leschirons

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1438071305' post='2831275'] I put up a thread about 'top tips' for first time recording sessions a while ago, as a guy I know in the village has a son who plays in an originals band, and they were spending a weekend in a studio doing an EP CD. The band in question - all aged just about 18, have got a gig in town on Friday night. This is the Tripadvisor page for the venue : [url="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186377-d6403991-Reviews-Theatre_Bar-Stafford_Staffordshire_England.html"]http://www.tripadvis...re_England.html[/url] I'm thinking this might turn out to be what we may call 'a learning experience'! Let's hope they know a few covers too. [/quote] Ha ha, brilliant. As you suggest, he would have paid his dues after having played there. Wish him luck from me.

America, The Nice [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tajqtwjeIWs"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tajqtwjeIWs[/url] Stay with me baby Terry Reid. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW9mDyFgh1o"][color=#0000FF][size=2]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW9mDyFgh1o[/size][/color][/url]

After 11 years of living in rural France, I've left that behind as it's not something I come across these days despite playing lots of gigs but back in England, we used to do a regular gig in Chelmsford in an estate pub called the Red Beret. A tough place. First time, I was bricking it. Everyone looked like they'd just killed their parents however, they seemed to adopt us and the drinking and odd bust up never really got too out of hand. Probably helped that we had a real tough nut as a vocalist. Sort of miss the place really. Re the OP, yes, always a pro attitude.

Got in about 3.am. Great gig, great food, great money, great organisers and great audience. All in all...great.

Not really self taught as I had lessons although my bass teacher (Andy Staples, seriously cool player) didn't actually show me much in the way of how to play stuff or how to get the best out of the instrument. This is in no way a criticism because what he did give me were options and, above all, taught me how to listen, how to hear what was going on in a piece of music, and why it was going on. There were lessons where we did not play a note but the conversation was worth every penny. The end result being that my technique could do with a few fixes but, I can busk 95% of the gigs I get. Bearing in mind that I'm not a pro, the fact that I can learn a song in my head whilst driving to a gig without picking up an instrument is purely down to him and for that, I'm eternally grateful.

I bought a Vigier Passion 3 for £300 from a mate. The Bass Centre had offered him that despite he'd bought it there for £1600 new. I straight swapped it for an Alembic Epic (didn't like that at all) and then straight swapped that for a Roscoe Beck V

I don't need the strap-locks but my mate told his wife he'd put his name in a lucky draw hat in a guitar shop (and was sharp enough to tell her that he'd got a "CONGRATULATIONS, you've won" e-mail and that his prize was on the way) She even pointed out that the shop were a bit slow in not taking advantage of the photo opportunity when handing over the prize (Spooky, my mother-in-law lives in Watton, on Earth)

White Stripes for me, I like an easy gig at my age.

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1436692849' post='2819932'] I play in D all the time and use light strings. I love the lower tension and the clank you can get from digging in. I thought about getting a D tuner to drop the D to a B and even thought about putting one on the A string too. Floppiness aside, would a standard D tuner drop a D to a B? Or an A to an E? [/quote] From what I've learned on this thread, the D to B is possible but not the A to E.

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1436652796' post='2819837'] Mine is just on my geddy lee jazz, so it isn't worth less if I mod it (as I already have, I put S1 switching on it), so no harm in doing it. I can understand why you wouldn't want to on something that is a collectable. And yes, it isn't hard to downtune, I have done it loads, but I would then need to look at a tuner to see if it was right on, whereas with the extender I just push a button, and it is there. Not a huge weight of my shoulders but it goes from being something I have to think about, to something I don't have to think about. [/quote] I agree, it makes the performance slicker too. I hate waiting to start a number because someone (the guitarist) is looking at a tuner.

Apart from the fight started by the retired 70 year old ex employee of the Paris opera house with the ex legionnaire, absolutely fine. (Yeah, we weren't expecting that either)

Thanks everyone. Going to order one from Bass Direct, probably tomorrow or Sunday. Hipshot inform me I need a BT2 as I've got Schaller BMF tuners and funnily enough, it's cheaper sent from the UK to here inc delivery than Thomann in Europe with free delivery to France So, unless one of you has a chrome BT2 for sale secondhand I'll order one at the weekend. Thanks for all your input.

Nice that you've realised an ambition. Hope you enjoy it.

[quote name='matski' timestamp='1436447396' post='2818221'] Can I ask a Hipshot Bass Xtender question too, please? Does anyone on here have the double-stop version fitted to a bass? If so, I'm wondering how low they can be set to go: for instance, on a regularly tuned 4 string could you drop the E string to a lower D and also a lower B? [/quote] Don't really know but going to the 5th below with an E string sounds like it may be flappy time. I guess you'd have to really up the guage on that string. There's bound to be someone on here that has either tried it, or actually does it. I'm sure they'll be along soon

I've had a few Status basses both with full graphite, and wood with graphite inserts. Fabulous clarity with the full graphite but my preference given the choice is wood with graphite rods. Still great stability but just sound a little less hi-fi. I'll always regret selling my Roscoe Beck V for that reason. Best bass I never kept

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1436432745' post='2818022'] How heavy is your 5 string bass? [/quote] The Musicman is 3lbs 2oz heavier than my 4 string Jazz. Problem now (as mentioned by another poster) is working out which Xtender to buy. My Jazz has Schaller BMFL Original series tuners. Thomann supply one for the Schaller BMFL tuner replacement but as it's listed as a Hipshot H20200N which is not a Hipshot reference, I can't be sure it's the right one. Best if I mail Hipshot.

Thanks for the input gentlemen. I think I may give it a go. I can always take it off it it doesn't work out. Merci.

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1436385003' post='2817802'] Depends really, a 5 or 6 string obviously retains your string intervals, a 4 string in drop D moves your E string out of your traditional fingerboard patterns. Some people will find a 5 string more comfortable, some people will find a 4 in D more comfortable. Depends how good you are with fingerboard knowledge Si [/quote] I don't think I'll have a problem with new fingerboard patterns. We seem, to do quite a few numbers in D (due to the vocals) and when I've only had a 4 string at my disposal, I've dropped the E to D purely because the numbers sound a bit empty and lifeless played on and around the 5th fret. (Although that could be a jazz bass quirk too) The downside being de-tuning and re-tuning mid set. I'm just thinking that for the songs that we have in the set that I need (or prefer) a low D, this may be the answer. I've just looked through our set list for this Friday and there are 17 numbers that I use a low D on so, may be the way to go as it's less grief than buying another bass (especially here in France)

I normally use a 5 or 6 string these days but, I seriously miss using my lightweight 4 string Jazz bass over the course of an evening as the others are starting to feel a little heavy in my advanced years. I've realised, 99% of the time it's for the low D and just the odd occasion where I get bored down the head stock end so move up the board. I saw a covers band at a wedding a few weeks ago and the bassist was using a 4 string (an attitude I think) with a Hipshot drop D tuner. He covered a fair few of the numbers we do and used the drop D a fair few times. I'm not really into changing basses on gigs and wondered if any of you have forsaken the low B string in favour of a D tuner. The alternative I guess would be buying a lightweight 5 string but thought I'd investigate your opinions first. Thanks.

Well, with the 1st reply being an apology, the 2nd and 3rd starting with "Can you explain?...... and "Do you mean?....... and me sitting here thinking "Eh?" It ain't looking good

The subject is of great interest to me but not sure whether it would warrant it's own sub-section. If I need to know something, I tend to just ask in general discussion and lo and behold, tons of useful info comes back.

The guitarist mentioned in my original post had overheard, or heard about a comment regarding his playing so really, this has nothing to do with any criticism being offered to him.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1436037178' post='2814550'] You either think something's good or bad, or somebody is good or bad. It's not rocket surgery. [/quote] No, but it could be brain science