Paul S

Seems most people's attitude is supportive and flexible, which is nice to hear. My two bands are the same, which is gratifying. I remember in previous band I lived just 3 miles from one of the guitar players so we decided to lift share for most of the gigs. However, the first time we used his car it became clear he was such an appalling driver that I made sure I always managed to drive afterwards!

My basses and home practice rig live in the spare room that I euphemistically call my 'office' where I also have all the office-a-bilia, pc, A0 drawing table, reference books etc. Everything else lives in a cupboard we had built under the stairs with spare cabs and head sitting on a wheeled dolly thing that slides into the depths easily. This is all going to change soon, though. We are thinking of having the closed stairs replaced with an open stair case which will look cool as flip (testing the profanity filter out) in our mid C20th styled home but leave all this clobber homeless.

The 'gigging without a car' thread made me think about the way bands share the tasks that make them bands. Specifically with reference to physical health and mobility - and mine has taken a downward turn in the past few weeks. How much should we rely on our band mates to help? Or, perhaps, how much should we expect our band mates to tolerate a lack of help? My own situation - I have had a weak sacro-iliac joint for years - now own lightweight gear which I can move around with no problem. But, unless my back was specifically playing up I would also help with the load in/out, set up/breakdown of pa, drums because I think it is the right thing to do. However, in recent weeks I have managed to get myself an inguinal hernia and, more recently still, now have an L4-5 slipped disc and a L3-4 bulge. It is all new to me so at the moment I am very wary of shifting anything much at all - my own kit for sure but the lightest stuff I have. I certainly won't be helping anyone else with any lifting and will be relying on my band mates' goodwill in this respect. At least, until I have had an opportunity to discuss the ramifications of it all and get in some physio/exercises. Hopefully this is only a short term issue and I will be back to helping out in a few months. But it makes me wonder - how do the fitter people out there regard this situation - having a band member who can't pull his own weight when it comes to shifting the shared stuff? Tolerated happily/begrudgingly? Would it fester and become a problem, does anyone think?

This gives me food for thought - II will start a new thread 'Gigging without full mobility'

The settee is looking a bit worn. Or am I thinking of something else? That looks amazing. I've never picked up a Wal (not sure I could - aren't they a bit heavy?) but love everything about the look of them!

Doing this in the correctly spelled feedback thread... Tim answered my plea for a Barefaced One10, selling me his minty one for a good price. Immediate dispatch - he actually paid a premium for next day am delivery, which was much appreciated. Well packaged, too. Nice friendly fella - great comms - perfect transaction - deal with confidence!

Tim answered my plea for a Barefaced One10, selling me his minty one for a good price. Immediate dispatch - he actually paid a premium for next day am delivery, which was much appreciated. Well packaged, too. Nice friendly fella - great comms - perfect transaction - deal with confidence!

I wonder if he'll bring my new bass along - should be ready any time now!

I bought one of these after it was flagged up on here a while back. Lots of little partitions inside keeps it all neat. Not the best build quality but it seems ok so far and it is silly cheap! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012AVEOZI/ref=pe_3187911_189395841_TE_3p_dp_1

Another option to consider would be to look at Maruszczyk basses - a bewildering assortment off the peg or dip into the configurator and you can get whatever you want. They are surprisingly affordable. https://public-peace.de/maruszczyk-instruments/mi-bass

I remember the first time I used my Trace head with both Supercompacts - a bass player was standing right at the back of the venue - nothing large maybe 200 at a squeeze - and he said it was like being hit in the guts when I started to play

uh oh...

I'm a big fan of the TE sound. What I did to overcome the weight issue of the gear was to buy on here a few years ago an ABS rack-mounted head - now (well, pre-hernia ) a manageable 12kg. Barefaced Supercompact in the other hand - balanced carry in, lumbar nice and comfy.

Related topic - I have re-valved mine and have the Di attenuator but now find the internal casing vibrates. I've taken it off and run a bead of silicone along the seams but it still happens a bit. Anyone else had this and found an easy fix?

Black, black, maple is my favourite. Here's my JV Squier that sports those materials.

Switched mine on, no probs.

Do you two want to get a room somewhere?

Interesting. I have one and the cooling fan isn't remotely noisy so maybe either you were unlucky or I am lucky? I wanted to have an all valve head but also wanted the very lightest one possible so bought the Prodigy Four:88 which comes in at 14kgs. I was pleased to be offered one secondhand in very good nick and paid a decent price accordingly. I like it very much, as you would expect there is a certain something about the tone that I don't get from any of my non-valve heads, even those with valve preamps. The controls are simple and easy to use. Oh, yes, it is loud and - you want heft? Here is heft! Downsides - 14kg naked equates to 17kgs in the flightcase (OK,hefty toolbox) I bought to keep it in which is pushing it for me. First time I gigged with it one of the valves blew on soundcheck and shorted across a fairly decent bit of the pcb. Repair bill was iro £250. Ouch! How much do I prefer it over my 'now back up but previously go-to' Trace Elliot head? Difficult question to answer but, if I am honest, probably not enough to justify keeping it. But having paid top dollar plus with the cost of repair it owes me too much to move on just yet so here it stays. Just need to wait fro my current lower back episode to improve and my hernia to be fixed before I use it again...

Heavy cabs - can't see me changing from my Supercompacts unless Alex produces something in his laboratory that sounds the same but even lighter. 4 string basses. I play 5 stringers now and already have three lonely 4 stringers, don't need any more. Effects. No longer use them. Anything else is probably still in play.

I saw them at the O2 last year and thought the same. It was at the core of why I didn't leave the venue on a high, really. He isn't Bernard - not his fault. He massively overplayed - very much his fault. A player of his calibre doesn't need to showboat and play for himself - he should play for the music.

I had one, briefly- imported it from Japan. Lovely thing, not overly heavy but too heavy for me - I believe I got the weight down to 9.3kg using ultralite tuners. VERY narrow spring spacing, especially at the bridge. I read somewhere that it was basically a BB3000 body and neck which, if it isn't true, gives an idea of the string spacing. Different tone to the later BBs and absolutely top quality. Lost a shed load of cash on mine when I sold it due to a truss rod issue.

I don't have short fingers but a narrow string spacing is important for me, too. I have a MM Sterling 5, Yamaha BB425, Fender MB-5 and Hohner BV - all these have slim necks with tight string spacing, especially at the nut. I found that 5 string Fender P or J generally have wider necks or are too heavy for me. Can't comment on Ibanez as I haven't tried one. I am sure there are plenty of others.

Assuming your reasoning to be correct, which it may not be

Not really, it is conjecture on your part as to why people might object rather than an explanation by someone as to why they object.