Boodang

I often use a small mixer live with my basses (I usually have at least 3 basses at a gig), but if I have the opportunity to bring out the Moog phatty as well, I'll run a separate di for that as foh eq/comp etc will be way different.

Glow Tec Starglow fretmarkers. I've got them on a couple of my basses... they're low profile and stay in place well.

The eq on the Spectradrive is good but if you're happy with the Orange then there's no need. As for the spectracomp, I was surprised by how versatile the various toneprints are and how much they eq the tone. My fav straight toneprint is the 'Captain East' but there's plenty more which are a bit more extreme if you need. It got me looking into other compressors but I still use the spectracomp the most. As for DI, I've settled on a Radial SB2 stagebug. Passive, simple, and I think the transformer gives a nice rounded tone.

Compressor is a common route to go for enhancing your clean tone. I've got a couple of TC Spectracomps on my board with different toneprints loaded. They're great as you can go from a tri-band setup to classic comp and everything in between. Versatile and it only has one knob. Octavers are a different deal though. I use the Aguilar octamizer to thicken up the tone sometimes but even on subtle settings the tone does get a little artificial, and I think this pedal is the more organic sounding of the usual suspects. A great pedal though but not 'standard' clean tone fare (my fav setup is the octamizer through the grape phaser but now we're defo not in clean territory!). Again, chorus can get you certain tones but like the octaver, even subtle settings will be going away from that clean tone. It sounds like a good place to start might be to just try out some of the toneprints on a s/h Spectracomp.

Roc 'n Soc throne is my main seat for drums, bass practice and just generally sitting around. Not an office / gaming chair, but with a back rest the most comfortable throne I've had.

Hal Leonard books are great. YouTube is a good source of free lessons but it's also full of idiots, so start with some recommendations... Scott's Bass Lessons and Dan Hawkins are worth checking out. And remember to keep it fun, learning scales, technique etc is necessary but you're playing bass to play music so play along to and learn the songs that you love to listen to.

Pah, guitar is easy.... just learn the blues pentatonic and randomly play it throughout songs paying no attention to what anybody else is doing. Then take all the credit (not that I've got a chip on my shoulder about guitarists!).

Use a small mixing desk. The Behringer xenyx 1202 is currently £50 at Gear 4 music. Job done.

Try a Radial Stagebug SB-2. A passive di, great tone and difficult to overdrive. And not expensive.

I like to have the single coil J bass sound and the Precision tone, just not in a package that's as agricultural as a Fender. At least go G&L or something with a little more class!

Definitely this. Coming from DB this seems like the most natural place to play but definitely helps in producing a fuller tone.

I play DB as well as EB. Tapewounds on my fretless EB probably get the closest, but I also use the Galli Synthesis strings which have a nylon core and are close in feel to the Obligato strings on my DB.

Actually, Shakespeare could be a clever choice for a desert island. His plays were written to be performed not read, so you could spend your time doing one-man shows to the wildlife. It would take a lifetime to learn, which given the circumstances, you'd have the time spare.

1. Jazz Jungle - John McLaughlin; top musicians in full free fall jazz fun! Plus Chambers on drums having tons of fun. 2. Lotus Feet - Shakti; beautiful blending of western and eastern improvisation. 3. Giant Steps - John Coltrane; the perfect jazz track? 4. Aga of the Ladies - Hellborg / Lane; Lane at his most melodic and least manic.... beautiful. 5. Bethany - Janek Gwizdala; perfect soloing? If not, it's close. 6. Bright Size Life - Pat Metheny; Metheny always said he had so much still to learn when he did his first album, but I don't think he bettered this. Plus, Jaco's playing is spot on. 7. Stratus - Billy Cobham; one of the greatest bass grooves... and try playing the drum part! Obviously ignore the first 2 minutes of 'I discovered a moog lying around the studio'. 8. It Remains to be Seen - Bennie Maupin; 70s groove at its groovyist. Book - Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake; pure poetry from start to finish, never get tired of reading it. Luxury- John Bonham acrylic reissue drum kit. If I play the kit loud enough it might disturb someone on a neighbouring island and I'll get rescued.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, some super cool soloing, inspirational stuff.

Where are the resin fingerboard fretless basses? And I don't mean high end stuff like Pedulla used to make (as good as it was), but something at a reasonable cost like the old Squier VM jazz, now sadly out of production.

I've always worked on the 'no @rsehole' principle. No amount of talent is worth it, life is too short. As difficult as it might be, if your vocalist has reached that point, life, and music, will be much better in the long run.

I'm a diehard pedal fan and I think the reason for this is that I've yet to find a multi fx that can sound as good as dedicated effects. For me it's quality over quantity, although the size of my pedal board is suffering!

Our stand in bassist plays pick with a Pbass and flatwounds and it sounds great. Less top end than the roundwounds obviously but has a 'thump' that really pushes thru.

Over the last 2 years I've gone on a bit of a pedal buying spree and the equilibrium has settled at just over 20 units. But despite all the 'interesting' fx,and an honorable mention has to go to the Walrus Slo, the most inspirational has been the Aguilar Grape Phaser. In theory quite a 'plain' pedal but it's taken the place of all my envelope filters and set me on a path to fully exploit it with a flurry of rhythmic pick playing aka Chris Squire style.

For a change I'm currently playing drums in a cover band, usual mix of pop rock stuff. Our regular bass player has a great finger, solo tone, but live we're boosting the high mids to make it cut thru. Our stand in bassist mainly plays pick and the tone cuts thru with no eq adjustments. Interesting is the case of Steve Swallow who not only swapped double bass for electric but played with a copper pick in order to cut thru and be heard.

Our vocalist just bought the Zoom V6. Great to use live as quite possibly easier to use than the Helicon with separate pedals for individual effects.

TC Hall of Fame 2.... there's some good toneprints that will meet your needs.

Well, to achieve that we'd all have to go and do something silly like.... playing bass rather than talking about it!

One thing I forgot to add... must exclusively play an electronic kit. That way you have a volume control.