Paul S

The original, by a guy called Richard Torrance, is pretty good too. Somewhere on YouTube land there is a vid of him performing it as some wedding in a marquee - great version, really good vibe to it. Doesn't look like he got too many royalties for it!

Not all watts are created equal, as I understand it, with Trace Elliot watts being louder than most I used to use my old Trace Elliot rig with just one cab most of the time. For rehearsing and playing small pubs - heavy rock covers with a loud drummer and even louder guitarist - it was plenty loud enough with the master volume below half. Add a second cab and you need to turn it down a touch from there - the only time I needed it up to half with both cabs was on a largeish stage outdoors for onstage monitoring.

Anything over 9lbs is a no-no for me these days. I can do a 2x1hr set with my Fender Power Jazz bass Special, which is a shade under 9lbs. 4hr rehearsal I prefer something lighter - usually the SGC Nanyo Bass Collection, which is my lightest bass at just under 7lbs. Anything in between is ok, really. My Washburn Scavenger, lovely beast, is sadly around 11lbs so I'll just open the case every now and then to admire it then put it back.

Ah, I see. I guess that is what the last fella did as I had to prise the hardware out of the paint. Thanks for that!

Thanks. I need some finer wet/dry then And, no, I don't know the difference between drying and curing.... quick edit - label says touch dry 20 mins, recoat between 20 mins and 1hr, fully hardened after 24hrs.

I am refinishing a body. My first attempt and a rather steep learning curve. Hoping for a visible wood grain finish with a soft satin sheen I used [url="http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=113789&Trail=searchtext%3EEBONY&c_1=1|category_root|Decorating|16849219"]Sadolin one coat woodstain[/url]. The result was not quite what I intended - it has coloured the wood ok and the grain is just visible but the finish was crap. So I sprayed it with several coats of clear over the top. 3 cans in all of [url="http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=587002&Trail=searchtext%3ECLEAR+SPRAY"]Rust-Oleum crystal Clear[/url]. When I finally got around to reading the small print - after I had finished - it transpired that the clear is an enamel, rather than acrylic, finish. However nothing has cracked or bubbled alarmingly yet... Anyway, the final push is approaching - I am leaving it for a few days to fully harden (this is best?). In between coats I sanded back any runs or errant hair/fluff as they happened and so ended up with a 'relatively' ok finish - not many huge imperfections but a mix of rough overspray, orange peel and a few shiny bits. To get it nice and shiny, is it best to cut it back with wet and dry first before T-Cut? If so what grade? I used P600 for the between coat sanding - is this fine enough? Or 1000 grade wire wool? Or just go straight in with T-Cut? My instinct (not always right) is to CAREFULLY cut it back with either wet/dry or wire wool to remove the worst of the orange peel and overspray and then use T-Cut for the rest. Any tips gratefully accepted! Ta.

Core exercises are the thing. And yoga - seriously. I used to do lots of weight exercises and was once proud to be as strong as an ox. Now I just look like one Your body changes as you get older and to get your middle section into shape is probably the best thing you can do to stave off back issues and help with posture and all things middle age.

Another one of the grey brigade here - 53 and 11/12ths, played my first gig in front of a live paying audience 3 years ago. Feels like that little piece of me that has been missing all these years has finally dropped into place. Lightweight is definitely the way to go - if you haven't got a dodgy back you will most likely get one at some point so no point tempting fate by lugging 4x10 cabs about! My rehearsal basses are either SGC Nanyo SB-310 or a Hohner B2AD cricket bat - 7lbs is barely noticeable round your neck. I made a switch from classic Trace Elliot rig to a Barefaced Compact cab and TC Electronics Classic 450 head and can still hardly believe that something that weighs so little can sound so huge. If I think what I have saved in osteopath fees it has paid for itself already.

[quote name='Stingray5' post='1355565' date='Aug 29 2011, 07:22 PM']Hey Paul S, I had me one o' them Hayman 4040's, too. Solid bass![/quote] Indeed. Too solid, really - weighed as much as one of Jupiter's moons - but wonderful craftsmanship. Mine didn't sound all that great, it has to be said but it was certainly a good talking point.

I once had a Hayman 4040 bass, neck like a floorboard. [attachment=88204:me.jpg]

Niiiiiiice! Is this the best colour combination? I think so. I used to be an 'all black' kind of chap but since getting my FPJBS in this same pearl white/black I have become something of a fan of the look.

A Duff Mckagan P-Bass has just popped up on [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Duff-Mckagan-Precision-Bass-Jazz-Bass-Special-/230665960369?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item35b4c33bb1"]eBay[/url] here.

I loved them. I had two TE heads, both had the pre-shape and that was good enough for my ears.

Brilliant! Thanks chaps. This is going to sound like a dumb question, and I think I know the answer.... I bought satin finish lacquer, not fully appreciating that eventually I would be polishing it and making it glossy . I am assuming it would make no to little difference if I mix and match satin and gloss, as I will need to get some more?

I recently applied a headstock decal and I am 90% pleased with how it looks as it is a vast improvement over the bad copy that was on the bass when I got it. But there is 5% of me that is concerned that the edges of the decal are still raised and visible after application of 3 coats of lacquer. If I just continue to build up layers, then flat it all down, should this disappear? Ta!

[quote name='davehux' post='1352599' date='Aug 26 2011, 03:38 PM']Very true, but my point was about having a sense of perspective about what is going on in that band, taking into account the state of the planet at the moment, as opposed to what your or my values are. I actually agree with you that it's not perhaps the kindest way of doing things - I just thought the advert was funny. Perhaps as a 51 year old who has been round the block a few times, my outlook on this is rather more laid back than a 20 something who's about to get his sorry arse booted out of a band because he's a stranger to soap. At least he's not coming back from Afghanistan in a wooden box.[/quote] You are obviously much more altruistic in your outlook than I am. if someone did this to me I'd want to give them a slap. Speaking as a 53yr old who has been around the block more than a few times ...

Without wishing to labour the issue - it's not a case of lightening up - there is no humorous side to this that I am missing but more what is or isn't morally acceptable. You think it is fair play, I don't - simple as that. We all behave according to some internal set of values and they are not all the same. All I say is turn it around - imagine turning up for your next band rehearsal believing everything to be fine and dandy only to find you have been outed without prior warning and someone else is plugging their Ricky into their amp in your usual corner. It wouldn't be a nice feeling.

[quote name='abrightonband' post='1352074' date='Aug 26 2011, 10:04 AM']In this case it's more 'do as you [i]have[/i] been done by' and it's not like we've told you anything about this guy or even who we are so what's the beef?[/quote] Well, of course not everyone has the same standards in Life but my 'beef' is that you are recruiting a new bass player without your current one knowing about it. Presumably he will turn up one day and find his place redundant. The previous shenanigans within the band are irrelevant - it is a stand alone piece of immoral crappiness IMO. If you are comfortable with it, well, that's a matter between you and your kharma but I would sound out the other band members too - something like this could cause some resentment. Noe of my business, of course, you can do as you please but you stick something like that on a public forum don't be surprised to get some feedback. One thing is certain - even if I did fit your criteria after reading the nature of the posting yours is the last band I would like to join.

Another Hiscox fan. I weigh 100kg +/- and have stood on mine [i]with the bass inside[/i] to demonstrate the point of how tough they are.

I have always gone by the maxim 'do as you would be done by'. This is not a nice thing to do.