Dan Dare

When I started out (a long time ago), it was pretty much Fender or Fender if you played bass. A lot of the players I admired used them, so that's what I wanted. I've flirted with others and had a hankering for a Rick when I played prog', but always come back to the big F. J bass in my case, unless I want the full on Jamerson and then it's a P. Not very imaginative of me, I know.

Fortunately for Lennon, he wasn't stuffed and put on display to the public.

Flying with an instrument can be a drag. There's often no need to rent/hire. Last time I went to the US, I bought a used Squier - loads of them around - when I got there and sold it when I left. Got most of my money back - less a set of strings - when I did so.

If you bought them at £26, that must have been a while ago, which works out pretty well in terms of longevity for your money. If you like them, I'd swallow the increased cost (shop around, obviously) and relax knowing they'll serve you for another few years. Trying alternatives can end up being more expensive if you go through several sets to find something you like.

D4 weighs a little under 9 lb. Has a carrying handle on the side. I'd consider that easy to carry, although others might not. Get something like a cajon bag with a strap and you can carry it, together with a few cables and bits and pieces, over your shoulder. I can't think of anything of comparable weight that will sound as decent. Not cheap, though, but I'm sure you are aware of that.

PF500 is rated at 500w into 4 ohms. . A BF BB will handle a lot more than that (and like it). You simply aren't driving it hard enough, imho. Valves, trannies, class D - it doesn't matter. You need more grunt. Definitely the latter. A second BB will not help when the head is so lacking. It may even be worse.

That's why those little local shops that everyone speaks so wistfully about are closing (if they haven't already) and Bezos is en route to world domination. Look, I get it. If you have a young family and money is tight (or if you change strings after every gig), then every penny counts, but how many of us really can't afford an additional fiver or so for a set of bass strings that we don't buy that often?

Now That's What I Call Music vol 395 😊

A pal does gigs in care homes. He gloomily told me recently that he's now playing much of the stuff he grew up listening to (50s and 60s), because that's what the residents grew up listening to, too. Ah well, getting old is still better than the alternative...

Sometimes. A number of music creation software packages will give you notation from a recording, which can be handy on occasions where parts can be hard to discern on listening.

Very true, although it isn't only the pitch of the notes from the keys that can muddy the mix. As you point out, some bass tones cut through a dense mix better than others. The thing I find most important with keys is to persuade the keys player that he/she does not have to employ all the resources at his/her disposal all the time. The fact that the instrument is capable of playing ten notes simultaneously is not good reason to use it in that manner. This can be an issue with Inexperienced keys players in particular, who are accustomed to playing complete pieces - melody, chordal accompaniment, etc - which stand alone without the need for any other instrument. They have to unlearn that method of playing (which is perfectly valid if one is a solo player, of course) and think more in terms of single note lines, partial chords and so on. That can be quite alien for some because it goes against much of what they are accustomed to doing.

No need to find it. Something I've done for many years is to write my own. Not a full score or even anything approaching one, of course. I make basic charts and add notation of awkward, tricky or key phrases so I have an aide memoire/reminder to hand. I find it very helpful.

This might be a novel, even bizarre suggestion, but perhaps people could do both - listen to the recording and use the dots to ensure they get the subtler elements of something - the things that may not be obvious when listening to a recording - right. If I had a pound for every time I've hard people complain about "dismissiveness" and "elitism" when someone suggests reading music/parts may be helpful...

There's a balance to be struck when playing covers. The harmonic structure, melody and key phrases/licks must be there. Outside of that, there is room to be "creative", but beware of going OTT. It's a judgment call. The important thing is to know the original, so you aren't changing things because you cannot play it as written.

I used to use Storm Rehearsal Studios on the Holloway Road (Google will find them). About 5 miles north of Charing Cross, so not completely central. Reasonably priced, not bad gear and parking on site, which saves a lot of grief.