Marc S

You can keep your hat on - Tom Jones

Girl Afraid - The Smiths

Waltzinblack - The Stranglers

Re Cranes of Cardiff - I miss them too. Cardiff seemed to have a lot of guitar or music related shops in the past. But there is a hidden gem, right near the centre..... Former deputy manager of Cranes, and manager of Cardiff PMT, Mike runs a great 2nd hand guitar & motorbike shop "Motomusic" check them out. (A seemingly strange mix, I know- but I've met people from the world of motorbikes who also think he's a true gent). Mike is an absolute gent, and pleasure to deal with, and they often get really nice rarities popping up. Another positive story, is the rise of A-strings music, just north of Cardiff. They are currently expanding their shop, and moving to a much larger premises in Treforest industrial estate. Fingers crossed, and all the best to them. MotoMusic https://share.google/QjwzYcwGkcElBL6ii

I recall Sound Centre. I almost bought a Westbury guitar from them around 1980 / 81... and with that, I would have become lead guitarist in a band.... lucky escape? Maybe 😉 They had an Aria? Semi acoustic - which I tried out ar the time, which sported the rather "different" finish of the Welsh flag. This was a bit of a one-off at the time, and I believe the very same guitar was purchased by James Dean Bradfield. Wonder what happened to him? If I'd bought it of course the only relevant word would have been "obscurity" 😀

Yes, another Cardiff guitar / instrument shop gone. I recall them being in Llanishen and Roath. Didn't go there too often when they moved to Whichurch, but bought a bass there, and took an amp for repair. Also introduced a pal to the shop, and he bought an expensive Spanish guitar there. A few leads, strings and a tuner also bought from there. I'd much prefer to buy such things from an actual shop, rather than online.... but that option is disappearing. Also, re Grimwades and similar establishments, the chance to try & buy 2nd hand is vanishing, along with the option of trading in. Support your local guitar shop / 2nd hand emporium folks.

I'm already missing PMT - I liked their shop in Cardiff. There were a couple of members of staff there, who I always enjoyed chatting to. Just a few doors away, was the long established Gamlins - which in recent years I didn't visit too often (they were much better back in the 80's) I used to visit GAK in Brighton, whenever visiting my sister in the area. I'll really miss that on my future Brighton trips. One shop that I have fond memories of, was a second-hand shop, selling all sorts of things from furniture, electrical goods and guitars, pedals & amps. The shop was called "Grimwades" of the Canton district of Cardiff. I bought some hi-fi components and records from there, and a bass guitar - a Shaftesbury Rick. I always looked forward to a trip there, because you never knew what you might find. My Dad liked old radios & record players (gramophones) and he used to buy from them when he was a young man. Photo borrowed from a Facebook group of old Cardiff shops & buildings.

People who only have one bass, and ask anyone else "why do you need more than one bass?"

Never Tear Us Apart - INXS

Alone again or - Love

Over our heads - Zero 7

Hello from just across the water, in South Wales. Actually my Gran was from Cornwall. Her surname was Carbis - so no two guesses as to which bit of Cornwall she hailed from. Welcome to BassChat. Re your amp requirements - there's plenty of sound advice available on here. Of course, we'd all recommend many different brands / combinations of kit etc. But the great thing about BC is that the marketplace is always plentiful with "nice, tempting things" 😀 Keep your eyes open for gear not too far away, and ask to try it out. BC members are usually more than happy to oblige. Good luck in your search. EDIT: My own advice would be to opt for something with more oomph than you might first think you need - ie. A bit of headroom, as you may need it for a particular venue. Also, go as lightweight as you can. High quality lightweight gear can cost more - but can be a godsend if you end up doing several late nights in a row.

Hello @brule_lentement / Kev. Welcome to BassChat and the world of playing bass. Hello from a fair way off, in South Wales. Don't worry about starting late. Although I took up the bass a long time ago- I had almost 2 and a half decades of not playing. So I was effectively a beginner twice. The thing is, I have enjoyed my 2nd stint on bass even more. Just go for it, and enjoy the bass. Oh, and my first real influence on bass was JJ Burnel - just loved that sound on Rattus - awesome stuff 😀

Horses - Patti Smith

Spaceman - Babylon Zoo

Earth song - Michael Jackson

Policy of truth - Depeche Mode

I'm yours - Jason Mraz

Cool for cats - Squeeze

Sound of the suburbs - The Members

I really should try to do this more @casapete - but I think the old punk bassist in me just likes digging in too much! Lol 😀

Thanks for that @SuperSeagull Mine still has the same functions to the controls - but I think I'd prefer the arrangement you have, with 2x vol and 2x tone. I definitely prefer a passive bass. Only once did a battery fail on me at a gig... but it's a lasting memory. It was quick enough to fix at the time (I usually carry a spare battery) but a pre-amp fail - ooh, that's a scary thought for a live gig, even though I'm sure it doesn't happen often.