ossyrocks

In other news, I woke in the night with the shivers, a banging head and a really sore throat. Temp of 38 this morning and I feel like death. I have succumbed to the f**kin flu that's going around. But there's no backing out of the gig, it's tonight, and I have no understudy. Lemsip, mask and distancing will be the order of the day today! Bah humbug. Rob

I have spent the evening with around 75 musicians and singers for the final rehearsal of a Christmas Concert at Morecambe Winter Gardens. Sufjan Stevens Songs For Christmas - https://www.facebook.com/sufjansongsforchristmas/ I'd say the band tonight was 35 people and the choir is 40, but there may be more tomorrow. Playing bass in this setting is quite a challenge, and there are times when I'm very exposed and need to get it right. This was our 5th rehearsal and the performance is tomorrow night. This is not what I usually do, but I've been inclined to say yes to everything recently just to see what happens! Tickets sales are healthy, and I think we'll get a good crowd. The venue is an absolute gem, a proper old theatre. It's nice to do a bit for community at Christmas I think. Rob

Very sad news. I was fortunate enough to meet him, and spend a memorable few days on the road with him, sharing dressing rooms. The first gig was in Paris, and from the outset he was the most friendly and generous guy you could meet, always chatting and telling us tales of his life and the music industry. We did drink quite a bit of wine together over the course of the next week and a half, and I got in trouble with the promoter once for going out wine shopping for him the night we played Islington Assembly Hall. I fixed his amp in Milton Keynes before the gig, it was just a bad valve, but he said "Rob, you're the man!", and my heart swelled with pride. RIP Cropp.

Getting nominated for awards is apparently something one can influence. I do know someone who got nominated for a blues award a few years back, much to the consternation of almost everyone I know. The list of nominees was a "who's who" of the blues scene....except one. Apparently one of the nominees asked him directly "who the f**k are you?". So, you just need a good PR machine.

I like him, and his northern honesty. I'm also northern, albeit of the Red Rose variety, and I stand in solidarity with my behs brother 🤣 We call a spade a spade up 'ere. I did get told at the last North West Bass Bash that I spoke a bit like Danny Sapko, especially when I say the word "behs". Here's his latest, it made me chuckle a few times -

I had a Rumble 100 combo which I used in a modern jazz band, it was great for that. I actually sold it to the bass player who stepped in after I left the band. In October my blues band did a gig where two bands had to change over pronto at around 9pm, so we opted to share gear. I didn't know it would be a Rumble 100 combo in advance, and I was slightly concerned it wouldn't be loud enough, but it did the job with headroom to spare. Rob

I’m currently ok for all those dates except Sunday 17th May. Sunday 5th April is Easter Sunday, so that might not be ideal for some people.

When I ordered my 3x10 in May 2024, lead time was stated at 6 to 8 weeks, and it took 8 weeks. I'm waiting on another 1x10 at the moment, and lead time has been stated at 6 to 12 weeks. I don't know if it's the move to new premises, or just increased demand which is affecting lead times. I'm sure Scott Devine and Ian Martin Allison have had a lot to do with the increased exposure and interest for Barefaced too. Rob

I bought a vintage 70's P bass a few months ago and in the case was a 70's Melos Mini Fazer (Univox). It even had a decades old battery in it. I swapped the battery and it works fine!

What are your thoughts on the amp now after some time spent with it? It would be useful to know what you were using before and how you think this amp compares for what it is you do. Ta, Rob

Ahh, I hadn't considered that combo. I'll let you know. Rob

All done! Gave the corners a final paint early this morning so I could fit them this afternoon, drilled out the speaker mounting holes, re-dyed the baffle, fitted more wadding inside so that more or less all internal surfaces are covered, cleaned the jack sockets and replaced the wiring, mounted the speaker, and put the grill back on. Finished. I've given it a blast as loud as I dare at home, and the house was rattling. It does sound better than it did, in fact it sounds bloody marvelous with the Bassman. Perhaps it's just me making sure everything was tight and secure, extra internal wadding and the speaker mounted properly, but it's tighter sounding, no rattles and no flub. My intention was to create a recording setup, but I think I could gig this rig! Very happy with this! Cheers, Rob

Band photoshoot pic. Rob

So, I've finally got space to do a bit of work on this cab to make it worthy of using. I pulled the speaker, cleaned all the black tarry gunk off the edges, cleaned it up, and I've fitted 3mm high density foam speaker gasket. I've glued and dowelled the speaker mounting holes ready to sand down and re-drill. Some of the speaker mounting holes were a bit stripped and the screws couldn't be tightened. All the corners have been removed, sanded and repainted. I'll give them another coat tomorrow before refitting. The whole cab has had a really good clean, and it's come up very nice. The biggest job today was fitting the castors. I went for fairly big ones, 75mm grey rubber, with the front two having brakes. These are mounted with M6 bolts through the cab into internal T Nuts. There's no way these are going to pull off, and it will make it so much easier to move around. Next jobs - re-drill speaker mounting screw holes, more acoustic wadding inside, re-do the speaker wiring. Pics!

I am surprised to read that to be fair. Out of interest, what's the rest of your setup, and what context were you using the amp in? A loud clean tone is something I would expect ALL 800w Class D amps to be capable of. I have a GK Legacy 800 here that can do just that, and that amp is designed after an amp that is famous for getting a bit hairy. Rob

So, to everyone in this thread who managed to snag one before UK stock vanished, how are you finding it? I can see from his posts on Facebook groups that @shug is very impressed with his. Rob

@Bill Fitzmaurice, my Bassman 1x15 cab has this wadding, but only on the back. Are there any benefits in covering all the internal surfaces?

Nickel. I'm 60, it's not my only bass, and I play flats. They'll see me out. I've had stainless fitted on 6 string guitars, and I can really see why that makes sense. Bending strings is a whole new ballgame on stainless, effortlessly smooth. However, with stainless, the feel does change quite a lot, and it's going to take enough getting used to going from very low frets to new ones, plus I do like the feel of nickel on basses. Rob

Further to this. I have had a Luthier recommended to me by Ged Green in Cheadle. Ged was the man in these parts for top notch work, and I've used him for decades, but he has now hung up his tools to retire. He has recommended Jim Fleeting - https://www.jimfleetingguitars.com/ In my conversations with Ged, he recommended I use Jescar 47104 fretwire, and in a subsequent conversation with Jim, he said the same, so that's what I'm having fitted. It will also get a new bone nut. I drove it down to his workshop this morning and dropped it off. I'll post pics of the completed work and my first impressions in a few weeks when I get it back. Rob

Ok chaps, I'm going to get my '73 sunburst/rosewood/tort Jazz bass refretted. What is the modern equivalent wire these days which compares to what was fitted originally? Also, would you go slightly bigger, and what would you use if you did? Thanks muchly, Rob

Has anyone used Paul Everson in Carnforth for a refret? My vintage jazz needs it now. I've asked Ged Green who he recommends (Ged used to do all my work but has now retired), and he recommended Jim Fleeting, who's work does look great, but in the process of searching, I've come across Paul Everson, who is local to me, so if his work is top notch, I'll use him. Cheers, Rob

That's a JBL E140, rated at 400w, will he really blow it with a Dual Showman? I like the sound of the old D140F in my Bassman cab, but I will never run it very loud, and it is VERY heavy. If the intention is to gig this behemoth, then Bill's advice to put another Deltalite in and port the cab accordingly is the best in my opinion. At least it will make the cab "slightly" more portable. I would also get some new grill cloth, it's fairly cheap, and it's easy to install and it would smarten things up considerably. I like your cab. Rob