Cato

I'm not the world's biggest Mac fan so I've never listened carefully to the original but that sounded fine through headphones to me. The band was pretty tight and the harmonies sounded good. It could maybe do with a bit of a tweak in the mix to make Mr Finn's vocals a bit more prominent, but it certainly wasn't a car crash.

Fair play to him, He really does seem to be able to get a decent tune out of pretty much anything with strings nailed to it.

I had a look at the Firebird X as well. To be fair I didn't think it was a terrible concept even though the execution was mind bogglingly complex and by all accounts didn't actually work too well, but in some ways it's not a million miles away from Music Man's Game Changer guitar and bass. In recent years digitally friendly all singing and dancing computer compatible amps such the Boss Katana and the Fender Mustang have become quite popular and, in the case of the Katana at least, quite well respected as well. So it sort of stands to reason that there might be also be a niche for a versatile, programmable guitar. Unfortunately the reality seems to be that very few people actually seem to want one, at least not at the price Music Man and Gibson are/were offering them for. I suppose if we did we'd all have gone the midi route years ago.

I looked into this a couple of years ago and I know that at least a couple of other people on here have as well. The short answer is that Bluetooth has too much latency (lag) to use either as a wireless system or for practice headphones. Someone may be along shortly to explain why. There might be some other wireless headphone system out there now that would work, but ,unfortunately, I don't know what it is.

According to that link ZZounds have already knocked $1300 off the list price and it's been less than a week since the guitar was announced. Give it another couple of months and they'll be giving them away... Edit: (just to point out that I do realise that was never any intention to sell them at the $3300 'list' price.)

I think there's a certain amount of flexibility in the combinations of body colours, pickguards, hardware, fretboard materials and ,possibly, neck profiles if you place an order through a licensed dealer. Although I can't seem to get the relevant page on the MM website to work for me. https://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/stingray Though someone said earlier in the thread that the current build time for those instruments is fairly lengthy.

Since joining up here in 2015 I've bought Squire VM70s Jazz + new bridge, pickups , wiring loom and pots. Sire V7 fretless Fender Deluxe Precision So, I'm a bit of a lightweight really. In the previous 25 years I got by with a Washburn Status and an MiM Jazz.

In the guitar/bass world word of mouth is everything. Gibson's reputation is currently circling the upper bowl of the toilet, like a turd shark. They're almost at the point where no matter how good a new line is, people won't be willing to give it a chance.

I haven't actually used his services myself, although I am considering contacting him, but not for a set up. I suspect that something dire has happened to one of of my skinny stringers during the summer heat, the action has shot up and I can't get it down or intonate the thing.

There's a guy near me who charges £115 for his 'professional' set up. That includes fret dressing and an electronics check. Last I heard he had a waiting list so there must be a fair few people willing to pay that for his services.

Well at least they've started making Thunderbirds again. The main thing that's struck me about Gibson in the last couple of years is the huge range of horrible colours they now have available for the various Les Paul and SG models, a trend they seem keen to continue for 2019. The thing is, some of the lower budget models actually seem to be really good value for a USA made guitar, but only if you want them in faded turquoise or rancid vermillion.

Well, I'm a big Herbie Hancock fan and have nothing but respect for Chick Corea, but I don't think that was anyone's finest hour. The whole thing sounds like a Saturday afternoon in a keyboard shop.

That's not just Stingrays, just about every bass that 3 years ago was retailing at the £1000-£1500 ish mark has shot up by a similar amount. It's like the manufacturers have adjusted their prices to allow for the weakness of sterling, then rounded that figure up to the nearest £500.

There used to be a story (possibly an urban myth?) about a time he ended up in hospital with severely burnt man bits after a roadie packed the firework into the cod piece the wrong way round.

Before about 5 minutes ago if someone had asked me if fancied a pink 51 style P bass, I'd have given a polite but firm 'no'. That's stunning.

I avoided p basses for years because I thought they were boring. Then , like a lot of others, one day I tried one just to find out if I could see why there's so much love for them and I finally got it. I still prefer my P basses with an extra J though.

The Fender Deluxe PJ was the answer for me. It's probably the closest to a 'best of both worlds' solution.

I'd guess the focus will be on their online content. I'd bet that these days their online readership absolutely dwarfs their physical sales and targeting advertising to local regions won't be a problem.

Impressive stuff. Although I do now feel a bit dizzy after watching that clip.

I know what you mean, but I also get really strong Roy Orbison vibes from the vocal which really raises the song above the rest of the current crop for me.

I always listen to Radio One in the car. Every now and then I hear something I really like. This one has turned into a bit of ear worm recently (but then it is getting a lot of airplay) and I'll probably listen to his album at some point. Radio 1 is a lot more diverse now than it ever was when I was a kid. They cover a lot more genres nowadays than the manufactured chart pap which defined the station in the 80s and 90s. I suspect today's yoof have less restrictive listening habits than my generation did.

'Derriėre or donkey?' has a nice ring to it. It would be good name for a game show.

I'm singing backing vocals along with about 100,000 other people on Iron Maiden's 'Live at Donnington' from 1993. Not albums but I was also at the Birmingham NEC gig where Alice Cooper recorded his 'Alice trashes the world' live video and at the Chili Peppers gig at Slaine Castle which was released on DVD.

I've seen the Foos live twice, once supporting the Chili Peppers in Ireland and again headlining Hyde Park. Both times I was really impressed. I've tried to get in to the albums, but never have, but live they are superb.