BigRedX

Gibson even took the actual Les Paul model out of production from 1961 to 1967, at it was only with the rise in popularity of "rock" music and the fact that many of it's prominent guitarists were sporting Les Paul Guitars that persuaded Gibson to start making them again.

Some more seemingly random observations that are actually interlinked. Whatever you end up getting, make sure it is capable of running whatever is the latest version of Mac OS at the time you buy it. Right now that's High Sierra. The thing that makes Macs obsolete more than anything these days is when they can no longer run the latest OS and then by extension the latest software. Another reason not to buy a second-hand copy of Logic. Because the latest version is a App Store only purchase and tied to the purchasers Apple ID there are no legitimate copies for sale second hand. That means the only legal copies of Logic that you can get are Logic 9 and earlier. Of these only Logic 9 will run on the most recent versions of Mac OS (and personally I would bother with anything earlier than El Capitan for a new machine) and even then getting to install and run is a bit of a faff and not something I would want to inflict anyone who isn't well versed in Mac troubleshooting.

It's arrived - a bit bigger and heavier than I was expecting - especially in the box. I've only had one chance to use it with my Helix so far, and initial impressions are good although there is some excessive top-end zing. I believe there was a post in the Helix thread about using the LPF on the cab model setting to sort this out, but I haven't had time to go and look for the specific information. Hopefully work won't be quite so busy next week and I'll have at least half a day to sit down and get a basic sound sorted out. One of my bands have some high-profile supports coming up in April and May and I'd like to have everything ready for then.

The59Sound does have a point though. There's something terminally sad about musicians (especially) being proud of their ignorance of modern music. Just like the old fart prog rockers when punk came along. It was a bad look then and it's still a bad look now. You don't have to like new music. But please don't be revel in your lack of knowledge.

I'd start by looking at clearance and refurb deals from Jigsaw and Apple. These will have been tested and repaired if necessary and come with a full warranty. Those bought from Apple used to come with full 3 years AppleCare as well - I don't know if that is still the case. On the whole Macs do tend to last longer. My current MacPro is 10 years old and still going strong running Adobe CC and Logic and is the Mac I use to make a living doing artwork and graphic design - although it was pretty much the best MacPro you could get when it was brand new. This Mac will only get replaced when Adobe CC requires a newer version of Mac OS then mine can run. My MacBook Pro is a 2012 model (EoL'd from John Lewis - also worth a look for clearance deals). Personally I wouldn't have a problem buying second hand off eBay (my current MacPro was bought that way for the grand sum of £350), but then I know what I'm looking for and my first action when buying any used Mac is to wipe the hard drive completely and re-install the OS from scratch. If you do go the second hand route, don't be tempted by offers of installed software unless the seller is also prepared to supply the original discs (if it was't a download) and serial numbers. Also remember that any software bought from Apple's App Store is tied to the Apple ID of the person who bought it and therefore cannot be transferred to a new user.

And what exactly do you think is wrong with that bass?

Be very wary about buying a second-hand Logic licence. Unless it comes with a box and all the install discs its cloned and probably won't work. Also the latest version Logic X is only available as a direct download from the App Store and is linked to your Apple ID so can't be transferred. The file format has changed from Logic 9 so while Logic X will open up older versions projects (7, 8, and 9) older versions won't be able to open Logic X songs.

Unless he definitely needs to be portable, I wouldn't necessarily consider a MacBook. When you go portable you sacrifice the ability to upgrade the memory and you also pay a premium for lightweight portability. Put it another way an iMac which costs the same as a MacBook will be more powerful and have a bigger screen - and as a Logic user I know you can never have too much screen real-estate. What ever you get buy the fastest one you can afford and if possible get the maximum amount of RAM the machine will take. Also check that your audio interface has drivers available that work with the latest version of Mac OS.

Why? He looks a lot sharper dressed like that, than the naff t-shirt and shorts posted earlier.

But that wasn't really a musical collaboration. Belinda Carlisle simply needed a band to mime behind her on TotP.

In that case John Bonham on just about everything recorded in the 90s with sampled drums. Even I had my own set of John Bonham drums made up from a couple of hours with the first 4 Led Zeppelin CDs and an Akai S2000.

That old chestnut again. From the many interviews I've read on the subject if NWR's playing actually made it onto any the Frankie Goes To Hollywood records it was as a series of individual notes which had been sequenced using the Fairlight's Page R. IMO that doesn't even count as a performance let alone a collaboration.

It's got to be said Martin makes some very fine bass guitars. The multi-coloured LED system is very useful. My fretless has orange LEDs for the standard fret positions and double yellow ones at the octaves.

In all the early publicity shots, he's shown playing guitars that looked very much like the production models of the time. However once you get into the period where he was using the more customised guitars with the low-impedance pickups and various gizmos that allowed him to control the overdubbing mechanism that used live, the guitars do look as though they have flat tops rather than the carved top. Also the Les Paul Recording model which is the closest to the guitars that he was using in the 70s and onwards all have flat tops (or at least significantly less carved than the standard Les Paul models). Having said that when I saw him live in 2008, he was playing what looked like a stock Gibson carved top model.

The Epiphone version (Thunderbird PRO-V) barely counts. It's a Thunderbird in name and approximate body shape only. Everything else about is completely different to the original Gibson version. Also these days it's existence is barely acknowledged. There's no photo of it on the Epiphone web site and it's just mentioned in passing when looking at the spec for the Thunderbird PRO-IV. There was a Gibson Thunderbird 5-string - the Studio 5, but again that had little in common with the original Thunderbird. Of course if these are good enough for you, then you might as well buy any of the Thunderbird-shaped instruments that are available from other manufacturers.

Two important things to remember. 1. Probably the most important factor in getting Mani's bass tone is being Mani. 2. The reason why his tone is so good is not the tone in itself (if you heard it on its own in one of those isolated bass tracks you'd most likely wonder what all the fuss was about), but the way it fits into the overall soundscape of the other instruments. So unless you are playing in a Stone Roses tribute band where the other band members had completely nailed the sounds of the people they are copying, you'll find that you are going to have to alter the sound to fit with what the other members of your band are doing to make the bass sound right.

Be prepared to be amazed then. Remember that when they were first produced the Flying V and the Explorer were desperately unpopular. It took almost 20 years before you started seeing lots of musicians in well-know bands playing them. They are already selling half the price they were when originally released. At some point they will become affordable while still being unpopular and then someone will come along at make it his or her "own" guitar of choice.

I have to say I have a bit of a soft spot for the Firebird X. Also I guarantee you that some time in the next 20 years there will be a big-name guitarist who uses one of these as their instrument of choice, causing the price of the few remaining examples to go through the roof, and whoever owns the Gibson brand at that point to hurriedly bring out a re-issue that incorporates none of the important features, and only just about gets the shape right.

As much as I like the idea of new instruments that sport all the correct features of the model they are based on, as an owner of a Firebird with banjo machine heads, this is one original feature I could live without. The minimalist look to the front of the headstock is great, but the machine heads themselves are horrible to use and the case for the Firebird is twice as big as a standard guitar case simply to accommodate the extra depth of the machine heads. As for that Les Paul SL, it really does shown that aesthetics are completely subjective. Personally I think it looks horrible. It has all the grace of the worst kind of 70s Woolies special guitar - although considering that in real terms it probably costs less, I shouldn't really be surprised.

And I'm completely the opposite. When I was getting into music in the 70s the for the vast majority of my favourite bands if the bass player wasn't sporting a Rickenbacker then it was a Gibson - usually a Thunderbird or EB3.

Before anyone else mentions it: Scott Walker and Sunn 0)))

I never bother with a drink on stage anymore. At best it will be ignored, forgotten and warm by the end of the set. At worst someone will knock it over.

Unfortunately nowadays "Made In America" for mass produced instruments mostly means overpriced, for the build quality.

Can you keep the bit that stops the pop-ups from the user names? I find them really annoying and the fact that they aren't working at the moment is a relief!

You could aim pretty much all those criticisms at Fender and Rickenbacker as well.