Dad3353

And the winner is... @xgsjx ..! Here, then, is your Winner's Certificate (download and save as pdf file, then proudly print and frame...) ... BC_Chal_Cert_2024_05.pdf ... which looks like this (but bigger, of course..!)...

Back in the day (a few years ago now...), I went over quite a few posts, when requested by Members, making posts legible again, and it was a slog each time (I did, normally, a whole topic at a time...). Some info, though, just was no longer there (notably photos...), so the absolute value was limited. I doubt that there's much, if any, value to be added with what's left, and, in my view, it would be difficult to write a robot script to do it, as there was quite a bit of interpretation involved. Feasible for a 'one-off' request, on the understanding that it might not be possible at all, given the time passed since those updates. Douglas

Welcome to my world. It may be age-related (74 next birthday...), compounded by a radical change in domestic relations (my muse passed away...). I really wish I knew the way back, and I've not given up completely, but it's so much harder these days to pick up the guitar, bass, or sit at the drums and just play for pleasure. I'm sedentary, with limited energy, but that's not new. It's just a mental state, a lethargy, a black dog that needs shaking off, but no drive to make that effort. I shan't continue with the wallowing in self-pity; I'd only suggest that inspiration could come from contact with others, so opening up the social stimuli, interaction with other folk, old or new, may be a way back..? I'm out of the loop for this, really, but it may help others to try this route..? Good luck with it; it's great when it all 'clicks'. There's always our monthly Composition Challenge to provoke thought; worth having a go..?

Fixed.

I'm not convinced that a PhD, or, indeed, any qualification at all, is relevant in this context, nor any other, other than the subject concerned. It only demonstrates, to my way of thinking, an ability to pass certain exams and criteria, plus the willingness to do so. How many punk, or other, musicians, are able to cook a decent breakfast, or erect a brick wall..? Are Life Skills not something to celebrate, or are any and all of these things simply idle curiosity and 'fluff'..? No Master Luthiers out there..? No accomplished cricketers, or polyglots..? I'm not suggesting that these pieces of paper are worthless; just that I don't see what's so special, or odd, in anyone obtaining such, whatever they do on or off stage. Maybe it's just a dull week.

Ashley Hutchings, early Fairport Convention.

A 'Fuzz-face'-type fuzz pedal should do the trick. You'll not get such a tone from any cabs without cutting slits in the speaker cones (which limits their sound vocabulary quite considerably...). You don't need extreme volume for those sounds, either. A Good fuzz (is that an oxymoron..?) needn't be loud to sound right.

Loading the amp with the 18" and one of the 12" will not cause any problems for the amp, which will be less loaded than with the two 12" cabs. The output volume cannot be estimated, as there are very efficient 18" cabs, and less efficient ones. It's unlikely, however, that the 18" will provide anything like the volume of the 12" it's replaced. The 18" cab will not appreciate being 'cranked' with that amp, though, and care would have to be taken to avoid either nasty distortion (farting etc...) or actually blowing it up. Unless the resulting combination really does sound wonderful, compared to the dual 12" set-up (I think that that's unlikely, but you never can tell...) I'd not use this combination for anything serious, just fun experiments. I would assume that the benefit of having a small, tidy, lightweight 12" cab would be lost, too, with an old 18" cab. Free..? You've lost nothing. Is it a 'keeper'..? Your ears will tell you, but be careful when turning up the volume, as 'magic smoke' could ensue. Hope this helps.

'Go' for the profiteroles. A nice cuppa afterwards, naturally.

OK, then, and as pedagogy, for those that don't recognise him : Jack Casady, playing, in the photo, with Jefferson Airplane, late '60's-early '70's; and Hot Tuna, since (and still, I believe...). Worth a listen, quite certainly.

Mmm... Tea...

Why would one play a semi-tone higher, if it plays well in standard tuning..? If it must be done (singer's voice, maybe..?) a first-fret capo would do the job, no..?

S'all good for those 5/4 numbers, though.

Teach him/her 'Un-Deux-Trois-Quatre-Cinq-Six-Sept'..? ...

It's about time that I 'fessed up to this, by admitting that it was I that gave the erroneous advice about posting in an inconspicuous way a request for valuation (in the manner of 'What do Squiers fetch, these days..?' or similar...). I was wrong, mea culpa, and all the more stupid as I had been a Mod, for quite a long time, and should have thought better of it. It was I, too, that 'reported' the original post, as it was in flagrant breach of the 'valuation' rule. I explained the rule, and its reasoning, in my reply to the OP, but the advice I gave, although in good faith, was wrong, and has led to all this rumpus. Apologies to all; I could plead old age and senility, but I should have thought it through a lot longer. Sorry.

... which is why Sibelius is not often on the set list. ...

He can afford an orchestra of his own because he hasn't spent anything on a Strad..!

I'm in France; a lot of the repertoire I've played over the years is in English. A lot of the audience don't understand what the lyrics are, and don't really listen to 'em. They just dance, locking into the ambience more than absorbing the poetry. It's not the same as listening at home to a disk that's been bought, and being played, whilst reading the sleeve notes.

General Discussion would be fine.

Post again, in the form that I recommended, and I'm sure help and advice will come.

There is a subscription charge for placing 'For Sale' ads in the marketplace (£7 for a 'one-off' ad, £20 for a whole year of unlimited ad posting...). All too often, a 'What's it worth..?' post comes up, which looks very much like an underhand 'For Sale' ad, but without paying the fee. That's probably why your post has gone. What's the answer..? Firstly, look up prices in the BC Marketplace for equivalent instruments, or on other sales outlets, and judge for yourself. If you want/need advice, no photos, no mention of selling, and a simple description of make, model and year will get a 'ball-park' figure, without transgression. Once you have a sum in mind, pay the fee for the service that suits you and place a 'For Sale' ad. Hope this helps...

A while back, it was the roller-rinks. Dance marathons were very popular, and well-attended. Circuses roamed the land, setting up, then moving on. Street drama troops busked between towns and cities. These things and more had their day, and Life moved on. There's always been live music, for troubadours and sponsored orchestras. There's no reason why rock'n'roll should get a free pass. The wheel turns.

Hmm... Too late, I fear...

I'm not sure that 'hate' is the right word, for me at least. My tastes in music could be described as 'eclectic', but with some notable exceptions, one of which is 'big beat', '1-1-1-1-...' Disco EDM, often accompanied by megatons of over-production. The tasteless lighting, stroboscopic flashing and incomprehensible choreography, each vying with the other to shock, don't inspire me to much more than reach for the 'off' switch. It's true I'm not in the target demographic, and I've never understood the 'disco' craze, either (as a technicien, I've installed too many disco lighting and sound systems to be impressed...), as I don't (read 'can't'...) dance, and don't drink anything stronger than Earl Grey (and even that's weak, when I make it...). 'Hate'..? No; if other folk derive some pleasure from it all, let 'em fill their boots, but don't try to tell me that it's 'quality music', 'cos it's not. It's forgettable pulp, throw-away nonsense that, for almost all of the 'songs' presented, will never be heard of again. To have anything visual needed to 'sell' the stuff says a lot. None of the 'songs' will ever have a performance with that same, or anything like close, backdrop. It's not a problem; it's all forgotten until next year, when, like the Christmas baubles for the tree, the band-wagon is rolled out again. So, Eurovision..? Whatever...