Mykesbass

Age 11, science teacher started guitar lessons at lunch time. Got a really nasty Kay bright red and yellow sunburst acoustic. Mum made me a cloth bag for it - she was a dressmaker by trade. Followed quickly, once I'd shown real interest, with an Eko. Big old second hand acoustic with 0.14 gauge strings and a dodgy soundhole pick-up. Moved to Electric by about 13, first one was a beautiful Jap lawsuit Barney Kessel copy. Only problem was feedback - things were starting to get a bit noisy and punk had just happened. Those days we shared bass playing duties on an old Burns that the school owned - woyuld be worth a fortune now - we had no idea it was a quality instrument! Did double bass lessons for two years. Loved it but at that age and living in a flat the chance of ever owning one never happened! Switched back to guitar, Guild SA90 which I still have, faffed around with that for a while and lost direction until joining an 18 piece big band, loads of lovely jazz chords. Could never get the right sound from the Guild so bought an Epiphone Joe Pass which I still have with an upgrade of a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck. Was bought a US Tele in early 2000's which was very nice but nothing special, sold when I started getting more serious about bass. Owned a music shop for a couple of years where I fell back in love with bass, discovered the joy of five string and fretless. Had a Korean Aria SB404/5, great versatile bass, but found it sat badly cutting into my left shoulder. Replaced this with a Cort GB75 which has since had a fretless board put on it by Jon Shuker and am now looking forward to a Shuker 5 string fretless any time soon (well, by Jon's estimation)!!!

2 for me, although with a bit of an edit, number 1 as well - to play music you like with like minded people. My band mates have become friends but having fun with friends is not what brought us together. [quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1325766753' post='1487244'] 1, 2, 3 for me and 4 - play some songs you hate for a bit of beer money ;-) [/quote] Edited to add number 4 (well on New Year's Eve)

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1325694697' post='1486229'] Seems to invite the concept of 'musician', a more liberating idea altogether. [/quote] But that discriminates against drummers! I'll get me coat (and hard hat)

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1325680719' post='1485957'] This is pretty flute-tastic as well: [/quote] Can't think of an appropriate superlative for that opening bar - really hooks you from the first note. Never heard this before - going on the Amazon wish list with The Meters. Getting expensive looking at these clips!

I think I'll just set fire to this piece of wood here to warm my ankles up.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1325673220' post='1485821'] I am very much a solid state fan. Main reasons... 1. Reliability 2. Portability 3. Price Reliability - When a tube goes it's always when you least want it to. 9/10 in the last 5mins of a soundcheck or second song into the set! Portability - Have you ever picked up an Ampeg SVT-2 head and carried it up a flight of stairs? Try that and then do the same with a Markbass LMIII. Price - The D-class market is very good value for money and the quality of the products out there is getting better and better every year. Companies like Genz Benz and Markbass are developing very nice D-class/Tube hybrid amps that sound great. [/quote] Reliability - OK, valves go, but they are a running repair. Class D goes down it's gone. (at least my Yamaha was) Portability - My Peavey power and pre-amp racked is still a one hand lift. Only 120 watts but way more than enough for me. Price - Pretty sure I couldn't match my rig for less than twice what I paid for it going the MarkBass/Genz route. Ok, so I may be being a bit economical with the truth on the portability, but something like a Traynor YBA200 weighs in at less than 20 Kilos, well under the legal one man lift weight.

Lovely - you can almost hear the white fluffy socks Lovely change of feel between verse and chorus. Had forgotten that!

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1325673907' post='1485835'] I will ask some of the Brass players i know, what companies they use. He might want to put a profile up here, Cruise work for blowers comes up from time to time. A basic free account will get you alerts. But it is worth paid membership to get immediate access to opportunities. [url="http://uk.music-jobs.com/"]http://uk.music-jobs.com/[/url] Garry [/quote] Thanks again Garry.

[quote name='chardbass' timestamp='1325673145' post='1485820'] At 19 maybe he could try to see the bigger picture and go to music college first as it could present more options for careers later. Having said that I know nothing of fees etc. [/quote] Thanks Chardbass, he's on a diploma course at the moment which will lead on to doing a degree next year, but he is looking to see if there are better alternatives than this route. And when you see the responses when people have posted on here in the past about going to college, he's probably doing the right thing by at least considering options.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1325671033' post='1485783'] The production/show gigs tend to pay better. full on pit/theatre gigs Garry [/quote] Thanks for teh useful input Garry, With him being a trumpeter I guess he needs to look for the companies putting these productions together.

Not a fan of flame finishes (bodies that is, like it on necks and boards) - the Koa Tele is lovely though. Hmmm, just seen prices, Koa Tele $2,499!

Thanks Throwoff, nice bit of insider information there. Will hopefully get a few more responses I can collate for him.

Anthony Jackson seems to be credited with playing the first B to G in 1975 - a customised Alembic. Production models started creeping out in mid 80's. As others have said, the Fender VI and Danelectro 6 were E to E an octave lower than guitar.

Probably one of the best examples to use next time the anti-bass-solo threads start up again! And that's from someone who isn't a massive bass solo fan but that was exceptional. Thanks for posting - off to try the album now.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1325583848' post='1484562'] I've resisted the temptation myself, but maybe this will help? [url="http://www.proship.com/en/entertainers/proship-entertainment/e-about-us.html"]http://www.proship.c...e-about-us.html[/url] [/quote] Neat sample audition charts!

My 19 year old nephew is a very goodt trumpeter and singer and is looking at options aside from music college. One avenue he wants to explore is cruise ships. Anyone here had any experience - how to go about getting it, is it good for development/contacts, pay & conditions etc? Thanks, Mike

Welcome to Basschat (and the midlife crisis) from another fretless convert! Cheaper than sports cars? Obviously not succumbed to GAS yet then?! Oh, and get out of that bedroom and back into a band. Cheers, Mike

Cracking post WoT. Seen loads of 60's posters with unusual bill combinations but would never have thought these guys would have played together! Thanks for posting.

Should get the Shuker in January Then all I need is some decent medication to deal with the rheumatoid arthritis in my hands that came on in November

Well that was a lot of fun - played a little country pub for New Year's Eve, middle of nowhere. Band set up in the conservatory and a disco was set up in a marquee. Set up nice and early, then the punters started arriving. We were expecting locals, friends and family but this lot were arriving in minibuses from Eastbourne and Hailsham. 300 of them, all young enough to be our children/grandchildren!! The girls all looked like they were fresh off The Only Way is Essex. Played the first set to about 8 people including the drummer and guitarist's partners. Second set however, we got a crowd of kids rocking away to Creedence, Stones and Dylan and some serious school disco smooching going on to the slowies at the end! Great to win over a crowd like that

Sold my Digitech multi-fx to Adam, good comms, decent price, happy to deal with again. Cheers, Mike

[quote name='Steve Lawson' timestamp='1324632868' post='1476381'] As someone else pointed out, you read it wrong - I hope they cease to exist. I have little to no concern what anyone within that particular world thinks of me. As you say, the vast likelihood is that very few people there have any idea who I am, or any inclination to find out. Steve [/quote] Apologies Steve, yep, got two words round the wrong way and completely mis-interpreted the meaning! Should have put the reading glasses on rather than rely on the contact lenses!

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1324466251' post='1474452'] ...The most ball achingly annoying time wastery frustrating pursuit bleeding ever. Discuss... Merry Xmas everyone [/quote] Popped in to a local in September to be told they were phasing out cover bands as the originals bands were proving a better draw. Looked at the website this week to see wall to wall blues, classic rock etc! Either the quickest change of heart or the stink of dung!

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1324316044' post='1472947'] Done. I called it 'General Discussion' and put more info in the subtitle. [/quote] Thanks Ped.