Jackroadkill

I've only been playing for a year, and not practising as much as I should due to life being busy etc etc, and I'm not very confident in terms of technical ability, but I've finally learned how to read tabs and during the last couple of months something has "clicked" in terms of understanding what the bass is there to do. I might not be a great bass player, but it makes me happy in a way that nothing else does, and I'm grateful for that.

Rehearsed last night and the band was cooking. You know those times when the songs play themselves? The only problem was that one of the guitarists has got himself a new (well, old, but new to him) amp and it's just horrible. Nasty, fizzy high gain sound that doesn't sit well with the rest of the band's sound. I'm working up to telling him that he needs to change his settings at the very least. I did make some suggestions last night but he didn't take them on board. This is his first band and he's not yet learned how a band's sound works. Anyway, apart from that it was great fun and confidence is high for the next gig.

For me it would be a fat bottom, a tight-ish waist and a rounded top half.

Now this is good to know; I'll be needing some pickups soon and have been wondering if the Toneriders are as good as they;re cracked up to be.

Napalm Death came to my old band's first gig , which was in a tiny pub in rural Wales. They weren't keen on the music but said we were very professional and did a great job.

Yes, a HPF's at the top of my shopping list, too.

I start with everything at 12 o'clock and go from there. If it's a turn-up-and-play type of gig I don't worry about my tone very much, but if there's a decent PA, an good engineer and a real soundcheck then I'll be a bit more fussy.

I've had a 15-year hiatus from gigging that came to and end in May. I was never, ever going to play in a band again, and then my friend tricked me into jamming with him, which became a non-gigging band. When that came to a natural end, I felt the pull, bought a bass and formed a covers band (something else I was never going to do). I'm having the most fun I've ever had with my pants on. You can put it down without having anything more on the agenda than just putting it down. Whatever you do, do what you fee is best for you at the time.

I love the disembodied wig hiding nearly out of shot.

I'd certainly regret buying one of those!

You ever tried persuading a recalcitrant billy to do something he doesn't want to do?

Very true; sheep naturally looked like long-haired goats, their wool being a sort of under-layer. Once humans had developed farming they bred the hair off and the wool quantity up. However, as we all know, sheep are twp and goats are the messengers of Satan.

That's a cool band you've got. Proper old-school punk sound.

You rang? I mean, sheep are my usual fare, but I could branch out a bit.

That's a lot posher than mine - in so many ways! If she opts for the bullet belt, make sure she points the rounds downwards; I made the mistake of pointing them upwards and they poked me relentlessly in the side of the neck. In true teenage rock-god-wannabe style I scorned the suggestion that correcting that might be a good idea.

My first bass was one of those, waaaay back in 1995; it cost me £115 and I loved it. However, as I knew nothing about gear at all, I would, wouldn't it?! I found out the body was plywood and started to go off it. I ended up covering it in paint and stickers and making it heavier by adding a belt of about 50 7.62mm dummy rounds to the strap and adding a home-made humbucker mounted on velcro under the strings.

That's great to hear!

Oh hell yes! That's a thing of beauty. One of the guitarists in my band has a CAR Telecaster and he's very keen to get me to buy a bass in the same colour - one like this would be ideal! How did it play at rehearsal?

I must admit I'm nervous of the mudbucker. I'll have to find a shop which has both and shoot them out against each other.

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First and pinky, obviously. \m/

I've got one of these on my shopping list. I looked at the Micro Thumpinator and the Broughton but this looks like it might be the one that gives me what I want. I need to hang on until pay day, but I'm definitely very keen.

Yes, very often. I have two brothers who are big music fans, and a couple of the people I work with are too. Every Thursday we take a group of the kids to our woodland school and each gets to play a track of their choice whilst we eat dinner. There are only two rules - the music must be appropriate and they can only play each song once (no repeats, week to week). There usually follows some lively discussion about each choice.

I'm sure I heard this in a video review I saw, but having read your comment I've looked at the specs on a few websites and it appears you're right.... Which means I might have just talked myself one step closer to buying one.... So thanks!

Sweet baby effing Christmas..... What the actual fick have I started?! You're all sadists!