chrisba

That's exactly what I started with about 15 years ago. ( OK, mine was red ,and the Rumble only a 10 )

Not got far from that really. Learned enough in the first few weeks to bluff my way through a gig or two, probably done about 50 more since, sometimes where the band has outnumbered the audience and sometimes to several hundred.

Replaced the Squier with a Fender MIJ P-bass and bought an Ashdown combo for gigs. Still use the Rumble for practice ( which I don't do much now )

Good luck with everything...

....and , they've gone again...

They are back.   Very tempted...  https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_mv_4msb_seafoam_green.htm

We use BandHelper . Been using it for years , and it does everything we need. Does lyrics, set lists and autoscroll.  Available on Apple & Android.

1 hour ago, lozkerr said:

Never knew Solaris ran on PCs though - I thought it was SPARC only?

No, Solaris ran ( runs ) on x86 as well. Common code base for vast majority of it, and a pretty similar release cycle.

Still some supported versions, I believe, although it's all owned by Oracle now, who have other fish to fry.
 

( I was a Sun / Oracle for nearly 20 years. Sun was the best company I ever worked for. Oracle definitely weren't )

3 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Ahem ahem ...

 

 

 

Happy to be corrected here. My requirement for this has gone away, so I haven't kept up to date with what's available now.

2 hours ago, Angel said:

@chrisba You are doing the Roland Bass Cube a dis-service there! It is an excellent sounding mini amp! I tried other mini bass amps back in the day and they were all poor and yes, tinny, but the cube was poles apart. I'm on my second one, used the first at home until it eventually died, just HAD to get another.

 

I bought a powered speaker for home use, a secondhand Headrush FRFR 108. Not cheap but I'm loving it.

 

 

Well, I tried one ( the old, 4 speaker one ) and didn't like it at all. Didn't suit my p-bass, not enough low end. Not tried the newer 2 speaker version.

I'd be very surprised if the Zoom could drive a speaker loud enough to be usable in anything other than a very quiet room. So, you'd need some kind of active ( powered ) speaker, which is basically what an amplifier is. Battery power is definitely possible, but I've not heard anything battery powered that would make a bass sound like a bass. Even the specifically designed battery bass amps like the Roland Bass Cube are really tinny ( as well as tiny )

Just came across this on YouTube. Filmed in 2019.

World Tour cyclist Daniel Oss is a bass player. This is part of a series where former UK road race champion Matt Stephens goes for a ride and to a cafe with leading pro and ex-pro cyclists. Includes a trip to Wunjos and Macaris on Denmark Street. The whole series is very entertaining but I don't think there's any music content in any of the others.
 

I too have bought nothing.  Although I rehease most weeks and have done half a dozen gigs, and we made a new album this year, I have not spent a penny on gear ? Not even a string, cable or pick.

In fact I sold an unused set of strings for £20 on eBay, so I'm in profit.

Rechargable batteries, and especially Lithium ion ones, have a slightly different voltage, which may cause problems. Probably why they're deemed unsuitable. I also find they don't hold charge as well when not being used.

I loved Breakfast in America when it first came out and it's one of the very few albums from that era that I have never stopped listening too.  As is often ( no, nearly always ) the case, the first album you buy from any band is your favourite. I like the earlier ones too, but nothing like as much.

Miss You - Rolling Stones. The only cover we do, it's not normally in our set.

Also, whatever it is, not something that's in that days set list. Myself and others have trouble playing songs a second time, 'cos we think "have we played the middle 8 already, shouldn't there be a chorus now ? " or similar.

Just watched the Lightning Seeds set on the recommendation of my twenty-something year old daughter who was there and saw them live. What a great set, super slick and tight. Better live than in the studio IMHO.

Much, much nicer. I didn't like the blue at all, but was too polite to say anything.

On 13/03/2023 at 16:59, chrisba said:

I had 100 copies made of our last album, on CD-R's, about 6 years ago, and I can assure you they are still playable, I've just checked one.

I really wish I could remember the name of the duplication company  I used ( it was something obvious like CD Duplication Ltd, and they were UK based ), as they were super efficient, helpful and cheap. Not a music-oriented company, probably more into software distribution, so probably no longer in business 😞 . However, they understood how to make playable, music CD's

With cardboard sleeve, printed back and front, and the CD printed on too, it came to about  £150.

 

I'm sure the market's changed a lot since then though.

I'm pretty sure it was these people...  https://www.duplicationcentre.co.uk/

I had 100 copies made of our last album, on CD-R's, about 6 years ago, and I can assure you they are still playable, I've just checked one.

I really wish I could remember the name of the duplication company  I used ( it was something obvious like CD Duplication Ltd, and they were UK based ), as they were super efficient, helpful and cheap. Not a music-oriented company, probably more into software distribution, so probably no longer in business 😞 . However, they understood how to make playable, music CD's

With cardboard sleeve, printed back and front, and the CD printed on too, it came to about  £150.

I'm sure the market's changed a lot since then though.

3 hours ago, cetera said:

Also, if you go the roof box route PLEASE ensure you lock it! I had a VERY scary experience once while driving our band van when the roof box of a car in front exploded open at 70+mph littering the motorway with detritus including, but not limited to, a duvet and some sleeping bags which went under our van wheels at said high speed and very nearly killed us....

On my Thule roofbox, you can't take they key out unless it's properly locked. The key won't turn unless the latch is engaged at each end.

I have an Octavia as well, although it's an estate and my kids are all grown up and left home.

I wouldn't have a problem putting my bass ( in a good case, of course ) in a roof box, as long as it was never left unattended, and was securely tied down to stop it moving about. Mine has straps inside for holding skis in place, I'm sure they would work for a bass case.

Mine is a Thule box ( pronounced Too-ler , as I found out when I tried to sell them some IT services )

A good roof box shouldn't leak, even in heavy rain.

BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE EXTRA HEIGHT WHEN GOING INTO CAR PARKS !!!!

On 07/01/2023 at 16:39, Ralf1e said:

I worked for a courier company that used DHL for overseas shipping 30 years ago.

They were always trouble laden and in my view have always been the bottom if the pile as far as courier companies go.

Just so unprofessional.

I find DPD to be always very effective.

We use DHL by default where I work. Probably about 20 items in and similar number out each day. Most of the incoming are from the far east, most of the outgoing are to UK & the rest of Europe.

Rarely have any issues, almost never lost anything either. Their systems are better that their main rivals ( UPS & Fedex ) which makes our life much easier. They seem to have adapted quite well to Brexit too and understand the customs issues shipping to different countries around the world.

We use them for items of all value, from a few pounds up to close to 7 figures ( we have out own insurance cover, don't use theirs )

This might all be because we spend £250k per year with them ( most of the incoming is paid for by us ).

 

What is the point in building a sub-octave bass then playing widdly rubbish up at the 20th fret. Give the guy a baritone instead.

I'm sorry , but I can't see any situation this instrument, nor style of playing, would be useful in, other than a means of showing off on YouTube.

Deeply unmusical and pointless.

I got a book called Booze and Vinyl, which lists about 100 famous albums and recommends a couple of cocktails to drink with each. I also got most ( but annoyingly, not all ) the ingredients to make the Dark Side of the Moon recommendation.

23 hours ago, James Nada said:

Sorry to spoil your evening 

Not mine, I'd already seen it. No problem. Was about to post it too, but checked to see if anybody else had beaten me to it.

There are 5 different words meaning Get Worse.

5 different circuses

5 different TV crime dramas

only 4 different bassists, I think ( happy to be corrected )

But only one way of arranging them into 4's, as shown in the OP

The original poster rather spoilt it by showing the answers.

For those who don't know this, the idea is to separate the 16 items into 4 different groups. Here's how it looked at the beginning.