stingrayfan

[quote name='Tee' post='347767' date='Dec 7 2008, 11:15 AM']Washburn had their own plans as to what his guitar should look like, yet Nuno said no, i want to build 'this' guitar (his design).[/quote] Bit extreme. /gets coat.

Like anything - do a bit of research. Find out who deals with artist relations at the company/distributor you'd like to target and contact them directly.

Gibson SG bass - does nothing for me. Eurgh.

Zilcho bass stuff (can't honestly think of anything I need!) but got a nice new Canon DSLR camera.

Do you deliver - or will I have to go to the in-laws to collect it?

Back to the OP, I don't really feel the need to swap basses for gigs. I don't think the punters could care less as long as the overall sound is good!

Tried out a guitarist once for a gigging cover band I was in. He was the archetypal arrogant t*ss*r. Swanned in, was aloof, told us we were playing the songs wrong (we'd changed the intro on one of the songs so it sounded better for us), played too loud on everything and then flounced off, leaving us with open mouths. I sent him the "thanks, but no thanks" email and got in reply: "No problem, I'm used to playing to a higher standard anyway..." In his bedroom, maybe.

I tried quite a few brands and never really settled on anything. They were either too rough, or went dead too quickly. Took a punt on some cheap Hartke strings and I use nothing else now. They work out about £6 a set and sound really zingy for quite a while. Feel good to play too.

Do you live in a bass shop?

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='361925' date='Dec 23 2008, 01:07 PM']As a previous poster said, plugging your PA and backline into the same power outlet (if possible) will help.[/quote] Often the solution - esp in rehearsal places where the leccy supply is dubious!

andertons.co.uk - are good guys thomann.de - are great when the Euro's weaker. Exceptional service but some of their own brand stuff is dubious quality bassdirect.co.uk bassmerchant.com Remember that cheap prices are great but the acid test (as with all retail, me thinks) is what happens when stuff goes wrong/is broken.

I'm a sloppy player - but play really cleanly alongside a drummer, if that makes sense. What I mean is, I'm not super efficient on the neck but I damp an awful lot, to blend in with the kick. Nothing's more satisfying than locking with yer drummer.

Go secondhand - you get more for your cash. Most gear takes a massive depreciation hit straight after the box is opened. Also - if it's secondhand, you won't be so worried about it getting it knocked around in the car. That said, budget for decent custom made covers from somewhere like Silverstone Covers. About £40 for a 4x10 and worth every penny. Keep the rain (and the beer) off your cabs!

+1 on getting something secondhand from here. Stick to well known brands and you won't go far wrong.

[quote name='Weird War' post='361485' date='Dec 22 2008, 10:08 PM']I'm planning to send my bass output via my Microbass II to my Mac - will this work ok?[/quote] Fraid not - you'll need an interface box of some sort. Basically a box that you plug a jack plug which then squirts it out on a USB (or Firewire cable) which you plug into the Mac. Try a Line 6 Toneport, that's what I use and it works a treat. Garageband's great, very easy to use and very easy to get great results.

I've switched to Hartke strings after taking a punt on some off Ebay. Buying them in a 3-pack for around £11-17 from Music Wonderland on the Bay. Everybit as good as the Slinkies and D'Addarios I used before. Actually, I think I prefer them. More zing.

Trace Elliot GP7SM combo. But I find everything sounds a bit rubbish in rehearsal rooms - even your own stuff.

Buy secondhand. Take a punt on a 300w+ head and a 4x10 cab. Gig it and see what you like. You can then always swap out one element. Stick with known brands and you'll be fine. Bear in mind that two cabs will take a lot of space in your car and are over the top for most pub gigs. 1 cab's fine. Or get a beefy combo.

I've got a mate who's a good little guitarist but until recently didn't actually know the notes on the fretboard - literally learned stuff by numbers. Used to get everything pretty much spot on - unless he started off on the wrong fret and didn't know how to get out being a semitone sharp.

[quote name='YouMa' post='354667' date='Dec 14 2008, 11:11 PM']if you just want an easy life with out constantly having to trawl around the net looking for things that are compatible with your computer get a p.c. honest.I dont know why everyone raves about garageband there are much better programs out there which are easy to use,sony acid,ableton live etc.[/quote] As someone who's converted from PC to Mac recently, that sentence above doesn't make sense. I've not used an easier computer. GarageBand is a breeze to use, real plug-and-play kind of thing (eg 1-click mixdowns that export your finished track to iTunes) and you can always get Logic if you want to be more advanced. I was recording in minutes, rather than the hours faffing about with my old PC. Plus with all the other software you get pre-loaded, I've designed a website, done a couple of DVDs and a video showreel.

Hey, slow down a bit guys. Some of you have gone from 0-Daily Mail style vigilante in one post.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='354023' date='Dec 14 2008, 02:26 AM']we do 'Mrs Robinson' by The Lemonheads.[/quote] We're thinking of adding that Nik - how does it go down?

"Just off to Bristol to pick up some Xmas shopping dear...." Good luck explaining that one when you bring it home, Phil. Nice bass though - actually tell her it was in the sales and you saved hundreds. Women understand that logic.

Mirror In The Bathroom - The Beat

I recently bought Rayman's old Trace 1x15 300w. It's not light but I haven't used my 4x10 since. It's got more than enough welly for most gigs, sounds great and takes up less room in the car. You can get a 300w one for around £200. Edit: one just gone up on the board [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=34184&hl=trace"]here[/url].