nekomatic

I’m keeping this simple, so it’ll be the same dark brown Tuffcab I used on my previous cab refurb. I’m still happy with how that one looks and it’ll be nice to have them match somewhat. Tonight I cut and drilled all the battens and started dry assembling them to the panels. A couple of errors: the verticals have come out a couple of mm too long (despite measuring against the panels 🤷‍♂️) so will need some sanding, and I failed to think through that only the rear verticals need holes in both directions, because the baffle will be screwed on from the front. Not fatal errors, I reckon. Some pics next post.

So the monthly jazz jam I go to has moved venue and whether it's because the 'stage' was on a hard floor and is now on carpet, or something else, I don't know, but I just can't hear myself through the house bassist's down-firing Acoustic Image combo any more. 'I know what' I said to myself, 'I'll bring my own rig next time, the compact transportable one, then I'll be in charge of my own sound. Job's a good 'un!' 'There's one problem,' I replied, 'you don't have a compact transportable rig.' 'Ah,' I said, 'fair point. Guess I'll have to get round to building that Basschat 1x8 then.' So then (and no more internal dialogue, I promise): driver and hardware obtained, timber supplies assessed, and a trip round the side of the house made to cut a bit off the length of spare drainpipe that's been lying around there ever since we moved in; deadline for completion, next jam on 13th Feb; let's go! I already had some bits of B&Q 12mm ply, and one of them was a strip I got cut 280 mm wide for some forgotten reason, so to save me a couple of cuts I've slightly adjusted the size to use a 280 mm wide baffle and back panel. Do not mix these two up Remaining cuts made with the handheld electric saw, using a batten or piece of board clamped to the workpiece as a guide, after careful adjustment (and checking the guide piece is actually straight). This could easily go wrong, but I seem to have got away with it. I cut the driver and port holes with the Dremel and circle attachment. This was very easy but in my excitement I forgot to properly allow for the cut thickness, so both holes have come out a couple of mm bigger than planned. Bit of a pain for the port, which will need packing out with something, but still plenty of wood left for the speaker to seal on as long as it stays properly centred in the aperture. To ensure that I cut some little pieces of a moulding I happened to have spare, and glued them to the insides of the cutout, and that seems to be just right to keep the speaker located. Now off to watch Phil's assembly video one more time…

Dyslexia and dyscalculia are recognised conditions and I believe we're getting past the assumption that people who have them 'just aren't trying hard enough' or 'just haven't been taught properly', so it would be no surprise that a similar thing exists for musical notation. It's intriguing that you seem to get this for notation but not for tab. But then the brain is an intriguing and incompletely understood thing.

I remain to be convinced that tab is any easier to sight read at tempo than notation. I reckon sight reading is a bit like ten-finger typing: you just need to force yourself to practice it, no matter how slow and painful that is, and you will get better. (It should be noted that I’m a much better typist than I am a sight reader.)

Yep. Also the faulty Mooer (now why does that sound familiar…) is Bax’s responsibility to sort out, irrespective of any warranty you might have got from the manufacturer. Since the fault has arisen within six months of purchase the onus is on them to show it wasn’t faulty when you bought it, not the other way around.

That Danson cab is gorgeous!

I personally feel moderately sorry for them, but ultimately it's their decision what products to stock and if stores stopped stocking (for example) Mooer's 'smart' guitars because they couldn't trust Mooer to support them properly, maybe Mooer would think a bit harder about supporting them properly.

Most lead-free solder melts at 227 °C but if you look around you can find stuff with a 217 °C melting point - from memory it has about 3 % silver in it though, so it may be a little more expensive. I guess that should make it a little easier to use although to be honest I've never directly compared the two. edit to add: https://cpc.farnell.com/stannol/631902/solder-lead-free-1-0mm-100g/dp/SD01178 for example. You need (in my experience) a temperature controlled soldering iron, and to use the right size bit for each job, and then you'll wonder why anyone moans about lead free.

Which? have a fairly comprehensive summary: https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-do-i-do-if-i-have-a-faulty-product-aTTEK2g0YuEy I also found a mention on this page of the situation when something stops working because of a software update, although it's referring to the phone itself rather than another product that depends on the phone: https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/my-mobile-phone-is-faulty-what-can-i-do-ajAzA5S2Uv1t I'm not a lawyer and it may be this isn't clear-cut but from a layman's point of view it is obvious that mobile phones get software updates, which have to be installed for security and to maintain compatibility with other apps, so if you buy a product that can only work with a mobile phone then you should be able to expect it to keep working for a reasonable time in that situation. Citizens Advice also have good advice pages and you can contact them for individual advice if the standard information doesn't solve your problem - that might be where I'd go next if @edstraker123 doesn't get a satisfactory response to his letter…

This is not the legal position, as other people have noted. When you buy something from a retailer your contract is with the retailer.

I've just received a delivery from Blue Aran, so watch this space for a build! edit: under way!

I recently came across this which describes new UK regulations that apply to sites like this one, and thought I’d flag it up just in case the team weren’t already aware. Hopefully it shouldn’t require doing anything more onerous than carrying out a risk assessment and documenting the result. There’s also this page which is offering a mailing list for people running similar sites to help with compliance and possibly making collective representations to Ofcom about it. HTH

Having just bought the CD reissue off Mickeyboro of this parish, I’m listening to the stone cold classic 1971 British jazz album A Symphony of Amaranths by Neil Ardley, which features a galaxy of talent of the time including Ivor Cutler as narrator on this track:

Bought Mick’s Neil Ardley CD, a pleasure doing business with him.

I can’t see why not. I’m no teacher btw, just going on my own experience and second-hand experience of my kids learning piano and violin, and ‘practice it slowly’ seems to be the answer to most things.

So “Mog-you” then?

(checks lists of controversial topics above) phew, looks like I’m OK to start that ‘Jamerson vs Kaye’ thread then

This is a good call, I have the B1 Four. It has line in and headphone out, powers off batteries, 9 volt adapter or USB, has a tuner, metronome or drum patterns to practice to, it’s a recording interface, and it’s a multi effect unit as well if you need that. Oh and I think you can use it as a looper too. You can get them secondhand for about £50.

KOKOROKO at New Century last night. Monster band, great gig. Diverse but mostly youngish crowd, several hundred strong, out on a Monday night to get down to what is at heart a jazz band (if anyone feels like disputing this they played a song in 5/4 - QED). There is hope for the world, you know. Support from the highly entertaining Lady Donli who is also worth checking out if into a (very broadly) Afrobeat kind of vibe. My first time at New Century (well it has only been open two years now 🙄 ), great space but the stage seems a bit low for the size of the room hence no photos as they would have too many backs of people's heads in the way.

Say She She Great fun, would recommend (catch them soon before the one on the left goes on mat leave). Backing band solid and mostly invisible except for the middle of the show when the women left the stage for a break. Look, here they are!: Support from Gitkin, a three-piece playing sort of instrumental surf-dub. Not bad but not quite interesting enough to excuse them the cardinal sin of having no bass player.

Say She She at Manchester Albert Hall tonight, Kokoroko at New Century on Monday.

I was feeling bad that I'd not got my act together to go to this, and you've made me feel much better about it thanks!

I guess I would try finding one or more patterns or riffs that demonstrate the problem and practice them slowly and quietly, with a metronome, concentrating on fretting cleanly and with just enough pressure, so you aren’t banging your LH finger down excessively hard. Then gradually increase the tempo and volume. I find it’s easy to use too much force with the fretting hand, and something I need to consciously practice out.