4stringslow

+1 for Neutriks. Maplin sell them as well, which can be handy if they are nearby.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1469380350' post='3097846'] Interesting,I always think of cover bands as a band playing crowd pleasers. Songs the crowd knows they can sing and dance to. [/quote] 'Crowd pleasers' can't be a useful definition of a cover band. That would make the Stones a covers band! It's all down to authorship.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1469361517' post='3097661'] I don't really accept that 'no good' is largely a subjective opinion - even if there may sometimes be an element of personal subjective and/or cultural relative judgement involved. However I don't intend to debate that matter here or now. So let's not get into that. I do fully accept that punters may like to know something about what they are going to see and hear including genre. They may think so-called originals versus so-called covers is important but I don't or, if i do, it's in a rather minimal and secondary way. I too woudln't be interested in a genre called 'metal' but for rap I'd have to ask: what sort of rap? Either way I probably wouldn't be asking 'originals or covers?'. [/quote] Putting the 'no good' thing aside (oh so tempting not to though ), original or covers is not particularly important to me either, though I do tend to have more admiration for artists performing their own material. I guess it's something to do with skill vs creativity.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1469359016' post='3097626'] I take your points but it remains the case that no good is no good whether it's so-called original or so-called cover. [/quote] True, but 'no good' is largely a subjective opinion and prior information can help the punter choose whether to pay for the experience or not. I'd very much like to know the basic genre of music an unknown (to me) band would be playing before I pay to see them. I can then avoid wasting my money on metal or rap bands, whether they are playing covers or originals.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1469199123' post='3096591'] I really don't care if it's a cover or a cover band or if it's original (which I very much doubt) or a so-called originals band. I only want to know do I like it. [/quote] Fair point, and in the final analysis liking the music played is the main thing. But if a punter is going to spend good money on a band they've not seen or heard before it's useful for them to know if the band will be playing originals or covers (or maybe both). Neither is intrinsically better than the other, it just helps inform the punter. They might like the 'safe' option of covers, knowing that they'll likely recognise most of the songs, or they might be up for some new music - it doesn't really matter what they choose but it sometimes helps if they can made an informed choice. Also, such information is pretty important for anyone planning to book a function band . . . to the point that they may even want to specify what is going to be played, to some degree.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1469353354' post='3097543'] Just curious. If my band decided that we would only perform the B sides to popular record releases (pre-digital of course) and never played outside of that set... would we still be a covers band? I think we would because we are only aware of the B sides as a consequence of the A side being commercially available to the public. Let's not include LP tracks. [/quote] Yes, of course. It matters not if you or the audience have heard the songs before, you' due a covers band because they are not your songs. You are 'covering them. Same goes for LP tracks - if they are not your songs.

Fair enough, so it goes back to what someone said earlier about songs being written specifically for one artist not really being a cover? So all those Motown and other big label 'hit factories' were effectively turning out originals, even though the artist had not written the song? Does that make Lennon/McCartney's 'Step Inside Love' by Cilla Black a cover or an original?

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1469196264' post='3096536'] If someone else wrote the song then its a cover. Jazz, classical would fall into this definition, happy with that. [/quote] Me too . . . . although what about someone like Elton John? Are his songs 'half covers' because Bernie Taupin writes all the words? Or is 'Elton John' an original artist comprised of Reg Dwight & Bernie Taupin? Damn - I had things straight in my mind before thinking of that one!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1469187145' post='3096428'] A cover is more specifically a song that was originally recorded (and made famous?) by another artist beforehand. ie the risk and hard work of selling the song and determining whether it will be popular has already be done. All you have to do is copy what they did. [/quote] I don't think the 'made famous' bit is relevant when it comes to covers. There are plenty of examples of a cover version being more famous/successful than the original, e.g. Clapton's Cocaine, Lynyrd Skynrd's Call Me The Breeze are both covers of JJ Cale songs, but I'd be the majority of listeners don't know that. We're over-complicating things. A cover is simply any song not performed by the original artist. No qualifications needed really.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1469111257' post='3095855'] Hmmmmmm. Sounds like the scammer would need to strike pretty lucky with precise amounts and dates for this to actually work. I reckon that's another attempt by the Daily Mail or the Daily Express to wind up their gullible readers. Does the scam involve immigrants or house prices? [/quote] I read about it on a legal forum. That's no proof that it's not a wind-up of course, but I could certainly imagine it working.

Who dreams up this sort of nonsense? I thought schools were supposed to prepare students for life in the real world . . . Or can we expect bans on clapping throughout the land?

Anyone heard of a 'triangular scam'? I hadn't until reading about it yesterday. It works like this. Victim A has an item for sale, say £1000. Scammer wants the item and asks Victim A for their bank details so he can transfer the money. At the same time, Scammer advertises a non-existent item for sale at £1000 and Victim B decides to buy it. Scammer gives Victim B the bank details of Victim A who duly transfers the £1000. Victim A checks his bank account and sees the £1000 in his account and duly ships the item for sale to the scammer's address ( not his real one obviously). Victim B chases scammer for delivery of the item he thinks he has bought. Scammer just ignores all emails and disappears. Victim B eventually goes to police about the fraud. Police track down Victim A via his bank account details and accuse him of fraud, giving him the problem of proving his innocence despite the clear evidence that he has Victim B's £1000 in his bank account. Be careful out there!

I don't know if those articles are 'utter cock' or not, but it's interesting how people react to information that does not fit in with their own preconceived thoughts. In short, new information is either instantly dismissed or totally accepted, depending on whether it supports or challenges the reader,s own prejudice. We make up our minds and refuse to budge regardless of what evidence is presented. Here's an interesting article about this in the context of the recent Chilcott report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36744911

I don't see anything wrong with it either, I just don't understand it. If it's really a vanity thing, why not have a signwriter paint your name and/or profession/hobby on the vehicle? Or have some vinyl lettering/graphics made, like those often seen on commercial vehicles, some of which are quite intricate and artistic? Plus, you'd get an exact representation of the required name instead of requiring a stretch of imagination (and often illegal character spacing) to approximate a name or word. Given that these options are not generally favoured, then there must be some other attraction. Fashion perhaps? Slick marketing? An overt display of wealth? Probably as many reasons as there are personal plates. No doubt someone has studied the phenomenon for their PhD thesis Edit: here's some examples of studies and comment: http://www.scotsman.com/news/personal-number-plates-are-all-the-rage-for-aggressive-drivers-1-1362699 http://www.theaa.com/newsroom/news-2012/personal-plates.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22169098

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1469046421' post='3095416'] Some originals bands are alarmingly unoriginal. [/quote] Fair point, though such things are usually for the courts to decide, as per the recent Stairway To Heaven fracas. There is also the thorny question about blues bands. Indeed can there even BE an original blues song these days when about the only variations possible are the key and what time one woke up in the morning So I'm content to go with 'self penned' as a definition though I reckon original or cover is snappier.

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1469044353' post='3095390'] A covers band is a musical ensemble that plays popular tunes written by other people. After that it all gets a bit complicated; a world-class symphony orchestra playing Mozart [i]might[/i] by this narrow definition be considered a covers band. So might three blokes with ukeleles playing 1920's dance-band songs very badly. Like I said: complicated. [/quote] I don't think so. A world-class symphony orchestra playing Mozart IS most definitely a cover band, or perhaps ensemble might be more appropriate, but it's still a covers ensemble Perhaps we should take a climb back up the taxonomic tree and start at the type of music being played, regardless of the style genre. Thus original or non-original - surely that's a non-contentious starting point?

A cover band plays songs written by someone other than the band members, ie someone else's songs. Simple. The band may put their own arrangement on the songs but they are still a covers band, in exactly the same way that Lynyrd Skynrd's Call Me The Breeze was a cover of JJ Cale's original and very differently arranged song. A cover band aiming to play other people's songs exactly as the original artist, and often looking the same as well, is in the Tribute Band sub-genre. Thus the Bootleg Beatles are a tribute band playing covers. I regard these as simple definitions and don't ascribe any particular ranking to any of them. That's just a matter of personal preference.

Perhaps that's why I see a lot of coaches with personalised plates?

If people really feel the need to advertise their name, job or hobby on their car, what's wrong with some stick-on lettering? Vanity I suppose, which is fine if you're that way inclined. But what I really can't understand are the ones like 'BMW 320’ on a BMW 320 The car came with a badge didn't it?

Well, fraud is a whole other ball game. Even with an independent valuation, a crook could 'let it be stolen' and as long as it never resurfaced you get to keep the item and the claim money. Plus 'agreed valuations' seem to work for classic cars so why not other items? But we're veering off the topic a little. The OP's insurance company requires an independent valuation so that's that. Personally, I'd be looking for another insurer who didn't require me to go to all that trouble - but then I don't bother insuring my bass gear in the first place.

You may be confusing drivers and cabs. If both cabs are the same impedance the amp power will be spilt equally between them. However, because the cabs have different configurations then power will not be split equally between all the drivers. Thus, assuming the amp delivers 500W at 4 ohms, the two 8 ohm cabs will present a load of 4 ohms and will thus receive 500W split equally between them, I.e. 250W each. The single driver in the 112 cab will be driven with 250W. The two drivers in the 212 cab will also receive 250W between them but split equally between them, so 125W each. All of this is electrically fine and no harm will be done. What it will sound like is anyone's guess and you'll have to try it to decide if it's what you like. My guess is it will be fine. Be wary of using a 4ohm 112 cab. Together with an 8 ohm cab this would present a load of 2.7 ohms to the amp, which might damage the amp (check the manual for minimum load specification). However, even If the amp CAN drive a 2.7 ohm load then the power will be split 2/3rds to the 4 ohm cab and 1/3rd to the 8 ohm cab. Thus, to split the power evenly among all drivers, the 212 should receive 2/3rd of the power, meaning a 4 ohm cab, which is not what you have. Using a 4ohm 112 will make the power to the individual drivers even more unbalanced.

I've never really understood this valuation thing. It seems like a scam really, as you'll have to pay for an 'official' valuation and it will likely be on the high side meaning that the insurance premium will be higher than necessary. Why does the 'real' value actually matter anyway? If I want to insure something for, say, £1000 then that's the risk value I want the insurance company to underwrite and I understand it will cost £x. If the item is stolen/destroyed then I'd expect the insurance policy to pay up £1000. If the 'real' value of the item is more or less than this then I lose or gain, but it's my responsibility. What I don't want is an argument with the insurance company when it comes to making a claim. 'Agreed value' policies are available for things such as classic cars so I'm not sure why this principle is not more widely available.

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1468681763' post='3092639'] Its absolutely safe unless your amp is a particularly rubbish and fragile one, or is faulty in some way. The additional cab wont be imparting much vibration over and above what you combo speaker already generates anyway. [/quote] Agreed, in principle, though I have an old Ampeg SVT-70T combo that decided to go all intermittent on me one rehearsal and on later investigation it turned out that one of the large high-power resistors on the PCB had come adrift because of a fractured PCB pad. The resistor was a big rectangular ceramic device about two inches long, so quite a big thing, but was only fixed to the PCB by its two wires. My guess is that years of vibration eventually took its toll. Fortunately, it was very easy to repair and it has remained reliable ever since (though I only use it for home practice these days). I was a bit surprised such a large component (of which there were a few on the PCB) was only secured by its legs when its environment was obviously going to be subject to vibration (other large components on the board had been physically secured with wax in addition to their legs. So I guess my combo was 'particularly rubbish and fragile' - which is a bit disappointing for an Ampeg.

Go with your feelings. You don't HAVE to play an instrument, in or out of a band. There's no law that once you're in a band that's it for life. Heck, some would argue that such a single focus is a complete waste of a life or a lack of imagination when there is a big wide world out there to explore. Sounds like you've been pretty successful with your playing, but times change, people change, so maybe it's time to move on and find something else to get passionate about? It wouldn't preclude you going back to music would it? Just follow your feelings, not the advice of others who can never really know what's going on in your life to make you feel this way.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1468495749' post='3091301'] I take the points about doing all your EQ work from the amp, but it is useful to have a fundamental tone option at your fingertips which can be very quickly changed between songs and even during songs. [/quote] Fair point.