tauzero

Coincidentally, the guitarist that Mrs Zero and I are collaborating with for open mics has suggested One Way or Another, which Mrs Zero and I used to do in the old band (the stalking song). So I've been brushing up on that today.

Three wedding rings (consecutively, not concurrently) and never had any problem with any of them.

That's an awkward one - IMO unless you're a tribute band the 9 minute album version is too long but I don't want to lose a verse, so we're working on a hybrid using all the verses and choruses but with the short version of the instrumental from the single version.

Robin Smith's ensemble at The Alexandra theatre in Birmingham, on the Tubular Bells: The Best of Tubular Bells I, II & III tour. Very impressive performance, the only bit of a let down was the bass - audible in the mix but I suspect using a P with flats, it was just a dull thud with no mids and absolutely no treble giving not a lot of pitch information. The ensemble was Robin Smith on keys, accompanied by two guitarists (one of whom played the clavinet on the instrument introductions), one bassist, one vocalist, one cellist (playing an NS Cello), and two percussionists playing everything hittable, from a stock drumkit to glockenspiel and (of course) the tubular bells. First half was excerpts from Tubular Bells II and III, plus Moonlight Shadow, second half was all of Tubular Bells. The musicianship was great, as was the sound in the main (the thuddy bass didn't spoil it), the female vocalist was tremendous. The guitar tech/roadie kept doing the guitar swaps for one guitarist, while the other guitarist had to swap his own guitars - not sure why that was. Anyroadup, the tour continues, and I'm sure tickets will be available at other venues - the Alex was quite full but it wasn't sold out.

Always the whining about Coldplay. Stop the bitterness and envy, before it destroys you.

Microfrets so they can get quarter tones in the lower part of the neck.

I have encountered a fretless Squier, presumably unlined as the dots were at the fret positions, which had subsequently been fretted. It was astonishingly hard to play as I couldn't work out where to put my fingers.

Which 200W amps have you used for home practice and found too loud? The volume control is effective on most, if not all, amps, and will reduce the sound level considerably when correctly applied. If you're using a 100-200W speaker, it means you're less likely to accidentally blow it. I use my 200W TC BAM200 head in preference to my 900W Tecamp when I'm using a small cab (house jam micro cab, and, when I've finally completed it, BC 8" cab). Still managed to blow an Eminence Deltalite 2510 mk2 with it (poxy "Made in USA" rubbish, give me reliable Chinese stuff any day).

I use a 200W amp both at home and at an open mic night, combined with a @Phil Starr 6" micro cab. I use a bigger amp and cab for pub gigs, with the 200W one as a backup. Can't see any problem with having a 200W amp for a wide range of use. After all, 40 years ago I was gigging with a Laney 150W head, which was all the power you needed.

Non-standard by whose standards? The primitives of the USA? As this is an entirely rational prejudice I suppose it shouldn't be in here, but metric is a far superior measuring system to imperial (and which imperial are you using as the standard?), and the UK has been metric for 60 years, so why the f*ck do people still want o use imperial? I will make certain exemptions - tyres, loudspeakers, and televisions have become standardised as measured in inches. Nothing else should be. I'm just off to play my 865mm scale bass.

As you say, there's no locating hole - I assume that they butt up against a stop to locate them, can't remember if the screw itself held the reed in place or if there was a metal clamping piece. In fact, looking back (at around 5:30 onwards) it seems they go into a narrow slot and are held by one screw per reed, but I did wonder if there's a pair of overall clamping screws which clamp up that narrow slot so the actual sounding part is the part that emerges from the clamping piece. Aha! just gone back again - at 5:17 and 5:26 you can see that a bit further back from the row of screws that hold the reeds, there's a couple of countersunk holes which are rather beefier than the reed-holding screws - I think those would be the ones to clamp the top and bottom of the reed holding strips together.

Yes. I've started a build diary for one, including how to chop up a 1220 x 610 sheet with a circular saw should you not have a proper table saw. On a hiatus awaiting better weather at the moment so I can repair the latest cock-up.

Snoopy: 😁