Jean-Luc Pickguard

The Idiot Bastard Son — Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention

My track's currently coming in at just under nine minutes, so I'll have to edit down a 7" version once I've finished tracking it — or maybe do a fadeout. I've laid down the world's simplest bass line using rick-o-sound on my 4003, and the vocal will utilise my newly aquired Roland VT-4 voice transformer (or E-4 voice tweaker depending on which I prefer)

Giving away your service for free sets the perceived value of that service. I bet they wouldn't ask a plumber to unclog a toilet for free giving the reason that they're short of money.

Don't Arse Me — Ian Dury

Lift — Love & Rockets

Mickey The Mumbling Midget — The Residents

Cut Across Shorty — Eddie Cochran

Bald Head — Professor Longhair

Lovey Duvet — Carla Thomas & Otis Redding

Jeebus!

That's a phrase I didn't expect to read on BassChat

Bacon The Chain Gang — Pretenders

After being greatly impressed by Zpor's vocal effects in Henge, I ascertained from a live video that he was using a Roland VT-4 Voice Transformer and its forerunner, the VT-3 to transform his voice. I found that the latest model in this line appeared to be the E-4 Voice Tweaker so I picked one up secondhand. Unfortunately I found it rather a phaff to use, so I also got a VT-4 which arrived via the bay of E this morning. My initial impression is that the VT-4 is much more accessible with better I/O options & phantom power on a balanced mic input, although the E-4 does have some cool features not included in the VT-4 — it can be used as an audio interface without drivers, it has a built-in rechargable battery, and the looper & scatter feature are interesting and warrant some experimentation. Not sure whether I will keep both, but I'll do some recording with them and see how I get on.

Old Man — Neil Young

Ziggy Stardust — Bauhaus

I was excited when I first heard about this pedal in the dim and distant past, however I've now decided not to bother. On my all-boss gigging pedalboard I have an AW-3 which makes a wide range of funky sounds, and my recently acquired HX effects has a pretty decent sounding model of a mutron III that I have been having fun playing with.

Filthy McNasty — Horace Silver

Moron TV — Primus

The Pillage People The Gay Band The Bee Pees Donna Bummer The P.O.S. Band KC & The Sunshite Band Harold Melvin & The Blue Noses Sister Sludge

Conway Twatty (one for the teenagers!)

Ebay has now brought in a stipulation that sellers will be required to use the shipping method booked through ebay, where loss or damage is covered as part of the service. I wonder how this will work for guitars/basses that turn up broken?

I'm not a fan of backing tracks or bands that use them. It can turn something advertised as a gig into something more akin to karaoke.

Sienna sunburst is the best colour for the player series mustang, and one of the few colours that comes with a maple fingerboard. I'd been wanting one for a long time when I finally managed to acquire one last year. I made a few tasteful changes to mine — including shielding with copper tape, new loom, hipshot HB10 lollipop tuners, thumbrest (in 70s position) and a Hi Mass Bridge. The Pickups sound fantastic to me so I had no reason to upgrade them. I thought about replacing the switch with a blend pot but decided I preferred the simplicity of a switch, however the stock switch was a bit temperamental and I discovered an annoying issue where unless the volume was at 100%, rolling down the tone also affected the volume. To fix these issues I replaced the loom using a more suitable circuit, building the loom using new components — CTS pots, Orange drop cap, puretone socket, and switchcraft switch.

The Oak Of Golden Dreams — Harold Budd