Dr.Dave

I gig regularly and if I were to list last years cock ups alone you'd all still be reading at Easter. How many cups of tea have you ever made yourself? Tons. Bet you still drop the spoon , miss the cup with the sugar , run out of milk etc etc. Same thing with gigging - sh*t happens - all we can do is... a) prepare ourselves by having spares of everything we can carry and focusing on the job in hand accept we'll still f*** it up at some point and learn by experience to deal with it a seamlessly as poss. Both are part of adopting a professional attitude and are as important as honing our musical skills for the gigging musician.

I'd had a cheapo spanish guitar kicking about since I was about 10 - but really only started playing when I was 16 , when I bought a Hofner violin bass after going out looking for a telecaster guitar. Did my first gig at 17 just after buying my Precision from a guy at work. I got a good sense of timing very quickly but it was pretty much root notes and the odd riff. I started to copy folk like Geddy Lee and that helped me build more technique and I started to figure out my own runs to fit into the songs I wasn't able to play 'properly'. I also decided I wasn't going to be a clone and largely rejected bass 'hero's' in favour of great bass performances. I got better over the next few years and I honestly can't remember what it's like not to be able to play. I bought an electric guitar for the first time in my 20s. I could play chords but taught myself to solo using simple blues scales. No doubt in my mind that doing that helped me become a better bass player , partic when it came to jamming with others. I was into my late 20s when I really felt I was halfway decent , and no longer in awe of many players I saw. I'm 46 now - no idea how many gigs I've played but it must be in the thousands. I'm not a 'natural' - wish I was , then I wouldn't have to practise.

[quote name='wotnwhy' post='103220' date='Dec 12 2007, 01:29 PM']"Though John Entwhistle.... looking a bit rough!" true, but if what i heard was true, he left us doing coke in a hotel room with a hooker in las vegas yes? pretty good going for a man of his age![/quote] I know - I , by comparison , will more likely meet my demise under a 189 bus in the pissing rain of Wakefield town centre by rushing across the road because my chips are too hot.

True enough Though John Entwhistle , Phil Lynott and Jaco are looking a bit rough!

My limit is 4 Fretted 4 spare/alternative fretted 4 fretted 5 fretless 4 So obviously I currently have 5 !!!! Fretted 4 spare/alternative fretted 4 pride and joy 73P that I'm too precious about to take round the toilets of northern England (so it doesn't count) fretless 4 Pointy thing I got for the trib band - making it a stage prop so (that doesn't count either) Because 2 of those don't count I really only have 3 And because I included a 5 string in my 'ideal' list and haven't got one I can minus that from my 'actuals' - leaving just 2. Which means - if my maths is correct - I can still buy 2 more making 7 but still only have 4 as long as one of them's a 5 string. Anyone fancy a nice game of cards??!!

[quote name='Krysbass' post='101061' date='Dec 7 2007, 06:42 PM']Hope your new 715X is OK. The basic 715 happens to be fairly near the top of a shortlist of combos I'm currently GASing for. I have to say that story has moved it a little higher. There are a few manufacturers whose products have a worse reputation for going wrong than Trace Elliott, but I guess it's how far they'll go to put matters right that counts.[/quote] I understand what you mean by this - and I'm pleased the Trace was replaced - but imho at the top of my shortlist would be he one where posts say ' dropped it down a lift shaft and it still worked fine'.

[quote name='SJA' post='99774' date='Dec 5 2007, 06:44 PM']the other 2 must be under the neck pickup, and going the other way into the body.[/quote] I may be wrong but don't these basses have some sort of block on the end of the neck that slots ino a recess in the body for more stability - therefore reducing the need for 4 bolts.

I was 17 the first time I played in front of people - I'm 46 now. That's a lot of gigs. I assure you I've never played faultlessly throughout one yet , and I never will . That's one thing I've learned - more important I learned how to cope when things go wrong. I enjoyed playing in original bands - you have to be driven - and accept that for every guy who earns a million quid out of it there's a million of us that can't make a quid. That's not the primary reason for playing your own music but , if you're anything like me , as you gain experience you feel the need to see it rewarded in some way. To put a value on your time and skills. If you're going to be a true pro you may find yourself playing music you don't actualyl like. I've never had to do that and it must be dreadful. These days I play blues/rock covers - though most folk haven't heard many of them. I do the ZZ trib thing too which is so much fun. I still write songs - for me - and record them when the spirit moves. All from the comfort of my warm, spare room with plenty of food in the kitchen and enough 'earned' money in my pockets to buy my nice bassy toys. I've learned enough about myself to know I wouldn't be a good pro in many ways. I'm not big on compromise and I'm not prepared to 'suffer for my art'. BUT - my fave saying - if you're getting paid for what you do , even if it's a tenner or a few free drinks - for that moment at least you are a professional , so act like one.

[quote name='tauzero' post='99321' date='Dec 5 2007, 12:58 AM']I tune my basses once a month, whether they need it or not.[/quote] That's my one liner !!!! The major thing that seems to alter the tuning of my basses is carrying them in a gig bag. I think the M/Cs turn against the padded fabric. In a hard case they never move. I do stretch the strings well though. I check my tuning before the gig and generally don't have to bother again. Odd glance at the racked Korg but that's about it. The turd in the water pipe is temp fluctuations mid gig , lights I'm sure are often the culprit. I have to watch that . That alone makes me interested in a bass that would keep itself in tune while my hands aren't free to do it myself. I'm not a gadget freak at all - suspiciously so - but my gig motto is anything that helps my performance is good and anything that hampers it is bad. If it works , and works well , I'm interested. I can see it would be more suited to guitar , with their thin little strings. Our guitarist uses any 2 (one of each brand) from 2 Gibsons and 3 Fenders for gigs. His instruments are set up and maintained well (he used to do it for a living) but the Fenders def. stay in tune far better than the Gibbos. No question.

I was a huge fan of the (I think) original 715 - at the time. There wasn't the competition around then. The updated version puts it on a par with several other combo's for that sort of figure. The GK400RB115 - The SWR workingpro 15 - Hartke VX2515 (less coin) - you've already mentioned Ashdown. There's others out there. I it was a simple a job as looking at the facilities I'd give the SWR a try , my heart would go GK , my wallet Hartke and I'd not think too much about the Trace except for old times sake. Not that simple though. Go try all you can and pick the one where you don't have to swing on the knobs to get a basic sound you're happy with. I'd also add that although I was a massive advocate of combos for gigs - had several , usually with extension cabs - I've changed my mind due to experience. I'd certainly go amp and cabs route for all but the smallest of gigs unless I was using the increasingly popular (and sensible) monitor/PA way of doing things even at pub/club level.

No way I'm using this opportunity to make a cheap knob gag - it's beneath me!!! Do you get new pots with a J retro? Might be that. I took the nasty placcy ones off my status and replaced them with black metal jobs which was a pain. I ended up shaving bits of plastic off the pot spindles to make them fit. Not a brill job as the grub screw pulls them a bit wonky when it's tightened. You could try that and hope it doesn't go to cock. Cock. Aaagggh bugger - I was so close to a knob gag free post!

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='93955' date='Nov 24 2007, 09:52 PM']I've always just screwed them straight into the cab in place of the rubber feet and never had any problems. Try to get some with locking wheels - helps with wonky stages.[/quote] Me too , but I've always used bolts. If you do , make sure you're going to miss the bracing inside the cab when you mark/drill the holes. Those fold up sack carts are cheap as chips these days. Move all your kit with one of those plus they have a thousand and one ther uses. Up to you really.

Glue it , sellotape it , make it work somehow - while you get a new one sorted. In fact , while you get a new two sorted. If you can carry a spare of something - do so.

My time traveller combo was very versatile , very hi - fi , and a good build quality. Lots of pro facilities. It just didn't suit me and I didn't think it was particularly loud for its rating.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='93623' date='Nov 24 2007, 04:26 AM']As we got to the end of one particular tune, it all got a bit much. I finished about four bars early, put my bass down, stepped off the stage, and...heeeuuuurrrgghhhh!!![/quote] That's 'Mustang Sally' for you !!

[quote name='Rich' post='93657' date='Nov 24 2007, 09:36 AM']Why do we do these daft things, ploughing ahead with a gig whilst suffering from something that we wouldn't dream of going to our day-job with? Is it just artistic integrity? Fear of breaking a contract? Bulldog spirit? Insanity? [/quote] All of the above , I think. 'Show must go on' gene. Hope WoT's not actually drinking water from the tyne. You need water though , matey , if you're throwing up. Dehydrates you. Hope you're better today.

I love my shukerised 3000 - it's glassy , growly sound is wrong for a blues rock band and I care not a jot!! The headless design is useful to me on small stages and for transportation but the biggest thing for me is it's playability. Effortless.

You're rightly concerned about the truss rod repair , which is why you've asked us , and it represents a mssive investment for you. Ask the shop while haggling if they're happy for you to leave a returnable deposit so you can take it to an independent luthier for his opinion. He won't charge much for that and you can include his fee in your haggle. I hope this works out well for you - a sabre is a fine and versatile pro's tool. Remember too that you're buying this from a dealer - that means you pay more han a private sale but should expect some afterservice and a warranty of some sorts. Do talk about this during the haggle and make sure it's written on your receipt - peace of mind is something as valuable as pound notes.

Both. Maybe. Temporarily I've fixed probs like this with rubber solution glue in the past. Stuff like copydex (if you can still get it) I just bunged a load round the hole both sides and cracked on. Never with an alu cone though. I've seen paper cones repaired with a bit of masking tape and wallpaper paste. My mate's bands PA was like that for years. I did have a recone eventually - but recones are as expensive as most new drivers so I'd get cracking with ordering a new one.