tegs07

I’m no wiring expert but the UK has ring mains with multiple outlets and a higher rated CB so the fuse in the plug is important.

The only musicians I know who make a reasonable living are solo/occasionally duo. There is not enough money to be made through digital sales and touring is significantly cheaper when the profits are not split 3+ ways. That’s if there are any profits after the costs of multiple rooms and meals are paid for in various expensive western cities.

This is basically the end of discussion for any tonewood talk IMO. I have had a triggers broom bass for years that has had a cheap and nasty maple neck, which when I got some more cash was replaced with a nicer (Mighty Might I think) Rosewood neck and now has a Graphite neck. Each neck change to my ears made the bass sound a little different when played unplugged. As soon as it was plugged in and the amp cranked up then I really don’t think anyone would notice the difference. Add a guitar and forget it.

Generally if something is worth less than £50 I leave it outside with a free, take me note. If it’s more I try to find a friends/family giveaway or my wife’s local FB group. Sadly Market place, eBay, Gumtree are now rife with scammers, time wasters and some seriously rude people. I would rather gift someone a used bike than have my faith in humanity taken apart bit by bit. This is a real shame as in the early days of Gumtree and eBay I bought stuff a lot and usually it was a pleasure meeting people from all walks of life from the very scary looking dude in a very rough part of Dagenham who turned out to be a lovely guy to a real toff in Kensington who was hilarious. Oh well.

if it’s used to make an instrument it’s a tonewood and yes some luthiers use bamboo.

i always aim for a smooth, rich, velvety texture with a even crumb structure. doh that’s cake as you were

I was going to take a look at Alembic’s website to see what they are claiming, however it looks like it was designed by a 15 year as a school project in the early 90s.

he says that there is a difference between rosewood, ebony and maple necks. not specifically when they are attached to expensive instruments made by him. just between the 3 different woods. they could be attached to a harley benton. Edit: Personally I’ve never chosen an instrument for its “warmth” or “brightness” based upon the wood used for the neck. I’m far more interested in how comfortable it is to play.

yet Sadowsky is talking about the neck as the biggest impact on tone, specifically rosewood, maple and ebony. if he was talking about unicorn foreskin i would be right with you on rip off. as it is all 3 options are available on far cheaper instruments.

certain luthiers maintain that there is a difference between maple, ebony and rosewood necks. Believe what you want. There is not a great deal of difference in the price between the 3 options. The major cost is in the woods used in the body and this is largely aesthetics rather than adding anything to the “tone”. Of course there is marketing flim flam. They are selling a product.

Worth repeating. Tonewood = generic term used by luthiers to make instruments. It covers a vast variety of woods both cheap and expensive.

I’m not sure if there is an over romanticised view of the high street going on here. The tat i buy on Amazon I used to buy in Halfords, WH Smith’s, Wico’s, Curry’s, HMV etc All chain stores featuring bored and indifferent teenagers (often students) on minimum wage. These chains all crucified the independents to start with. They largely sell tat made in the far east with fairly lax labour laws anyway. Even the quality independents I try and support ( Taunton Leisure, Richer Sounds, A boot store in Bristol, Nailsea electrics) and some others rarely have anything made in the west anymore. Rab, Dickies, Blunstone, Bose, Cambridge Audio etc etc Times change. Inflation and climate change may reverse this trend but I don’t hold out much hope.

This is the fundamental problem. The UK tax system needs to treat multinationals companies as a single entity and tax accordingly. This way they would not be able to create complex group structures that are a smoke screen for paying tax. The same thing applies to zero hours contracts. Simply ban the practice on UK soil. The gripes against Amazon are valid but Facebook, Starbucks, Apple and a vast number of other multinational companies do exactly the same thing and only get away with it because the tax system and labour laws let them get away with it.

The Bose shop was great. Once every several years I get a new speaker. Richer sounds are also very good. Most of my shopping is food and we are blessed in Bristol for this with lots of good independents on Gloucester Road and Henleaze. DIY stuff from Kellaway. People have mentioned strings direct here and I have found them to be very efficient. I don’t really buy much new stuff TBH preferring to buy as much as possible used, but when I do I have to admit to using Amazon. They are efficient if not ethical.

I periodically try out different retailers rather than Amazon and am frequently disappointed. The last thing I bought was a Bose speaker. Previously I would have gone to the store in town but Bose shut all their stores. They have a Bose store on Amazon which could deliver the next day using Amazons site and distribution network. Preferring to use Bose direct I ordered from their website. Two weeks and several frustrating “chat bot” and emails later my speaker finally arrived. At least I had the warm glow of conscience to console me. Amazon are cnuts but they are efficient cnuts.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned Daniel Kimbro? Great DB player probably best known for playing in the Gerry Douglas band or the Transatlantic sessions. Here with Martin Harley:

Has anyone tried one of these Schecters? https://www.andertons.co.uk/schecter-simon-gallup-ultra-bass-in-red-black-psch-gtr-2241-1/

I never understood this debate. Tonewood is just a generic term for a wide range of woods used by Luthiers to make instruments. They are selected for a broad range of reasons from weight, strength, appearance and yes how they may sound (arguably much more important in the days before electricity). Its not a marketing concept. Swamp Ash is more expensive than Ash as it’s now a little harder to source. Scarcity and shipping costs will have more impact on the price than other factors. Boutique instruments cost more because they are not made in large quantities and have more labour involved in the build. This is more expensive than the materials. The rest of the debate is open to interpretation. I can hear a slight difference in sound when I swap between a maple and rosewood neck on the same bass when it’s unplugged. Plugged in not so much but then I don’t have a great ear for these nuances. I doubt many people listening do either (if it’s me playing they will most likely have left the room anyway).

Personally I always do the first coat with a 50/50 mix.

Sadowsky was commenting on the necks. Rosewood, Maple and Ebony I think. Hardly obscure specialty woods.

A luthier with an obsession with the materials he selects and a passion for minutiae is no bad thing. I would not want to buy an instrument from someone who could not care less. I think most players will be less interested in small differences, their audience even less so and their wives positively comatose.

When I think of iconic bass guitar’s I think P, Jazz, Stingray, Rickenbacker, Thunderbird. When I think short scale I think Mustang and EB1 and 3. Sure there are many others but these come to mind. When it comes to buying an iconic bass that you have heard played live or recorded and has a sound you love I would argue that Fender are not even particularly expensive in comparison with their closest competitors.

Well we have a depleted military, no money and no manufacturing base so it would be over pretty quickly.

It seems to me that the festival experience these days is far more joyous and celebratory than it ever was. The audience really get into the spirit and are much more respectful and supportive of each other. My teenage kids were really looked after by the crowd (Reading being an exception as there were just too many school leavers who couldn’t handle their booze). It’s true that festivals are far more commercialised than before and far more expensive but I think people genuinely have a liminal experience and there is a more joyful atmosphere than back in the day. Personally speaking the risk, the sexual harassment, the bullying can all stay back in the ‘70s.

On a slight derail - did anyone else think that the BBC iPlayer coverage was a bit shit?