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Club Alleva-Coppolo (Part 20)

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#261
Very possible....but I maybe have to gate check once every 20 flights or so. I've even watched the guys carry my bass to and from the plane and they've always treated it with top notch respect. Very impressive. Honestly the worst part is leaving it for them to gate check and hoping it made it on the plane. But in that respect, yes I have been very lucky. But like I said, I'm able to bring it on with me almost 100% of the time. Even when it takes up almost the whole overhead compartment I can hear the flight attendants telling other people, "I'm sorry ma'am but that's a musical instrument". I think things are changing for musicians since they understand how much we travel. But checking it in a hard case is a whole other story. It gets thrown around like all the other luggage and I've toured with many guys who have had their nords destroyed or their hard guitar cases broken in transport. I think the odds are certainly in our favor carrying on.
 
#262
bassdoubler said:
Very possible....but I maybe have to gate check once every 20 flights or so. I've even watched the guys carry my bass to and from the plane and they've always treated it with top notch respect. Very impressive. Honestly the worst part is leaving it for them to gate check and hoping it made it on the plane. But in that respect, yes I have been very lucky. But like I said, I'm able to bring it on with me almost 100% of the time. Even when it takes up almost the whole overhead compartment I can hear the flight attendants telling other people, "I'm sorry ma'am but that's a musical instrument". I think things are changing for musicians since they understand how much we travel. But checking it in a hard case is a whole other story. It gets thrown around like all the other luggage and I've toured with many guys who have had their nords destroyed or their hard guitar cases broken in transport. I think the odds are certainly in our favor carrying on.
Click to expand...

Good news. For domestic flights in the US, it is pretty rough. I again get a banger and check it through internationally, but that is a once every two year thing for me (and then, just Canada or Mexico).

Glad it is working out for you. My buddy Tommy K. also gets his bass on the plane, but he says it is a worry every time he does it, and screaming has been involved on occasion:p
 
#263
Haha not gonna lie, there's been screaming before in the past but the last couple years I've noticed it getting easier and easier. Especially since that bill passed in congress and the airlines really started abiding by it. And i used to worry every time too, "am i gonna be able to get the bass on with me this time?" But one thing I've definitely learned the hard way: the more screaming, the less anybody wants to do for you! When you're all smiles and manners you'd be surprised how far the airlines will go to help. Of course, having all your basses insured helps with the worrying too....
 
#264
bassdoubler said:
Haha not gonna lie, there's been screaming before in the past but the last couple years I've noticed it getting easier and easier. Especially since that bill passed in congress and the airlines really started abiding by it. And i used to worry every time too, "am i gonna be able to get the bass on with me this time?" But one thing I've definitely learned the hard way: the more screaming, the less anybody wants to do for you! When you're all smiles and manners you'd be surprised how far the airlines will go to help. Of course, having all your basses insured helps with the worrying too....
Click to expand...

+1 Sounds like it's gotten much better. That is great for the traveling player. Good to see things are changing a bit!

+1 on the screaming too. I am pretty sure that was always a last resort thing when all else failed and there was a chance at missing the gig.

I've been lucky that all my fly ins over the past 10 years or so are to either the same city for gigs, or I leave in a van from that city (long story). So, I have a rig and bass that I keep there, so I luckily kind of dodge the whole thing. And, when I do fly to a different city (doesn't happen much any more), they just put my stuff in the backline van and truck it to the gig.

Anyway, hope you are well! Sounds like you are gigging like crazy! That is good. Pretty tough times out there. Lots of weekend work, not much else for players like me doing the 'casual freelance' thing in the states.
 
#265
Man, I would love a backline van! Just knowing your gear is always going to be the same no matter the gig would make me so happy.

+1 on tough times. I've been pretty lucky but have definitely felt the burn. Just in the last year or so I lost most of my gigs due to either lack of work to be had or I elected to leave due to increasingly lower pay. One of the bands I tour with now exclusively does corporate stuff and the other is a mixture of weddings and playing off their fan base from 20 years ago....not sure if its the state of the economy or the influx of more and more people all trying to be successful musicians (or both) but I've certainly noticed the decline in freelance gigging for sure....and so has my bank account! Hope the gigs pick up for you as well Ken!
 
#268
The AFM was on the front lines in getting the bill through Congress. It takes time for the new policies to get to those at the gates that deal with this. The bill is to be in full effect by 2014.

Wally
 
#272
Hi All,
Questions:
1. Is your AC has significant output gain when the preamp is engaged?
2. Recently, during active and passive mode, is it normal to have the following:
The hum is louder when you turn down bridge pick up volume than the hum when the neck pick up volume is turned down. As a matter of fact, my AC produce barely any hum from turning down neck pickup.
Any similar experiences?

Thanks
 
#273
vpermana said:
Hi All,
Questions:
1. Is your AC has significant output gain when the preamp is engaged?
2. Recently, during active and passive mode, is it normal to have the following:
The hum is louder when you turn down bridge pick up volume than the hum when the neck pick up volume is turned down. As a matter of fact, my AC produce barely any hum from turning down neck pickup.
Any similar experiences?

Thanks
Click to expand...

1) No, That is one of the cool things about the Alleva pre. It is pretty much set at unity gain, so you can go back and forth between passive and active without adjusting your amp volume. If your preamp is working correctly, with the tone controls flat (off), you should hear VERY little difference between the preamp being engaged or not. This is a good thing.

2) Single coil pickups will hum when solo'd, and the actual power circuit (i.e., which plug you have your amp plugged into) can result in the hum to be louder, softer, not there, etc. Also, the position of the bass versus the amp even impacts this. Single coil pickups 'hum cancel' each other when they are dimed (i.e., they behave as a single hum canceling pickup). When you solo either one, you will get (typically) a little, or even a lot of hum, and that hum can seem a bit different with each pickup.

This is easily dealt with when using single coils by dialing one pickup down just a little bit instead of soloing each pickup. Given that the impact of most passive blend or volume/volume pots is about 90% within the first 10% range of the pot, just dialing either the neck or bridge pickup pot down a very, very small amount will give you that wonderful 'either pickup mostly solo'd in tone with no very little noise'.

Just takes a bit of practice, but well worth it for me, since that single coil grind and upper mid presence is key to the tone of a Jazz Bass.
 
#274
On the carryon-bass-flt topic a few things I've adopted that seem to work are:
as small and skinny gigbag as possible and adjust the straps so it hangs low on my back
I hang a coat over my shoulder that kind of hides it
I usually won't hang (at the gate) with guys if they have hard cases and draw attn to the fact we're musos
When I'm waiting in line at the gate I keep it on my side resting on the floor away from the attendant
Basically make it as small and concealed as possible as along as possible
I don't know if it makes a difference but the less attention the better I feel and I haven't had a problem in some time.
I do always stress over it though.
 
#275
Wally Malone said:
The AFM was on the front lines in getting the bill through Congress. It takes time for the new policies to get to those at the gates that deal with this. The bill is to be in full effect by 2014.

Wally
Click to expand...

Hey Wally,

I kind of skipped over this. So, are you saying that the Musician's Union helped get some sort of bill through that allows musician's to carry on their instruments (assuming they fit in the overhead)? Nice, if that is true, and good job if the Union had a part in it.

Kind of off topic for this general thread, but if you post up more details, we will get a moderator to put it in a sticky (i.e., permanent thread on the top of the bass section).

K
 
#277
KJung said:
Hey Wally,

I kind of skipped over this. So, are you saying that the Musician's Union helped get some sort of bill through that allows musician's to carry on their instruments (assuming they fit in the overhead)? Nice, if that is true, and good job if the Union had a part in it.

Kind of off topic for this general thread, but if you post up more details, we will get a moderator to put it in a sticky (i.e., permanent thread on the top of the bass section).

K
Click to expand...
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