Stub Mandrel

I don't subscribe to that view, but rather like the Amadeus clip there is some truth in the idea you can have too many notes. It's very hard to play fast or percussively and be expressive and melodic (although Wooten does in the clip above IMHO). But there are an uncountable multitude of middle ways between mindless shredding and plain root-notes, many of which are more interesting.

Maybe, but I'm a sucker for a 'split' pickguard a la WEM/Burns. Nearly bought an original 60s WEM in a Manchester music shop a couple of years ago. Totally original it seemed, £700, don't know if that was fair, but it was a great bass to play. <Edit> I think it was an original Rapier, like this one... in which case the 24 fret neck is correct!

That's one thing about the steering wheel exercise. It may sound silly, but as the wheel is slightly compliant but not rigid, it forces you to control your touch.

@Gasman, what a tough thing to go through. So sorry.

There seems to be considerable confusion between the roles of a producer and a sound engineer. That said, I can imagine that inexperienced bands in a studio with an experienced engineer can get and benefit from more than just technical advice.

JHS have relaunched the Rapier brand. Nice retro looks at modest proices. Has anyone seen one in the wild? https://www.jhs.co.uk/collections/rapier https://www.jhs.co.uk/collections/rapier/products/rapier-bass-guitar-daphne-blue

I have that album. I listened to it once.

"I'm not a pleasant plucker" I pluck the steering wheel when I'm driving, two or three fingers. Aim for consistency and limited movement. Try not to crash. Also focus on muting, not palm muting but using non-plucking fingers (especially ring finger) to selectively mute individual strings both unplayed ones or to damp a plucked string. Find an interesting riff/sound/feel and try and keep it up/move it around/across.

I'm struggling. If I mention any names, it would really be because I don't enjoy the type of music they play. I like MOST music, although I'm heavily influenced by my mood. The bass playing I like best includes a lot of blues-rock playing, but that's probably because it's the idiom I feel most comfortable with in my own playing - I listen to someone like Leo Lyons (a jazz bassist who ended up majoring in blues rock) and realise with some embarrassment just how hard I try to sound like him... The fast, jazzy stuff (Jaco's more esoteric stuff, Joe Dart etc.) I struggle with, not so much because I can't play it very well, but because I don't get it musically so I struggle to understand where it's going and that takes away the pleasure in listening and the joy in playing (because if I try it becomes rote repetition if I copy or clichéd patterns if I try and improvise). I suppose my pet hate is the way straight eighth root notes with a few other passing and grace notes have come to dominate so much popular music - does that mean I should suggest Adam Clayton? The thing I enjoy in 60s and 70s pop music in contrast is that so many songs have creative bass lines that make use of so much more than root-third-fifth-seventh, for me it even makes some 'bubblegum' songs of the sixties worth hearing.

I wondered when someone would mention Lemmy. I would refer the Jury to his time with Hawkwind, especially Space Ritual. Hawkwind music is not like that of other bands, while very now and then a song will be carried by the bass hook - Take Me To the River, for example, in many Hawkwind songs Lemmy's bassline was the primary melody, perhaps with rhythm guitar adding a bit of depth, in a way that set the mould for much of their future output. And his greatest bit of Janet and John songwriting doesn't even have bass in it.

It's interesting to see that Flea is the one who plays by far the most melodic and understated solo, if not the most technical.

Feel very old. Last time I was in a studio, I used my tuning fork (A=440). Which I still have*. *And it's spot on according to a rather unresponsive but usable Guitarman tuner.

Let me fix that for you 😁

The critical thing is avoiding exposure to any electric supply until dry. Washing in clean, if not deionised, water helps. My daughter dropped an early iphone in an upland stream, I got it and switched it off within about ten seconds although the screen was already psychedelic. It went on to last years. I've heard firsthand reports of boards being cleaned in dishwashers successfully, and rescued things saturated in coffee by washing them. Most vulnerable are mechanical parts like switches, relays and potentiometers. And edge connects if not gold plated .

Seen them twice, my partner said the first was the best gig she's seen, and she's seen more gigs than most people.

If I'm not back here by Monday, send a search party...

Back in Bargoed 🙂

You weren't trying to find the Railway Canteen in Treherbert by any chance...

Not a gig, but in tbe same vein? I just spent 45 minutes being interviewed on the ups and downs of being in local bands on Radio Cardiff by Ceri Stennett. Made it very easy for me, just a bunch of gentle anecdotes and he even played a couple of tracks with me on. I finally make the radio and one of the songs was a Carl Perkins number 🤣 His dad Stan was a local legend and was even a regular on Coronation Street!

Only if he has other instruments than basses - he may need to buy an electric guitar to stay in 😈

Thrust bearings should do the job. Back in the 80s I just added thrust washers and a drop of mineral oil to the tuners on my Hohner headless and they still work.

Exactly the point, the video shoots themselves squarely in the foot n that score.

Looking back, the irony of this video is that, taken literally, it would be the death-knell for Epiphone as the 'inauthentic' version of Gibson. In fact, it marked a rapid turnaround with Epiphone stepping up to become a desirable brand delivering quality instruments as people just couldn't afford Gibson.

Maybe think about a duo with someone that can pick up smaller gigs at short notice to fill the gaps?

So far only pa gear - pair of 12" pa extension cabs and some drum mike clips. Making a new grill for a practice amp and plan a couple of pedals... but all from buts already 'in stock' so they don't count as just rearranging existing stuff.