chris_b

[quote name='Huge Hands' timestamp='1488188246' post='3246519']I get depped for the first time in July - not looking forward to it![/quote] You should worry about your son first. It usually doesn't happen but getting kicked out is always on the cards. . . . if you let them. Be better so they don't want to loose you but sometimes there is nothing you can do about it. I got chucked out of a band because the drummer wanted to play with someone else! He quit and his price for coming back was that the band leader fired me, which they did. Nice huh? That's bands for you. I was also kicked out of a band so they could get the dep in permanently. That BL was a nasty piece of work, everyone else was either fired or quit within the next few months. You move on from those situations to better and nicer situations. As I say if the band likes you and your playing they'll usually keep you. Make them like you.

My first thought was to suggest downsizing the amp first. Run it with one of your 210's and see where you go from there.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1488105079' post='3245787'] . . . . tell them that in future, once it's in your diary it's a done deal. [/quote] You can try. . . . I wouldn't use a dep who told me what I could or couldn't do. Having said that I wouldn't cancel someone in this way either. I'd stick to the arrangement.

It's very "cliquey" around here. I'm on the outskirts of the clique but trying to get further in, even after 20 years, is almost impossible. The better local bands seem to have some very long term associations with bass players, going back 30 and in one case 40 years. You really can't break into those circles until someone dies! Even then the regular deps go back nearly that far!!

If you have a thumpy sound you'll be affected by a thumpy room. My Bergs had a very tight and well controlled low end. A ton of bass and no thump in any room. My BF Super Compacts are almost the same.

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1488096938' post='3245695'] That cuts both ways though. [/quote] Yes it can, but as I say my experience is that the guys who give us bad news are not always wrong. As a bass player we should always be assessing ourselves and what we do and how we do it. I've seen so many guys who thought they were great when the rest of the band were plotting to sack them because they weren't.

Get an American Standard and put flats on it. If you have to, upgrade the pickup and pots and that should do it. If you still find yourself wanting another bass get it. There's no law against owning 2 or more basses.

When I joined my first pro band, a 10 piece soul band, I threw away my falling apart and crappy Framus and bought the only "pro" bass I could afford, an old Gibson EB0. I duly turned up at the first rehearsal and was told, "That won't do". They then thrust the singer's old Danelectro into my hands. I didn't throw my toys out of the pram, I was in Brussels, and had to stay, but when I tried the EB0 on a rehearsal. . . they were right. It didn't fit at all. I hated the Dan but it definitely sounded 100% better. They even hired in a 1962 Fender P for the album. I made enough in that band to buy a new Fender Precision, which I played for the next 25 years and still have. Lessons learned. Never assume you know everything. Never assume the other guy knows nothing. A P bass will get you through any gig on the planet.

I've had deps cancelled because the regular bass player was available again. Even if you've turned down other work, what can you do? Throwing your toys out of the pram and telling the band to take a hike isn't very professional or effective. It's cutting your nose off to spite your face. A gig is a gig. I'd do the remaining gig.

I started with the Staccato which I liked a lot but I was often running it at over noon on the volumes (a couple of very loud bands), so I upgraded to the RH750 which sounded even better and was louder than I needed. I used mine with Bergantino cabs and the overall sound was very good. I occasionally used the RH750 to run 3 Bergantino cabs at 2.6 ohms. Worked a treat. I only sold the RH750 to fund my Thunderfunk when it came on the market.

That was one time only, but needs must. Do you blame me, the trio or the genre? I'm not apologising as it paid the rent and kept me going until a proper gig came up.

IMO the passive option is a "get you to the end of the gig in an emergency" facility. I wouldn't run out of choice. I've got 2 active basses and the passive option on the Lull is so good I don't need the EQ at all. The passive option on the Lakland is more limited and I have to change the amp's eq to cover. It's all the same frequencies so I'd expect your amp to be able to get a good approximation to the onboard eq.

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1487933874' post='3244256'] Its Jazz, and as my tenor sax playing brother in law says..."Its Jazz, there is no such thing as a wrong note." [/quote] . . . . just poor choices! The last time I told this story Bilbo nearly threw his Zimmerframe across the room! I was asked to do some gigs with a Jazz piano trio. I said OK, knowing I didn't know any Jazz tunes. hey it was a paying gig. One piece of advice I was given a few years before worked a treat. [i]Never hit the same note twice in a row. If you do you've made a pattern and it can be right or more likley, wrong. Use different notes and you're either playing the right note, a harmony or a passing note[/i]. I guess this is ancient dance band philosophy and it's pretty close to Victor Wootens, [i]You're only a semi tone away from the right note[/i], but it worked for me. Turned the volume down, bass full up and set up on the other side of the drums and no one noticed. I did that gig for about 4 months.

Surely if you're noticing the height of the frets you're pressing too hard.

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1487930802' post='3244196'] Anyway, after last night's vocal rehearsal and subsequent discussion, it is apparent that I can use whatever I like. [/quote] That's good. Having a chat is always better than confrontation. But, are you sure? Listening to your video I can hear some strong 5 string bass lines.

2 things. . . My Spanish guitar had an action so high I couldn't press down all the strings at once. So no chance of chords. A best friend who already had a Futurama 2 Deluxe and Watkins Dominator and played all the guitar parts. We needed bass lines so that's how it all started.

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1487799058' post='3243114'] I feel like a dinosaur and it's getting near extinction time. [/quote] I first felt that when Punk arrived!

A serious musician would understand the concept of different basses, sounds and even dress being appropriate or not in different playing circumstances. If you are in this situation you just have to decide how serious you are about your playing. All this "tell 'em to F Off" is no very grown up.

If it was causing a problem and I liked the band then I'd have no problem bringing another bass.

Longing for something is nothing like owning it. Once you make a special bass your go-to instrument your levels, expectations and interests readjust.

+1 for the Gallien Krueger MB500, while you're making your mind up. You don't give a budget, but the Mesa Boogie Subway D800 and Aguilar TH500 are great amps that would leave your band thinking "Wow" when they hear your new sound.

Together my Mike Lull P and J basses and US Lakland didn't cost as much as some of the sums being bandied about. If you're careful you don't have to spend a lot to get good basses.

Which sets are you comparing? There is always a difference between things. Often cheap means a lack of quality, so you have to develop your preferences. I would imagine that some cheap sets won't sound as good as some better sets and might not last as long, but as the others have said, the strings you prefer might have nothing to do with the price. I've had a set of GHS precision flats on my P bass for about 5 years. They always sounded good. I've just put on a set of TI's and I think after playing them in the house for a week I might prefer the cheaper GHS strings. The first gig is tonight and I'll make my mind up tomorrow.

While you're looking I'd check out Lakland and Mike Lull basses. Top quality instruments.

A TH500 is 350 watts into 8 ohms and you cannot damage an amp by running it into a cab with a higher watts rating. Cabs don't drain amps. Amps power cabs so IMO you would be fine with this gear as long as 350 watts is all you need. If you want more volume add another 8 ohm cab. I have no idea what this Ashdown cab sounds like but I've used a TH500 for the last 3 years through several Bergantino cabs and several Barefaced cabs. It has sounded perfect to my ears in every situation.