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Fired/not recruited for playing the wrong brand.

Have you been fired of a band because you were playing the wrong brand if bass?

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    597
#201
basslust said:
Does sunburst count as a color for wedding gigs? I have two basses at the moment, one is Fiesta Red and the other is 3-Tone Sunburst (both Fender Mustangs).
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Isnt a bit sunburst like blue jeans, a color that weirdly doesnt really exist in the mind of people?
I say that because my wife once told me that whatever it was that I wanted to wear will not go with blue, but doesnt see a problem with a jeans...weird color that one!
 
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#203
Aussie Player said:
Gibsons were very common in the 70's then the world went mad in the 80's for weird shapes or black only, but the basses sounded as bad as they looked.
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I think a lot of people “listen” more with their eyes and imaginations than they do with their ears sometimes. :laugh:

Gibsons aren’t the be all end all. But they do display a definite girth when it comes to their voicing. And for certain types of bands (i.e. power trios) or music (blues, early rock, Motown) a fatter bass sound is exactly what you need.

The problem a lot of players have with Gibsons is they try to play them like a Fender. The pickups on a Gibson are pretty hot and have a lot of harmonic content. They favor a lighter playing style and don’t respond well to being pounded on like a Fender does. Fenders can sound really good when you push them hard. With a Gibson the volume and harmonics are already there. You don’t need to push a Gibson bass to get either. So it’s more a matter of holding a Gibson back a little. Otherwise you’ll get the “mud and thud” they’re often criticized for having. Maybe tone isn’t “completely in the fingers” as some people insist it does. But it definitely gets its start there.

When troubleshooting bad bass tone I’ve learned through long experience that the first thing you need to look at is the player. The second most common problem is their amp. It’s rare that the instrument itself is causing the issue. You can get a great bass sound out of just about any bass guitar that’s out there. In many respects it’s almost immaterial which bass guitar you play and all about how you play it and the amp and cab(s) you’re using. :thumbsup:
 
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#204
I had a bandleader ask me to use and bring my Spectors after playing one in rehearsal. I brought a P bass one day hoping to take those on tour instead and he asked me to put it away. I get it. Other than that never been an issue.
Maybe it's not so much for the instrument but the sound.
 
#206
Never fired for the instrument. At a recent show a guy who was “a really good bass player” (his words) asked me about my Muckelroy. I told him a bit about it and he said, “Dude, why are you playing this homemade thing? Get a Fender, man!” I just said, “I guess I’m just not good enough for that yet.” and excused myself. Just couldn’t…
 
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#207
It happened to me once that I know of, but this guy was a TOTAL maniac. I was playing an ibanez soundgear retrofitted with REAL MM pickups and preamp thru the first gen DG microtubes head for a 90s hip hop cover band with nüMetal music. Sounds like I had the right rig right? He claimed it didn't fit the look of the band as it looked too futuristic.
 
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#208
I can say that thankfully this hasn't happened to me and, if it did, they aren't a band I want to be involved with.

I showed up to my current band's audition with my quite literally busted SR506 (I was courteous enough to put some fresh shiny tape on it for them) and other than asking the story behind the damage they got a laugh and didn't bat an eye once I started playing. I did end up buying a new bass that wasn't taped together that better fit the music visually and tonally. I found out a little while later that they had seen some clips of me playing on social media and decided I was in the band before I even audition so I probably could have shown up with a 2-string shovel bass and been fine lol.
 
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#209
VicDiesel said:
I showed up with my Steinberger Q5 at my Armenian folk band.
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I played a pair of Steinbergers in a Celtic band, an L2 and an M2. Nobody blinked an eye.

BCMFest2006TrouzBras6x4.jpg
 
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#212
pcake said:
i was once not selected for a band i auditioned for because i wasn't playing a fender. they did offer me the gig, but told me i'd have to get a fender. they didn't really impress me, didn't seem very pleasant, their music was all original and i wasn't enjoying it much, so i joined bands who were perfectly happy with whatever i was playing.
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Did they give a reason why it had to be a Fender?
 
#213
I have a frankenstein precision. It will be my main bass until I feel otherwise (yes I'm in the p bass rules club - except I play rounds not flats) but I keep my mint condition '93 EBMM Stingray for those times that I need a "proper" bass.

But here's the relevance to my comment - I bought the Stingray when the band I was in voted that I needed a new bass because they were tired of my fretless (we were a rock band) and it didnt really fit. So they voted to donate the money from a gig to help fund it. It wasn't an ultimatum but a strong suggestion. I got the hint and scored a sweet bass in the process. Brand new for under a thousand bucks. Can't do that anymore.
 
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#216
Let's be real though, the gear might be a factor but you don't get kicked out of a band for not having a specific bass... you get kicked out for not being obedient. Guitar players/bandleaders are often control freaks who like to treat bassists like servants. There's nothing more intimidating to the insecure guitarist than a bassist who knows what they're doing and won't be ordered around to satisfy someone else's control issues.

Edit to add: When I'm asked to join a band now, I always make it clear that I decide what gear I use. Unless I'm somehow wildly off (like using an 8 string fretless with reverb and OD dimed or something) just trust me to do what works.
 
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#218
DWBass said:
As I mentioned in another similar thread......this must be a ROCK thing!!! I play R&B music. I have never, in my 40+ years of playing, ever, ever been asked to change or play a certain bass!! I can see if it is a tribute band and you are trying to capture the look and vibe of a certain band but outside of that, I'm not posing for anyone or band. I play what I want.

Having said that.......if you want me to play a particular instrument that I don't own......you buy it.......and I'll play it. I'm not buying anything.
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Well, now it's time to start practicing R&B tunes and then find an audition near me...
 

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