Hello

[leschirons]

Just a quick hello really. Like many others, gleaned loads of info in the past but hadn't joined so I thought I'd rectify that.

Brit, now living in France and probably one of your oldest members at 56. Been playing bass for about 18 years. Moved here 5 years ago and ended up on drums as no bass opportunities at the time. Got fed up being the first to arrive and last to leave gigs and changed to guitar. Missed playing bass so came back into the fold this year. Was using an Eden WT500 and Eden 4x10 but with my back!! Just got a Markbass 3x10 combo. It's no Eden but a sensible move for the aged and is loud enough for what I do now.

Main basses are Fender Custom shop jazz 4 string with Sadowsky pick-ups and a Fender Roscoe Beck 5 string

Only outboard equipment is an old DOD guitar compressor and an Aphex bass exciter.

Into Jazz, Funk, some Rock. Heavily into Larry Carlton, Rippingtons, Caseopea and Bela & the Flecktones.

Looking for an F bass BN5 or 6 since I tried one this year so if anyone's got one going cheap (joke)

Thanks

[tonybassplayer]

Welcome to the site.

Thinking down the same lines with regard to the Markbass cabs as my back just doesn't like the heavy cabs any more

[jerseytrev]

[quote name='leschirons' post='335164' date='Nov 23 2008, 09:32 PM']Just a quick hello really. Like many others, gleaned loads of info in the past but hadn't joined so I thought I'd rectify that.

Brit, now living in France and probably one of your oldest members at 56. Been playing bass for about 18 years. Moved here 5 years ago and ended up on drums as no bass opportunities at the time. Got fed up being the first to arrive and last to leave gigs and changed to guitar. Missed playing bass so came back into the fold this year. Was using an Eden WT500 and Eden 4x10 but with my back!! Just got a Markbass 3x10 combo. It's no Eden but a sensible move for the aged and is loud enough for what I do now.

Main basses are Fender Custom shop jazz 4 string with Sadowsky pick-ups and a Fender Roscoe Beck 5 string

Only outboard equipment is an old DOD guitar compressor and an Aphex bass exciter.

Into Jazz, Funk, some Rock. Heavily into Larry Carlton, Rippingtons, Caseopea and Bela & the Flecktones.

Looking for an F bass BN5 or 6 since I tried one this year so if anyone's got one going cheap (joke)

Thanks[/quote]
welcome 58 here, nice to have another oldie on the team .was a drummer myself in my teens but have got sensible now

[Hamster]

Hi & welcome

What part of la belle France are you calling home at the moment? There are quite a few French bass players lurking on here.

[leschirons]

[quote name='Hamster' post='335207' date='Nov 24 2008, 12:03 AM']Hi & welcome

What part of la belle France are you calling home at the moment? There are quite a few French bass players lurking on here.[/quote]

Hi Hamster, I'm in the central region of Limousin in department 23 (La Creuse) I am a Brit but moved here nearly 5 years ago with the Mrs looking for an adventure. Found the adventure, found the cheap wine, found the peacefull life, but still looking for a drummer that doesn't speed up. (ha ha)

Thanks for the welcome

keith

[Hamster]

[quote name='leschirons' post='336842' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:22 AM']Hi Hamster, I'm in the central region of Limousin in department 23 (La Creuse) I am a Brit but moved here nearly 5 years ago with the Mrs looking for an adventure. Found the adventure, found the cheap wine, found the peacefull life, but still looking for a drummer that doesn't speed up. (ha ha)

Thanks for the welcome

keith[/quote]

Ummmmmmmmm wine My Brother-in-Law has a place very near Puy-de-Dôme that I like chilling out at. Near to you?

[leschirons]

[quote name='tonybassplayer' post='335199' date='Nov 23 2008, 11:42 PM']Welcome to the site.

Thinking down the same lines with regard to the Markbass cabs as my back just doesn't like the heavy cabs any more [/quote]

Hi there,

My Eden CX4x10 weighed in at 84 lbs and despite the built in castors it was a nightmare to move and lift in and out of the car. Fabulous sound. I used it with a WT500 (bridged mono as it was an 8ohm cab) I really love 10s. They've got everything. I did a straight swap with a Parisien for a 6 month old MarkBass 3x10 500 watt combo and the whole thing comes in at 31 kilos so I've saved about 32 lbs with the head as well. Handles are well placed and it copes with my low B really well. Problem is, the enclosure is 6 ohm so you can't add another cab for a big outdoor gig. Miss the Eden compressor a bit but now use an old DOD guitar comp and that's great for slap. Try out the Markbass stuff, I think you'll be impressed with the sound and portability.

Regards,
keith

[leschirons]

[quote name='Hamster' post='336852' date='Nov 26 2008, 01:32 AM']Ummmmmmmmm wine My Brother-in-Law has a place very near Puy-de-Dôme that I like chilling out at. Near to you?[/quote]

Puy de dome is just under 2 hours from us so when you're passing....... I'll uncork a couple.

Cheers
keith

[Hamster]

[quote name='leschirons' post='336856' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:37 AM']Puy de dome is just under 2 hours from us so when you're passing....... I'll uncork a couple.

Cheers
keith[/quote]


Is a 'couple' bigger than a Nebuchadnezzar - if so, I'm very interested. Please post pictures of accomodation/patio area you can offer so I can tell if I can fall flat on my face without injury.

[YouMa]

bonjour i have fallen in love with france,i really want me and my longtime girlfriend to make the move but i really dont know how to make the move get a job etc there i am trying to learn french at the moment,my girlfriend is doing a doctorate and after that wants to go, im a bit of a bum really,any advice ideas?

[PVTele]

[quote name='leschirons' post='335164' date='Nov 23 2008, 09:32 PM']Brit, now living in France and probably one of your oldest members at 56.[/quote]

Beatcha! Just had my 60th on Monday...

Interested in your comments about using a guitar compressor with a compressor-less bass amp. I have the same problem (actually my amp has a limiter but no comp) - I've tried using the compressor only on a guitar modelling multi-effects thingy - works (ish) but it's silly to haul the whole thing around just for one effect, so I was considering a stomp box. You say your old DOD works well? Which one? The FX-80?

[leschirons]

[quote name='Hamster' post='336910' date='Nov 26 2008, 02:51 AM']Is a 'couple' bigger than a Nebuchadnezzar - if so, I'm very interested. Please post pictures of accomodation/patio area you can offer so I can tell if I can fall flat on my face without injury.[/quote]

Hi Hamster,

This is my little studio where I do most of my falling over and our guest cottage. I think you need 4 bottles for a "Neb"

Keith

[leschirons]

[quote name='leschirons' post='337067' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:09 PM']Hi Hamster,

This is my little studio where I do most of my falling over and our guest cottage. I think you need 4 bottles for a "Neb"

Keith[/quote]

[leschirons]

[quote name='PVTele' post='336994' date='Nov 26 2008, 10:13 AM']Beatcha! Just had my 60th on Monday...

Interested in your comments about using a guitar compressor with a compressor-less bass amp. I have the same problem (actually my amp has a limiter but no comp) - I've tried using the compressor only on a guitar modelling multi-effects thingy - works (ish) but it's silly to haul the whole thing around just for one effect, so I was considering a stomp box. You say your old DOD works well? Which one? The FX-80?[/quote]

The old Dod works really well for slap and just to even out the inherent Jazz bass problem with un-even string volumes (get onto the G string at the 5th and I may as well be up at the bar) It's orange coloured with not much writing left on it but I'll identify the model for you and come back to you. It's the sort of thing you find on ebay for about a tenner.

Keith

Edited November 26, 2008 by leschirons

[leschirons]

[quote name='YouMa' post='336930' date='Nov 26 2008, 03:43 AM']bonjour i have fallen in love with france,i really want me and my longtime girlfriend to make the move but i really dont know how to make the move get a job etc there i am trying to learn french at the moment,my girlfriend is doing a doctorate and after that wants to go, im a bit of a bum really,any advice ideas?[/quote]

Ahh, the big question, how to work in France. All depends what you want to do. To get employed here is a nightmare as the social charges (cotisations) are horrendous for the employer so they tend to get you there for 3 months and just before you should get a contract, they employ someone else. You would probably need to be well on the way to fluent also.

Self employment is an option but again, you get punished with the cotisations. They do not encourage you to start a business in France as they tend to hit you for the first 2 years social charges at the beginning and then if you haven't earn't enough to warrant the payments, they'll sort it out at year 3 so this can lead to cashflow problems.

For musicians, it's a bit different if that's what you want to do as a living. There are special dispensations as they do realise that you may not be working 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. But then, the opportunities to play depend very much where you are based and obviously how good you are. Think very carefully about a move here if you need to work and obtain as much info as possible beforehand. Happy to help with any other questions.

Keith

[leschirons]

[quote name='YouMa' post='336930' date='Nov 26 2008, 03:43 AM']bonjour i have fallen in love with france,i really want me and my longtime girlfriend to make the move but i really dont know how to make the move get a job etc there i am trying to learn french at the moment,my girlfriend is doing a doctorate and after that wants to go, im a bit of a bum really,any advice ideas?[/quote]

Hi there again,

That first reply was a bit on the negative side really but it's best that you know it's not as easy as in the UK to get something started job-wise.

On the plus side (depending on where you are) much less crime, warm friendly people, family orientated society, don't get punched if you say good morning to someone you don't know, some really serious musos, cheaper car insurance and council taxes, cheaper good wine and you can't get gazzumped when buying houses, much more space and tranquility and you get to learn another language. One tip, buy all your bass gear in the UK or the States first as instruments are expensive here.

Cheers

Keith

Edited November 26, 2008 by leschirons

[leschirons]

[quote name='PVTele' post='336994' date='Nov 26 2008, 10:13 AM']Beatcha! Just had my 60th on Monday...

Interested in your comments about using a guitar compressor with a compressor-less bass amp. I have the same problem (actually my amp has a limiter but no comp) - I've tried using the compressor only on a guitar modelling multi-effects thingy - works (ish) but it's silly to haul the whole thing around just for one effect, so I was considering a stomp box. You say your old DOD works well? Which one? The FX-80?[/quote]

Hi again, it's a DOD compressor /280 That's all it's called. Try a search on Ebay but I would think maybe that a Boss would do just as well.

Regards,
Keith

[PVTele]

Thanks Keith - I'll look on eBay - and there's a Boss clone by Behringer that's cheap & solid and, if their other pedals are anything to go by, will do the job.

Mike

[leschirons]

[quote name='PVTele' post='337886' date='Nov 27 2008, 12:43 AM']Thanks Keith - I'll look on eBay - and there's a Boss clone by Behringer that's cheap & solid and, if their other pedals are anything to go by, will do the job.

Mike[/quote]

Hi Mike, sounds like that will do the job. One thing I have noticed is that I don't need very much of the compression level to achieve the desired result. Quite minimal in fact but when I plug it into my guitar amp with say a Strat, it needs more compression to get what I want so maybe it's a bass frequency thing. Any way, good luck with the search.

Keith

[Telebass]

Welcome! Another MArkbass convert. Great, aren't they?

[leschirons]

[quote name='Telebass' post='338692' date='Nov 27 2008, 06:34 PM']Welcome! Another MArkbass convert. Great, aren't they?[/quote]

Hi, yes they are good, especially the weight and portability. If only Eden had the same idea. Fantastic gear but not for the aged like me.

Keith