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That’s the ideal model for a charity gig imo.

Just a couple of hundred ohms or less... ... compared to the thousands we are used to..

Come Sail Away - Styx

I suggest some people maybe taking some comments too literally. 😀

Having been in the house band for many blues jams, I beg to differ!

Steve, perhaps I should have given more context. I had a very unwelcoming and even humiliating experience as a young man. It was really grim; I was 18, had no live experience and only very basic chops. I didn't realise it at the time but it was basically an excuse for one or two flash bastards on the local scene to polish their egos and belittle other players. I was thoroughly belittled, to the point of being told that I couldn't play for toffee and should give up and stop wasting everyone's time. I'm certainly not going to tar all blues jams with that brush, and have subsequently been involved with plenty that have been great, but that first experience nearly saw me giving up before I'd started.

Thrown away. Stranglers

I agree with all that. Perversely, as a Lefty, I am curious (and envious) as to what the moollon sounds like (v the vintage sound).

Rather an unfortunate attitude, if I may be so bold. Everyone starts somewhere (you even state you first played live at a blues jam, maybe you put other people off?). They can be a challenge when you have achieved a certain level, but it's good to play with novice players and help bring them along.

This is the perfect Precision collection. Is that 64 really original? I've never seen a sunburst like that.

I agree. What I will say is that the bookers don't do any means testing and I've played in bands with a lot of folk that do work that is paid at a similar level to bar work or not much above minimum wage. I've done a few of these gigs over the years and without exception, they've been poor experiences where the bookers don't value the bands, don't treat them in a civil manner and seem to completely forget that you're giving up your time, paying to be there and also blocking your calendar for a paying gig. For context, I do around 500-700 hours a year of charity volunteer work for a (not at all musical) cause that I'm passionate about, it costs me money but I get appreciated, I expand a wide skill set and it does a lot of good for those receiving the benefit. The concept of giving my time/money for a good cause is fine with me but I'm not dragging others into it and unless it's something I know a lot about, I'm turning it down. I've got a story about one gig I did years ago to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust that makes my p155 boil but I'll save that for later.

I've played charity gigs for nowt and thoroughly enjoyed being part of them. I find that having some connection to the charity or knowing the organiser helps. In my last band we had a formula - everyone in the band gets to call one freebie per year, and this was usually a charity gig.

I'm neither jealous nor envious of other folk getting paid more than me whether it's a paid gig or a free one. I give my time and money when and where I want, and if I'm having a good time playing, and giving a good time to others, that's fine by me. For charity or not, I (and the band I have been playing in for the last decade or so...) neither want nor expect to be paid, whatever the event. It's just our way of thinking, that's all. Others do things differently, and that's fine too. Peace.

My first experience of playing live was at a blues jam, and it damn near put me off for life.

Pouring drinks is not the bar staff’s hobby, for 90% of bands playing music is. Working a bar is a PITA, playing a gig is a pleasure and sometimes a privilege. These are the criteria I use to decide 👍

I’ve done a couple of charity gigs recently for the Teenager Cancer Trust. The organisers, a mod/scooter club have asked in advance what our expenses will be and have also made sure we are well watered (beer or soft drinks), plus they provide PA & backline, which makes it much less of a faff. This is ok with me and we don’t have to do it of course. I think expecting folk to play for free, without some sort of expenses is taking the pee.

Mark

That seems to imply that we should feel guilty that we are not paid minimum wage and feel obliged to play for nothing. I am reasonably comfortably off and I don't object to playing the occasional charity gig, but, as I point out, I will not actually lose money. I could afford to throw in the cost of a few gallons of petrol, but I won't, because I am already giving my time and effort for nothing. I fell it's disrespectful to expect me to actually pay for the privilege of playing for free. That's just me, of course and YMMV.

I did have an acoustic double bass a while back but didn't gel with it sound wise or to play even after a setup and new strings and it sounded quite dull when amplified. So went for and eub which sounds and plays great. My tutor said it sounds like an amplified acoustic DB. It could probably do with a setup. The fingerboard is flatter than my old acoustic so not easy to use a bow.

The EE nerd in me wants to know, what does low impedance actually mean in this case? Congrats on finding success with the cloning. I have really enjoyed the builds you do that I've seen over the years.

Nah, wouldn't use one of me basses - it'd be a waste of a bass 🎸 The thought of headlining in the Sun would be too shameful to bear I'd rather join Trump's fan club (or would that be even worse 🤔) Perhaps I'll just try and moderate my GAS obsession. It'll be tough but promise I'll try