chris_b

Sitting in a field isn't how I want to consume my music, but large or small, I think festivals are a great thing. I'm playing at a couple of local festivals next month. Friends went to Glasto every year for decades. They went for the experience as much as the music. The last big festival I went to was Reading 1973. I'm afraid I can't take most of the DJ/presenters on the TV coverage of Glasto, so I don't keep up with who's appearing.

I prefer big basses, then I can hide my gut behind them.

I saw the Southern Knights tour at the Victoria Theatre, about 1976. I can't remember if Larry Carlton was there, but Pops Popwell was mega.

Always take your full rig. The guy might not show up!! But throwing the new piece of kit straight into battle is a no brainer for me.

How hard can it be? You guys need more confidence in your ability to get your sound.

You are right. But that's the way of the world. All I can do is make sure it's not my stinky poo that happens, but someone else's.

Nope. I arrive at a rehearsal knowing the material, so all we have to do is top and tail the songs. A good rehearsal equals a good gig in my experience.

I don't mind making a detour for a good sale. I picked up my Thunderfunk in Cambridge on the way to a gig in Norfolk, picked up my BB2 in Essex on the way to Billericay and picked up my Lull on the way to a gig in Kent. Used them all on the gig. I always have my regular gear with me. So far there have never been any issues. I buy gear to gig, so why not use it at the earliest opportunity.

In winter fur lined leather gloves create havoc with my technique, but apart from that, no.

Nice tone.

It's a new bass so I wouldn't accept any niggles or issues, no matter how slight.

Many years ago, I replaced my original Fender Precision pickup with Bartolini. My sound went from average and anaemic to a glorious dynamic, punchy and warm sound. The Barts that came on my early Lakland 55-94 produced an equally fantastic sound.

I have a piece of soft foam under the flats on my P bass, which seems to control the tone by the right amount. Can't remember where it came from. I've tried various types, including a harder foam from a washing up sponge, but it was too hard and killed the tone.

I'm not an MM fan, but I like the look of the 35th bass. I like hardcases but I only used them when posting a bass. A Vertigo M80 gets all the gigs.

Snobbery is when someone buys expensive gear when they can't tell the difference. Inverted snobbery is when someone buys cheap gear and claims there is no difference.

Hey 5, nice job.

Markbass are probably suffering from the same supply chain issues that's stopped Mesa exporting their amps.

Gear is just stuff. I listen to the player. If he's a good I don't care what he's playing.

Hopefully what Alex does right now will enable him to weather this economic crisis.

I know a guitarist who does a couple of festivals in Northern Ireland . He used to travel to Dublin and drive up, now because of Brexit, the paper work to take a band to an EU country is over £300. He's panning to take the ferry to Belfast now, a much longer journey.

IMO Wal are doing just what they need to do in order to maintain their brand. Pete Stevens passed the whole company over to Paul Herman (an ex Wal luthier), so they are very much genuine Wal basses.

I got a great sound out of a Mesa Boogie 115EV cab for many years and my current 112's exceed anything that cab could put out. My guess is that this is always a preference based choice. Some like 15's some don't. I've been with 112's for about 12 years now. Can't see that changing any time soon.

I wouldn't choose one neck over the other. So far I've only played bolt on necks, but it's never been a consideration. I'd take what ever comes on the bass that I prefer.

I'll also suggest a pickup directly wired to the jack plug socket. You can have an outboard preamp clipped to your belt.

How light is your definition of lightweight? After a back injury, mine is any lift that is less than 24lbs (11kg). I use a Barefaced SC and an SM, 21.5lbs each, sounds fantastic and louder than a loud thing. With these cabs you don't need FOH.