Stub Mandrel

When I was in the scouts, every year we had to collect holly to decorate the church. We started by chopping branches from lots of male trees with their spikier leaves. Then an awful afternoon using hot hoof glue to attach red cotton wool berries. I can still smell that stench...

So you are saying that instead of mass-debating, we should just ensure our gear is as stiff as possible.

I'll open mine up in a bit.

Sandberg and Warwick do 45-135 with the heavier A and E. You can buy a single 135 and add it to a stock set (e.g. Roto 66)

I have a 500W Orange Terror, even though I have an efficient cab, I can't imagine anyone needing (as against wanting) more backline power, yet it's small enough to use at pub gigs. I've carried it over my shoulder in its bag, bass in one hand, light 2x12 in the other and walked a few hundred yards to a gig. I saw the bass player from Diamond Head using one at the Manchester O2, so I think that's 'nuff said regarding 'is it enough'.* *others in this thread will confirm the difference between the 500W and old 1000W versions is barely audible.

The connections to the tone pot could be slightly different, but the output jack tip will always be connected to the same tab as the connection from the volume pots.

Following...

I came across a variant of number 3 on a Squire Standard Jazz. Over time the truss rod appeared to loosen slightly. I realised the anchor point was shifting. Kill or cure I thought get the neck off, drill to the anchor point and see if I could secure it. But when I took the neck off yhere was a 3mm gap at the end of the skunk stripe and I could see the anchor! With the truss rod loosened right off, I flooded the anchor point with thin cyano hoping it would soak into the grain as much as set around the anchor. I left it 24 hours just in case. The neck has been stable for at least six years now!

I will see mine tomorrow. It's very simple from memory, just like a jazz bass even though it's humbuckers:

Pop in and request Sir Duke and Teen Town back to back 😉

Sometimes you can't soundcheck. Sometimes you can. For some odd reason the gigs where you can seem to generate more positive comments about the sound quality. Hmmm.

My local deliverer is great. But Evri received a banjo skin for me on 22 April and it was 'in transit' on 24 and status hasn't changed since. I hadn't realised it was so delayed. Presumably they lost it, I have contacted the seller.

They sound better than my passive and ancient Peavey 12" tops I picked up as a replacement for huge 2x15 'TheBox' speakers.

No, it's a Euphonium 😁

I've done both in the past. Working on material with another group at the moment with an eye to a cd and a few live gigs.

My ideal, which I have never achieved, would be to persuade the covers band to put together an original set.

If I buy a vegan strap, I go out the back and whip the donkey with it, just to balance things out.

It's surprising how many pubs and clubs have a TV projection screen, not always in the right place though.

That makes me think of the non-musical things that can make a difference. Being polite, greeting the bar staff and listeningto anything they have to say, making it easy for a venue (not fussing or too many questions in advance... but do ak about parking and load in), publicising the gig, creating a decent poster (if you can) and sending the venue a copy, sensible volume and not arguing about it, packing up promptly. These are all things every band can do that cost nothing, and having been on the organising end, all things that some bands fail to do. It's amazing how many bands can't even provide a clean logo and a decent photo for a poster*. A good number can't provide a sensible description of the type of music they play. This is essential, the venue I help gets a very different audience depending on genre. Some local bands 'refuse to be categorised' - sorry lads, you aren't Primus! Usually a quick listen to online videos provides an answer (usually the most reluctantbands turn out to play 'americana' or 'popular covers') but why make life hard for a venue? One last tip. If you are a vainglorious lead guitarist who can only get the tone you want by running a 100W Marshall or a Fender Deluxe Twin flat out... get a power brake. 115dB at the back of the audience in relatively small venue means people will leave, and you won't get invited again. *If supplying a 'poster' make it a sensibly proportioned image so they can print it out. Many venues use A4 clip frames.

I found a 'weekend warrior' course in Nottingham... no longer running. It was five or six rehearsals each a week apart, then a gig with each of six 'bands' doing 30 minutes. Got me back into the game and three of us started a band, which is still going under a new name after I moved away. Transformed my life getting back into playing.

It's something I've been considering. I have two powerpoint projectors and something along the lines of what @rushbo suggests would fit our vibe. But yes like @Franticsmurf says, for most of our venues placing the projector seems unworkable

Two bands. The three piece blues band's secret weapon is an insanely talented young guitarist, the drummer and I have played with Alex long enough to have a sort of telepathy so we can improvise while staying really tight. Basically, if blues rock fans see us once, they come back Unfortunately, Al is also in a breaking indie band (playing Isle of Wight this year...) that are busy and getting busier. The other band is a bit different. We are all in two bands and have nothing to prove. We play songs we like (anyone can veto a song) and don't shy away from stretching ourselves. Our schtick is ckasdic rock, but we have an eclectic set list with songs people now but don't expect. Sex Bomb and Devil Woman, alongside Pressur and Time and War Pigs. We try really hard to be professional. We polish our songs, work hard on our sound, have lights, a banner, an image, cool posters, lots of humour and play with attitude.

That's the risk! I have my Japanese Star Wars stormtrooper t-shirt to wear!

With a different pickguard shape the Bronco could have been a Musicmaster