chris_b

I'd get a Barefaced Super Compact or the Compact T. I've used mine for the last 8 years. It's a small, light weight cab with a big sound and lots of volume. Also sounds good at a whisper.

I taught myself listening to records by the Stones, Beatles, Kinks, Animals etc, then moved on to Stax, Atlantic, Fame etc. Playing all the 45's at 33 so I could get the lines. While I was playing along to records I bought lots of sheet music and taught myself to read. My school band was a blues, soul and jazz band and the brass section used to bring parts to rehearsals, so my reading chops were pretty good by the time I left school. Sadly hardly ever used since. After 50+ years, I finally had some lessons, with Ian King. A great player and he learnt this old dog some great new tricks. Also made me realise how much better a player I could have been if I carried on with the reading and musical theory.

That's the reason I favour having 2 #1 basses and using both.

I prefer a clean bass sound so instead of running a 350 watt amp flat out I'll run a 700 watt amp at half power.

I'd not spend anymore money until you've tracked down what's going on with your current rig.

We are all guessing. Email Barefaced. They will have a better chance of solving your problem . PS beat me to it.

You are causing a 1600 watt cab to breakup by using a 500 watt amp? I don't know Ashdown, but sounds like you're over-driving the preamp. I'd email Barefaced and get their opinion on this.

Your 500 watt amp is pushing a BT2 to "breaking point"???? I find that surprising. Maybe you are pushing the amp too hard? In my loudest band I use a 700 watt amp into a BF BB2 and SM. With the volume at 1 o'clock, I'm getting no break up at all. Even using the B string on my PJ5.

That was Victor Wooten.

I agree. Guitar, vocals and drums were good but. . . . . !

This. You might be modding because you want to, or because you have to, but I'd suggest the next bass you buy should do the job without any help from you. Think of a bass, then get a better one., A used bass in great condition, that sounds right, will help your budget go further.

Bad notes are debatable, but a bad groove is unforgivable. Musicians hear all the bad notes and audiences hear all the good notes.

The SVT3-PRO user manual says turn the Master up full and balance the volume on the Gain. I could only get the Master to 3 o'clock before the "noise" became intrusive. All the buttons were in the off position. Through Mesa Boogie 210EV and 115EV cabs it could go very loud.

Mistakes are fine. It's what you play next to turn them back into good notes that matters.

Whatever the singer is doing is the song, so follow them. If individual musicians get it wrong then keep to the arrangement and let them catch up.

More speakers equals all of those things, plus better tone. I used both cabs at the weekend when 1 would have covered the gig. With no extra volume, the top cab made it easier for me to hear myself and the better tone from moving more air made 2 cabs a good move.

I've seen other players break strings, lose sound during a set and not even get past sound check. That has never happened to me but it's part of my job to ensure I'm covered if it does. Most of the guitarists I play with use 2 guitars, one even has backup pedals, and several drummers bring 2 snare drums. I'm getting paid. Someone, a promoter/landlord, is hiring the band so they can make money, therefore a professional approach includes backups.

Don't tell Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker or Etta James. I've been playing all styles of music, including blues bands, with 5 string basses since the mid 90's. No one has made a negative comment yet.

Nope. No sympathy for the band. My guess is that anyone who is hating the show won't be at the front of the stage, but will be at the back looking for the door. If all the band can see, amongst the crowd having a good time, is one person not having a good time, then they should either try harder or get on with doing their job for the majority.

So you don't like one person in the room, what's the problem in putting on a great show for everyone else?

. . . . and it's about meeting losers and being picky at the same time. He's had 3 attempts. That's not even scratching the surface. When he's had 33 attempts then talk about the problems finding good bands. Unless you are well connected, very talented or just lucky, you have to start at the bottom, maybe in less than ideal bands and work your way up to better bands from there.

"Decent" bands don't advertise. It's all done by word of mouth, recommendation, friends of friends etc. Get into a band (or several) and meet as many musicians as you can. If your face fits you'll meet people who will be interested in working with you.

That's how I used to set up my LM2. It was a great sound in every room, with a Lakland 55-94 through Berg cabs.

There are a couple of promoters my bands work for and it's all done on a personal level. If they like you, you're in. If they don't you're out. How good the band is is not always the prime motivation to giving you the gig. If the decision to end the relationship is made it doesn't matter how flimsy the reason, you didn't say the right thing when last you met, etc, it can be an arbitrary thing.

We rise through the ranks depending on our personalities, ability on our instrument and by being in the right place at the right time. My last audition was in 1985. Since then I've been solidly gigging thanks to the recommendations of people I've met or played with. . . . . or people who know people I've played with. IMO learning to network is almost as important as learning to play your instrument.