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To be honest, I didn’t look at the first one. If you need to come online for validation of your artistic endeavours you need to reflect on yourself. I tried to put it in the nicest way I could.

Odd. I've always had friendly, helpful service there. Mark drove me to the station on one occasion with my purchase (which wasn't large) when I didn't take the car.

I have had a few really frustrating experiences with pirate, I can’t deny. But the last 4 or 5 have been fine so I’ll keep with them for the time being. If they get go downhill I’ll look elsewhere. Also, me and my band mates almost always use public transport to get to practicing which has a big impact in location. Pirate has chosen really convenient locations in London, fair play.

You didn't look at the content of his other vids, then?

It’s not Pink Floyd, Rush, Genesis or Jaco so unlikely to get much support here. If you enjoy doing it, keep doing it. Dont worry about anyone else. Best thing about music is that no matter how bonkers it is, someone will love it. Play music for you not anyone else.

I really like my TE Elf 1x10 combo. Great on its own for rehearsal or small gig, run DI from the back into PA for bigger gig to maintain a familiar tone. I might get a 1x10 cab to make a mini stack at some point but might not bother, bigger gigs always have good PAs these days...

Yes I get that. In Bristol most of the rehearsal rooms have similar systems. The convenience of Pirate is great, but we’ve stopped using the place as it’s just pretty horrid. Equipment is junk and it’s just a poor experience. I did a jazz session in a rehearsal room Saturday and it was about £5 more expensive but light years better in terms of quality.

Surely the sensible thing to do would be to ring 999 and let them decide what to do?

As in your other thread, an unknown newbie posting a link is not going to get much of a response. David

The Fender Rumble gets very good reviews so I don’t think it’s a bad choice

It’s not just the price it’s the booking system. Being able to see availability for different locations and times is critical when I’m coordinating a practise. I don’t have time to phone around different rehearsal spaces, then check with band members, then phone around again, then message on Whasapp… pirate has invested in a really good booking system and with a large range of locations and rooms it’s meant I can live a life, work a full time job AND organise band rehearsals.

The gig on Saturday was a dep for a blues / americana (sort of) band at Diseworth Village Hall. A bit different setting to the last gig I did two weeks ago, a slightly dodgy rock club in a rundown part of inner-city Hull, this was a small village hall in a well to do part of rural England, just off the M1 a short distance away from East Midlands Airport. A lovely and rather picturesque little village, complete with signs on lampposts rallying locals to protest at any possible industrial development in the area (as well as discouraging strangers from parking up there for a fortnight to avoid using the nearby airport car parks)! The people promoting the gig were super friendly and helpful (as they were in the club in Hull), decent PA, free food, having to keep turning down free beers, etc. Not a bad payer either! I say it was a dep gig, but I was in an earlier version of the band and have done a couple of deps since I left. Basically, when I’m playing, it’s the Zep tribute band with a female singer-songwriter (the guitarist’s girlfriend), so we all know each and are used to playing together. Not exactly the most rock'n'roll crowd, but nice people and a very good audience reaction, so generally a great night. The usual motorway closure on the two hour drive home, but this one wasn’t too bad – M1 closed, diverted onto the M18 to the A1(M) and then picking the M62 up just a little further out, maybe 15 minutes added to the drive. One day I will start a thread on motorway closures driving back from gigs at night! Gear was, as ever, the 70s P bass into a Handbox R-400 amp / Berg CN212 cab. Footwear was the usual grey suede Vans hi-tops! I’m a bit worried that they are starting to wear out and I might have start wearing in a new pair for gigs (darker grey pigskin Vans)!

Bristol is the same, too. (Pirate started here and the head office is literally 100m from me right now). The business model is to keep costs as low as possible and it seems this involves cutting corners. I once did a practice there and one of the guys was locked in a room with the lights and all power cut off. Thankfully we got him out in the end! In my experience, it’s worth spending a few more quid for somewhere decent.

Vol, 3 Way Pup Select, Jack...

Just to add to the colour complexity, my Fender Japan Tomomi jazz is trans fiesta red. I love the colour! As Wavemaker explained above, trying to accurately capture this colour is almost impossible.

I can only speak for the ones in London and they work out to be a lot cheaper than other options and their booking system is really easy.

You might also like B-15NC if you came across one (well, it'd be rather B-15 Heritage, but still). With a 60'ish P-bass it sounds delicious. P.S.: sorry for off-topic. My vote would obviously be for the Ampeg. I only tried an RB-110, so no experience with a way more powerful RB-210, but it sounded amazing. That thump as if there was a compressor for the low frequencies.

It was brilliant. Played the Swan in Stourport on severn. A local gig with the best energy and crowd.