Marvin

All avenues are filled with time wasting fools. It's just a case of sifting through the chaff and idiots...unfortunately it takes considerable time, to the point I haven't bothered even looking for some time.

I never measured my string height before. I tend to set the neck relief as per the manufacturers spec usually and then get the strings as low as possible. However, I've just measure my p bass (I can't be bothered to get the Ibby and Jazz bass out of their cases, they'll be very similar anyway) and to my surprise it was 1.9mm @17th fret on the E string. I always thought my action was on the high side but apparently not. I've been trying to fix up the basses at my son's school. They're Encore E4 p basses mainly. The lowest I can get the action on them is 3.5mm. Any lower and even the lightest of playing they buzz, rattle and choke. I don't rate them at all, there are so many issues with them. I find the 3.5mm almost unplayable.

They do a few of these every year. I think there’s a Blues weekend, a punk one and folk one as well. I think Fairport Convention headed the folk one. Some of the bands on the list might not be being paid. I know a few of them and they’d play at the opening of a birthday card. I seem to remember a band I was once in got offered a gig where there was no fee because the headliners ‘needed to be paid’. We didn’t bother

Could you add another cab to the MarkBass?

I picked up a 2nd hand VM Precision last year. It's the Amber/Maple one, the same scheme as the 70's VM Jazz. I shouldn't like it really simply for the colour, but I love it. It's got a great sound, it's incredibly loud and is great to play. I've probably gigged it more than my Sire V7 since I bought it, partly because it only cost me £150

If you get paid for gigs around here it's cash...and you pay for your ale with cash as well. Paying for ale with a card is rare to the point you'd probably be asked by the bar staff "what do you want me to do with this?" 😎

Cheers. A shim, I'd overlooked that. Thanks for the link, it's great 'how to'. All I hope is that the shim doesn't have to be something like 2 credit cards worth in thickness The bodies on these basses have got some real nice relicing going on, people would pay good money for this sort of ageing. They have lovely looking couple of Squier strats where the white body on one and the scratchplate on another have gone a lovely yellowy creamy colour. I'm hunting around trying to find bits and bobs to replace broken parts. As I said my wife works there, my kids go there and I know the tech (I was in a band with him briefly).

The local secondary school, at which my kids go to, have several basses, mostly Encore p basses, which are in a pretty dire state quite frankly. I said to Mrs Marvin, who happens to work there, that if the head of music wanted I'd pop in and give them a basic set up (if possible). It's the usual story of actions you could drive a bus under, dead strings, missing controls, cracked pickguards etc. However, all bar one is straightforward to sort out. This one bass has me a little foxed. The action is appalling, probably x3 times higher than what would be considered average. I checked the neck relief and although it was a bit more than you'd want it wasn't way off, it'd only need a tweak. The problem is the saddles are wound right down on the bridge, they won't go any lower yet the strings are a mile off the fretboard. The only thing I could think was that the neck looked very sunken into the neck pocket, only really the slim rosewood fretboard and a slim slither of of maple. None of my necks are like that. Advice greatly appreciated

PM'd

Just over £20 from Amazon. Bright, big display https://www.avsl.com/brands/chord/product/174.244UK-chromatic-tuner-pedal

I've never, in albeit a very limited experience of these things, had a sound engineer want to DI my bass into the mixing desk before my amp. I would actually be quite concerned if any sound engineer went about things that way. It would suggest to me they weren't up to the task or lazy. My bass tone has quite a lot of grit in it, it sounds quite driven, so to DI my bass straight into the mixing desk wouldn't replicate my tone and therefore totally pointless. All the sound engineers I've encountered though have been very good at what they're supposed to be doing, they just get on with it. I've never felt I have to make a special effort to go up to the sound engineer and introduce myself etc etc...they're usually too busy doing the sound for another band anyway. My band played a festival a couple of Sundays back and the sound engineer there was fantastic. The sound was well mixed and really clear. I honestly don't know where these problem characters come from

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1498497694' post='3325040'] Ha " The way he stains" unintentional excellence [/quote] My typing is as bad as my bass playing

The way he stains when stood at the microphone he looks like he's permanently trying to 'push one out'...and that's what he sounds like as well. I could never understand how he was rated as a vocalist. He struck lucky that his brother could pen a decent tune, that said, I've never liked Oasis or that whole Britpop thing, couldn't abide it. I did catch the Liam Gallagher set on the Beeb, it was dire.

One of the sisters of First Aid Kit was using a couple of Hofners and a Fender Mustang (not at the same time I might add). And a nice sounding set up through a Fender rig

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1498335972' post='3323962'] Humble Yamaha TRBX 304 or 504 being used by Songhoy Blues. [/quote] TRBX504. It's the only time I've seen someone on a big stage playing an instrument like what I have owned Odd though, the guy left the plastic bit that tells you which control is which.

Get chrome knobs with no markings...it makes life so much simpler. 😊

Off topic definitely not, Ebay probably not and I don't think anything in a for sale forum count. Otherwise fill yerrrr boots 😀

Have you considered getting a Zoom B1on pedal in the interim? It's what I use for home practice, they're quite cheap and would give you time to try out as many heads as you want before taking the plunge.

As with any music it depends on the songwriting skills of those involved. Perhaps the problem for Indie is that it's attracted people who can't write...or play and it's tarnished the genre, as there are plenty out there who can do both. There are though an awful lot of 'Indie' bands out there that just make a very loud and generally awful noise. But as mentioned, what is Indie? Some bands mentioned I wouldn't regard as Indie, more Alt-Rock, bands like Doves, Elbow and Radiohead. I don't really recognise the 'just playing 8th notes' either. It's entirely down to the band and the writing. That said, I've just left an Indie band that I'd been in for about 12months. I wouldn't go back to playing the genre. I had free reign to make up any bass line I wanted but still the writing wasn't really doing it for me.

The 6 bolt neck, with 2 at an angle is quite impressive. I've only seen that on Sheehan's Attitude 3 basses before.

My own basses I keep clean, a dampish cloth, cotton buds and a toothbrush all work wonders. I dropped in on a guitarist mate one evening and he asked if I fancied a jam. Pointed out I hadn't brought my bass with me, to which he replied I could borrow his housemate's. I have never seen such a disgustingly unhygienic instrument in my life. You could see the physical build up of grease on the strings. It must have been 1mm thick. The top of the pickups...I simply can't describe. I refused to play, it made me feel physically ill.

[quote name='aDx' timestamp='1490438097' post='3265119'] he puts the humbucker thro a 4x10 and the treble pup thro a 1x15" !!! His tone reminds me of glen hughes in purple (made in europe) - BIG sound [/quote] He uses Hydrive 115s live now, no 410s anymore. I don't why the change...but it still sounds the same I've seen Billy Sheehan twice, with the Winery Dogs. It's a real jaw dropping experience. What he does works with the bands he plays in, it's just that simple. I like his playing. His tone is such a labour of love for him, there's so much thought gone in to it. Both his playing and his enthusiasm for the bass is inspiring. There aren't that many 'names' in the bass world who have that much enthusiasm for the instrument. Great musician.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1488912755' post='3252907'] Fender Rumble 500 Combo. [/quote] There endeth the thread

Indeed, bands. What can be said that hasn't already. I give up to be honest. I've wasted a lot of time on people who like the idea of being in band but aren't willing to put in the time or work. I've got other things to do to the point that if I'm not in a band I don't really care anymore.

I do wish Ibanez would quit with these horrid finishes. One of the reasons I never bought an SR500 is because it looks so god damned dull...yes, I am fickle