Marvin

Very nice...but where's the Natalie Imbruglia profile pic gone??????????

I certainly hope one doesn't forget to play. I've not played for 6 months and have just started learning songs for an audition and to say my playing at the moment is shambolic would be and understatement

I'd be inclined to say I wasn't available. Having to use a days holiday to cover an unpaid gig for a band I'm not really in would be a bit much for me.

Despite having been in cover bands, as a punter I'd never, ever, pay to go and see one. There's couple of venues near me that charge £3 to see cover bands, not for me. I only paid £20 to see Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan and Mike Portnoy play last year

21kg is nothing, one should be able to lift that with one's little finger. It's a bargain. I'd probably look at a 1x15. I borrowed a 1x15 cab last year, it belonged to the headline band's bass player. I was skeptical as it look like a right dogs breakfast...how wrong was I. A 300w head into a tatty 1x15, it really had guts to it.

There were very few bands that I listened to, when first getting serious about music, that took much, if anything, from the Beatles. In my formative years I started by listening to 50's rock'n'roll and stuff Teddy boys would have listened to. From that I went to blues and r&b and from there to punk. For my musical development they're a bit player. And for the younger folk of today the Beatles have near no influence at all...not with regards to hip hop and contemporary R&B which seems to be their thing.

I don't use my amp to practice with at home so I'd assume that the tone is different playing with a band. I tend to use a USB interface into a laptop just to work out parts or learn songs. A tone that sounds nice in my dinning room may sound awful live or in a rehearsal room so I don't get precious about tone at home. In a band context it depends entirely what the band want to sound like and that can change from song to song.

If you like the Ibanez SRs then a Yamaha TRBX will feel very similar regards the neck. I think the electronics are more powerful as well. Personally I wouldn't go for an Ibanez SR305, I have an SR300 which is a great bass but I don't think it as good in the 5 string. The problem with the bridges on Ibanez's seems to be the grub screws on the saddles, they work themselves down as you play sometimes. A friend of mine has an old Ergodyne and his does it...I told him to keep an allen key in his pocket when he gigs All that said I think you'd be hard to beat the Sire V7 in a 5 string. The neck is a little thicker (front to back) than an Ibanez but it steel feels very good, electronics are very powerful - even in passive mode, great build quality. I have a 4 string and if I was looking for a 5 it would be my first port of call.

I couldn't be arsed to do it

I've got a BOSS GT6B but have been considering buying a Zoom B1on after borrowing Discreet's for a week. For the money they are great and make a brilliant practice set up. Great choice.

Looking on their website they don't seem to do the angled cabs anymore. It's great to see they've got a UK distributor. All cabs are a personal taste thing but these get good reviews and if I were in the market for a cab at the moment these would be on the list...thankfully I'm not in a band and I'm skint so GAS isn't a problem at the moment

I don't rehearse at the moment as I'm not in a band. It also curtails my practising as if I'm not in a band I'm not that fussed about sitting at home playing

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1439678518' post='2844999'] Yes [/quote] It only took 6 pages but there's your answer.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1439674567' post='2844951'] I've always lived my musical life by the philosophy, "nothing will beat me". IMV Twincam is right to agonise over it, he wants to be a "well rounded" musician. Stick with it Twincam, ambient's idea to break the bass line up into shorter segments is good. Start at a slow tempo and gradually increase. It may take several weeks to get it sounding anything like slick, but as you practice and generally improve your chops, so will your rendition of "Rhythm Stick". [/quote] I didn't suggest the OP give up. Sometimes putting a song to one side, maybe learning other material or finding a way of practising certain techniques can provide an insight into something that you've been struggling with previous...a different context can help. Constantly trying to master something that is seemingly allusive can be self defeating, best to know when to take a break.

I've not played in nearly 6 months. I couldn't play a single thing from the last band I was in or the 3 or 4 before that.

Find something else to play, move on and come back to it in a few months.

The people have got to be right, it's that simple. You've all got to be going in the same direction. For me it's about playing music that I feel is of a good standard. It doesn't have to be material that I'd necessarily listen to at home, but that will interest an audience...and that means I turn down bands that want to do certain material. I recently turned down a band that presented a set list full of the usual suspects, stuff that would make me cringe if I had to play it in public. I left a new band because they wanted to add stuff like Alright Now etc. I've never learnt to play it and still refuse to. Money, if I wanted to get regular paid gigs I wouldn't be looking at playing pubs, that's just a waste of time. Functions is where the money is. But then I'm not interested in making money to that degree, if someone is trying to make money out of my band playing then I expect my cut but otherwise it's not my motivation for playing. I wouldn't want to earn my living gigging, I'm sure my kids would hate it.

Wear is fine, and to be expected. Gunk and general detritus is a completely different matter, basically NO! A lot of these 'aged' basses with grime on the chrome hardware, eeewwww, I'd be getting the brasso and a rag out.

These are must knows? Crikes, I've not played or learnt a single one put foward. Will i be thrown off the forum?

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1439297768' post='2841627'] There's some interesting posts here. I have to agree on some, like too many knobs and/or strings. And who on earth needs tuning heads the size of a wind-turbine? (Fender) Not wanting to derail the thread, but here's my baby. Do you think It'd look good with a nice tort pick guard? [/quote] Only if you ditch the gold hardware

Pretty standard attitude amongst the less enlightened. Thankfully they are small in number in my experience, most people I've worked with realise it's a different set of skills playing the bass.

A friend of mine has bought the active EV12s recently and for vocals they sounded really nice. My former band was using Mackies at a rehearsal room and the EV's only confirmed what I'd said at rehearsal, that the mackies were horribly harsh when pushed even just a bit. The EV's sounded really rounded and rich in comparison. He uses them at an acoustic open mic night and then adds the subs for his soul and funk band.

It's the number of 'big names' that reference The Beatles and Sgt.Peppers that, for me, can't be ignored. I'm not a big Beatles fan, I like some of there stuff and Sgt.P isn't my favourite of their albums, however, it's and their influence are undeniable.