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a ha hahahahaha!

Nice to see Diego Maradona keeping himself busy on BVs!

Getting the drummer to play quieter is like cutting the lawn with a tumble dryer.

From my humble observations and what I hear from people, venues don’t want space taken up with a full band and large speakers/amps, and they don’t want the deafening volume that a large amount of amateur bands seem to want to play at. Sadly in nice bars/clubs a full band is a bit too much for a lot of punters, but they can tolerate a quiet innofensive acoustic duo who just play ‘background noise’. There is a nice bar in the nearest town to me and they have live music a few nights a week. An acquaintance goes there fairly often with work colleagues etc as the food and drink is good, and overheard him say as soon as the local blues/rock/cover band of choice fire up for the night they all get out as soon as possible. I think a lot of the time people just don’t want to hear another band playing the same old dross or murdering modern pop tunes in their local. I’m guilty, I play in a covers band and despite being pretty good (IMO) I would probably avoid a bar with us or anyone else playing 😂

Here's the antidote ...

Thought I'd share this experience in case someone else has the same problem - it might save you some hassle/cash. A while back my MXR M87 died. The level meter was still functioning but there was absolutely no sound coming from the pedal output. I did all the usual quick fixes (contact cleaner on jacks, replaced footswitch etc) but to no avail. After a bit of digging I discovered that the output op-amp in this pedal (TLC2262 in case you were wondering) has a maximum voltage of 16V. Obviously this would normally be OK in a pedal that runs at 9V, except that MXRs "Constant Headroom Technology" feature is essentially a charge pump circuit that doubles the pedal's internal voltage to 18V. It shouldn't take a genius to work out what therefore ensues if, like me, you're unlucky. I replaced the TLC2262 with an AD822 (which has a supply voltage of 18V) and my pedal now lives and breathes again. I believe MXR will fix pedals under warranty for a flat fee of £75, whereas replacing the blown chip cost me less than a tenner and a few minutes fiddling with a soldering iron (the TLC2262 and AD822 chips are both surface mount - soldering these can be tricky unless you're experienced in doing so). It appears that mine is not an isolated issue as a quick Google uncovers many such failures, so I figured I'd pass this info on in case any other BC members' M87s suffer the same fate. Please use or disregard this information as you see fit!

I hadn't heard of Hot Rods so I googled it to see what they were... Found a thread on a drummers discussion board answering an identical question about being too loud for smaller venues, and one of them honestly suggests that to be quieter on stage the offending drummer should mic up his kit because that way they can turn the volume down through the PA

Absolutely this! Our shedbuilder invested in one about 3 months ago - same issues, he's naturally loud so the volumes creep up for everyone blah blah....... We thought we'd only use it on certain gigs where we are scaring the landlord but we've found that our whole sound is miles better with it and now use it almost all the time. As well as limiting the overall drum volume its tightened the whole sound up and i can slot the bass in a lot easier with the kick (which we put thru the pa/sub). Nobody's suffering from cymbal ears any more either. We can get a great controlled beefy sound at lower volumes. Its also a great topic of conversation with the crowd - especially when we tell them we fill it with water in the second set :-) And we're looking for some stick on Garfields to stick on the inside where he cant each them whilst he's playing.

The recommended approach is to position a piece of cord or edge of a cloth under the edge of the knob, (or the remaining insert), then pull the string/cloth upwards. Don't punch yourself in the face when it goes!

I told you at the time that joining a band with John Hall would be a disaster!

...was his solo a spoof..?

Way back in early '86 I spent a wonderful day at the much-missed Wapping Bass Centre, trying a whole load of fabulous exotica. Out of curiosity, I had a quick go on a Steinberger L2... It turned out to be a very quick go. What a ghastly instrument. No redeeming features aesthetically, ergonomically or sonically. Just utterly dreadful.

Wow, what a question 😊 The sound I have always wanted in the early days was that clunky P-bass tone. Not twangy like punk but also not thumpy like Motown, somewhere in the middle so a nice rounded bottom end but with some of those lovely P-bass tones cutting through. I pretty much got it when I bought my '78 P-bass but in most cases I have never managed it and for the majority of my playing I have used Jazz basses which have always suited my playing and have been easier to great a great tone from. I'm currently playing an AVRI 75 Jazz through a LM3 and 2x NY112 cabs and the tone is lovely. Mellow, rounded with a nice mix of mids to give a bit of growl. Is it the sound I want, well not really, it sounds lovely but safe. I play in a 50's/60's rock n roll band and I am determined to get my Precision sounding great through my rig but I tend to always fall back on the safe but great sounding Jazz bass. Maybe one day 😊

Good one this! As far as I'm aware, the sound in my head is a sound remembered - although I don't know from when or of what. Not to mention the fact that the memory can often play tricks. I guess it came from the players who influenced me in the '60s and '70s. However, they were pretty diverse (Jamerson, Macca, Jack Bruce, Andy Fraser, Ric Grech, John McVie, Pete Farndon) - so presumably an amalgam then. It's smooth but punchy, weighty but clean... well, I know what I mean!! But knowing that I'd recognise it when I heard it didn't help much, as there's so much stuff out there to try. I've been satisfied with my sound before but, after lots of trial and error, what really hits the spot now is my Subway 800 through a couple of BF SC3s. This seems to work with all my basses and the only pedals I use are compression and volume.

Very jealous of your workshop!!

Sounds like a couple of nice projects looking forward to see them progress

...and another one about changing our branding name to Burns. You're right about the regional shows. We did London Olympia (aka 'the London Marathon'), compared to which the Bristol and Liverpool shows were a walk in the park - and cheap too! The most famous face I saw belonged to my mate Jim, but there won't have been many other visitors at the show who knew about Tractor.

Of course the bass is the first to go. The reason for acoustic duos is the money, either the landlord can't afford a full band or the venue is so small it can't support a full band (small space, low income from punters). Drummers can take adavantage of it with cajon if the singer also plays guitar. For a bass player it's harder but not impossible, we just need to learn to use our bass as an harmonic instrument and take the place of the guitar/keys. Here's an example of a band in Portugal that can get away with just a bass and a voice: I don't need to say that this guy is one of the best bass players in Portugal

Grip with pliers lengthways down the shaft enough to grip and start moving the rubber and pull upwards. If not then use a stanley or other knife to cut away the rubber. Two screwdrivers, one either side and twist them to start the rubber moving up the shaft.

Which Oasis album did you play on?

Why puzzled? Because my recollection of the cost was a bit more than that quoted. The amp itself looks very impressive - I have no problem with that side.

Met with Brendon Sunday to trade my SGC Nanyo fretless for his Cort Curbow. A real pleasure! Got to see his bass collection, try out a nice Spector 5-string and have a good natter about bass guitars - altogether an excellent outing! Brendon is friendly and easy going

“Bass player’s face says it all I think”. I think he was preparing himself for his own, comical, Bass drivel routine at 04:20 onwards.

Welcome! I've once seen a bass player really play a 7 well - and then there's this: http://www.jsbach.net/bass/instruments.html What sort of music do you play? Possibly not JSB :-)

With a 'regular' drummer and bass player The Who would have been boring, I bet. It was KM and JE's pyrotechnics that made that band what it was. They were both pioneers in their way. If PT can't see that, he must be a ****.

"Next month, the one and only scale guitarists ever need" Doh. Rae,. Me Me Me Me Me........

Good evening, SF, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

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Personally, I tend to be able to put up with most people until the limits of their talent has been exhausted. I've definitely got some not very friendly relationships with former band members, but they started at the point of the sacking (or shortly beforehand). I haven't been surprised and am not fussed by them, but it always seems to be that when things are going well in the band their annoying tendencies are just little quirks like everybody else has got, and when things are going badly they are evidence of what terrible human beings they are. One in particular, was a really nice bloke, but being a lead guitarist, a bit of a c#nt. When we formed the band, me and the drummer were waiting to see exactly how he proved to be a c#nt, because there was no evidence of anything we seriously objected to, maybe he was the exception that makes the rule, great feller, good to hang out with, etc. By the time we sacked him it had all soured and we had no desire to ever see him again, and certainly never play in a band with him again, and we've all stayed out of each others way. But if he hadn't been so much of a c#nt in the band, I'm sure we'd all still get along brilliantly

There’s a few videos on YouTube about it but it’s really simple: 1. You print off your logo on normal paper using a laser printer (won’t work on inkjet) 2 Cover your printed logo with sellotape then using the handle of the scissors rub the sellotape for about 1 min making sure all the sellotape is firmly stuck down and there are no air bubbles 3. Cut out the logo leaving a few mm’s round the edge 4. Put the logo in cold water for about 5 mins if it curls straighten it out again 5.Carefully rub the paper off the back of the sellotape and you will leave just the logo on the sellotape (if it feels slightly gritty then put it back in the water and carefully rub it again till you don’t feel any grit) 6. Wet the sellotape again 7. Place on your headstock or wherever you want the logo to go and blot with some kitchen towel remove any air bubbles and excess water then leave to dry 8. Once dry you can then apply your finish and flatten the same way you would a water slide decal See it’s simple and a very cheap way to do it In the style of blue peter here’s one I did earlier......

SkinTrade. We had single of the week in RAW magazine, appeared on ITV but people had stopped making this sort of music around '91 / '92. We were still a couple of years behind the times. Good times. Sadly, I'm the only one who kept playing.

There's a Superfly 500 currently on eBay finishing in about 9 hours time (Sunday 11.52am BST) and the bidding is only £84 so far!

About fifteen years ago, I spotted an ad in our local rag: "Experienced lead guitarist and singer (been playing guitar for 15 years in all styles) looking for others to jam with and maybe form a band". TBH I was a bit scared to call the guy (let's call him Dave), seeing as he was clearly far more experienced than me (I hadn't been in a band since school, but then Jimmie quit and Jodie got married....). Still, he sounded ok on the phone, so I arranged to go round to his place the next evening for a jam. When I turned up, the door was answered by a tall freaky guy, who just stared at me. Eventually Dave appeared behind him and said "it's ok John, he's here to see me". We went downstairs to the living room, and started messing about with a few songs. It turned out that far from being an experienced LG, Dave could just about manage a minor pentatonic scale if he looked at his fingers, whilst his singing was really best left in the shower. Also, there was something about him that I couldn't quite square - he was certainly too shy to ever be a frontman, and he sometimes seemed to be in another world entirely, and then struggled to finish his sentences. John, meanwhile, took up position in one of the armchairs, and stared at me continuously. Eventually John got up to go to the loo, and I decided to make my excuses and leave. Dave said, oh, don't mind him - he's got schizophrenia, so it means he's not good with new people. It's just this house is owned by the council for the six of us to live in. We have a care worker during the day, but in the evenings he only comes round if we press the alarm button.......

I used to play in a honky tonk/western swing band in the 1980s. We worked regularly - forces bases, functions, festivals, etc. Fiddle was my main instrument at the time, but we had an excellent fiddle player on board who was also a pal, so I played bass in the band. Said fiddle player got a good offer of work and left, so we decided I'd switch to the fiddle and we'd find a bass player. This did not work out - a succession of mainly pop/rock players auditioned and although some were good, they were out of sympathy with the music (didn't swing and played too many notes), so we opted for Plan B - find another fiddle player. It was decided that I'd field calls/replies, invite applicants to my place to check them out/play through a few things and arrange a full band meet with anyone who showed promise (this was pre-internet days, so no YouTube demos, etc). One character (who assured me he played in the style we were looking for when he phoned) turned up at my door. He was from Scandinavia and had a very intense, unsmiling manner. Introductions over, I got out my guitar and invited him to play something, suggesting we start with something simple as a warm-up. He fixed me with a stare and announced, "I shall play you something I wrote" and launched into a scratchy, frantic flurry of notes that seemed initially to be based on "The Devil's Dream" (an old-time fiddle tune), although the B part went all over the place. The tempo varied wildly. I stopped him and said "That sounds like the Devil's Dream", at which he glared at me and said, "No. I wrote that piece". He was obviously a folk fiddler (and a ropey one, at that), so I explained that we were looking for someone who played in the western swing/honky tonk style, at which he asked "Vot is honky tonk?" Life was too short to explain or play him examples from my record collection, so I suggested that he was not familiar enough with the idiom and thanked him for coming. He glared at me, informed me, "I am not satisfied vith your explanation" and remained sitting in his (my) chair. I decided that it would be best not to physically eject him and risk damaging my furniture or belongings, so I took out my fiddle and played him a brief example of what we were looking for. I also gave him a few bars of "The Devil's Dream" just to make the point. As politely as I could, I and informed him that he was in my home and that if I asked him to leave, he would do so. He gave me a terrible look and packed his instrument away. On speaking about the incident later with a friend, I learned that he had been answering ad's all over town and behaving similarly. How do wallies like him imagine they will fool anyone?

Bought a lovely T-bird from Brendon, absolutely no complaints. Postage was rapid and packaging was of great quality. An honest and genuine seller, a pleasure to deal with and would happily deal with in the future

Sold a Warwick Streamer to Brendon, no hassles nice and easy cheers bud

Some of the ones my wife calls me I can’t publish

Name is spelled Correctly. Brendon.

Brendan (not Brendon...😬) bought a Hohner bass from me. he paid up and was patient while the local post office did their utmost to look like a useless bunch of morons... thanks mate, enjoy that bass.

Kev, what I was saying was to have patches not digital distortion. Can you imagine how flexible that would be? My Sansamp PSA1.1 is all analogue signal chain with the only part of it being digital is the bit that reads the position of the knobs and stores the midi data. Best of both worlds and that's what I was trying to get across. Don't get me wrong, I've played most of the darkglass catalogue. It's great stuff, but because of its inability to recall anything it's limited as to its effectiveness. However, just salivate for a minute over the thought of a B7k ultra or alpha omega with patches. Wouldn't that kill? Wouldn't that be worth £500? As it is, I just feel it's 10% overpriced. Only my view though. It doesn't matter, as you say people will buy it at any price. Darkglass have done well creating a premium product, but I just think its too expensive. Comparisons made may or may not be fair, but it doesn't make the fundamental point being made any less valid that maybe, the stuff is a bit pricey.

And here it is 14 years later, sans pickup cover

I've already expressed at length how I think there are great basses, and I am a fan. Had I the cash right now, I'd be snappping off your hand for one of your cut price Cuntour S's. However I now cannot unsee that the headstock reminds me of Mr Greedy:

Just about my only preparation for the gig is make sure I drink at least one bottle of water just before going on stage, and make sure I have a pre-gig urination - at 50+ one needs to make sure their bladder behaves.

I have an actual Superfly 1000. As stated above, it does indeed have a fan. I am aware that the 500 watt version was prone to overheating which is why Ashdown intended to remedy the problem for the range with the addition of said fan and an increase in power. The preamp is great and it's a really punchy and versatile head. No reliability issues and it's just as quiet/noisy as the ABM heads and combos I've dealt with (e.g. not that bad but that "characteristic" Ashdown hiss is there). It's certainly not twice as loud as the 500w version BUT you can drive a single 8 ohm cab off one of the outputs with the same might as an ABM 500. I've not seen another Superfly 1000 version about so it's quite possible that less than 30 were indeed produced. I would love to know if there are other Superfly 1000 owners in this parish. I'm feeling lonely. - Andy

Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, though just for balance I will be listening to Boards Of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children after the former has finished.