Cat Burrito

I think it depends on the audience & the band. My guitarist plays in an Elvis tribute act & they wouldn't get out the venue alive if it wasn't right. I have a 50s rock 'n' roll pub band & I fully intend on us getting away with murder

I plan on doing this a lot with a new band I'm getting off the ground and wondered how others work switching between electric and double bass. I've seen the fantastic Al Gare play with KatMen twice this week and he seems to run two rigs starting off on the upright bass, moving onto bass guitar before returning to the upright to end the set. Works well for him. In the past I ran the upright through the PA and played my bass guitar through the rig but think I've done both through my one rig in the past too (just adjusting the volume on the amp - assume they didn't have enough inputs on the PA that night). What are you guys doing? Any genre, EUB players too - I'm genuinely interested in top tips here. As much as I like Al Gare two amps just makes me think it's one more thing to pack!

I think Castle did my 210 Orange cab (in Orange too!) but to be fair all companies will do custom cases made to order and very cheaply too if you shop around. I use mine to raise the amp when I'm playing too [url="http://s38.photobucket.com/user/Tim_73/media/WalthamForest-20111102-01276.jpg.html"][/url]

That olympic white really works well, doesn't it?!

The drummer's place of work has a place called "the shed" and we can practice there. My other band spends a fortune in rehearsal studios but thankfully we don't rehearse that often

Having not been fired for nearly 25yrs, my advice is simple... Be on time, learn songs you've been asked to learn, buy the odd drink, have money for rehearsal & know your role. You'll get more bookings as a reliable nice guy who plays OK / well compared to a great player who is a nightmare to work with.

Superb on every level. That ticks most boxes on the list of what might make my dream bass

Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley

Usually the case isn't it? Although I have gigged with a couple of bands with real oddball bass players

I've just changed the pickguard on my 50s Squier and it looks great, went from black to white. Black would work on that two colour sunburst but it wouldn't be traditional. The black does tie in with the colour scheme though - I did that on a 57RI and it looked great. With the tele bass Fender do that finish on a tele with a white pickguard and that works surprisingly well and definitely keeps the 50s vibe.

I owned a 78 one that I paired with an Ampeg SVT 115 USA cab, sounded awesome but I got sick of the weight and space was an issue at the time travelling to gigs. Amazing head though. The tubes were from Watford Valves but like the settings they are one thing my memory hasn't retained

They really know how to take your amp in the direction you want. I had a tour of the place about 13 years ago and I gather they don't do that anymore. It amazes me that if you tell them what you have, say what it isn't doing and they can usually suggest something to get you sounding the way you want. Great company

Welcome, it's a big old community with some of us living as far away as Thatcham

I think Andy's answer is excellent and pretty much sums up what I've heard too. The Gear 4 Music stuff is often very badly setup (i.e. not at all!) which can really put off a new player. I reckon Gedo just pushes Thomann in who to go for but I'd be happy with both. I bought my bass from my local shop and he set it up for me, ordering it in for me. I keep thinking I should upgrade and ideally I'd get a Gedo but Thomann do have some nice stuff.

I had a 130w Peavey combo that lasted me right from 1989 (2nd hand) up until 2004 when I sold it on. I always wanted a Trace Elliot at the time as they were the dream amp in the circles I moved (hard to believe now) and everyone who had a Laney moaned like anything about how rubbish they were (much, much better these days).

Depends if they are good mates or not. I think you could compromise and maybe do one rehearsal but you don't have to do any if you don't want to. The goal posts have been somewhat moved from your initial departure.

I get mine professionally set up which helps massively. Subsequently I find mine will hit all the green lights when tuning even after a couple of gigs or rehearsals. My former mandolin player never had his kit looked at and was always plagued with tuning problems onstage. I made him get it properly set up and what a difference. Obviously if you know how to do a good setup yourself fair play but I'm happy to pay a professional as the results speak for themselves. [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1377813883' post='2192411'] If you carry your bass in a hard case, never change your strings and have decades of accumulated gunk clogging up the gears of the machineheads (like my 30 year old P/J) your bass will very rarely go out of tune. [/quote] Oh yeah, and all this too

[attachment=142628:LoungeAug13.jpg] Since posting in 2009 I've sold all those old basses and changed the settee so I guess this was long overdue

Having not bought anything in about 3 years but majorly downsized I felt my 2 remaining basses were too high value to 1) have one sitting around when the other is in use & 2) take to some of the venues I play, so I decided to get a Squier CV bass as they have such a great reputation and sell one of the Fenders. One of the casualties of my huge bass cull was a 51RI that I'd customised with a white pickguard and ashtrays. It will always be the one I'd regret if life wasn't so short. Anyhow I figured the same bass could be recreated with a new Squier and have the added advantage of a cutaway that the 51 didn't. I checked out a few Gene Vincent & his Blue Caps pictures to get it as authentic as I could. Technically the new bass day was last month but I had to wait for parts to do this. Off came the roundwounds, on when the flats... A couple of ashtrays, a white pickguard and an old school single hole thumb rest and we're there. Not bad for a cheapie. Sounds so good I think I'll keep the stock pickup which is unusual for me with a modern bass. Anyway, here's the pics... [attachment=142543:Squier.jpg] [attachment=142544:Squier2.jpg]

It can be base if you join a band of illiterate idiots advertising in the Musicians Wanted

Perfect for the sh*t bass player!?!

He doesn't seem to quite get the recognition of James Jamerson, does he and yet he is of a similar league. He played for Elvis, the Box Tops and tended to lead sessions in the studio. A legend of bass

I always used to lend out my bass rig and have lent out my bass on a couple of occasions, all very happily. However I got really fed up with ungrateful bassists who could barely bring themselves to say thanks. One even critiqued my bass ("strings too heavy, I nearly ripped out that foam under the bridge and the covers get in the way - I'm a guitarist you see!") and I was tempted to give him a lift up to A&E to help them remove it from where the sun don't shine... So now it's just people I know or are polite. Otherwise it's no skin off my nose if your band doesn't get to play because your kit isn't up to the job.

Reminds me of the EKO violin bass, I don't hate it...just don't really like it too much either!?!

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1377107558' post='2183502'] Yup, you just need to grit your teeth and pay the fee mate. No fun, as I know from my own experience. [/quote] Oh I paid it, no choice really