Stub Mandrel

Sneak a look in a Pirate Studio - they need to get good results on a budget. The one I use has foam on the walls, fabric covered, then a layer of plywood or chipboard with holes of many different sizes. Works pretty well.

I tried using switching jack plugs. But my bass is an old dog, and you can't teach an old dog Neutrix.

I've had to learn this - only a few minutes ago I had the realisation I've played it enough that I now enjoy it (like broccoli). And (like broccoli) I'm equally sure there's a point where it gets all to much! Ho hum, Use Somebody next...

One thing about the Hohner design is that if the battery is flat you CAN switch to passive. Many basses don't let you do this. I've never been 100% convinced that a preamp inside the bass can actually do anything you can't do better with one outside it, except, perhaps, drive a VERY long jack lead.

Get one of these and stop worrying:

I found the music to 'If I Were a Carpenter' yesterday in a (looks round guiltily) Russ Shipton book. I'm inspired to gather some fellow musicians of similar stature to myself (6' 2"), use brown instruments and wear brown clothes to play the music of one of my favourite sixties bands. We'll call ourselves The Tall Faeces.

To explain why, when you switch on an amplifier it will almost always make a click or pop as the capacitors charge up and the bias levels settle down. As it's not unknown for people to switch active in and out during a performance, this needs to be avoided. So... if the amp switches on when you plug in a jack, it is in 'standby' and the other switches are just re-routing the signal or changing parameters, less likely to make an unwanted click, pop or even thump.

I used to go to the Bass Centre in Birmingham. Got this case there: And this fine long-sleeve T. My little girl is at University now!

I like it, it's musical rather than just 'wankage'. Hmm. I've got a mate who looks just like Scott. But it isn't Scott.

Truth is, with the lithium batteries, all I can do is try them out and see how long they last. My guess is that on the Hohner system there's an LED that probably uses 10mA which would flatten them in about three days on its own, but switched off (but still plugged in) the drain might be a few mA (guess) that would take a couple of weeks.

Review what you want to achieve. Don't be afraid to take a break, but consider the reward of getting an album out and think about what the real barriers are. If you have great demos and access to resources, perhaps you just need to lose someone in the food chain and replace them? Or tell them 'shape up or ship out' which may be kinder or crueller depending on their sensitivities. P.S. Phil got that from Cream - Born Under a Bad Sign P.P.S. <googles> Who nabbed it from Albert King P.P.P.S Who cadged it off Lightning Slim (1954) according to Wikipedia! Sorry for the thread drift...

That's true of anything in life. When you need to reach a level of proficiency to be able to identify your own faults, you are getting somewhere.

Found these: Alkaline cells, typically ending around 6-7V: Comparison of various chemistries:

No, it's a result of the chemistry. The (9v NIMH cells use 7 cells to give 8.4V as an approximation to 9V) The original zinc carbon cells had six nominal 1.5V cells, but they typically drop to about 6V before most applications give up.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=9v+rechargeable+USB+PP3&_sacat=0&_sop=15 "Stable discharge Voltage from 8.45v down to 7v to supply power for device " 7V should be plenty for most applications.

Remember being asked to have an emergency bag ready in case of asteroid strike, zombie attack or Brexit etc? Back in the day I used to have a 'gig box' with all my pedals PSU and various spares, so I'm making up another one. Do you have one and what do you have in it. This is my thinking for now (pedals, bass(es) and amp(s) not included): Spare 9V batteries. Spare strings, (even just a used set - better than nothing!) Earplugs, two sets. Spare patch leads. Two spare instrument leads. Spare power lead. Spare speaker lead. Fuses, all possible values needed. Screwdrivers (phillips and flat) Hex keys My main fear is blowing an fuse internal fuse! Second worry is that I end up being a spares depot for the rest of the band...

Inspired me to order a pair of USB-rechargeable PP3 batteries off eBay.

Oh there's plenty of poo, and blue-green vomit, on the moon, as my photo below proves:

Nice to see that upright again, (and I think that bass you're playing breaks some sort of knob count record...)

"Three froglets in blue string overcoats. How extraordinary." 🤣 I'm sure the Soup Dragon was pretty sweary! There was definitely a 'What the Hell!" in there 🙂

Any links?

Beatle Juice.

True bass-a-holic. Puts his sound before his personal safety...

Certainly does on my Jack V, even if the active is switched off.

Possibly, I will be going to Scotland soon, and then MAY be going to Dorset at the end of the month depending on how a tender goes.