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A bit late posting but we played another fund raiser last Sunday at the cathedral in North Bay where we played in February of 2024 to help raise money for roof repairs and this time they even paid us for our efforts. Probably at least 200 in the audience, a bit lower than we hoped but it was a beautiful spring day and I think some folks decided to enjoy the good weather. We had a vocalist with us this time and she was great as usual and really knows how to work those old jazz tunes. We did a swing set and then I switched to tenor banjo and one sax player used a bari sax to play a bass line and we played a shorter Dixieland/trad set. Good fun and the church and the band both made money. Shen SB 100 into the Bose PA and Baldwin Ode banjo. The words on the cross above the bass sum up how I feel playing some of the songs. 😊

Be aware of ebay and amazon when getting strings. I got fakes from both before. Hope the music shop account is legit!

JMB seems to be the go-to these days. Gumtree used to be reasonably good too, but I think people have gone off it in recent years. I do kinda miss the days when the one and only place you ever needed to look was Loot.

Oooh - you've given me an idea now.......🤔😉

The Fly - U2

Hey There Little Insect - The Modern Lovers

Just over 80 miles to pick up a Warwick Streamer from Wigan, did 400 to collect some Markbass cabs from Milton Keynes though which was more of a trek. I usually just wait until the thing I want appears closer to home as I don't like driving for more than an hour or so and train prices are silly.

The Caterpillar - The Cure

Oh god... surely, SURELY someone must have done this to a collection of Thunderbirds! 🤞 EDIT: "4" would have to be a uke bass or an Ashbory or something, obviously 😁

The current covers band was through Joinmyband, the current originals band was through Facebook when someone I'd met on a couple of open mics was looking, and the previous covers band was through open mic nights. I'm also doing a dep in June which I got through an open mic.

This. Most class D amp heads use power modules from Hypex, IcePower, Pascal and similar. The modules are readily available, proven, reliable designs and it simply isn't worth amp makers designing their own/reinventing the wheel. Most modules are at or around two power ratings - either 300w into 8 ohms/500w into 4 ohms or 500w into 8 ohms/700w into 4 ohms. Some amp brands inflate their power claims. I have a Carvin that claims 1000w, but it's no louder than my 700w Aguilar if you turn both up to the point that the clip light flashes. I wouldn't be surprised in the Peavey mentioned is the same. Watts are cheap nowadays. All amps have a volume control, so unless funds are really tight, buy the more powerful version, be sensible with the volume control and don't over-drive your speakers (you'll know when you do because they will make horrible noises). Your sound will benefit from the additional headroom and when/if the time comes to up the size of your rig, the amp will still be up to the job, saving you from having to sell and upgrade it (which always costs).

Afternoon Sir, Bass should be with me by tomorrow. Irate wife is currently outside your front door with a sawn-off shotgun. Will keep you informed. As ever, S.

I’ve had lots of conversations about it at OM and jams specifically because guitards and drummers noted my bass. lady who runs my local night found herself a band out of people who’d got up to play, so it can work

With things progressing at a pace my mind is turning to the finish ... while the front doesn't look too bad in the pics the varnish on the back has split along the grain lines of the wood, and the external 'linings' all round the bass are mostly worn through the varnish to bare wood ... in fact to a point where in some areas one can collect a free splinter to an unwary finger. Re varnishing wouldn't be a huge deal - given the work I'm already doing - or even spraying a finish ... the big however is not knowing exactly what the existing finish is, stripping it will be a. difficult and b. a lottery. Alcohol seems to soften the finish as stands, so it could be some form of spirit varnish or even a nitro based lacquer. Sanding will be bloody difficult in the body cut-outs and I can't really see a power sander option for those areas. Chemical stripping with a dedicated paint stripper can attack glue so that's not really an option I fancy ... on the other hand ... ten years with a cork sanding block I'm also a bit wary of 🤣 Suggestions on a postcard please ...

He'd started using the Non-Reverse Thunderbirds at the Young Vic when they were workshopping the Lifehouse shows. That was before Who's Next was recorded. He still recorded Who's Next with Frankenstein.

My curiosity has got the better of me. Ordered some Fender 9050L flats, cheaper than Pressurewounds at just £35 with postage from a music shop on eBay. Any tips for stringing flats, as I’ve never done them before? I believe it’s worth cleaning them all with an alcohol wipe before first play, does this sound right?

Sue Ryder..?

I avoid anything - instruments, strings, etc - with an artist's name on it. You're bound to be charged a premium. Same applies to virtually anything, really - clothing, fridge-freezers, cuddly toys. If it bears an endorsee's name, you're going to pay more.

I just bought an M-Vave page turner. Using it with Adobe reader for PDF cribsheets, I was initially struggling but I needed to switch the reader settings to View | Single page and then put the turner into Android landscape mode. What apps are others with the Lekato and M-Vave page turners ( @fleabag, @stewblack, anyone else?) using them with?