chris_b

I've owned 3 milestone basses.

The bass that started me off and on which I learnt the most, a Framus Star bass.

My first "pro" bass, a Fender Precision. I knew I'd "made it" when I played my first gig with this bass.

My first 5 string bass, an MM SR5. Made the transition from 4 to 5 very easy.

I've owned far better basses than these 3, but I learnt 99% of what I know on these guys.

I don't know GR gear, but I've been a Barefaced user for the last 10 years. I started with 2 SC's and 2 Two10's and decided to go with the 112's. I now have an SC, a BB2 and an SM.

IME you need a good amp to get the best sound because these cabs put out what you put in. The cab won't save you from the sound of an average amp, but a good amp (I use Aguilar) will sound fantastic.

I believe you still get a 1 month trial period. Email BF. They are very good at matching their cabs to your requirements. 

20 minutes ago, Merton said:

. . . .  But I bet 80-90% of the audience wouldn’t notice…

That's our job, to be invisible, indispensable and to make everyone else sound good.

For the bands I'm a member of, I will always know the songs.

For the bands I dep with, 18 this year so far, that depends how often I play with them. For the regulars I know the songs. For one-offs I'll use charts as a safety net. Most bands would rather I get the songs right and as I make John Entwistle look animated visuals come a distant second.

2 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

If I'm using a crib sheet, it's on the floor and in big letters. 

With my back I'd never get down there to turn over the page!!

I use a music stand sometimes, when I'm depping. Most top touring acts have monitors.

As said above, David Bowie used one and came unstuck when he announced the wrong song. They started to play and he discovered he was looking at the wrong words, but also the drummers click track was on the wrong song!!

4 hours ago, Skybone said:

I can understand taking a spare instrument if you are in a band that's going to play 2-3 hours worth of music over numerous sets at functions / weddings etc.

 

However, if you're playing 30-40-60 minute sets down the Dog & Duck, then I think it's probably a bit overkill.

 

I don't understand this attitude. Why should the people at the Dog and Duck not get the same consideration?

IMO every gig is the Albert Hall, and should get your 100% effort. I've been asked to join several bands by band leaders who have seen me on a gig.

Always leave relevant feedback on Basschat. Even post about it. The more information out there the better.

Depends how seriously you take playing in a band.

Do you mind letting your band mates down, screwing up a gig, disappointing an audience, pissing off a promoter? I do, so I bring 2 of everything.

The last time I had a cab fail was in the 70's, the last time I had an amp fail was in the 90's and I've never had a bass fail, but I still bring 2 of everything.

I did everything on my bass, changed pickups, bridges, setups etc etc. I was much younger.

These days I just want to play them, and I can afford to pay someone else to roll their sleeves up.

I've owned 3 Laklands, a US 55-94 and 2 Skylines, 55-01 and 55-02. They were fantastic instruments and I loved playing them. I had to sell, back problems, or I'd still be playing them.

I like Coldplay. They write good songs, put on good shows, have built a loyal base of fans around the world, are very listenable if you're not a core supporter. I've played their songs in cover bands and they have always gone down well with the audiences.

On 14/09/2024 at 11:26, uk_lefty said:

So, I've got a Fender player P bass. It sounds perfect with Ernie Ball flats being played through a valve amp with the gain set nice and high. I don't always have this luxury though and sometimes I want a bit more bite from it. Example: I played a festival last weekend and had v little time to set up using unfamiliar kit, the sound was very woolly.

When you play festivals you get what you get. You can have a good sound or a bad sound, it's in the lap of the gods. You won't sort out any FOH issues with your equipment.

If your P bass sounds "perfect" through your rig, you don't need to do anything. For the situations where you might want something your bass can't give, try a preamp.

1 hour ago, Graham A said:

They are indeed Chris, although you're not helping my indecision 😂 I know if i let it go the chances of seeing another lefty would be extremely slim, if not impossible on the second hand market.

 I've read on here that you & @Happy Jack  have your Lull's strung with flatwound strings, i'm wondering if that's the way forward 🤔  

I've played everything that you and @Happy Jack have listed, and more, and IMO TI flats on my PJ5 just make it shine in every band and in every genre. Jack turned me on to flats and they made my PJ5 sound 100 times better.

I have one regret, I sold a Mike Lull Jazz bass. In 50 years it's the only bass I wish I'd never sold!! You are right, you'll never see another in the classifieds and I believe a new one is around $4.5k.

Try it with flats and see if that works for you.

I've done a few gigs for free, but have never paid to play.

These are fantastic basses.

In the very early 70's we did a residency on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. It was in Ladbroke Grove and there was usually a punch up on 2 out of the 3 nights. Not just handbags but real John Wayne bar room brawls, tables and chairs and everything. The fights never came our way but the management advised us if we kept playing the fighters would ignore us. And they did!!

Check out small Markbass combos. They have combos from 60 watts to 250 watts and you should be able to find a shop where you can try one out.

A lot of gigs pay into a bank account on receipt of an invoice.

Nothing unusual about that.

Buying cheap can be a false economy.

Cheap gear can easily make you sound bad, which is no incentive to pick up your bass.

Buy a good combo and you'll sound great and always be able to sell it on.

1 hour ago, clarket2 said:

Trying to play instruments (while in use by the performers)

Taking back up instruments off stage

Playing with amps/pa gear

Climbing on equipment

Inappropriate physical contact

Aggression (both verbal and physical)

 

In the early days we had to deal with people doing all of these things. Fortunately I haven't seen any "situations" for many years, but if someone is interfering with the band, the gear or the performance you have to stop until they move or are moved off the stage and away from the band. Until COVID I regularly depped in a band where the bass player refused to do the gig because the people made him "nervous"! I never saw any problems, but they were a little lairy at times.

Get an amp and a cab that are loud enough and light enough. . . . and then get a DB friendly pre-amp, or a 2 channel pre-amp, one for DB and one for electric bass.

If weight is a problem get a separate head and cab.

My main bass is a Mike Lull PJ5 with 10 year old TI flats and a lump of foam. Sounds magic.

If I want to sound like a traditional P bass I'll turn the J off and use my Aguilar TH500. For a modern P bass sound I'll turn the P pickup on full and have the J on at about 90% and use the AG700 amp. If I want more mids and top I'll use the Aguilar AG700 and turn the J and tone control up to about 90%.

The rig is Aguilar and Barefaced 112's.

. . . . and to clear up some earlier misinformation (for which I apologize). . . . Dave Richmond played bass on Je t'aime.