Dr.Dave

[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.

Graphite - spalted wood - Barts.

If I had any talent/skill whatsoever on a bass with more than 4 strings I'd chew your fingers off to get it.

What a fine looking instrument and I hope it gets a good home amongst us.

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!

You know what I think.

As you go through your bass playing life and better bases come and go - one day you'll be thinking about the old Encore you started out on and wish you'd hung on to it.

For the sake of £25?

I'd keep it mate - though good luck with the sale if you disagree.

[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.

I bought it used maybe 2 years ago from a BWer but no idea of it's history before that. It is UK made.
In the pic there's it's serial number - maybe you could date it from that. Condition wise it's tip top - as I say prob because of the cover.

That's both the amps gone so I'll ammend the title.

Roll up , roll up etc for the cab

The GK1001RB has gone

The 400RB might have

The mini 48 is still here. As you may have seen in 'off topic' I'm looking after a stray cat - so buy now or the pussy gets it !!!

It costs £13.50 return from Piccadilly (plus 20p if you're unfortunate enough to need the toilet there) to Wakefield kirkgate which is 2 mins walk from chez moi.
or
About 40 miles and bits over the M62 - depends then if you're in a Micra or a Jag

or 10.99 via senditnow dot com

or bugger all if you could pick it up from Man airport train station in a couple of weeks from Mrs Doc who'll be a bit grumpy about carrying it and has a plane to catch!

Up for sale

GK400RB Mk3 head.
My gigging amp until a few months ago when I bought a Mk4.
Has an occassional low volume crackle - probably a mucky pot - but works 100%. Some marks on the front but spent it's time rack mounted. I had it tested a couple of years ago and still have the cert.
£150 to you ,chief, because of the crackle.*******SOLD*********

Ashdown ABM mini 48 cab. No issues so £160.
Actually one of the plastic jack speaker inputs at the back is missing the plastic nut so £155.
But it has a nice Ashdown cover that's kept it in good nick so back up to £160!!!!***********SOLD***********

Basically the top half of my gigging rig til recently - and here it is. The rack,tuner and 15" cab are very much still part of my rig so just ignore them.

This kit has 'talent circuits' installed and does make you play better , as well as making you more attractive to the opposite sex - and that's true , that is. My mate knows a bloke that told him.




I also have a GK1001RB Mk3. Looks immaculate but doesn't work. Don't ask me it just packed in while I was setting up one night. I took it to the local shop and asked them to have it fixed , from what I can gather the guy they use couldn't be arsed to find whatever bits he needed and I've lost interest in trying to find someone local who can be arsed. In other words - I can't be arsed either.
So - spares or repair - £75*******SOLD****************

Trades....well... I want a smallish decent quality combo. Mainly for practise but for the odd lounge gig too. Maybe a Hartke A70/100 - a trace BLX130 or anything from the older series 6 range. Whatever - tell me what you've got.

1978 Ovation Legend bowl back - tobacco - tatty Ovation case.

That the sort of guitar you're looking for as part of a deal?

I've also an Ashdown mini 48 and a GK 400RB with a scratchy pot I'd let go

There's another point.

I think it's wise to start out on a tried and tested instrument that's simple to use , has a classic sound , and is the choice of pro players worldwide in every style of music you can imagine to this day.

Then , as experience begins to develop , players may feel the need to refine their choice of instrument in terms of sound,facilities etc to better suit their style or the music they play.
At that point - some will find the P still can't be bettered , others will wonder how they ever got by with such a one trick pony.

As with much in life - if you want to bend or break the rules you can , by definition , only do that if you know them first.

[quote name='Jono' post='70751' date='Oct 7 2007, 07:45 PM']Just been watching the Show of hands DVD[/quote]

I'm on that one!! God knows how many times I've frozen the frame trying to see myself!

I prefered that set to the current one. Power windows and obviously hold your fire were more prominent at the time. Rush have never wished to appear stagnating though and it's good they push their curent material as much as they do - however much some of us would prefer our fave older stuff

I do like that insurance line. Maybe I could adapt it to 'we can't play (whatever pile of crap they request) cos we have to submit a list of our set to the PRS in advance'.

At the mo the best I can manage is to reply over the mic to a cry of 'Play something we know' with a sarcy 'know something we play'.

We were begged for sweet home alabama the other week - and the dude got the beers in - so we did a reggae version!!

I've a lovely daphne blue jap vintage strat , once a flood I play 2nd guitar in my mate's band when I'm asked.

I've done a fair bit of home recording with it , I'm not brilliant - I tend to riff rather than solo and if there are any solo's I leave holes so I can drop myself in and out!!

I've also an old 1978 Ovation bowl back acoustic which I strum around the house. I know enough chords to back myself in simple songs but guitar never really captured me like bass did.
I should practise more but my nails overgrow and I can't form the chords well , I go searching for the nail clippers and come back with a bass !!