derrenleepoole

Running a band is as much a business as running a pub. End of. By all means work with venues to keep them sweet, but remind them that you're a business too and need to make money when you're not gracing their venue etc...

I would be more interested in this, A Status 5 string for £333! http://www.cashconverters.co.uk/auction-item/417753/the-groove-bass-guitar

Many players actually use three or even all four fingers to play, but no me! I simply use my two extra digits to help muting when required. I try to keep them relaxed, sort of tucked up but relaxed (if that makes sense).

[quote name='d4tux' timestamp='1324232752' post='1472125'] Thanks for the super fast responses! If i'm looking at 300W there is no way I can buy new and remain in budget without going Behringer..[/quote] That's not strictly true! Never tried one, but Kustom do a range called Deep End. You can get a new hybrid head, solid state amp with valve preamp stage, and a new 2x10 cabinet all for around £300. I've never tried one, but they're meant to be very good for the money. £130 for the 2x10 http://www.thomann.de/gb/kustom_deep_end_210h.htm £200 for the 300 watt head http://www.thomann.de/gb/kustom_de300_hd_120v_us_version.htm But, as others have stated, you budget will get you a very respectable second-hand rig.

Guitar Tookit is a very good iOS app, but you have to pay for it (I think). It offers a lot more than just a metronome though, such a tuner, loads of alternative tunings etc. Opps... not iOS! Sorry.

eBay is not good for selling at the moment. Everyone being broke before Christmas and all... Perfect if you're after a bargain though

PC software apps or iOS apps?

Played the Wheatsheaf in Preston on Friday night. A bloody big pub, but very well attended (for the pub, not us , which is reassuring as the pub trade is struggling at the moment. Because the pub is big, it felt as though you were lost in there as a band. Anyway it was one of those gigs were it felt a bit detached from the audience, so i enjoyed it from the point of view of being with my friends, but not from doing the gig. Funnily enough, the crowd suddenly livened up at the end of the night, and some good banter started to happen, which made it worthwhile in the end. Even though it felt as though I was going through the motions at some points. Interestingly enough we got rebooked for April next year. Did the gig on my VM Jag SS, all of it using the p-bass pup, which is rare for me, but the jazz pup just sounded well harsh in the venue. It was also one of those venues were I drove the Promethen quite hardy but it still delivered like a trooper. God I love my amp

I would certainly look at a secondhand SWR combo. The prices of the combos are low at the moment, but their gear is fantastic. You can get the Workingman 12 combo for very little these days, and a lot of upright players use them.

Phil Jones stuff has a really nice input stage that really suits piezo instruments. Very well matched on the impedance. The PJB Cub is also a cracking little amp and a little cheaper than the Briefcase.

I have the Jag SS in all black with matching headstock, and it's a lovely bass. I can't comment on the other colour options, but if you want a good quality but ultimately affordable bass, you really can't go wrong for the money. I know that won't help at all

Well, as some of you do or don't know I play short scale basses, and for a while now I've been scouting around for a Cort Action Junior 4 string. Think I've finally found one. Used to have the full scale Action five string and loved it. I even did some serious modding on that bass and got some killer tones. I know that there are drop in replacements available for the Mighty Mite pup on this bass, notably the EMG-40 series pickups in passive and active models. But I'm not sure just how different tonally the replacement will be. Can anyone here offer some advice please? I did see a video on Youtube were someone did a pup swap on a Fleabass Junior, and I'm sort of sure it's the same pickups involved. Just wanted some informed opinions here first. One thing I did consider is maybe just swapping out the internal electronics as well rathe than the pup, either with an EMG-BTC control pot, or maybe a full precision esq styled internal preamp. But again, I'm sort of clutching at straws as I've never used the EMG-BTC before. I know that the Cort will work well for me playing wise as I've had several of them before and I love their necks. Even though the Action is a budget model, I found it a very well made bass that played excellently. But I also know that as a cheap model the electronics are a bit, well... average.

[quote name='waldemar' timestamp='1323786129' post='1466998']Had a look at your tumblr - how nice is Marco Purac's work? I need one of his posters, I think... w./ [/quote] Yep! Rather lovely stuff! If you hadn't guessed, I like my typography

[quote name='ShergoldSnickers' timestamp='1323532534' post='1464304'] Oooo that got me hurting, so what you must have felt..... [/quote] I did manage to save the first part of the gig with her hubby and has band doing their set. So not all has been lost

Just listened to this on YouTube with some damned fine p-bass tone goodness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0g-a7NAg04&feature=youtube_gdata_player

That is stunning.

Saw Kate earlier this year and she and her hubby and band did a sterling show. One of the best gigs I've seen. Annoyingly I had recorded the gig on my Zoom H2 and it came out brilliantly... I only went and corrupted the files :/

Any amp manufacturer can suffer from faulty units, so it's only natural that the Promethean will be the same. Dont let the small users who have experience such issues put you off. However, I've been using the Promethean since it was released, and I can categorically state that the amp is a phenomenal piece of kit. I've owner and used SWR, Markbass, Eden and Phil Jones Bass gear, and this is every bit as good. The amp is very well thought out, and offers features above and beyond most gear twice the price. The versatility of tone shaping with selectable EQ and vibe settings is fantastic, and the fact that the head is detachable to use with any cab is a simple no brainer. Combo to full stack head with the removal of four screws, brilliant! You won't b disappointed.

Stagg do an upright bass combo. There was one on eBay recently brand new for £50 as a factory second. Might be worth a look if your budget is tight. Also, look out for second-hand SWR gear. You can pickup the pre Fender Workingman combo's quite cheap now.

Play, play some more and play again! By far the best way to exercise the hand and build up stamina and dexterity is to simply play. It's all about muscle memory and repetition is the key. I personally don't see what use grips and other hand devices are! As others have said, a well setup instrument requires very little strength to play. In fact, the best way to play is to be totally relaxed and loose, this way it's easier to move over the fingerboard and be a more fluid and consistent as a player. Well, that's what I think anyway, for what it's worth.

Seriously, a decent short scale Squier VM Jaguar bass can be had for about £170 new, probably get a good one second-hand for quite a bit less! Why on earth would you risk butchering a perfectly good bass when it's clear you're perhaps not totally sure it's going to work!

Had a great gig on Thursday in a small café styled bar in Darwen called No.39. Used to be a thai restaurant... anyway, against all my assertions that I'd have a nice chilled gig and all, I ended up jumping around like my previous 16 year old bass playing self! Flea would of had a hard time keeping up Playing for it now though... Any how, we got a fun review of the band of NWB site: "They're [Cottonhouse Shakers] a damn fine band and deliver their material with such energy and panache that I wouldn't care if they were singing the contents of an Argos catalogue. A must see for any serious music fan." Needless to say, we have new material in the pipeline

I'm currently listening to Living Color's 'Vivid' - a bloody classic rock album!

I've seen upright players using the Gallien Krueger 10/12" Backline combo's successfully, and they're quite cheap, especially second hand if you can find one. You won't get masses of volume though, but enough to fill out a small venue.

Jeff Healey - Songs From The Road. A little something to practice too for tomorrows gig