chris_b

When I get a new bass I'll have it fret stoned (if required) and set up, usually by the Gallery. After that I'll adjust the bridge if the action needs fine tuning. I don't know what they charge. I can afford it and they give me back a stonking instrument. IMO worth every penny.

Pino gets gigs and sessions even though he can't read. So did Glen Campbell. So did Joe Osborne, but when he discovered he could get even more gigs by reading. . . he learnt to read. Reading is fine. Not reading is only fine if you don't need to. I do quite a lot of deps but with some bands there can be long gaps between calls. I chart everything and make notes of rhythms, runs and riffs. When I get the next call I can be up to speed in no time. It's surprising how little band sets can change over the years.

Overplaying is a negative term so it is never right. Busy or complicated paying can be appropriate, depending on the piece, but if you are overplaying you are doing something wrong.

I grew up listening to the Stax, Atlantic, American and Fame studio guys. There's not an ounce of fat on any of those songs from any musician.

It doesn't. But knowing theory, and having the notes under your fingers enables you to play by ear and jam much more effectively.

I know it was a fact of life in the early days that "producers" thought band members were dispensable and disposable, but I totally disagree with the arrogance of the likes of Toni Visconti and others who seem to think a record being made by a band isn't about capturing the sound and chemistry of the members of that band. They'd have to be paying me millions to make me accept that the band thought I was good enough for the gig but not good enough for the records.

Yes. Very much.

Understanding music theory benefits every player. Being able to read is a skill that can be useful in many playing and learning situations.

When you've checked out everything else, look at the Overwater J and Hybrid series. Theses are great sounding instruments.

Your singer needs sorting out?

I can vouch for Sadowsky and Lull Jazz basses. IMO they're just a class above all other J basses I've tried. Sadowsky now have the Satin series which is a lower cost NYC bass. Lower cost only because of the reduced options available. They also have the new Metro Express range which is their first factory bass and made in Japan. You could check out Moon, Moollon, Atelier, Suhr, Low End and all the European basses, the list is endless. Everyone's got a J bass in their catalogue.

Just worked for me. £7.70 off a 5 string set of NYXL's. Put the code in in lower case.

With the offer these are £3 cheaper than the cheapest set I could find two days ago. If the code starts to work it might be worth getting a couple of sets for later.

Julian, have some lessons. If, like me, you find it difficult to achieve results on your own, having to face someone and tell them you couldn't do it might make you try that bit harder and achieve your results. I know that with the hints and examples my tutor gave me I turned a corner. I also made sure I played everything he asked me to, when I'd have stopped if I was on my own.

Many bass amps have controls with 0 at 12 o'clock, with + (adding tone) to the right and - (reducing tone) to the left. The controls on your amp don't seem to be set out in this way. They start at 0 and go clockwise to 10. If I'm reading this right you have to start at 0 and turn the controls to where you get a sound that you prefer. You're leaning bass, you also have to learn how to use an amp. Experiment, you'll find a sound you like. You also have to face facts, this is a practice amp with an 8" speaker and probably less than adequate components. Maybe there just isn't a sound in there that you'll like. IMO if you've got to the point where you're starting to notice the quality of the sound, then you've outgrown this amp and need to move up to a better combo.

Errr. My thought here is, if the guitarists are watching you and your finger positions they're not focusing on their job. You do what you have to to get the best bass job done. If that messes with the guitarists heads, you need better guitarists.

It's a fake because it's not what it says it is. And if it's not what it says it is. What is it? Do you think spending £230 is a good way to find out? That should be enough of a warning to save you wasting your hard earned cash. Maybe it isn't. I don't care if you buy it or not, but you did ask for opinions.

Excellent. It's a great feeling when a plan comes together.

Why spend any money on a fake? That's £230 not going towards a proper bass. So, no, it's not worth a punt at £5 let alone £230.

The subject of deps or subs only come up because you'll need someone to do one of the gigs when you're off doing the other, ie both bands gigging on the same night.

The guys who are playing in multiple bands are telling you that organising the diary and getting agreement is critical. As I said there has to be a pecking order. Obviously there will be limited success if you join two bands playing every Friday and Saturday. The only sensible solution to getting fired, when you don't want to be fired, because you've joined a second band. . . is. . . don't join the second band. Easy. Deps and multiple bands doesn't bother most of the guys I play with because they are all working musicians and none of them are selfish enough to make a professional player turn down work and sit at home on a gig night, just in case they have a gig come in. These guys have their diaries worked out many months in advance, so there are no surprises and there is always a solution to line up problems. If you can't put a dep in for the first band, put a dep in for the second bands gig. Easy. I understand we are in different musical worlds, but a dog in the manger approach doesn't go down well with anyone I know.

Why get a 5 string version of your 4 string? If it's too heavy, definitely don't buy it! Again, 5 string bass necks will be about 19mm wider. Unless you haven't bought a very good one that doesn't make them bulkier. Also, as I say, if you play them right you will not notice the extra width.

Bulkier? My Lakland had a very easy neck to play. So do my Lull and Sadowsky basses. No bulkiness there. Less comfortable to play? Not if you have a good technique. Most players are not versatile because of limitations in the way they play. Improve yourself don't blame your tools. Typically heavier? Again look up the numbers. There are a lot of 8.5 - 9.5 5 string basses out there. Buy these and leave the rest to the Charles Atlas school of bass playing.

You're pushing the strings into the fret board. You don't have to press down that hard on the string to make the notes.

It can be if you know good players. We used a dep drummer yesterday and he was better than the regular guy.