Dan Dare

This is not a once and for all purchase, so I wouldn't agonise over it too much. Most small practice/starter combos from decent manufacturers (Fender, Hartke, Blackstar, etc, etc) will be much of a muchness. I would suggest you stick to readily available, popular models. When you do want to upgrade, which is inevitable with a practice/starter amp, they are easy to move on. I'd look for something with at least a 10" speaker.

I like my vinyl. I don't care whether or not it's the last word in fidelity and I appreciate that it's not the most convenient way to store and listen to music, but I don't care. YMMV.

If it doesn't happen with the more powerful amp, that would suggest clipping to me. If you are boosting the lows especially, the amp could simply be running out of steam. The Traynor, being all valve and with a meaty power supply, can simply deliver more sustained current than the other two.

Just bought a PRS guitar from Rod. Packed it extremely well, posted it promptly and good comms. Very pleased.

I second that. I saw a band playing in a local pub. The bassist had the MB 2x10 combo. The guitar players were using Boogies, so were not exactly quiet. You could feel the bass in your chest and he wasn't going through the PA. I was impressed.

A trip to Bass Direct sounds like an excellent, if potentially expensive plan. Have fun.

M Pulse 360 or 600? If the larger one, I would expect it to have plenty of wallop. I wouldn't expect the TC to, though. It's claimed to give 550w into 4 ohms (and TC are known for being optimistic with their quoted power ratings), which is not great. You need plenty of headroom for weight of sound. You mention that you might need more cabs. As others suggest, 4x10 or equivalent would be the minimum (and you say you liked two 2x10s, so that's a good starting point). What are you using? Really, the only way is to visit a well stocked shop and try stuff. As Paul says above, we can only recommend our favourites. I'm a PJB user, but I don't know if they would suit you. They can be very punchy, but you need a lot of them and plenty of amplifier power because they are so inefficient. That can work out a bit expensive.

Cabs are the final link in the chain and can only produce what goes into them. The instrument - together with string gauge/type and playing style - and amplification largely determine how much punch you get. I've heard bass players that had plenty of punch using pretty well all the cab brands you mention. What instrument and amp' are you using?

They are quite samey, too. I reckon that's because of the electronics they use (and a lot of makers use stuff from the same few manufacturers - Bartolini, etc). True. Most pros play stuff they've had for ages. Wealthy weekend warriors buy most expensive instruments, as well as most golf clubs, sports kit, cameras, etc.

Would you ask "Am I good enough" to live in a nice house? To drive a decent car? To have nice holidays? And so on. If you can afford it, have it. Do whatever you want with your money. If others want to twist their knickers about it because they are envious, let them. Smile as they wail and gnash their teeth.

Exactly. I don't know why some of these venues bother to have live bands at all. They appear to want everything controlled and compressed to death, removing all the dynamics and life from the music. They may as well limit the music that is permitted to recorded/processed pap (which is what such systems are designed to reproduce). I'm not arguing that bands should have complete free reign to deafen everyone, but there seems little point in having real people playing real instruments in places like that.

The bane of our lives all too often. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to explain to a KB player that the fact that he has the ability to play ten notes simultaneously doesn't mean he has to do so all the time. Getting them to understand that there is a difference between playing solo, when they have to provide the lot - melody, chords and bass line - and playing in a band context, where space has to be left for everything else that is happening, is a never ending quest.

Rachael Price is a fabulous singer. Someone once described her along the lines of "Amy Winehouse minus the self-destructive issues", which I thought was pretty spot on.

Too many to mention. Many, many pro players are far more able than you would realise from listening to what they do with the bands they make their names with. A few are mentioned above. There are countless others. A question. You are offered the bass chair in a successful outfit, playing relatively simple music that is massively popular. You can pretty well play the stuff in your sleep. Do you: 1. Say "Yes, please" and play the music to the best of your ability, enjoy the experience, fame and travel, etc, live in a nice house, drive a nice car (or cars), use the freedom from having to work 24/7 just to survive to play the music that really floats your boat in your spare time (not needing to worry whether anyone likes it or if it will sell), spend plenty of time with your family and give them the life you want them to have and retire to live in comfort after a relatively short working life? 2. Say "No thanks. It's not enough of a challenge" and continue to plug away for 50+ hours a week at the day job (which you can't stand, but, hey, we've all got to survive) whilst juggling your time to fit your musical endeavours around it, turn up at work feeling like cr@p because you got home at 4 am from last night's gig, squeeze practice and rehearsal into what little spare time you have, use up all your annual leave to do the odd bit of "touring" where you play to small numbers of people who think it's a shame you aren't better known and appreciated, worry about the bills and argue with your partner because the kids (who you don't see nearly as much as you should or would like to) need stuff you can't afford because you've just bought that expensive gear you have to have and work until you drop? I know which option I'd have gone for had I been offered the choice.

Ah. Missed that.

Spot on. Terror does funny things to the vocal abilities.

Many years ago, I was in a band that played a lot of the Irish ballrooms and dance halls (now sadly all gone). Anyone remember the Hibernian in Fulham, the Galtymore in Cricklewood, the Gresham in Holloway, the Ardri in Manchester, etc? Great places. I miss them. Our singer was a something of a lad, who used to put it about a bit. We were playing one night at the Ardri (managed at the time by the father of the Gallagher brothers. Yes, those Gallagher brothers. This was long before they became famous). He had invited a woman, with who he used to play away when he was in the area, to the gig. For some reason, his missus decided on the spur of the moment to come up with a couple of her pals to see us play. She rang him to tell him the good news and he was forced to call his squeeze and tell her not to come. She was not best pleased and left him with the distinct impression that she might turn up anyway. He instructed us to keep an eye out for her and tip him the wink if she showed up. Being evil, we decided to have some fun at his expense. She hadn't shown by the time we went on, so he told us to "keep 'em peeled" and tip him the wink if we spotted her in the crowd whilst we were playing. We took it in turns throughout the gig to turn to him with an "uh oh" expression on our faces, followed by "Oh, sorry. Don't worry. It's just someone who looks a bit like her". His usually excellent memory became unreliable. He mixed up the words and titles of songs and occasionally sang in gibberish. His vocal delivery, normally powerful and confident, took on an attractive vulnerable quality and we played a lot more instrumental breaks than normal. We got through it OK, but he aged several years. We never did tell him it was a wind up.

That's what I'd expect and, in that case, a 2FX should work (I omitted the - from pole 1 above). If you've made up the cable yourself, open it up and check that there aren't any stray strands going where they shouldn't, which could create a short in the plug. You need to push the plug into the socket and turn it clockwise until you feel it it click. To release it, pull back on the silver locking tab and turn anti-clockwise.

I think he's probably an idiot, rather than a crook. All his previous sales (for which he has decent feedback) are for small items costing a few quid. I just hope he hasn't been conned into buying this for a lot of money in the hope he can sell it at a profit. As Clarky points out, there is a mint one going for 50 quid on eBay at the moment.

Speakon connectors should be universally compatible with each other, provided they are all genuine Neutrik Speakon products. I assume, as you have a Mesa, that it uses the real thing and not a cheap knockoff. The 2FX plug is a newer version of the older 2MP. They should substitute for one another. The NL4FC is a plug. I would expect your amp to have a NL4MP, which is the panel mount socket. The number refers to how many poles the plug/socket has (2 versions have 2 and 4s, 4). Normally, poles 1 and 1+ are used for two core cable when using a 4 pole Speakon connector. Does your manual say which poles are connected?

Looks nice, but remember that's only a starting price. I doubt anyone will end up buying it for that.

That's likely because the recording was mastered and mixed using some sophisticated and probably expensive kit. Realistically, you aren't likely to be able to duplicate that with a stage rig and a dirt pedal.

I wonder whether the venue is trying to steer the couple in the direction of using one of its "approved" bands. The venue will then book one of its "approved" bands and take a cut of their fee. The insistence that the band turns up on another day to "soundcheck" is ridiculous. It guarantees nothing. There would be nothing to prevent a band from turning everything right down at the so-called "soundcheck" and then cranking it on the day. I reckon the venue is trying to scam a few pounds extra for itself. I agree with others who suggest turning it over to the couple to negotiate with the venue.

Reminds me of a gig my bluegrass band did at Pontins, Camber Sands many moons ago. It was a wild west/country music festival. The place was full of blokes dressed as Wyatt Earp and a lot of the women were circular. Grown men were having mock gunfights and quick-draw contests n the car park, stalls were selling all manner of tat and you could feel the life being sucked out of you the minute you walked in the place. Most of the bands were dodgy country outfits, playing Blanket on the Ground and similar. We had been booked as a nod to something more traditional. We played a set at a Sunday lunchtime/afternoon concert in a massive dining hall that could have doubled as an aircraft hanger. We were treated with complete indifference, which was fine. We didn't care as we had been paid upfront. The thing that stuck in my mind was the MC and "comedian" (I use the term loosely). His spiel and choice of material was indescribably filthy. As it was Sunday lunchtime/early afternoon, the place was full of families, with kids running around. This bloke's routine would have got him chucked out of a few stag do's for being too near the mark. Nobody batted an eyelid.

I feel your pain. I now carry a 50 metre extension cable and a power conditioner, so I can hopefully find a clean power socket or at least limit the problem.