Happy Jack

Another week, another topic about The Beatles which leads instantly into a debate about whether they were actually all that good, were they really that influential, did they really matter that much, and what's all the fuss about anyway? The people who start these topics or jump into them with both feet rarely ask the same questions about Elvis Presley or Buddy Holly or Cliff & The Shadows or The Rolling Stones or The Who or Jimi Hendrix or The Doors or Pink Floyd or ... ad infinitum. Gosh, I wonder why not?

And that will make my trousers flap, will it?

I've had an old SM58 'lose sensitivity' over time, which might itself be age-related, but the identical SM58 next to it in the box is still working perfectly five years later.

Y'know, that could be just about my worst nightmare.

I suspect that there's more than a little by way of crossed wires here. Some are talking about how to achieve the best sound for the band, some are talking about achieving the lowest weight and/or cost, and some are talking about other things entirely. If I was in a professional functions band where we all earned (most of) our living from playing in that band, then the PA-based route would clearly give the best results for band sound, the cost could be offset for tax purposes against the band's gross income, and I would expect the entire band to buy into that solution. But I'm not. I'm either an enthusiastic amateur or (at best) a semi-pro, earning what amounts to pin money for indulging in my hobby. I play in multiple bands, sometimes for years and sometimes for weeks. Whether or not I might like my entire band (whichever one we're talking about just now) to go through the PA, I have absolutely no choice but to own a bass rig. If that makes me a "Dino" then I'm cool with that. In truth, though, I think that makes me quite sensible. Turn it on its head. How would you describe a drummer without his own kit, or a guitarist with no combo? I suspect that the word "idiot" would be one of the milder terms. A bass player who can only function in an environment where five grand's worth of PA is supplied is of limited use. Now me, the "Dino", I can function in an environment where five grand's worth of PA is supplied, AND I can function in any other bloody environment too. What's not to like? And this isn't just about me, the bass player. What about the rest of the band? If I become a PA-based player, am I really going to have to find a PA-based guitarist, a PA-based keyboard player, and a PA-based drummer to play with? That rather limits the opportunities, don't you think? Just because something is a really great idea in theory (and a PA-based band is a really great idea, I like it) doesn't mean it will always work in practice, still less that it will be a better solution than the one you already have.

On the Smoothound front, I've found that it wedges nicely under the handle of a Barefaced cab ...

Too little information.

Leaves plenty of room for your undies.

Just the one 810 then? Opportunity missed ...

I've used a GrammaPad for years now, whenever I play a wooden stage or (in some pubs) on bare floorboards. No staining or crumbling issues at all, but the glue used to hold the larger foam pads has failed on one side. No complaints.

I get that Pete, but only if you put the entire band through the PA. In my limited experience, that's a Functions Band thing, not a Pub Band thing. I've never yet been in a pub band where for example the lead guitarist was content to abandon his boutique valve amp or his Fender Bluesman in favour of a pedal and an amp sim. As for volume, well obviously he must have the volume in order to get his tone. If you don't have the entire band going through the PA, then there's little point in having any one of you going through the PA. You may attain a balanced sound at the soundcheck, but as soon as the 'independent one' turns up his amp, you're screwed.

Nope, it's because it will go through the window far more smoothly when you hurl it.

Dunno about grooves, but the OTT wah-wah guitar on Yes Prime Minister always seemed about as deliberately inappropriate as you could get.

Fascinated by all this, but not convinced it would make much difference at The Dog And Duck.

I've had plenty of shortscale basses, and a number of bass ukes, but this falls halfway between the two. Interesting. Have you played bass ukes at all? Can you offer a comparison? Have you played through it at gig volume yet - I'm curious about feedback and how susceptible this bass is?

??? Which bit don't you recognise Mick?

This brings a whole new dimension to scratch'n'sniff ...

Turns your standard leccy bass into an unplayable waste of money.

Excellent! You have now actually read and understood what I wrote, rather than creating a straw-man argument by mis-quoting me. We are able to return to civilised discourse. It's all good.

OK, maybe you need to understand that cause (we want to earn bigger profits) does not necessarily correlate to effect (making US workers redundant so that we can employ Vietnamese has resulted in Vietnamese workers getting wealthier), or maybe I need to re-visit my opinion of your intelligence. Your call.

Ditto.

Nope. And I don't believe that you're stupid enough to think that's what I wrote.

Interesting video, and he seems like a lovely guy, but his economic and political naivety is quite extraordinary. His constant references to "cheap production" and "exploitation" ignore the reality, which is that for example Fender making "cheap" guitars (branded as Squier) in Japan created jobs and helped to raise the standard of living in Japan to the extent that they moved production to Korea, then to China, then to Indonesia, then to Vietnam, in each case creating a new population of skilled workers earning more than they earned before, and now capable of pushing ahead without further investment from abroad. That's how economies work. The people who live in those countries, just like the people who live here in the UK, don't constantly look abroad and wish that they had the same standard of living as someone richer. Most people look at what they have now, compare it with what they had before or what their parents had before, and judge on that basis whether or not they're doing well. And when those Third World countries benefit from this sort of inward investment and develop their economies, guess what - they stop being Third World countries and become Developing countries. "Exploitation" definitely exists in many unskilled industries, most famously textiles, and I don't condone that for a second, but this luthier's definition of "exploitation" and his clarion call to cease "exploiting" these countries would see those very country's economies damaged and their workers thrown into unemployment. Is that really such an achievement? Basschat's tentacles extend a long way around the world. I'd love to hear from some Basschatters in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam as to whether they'd like to see the big instrument factories closed down. For their benefit. I'd even more like to hear from Basschatters in Kenya, Mozambique and Sierra Leone who are likely to be the next recipients of this sort of inward investment. Because, of course, their labour is now cheaper than the workers of Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. There's a reason for that ...

Well when Mr. Luthier and Mrs. Luthier love each other very much and decide to have a baby ...