JTUK

I picked people I could learn from and two of the best lessons I could have had were joining a popular and very busy function band at 17. This taught me discipline and an exposure to large audiences plus a repertiore I'd never have even thought of. And the second was a jazz gig with two very good and knowledgeable players who exposed me to a range of jazz standards and taught me how to cope very quicky. The music was written or charted or just standard jazz changes that you got by ear so you had to cover all basses...and you had to solo a good few times over those changes which was a study in itself. So, those were the best lessons I had and gave my a good grounding to go out and play. The bedroom and classroom only do so much and you learn most, IMO, when you just have to get up there and do it.

I swapped out my Fender pre to get a passive option...I believe the newer ones have it, but older ones like I had don't...?? Anyway, I was never convinced by the Fender pre...I regard it as agricultural, so I had a glock put in and that is a big step up in quality. However this was for a Jazz config, but I assume you have a jazz pickup so this would be the way to go, IMO.

Whatever the tempo is, it stays.... You can't be having changes through a track. Either play in time or find new people. There is no ambiguity about where the 1 is...and everyone hits it. A good drummer will make this very obvious anyway.

I think you should protect your MB 210. Friend of mine ran his for kick and it didn't last long. This is because no one is attending to level of the kick. I'd take one sub...adds a bit of depth to Vox anyway, typically. If you have someone out front and the cabs are upto it, then kick thru the tops can be ok..

On it............. I make the drums and band sound good. That is the goal

You play right handed if definitely Right handed. A good player will not have a poor plucking hand, for want of a better word. This is the hand that initiates the strike of the string.

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1475415640' post='3145722'] Live music in general seems to be ok if you go by venues and festivals, except in London where the only people that can afford to go out are Chinese investors who hate all forms of culture - and they don't even live here to begin with - , Russian oligarchs and their prostitutes who prefer shopping and eating foie gras as opposed to listening to music, and people who have inherited their dad's money and prefer to eat fake street food, snort coke and drink cocktails to anything to do with music culture. Elsewhere, young people don't want to hear pub bands and cover bands any more because nobody under 60 cares about those songs any more, and young people don't want to listen to the same songs their parents listen to when they go out with their mates. I don't like live music in pubs either, unless it's jazz. I go to pubs to talk to friends, so a live amplified band playing rock covers would make me pack up and leave immediately. Live venues on the other hand are usually rammed if the band playing is ok. When I was a teenager I went to loads of gigs which were empty, it's not a new thing, it's down to how popular your music is more than anything else. The rest is down to genre, some people prefer electronic music which is much better suited to a night out if your drug of choice is not alcohol. Young people still like a night out and a dance, just like they always have. [/quote] Welcome to Basschat

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1475167039' post='3143702'] My point was that no matter how good he is, or may become, he is not enjoying it, so what is the point? I play cos I love and enjoy the whole experience, and I am a firm believer in the old saying "[b]Its not what you play but how you play it[/b]" Also, on 99.9% of gigs, I could play what he is required to play so I dont see the point of learning to play at 300mph, or play like Jaco Pastorius when I will never need to in a gig situation. If you are happy with what you have then you have everything you need. [/quote] This is where the most gains are made... you can put all the time you like into solo's and certain techniques that you hardly ever use live but you will get gigs because you make the track work better than the other guy. Being able to slot in and sound as though you have played the tracks for ages is invaluable. But feel is not something you can learn so much... you have it or you don't. That gets you the gig... all the networking in the world only gets you so far.

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1475154822' post='3143510'] To a certain extent , I think this is OK - the singer is the focal point of the band and 99.99999% of the time, all the average pub audience is actually listening to. If they don't like the song, it'll be immediately apparent in their performance to any discerning audience, it doesn't matter if the band nails it, if the singer ain't delivering, the song will be rubbish, IMHO. [/quote] I agree, if the singer can't deliver it, then it does not get flogged as a dead horse.... and singers HAVE to accept they are murdering a song as much as anyone else-but they don't..??? That said, the singer needs to be open to good ideas too. The deal is, don't work with guys that can't sing..saves a LOT of problems from the off.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_premium_gigbag_e_bass_br.htm I've had these well over a year and they are unmarked so I'd say they are hardwearing. The price is amazing and don't believe these are cheap crap... far from it.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1475226381' post='3144119'] The first thing to do when you join a new band is [i]don't [/i]stop looking for a new band. Until you've sorted out all the details and given it a few months to see if it's working as you expected. [/quote] Exactly... I've got 3 units I'm pretty/very pleased with.... so my dep stints will have to reduce, but I'll make room for another good band. Btw, Chris.. you doing Robin Bibi in Thanet?

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1475162069' post='3143619'] This has got me thinking. I was asked to join a band recently and I didn't ask any of these questions. If the set list is sh*t but they make big bucks I can compromise. If the set list is great and the money is sh*t I can compromise. [b]But if the set list is sh*t and so is the money......nah![/b] [/quote] I don't even know why that would be up for debate...

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1475298584' post='3144814'] If you want some poke, ( matron ) the older BA 600's have plenty of oomph. I have the BA 600 neo 115 , big poky 600 watt combo and only 55 lbs [/quote] I used one of these and it was ok. Not sure the new BA combo are up with that..??

If live music doesn't work, you need to rethink. People will come out to good stuff, I think.

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1475262983' post='3144604'] Are "Luther built" basses any better than those produced by larger manufacturers? I wouldn't necessarily expect a guy in a backstreet garage to build a better car than a well known manuacturer in a multimillion pound factory. [/quote] Some luthiers certainly are... by a country mile, IME

[quote name='sbrag' timestamp='1475162100' post='3143620'] Question from me after my last band is am I expected to pay a joining fee to cover my share of lights/pa etc. Auditioned, liked it got the gig and was told I needed to chip in a week or so later. [/quote] Not really workable....

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1475072536' post='3142813'] I would phoned on the day they said it would be in to ensure it was infact in [/quote] Yes..before setting off.

I ordered one from Sei having looked at the market and not been overly impressed with the offerings. MP told me..and showed me, that he would make a far better bass for the money, which at that time was about £1500. He was correct and altho now his prices are nearly double..and his lead time around a year, I'd still go there for a custom bass. His build and his workmanship make sure you end up with a unqiue personal custom bass which really works. Altho he will fine tune his designs with thing like neck profile etc etc ... he has been doing it for long enough to know and advise what works. The biggest single mistake in my book is picking unknown combination woods, but since all are active... this is less of a problem. However, I think the bass HAS to work passively as well, and by that I mean it should great passive and not HAVE to rely of the Elecs 'saving' it..which it probably wont 100% IMO.

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1472081779' post='3118441'] One thing worth noting is that a single two10 will move as much air as a pair of TKS 112 so a pair of two10 would sound massive. Go for it. Frank. [/quote] You'd have to demo that because I use 2xs112's and I pound them with an 800w top. I can't see it myself and I note the previous comment about lack of top and clarity, which is what I'd expect. You need to reasonable with the expectations.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1474968243' post='3141830'] I probably shouldn't have chosen that clip. He's recovering from a stroke and can be seen to be struggling at times but his technique is good enough to have made him an elite and world class bass player for the last 50 + years. [/quote] Are we sure he is recovering from a stroke at the time of this clip. Things don't look so different from other videos technically as far as I can see. Having said that, I like his quirky style and he doesn't have to do what others do... you hire Chuck Rainey because he does what he does. With his background, he will be hired for what he brings to the party

You both fit.

You need drive and you need focus. Then you need innate talent which some have more than others. None of this matters much if you are already where you want to be. If you are writing about it, I'd be thinking you aren't happy....?

If you want to push the P.A into medium size venue/halls..?? I think it it would be better to give an indication of how many people.. It sounds like you are talking tops only but you want kick in it, you should be looking at 15's. RCF 725's would be a start point/benchmark, IMO but you'd have to search hard for the money you have available

Just like they couldn't afford to cancel when Johnson went, they couldn't afford to have AR mess them around so I'm betting they paid him very very well but the contract was water-tight and the costs of failure would end up at the right door.

A friend of mine had a '62 P-bass which he took down to bare wood... did he regret that in monetary terms..?? you bet..!!