chris_b

When it comes to the internet I never cease to be surprised by the absolute self confidence of the immature, inexperienced and logically challenged.

I'm tempted to say that, like there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing, there's no such thing as too loud - just inappropriate gear. If your amp can't be heard, get a bigger amp and/or cab. If you can't hear your vocals, get monitors or IEM's. If your ears are ringing, get custom earplugs. You can't say 350 watts [i]should[/i] be OK. Either it is or it isn't. If it isn't you need more. Of course you could always fire the loud ones or leave. I been in many bands trying to rein in bloody guitarists by not joining in the volume wars. It usually had no effect other than I was told that the audience couldn't hear the bass. I was always playing in good bands with good players and didn't want to leave so I joined up and went as loud. The bottom line is, if the gig tells you you're too loud, you're too loud. If they don't then you're not. You might want to play at a quieter level, but that's a different issue. Leaving is always an option but IMO there would have to be another, more important, reason other than being "too loud" for me to leave a band.

At 16 my favourite band was John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, with Eric Clapton.

Where does Oomph start and end, then?

IMO it's not the size of the kit or the make that is the difference but the player. If your guy doesn't like rods he'll have to play sticks quieter. If he can't do that then, sorry, he's not as good as you think.

If you find a really great bass that needs you to adapt your technique in order to play it then why not. So far I haven't found a bass that is that good. All my great sounding basses are 18-19mm and there are a lot of even better basses out there with the same string spacing so that's what I require in a bass.

You will notice as much difference playing 34" and 35" scale basses as you would black or white basses.

Do any bass manufacturers actually make strings?

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1471933045' post='3116991'] Can someone convince me otherwise . . . . ? [/quote] Why? He's not for you so that's that. I don't much like Jaco or Mark King. Why should anyone else care about that? VW is a cracking bass player who plays to the situation he is in. His clinics and display gigs are full of "circus" bass because that's what is required. His other gigs range from Bela Fleck, through to Chick Corea and pretty "normal" bass lines on Keb Mo's record of a few years ago. VW isn't a one-trick pony. Non of those guys are and, having met him, he really is a nice guy.

I played through a Staccato and then upgraded to an RH750. I thought, and was told by a few people, that I sounded pretty good. I also sat 5' away from Nathan East for an evening listening to his amazing playing and great sound through TC gear. It's not for everyone, what is, but in the right hands TC sounds pretty good to me.

What about Clackers?

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1471785618' post='3115816'] And what a difference! My £550 bass now sounds like a £1,000 instrument. [/quote] Good move.

How about going passive?

I put GHS flats on my PJ5without knowing anything about them. They've been on for almost 4 years and I'd recommend them to anyone. The black tape La Bella's on my briefly owned Rob Allen were very good as well. Edit: PS The only thing I'd say is embrace the change. Flats are not rounds and will never sound close so don't try to keep your bright sound. Modify your expectations and leave the twang behind.

I was proud to put Musician my passport. I didn't always do union gigs but back in the day when the entertainment businesses were "protected" and quota systems existed it caused problems getting into France. Germany got very sniffy as well.

Some very fine dividing lines here. I call myself a bass player and musician. In that order. I don't worry about definitions except for the working/not working one.

Over the years I've heard some world class guitarists talking about differences in their gear and sound that were so small that to everyone other than themselves they were practically irrelevant. Bass gear has improved to the point that we can now do this. Some players switch around because they can. I swap basses about every 10 years or so, but have no problem with those who do so more frequently.

One of the few albums where I bought the LP, Cassette tape and then the CD.

I used to run a 212 Berg cab with a TH500 and the Gain was at 12 o'clock and the Master would be on 11 - 12 o'clock. I'm now running 2 BF Super Compacts and the Master is on 9 o'clock to get the same volume. My point is that the BF's give you more SPL for your watts, so I'd suggest you add the BF Four10 to your list.

[quote name='Trueno' timestamp='1471770360' post='3115637'] I got nervous on my very very first gigs. . . . . started thinking about my shopping list for the next day. [/quote] I couldn't eat for 2 days before my first gig. I regularly think about the shopping, that girl dancing at the front, getting the MOT etc etc when I'm playing.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1471729543' post='3115460'] The difference between a pro and and amateur is - the amateur practices until he gets it right. - the pro practices until he can't get it wrong. [/quote] Pro's still make mistakes. Amateurs worry about the mistakes and Pro's don't, because they'll probably know how to get out of them and make them sound like they were part of the show. There's no point in being nervous before you go on. You have done your homework or you haven't. Either way you just have to get up there and do your best job and enjoy it.

Keep up.

I have owned a US Lakland since 2003 and done near on a thousand gigs with it. It feels, plays and sounds perfect. I also own an Am Std Fender which in 2 years has done 3 gigs. It sounds and plays well. It's not a bad bass in any respect but up against the Lakland there's no competition.

Sad news. Loved his playing.

A Hofner sounding better than a Wal? Now that is rare.