Cat Burrito

[quote name='lownote12' timestamp='1501661366' post='3346226'][color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Am I being a Victor Meldrew here? [/font][/color][/quote] Possibly a little bit, yes. I've spent 30 years playing in original bands (still do) and more recently over the last 10yrs have had covers side projects. It's really stretched my playing. I've seen plenty of originals bands that aren't very original at all & as stated a LOT of classic artists from the 50s / 60s regularly did covers - not just Beatles / Stones but look at the Stax / Motown acts or the early pioneers of rock 'n' roll music who all did each others songs. If the world is full of covers / tribute acts, start your own band and build it around what you want. If it is good, people will come to you. It's what I have done in the past and at times it has been hard work, but rewarding & it has meant 30yrs of always playing in the bands I want to be in at that time. I'm afraid that I've never understood the covers vs originals debate. Music is either music you like or don't.

I used to admire the TE rigs in the 80s and 90s (I thought they were still popular then, but not according to the OP). The ads were always in Bassist magazine. However the gold standard for me was always going to be Ampeg which is what I've used for the last few years. I'm sure there are better and certainly lighter rigs out there but I can't quite shake the teenage dream. TE was like the cool MkII Cortina but Ampeg was the American muscle car.

I'd hate to take my gear to him. Funny for a few minutes on YouTube but I bet in real life the novelty would wear off.

Having been on that circuit for 15 years, play what you like! The classic is a flatwound strung P-bass (or an upright) but we gigged this year with a guy who had a Rickenbacker 4001 and I've taken to playing my Gibson Thunderbird.

I don't know about "better" but Facebook has groups that sell in Marketplace, and then there is Reverb, EBay and Gumtree. Those are the ones I look at.

Personally I adjust my playing technique to fit the song and try not to get too focused on kit.

Literally a stones throw from my old flat I had in the 90s. I'll check it out next time I'm in Bath.

Locked for reasons stated in the rules http://basschat.co.uk/topic/239820-ebay-and-gumtree-links-to-rickenbacker-basses/

As Blue said earlier, a lot of tone comes from the player rather than the gear. I'm usually pretty happy but I'm also at a stage where I sound like me regardless of who's gear I'm playing. Also it is important to tweak your settings for the room you are playing. Some raised wooden stages can make the bass sound boomy so adjusting EQ and putting it back after is important.

Having played mostly a mixture of rock 'n' roll and country for the last 15yrs, I think you are definitely along the right lines. Personally I favour Ampeg but those TC Electronic heads get great reviews too. Some would say a 1x15 cab would be more period correct but I like the punchiness of a few 10" speakers too. You can play any style with any gear but from what you suggest, you'd have a decent rig.

25,000 topics and we still don't know what bass is best for metal!?!

Definitely an over priced (BIN at least) studio Gibson.

I assume Photobucket is going the same way? A lot of these older sites seem to be struggling.

The new Epiphone Thunderbird is coming to retailers in October 2017 according to my email today. http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Electrics/Bass/Thunderbird-Vintage-PRO-Bass.aspx

My Gibson Thunderbird sounds great through anything by Ampeg but I suppose it depends on tastes.

Two shows in the last three days. Both times the band nailed it. The first one was great all round. However last night was a smaller crowd and bizarre in that the landlord of a small village pub was off his head on coke!?! Didn't it used to be the bands that took the drugs and not the other way around? I'd spent the day practicing the songs I was weaker on so it made for a better performance.

I started to learn at 15 but being lazy didn't really start to apply myself until I was in my 30s and 40s. Age is no barrier.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1499513175' post='3331953']Gil Scott-Heron; don't know why I'd never heard of him before - I might have to find out a bit more about him.[/quote] A classic starting point. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaoXAwl9kw[/media] Just as an aside, I have a friend who went out with one of the Nephilim guitarists back in the classic era.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1499464109' post='3331789'] What string cleaner was it Tim, think that may be worth a purchase to chuck in the gig-bag for "in case" moments. [/quote] I think they are all pretty much standard really. Just some 5 yr old pump spray stuff from my old and now closed local guitar shop. A cheap variation on the already cheap Dr. Kyser stuff. I don't think I'd cleaned the strings in 20 odd gigs

[quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1499443513' post='3331637'] I noticed on my main gigging bass the strings are dead already... There's some life in them but they do need changing.[/quote] Just to update my original post, I dug out some string cleaner and hey presto, I'm certainly ready for tomorrow night. I appreciate everyone's input so far but thought I'd share just for anyone who googles this thread in a similar dilemma.

[quote name='mrn1989' timestamp='1499444658' post='3331648']Do you stretch your strings in? [/quote] Yep, I just do it so rarely that I thought I'd ask. The singer faffs about with tuning a fair bit so I often take the mic... I just don't want to be re-tuning too much tomorrow as well. This has answered the question for me, cheers guys.

Forgive my newbie-esque question but after 20yrs on flats I'm a recent convent to roundwounds. I noticed on my main gigging bass the strings are dead already. I played live last night and I have a show tomorrow. If I restring today will they have settled down for tomorrow night or should I do the gig and restring at my leisure. There's some life in them but they do need changing.

We've done a few festivals this year and I was majorly spoilt at the first couple with an Ampeg SVT 810 cab. However the last couple obviously had sourced rigs from amps lying around in mate's garages - I had a tired looking Peavey combo that was nearly as old as me. I hate it when you get the tech spec through and it promises one thing and delivers another. We couldn't even get the Peavey to work at first due to a knackered input and they all had the audacity to ask me "is it your lead?"!

I'm mid 40s and very guilty of throwing rock star shapes. I was doing it at 15 and I just default to still being like it now, without really thinking about it. Some go for the Bill Wyman thing which is great if it works for you but I still can't shake the Paul Simonon thing, despite not having actively listened to the Clash for years. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but I guess as you get older you become more comfortable in your own skin.