Steve Browning

May be 'teasing' the ex more! 😉

Choosing 'the one' means a decision regarding two basses. Either 1953 Precision (#0189) or the 1966 slab Precision. It's a difficult choice. Both sounded huge and both were uncomfortable to play for a long period (the edge would dig into my forearm when I was playing). On balance, I guess it would be the 1953 bass. The 66 is very rare but the 1953 has the history and I have a good few Precisions in the post-1957 form. The only picture I have of it, hanging next to my 1966 Jazz (another one that would worth a bit now!!).

I was going to offer an answer but (happily) Jack has given you an example that is tried and tested. If it's good enough for him ...

I presume you've seen the TV programme 'and on bass Tina Weymouth'. An interesting watch all about bass and her journey.

Black and tort is a lovely combination.

Glad you took that in the sprit it was meant. Glad to hear you're taking advice. Happy to help out on the VAT front if you have any questions. Bear in mind I can only tell you what you SHOULD do 😉

Frankly the man doesn't deserve to live.

Not related to your OP but a couple of things (ex VAT inspector and current EMEA VAT manager in a multi-national - for context). I assume you have taken advice but sometimes better to heart things twice rather than not at all. Is the formality of a company the best vehicle? If you want someone out, you'd still be stuck with a shareholder entitled to dividends. A company will incur the bank charges of a business, no more getting away with a personal account. Would a business get away with not being registered for VAT in the EU if selling merch etc. (you may be already but the implication is that you're not). Note trying to be difficult here, just raising a couple of things that struck me when reading your post. Good luck with all of it, of course. I may well be going back to music full time myself soon and cannot wait.

Thanks guys. They're both pretty comprehensive on the subject.

First off, I know the basic physics, movement in a magnetic field generating electricity. My question is 'how do you manipulate the sound?' Some pick-ups are hotter - more windings I would presume. What about those with tonal variation, enhanced mids, sparkling treble, all that sort of thing. How is that achieved?

Back when I was in a name band, the money (the net profit on tours) was split 7 ways, with the two original guys getting two shares each. All out in the open and perfectly fair. Later, when playing in a busy band based in Brighton, we put the money in an account and we all got a fixed amount for gigs and rehearsals. We split any profit 5 ways at the end of each month. Currently, there is an equal split after expenses. In my world, no-one gets more than anyone else. I wouldn't ever sign up to anything else.

Interestingly, I seem to recall seeing Huey Lewis on YouTube and it did appear Mario Cipollina was using Bose pa cabs.

Not completely sure the flak is entirely fair. I have merely pointed out that the video doesn't explain where British blues came from, as it says it does. There's no roasting. I was intending to educate as much as anything. It would seem likely to be more about how Chicago blues came to Britain. Nothing wrong with that at all.

They've changed the design but back in the day I toured with two basses, back to back, in a single Fender gig bag.

True, but it purports to show where British blues came from. Not a hanging offence but it doesn't do what it says on the tin.

I didn't watch the video. The mere fact that Chris Barber isn't mentioned must mean it starts at a point in time far later than real accuracy dictates. Apologies if that conclusion is incorrect.

... and the books by George Melly. Owning Up, particularly, charts how he first heard Bessie Smith at boarding school (before WW2) and sought out the small and growing band of aficionados and discovered the embryonic jazz and blues scene in London and the provinces. This is almost charted by the wonderful Lonnie Donegan album Puttin' On The Style where he plays his greatest hits with a cavalcade of contemporary players whom he influenced - Rory Gallagher, Brian May, Elton John and many others.

An addendum as I have remembered some more pre-Boogie stuff. I had a Fender Bassman 10 combo. Ampeg early 70s. portaflex and I used this at a gig, in conjunction with a Marshall mini stack - the head and 2 X 1x10 cabs, designed to look like a pair of 4x12s.

In my case, I started off with the stuff I could afford. The next stage was to emulate John Deacon's rig (it looked so impressive). I then discovered that I preferred the sound of 2x15 cabinets. The switch to Mesa gear came as I turned pro. I read a review of the Bass 400 and 2x15 in a magazine. It said it was the Rolls Royce of bass amplication. I wanted the best and this was it. Bought it on the basis of those 5 words. Never looked back.