Beedster

You’re very lucky 👍

I think that's a common misconception, or at least the assumption that all musicians share the same interpretation of what is fun. A good comparison is an amateur sports team; if it's well managed, well coached, has a good philosophy/strategy, and the players all do what they're required to do, it's fun for everyone. But it only takes one of these to be absent for the whole thing to turn into a mess and eventually fall apart. In my experience in both sport and bands it comes down to a simple process; everyone doing what they agreed to do, ranging from learning the parts to turning up on time for rehearsal to notifying the band of any dates on which you're unavailable well in advance to being professional at gigs (especially in terms of equipment, arriving on time etc). Of course, for everyone to do what they agreed to do there has to be some organisation of that agreement at the outset and likely some revisions along the way. While none of it's rocket science in my personal experience most bands I been in have eventually split or I've walked for one of the above reasons, and most frequently failure to learn parts which, in two specific bands, turned pretty much every rehearsal into a part-learning practice for the guitarists. These bands didn't have band leaders as such, I suspect they'd have been far more successful had they done so, especially as the individual musicians in question as well as the musical cohesion once we got going were actually pretty good.

Pelham Blue is rather special 👍

I was just chatting with Lawrie @Burns-bass and he mentioned selling some gear because it solves a problem he no longer has, and it consolidated a lot of my recent thinking around gear generally, that is far from getting rid of gear on that basis, I was often buying gear that solved a problem I don't have (most notably the Chadwick folding bass that while absolutely beautiful in design and engineering terms was an absolute PITA at gigs generally, leading me to decide that the best bet was simply to sell it and take better care at gigs of my non-foldable DBs). But as with life generally, I suspect a lot of the gear we have is bought either explicitly or sometimes subcobscioulsy to solve similarly non-existent problems (by which I mean that we make choices based on a set of parameters that while current on web forums really do not solve any problems for us as an individual. Good examples for me Chadwick folding bass: as I've said, beautifully designed and engineered, but..... East P-Retro: again beautifully designed and engineered but having had three of them (!), I've always found Precisions just work better passive Enfield Fusion/EBMM Reflex: both beautiful instruments and technologically wonderfully advanced, but while the idea of a 'take one and only one bass to every session/gig'/huge tonal palette appealed, the Fusion stayed in Precision mode 90% of the time, and the Reflex never really got off the ground Badass bridges: I even bought one this week, what am I like. A difference yes, does it solve a problem, rarely if ever, but for some reason there's a part of my brain that drives me to try one on any Fender bass that's passed the 3-months at Beedster Towers test....... My therapist has put it on the list for our next session Neck LEDs: No more in tune on a fretless that without them, but annoyed the guitarist immensely 'If you want to be in tune that badly that you have to walk on stage with traffick lights stuck to your neck, perhaps try playing a fretted bass' Micro/lightweight heads: My biggest challenge with heads that fit into the pocket of a bass gig bag is my tendency to forget about them/lose them. Ironically the only time a head went down on stage and I needed the backup I'd taken the wrong (double) gig bag to the gig. i take two 19" heads to gigs now, because I have no problem with either size or weight. Expensive DB strings: Don't get me started.......... Interested to hear what gear falls into the 'solves a problem I don't have/never did have' category for the BC crowd?

Yep, In my experience..... Practical = bass player Whatever = keys Dreamer = singist Crazy = drums I'd add..... Self-centred = guitarist

No I think you're right mate, timbers effect the tone because no matter how well isolated the bridge from the body, the other end of the strings attach to the neck and that is very much part of the vibrating timber system (first time I used a Fat Finger I realised that, but have also realised it every time I've switched necks on basses, different woods and different dimensions = (often) different tone). Difference of course, as suggested above, doesn't always mean improvement, and I suspect the mods that a lot of people (including myself) have made to their to instrument - and despite a discernible difference in tone/envelope/sustain as the result - have often had an overall negative effect on how the instrument sounds.....

This is the list of reasons I aim to do the same, there's a time for democracy, but.........

Not for thr first time this week Jack, I will be looking in your direction for advice!

Leadership in any space not only requires a very specific skillset on the part of the leader, but also a group of people prepared to be led. In my experience - and in contrast with other environments I know well such as science, business, and sport - many musicians do not fall into the ‘prepared to be led’ category. In short, a band leader has to chose their musicians not on musical talent alone but on a number of other factors. I was playing bass at a vocalist audition 20 years ago, one of the applicants was incredible, but the band leader said ‘No way’. Having seen him down two cans of 1664 before his slot, he was not prepared to take the risk that the guy was going to bring alcohol problems to gigs. Seemed harsh to me at the time given nearly all musicians I know like to drink around gigs, but for the BL it was a simple and almost certainly correct call. I’m watching this thread with sincere interest as I’m about to take a step into band leadership….. 🤔

Also a very good point 👍

Yep, muting is the key. I did this with two massive Mesa rigs in a rehearsal studio a few years back and on reflection should have sought Jack's advice first

Interesting point 👍

Don't well all mate, don't we all 👍

Badass bridges are mostly placebo but as is the case with other placebos, can still be quite effective 👍

Well Lawrie, you used alcohol and Vodka is............?

I’ve found that after initial disappointment the last three albums have all grown on me, surprisingly in the case of their most recent

A good point 👍

Anyway, back to the music 👍

In case the Messner reference was obscure…. https://www.theonion.com/beaver-overthinking-dam-1819568416

Interestingly I’m still thinking this through Dennis Messner style. Do I 1. Use hide glue alone 2. Use bolts and hide glue My gut feel is option 2….. Either way I’m doing the work next week 👍

Need to see some pics mate 👍