Boodang

I was working abroad for a bit and joined a covers band that consisted of musicians from the expat community. Basically a conglomerate of people who just wanted to play, consequently we had more than one person on bass, drums, keys etc so we would take it turns to play certain numbers. Good fun but quite random. And a strange mix of talent, some had never played live before, others were seasoned covers veterans, and even some who had played at the proms in a previous classical career. What a mix! None it seems though had any talent as a sound engineer. First time out after just joining, a new active Yamaha PA with 15" tops, 18" subs and 12" foldbacks was produced... for the v small pub. The evening consisted of bass feedback (quite an impressive achievement I thought), no vocals as the feedback threshold was so low, and the pub windows nearly been blown out! The audience were very patient and forgiving though and just appreciated the effort which made it a fun evening despite everything else. At the next gig the 18" subs were safely locked up out of harms way.

I have to say that the thing I'm enjoying about the TC Electronic stuff is the toneprint technology. So without having to buy into a multi fx, the Spectradrive basically gives you access to all their overdrives, distortion and fuzz, and a bunch of expertly programmed comp presets, plus it's simply to use.

Lots of tasty options with a Warmoth.

Well, the neck in the picture has holes for 6 tuners so I'm guessing it for a guitar. Now I'm not recommending Warmoth custom guitar parts but they do look good and I was hoping someone here would get one so they could say what they're like. Not cheap though.

Not forgetting the TC Electronic Spectradrive. 4 band eq, plus a compressor and switchable overdrive. What I like about it is the toneprint capabilities for the comp and drive, so you're not stuck with one flavour. That and it's a DI, and has a headphone output plus a mini jack input for play-a-longs.

I joined a covers band, 1st gig was at short notice, they said they had a new PA but were confident about using it as the sound man was good. Gig turned out to be a small pub, PA turned out to be an active Yamaha, 15 tops and 2 x 18 bins. The windows of the place nearly popped out their frames, accompanied by quite impressive bass feedback all night which I'd never experienced before. Future pub gigs were done with just the 15 tops which were amply up to the job all round and the 18 subs only got wheeled out for the big occasions.

... problem solved!

Use it without warning at a gig! Hide it behind your amp in a bag, do a quick swap between numbers and see how off putting it is to the rest of the band. It'll keep them on their toes.

I get a really deep tone from mine, which considering the scale length I wasn't expecting. Admittedly it has a MM EMG installed (I just had it lying around at the time so seemed like a good idea) but actually quite a usable tone. Despite its intonation issues I drag it out live for a few numbers just because it's so different!

Well that's a challenge! Next event I think we'll start with a salad before moving onto the booze. If it's a good evening I'll put it down to the greenery and if it's not I'll blame it on too much alcohol.

I'm experiencing a similar thing with the DB. For me it 'swings' more than a bass guitar and as I play mostly jazz groove it really suits. And the more I play it the less I play bass guitar. The thing that keeps me into my BG though is effects like the envelope filter and phaser which I can get seriously funky with and don't work quite as well with the DB.

Well, if you want some flexibility with the tone it's definitely the Westone. And later you can always install a more versatile onboard preamp like an Audere which would complement it nicely. But as @Bassassinsays, the Westone is not a bargain. Having said that, bargain or not, if you want it then who cares!

Hmm, both nice. I know what you mean about the matsumoku instruments, for me it's the neck profile which has a flattened U shape unlike others that I like. Also bear in mind that a case like the Protection Racket semi rigid would only be about €90 and they have shoulder straps as well as handles that make them easier to carry around public transport than a normal hard case.

The other possibility is to make a feature of the stool on stage. I was thinking a custom steampunk seat with lots of unnecessary pipes and dials. Then if the audience aren't into the music at least they can admire the steampunk sculpture.

I've always practiced sitting down and play with the bass on my left leg, classical guitar style. Consequently I feel more comfortable playing sitting down than standing up, hence now I'm thinking s*d it, I should just play that way live.

I do gigs stone cold sober these days, so should be relatively stable on a bar stool. And if the audience aren't paying attention I could always fall off on purpose!

Good point!

This thread is probably not aimed at the rockers among us. I usually play in a piano/bass/drums trio doing jazz groove stuff (think 70s tv theme tunes). Half the set I play an EUB, the other half with a bass guitar for the funkier numbers. When I'm playing the bass guitar I'm the only mobile member of the band but it's not like I feel it's necessary, or appropriate, to leap about the stage, so I just stand there and feel a bit of a tit. Then I thought, just because it's a bass guitar doesn't mean I have to stand, so now I bring along a bar stool, use that and then like the rest of the band I'm sitting on my derrière whilst playing. I also applied this to a covers band I was in which was mostly a collection of friends who just wanted to play. The stage was crowded, 3 guitarists, backing vocals, percussion, keys, and occasional brass/woodwind, there wasn't much room to leap about, so I started plonking myself at the back next to the drummer on a bar stool and only came out the shadows if most of the band took a break while we did an uptempo rock number. So the question is, do we play standing up just because that's what's expected / how it's always been done? How many out there play sitting down? I remember Herbie Flower's used to do the Sky gigs on a bar stool. I'm thinking of taking this to new levels with the trio. I'm going to get a small rug and do the Hellborg thing and play sitting cross legged on the floor. Another option as there's space in the van, is to bring a nice comfy padded lounge chair and do the gig sprawled out in that. I could put a standard lamp next to me to give it that homely feel!

I like Westones basses for the way they play and I've always had a Thunder 1a in my collection but.... they're heavy beasts and the original electronics and pickups were not great. My Thunder has a Bartolini pickup and Aguilar preamp. As nice as it is £700 seems a lot for a Thunder II especially if it has original electronics which would benefit from being swapped out.

Thinking about it, other than the odd dep for a band, my gigs are jazz oriented with an EUB or if it's a bass guitar I do the gig sitting on a bar stool as I've given up leaping about the stage! Consequently it's quite a static arrangement so under those circumstances I might just use this cable as in terms of abuse it's not too different an environment that the studio.

Was in a band once with an alcoholic drummer. We used to keep the gaps between numbers as short as possible to reduce drinking time and regulars to our gigs would put on bets as to how far he would get through the night before falling off his stool. We were young and it all seemed very rock 'n roll at the time which in hindsight wasn't very mature but that's the folly of youth for you.

Many moons ago in my youth, I was in an originals band doing indie / depression songs about loneliness and suicide (our singer/lyricist favourite topic) with suitable droning / whining guitar parts. We were playing a pub in Northampton, the first set got rid of half the audience, then when the rest saw us come back for more they downed their pints and legged it. About 2 songs in to the second set and playing to an empty pub the barman came up and politely asked us to stop playing ('preferably forever' were his actual words!), pack up and go home, in the hope he could salvage something from the rest of the evening. Surprisingly the band lasted a long time given that the reaction that night was not an uncommon experience.

Just reading their web blurb, these cables are designed for the recording studio not live work, hence flexibility is not a priority. I can definitely say this cable is not flexible! It's like a stiff thick rope. A shout out for Design-a-cable though, as efficient as ever in communications and getting the cable out quickly.

Always want more stories!

For me the fretless is a more expressive instrument. Not just slides, which is easy to over use, but vibrato (which you can't replicate on a fretted) and micro tonal adjustments to add colour. I've got both lined and unlined. With unlined I feel like I have more freedom, the lined is better for intonation higher up (you still have to use your ears as just putting your finger on the line won't work) but I feel it takes more concentration to play. I started on an unlined though, so that probably explains it. I find fretted hard to play, you can only put your finger in one place, just behind the fret. Much more freedom on a fretless! As for technique, it's not the Jaco thing. I pluck over the fingerboard around the 17th area and only move off the board if I'm playing high up.