chris_b

I use flats on my P bass. . . . and I've got a lump of foam under the strings. I happen to like that Duck Dunn, Bob Babbitt, Willie Weeks sound and the music those guys made with that set up. On the other hand I mainly gig my active Jazz bass with zingy rounds. I only own clean sounding amps. Can't stand woolley sounding gear. I think it's possible to like both/all ends of the tone spectrum.

IMO "digging in" is a style that needs a particular set up. Raise the strings and lower the pickups. You might be losing some of the sound because the bass isn't set up for this style. That probably won't be the best set up for lighter playing techniques. If you are a P bass fan I'd suggest two P basses each set up differently. Also, what about the Geezer EMG's for extra punch for the "digging in" bass?

I've bought amps and cabs from Bassdirect and always get my basses serviced at the Gallery. I've only ever had great dealings with both. Heaven for bass players. The economy is poised to drop off a cliff which will put a lot of pressure on specialised shops like these guys. I hope they can weather the storm.

I think higher prices do have a limiting effect, but these basses do sell. Setting a "good" price can help a lot. I'm not sure that I know much about woods etc. I have a Metro that I tried to sell at one point. I got a little interest and maybe one serious offer but decided to keep it. For the more expensive basses your audience is probably limited to a handful of players and you have to connect with them at the right time. As I say the option with the the lowest initial outlay for you would be to try BC. Good luck.

Some Sadowsky basses sell and some don't, but if you want to gauge the interest it can't hurt to put an ad on BC. You are in a better position if you are not in a hurry to sell. You can be patient and see what turns up and the bass stays with you while this is going on. Without the 20% shop commission, you'd be able to bring the price down which could boost your chances of a sale. Also BC seems to have a lot of members in Europe who are keen on basses at the higher and boutique end of the market. If it doesn't sell on BC, one of the UK bass shops (are there any in Europe?) might get you in front of a wider and more serious audience. A lot of bass players I've met aren't on Basschat, but I'd definitely try here first.

One gig I was the last to arrive and found that the band had left no room for me or my gear. Not even 6 inches!! Sarcastic remarks were getting me nowhere, so I told them if they didn't move up and make enough room for me I'd be going home. They finally did but with a lot of grumbling! They went down in my estimation after that debacle.

No. .. I don't think it does. In the days of smoking in pubs, I was in a house band for a jam night. I got up after the last players had finished and found a lighted cigarette smouldering away on the edge of my cab!!! It hadn't burnt down far enough to do any damage and I considered the guy who left it a friend. You can't trust anyone, so never lend or borrow gear and never be embarrassed about saying no.

I don't lend gear. No one treats someone else's gear like their own and I've seen plenty of people mistreating their own gear so why would they bother about yours?

My favourite BF pairing so far is my Super Compact and Super Midget. The SC is rated at 600 watts and the One10 is rated at 200 watts, so I don't see how the One10 can make a realistic contribution to the sound before the SC just overwhelms it. Edit . . . . on the other hand - there is a similar question over on Talkbass and some have tried mixing a Super Compact and One10 and like it. So I guess you should give it a go.

There was a similar scam when anyone could register someone else's land and houses on the Land Registry. People found they couldn't sell their property and some had their property sold for them by the fraudsters. Surprisingly, for a government department, the LR move pretty quickly and has changed its procedures and just about closed off this loop-hole.

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.