BigRedX

Aren't nitro finished basses supposed to get worn due to interactions with their environment? I believe the term is "Mojo"?

To the OP. Your keyboard player's problem sounds more like a case of "can't be arsed" than anything else.

No, it doesn't and it never has. iTunes uses whatever format the files are in already (so long as it is one that is supported). New rips from CD are done to the format selected in preferences - the default is AAC but it can be changed to any variety of MP3, Apple Lossless or uncompressed AIFF or WAV. There is an option to export to iPod/iPhone in a compressed format but this only affects the copies of the tracks on the mobile device. The versions in your library remain in their original format.

Just looked at my Hooky Bass and there's no taper at the machine head end because this bass has bass-style tuning posts.In fact out of all my Bass VIs only the Squier has guitar style ones. Looks like a custom set from Newtone is the best way to go.

If you go with Newtone get them to make up a set based on the Axions but with the machine head taper adjusted for the shorter string length of the Silhouette bass.

GHS strings designed for the Eastwood Hooky Bass. A bit heavier than the LaBellas and Newtones, but better for it IMO.

My mum, who's in her 90s, is part of an oldies ukulele group that probably does more gigs a year than I do, and I'm in two bands. After starting on a cheap but serviceable model she's upgraded to a fairly expensive Kala Ukulele now. She was most surprised that I could pick it up and play straight away, which wasn't difficult since the string intervals are the same as the the top 4 strings of a guitar, so coaxing some chords and a tune out of it was completely straightforward. I found that due to the sound I had a tendency to strum everything with a George Formby rhythm. Having had a go, I honestly can't see what all the fuss is about. I have to admit though, that after being denied an electric guitar as a teenager by my parents, I've developed an allergy to acoustic instruments, so I can't see myself rushing out to buy a ukulele any time soon.

Who did you email? Hercules or their UK distributor Strings & Things? Strings and Things replaced all 5 of my Hercules stands that had developed the sticky plastic syndrome.

Is this for recording? If so I wouldn't bother with an amp at all. A good pre-amp or channel strip, or even plug-in will be far more versatile.

And with exactly the same fault on the same model of Ashdown amp that I have owned from new, I was asked for an unfeasible amount of money just for Ashdown to have a look at it whilst simultaneously telling me that it was essentially unrepairable. Eventually the amp was sold for a tiny fraction of what I paid for it on eBay . When I brought up the matter with their representative who used to post here they were rude and sarcastic to me. I will never own or knowing use an Ashdown product ever again and AFAIAC the company can do one.

You are quite right. So did the Carlsbro Cab that I bought in 1990.

That's because it's a more accurate representation in looks, build and sound to the original 60s Thunderbird then anything produced since the 80s with a Gibson Logo on.

Never heard of Tagima, but MiJ Tokais are well worth tracking down. As has been said the original 80s instruments were probably better than those they were copying, and their original range of Talbo aluminium bodied instruments were great too. However since then they have diversified in price point and manufacturing location, and unfortunately most of the instruments that don't come from Japan are not so accurate or well made, which IMO does a huge disservice to the Tokai name. I've owned two early 2000's Tokais, a Talbo Bass and a Talbo Jr travel guitar and both were excellent. However I wouldn't buy any Tokai not made in Japan without trying it first.

Anyone have any more information about the Circle Guitar, other than what's on the web site and accompanying video? Interesting concept, and from what little I've seen I think it's one of those instruments that needs to be tried before being dismissed or praised. Only thing I've seen so far that would tend to put me off is that the control connection for the guitar appears to be a cat5 cable. Not the most gig-worthy of connections. Also looks as though Manson Guitars are involved - hopefully they will do something about the rather ugly shape before it goes into production.

Joe Dart plays in a band called Vulfpeck whose most interesting album is "Sleepify"....

The only people using Evri (and similar low-budget delivery services) are those selling high volumes of low-cost items where it doesn't matter if a proportion of them don't reach the intended recipient. Everyone else should be avoiding them not matter how "cost-effective" they appear to be. Hint: they're not.

And anything on the PWL label... You don't much more mainstream than that!

In the late 70s when the "Indie Charts" started it used to mean any record that wasn't distributed by a major record label. So bands on Rough Trade, Factory Records, 4AD (who were part of Beggars Banquet, but unlike the parent label had independent distribution), and of course that bastion of the "Indie Sound" PWL. So right from the beginning it's been meaningless. A bit like "Alt Rock" which has pretty much been mainstream rock since the mid-90s.

Gold hardware, but not the pickup cover and knobs. Do they think we're blind?

Only 3 months after the gig, but this photo was published as a double-page spread in a local paper/magazine headlining an article about the Beeston Oxjam Festival we played, and I thought it was worth sharing.

Intersting. I tend to set all signatures longer than a couple of lines to ignore, and haven't noticed this particular one. So... 1. I simply don't come across this particular mod in the threads I frequent, so I haven't noticed it. 2. I set their signature to ignore on a previous version of the forum that allowed it. 3. I set their signature to ignore before they became a mod. This last one raises an interesting conundrum, since the moderators change from time to time what happens to someone who becomes a moderator who was previously set to ignore? If the signature is truly excessive maybe you should name and shame.

I don't think I've ever paid as much as £50+ to go and see a gig

Spotify pay out plenty. It's just that the record companies take the main share of this. I look at my individual streaming payments and then compare them with artists who claim that their share of streaming royalties are next to nothing, and think that something must be wrong because if I was getting those kinds of streaming numbers I'd be doing very nicely thank you.

I've not noticed reduction in audience numbers. In fact over the last 15 years the gigs I've been doing have been far better attended that most of the ones I did in the 80s and 90s. IMO a lot of the problem at "grass-roots" level is that many of the bands while being more musically accomplished than those in the past aren't actually entertaining enough for people to make the effort to go and see them play live.

I think you'll be surprised by exactly how much drive/dirt there is on what sounds like clean bass in the mix. Have a look and see if any tracks by the above have been posted as isolated bass tracks on YouTube. Then you'll get a much better idea of the sound you are aiming for.