Paul S

Sorry, did someone say something?

Yes. I've discovered that when friends ask how the gigging is going, they rarely actually want to know beyond 'all good'. I have a similar situation with my garden. If a garden can be described as being 'famous' then I guess mine is - it has been featured in newspapers, magazines, books and on the tele as it is rather unusual. 'I must come and see your garden!' people say. But having laid down that marker, every time I subsequently see/speak to them they try to explain why they haven't. In truth I don't give a toss whether they visit or not. If they want to visit, fine. If they don't want to visit, that's fine. But please, stop the apologies. I suppose that might be perceived as being a bit rude

I don't hate any, don't dislike many - just have an order of preference. I am not keen on single cutaway basses, especially those that resemble a cartoon whale with a large overbite. But I have owned single cutaways. Conversely I am a sucker for a symmetrical double cutaway and find my heart pulls me towards that shape, even if my head might advise me otherwise.

Could have stayed home and used the wireless?

Lovely looking bit of kit. At the moment I am using a Trace Elliot Transit B pedal which has a built in tuner and therefore my 'one pedal solution'. Seems to work OK.

I'd been using the Boss WL-50 for a few years since they came out. Recently changed to the Lekato because I wanted to use something on 5.4 frequency plus I was ditching my pedal board, such as it was, for a single pedal. Can't honestly say I have noticed any difference in performance - both units have been flawless - it is just that the Lekato suits my purposes better. I kind of prefer the way it folds but that isn't a biggie.

I googled 'Playing Guitar Stand' and it looks like there are a couple of off the peg stands aside from mbrace. K&M, for example, but BAX shop do one for under £50.

What is the weight, do you know?

I've had a selection of Peaveys - started off with a Milestone (the J-type), had Foundation, Foundation 5er, a Fury or three and a Fury IV. My favourite was the Fury - I've seen it described as the best Precision bass Fender didn't make. Usually lightweight, uber-slim neck, aggressive pickup. Lovely things. I sometimes wondered about the early Milestone with the single split humbucker but that ship has sailed now I have moved to short scales.

I hate being out of my comfort zone. I like to know every note that I, and the rest of the band, are about to play. I'm not a good enough player to be able to wing it and play decently so I choose not to. However, I did go against my instincts once. Got a call from a drummer I had been in a band with a few years earlier - just over a week to go her band's bassist had to have a small operation and was unavailable for their Xmas gig. Could I help? What sort of stuff, I asked. Just rock covers, she said. I agreed and asked for the set list. This arrived with one week to go before the gig. I had actually only heard 5 of the songs before - had only played a couple of them some years eearlier. Oh dear. I don't read dots, am slow looking at tab - fortunately the songs came with chord charts but I found trying to cram the structure of the unknown songs a bit of a nightmare. We had one rehearsal - managed to go through a lot of the tunes once but not all of them. On the night they pulled a couple of the tricky ones and put in 'All Right Now' and 'Can't Get Enough Of Your Love' on the basis that I was more likely to know them. Some fluffs on the night but not the train wreck I expected. Not doing that again in a hurry!

Mcavoy! I'd have been a bit start struck!

My lot had a 'similar' situation at the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket. A venue run by volunteers, which is relevant. A 3 band Blues and Brews event with speciality local ales, we were headlining and doing the venue a favour by providing the drum kit. The deal was £50 per band plus a % of the door money. Which is rubbish but we have been hoping for a gig in our own right as it is a good venue. My share of £50 just about covered my petrol, buying my dinner put me out of pocket, which was a discussion I'd had with the other 2 guys but they were keen ... On the night it was fairly well attended 60 people at £10 a time plus the bar took £900. When it came to being paid - a month later - we got £50 and no share of the takings. Expenses, apparently. We aren't playing there again.

Or sell it and use the money to buy what you are looking for. Doesn't have to be complicated.

You don't like the Galloping Gourmet? Philistine. Maybe you'd like his early, edgier work with the Trotting Tosspots, before he made a habit of having a quick slurp.

Not so much a popular bass player but a popular band - Bon Jovi. Aside from maybe 3 of their bigger hits I had taken no notice of them whatsoever but then the rock covers band I was in decided to morph into a Bon Jovi tribute band. Cue spening a lot of time and effort learning lots of their material. I now have massive respect for Hugh McDonald who came up with some absolutely fabulous bass lines which often define the song - hooky earworms like 'Livin' On A Prayer' and 'Keep The Faith' but also subtle and wondrously musical lines that weave through the song like 'These Days'. I'm still not a big fan of the songs but consider Hugh to be very much an unsung hero.

Just a bit of fun. Massively talented guy who died far too young.

I don't 'get' lots and lots of bass players' appeal, most of them have been mentioned more than once. But here's one - and I fear this is a bit like telling an Irish joke in a Dublin pub - Lemmy. I just don't get him or Motorhead. Never have. I kind of think 'Ace of Spades' is an OK tune but hardly enough to prop up a 40 year career. To me it just proves how far having 'attitude' and a big gob can get you because, so far as I can see, he has no other attributes to warrant his Deity status. Just the one bass sound and Janet and John song writing.

I get home as quickly as possible then lie awake dreaming up ridiculous questions.

No such thing as 'wrong' or 'right' versions. There are orginal versions and covers - the judgement calls are down to personal preference. My preference, all day long, is the Whitesnake 'Ain't No Love', but that is me. So 'ere's a song for yer'... Hush. Written by Joe South and and recorded by Billy Joe Royal in 1967, yet almost universally described as a Deep Purple song. Then there is the popular Kula Shaker version. And the slower, heavier Gotthard version. Plus myriad second tier covers by the likes of the Partridge Family, Love Affair, Milli Vanilli - etc. Which one would you call the 'Wrong' or 'Right' one?

I have my best and favourite TI Flats fitted to both my MIJ Mustang and Squier 'Vista' Musicmaster. The short scale set are 32" scale (JF 324 - the clues are there! ) and fit just fine with the through-body stringing.

You could always get an Aria Pro II Laser and a hacksaw?

Hard to highlight any one particular bit of playing in such a long career filled with such consistency but I especially love the playing at the start of Fairies Wear Boots.

Don't know, tbh. They list them as a Hi Gain Lemmy style.

Retrovibe have some vaguely Rick-ish shorty basses in stock. I got in touch with David and he is currently knocking me up a slightly more Rick-ish version. Short scale. Although we recently went off plan for a more blingy black stain, no pickguard, gold hardware look. Not entirely sure what it will end up like but it should be fun. This was the last mock up but things seem to be fluid

Now gone