StoutFellow Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Hi, Just joined Basschat and thought I'd drop a note here. I'm originally from Sligo, Ireland where I started playing bass around my college years (early eighties - oh the haircuts...). I was in a plethora of bands in Limerick, Offaly and Sligo - some original, some cover bands, all wonderful fun. Sligo was (and remains) a great music town - lots more music happening than the population would suggest. Moved to the UK in 1989 and this saw the beginning of the decline in my bass playing. Moved to Guyana, South America where I stopped playing altogether! Work took me to all sorts of places but it was, of all places, Islamabad, Pakistan where I spent almost four years that I started playing bass again. The band was a motley crew of Canadians, Italians, Norwegians and myself, the lone Irishman. But I started playing again!! I was using a borrowed '75 Fender P bass with EMGs (thanks Oysten!) and vowed to re-equip myself once I got to a place with good music shops... ...cue 2010 and a move for one year to New York. Hog Heaven. I went from zero to 90mph in three months. I'm now the happy and proud owner of: 2005 Fender USA Standard Jazz Bass, black, tortoise pg, rosewood fingerboard. Stock bass - love it. Bought from Rudy's Music on 48th Street, along with the amp (below). Legendary shop. Very, very good deal on the MIA Jazz. 2008 Fender Aerodyne Jazz bass, black (of course), rosewood fingerboard, Seymour Duncan hot stack half pounder thingy PJ pickups. Visually gorgeous. Bought off a guy in Florida (on Talkbass) Unknown year Squier VM Fretless with outrageous and awful go-fast-strip paint job (done with a toilet brush, I think), EMG pickups, a Badass ][ bridge - ebonol fingerboard - does precisely what you'd expect of it. Bought of a guy in Chicago (on Talkbass too) Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0T combo with the single Neo 12" cab. Light, loud, a tube for some nice edge, switchable voltage (for when I move somewhere else - i.e. any day now) Bought in Rudy's in Manhattan. That's my current gear list. I'm in the market for a 5-string with wide string spacing - I've tried lots of 5ers with narrow spacing and don't like - Fender, Ibanez SR505 etc. Did try a KSD 5-string and am looking at the KSD JZ Noir 5-string - but they're as rare as hen's teeth.. if you've got one and want to sell it - get in touch...! Currently on a temporary job in Brussels Belgium, but "residing" in Princeton, NJ, USA where my better half is attending the university there for a year. After that - probably Switzerland - but could be Oagadougu...and I'm not joking! That's me - looking forward to lurking on BassChat and getting involved in the forums (fora?) in due course. Regards, Ronan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Hey Ronan - Fair play to ye for getting back on board, and a hearty welcome from another Irishmen, albeit from the Black North - (tho I did start dating my wife in Sligo, after playing in The Blue Lagoon many years ago.) Onwards and upwards!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beno Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Welcome along from a fellow Mick. Whats your problem with Namibia, or Murmansk for that matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Welsome aboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoutFellow Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Thanks to all for taking the time to reply! Depending on when that gig at the Blue Lagoon was Gareth, I may have been in the audience. Don't know if they still have gigs there - it was a fixture on the Irish rock "tour" circuit. U2 played there - I was too snobbish about new wave to attend. My tough luck - it was a great gig. I did see U2 at the now demolished Baymount in Strandhill - they were excellent! I also saw Eric Clapton and, best of all, Rory Gallagher - at the Baymount. But it was the Blue Lagoon where we saw all the bands in the late 70's and 80's. Who did you play with?? (With whom did you play ;-) Beno - I'm working on a trip to Namibia. Murmansk may have to wait until global warming kicks in a bit harder - I do like my sunshine.... BTW, my search for a 5-string is over - dropped the (bargain) $299 on a Yamaha BB425 in the USA (Amazon.com out of Musicians Friend), it's been delivered, but I won't get to play it until I go to US at Christmas. Sob. But at that price, the Yamaha was irresistable. Edited October 27, 2011 by StoutFellow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncbassgit Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Hi Ronan, I'm a newbie as well. I thought I'd travelled alot until I read your intro! I used to live at Mons (SHAPE) in Belgium and used to go to Zaventem and central Brussels alot. Sligo sounds fantastic must go there. I spent a year up on Unst in the Shetland Islands (most Northerly Island) and had a great time with 2 local bands doing Ceiladh stuff. All fiddles and accordians and really fast stuff! Electic bass does fit in...youve just got to get the dance beat right. Welcome to the forum for people with sub frequency hearing! Forum, Fora,Forum, Forae,Fora ,Forum, Forum, Foram, Forum, Foris,Foris,Foris, Foris, Foris,Foris!! Ah Latin. I can't believe I've remembered this crap from school but I think it was the 3rd declension of the latin word for forum !!! Ha ha ha i'm havin a right giggle here. How sad am I. Dunc Edited October 27, 2011 by duncbassgit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) Hey Ronan - Nice one seeing Rory. Sadly before my time, though I've heard many's a story from my folks about seeing him in his early days. My dad booked him for his student union at Queens in Belfast. I played with The 4 Of Us in the Blue Lagoon, in about late May/early June of 1999. Still a good strong Sligo connection though - I just finished a 6 week tour with Kieran Goss, a Nordie yes, but now living up the road in Dromore West. Actually, the two Murphy brothers from The 4 Of Us were on the tour too. And I've been blessed to do many's a gig with Vinnie Higgins from Sligo on sound - he's done more than his fair share in helping answer all my nerdy live bass sound questions. Nice one getting the 5 string - hope the wait isn't too long. Edited October 27, 2011 by Gareth Hughes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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