JTUK

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' timestamp='1461238691' post='3032734'] For many years the bands I was in had an engineer, taught by me, who received an equal share. [/quote] Equal share of what tho? Pub money will be from £50... no decent engr is going to work for that...and even if they did, it would be a one-off favour. I'd say if the band knew what they were doing they could self mix smaller gigs better than getting someone who doesn't know anything, twiddle nobs.. If the gig pays well enough, put the engr'd P.A hire on the bill and they rig it...

[quote name='luckydog' timestamp='1461224474' post='3032527'] IMO the most important part of a great sounding PA is the engineer - so if you want to sound great and take the whole burden from the band, first stop is a great engineer as a non-playing member of the band - he'll need need paying and feeding, but it's worth it and makes an enormous contribution to sound and the band's performance because you just know it's gonna sound great ! As to hardware, well check out KV2 or Martin Audio for speakers/monitors. Get good monitors and subs. Spend yer money on speakers, mics and flight cases. Play quietly enough to let the engineer have control of FOH, relax and enjoy as will everyone. Wow, I love a money no object brief ! LD [/quote] A decent engr isn't going to work for pub money. So if you get anyone to do it, you'll have to educate and teach him.

I've used Warwick and they are an ok car bag where you are basically using it as a padded carry case. Both mine fell apart after 2 years and the zips are a bit flakey..as in they can't be trusted, IMO, carrying any distance as they seem inherrently weak. Comparing the Thomann bag build against the Warwick and I'd say the Thomann bag should be double that price as it is double the bag Would like to hear from someone who has gigged theirs a good few months, so that remains a varible, but you can't go wrong for the price..especially comparing the two. For a £30 bag I wouldn't expect much... but I'd pay almost double for the Thomann... but didn't have to..

I get my local studio to make mine which means quality cable and connectors....Klotz and Neutrik. I'll use OBBM too.

Never been a P-Bass fan and feel it wouldn't cope with a lot of what I do but I have been using the front pickup on a Jazz lately and this gets me as close as I need to go for that woody thick 70's funk sound. So, for me, it is just a question of a another sound the Jazz will get me... Funnily enough, the blend control biased too much to a P Bass doesn't do it in terms of a general sound I'd want..but full balance onto the front pickup does the P Bass thing. I'm contemplating a pickup/pre swap out but am loathe to lose this sound at them moment.

Most people will expect a template to copy...and then it should be pretty easy. I use Sims

This http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_premium_gigbag_e_bass_br.htm A lot of bag for the money, I've had mine for a good few months and they are probably too much bag if you are loading the car very carefully.,,as in overkill. Very padded and seem quite capable of being hardwearing but not had mine long enough to really say. Not flimsily made at all...

An hour wont be enough...

Markbass over TC for me... and I'm not anywhere near a MB fan, myself. I find both sounds a bit sterile but have more time on LMll's as used the combo a lot. My main problem with the MB was how it worked at volume..which is always a issue for me but I'd still use one if I was lent it.- Liked the 750 in the shop..not so much outside it. If that was provided again, I'd take my own..which tbf, is why I have a lightweight rig anyway.

For me, I take either a 750w into 4 or 2.67 ohms or an 800w into 4. I get them loud enough for the gig.

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1461056871' post='3030938'] Actually what we find round these parts is that, certainly in the past, most pubs had a budget of £400 from brewery, claimed that from brewery and paid band £250-£300 [/quote] Yes, which is why Brewery's want to take the cash element out of the equation.. One Brewery round here subsidise a LOT of music in pubs but also book direct so pay the bands far more on direct gigs and a few decent local bands can work those ticketed events well. They get paid nearly 3 times as much..depending on who they are... and even the support band gets £400 typically, but the deal is that the band has to sell 250 tickets @ £10 per head and they aren't many takers. Some bands are happy to work for £250 which they get whether 2 men and a dog turn up or they really sell it. so from a business point of view, you can get why the LL/venue want a working business model over the year. Bands can be very short term and not see the bigger picture...and therefore want paying even on poor attendance nights.. that is fine, but then expect the LL to legislate for poor nights as well. The better model..IMO.. is £250 per night for the pub band...with a £100 bonus for doing well... but there are no takers all round. You also have to give the pub the chance to make money as they will have loss nights that they band just doesn't have to entertain.. I think good music savvy LL's don't mind paying the band whatever they ask for...as long as they have made that money at the very least, it is when the income and out goings are seriously awry that it all falls over and gets tricky.

Shallow every day and twice on sundays

No idea but I soon traded up to a Muscmaster as it was a 'Fender' I kept that until I could afford a Jazz on HP with my dad 'sponsoring it. Dogs all of them... and well rid. I had Ibanez's (924) which I could make work but my first decent bass was a late 70's MM which was a real good workhorse and set the bar.

My observation of MB, for example, is... that they sound distinctly meh for a LOT of people, but one or two players can make them sound more than decent. No middle ground .. but then what the hell's use is middle ground anyway..

In view of Chilliw's which is from the view point of many examples, I'll say that I don't think they are worth the money. I'd have far far FAR more faith that a custom builder like Sei and probably Overwater would make a far better bass in almost every regard for ball park same money. I'm baulking at a Sei J5 build only because of the lead-in time but I know MP will make a great bass ..and it will almost be a work of art... which is a factor, IMO..at these prices. My Custom shop is a plank by comparison... but I hope to get my money back if/when I sell. It is a bass I like, but will never love... but the truth is you only really know what you have got once it is built. For me, with about £3k to spend..I'd go new Sei, or AC..but you still have to find the right one...so I'd be seeking them out to play. BassD have nice Lull's, ..or did when I was there...and BassG will have loads of enticing basses. The Gallery is also worth a visit... but I would definitely be visiting and checking them out and wouldn't be buying on spec unless the price was VERY keen.

Pickup swap... I have some Custom shop Noiseless on a J5 that I was going to swap out... but I think I'd need to keep the originals if I were to sell the bass. I thought I'd try and new set of pickups and/or a pre amp. Looking for ideas to swap. I know the East 4 pot pre amp well and was thinking something different.. for no other reason but to try a few things plus the Fender pre doesn't have a passive option. So, anyone any ideas on a 4 pot pre... with a sweepable mid preferrably. Pickups in mind are Aguilar atm...

All decent points, ..and since the OP has explained the reason for his post turned out to be a misunderstanding we are left to discuss general gigging 'principles'... but the truth is there is no set way ..just experience which tells you how to do it. OR, how YOU want to do it. There are dodgy bar owners/venues, but then you don't have to play their game. Pay to play is one... Pass the hat is another, Open MIc night. Most these are fill the venue on an off night situations.. You should know how the guy books ..or make it your business to find out. There are plenty of decent bookers as there are scum bags, you just have to determine who you will work for.. So, yes, if you don't like the way someone runs their business...you can have a principle on it, IMO.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460957101' post='3030047'] You really have to put a lot of thought into what your looking for in a band. Weren't there any "red flags " that indicated these guys we're not going to work out for you? Blue [/quote] Must say that I agree that you are looking at a lot of things to make it work. For me, it is musical chemistry, easy to to work with go-for attitude and out of a lot of things, the music/player is a given. You can be supportive as people have other lives ... but once you have a direction, people should be able to do as they say. So, things like gig frequency, money, hours, travel are all 1st base agreements. It doesn't so much matter what you agree to as long as everyone is on the same page. I prefer all-equal bands, but accept that some people are more dominant and able to devote time to doing what needs to be done and others can only just turn up, due to demanding famiiy commitments etc , but as long as they turn up and work when they say they can, then that is ok. In fact, a lot of people with limited time are pretty good at organising themselves to be ready as they CAN'T waste time.. You just have to know and have established all the working rules .. And another aspect, a lot of stuff I turn down is because I know it wont work for me long term, so I don't get myself into a situation where I waste their, and they waste my time. If the thinking is, I'll give it 6 months... then you kind of know it isn't working already..?

A lot of the copies or clones are superior... but there you go.

Same as Natan East.. you don't get called as much as he does if you aren't known for nailing the gig. And those gigs aren't always the really showie bass gigs.

It can be tough matcing up a set that is not the same as 90% of covers bands. Some places embrace something different as they seem to be the more serious music pubs which have their regular clientelle...and those places and punters know the value of keeping the rosta fresh. Around here, there is quite a demarcation line and certain bands know their 'patch' in that regard. You could always check out the pubs before hand or know the bands that play these places and see how they go. No one wants a poor turn-out and some places can't afford to indulge a band enough to give them 4 gigs, for example, and help them build up a following..or have the chance to.. In that regard, it can be a bit catch 22... but bands are expected to make the difference on the takings..and a venue can't afford too many blow-outs per year.... IME. Quite a balancing act all round.

I have Barts soap bars running thru a east per and they are very lively.... M Not looking to swap them...... Am thinking about swapping out the N3 in my fender tho...Maybe all aguilar with one of their pre's...or audere, I had Bart soap bars thru a shack and they were darker but also pretty modern...but that wasn't a jazz, it was a custom build so I'd say that sound was built in... still pretty lively though. Would have no problem using more Bart pickups.

[quote name='julesb' timestamp='1460827892' post='3029196'] Love Hall and Oates. Daryl's house is always worth a watch. [/quote] Looks like his house band is his touring band..??

Best gig I ever saw was Hall and Oates at the Forum years ago....iirc.

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1460804686' post='3028886'] I wonder about the members that post only a few times then do one. I guess they think either this place is sh*t I'm outer here or they give up bass right? [/quote] There have been a few top names that showed their face and they left pretty quickly... We know they haven't given up