EssexBuccaneer

I’d just like a powerful bass amp that doesn’t require a forklift to move from home-car-venue and back again. One day I’ll invent one and make my millions.

Hi guys, I recently bought a Harley Benton 5 string stingray-like thingy and I’d like to change out the pup for something a bit better. Most likely a Seymour Duncan or suchlike. My question is will the new pickup be held back by the existing (presumably budget) wiring/pots etc? i.e will the sound quality be held back by the weakest part of the electrical gubbins?

I’ve not experience what you have, OP - but I have been known to enter a strange state that I call ‘the zone’ - I become hypersensitive to what I’m doing, be it writing, playing bass or suchlike. Basically outside noises and distractions reduce to a hum. Voices, music etc all become irrelevant. I remember it happening in an exam once where I could clearly hear my pen noisily scratching across the paper as I wrote. When I’m playing in this zone I have time to think about every fret I’m fingering in real time, and hear my basslines above the rest of the band clearly. It seldom lasts for more than a few minutes, in fact I think it stops as soon as I consciously become aware of it. It’s a strange but not unsettling feeling.

I’m a big fan of leaving it alone. Guitars and basses are *meant* to be used, they *will* get dings and scratches. They’re what makes it yours and yours alone.

I’m not gonna lay into anyone who’s brave enough to put their singing/playing online. I’m far from the greatest bass player/guitarist or singer out there but I enjoy what I do and that’s all that matters. if social media had been a thing when my first bands were on the scene I’d probably have been shamed into giving up music altogether. Be kind.

Been waiting a long time to post on this thread! Last night we made our debut at Rock Against Leukaemia at The Steamboat Tavern, Ipswich. We played a 50 minute set, with a bit of everything from Oasis and Stereophonics to Metallica and RATM. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, with a far better reaction than I ever got in an originals band. We weren’t perfect, far from it, and the pre-gig nerves were immense, and near debilitating - I screwed up the opening track which didn’t help matters! But from then on it went well enough and we had a blast. I ended up standing on a table during Killing in the Name, fist bumps all round and the venue would like us back as a stand-alone. Couldn’t have gone better! We’re made up! fe551fb2-7620-427f-89df-30df3fb2284f.mp4

As a rare British NASCAR fan, I’m impressed with the stage backdrop 😎

Thanks all for your kind words and advice. I have gigged before, but that was 20 years ago when I was full of sweat and arrogance 😀 I am looking forward to it greatly. And also to posting on ‘how was your gig last night’ on the follow day!

If I’m driving, it’s Metallica ‘fuel’. And I hope the policeman will accept that as my excuse if I ever get caught 😜

I wonder if anyone is familiar with what my band are feeling at the moment. We’re making our debut in Ipswich, at the Rock against leukaemia bash in August. Our set is ready, we know our stuff inside out. We think we sound pretty decent in rehearsal and have had good feedback on socials and from friends, family, work colleagues etc (not exactly unbiased sources though!) But until we hit the stage in front of an audience for the first time, we have no idea if we’re actually up to scratch. It’s a really mindblowing and frankly nerve-wracking sensation.

Hey, like I say. I’ve never come across a band that expected payment for equipment bought prior to them joining, and you might think I’m the a-hole for not doing it, but that’s the bottom line. Maybe you’ll find someone with enough cash to throw around on a project that they’re willing to commit to stumping up the cost of a mid-range instrument on a band before they’ve even played a gig with them, horses for courses eh? In my band we’re looking at getting a PA shortly. I’ll chip in my share and I’ll assist equally with the upkeep - but if I leave I’ll expect no share back. It’s a sunk expense as far as I’m concerned.

And once I’m a member I take on that responsibility happily, and pay my equal share as part of the band collective. But once again, decisions made prior to me joining are not my responsibility. Would I pay my continued share of upkeep for the PA? Yeah, course. Would I pay upfront for a share of the product that I didn’t buy, nor have any say over? No. I don’t think my position is particularly controversial, nor unusual. In fact, I’ve never heard of a band member being asked to stump up their share of equipment prior to joining. Ever.

Let’s say that prior to joining the band, I’ve just dropped several thousand pounds on new gear. The band are going to benefit from my top-tier rig. Would I expect a share of the cost from the band when I join? No. A band is a collective - we work together to create our unique product. We’re not individuals who sell our wares to each other for the benefit of the individual members. As I say, each to their own, but I’ve never paid to join a band in my life, and I’d not start now.

I don’t see joining the band in that sense. The benefit is joining the band, and hopefully they benefit from me joining them - we work together to progress as a band from that date onwards. No I’m not going to pay for a decision the band made prior to me joining.

If I’m joining a band, I’ll accept my share of any expenses from that day onwards. I’ll chip in bits myself without expecting repayment (have just knocked up some t-shirts for us, I don’t expect nor ask for repayment) - but if a band asked me to pay up front for my share of the PA, I’m out.

I play for my own enjoyment, no other reason than that. Because of this, I would never play in a band that didn’t do music that I was a least a bit ‘into’. It’s rock/metal all the way for me. Would (as an example) playing in a jazz or soul band improve my playing? Almost certainly - but if I’m not enjoying it, I’d not be doing the band (or myself) justice.

Love Shack. I hate love shack with a passion

As a young whippersnapper in an originals metal band I played a BC Rich Warlock bass. My skills were limited, but the bass got a lot of attention from the metalhead crowd. Walked into a pub one night, and heard ‘there’s that lad who plays the warlock’, and that’s about as close to local fame as I ever got!

Fall Out Boy’s cover of ‘We didn’t start the fire’ has been living rent free in my head all day. I certainly didn’t expect Boris Johnson/Brexit/Cambridge Analytica references from FOB!

I’ve started work on wix this morning, dunno what I’m doing at all, but still managed to make a professional looking home page with working links to our socials so far. Our drummer is an IT dude so I’m sure he’ll improve on my efforts 😁

MLC will be making our debut in August (The Steamboat Tavern - Rock Against Leukaemia. 12th August) Here’s a rehearsal video (we have some others on youchoob) - some of the stuff in here is a work in progress (Sabotage, You Could Be Mine won’t be ready for the gig)

We have three in our set that really get me going. Audioslave ‘Cochise’ because it’s an absolute banger. Fall Out boy ‘Sugar We’re goin down’ because it’s just a great tune, I get to do some backing vocals and it’s just really enjoyable And finally The Offspring ‘Self Esteem’ because it’s bass heavy (and also a banger).

I couldn’t find one of just meself, so here’s Essex’s own MLC on a rehearsal night. The drummer (Dave) is the handsome one so we hide him away behind his kit

Nothing as fancy as you guys, but I got the Boss WL-20L and it’s a game-changer for me - first time wireless in my life. I tend to be quite active on stage, so it’s lovely to be cable free!!

I used to hate gigging in London, and being an Essex based originals band, you *had* to play in London. I distinctly remember lugging gear half a mile to get to the Rock Garden in Covent Garden, to be berated by the promoter for not bringing enough of a crowd with us. After playing to a packed house anyway, lugged the gear back half a mile to the van, which had been clamped….