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I've just acquired a mid-70's Bassman 100, which came with a slightly later (late 70's / early 80's) ported Bassman 115 cab. The amp requires a 4ohm load, but the cab is 8ohm (I think it would originally have paired with the Bassman 135, which I believe had selectable impedance?) The previous owner appears to have been using this combination for a good few years, but I've variously read that valve amps should be properly impedance matched, but also that Fenders are quite forgiving in that regard. So my question is, should I be looking at getting a properly matched load at the earliest opportunity and, if so, is it worth trying to replace the existing speaker with an appropriate 4ohm equivalent? Or has cabinet technology advanced so far in the last 45 years that I'd just be better off considering replacing the cab entirely? Cheers!

Under the signal path laws you’re still in

To be fair, I don't think that Gazza was purely motivated by money when he started down the blues route (at least initially). Some of his best stuff came from working in that genre (at least to me), although he did start to sound that he was going through the motions later on. To me, his big problem was that he was overly mercurial and was consequently changing to the extent that he was neither one thing or the other. I liked many things he did throughout his career, but when I bought one album of his, then the chances always were I wouldn't like the next one enough to buy it. At least his vocals kinda worked with the blues material. I used to have the Wardance album on vinyl many years ago. I will have to listen to it again on YouTube or whatever at some point. The trouble with a song like that is, as nice as the playing is, it really exposes the weaknesses in his voice - Steve Perry he is not...!

We need to make it obligatory when starting threads about musicians, especially of a certain age, to include in the title: ""Famous Person's Name Here" - not brown bread"

"I'm not dead"

Another Bob Mintzer chart, this is the complete Will Lee bass performance of the Wayne Shorter tune 'Elegant People' from the 2015 Mintzer Big Band recording, 'Get It'. Lot of gaps between the notes so a challenging read until you 'get it' (see what I did there?). PS that's 600 charts up there now! https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/elegant-people-bob-mintzer-big-band/

19:30 start for us on Sunday

Swiss You Were Here - Pink Floyd

Sat 24 May, The Spacewasters at The Water Rats, Kings Cross, London, a punk/garage/psychobilly/surf event with 5 bands.

Supergrass last wednesday. They were incredible. Great gear and great players

Wow - eight year necro-bump!! I've only played a Jazz bass in earnest once, about twenty five years ago when I did a weekend of gigs in France after someone pulled out playing bass so I volunteered last minute and used what kit they could find. It was a black Fender US Jazz going into a bassman of some variety. I was really impressed and have kind of always wanted to get once since but never had the chance. They strike me as versatile not ever so flashy workhorses.

I have had very limited experience of a Jazz bass, and was not fond of the weight and ergonomics. I don’t need more neck-divey basses in my life. I know that Sadowsky, Mike Lull and others have done a lot of work to improve on the Jazz template, and there are mods you can do, but I’m honestly not keen enough on the sound or the look to bother. I really don’t like the treble pickup tone by itself. Listening to Geddy Lee over the years, I was struck by the amount of work he (& his techs) have had to put in to get the sound he wants out of his Jazz. I know the situation was complicated by him being one of the first major players to go amp-less, direct to PA with cab sims etc. Even so, if I rank his tones over the years, the Jazz is low on the table behind his Steinberger, the red “horny” Wal, and his Rickenbacker. Maybe if he had stuck with the Jazz through the Ampeg as on “Animate” I might feel more kindly, but the amp was doing a lot of the work there.

Good stuff. I wish I was sent a Flight Delay!

Inkubus Sukkubus at the Hallamshire Hotel in Sheffield on Saturday.

That is the best bass cabinet ever made, IMHO. Every bass player should have the opportunity to play through one of those.