have their own designs, but so they can make any kind of living will also have a take on "Fender" and/or "Gibson" instruments. The Mike Lull T Birds are so much better than the originals, but I guess he'll be stopping those as well. As I said, this is not a problem if Gibson fill the void they are creating with great and well made instruments.

Poor old Van. He's bitter and twisted to the max. Having a drink problem and being seriously ripped off in the early days (he still only gets about 0.5% for much of his early material) doesn't help.