lowregisterhead

I think you're all jumping to conclusions here... the STRINGS could be Ernie Ball...

Agreed, and I suppose it's testament to their product quality that I've never had reason to contact their customer service. Nice to know it's just as good!

They’re great strings, I’ve used them for years. I’m really surprised you’ve got a dead one, but that’s more likely to be because the bass was strung months ago and has been sitting in a shipping container at sea between Indonesia and here, suffering all sorts of extremes of temperature and humidity. One of the main reasons I’ve stuck with the EXLs for over 15 years is their consistency - all that time I’ve never had a dud. In 40 years of playing I’ve been through most brands, and some major makes (naming no names) have truly appalling quality control.

But no Level 42 songs, oddly enough... https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/gizmodrome/2018/scala-london-england-bef91d2.html

Great cabs. I had one years ago, they do shift an enormous amount of air for their size, and have a really sweet tone into the bargain. I had to Google the location (West Peckham) thinking it was a bit of a joke name (like South Chelsea, St Reatham etc) but it's actually a village down in Kent, not far from Tonbridge. That and the username rang a bell - if the seller is who I think it is, these cabs will have graced the stages of some big names.

I did a quick search for Lodestone, and the company was dissolved in 2012... maybe the quirky headstock wasn't so popular after all.

I did a quick search for Lodestone, and the company was dissolved in 2012... maybe the quirky headstock wasn't so popular after all.

I just found a reference to 'the new graphite necked T-Bass' on this very forum from 2009, so I stand corrected. I don't know how I missed that. Probably still can't afford one though!

Possible, but unlikely I would think... unless sales of Chis Wolstenholme's and Alex Venturella's signature models have left the Kingbass a distant 3rd place. When I think Status, I immediately think Mark King, but then I'm getting on a bit! I'm doing a few 80's festivals over the summer, but I don't think Level 42 are on any of them this year. If they were, I could ask him. Politely...

Yeah, I saw that. I visit the Status website from time to time, but I just don't remember seeing it before. I'm just interested in trying one, but more importantly, finding out how much they are, and if it's within my limited budget! Somehow I doubt it, but I can but hope. The J-type pickup configuration is more up my street, as I've owned a few Statuses (Statii?) over the years, and never really got on with the Hyperactives. I had a Series 5000 once with jazz-type pickups, and it sounded fantastic, but the string spacing was ridiculously narrow. I assume most of Rob's 5s are 18mm spacing now unless you want it narrower. I'd like 19mm, but that's probably asking too much!

I didn’t realise that. There doesn’t seem to be any mention of it on the price list - is a special order thing?

And more...

More evidence...

Yup, and the angled headstock. They were made for Trace Elliot by Status in the 90's, but there's a new version with a graphite neck. Pictures are on the Status website.

I glimpsed a pic in Twitter (which I can't find now, of course) of Mark King doing a Level 42 gig very recently sporting one of the new Status T-Basses. They're on the Status website, but with not much detail, or any prices yet. Anyone seen one? Edit: Turns out it was Instagram, and the pic was posted by Mike Lindup. I was close!

Sold Will a TC Electronics head, pedal and gigbag. Great comms, immediate payment, a pleasure to do business with!

Sold my Boldogh Custom to Steve. Good communication, fast payment, all in all a very smooth transaction. Thanks!

Whilst that may be true, my main gripe is it’s not (and, to fair, never has been) a level playing field. You can bet the lawyers and publishers for the Taylor Swifts of this world will extract a FAR higher per steam rate on behalf of their clients than Joe Blow who self-publishes and has a growing fan base. To him, the returns from streaming services could make the difference between being able to forge a career creating albums of life-changing music, and fading into obscurity. If that happens, all we’re left with are the part-timers and the trust fund kids. Not to say their music would necessarily be bad, but talent needs to be nurtured and supported for it to really flourish and have half a chance to produce something remarkable. Ms Swift really doesn’t need the money.

I was actually talking about originals acts, but some of the same principles apply to covers and functions bands etc - I'm with you there. I've been knocking about doing all sorts of gigs for a long time, and the standard in the pubs that remain where live music is being played have definitely fallen. Part of the reason is less venues, more bands, and landlords who can pick and choose, and state their price. As you said, there will always be some idiots who'll do the gig for next to f-all, but price, of course, is often proportional to quality. Not always, though. I've seen many high-end function bands who command a 5-figure fee that seem slick and impressive for the first couple of numbers, then you realise it's all the same for the rest of the set and it's dull, dull, dull. Or maybe I'm just a twisted old cynic. Yes, now I come to think of it, I am.

Sorry, I'm not going to bite. It's all been said elsewhere, and a TOTP thread isn't really the right place for it. I will say this - it's still a rigged game, and the digital age has only made the odds of exposure and/or success even longer. Everything changes over time, and I fully accept that. The internet has knocked the music business as it was into a cocked hat, and streaming is the way forward for now. That doesn't make it any kinder a mistress than the system that went before it, however. The current state of smoke, mirrors and general confusion (and let's be clear, the same people and huge corporations are still behind it) is the labour pains of what's yet to come, and nobody knows how it will turn out. One thing is certain though - whatever is born out of this will be just as ugly a brat as its older siblings. So please, don't blame the musicians.

Now you're talking. Many years ago, doing one of many temporary jobs whilst attempting to achieve musical fame and fortune (?) I was making a delivery to a beautiful house just off Kensington High Street in London. It was all white, satin chrome and etched glass, so the owners obviously had a bob or two, I thought. I rang the bell, the door opened, and lo and and behold, I was face to face with my object of adoration as a teenager... Cherry Gillespie! I was thunderstruck. I opened my mouth, and at first nothing came out, followed closely by gibberish. She smiled kindly, signed for the package, and just then her husband (who I later discovered is record company mogul Rob Dickens) passed me going into the house, and gave me a withering look as if to say "Oh, god, not another one". I felt ridiculous, but boy, was it worth it.

I'm sitting here open-mouthed in disbelief at what I've just read. If you made that statement to deliberately be controversial and get a reaction, well OK, you got me. If you genuinely believe this, I'm afraid I don't have the time or the patience to get into precisely why what you posted is so wrong on so many levels, but I'm sure someone else will. Musicians are to blame? Really??