Blasting a Wasp Nest with Dynamite?

[Dr. Cheese]

I carried two basses to practice today. I only took one out of its bag. We went over three CCM songs that were all half and quarter note root notes in the first position. This is my only gig. What is the point in caring about gear so much if don’t actually need it for what I get paid to do? I guess some perspective does not hurt.

 

[Picton]

You want to ensure you leave a good bit of the fuze exposed, but tamp the dynamite well once you get it into the nest. Otherwise, the force will just blow out the hole you made and make the wasps angry.

You'll find that planting the explosive in the first place is the most dangerous part. For your det cord, I usually recommend Cordtex, though I'm not sure how easy it will be for you to find in St Louis.

Good luck!

 

[lug]

I judge gigs by the pay divided number of notes I have to play. Sounds like you're on you way to great success!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

You want to ensure you leave a good bit of the fuze exposed, but tamp the dynamite well once you get it into the nest. Otherwise, the force will just blow out the hole you made and make the wasps angry.

You'll find that planting the explosive in the first place is the most dangerous part. For your det cord, I usually recommend Cordtex, though I'm not sure how easy it will be for you to find in St Louis.

Good luck!

All of the quarries nearby, I suspect dynamite is not hard to find.

 

[redstrand]

2 basses isn't overkill. It's just a grey day out

 

[Sean150]

I carried two basses to practice today. I only took one out of its bag. We went over three CCM songs that were all half and quarter note root notes in the first position. This is my only gig. What is the point in caring about gear so much if don’t actually need it for what I get paid to do? I guess some perspective does not hurt.

That reminds me of when I took my Jet Black Stingray Special 5 to church. All it did was mess me up. But truly the reason for caring about gear is having a tool that motivates you to play and to enjoy it. It is fully possible to play bass, and even an interesting line, with a stick with a single string and a pickup, but no one really does it these days.

 

[Bikeguy57]

I don't know what CCM is, but I know you play in church. Pardon my ignorance, but people get payed to play in church? Obviously, I don't spend much time there!

 

[DirtDog]

For wasps, use brake cleaner spray and a lighter. Dynamite is overkill.

For your bass playing situation, maybe only bring one bass?

 

[Thud Staff]

I carried two basses to practice today. I only took one out of its bag. We went over three CCM songs that were all half and quarter note root notes in the first position. This is my only gig. What is the point in caring about gear so much if don’t actually need it for what I get paid to do? I guess some perspective does not hurt.

This is the usual dilemma, so I definitely empathize. Probably, unlike you Doc, my musings on my talent and gear never equal the gig and it’s realities. I have these imaginings that others would love to hear me play ‘a melodic reimagining’ of the original line(s), but in reality, they just ‘want the song to remain the same’. This, in itself, is not wrong. It is what I agreed to.

However, I have the same thoughts: if I can achieve the same result with less, why am I not satisfied? Maybe, I can continue to develop, but realize what I may be asked to do will be less than hoped for. Probably, a life lesson in there somewhere, but I don’t catch on too quick...

 

[Drang22]

I've endured many such rehearsals for church gigs. Sometimes takes 2.5 hours to cover those 3 songs with all the messing around. I would only ever take one bass. Traveling light makes the suck less imo. We endure the bad times, to be able to enjoy the good times. It will get better. Blowing up the wasp nest only makes the wasps mad.

 

[Jefenator]

The gigs will return, eventually. Real gigs, where a backup bass will be appropriate.

 

[jchrisk1]

For wasps I use a 20 gauge shotgun with number 8 shells. First thing in the morning is best, as they move slower when it's colder.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The most demanding gig I ever had was a Funk band in 1985 that mainly played the music of Prince, The Time, and similar acts. I had a Peavey combo, a Rickenbacker 4000, and a Moog Rogue synthesizer. I had a little phase shifter as my only effect. I left the band to go work on my Ph.D. I had chance to work with a band once I had moved, and had a great time sitting in with them playing Rick James “Give It to Me Baby.” I turned them down because I had not left South Carolina and moved to Michigan to play in clubs with folks doing coke instead of studying. About eight years later, I started playing in church.

 

[Jefenator]

Maybe save the dynamite for fishin'

 

[Bonafide]

Respectfully, be easy about it and give yourself some needed grace here - the love of gear, it's cool factor, the collect-ability factor, it's fun factor, the curiosity factor etc. have never been synonymous with it's function only. We all know how little gear it takes to be actively gigging. But having a true interest,a keen interest in bass gear or technology etc is as genuine and legit as an interest in anything. It's a familiar dilemma I observe with musicians. Justification of some sort (other than the greatest of all...passion) is required before it can be accepted. It can take a lovely joy-bringing hobby and introduce guilt or negativity of some kind. Particularly if it is measured by skill set or 'work' quantity.

As for the practice and 2 basses, besides the obvious practical reasons - Sometimes, you have one practice in a week so you take the opportunity to play 2 basses (being its going to be a band/live rig environment) to choose from if the feeling strikes. It's smart IMO. It's useful, practical and knowledge gaining to play through your basses in a live setting. Helps you refine. The whole process is cyclical refinement.

I know from experience that one can be a well paid professional musician and have the musicians gear/tools as a hobby. Not the same thing. Related? Yes - but only through association.

 

[JW56789]

I'm a big believer in 'No One was ever sorry they bought the best' (which I'm sure is actually an advertising line, I just can't remember for who . . . . ), and I'll tell you why: In my piano days, you show up and play what's there. Sometimes it was just a dog, sometimes it was a Steinway or Yamaha. See where this is going? I found less than perfect or compelling gigs would have been just as lame but MORE aggravating if I'd had a crap bass to go with the crap gig. I never linked a great bass to a dumb gig as a downer.

 

[Ric Vice]

Well, for me, it's take the right tool(s) for the job. Unless the band I'm playing with swings wildly from swing/jazz to pop. I'm going with the fretless for jazz and the fretted for pop/rock.

Years ago, when I only owned a 1966 Fender Jazz Bass, DB pickups were terrible and I played all kinds of gigs, I learned to play anything on that bass. While my preference would be

to play fretless or DB on a jazz gig, a decent fretted bass can do almost anything. Just my take however. When you're lugging around a B-15N(C) like I used to "one bass to rule them all"

just makes sense to me.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Respectfully, be easy about it and give yourself some needed grace here - the love of gear, it's cool factor, the collect-ability factor, it's fun factor, the curiosity factor etc. have never been synonymous with it's function only. We all know how little gear it takes to be actively gigging. But having a true interest,a keen interest in bass gear or technology etc is as genuine and legit as an interest in anything. It's a familiar dilemma I observe with musicians. Justification of some sort (other than the greatest of all...passion) is required before it can be accepted. It can take a lovely joy-bringing hobby and introduce guilt or negativity of some kind. Particularly if it is measured by skill set or 'work' quantity.

As for the practice and 2 basses, besides the obvious practical reasons - Sometimes, you have one practice in a week so you take the opportunity to play 2 basses (being its going to be a band/live rig environment) to choose from if the feeling strikes. It's smart IMO. It's useful, practical and knowledge gaining to play through your basses in a live setting. Helps you refine. The whole process is cyclical refinement.

I know from experience that one can be a well paid professional musician and have the musicians gear/tools as a hobby. Not the same thing. Related? Yes - but only through association.

Thanks, I needed to read this!

 

[2112]

I carried two basses to practice today. I only took one out of its bag. We went over three CCM songs that were all half and quarter note root notes in the first position. This is my only gig. What is the point in caring about gear so much if don’t actually need it for what I get paid to do? I guess some perspective does not hurt.

To me it depends on the reasonS you play. Are you in this just to play gigs as a job in a 1-dimensional fashion? Or do you have additional interests in playing? For me, I have multiple interests... which means I have a bunch of gear that I've acquired to fulfill those interests... I like to collect basses, I like to play live, I like to experiment and tinker with my tone, etc. But... when playing live for me it's not time to tinker or collect. So, while I do have a mess of gear, I only take what I absolutely need to the gig.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I carried two basses to practice today. I only took one out of its bag. We went over three CCM songs that were all half and quarter note root notes in the first position. This is my only gig. What is the point in caring about gear so much if don’t actually need it for what I get paid to do? I guess some perspective does not hurt.

What about your church?